[IC] [Snek] Continuations

[pyrighteous]

Comments

[othellovonryan]

[Listen, we're in October and if Donnie gets a WHIFF OF HALLOWEEN VIBES-]

Oh, absolutely. Dad is pretty good at costumes, so even if they were simple from resources, he made sure they looked nice.

He's also delightfully petty and anyone who tried to put a damper on our night deserved it. He's also the one who taught us our ninja skills, so when he decided to help, things went off without a hitch.

[pyrighteous]

Oh right, you mentioned those. So he taught you everything? Even when it was hard? AND there were four of you?

[othellovonryan]

Hmm, well, that gets into later on.

He showed us Lou Jitsu movies as a kid. And since they were the best, we loved reenacting them. Especially the fight scenes. Most of our training was from that. He did give us some instruction for our weapons and the Hamato way, but it was just the basics. Enough that we could protect ourselves from the threats he expected us to run into which was, well...just some normal humans.

He also covered enough that we didn't hurt ourselves with our weapons.

Really, most of our ability came from the fact we were made specifically to be good at that. Natural talent went a long way, even with minimal instruction.

But dad never intended for us to get serious about being heroes or being warriors. He didn't even realize we were fighting actual villains until he discovered the Foot Clan was in New York and ran into us while he was trying to take care of them.

Which was when a lot of stuff he was keeping from us came out. The emotional issue stuff.

It was only then he took our training seriously. He knew we weren't going to stop, so it was the way he could best keep us safe. And he definitely didn't go easy on us when it came to training. Better we knew what we were doing, then to have us not come back one day.

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter still looks dimly confused at the thought of a parental figure protecting their kids instead of, you know, weaponizing them when given the chance. ]

Wait. So - he didn't train you since you were little? Or run you through death mazes, o-or pit you against each other, or talk about replacing you with better sons if you messed up too many times? What did he WANT you to do with the training?

[othellovonryan]

[That's what would have happened if Draxum had his way, but Splinter just noped them on out of that.]

[Also Donnie is finding himself very grateful Splinter did Just That.]

Absolutely not.

The only death maze we've ever been in was because Leo was being a dumb-dumb and dad didn't even know about that.

Definitely not talk of replacement.

No, the first lesson dad taught us was to look out for each other, always. Always make sure our brothers made it home. Nothing else mattered more then that.

Which is what the training was for. If we ever wanted to venture outside, we had to be able to get away from humans who decided they either wanted us dead or captured. We may be naturally stronger or harder to hurt, but that skill needs some direction to be useful from anyone genuinely competent.

[pyrighteous]

That's ... amazing. I mean - it sounds like it was hard too, and he had a lot of problems, but ...

[ Just starting from THAT point makes Hunter want to cry a little. ]

What's "outside" for you? Where do you normally live?

[othellovonryan]

It was and he did, but he did his best to keep those problems under control until Raph and I were old enough to make things easier.

We live in the sewers. Abandoned or highly avoided underground structures. Outside would be topside, normal city streets.

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter translates that to caves or ruins in his head. Plus, you know, sewers probably exist on the Boiling Isles. ]

That seems like it would be pretty cold and wet sometimes.

[othellovonryan]

Yeah, pretty much. Early winters were very rough. Dad had to get so many heating lamps.

[pyrighteous]

[ A nod! ]

Especially since you're turtle d - turtles, right? Are you cold-blooded too? Do you have dietary restrictions?

[othellovonryan]

Turtle mutants, correct.

And yes, and no. We're not as ectothermic as normal turtles, but we're not strongly endothermic either. We can self generate some heat so we stand being in the cold, but we need to keep bundled up and drink hot things regularly. We end up taking a lot of naps in winter and if no one checks, we can end up brumating for days at a time. I slept for ten days straight once.

No dietary restrictions health wise, save Raph's peanut allergy. I get more from meat, but I can process flora and sweets far better then a regular soft shell. The turtle and human diets fused rather well overall. A lot of my food restrictions come more from certain textures and flavors driving me up a wall. I could eat the foods, but it'd be a miserable time during the process.

[pyrighteous]

Sorry. I'll get it right, promise.

[ He at least seems very genuinely interested in all this. ]

Huh. That's ... a lot. I've never heard of turtle demons brumating, but I also haven't met very many of them.

And - oh - the texture thing. Witches sometimes have trouble with that too. Not me, but.

[othellovonryan]

[He nods. Identity is important!]

If they evolved along side other demon types, it wouldn't be surprising they don't. Even if they're cold blooded, having pack bonded to warm blooded could lower the biological need to brumate for protection since the pack could take care of it.

Forced mutation doesn't really allow for that. Especially since it took Draxum years to make the fusion happen so successfully.

Do they? What kind of textures? Though the texture thing is mostly me, my brothers have far less issues with it.

[pyrighteous]

I mean, I might have just not heard of it. There was only one turtle demon in the Emperor’s Coven, and we didn’t talk much. But that makes sense.

[ A pause. ]

Well like - food touching and mixing. Or having crunchy things where they’re not supposed to be. That was the only way I got food I wasn’t supposed to eat sometimes - I could switch with them.

[othellovonryan]

If it was a common occurrence, it would be sensible to have special accommodations. [Pause.] Though I suppose that may be too optimistic. [With Belos and all.]

Huh. Odd for a species that cooks, mixing is difficult to avoid. Was it really safe to switch with them?

[pyrighteous]

I mean, there were some, but you were also expected to tough it out.

[ just makes a vague gesture. And a face. ]

I… uh, did get sick immediately afterwards. Had too much arsenic in it.

[othellovonryan]

Ah yes, the most reasonable expectation. Constant suffering to guarantee standards are just barely met.

....is most of your DNA human?

[pyrighteous]

[ For some reason, Hunter straightens and goes red. ]

What? N-no! I’m a witch! We’re different!

[othellovonryan]

Are you sure?

Severe allergies to witch food, including arsenic, which is super bad for humans, but food here has been safe to eat.

It just seems like a possibility.

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter is visibly sweating but not surprised. ]

I-I’m a completely normal witch! Not even a little bit human!!

[othellovonryan]

....did you forget the clone talk?

[pyrighteous]

Oh.

[ He just slumps. ]

Dang it. I keep forgetting who I’ve told what.

[othellovonryan]

Created being. [He gestures at Hunter.] Created being. [He gestures to himself.]

[pyrighteous]

Right. Right. Yeah I remember now.

[ Deep breath. ]

Do you want the whole story?

[othellovonryan]

Yes.