Life in the Apocalypse

[apuckalypse]

Dumping ground for Earth 2044 shenanigans.

Comments

prompt: tea

[apuckalypse]

[It's probably godawful o'clock, but morning tends to be when the most happens at base, so right before the rest of the resistance rouses themselves, Casey's sneaking back into the Hamato 'residence' (which is basically just one of the nicer caves, big enough to fit them all) and draping himself over one of the blanketed turtle shells in the pile, channelling his best lion-cub-at-dawn energy.]

Senseeeeei. Wake up, it's morning.

[neonleon]

[He'd been laying here for a few minutes now. Listening to his family breathe and rest, listening out for anything. But he felt Casey stepping in and lets him drape. He keeps his voice down, wanting his brothers to get as much sleep as they can.]

Hmmm.... five more minutes.

[apuckalypse]

[Hmm, indeed. Casey considers the request; very reasonable. It is still early, and getting a full night of sleep is rare these days. On the other hand - and he leans in really close, his chin resting on the very tip of Leo's shell, hands drumming quietly on the carapace-]

Uncle Tello said to not let you sleep in. He said to tell you the leaves are ready now.

[He doesn't know exactly what all of that means, but he knows they've been working on some special greenhouse project for months now, so with all that effort coming to fruition, the idea of waiting five more minutes sounds agonizing. He wants to see what it's all for!]

[neonleon]

The... leaves..?

[He has to think that over, hoping the drumming doesn't wake up everyone else-

He sits straight up. Oh shit the leaves. He smiles at Casey.]

You wanna come with?

[apuckalypse]

[Oops, up he goes as Leo sits up, clinging to his back. He grins over Leo's shoulder and nods, balancing a very careful line between excited and hushed for the sake of the rest of the room.]

Yeah!

[neonleon]

[Leo just smiles even wider and starts to get to his feet, the thin sheet tangled up with his feet for a second. He isn't even gonna bother grabbing his scarf or anything.]

Hang on. [To his shell. Piggyback this, kid. He'll check to make sure his family is still asleep before carefully stepping out and starting down the hall. Once he's on the loose, he's moving.]

Did he say which leaves?

[apuckalypse]

[Like a baby monkey he's clinging, always happy to piggyback.]

He just said they're labeled and that you'd know. In his corner of the greenhouse?

[neonleon]

Got it.

["They're". Multiple. God. He'd kill for some actual good tea about now, it's only been how many years? Too long if he's honest. He'd liked tea when he was younger, but he didn't realize the full depth of the loss until he'd started getting older and missed it. Such a simple pleasure.

He rounds the corner to head toward his brother's greenhouse - a larger section they'd closed off and sealed for the sake of science and regrowth. Anything to make sure the soil and seeds and water supply inside wouldn't get contaminated with anything once they were sure they would be at this base for a long time. A rare perk of being the leader is having his bio-scan work for almost every lock.]

When did he tell you?

[apuckalypse]

Mm... a few hours ago. [When he went to bed, because it's Uncle Tello and his sleep schedule is a hot mess as usual.] He said, [and here Leo is graced with Casey's very best tired-Uncle-Tello voice,] "Explaining this is Nardo's job, go back to sleep."

[And since usually Donatello will jump at the chance to explain his scientific genius, he figures either he's that exhausted from trying to get this project done in time for some undisclosed deadline, or he's throwing sensei a bone. Or maybe both. He had been really tired about it, albeit proud.]

[neonleon]

[He chuckles at that as the door opens and he walks them inside. Really, Casey on his back is like a pillow with how light he feels.] Good try. Keep practicing and you'll get his voice down. A little higher up in the back of the throat.

[But he walks past the sun lamps and plant beds, the counters with seeds Donnie is clearly still working on. No, he goes straight to the real final work bench where Donnie does most of the work. And there are several sealed jars with labels.]

Think these are it?

[apuckalypse]

[It's all the malnourishment

Casey tries the line again, under his breath, and tries to implement Leo's advice. (Almost sounds better, actually. Huh.) He's quickly distracted by the scenery, though, and he peers around the greenhouse curiously- usually he doesn't go in here, kids aren't typically permitted in the food stores because everything is so delicate, so he's taking in the sights while he's able. Looks the same as it ever does, with multiple experiments ongoing, the scent of different types of soil and growth wafting in the air. Not much should be growing underground, but somehow they make it work. Uncle Tello makes it work, at least.

When they reach the last table, Casey leans over his shoulder to spot the jars, and points to one on the end.]

That one for sure! I saw him writing on the jar in his lab.

[neonleon]

That one, huh.

[He reaches to give Casey's head a gentle pat with one hand while he reaches for the jar with the other. But once he sees the label, his eyes go wide.]

Holy... And you're sure this is real? Not him playing a jokey joke on me?

[apuckalypse]

[Casey considers that.]

He didn't sound like he was joking. He did all the same stuff he always does when he's making something really cool. [Pulling all-nighters, holing himself up in his lab for days, talking cryptically about this or that, bragging about his genius once he hit some kind of breakthrough. Then the nonchalance with which he announced the project's success.

If this is important like that, it's definitely not a prank.]

prompt: miyamoto

[neonleon]

[The trap had sprung, and Leo came back worse for wear and with one less at his side. They'd at least accomplished the secondary goal: grab some intel storage from Prime's ship and get it back to Donnie. Taking out Prime was the first objective but... well.

They can never take too long to hold a real memorial service for anyone. Usually just fifteen or twenty minutes after returning from a mission to read names of anyone lost, give their loved ones anything left behind from the fight. This one was hard though. Miyamoto didn't really... have family. It was just Leo. And while he hadn't exactly hidden how he felt about the youkai, he and Miyamoto hadn't exactly gone out of their way to advertise themselves either. But it still hit like a freight train.

Everyone's left, spread back out to do their own mourning and remembrance as they can. Leo stares at the little memorial where they write the names of everyone lost so far, Miyamoto's katana in his flesh hand gripped tight. Then stalks off quickly to find a room somewhere to be alone. And make some noise that everyone... politely pretends they don't hear as they walk by.]

[apuckalypse]

[Being one of the resistance's chosen humans - and their ward, more or less - came with some benefits, one of which was the right to come and go most places unquestioned, as long as it wasn't strictly off-limits and he wasn't in the way. Casey follows the noise, slips through the cracks of all of those bodies avoiding where Leo had disappeared into, and peers around the doorway to bear witness to what everyone else can't stand to watch.

He's still young, in training. He's not a master ninja. But he knows when to wait, when to stay quiet and out of sight when there's danger. And a very angry mutant turtle destroying half the junk room is not a safe place for a kid... yet. He can bide his time.]

[neonleon]

[It wasn't the first time Master Leonardo had been angry like this; the loss of the oldest brother, the big one, had sent him reeling a while back too. No one was sure how long exactly it was, but they remember how quiet he'd been after the first day.

This was likely shaping up to be similar.

The noise eventually dies down. Gradually, slowly he sinks down the wall to sit on the floor, his head falling heavily into his hands. Leonardo keeps Usagi's sword tucked in against him, holding it close as he tries to breathe. There are still people around. It's impossible to ever be truly alone in the base, but someone's closer than he'd really like.]

Gimme- Just need one minute and I'll be right with ya. [But his voice is thick and wet and croaking a bit.]</small.

[apuckalypse]

[It's when he sits that Casey knows it's safe to approach; he'd been about to step forward when he hears the voice calling him. He's not surprised to be caught. Sensei is the greatest ninja in the world, after all.

He isn't cowed by being less of a ninja than that - well used to it - nor did the earlier display frighten him. Scary as Master Leonardo can be, violent and dangerous in a fight, he's never truly turned that strength against one of their own. Spars and training are different. His rage is carefully targeted.

So he doesn't give Leo a minute. He quietly pads his way over to stand in front of where Leo hunches.]

Sensei...

[neonleon]

[Soon as Casey can see him, Leonardo is rapidly trying to dry his eyes with his scarf, make it look like he wasn't just having a breakdown. But he looks up and sees it's Casey.

A little smile plays on his lips as he tries to lighten his tone.] Casey, hey. What's up? I was gonna come by and see you in five.

[apuckalypse]

[Sensei's trying so hard. Everyone's trying hard. He wishes he didn't feel so young and useless. They'd been so happy lately... sensei smiled at someone new, someone not in their immediate family, and it was different. For... a while. He laughed and acted like they had a future. Like the plan was going to work and they'd be one less closer.

That person is gone now, and Casey looks down at the floor. Sensei misses him. He misses him. And if sensei's trying not to cry about it-

He holds his arms out.]

Can I have a hug?

[neonleon]

[Leonardo blinks at that request. Did something happen while they were gone? He isn't sure if he can handle one more thing, but for Casey he'd carry thousands more things. He shifts Usagi's sword to his other arm, out of the way but not quite ready to let it go. Opening both arms to Casey.]

Yeah, c'mere. Get in here.

[apuckalypse]

[Casey melts into it immediately, tucking himself up against Leo's shoulder, small arms winding around his neck to return the hug. He says nothing for a little bit, just lets them both indulge in this. It's mostly for Leo, but... it's also for him.]

[neonleon]

[No matter what Casey's thinking, Leonardo will take the hug. He holds the boy close with his flesh arm, squeezing tight for a moment before loosening the grip.]

...Something happen I gotta beat someone up for?

[apuckalypse]

[Casey curls in as close as he can get, shaking his head and sniffing quietly.]

Master Miyamoto... I'm gonna miss him...

[neonleon]

[Oh.

He kind of knew Casey and Usagi got along, in that weird way your adoptive son gets along with your new partner he meets as an older child. But not like this...

Leonardo goes very quiet holding Casey.] Yeah.. I'm really gonna miss him too.

[apuckalypse]

[Casey just hugs him tighter.]

Were you scared? To be up there all alone?

[He doesn't know the circumstances of Miyamoto's death, just that he wasn't coming back. It happened a lot, so often it was impossible to hide death from all but the youngest of children in the base. Casey remembers, distantly, the loss of his mother and Master Raphael. Understood what the memorial wall stood for. Sensei's holding Master Miyamoto's sword the way Casey himself holds his mask sometimes.]