I want to be blinded from this dull today​

[levelshift]

Who: Leonardo faceguy, Donatello purplexing, Accelerator levelshift
What: Three children commit light B&E and felony theft.
When: Late May. Probably after that Fantastic announcement, what timing.
Where: An electronics recycling facility in Central.
Content Warnings: Kids committing crimes, body horror, psychological horror, blood, sensory overloading. These kids have trauma, thanks nightmare floor! Will update as necessary.


[With everything going on in Central City - the flooding, the lockdown, Fantastic taking over the Alliance - the smart thing to do would be to delay this whole mission. Or even better - call it off, because even though it should be a (mostly) harmless crime for the benefit of Donnie, stealing equipment meant to be recycled is still illegal. But no, they've made plans, scoped the place out, trained. Dropping things now would be putting all that time and effort to waste, and besides, it should be a simple stealthy in-and-out mission, right? It's a recycling facility, how bad can the security be?

Besides, it'll be fun to stick it to Fantastic. A heist (albeit, a small one) happening right after he becomes head of the Alliance? Now that's fantastic.

Accelerator isn't too sure what to expect. He's been in a recycling facility before, back in Academy City, and the security was incredibly lax. This is a different city - different universe, with different rules. He's a little cautious, since this was originally his idea, and he's the one with only thirty minutes of power to work with. Otherwise he's a weaker-than-normal high school student relying on two very capable ninjas.

It's fucking weird to be relying on other people. He kind of hates it, and he isn't totally sure why, though he can't exactly overthink it right now like he usually would. He's trying to stay focused on breaking into the facility and not fucking anything up for Donnie and Leo. He's even made something of an effort for tonight, with a duffle bag to store equipment (a smaller backpack is inside for stuff he'll grab for the Society's cut) and a black hoodie in case he needs to hide his hair (he isn't sure, white hair just doesn't seem very stealthy).

So far it's going smoothly. With Leo's planning and leadership and Donnie taking care of the security system they're able to sneak in and avoid the paths of the security guards. In fact, it's going so well that it sort of seems like they might be able to get in, grab what they need, and get out with no incidents whatsoever.

Of course, it's absurd to throw all caution out the window simply because things are working out right now. Especially when they run into their first obstacle.

After dodging a few more guards, the trio will come to a long hallway, the only path to their goal without having to pass directly several security stations. Spread through the length of the hall are little red lasers, arranged into one very elaborate grid meant to ward off would-be thieves such as themselves. It's like something out of a spy movie, and it's unclear whether these are the kinds of lasers that will cut a limb off or simply sound an alarm if tripped. Maybe it's both.

Accelerator leans heavily on his crutch, looking thoroughly irritated with this obstacle. His reflection might be actively detrimental here.]

This is fucking ridiculous.

Comments

[purplexing]

[This is uncharted territory. They already had few enough friends and casual acquaintances. None of them have ever suddenly offered them the option to cut themselves off.

Can he understand Accelerator's reasoning? Yes. Does he like it? No!

Leo leaves the offer open for the esper to contact them, and Donnie can't even figure out any further words to add to that as he turns to watch Accelerator leave. That doesn't make him feel any better either.

He can only look anxiously towards the exit until the sounds of the esper's crutch diminish with the distance.]

[faceguy]

[He leaves. Leo watches him go, until he’s well and truly gone.

He doesn’t like any of this.

He looks at Donnie; he can tell his brother isn’t happy that he’s left, either. But maybe they owe it to Accelerator and themselves to know how they feel about this. So that if and when they contact him again, they know what to say, and will mean it.

With that thought in mind, he starts to reach out for Donnie, then thinks better of it and stops his hand.]

Are you okay?

[He‘ll start there.]

[purplexing]

[At least he knows Leo's still there. Donnie doesn't answer right away though, still watching the passageway as though expecting someone to come back through it. It's probably a ridiculous expectation, he realizes.]

I...I don't know.

[He sighs, feeling suddenly exhausted, unaware of how tense he'd been throughout that whole conversation until now.]

...not really.

[faceguy]

[That answer isn’t a surprise at all. Leo sighs, sinking back against the wall.]

Me either…

[He runs a hand over his face, trying to compose himself.]

…I knew it was gonna be bad. I just… didn’t expect that.

[purplexing]

[Donnie finally moves to sit there on the floor since he doesn't have a wall to lean on.]

Yeah... I don't think anyone could have expected that.

[If they had, they might not have ever gotten involved with the esper.]

...he'd been pretty blatant about putting himself down when I talked to him in the library, and he'd said he'd done terrible things. But I never thought... I wouldn't even have guessed that it had been something like that.

[faceguy]

[Maybe they wouldn’t have, but now they have. They’re involved in his life. Donnie built him a crutch; Leo hugged him after the nightmare room. It’s hard to just drop someone after all that.]

He told me he doesn’t want to hurt innocent people. And… I don’t know how much you saw in that room, but… he’s torturing himself over this. And I believe him, I don’t think he’d make the same choice the second time, but…

[But he did it before. Being sorry doesn’t bring back the people he killed.

Is it on them to do something about it? Mercy isn’t really theirs to give here, but neither is justice. And that just makes it more confusing. Nothing about this situation is as clear cut as the Krang or the Shredder.

Leo slides to the floor and lets his head fall back against the wall.]

Letting him go didn’t feel right… but we need to be sure what our answer is. I don’t think this is something we can change our minds on later.

[If they cut him off, they can’t undo that. But if they don’t cut him off now, and then do it in the future, when he’s not prepared like he is now… That would be so much worse.]

[purplexing]

I saw enough...

[He'd rather not think about it, but it's hard to forget what he'd seen and the snippets of things he had managed to hear before everything just became too much. That lake of blood, all those bodies...

That unsettling feeling in his gut twists again, making Donnie draw up his knees to hug his arms around.]

He made a bad decision. An extremely bad decision, but I think he...he was desperate. [Desperation makes people do crazy things.] I'm not saying it's okay or right... And he's definitely got some issues, but...he's not a completely bad person.

[Sure, he looked about ready to turn Donnie inside out when his choker device had accidentally been disrupted, but Donnie could justify that reaction, terrifying as it was to realize.]

He tried to change, but...something happened and now he's just condemning himself. It's like he's convinced himself that he can't possibly be anything more than what he's become.

[Donnie raises his head enough to look over his arms at Leo.]

I think he's still trying though. Maybe subconsciously. To be better. I mean...he helped me get to you. Kind of. And he could've just passed off his teleporter and left but he didn't. Even the information about the recycling center... He didn't have to do any of that.

I know it doesn't make anything go away, it won't change what he's done...but I don't think we should just...turn our back on him because of all that.

[faceguy]

[Leo tilts his head so he can meet Donnie's eyes. He agrees with his assessment - Accelerator has openly written himself off as irredeemable, but he's still trying to be better. He's resolved never to make the same mistake again, and he's been helping them, roundabout as his help may be sometimes.

If they turn their backs on him now, it'll just reinforce that view, that he's irredeemable garbage. And it's not a view Leo feels like reinforcing.]

I don't think he has a lot of people. I mean, according to his phone we're kinda it.

[Leo knows he has a few people back in his own world, but that's a dimension away. Who knows when Accelerator will be able to go back permanently?]

And I don't want to turn my back on him. He has an attitude problem, but he can be alright if you push past all the prickliness.

And, I dunno... I know it shouldn't matter, but I keep thinking... he's the same age as Mikey. [Leo bunches his shoulders up.] He's younger, so it's like... I gotta look out for him, you know?

[Not a literal gotta, but his protective instincts got triggered and it's hard to put that back in the box.]

[purplexing]

Yeah...

[It had been easy to make it a point of amusement, but the fact that Accelerator's contact list never seemed to grow is pretty telling.]

He trusts us.

Weirdly enough, I trust him too. [In spite of all that, somehow.]

[Given how Accelerator is, it's easy not to realize he's actually younger than them. Donnie's brows lift. Had he known that? Possibly forgotten it. The esper certainly didn't act his age. That stupid Academy City must have messed up so many kids.]

I get that.

[He sighs, letting his shoulders relax a little as his arms loosened around his knees.]

So we know what our decision is. But...what do we tell him?

[faceguy]

[He may have mentioned it to Donnie before, but Leo mainly remembers because they’re in different classes in school. Not that he brings that up now.

He’s glad they’re on the same page. That makes it easier, at least.]

I trust him too.

[A weird thing to say, maybe, but Leo hasn’t sensed anything from Accelerator indicating that he’d ever betray or hurt them.

Besides, he’s seen the worst fears of both of them and come out of it trying to make things right, which means a lot to Leo.]

Well… I guess we just tell him he’s not getting rid of us.

[Not actually like that - but Leo is as Leo does.]

We don’t need to give him any conditions or demands… Just, you know. Make it clear that he’s still our… almost-friend-thing.

[purplexing]

[Donnie doesn't have any problems with it being phrased like that. Isn't that basically what it is anyway? Accelerator's stubborn, but the turtle boys can be just as much so.

"Almost-friend-thing" nearly makes him crack a smile. It's such a weird, nebulous little space of acquaintanceship that Accelerator occupies, even though lowkey, Donnie's more or less slotted him under the friend category. Accelerator's the one that's been more adamant in keeping some particular distance.

Donnie nods.]

I can already anticipate what he'll say. [A lot of 'What's wrong with you?!' peppered with explicatives, he'd wager.]

[faceguy]

Something R-rated about how we’re crazy and stupid, followed up with a “whatever”?

[Or a “fuck off,” that’s possible too. Point is, Leo is one the same wavelength. It coaxes the ghost of a smile out of him.]

Do we let him get home first, or do we go see if he actually found a way out without punching a hole through the street?

[purplexing]

Sounds on brand.

[Donnie slides a look back towards the tunnel out.]

Well, it hasn't been too long, I don't think, and I haven't heard any explosions so...

Actually let me just-

[Gonna pull up his computer to bring up a map.

Should Leo be surprised?

Absolutely not.]

[faceguy]

[He isn’t surprised. Still…] Dude.

[Donnie go five minutes without bugging anyone, difficulty level: impossible.

Still, it is helpful for this. It’s… actually helpful a lot. Leo feels like he can’t really scold Donnie for it, considering…

Whatever! He’ll just lean in to look.]

Well, he’s not hopelessly lost.

[purplexing]

What??

Anyway I found out where he lives the old-fashioned way, so if we really wanted to just head him off at the pass, it wouldn't be too hard.

...but if he's still down here maybe we should get to him before he draws attention or something. Subtlety is not a word I'd associate with him.

[faceguy]

[“The old-fashioned way” huh? Heh.]

Yeah, it’s no good if he reveals this place to everyone. Might as well catch him!

[If they’re going to keep bothering Accelerator, why hold back now?]

[purplexing]

[If it doesn't involve tech it is clearly old-fashioned.

These seem perfectly good reasons to check on Accelerator. Donnie grins at Leo, rocking to his feet.]

Let's do it then.

[faceguy]

[Honestly, he’s impressed Donnie had the patience for that.

He hops to his feet too, grinning back. It seems like they both have their mojo now that they’ve come to an agreement, so that must mean they made the right choice. Or at least the one they will sleep easiest with.]

Lead the way, hermano!

[With Donnie’s tracking, it will take no time at all for them to catch up to him. Two ninjas coming in hot, Accelerator!]

[levelshift]

[He really has no idea. Accelerator is like, 99% sure they're going to text him telling him to delete their contact information, with a +-1% margin of error.

Since he's used his esper ability he's gotten decently far in the sewers, and lucky for them, he's avoided breaking anything. After all of that it would be very rude to just break the ground and expose their hidden lair.

So he did the smart thing and use his power to follow air currents until he's found another exit via manhole. From there he's planning on getting his bearings, then going home and sleeping for sixteen hours. It's an excellent gameplan.]

[purplexing]

[Stalking Tailing Accelerator back to his apartment was just a training exercise!!]

Hm. Guess he decided to improvise on routes. Down this way-

[Donnie takes another branch off the tunnel they'd initially taken down to the lair. Well, at least the good news is Accelerator doesn't seem lost?]

I think he's heading for the next accessway down. ...where's that come up, anyway?

[faceguy]

Pretty sure it comes up a few blocks southeast of our apartment complex. I think the pho restaurant Huv likes to order from is around there.

[Relating streets to food places or entertainment venues is how he keeps up with it.]

Not the worst place to pop out of a manhole, I guess.

[levelshift]

[It's pure luck that that's the manhole Accelerator found, since he isn't exactly well-versed in Central's sewer layout and how it relates to the city above.

Anyways, there's a loud bang as he uses his vector control to pop the manhole cover off. There aren't any noises of people freaking out, so it's probably in an alleyway or something away from the main street.]

[purplexing]

-aaand there he is.

[He has to grin at that. Sure, he can understand Accelerator's methods a little better, but the esper's still predictable in that regard.]

Think you can manage a portal topside?

[faceguy]

Heh. Of course I can.

[So saying, Leo takes his katana out and draws a circle. The portal comes to life in a flash of blue, and then they can step through.

It opens up topside, just in front of the manhole opening. Leo steps out, grinning, holding it open while Donnie joins him.

They’ll just be waiting for Accelerator to join them.]

1/2

[levelshift]

[Accelerator, meanwhile, manipulates his gravitational vectors to hop on out onto the side street, so that he doesn't have to climb up the ladder. Since he's fully expecting to be alone up there his usual scowl is replaced with something a lot more melancholy.]