All the World In Front of Me

[thepurpleone]

WHO: Donnie and you!
WHERE: Temba
WHAT: Trying not to roast
WHEN: Mid to late July
WARNINGS: N/A
NOTES: Will match tag format/preference!


I. Evaporate
One might have thought it impossible to kind of miss the Calibrations space but at least it was climate-controlled! The weather's been absolutely hideous, not to mention dry, something Donnie's not used to. It makes things difficult to concentrate on, even with a fan blowing in your face.

Even summers in New York were never this bad. He could almost be fooled into thinking he was stuck in stage one of the flu, except that it had never lasted for days. Then again, given how hard it is to tell the difference for the time of day with how consistent the temperature is holding, he's not sure how long it's been. Going outside seems out of the question, but he still risks it just so he can check on his poor plant experiments out in Blue-04.

This is definitely not an ideal climate for a soft-shelled turtle, but the boy can't not tend to his plants, even if what he can ultimately use is a soak in a nice big pool. He'd thought to lug some water out to the poor, wilting garden but now he's regretting not saving some for him to dunk his head in. He huddles in the meager shade of what's still standing of the ruins it resides in, trying not to cook as he tries to mentally plot the quickest course to finding cover.


II. Rest and Recharge
Thankfully the beach is more tolerable, and the water feels good to stand in. It's not the most ideal place to really relax for all the waves, but it's some respite from the heat at least. He might just go for a swim anyway.

Of course if any of those pesky lobsters get too close and prove to be a nuisance, they're going to see what it's like to be used as a giant croquet ball. They fly pretty far when they're whacked with a rocket-boosted mallet! Head's up!

Time at the beach is only partially for play, however. Donnie does have research to do, after all! He has some things to research and materials to gather in the caverns. And maybe at least it'll be cooler in the depths?


III. When Turtles Fly
Rocket-boots had never been something he'd ever considered making but now he wishes he had because. They. Are. Amazing!

Tony said these babies can break the sound barrier. Donnie is absolutely going to test this out.

As a self-proclaimed adrenaline enthusiast, there has been nothing stopping Donnie from testing their limits. Well, except for the heat, but if you go fast enough and high enough... Huh. What's the range on these anyway? Yet one more thing to find out.

It's both strange and exhilarating using tech that hasn't been built by him, that was made for him- maybe the most bizarre part of it. They're so much cooler than a skateboard- he doesn't need a ramp to do any tricks!

Heights have never been a problem for him and clearly neither have drops as he boosts himself up high and then lets himself freefall some before catching himself in midair and zipping along again. The heat may still be present but at least he doesn't have to walk in it!

Of course once he gets high up enough, he can catch a pretty good glimpse of that new rock formation to the southeast, and it does not look promising...


IV. DiY
((OOC: AKA choose your own adventure/wildcard!))

Comments

II idek man

[spinsandneedles]

Sonic isn't a swimmer, literally at all, but. With as hot and horrible as it's been lately, he's been making semi-regular trips to the beach just to dunk himself in the water for a cool down. But not too deep, since y'know, not a swimmer.

Since he's been a little busy with the whole cooling down in the water thing, he doesn't realize that Donnie is also on the beach just yet. Whacking lobsters, apparently? That's fine. Or it was fine until Sonic took a rocket mallet propelled lobster to the head and was knocked onto his face in the sand, half submerged in the water.

It's probably fine that he's not moving, right? Neither is the lobster, so maybe they're just chillin' together.

hgaehg'aojf; Uh...score?

[thepurpleone]

Donnie's laugh abruptly cuts off as he realizes where the trajectory of that flying lobster's going, choking off, rather, once he sees it hit-

"AAH-!"

The turtle stumbles as he lurches into a run, which is horrible on sand and nearly sends him faceplanting himself. He manages to scramble across the soft terrain and towards the blue figure, turning him over.

"Ohmigoshohmigosh Sonic? Heeeey buddy? You with me?"

THE CROWD GOES WILD!!!

[spinsandneedles]

Sonic groans, coming to pretty quickly after Donnie flips him over. He then realizes that he's sitting in water, panics just a bit, and darts a couple feet onto dry land where he stumbles and drops right back onto his butt. Turns out taking a lobster to the dome can make a guy pretty dizzy. But! At least he's not drowning!

"Donnie? Where'd you come from?"

Give him a second, he's still processing.

[thepurpleone]

For all that Donnie's hoping for a response, he's still effectively startled once Sonic suddenly moves. He's knocked back on his own shell at that, but at least it's in the water and not the warm sand. Splashing around a bit, he once again manages to find his footing...well, more or less.

"Oh good, you're okay," he sighs before pausing. "You are okay, right?" he adds, even as he half-crawls out of the water towards the dazed hedgehog.

"Er, I was just down the beach."

[spinsandneedles]

"That depends. Should there be three of you?"

He's half joking, he only sees two Donnies.

Down the beach, huh? Sonic takes a (slow, careful) look around, spots what he assumes must be Donnie's footprints. That makes sense. What makes less sense is the lobster that's laying on it's back near by. He hadn't seen that before. Weird!

"Aw, man. Whatever nailed me must have hit that lobster, too. Should we get off the beach?" ARE WE UNDER ATTACK??

[thepurpleone]

Yeah, that's super reassuring. Donnie chews his lip worriedly as Sonic claims he's got his own set of triplets.

The hedgehog's upright and not falling over so he takes that as a good sign though. Although when Sonic sees the fat green lobster lying there, Donnie can't help but wince.

"Um. Yeah, that's...that's probably it," he says, wrestling with himself for a moment before he sags with a sigh. "-actually no, it was me. Sorry."

[spinsandneedles]

He's fiiiine. I mean he's not standing up yet, but he can definitely sit up on his own. Nothing to worry about!

"Wait, what?" Man don't confuse him right now, he's already all scrambled up, "that was you? Why'd you knock out a lobster?"

[thepurpleone]

Not like he means to! It was all too easy to say he didn't do it if Sonic hadn't seen, but guilt is never fun to deal with. Especially when it comes to haunt you in the form of a mutant goldfish. ...long story.

Donnie flinches at that. "Y...eah. I mean, look at the size of those claws! They were too close for comfort and I read that they cause an allergic reaction!"

[spinsandneedles]

"Then-- dude, like, side step it! It's a lobster! What's it's gonna do, jump!?"

He's not like, mad? Just baffled that any of this is even a thing to begin with. He finally pushes himself to his feet, and even though he's still kind of unsteady, he retrieves the lobster. Claws out, of course, he doesn't want to get caught up in those.

"So. Wait. If you hit the lobster, what hit me?"

[thepurpleone]

"It was going to attack me, I just reacted!" Donnie huffs, quickly shifting on the defensive.

But at least Sonic isn't upset. Oh. Well, that explains it. He hasn't connected the dots. Donnie looks away for a second, poking his fingers together sheepishly.

"Um. The lobster?"

[spinsandneedles]

SIGH.

"Reflexes, I get it." Well fine, he can't be too annoyed. At least until Donnie admits to yeeting the lobster into his skull.

"So-- okay. You brained me with the lobster. I'm sure it wasn't on purpose, but either way, nice shot."

[thepurpleone]

"One in a million," Donnie agrees with a nod. "-but no, it was not intentional, I'm pretty sure I didn't even know you were there until I saw the lobster coming down."

Pause.

"...you sure you're okay? How many fingers am I holding up?" he asks, lifting a hand up with all two of his fingers raised.

[spinsandneedles]

"No harm done!" Sonic cheerfully sets the lobster down so that it can crawl away... if it's not dead. It's probably fine. Then he turns to Donnie and confidently answers his question.

"Four."

Sonic plz.

II

[newmemorywhodis]

The caves are, curiously enough, not somewhere Link's explored much yet. There's just so much else here to explore and be distracted by here, he just hadn't gotten around to it.

But then while in the area he spots a flying lobster, which has him thinking that maybe lobster would be real nice for dinner. He's also kinda curious how the lobster ended up flying like that in the first place.

When he arrives on the beach itself, and spots Donnie, it takes him a moment to place. He's sure he's never seen Donnie before, and yet he's so strangely familiar...

...Ah. That's right - the dream. He'd met Donnie in his Calibrations dreams, hadn't he?

"...Hi," he says. He's dressed rather differently to what Donnie would remember from the dream. Rather than tunics and breeches, he's in something distinctly more feminine. With a short crop top baring his midriff and light, breezy sleeves that completely fail to cover any of his shoulders.

[thepurpleone]

The visual is a bit jarring, at least in trying to pinpoint exactly why this person is so familiar. Donnie blinks, giving an awkward sort of wave.

"Hey... Have we- Wait."

He can't really question the outfit, especially given the heat. Not to mention that one of his disguises to blend in with the humans is to dress up as an old lady.

"You're...Link?"

[newmemorywhodis]

Link nods. Yes, he was indeed Link. Same pointy ears and everything.

And the Sword which had been propped up against the wall in the dream now sits on Link’s back, along with a compound bow and shield.

And then he looks at Donnie and says, “Don’t know your name.” Because oddly enough Donnie never did introduce himself.

[thepurpleone]

"Huh? O-oh! Right. That was...yeaaaah."

Calibrations, right?

"I'm Donnie," the turtle says. "Um. Nice to...actually meet you instead of intruding on your headspace, I guess?"

[newmemorywhodis]

Link nods. Yes, a proper meeting was good.

Then he glances around, taking note of the nearby cave. And the lobsters. Can’t forget the flying lobsters.

“What are you doing?” Link asks, clearly curious.

[thepurpleone]

It's still strange that Link seems so nonchalant about the weirdness of their previous meeting. But so long as he wasn't seeing it as a problem, Donnie has no reason to either.

"Cooling off," he replies. "It's way too hot in the city. Still hot here, really, but at least there's water."

[newmemorywhodis]

Link hums, in agreement.

“I need to make some Chilly elixirs,” he says. And start carrying them around with him, so everyone seems to be in need of them. Except he still doesn’t have an enchanted korok pack, which would make that tricky…

[thepurpleone]

"Chilly elixirs..." Donnie looks at him oddly. "Is that like...a cooling beverage?" A fancy term for an ice pack? He can see the appeal either way. Hm, maybe he should try putting together one of those portable AC devices you can wear around your neck.

[newmemorywhodis]

Links nods his head eagerly. “Made from Chillflies.”

Which probably isn’t exactly what Donnie was picturing.

[thepurpleone]

"Uh..." Yeah, that confused look isn't going away anytime soon. "That sounds mildly disturbing." But then he'd seen that princess in Link's dream try to get Link to eat a live frog so who knows what all other weirdness these people are willing to consume?

[newmemorywhodis]

Link blinks, and stares at Donnie.

“…Why?”

Because as it turns out, yes, Link does come from a world where people consume all sorts of strange things, at least when it comes to elixirs.

[thepurpleone]

"It's probably because my tastes have been more refined, living in a city," Donnie says, maybe a little dryly at that. But given he started out as a regular turtle, it's largely true.