Donatello Hamato (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
purplexing) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
metalogs2023-06-04 09:51 pm
purplexing) wrote in metalogs2023-06-04 09:51 pm
[Open] Trying Not to Fall Apart
Who: Donnie purplexing and you!
What: Oh you know, just an average week in the life of a teenage mutant ninja nerd
When: Early June before things start to really implode
Where: Central
Content Warnings: N/A, will update as needed
can't sleep something will eat me - Apartment
It's easier to sleep when you run yourself ragged and let yourself pass out. Then there's a seventy percent chance that you'd be too exhausted to dream. That hadn't necessarily been his plan but it had been more or less effective the night he, Leo and Accelerator had come back from their tech heist. Since then, sleep had been...elusive.
While it's not unusual for Donnie to pull late to all-nighters, he's been leaning on such practices extra hard lately. It's easier to get away with when he's got actual projects. Guy's telescoping stun baton gets done relatively quickly in this regard. The game systems they'd found at the recycling center have been reappropriated into a single gaming system and they now had a high-definition projector that freed them from the constraints of a flatscreen TV. Spare phones have been repaired, wiped and upgraded in the case that they might run into anyone who needed a phone or just didn't trust the ones the Guild handed out.
But even productive turtle teens need sleep, and whenever he succumbs to it, it's always fitful and ends up with him clawing his way to wakefulness, away from the blood-filled nightmares with the grasping, reaching hands and tendrils. Sometimes he stays in his room, other times he slips out to sit in the kitchen wrapped around a cup of coffee or huddled under a blanket on the couch, reading a book or poking around things on his phone. If his head's clear enough then he'll do some late night work dismantling something or another, or work on repairing circuitboards.
third time's a charm - Sewers
The whole point of having a lair deep in the sewers is so people can't get to it easily. The sewers are already a maze, but thanks to the flooding from all the rain last month, Donnie's managed to get a decent amount of it mapped out with the aid of his mystic-tech. They aren't as convoluted and full of abandoned places like New York, but he and Leo had finally found a promising location.
Moving things into a new lair is never much fun. They'd already had to rebuild their home once, after all. Here at least they don't have too much stuff to worry about, but then they are still basically starting from scratch. Priority had gone to hauling their ill-gained goods down there once basic setup had been handled, some tidying up (okay, a lot of tidying up), and initial security measures installed. With things stirring in the world above, Donnie's not taking any chances.
There's still a lot to do, but they've got this much done. It's just a shame that they have to do this at all after getting so used to living almost normally.
what a town - Around Central
Life still goes on, even when you're trying to play things cool after being mildly (?) traumatized, even when there've been drastic changes in the meta-world.
There are library books to be returned, after all, and if Donnie can't sneak-borrow more by using Leo's card, he can at least read things there, his earphones bumping some techno or K-Pop (it's catchy okay) so he doesn't accidentally nod off. It's an attempt, anyway.
Coffee runs go without saying, and there's something nice about being able to sit in a cafe enjoying an iced latte. It's a change of atmosphere and he can more or less blend in with others who are here tapping at their laptops and tablets. Kind of. Other times he'll just be grabbing a drink to go, so one might catch him all purple hoodied up on his way to or from.
It might be weird be hard to believe, but Donnie has other hobbies, which is why at some point or another one might come across him carrying a small cardboard box with a variety of plants ready to be repotted. The backpack slung over his shoulder holds a few pots and some potting soil. He's a turtle on a mission and nothing is keeping him from working on a balcony garden. Alternatively one can find him perusing the selection at a small plant nursery or shop.
that other option - Wildcard
(Got any other ideas/requests? Have at it or ping me on discord or the plork!)
purplexing and you!What: Oh you know, just an average week in the life of a teenage mutant ninja nerd
When: Early June before things start to really implode
Where: Central
Content Warnings: N/A, will update as needed
can't sleep something will eat me - Apartment
It's easier to sleep when you run yourself ragged and let yourself pass out. Then there's a seventy percent chance that you'd be too exhausted to dream. That hadn't necessarily been his plan but it had been more or less effective the night he, Leo and Accelerator had come back from their tech heist. Since then, sleep had been...elusive.
While it's not unusual for Donnie to pull late to all-nighters, he's been leaning on such practices extra hard lately. It's easier to get away with when he's got actual projects. Guy's telescoping stun baton gets done relatively quickly in this regard. The game systems they'd found at the recycling center have been reappropriated into a single gaming system and they now had a high-definition projector that freed them from the constraints of a flatscreen TV. Spare phones have been repaired, wiped and upgraded in the case that they might run into anyone who needed a phone or just didn't trust the ones the Guild handed out.
But even productive turtle teens need sleep, and whenever he succumbs to it, it's always fitful and ends up with him clawing his way to wakefulness, away from the blood-filled nightmares with the grasping, reaching hands and tendrils. Sometimes he stays in his room, other times he slips out to sit in the kitchen wrapped around a cup of coffee or huddled under a blanket on the couch, reading a book or poking around things on his phone. If his head's clear enough then he'll do some late night work dismantling something or another, or work on repairing circuitboards.
third time's a charm - Sewers
The whole point of having a lair deep in the sewers is so people can't get to it easily. The sewers are already a maze, but thanks to the flooding from all the rain last month, Donnie's managed to get a decent amount of it mapped out with the aid of his mystic-tech. They aren't as convoluted and full of abandoned places like New York, but he and Leo had finally found a promising location.
Moving things into a new lair is never much fun. They'd already had to rebuild their home once, after all. Here at least they don't have too much stuff to worry about, but then they are still basically starting from scratch. Priority had gone to hauling their ill-gained goods down there once basic setup had been handled, some tidying up (okay, a lot of tidying up), and initial security measures installed. With things stirring in the world above, Donnie's not taking any chances.
There's still a lot to do, but they've got this much done. It's just a shame that they have to do this at all after getting so used to living almost normally.
what a town - Around Central
Life still goes on, even when you're trying to play things cool after being mildly (?) traumatized, even when there've been drastic changes in the meta-world.
There are library books to be returned, after all, and if Donnie can't sneak-borrow more by using Leo's card, he can at least read things there, his earphones bumping some techno or K-Pop (it's catchy okay) so he doesn't accidentally nod off. It's an attempt, anyway.
Coffee runs go without saying, and there's something nice about being able to sit in a cafe enjoying an iced latte. It's a change of atmosphere and he can more or less blend in with others who are here tapping at their laptops and tablets. Kind of. Other times he'll just be grabbing a drink to go, so one might catch him all purple hoodied up on his way to or from.
It might be weird be hard to believe, but Donnie has other hobbies, which is why at some point or another one might come across him carrying a small cardboard box with a variety of plants ready to be repotted. The backpack slung over his shoulder holds a few pots and some potting soil. He's a turtle on a mission and nothing is keeping him from working on a balcony garden. Alternatively one can find him perusing the selection at a small plant nursery or shop.
that other option - Wildcard
(Got any other ideas/requests? Have at it or ping me on discord or the plork!)
no subject
Anyway, what comes up next is more exciting. Leo holds the phone back where they can both see it and scrolls through.
“Ahh yeah, cosplay shots.” Their costumes really are impeccable. Leo will let himself be impressed by it. “Sometime we should get those professional photos where they edit in special effects and stuff. That would be sweet.”
no subject
"Still a shame that Jupiter Jim is an unknown franchise here. Although I guess it'd be harder to sell ourselves as cosplayers with everything else being weird. Eh well." At least they can still enjoy the movies.
no subject
It is a shame the movies are unknown here, but it causes Leo to have a thought.
“You know… I wonder if we could put what movies you brought online. Tell people it’s trans-dimensional media. Maybe get Jupiter Jim and Lou Jitsu a cult following in this world, too.”
no subject
"It wouldn't be hard to post them up. I bet we'd get hits based purely on the fact that it's originated from another Earth. We could even potentially make money off of it if we set up the access for it right. Wouldn't last forever but it could start off a hype."
And that's all it would take, really. Once you set something loose on the internet, there's no telling how far it will go.
"-you're not hoping to capitalize on your holo-disguise once Lou Jitsu becomes a household name, are you?"
no subject
At the suggestion, Leo immediately puts the most innocent look he has on his face.
“No, of course not…! I would never! …But also if Lou Jitsu was famous and people thought his son was a Starfallen, well, it’s not like it’s a lie, right?”
So really, what can he do if that happens? It would just be a coincidence!
no subject
"Under that logic, no, I suppose it is not," he says with an exaggerated sigh. Clearly he's not disapproving of the idea, but he's not outright going to say he approves it either!
"...hey, I wonder if anyone else has brought AU media along with them? If we set up a site specifically for it, then we could basically have a streaming service. Of course that would require input from other people which means potentially dividing profits."
no subject
Well, assuming they can actually get any traction. Though Donnie’s musing makes his eyes light up.
“…Hey, now you’re on to something. That could actually be a seriously cool thing!”
Dividing profits is not so great, but in exchange they can see movies and TV from other worlds, which is really cool. Even more than the potential money, Leo thinks the enrichment alone would be good for the people here. Expose them to other cultures, even if those other cultures are just alternate versions of this culture.
no subject
"Going to have to make the encryptions tight though. Maybe starting off small and secret won't be such a bad idea. Otherwise there shouldn't be anything wrong with wanting to share that sort of thing. It's not like it's propaganda or anything."
Something to research, that's for sure, but Donnie knows it's well within the realm of possibility.
no subject
“Telling other Starfallen about it would be a good place to start. And then let it spread by word of mouth. People love secrets and exclusivity.”
In that way, the small size works in their favor.
no subject
"Well of course! How else will we dredge up some other foreign content? I know Jay-Jay and Lou Jitsu are amazing but they are two very specific genres and it'd be nice to fill in the blanks."
He's just trying to be generous here, he knows at least two people can live off of only those two very specific genres and franchises but who knows, maybe they'll find something else to add to their list that'll make all this worthwhile.
"Also, one should never underestimate the power of word of mouth."
no subject
Leo can definitely live off LJ and JJ, but maybe they can get some other world romcoms and horror and comedies. Then they’d really be cooking.
Also because none of this media exists in this universe, copyright won’t be an issue.
“Does it have to get approved by us? Or do we just let people add things youtube style?”
no subject
As much as Donnie loves watching movies he has other things to do, after all.
no subject
"We should totally do this. It'll be awesome."
A pause and then Leo looks around and remembers why they came down here in the first place.
"Uh, but... maybe after we finish the lair."
no subject
"Oh, right." That's probably a good idea. After all, he doesn't even have any hardware set up.
"I really need to work on the rest of the wiring around here too." No point in counting unhatched fowl when they didn't even have power to run anything!
no subject
They can only survive off string lights and phone flashlights for so long.
“Let’s finish going through the photos first.” He doesn’t even want to think about starting the rest of that yet.
no subject
But Donnie's not going to disagree to Leo's suggestion there. He smiles crookedly, nodding. "Yeah, I'm good with that."