revivalproject | Don't Eat Yellow Snow

WHO: Donnie and yooou
WHERE: Not-Hoth
WHAT: Baby it's cold outside
WHEN: During Nothmas
WARNINGS: N/A
NOTES: Will match tag format/preferences

I. Observation
While Donnie has his qualms about the sturdiness of the structures they've been provided with as shelter for their winter exile, there doesn't look to be much by way of options. By default he chooses the one with the most purple decorating the outside (shh! No one saw him licking the building), perhaps low-key pleased that there's purple on the inside as well, even if it isn't completely to his aesthetics, but at least the color's not bad. He takes one look at the clothes in the dressers and figures it's probably some previous inhabitant's, thinking no more on that matter.

It's still strange to finally be in the same breathing space as the Agrii. Donnie wanders the weird village in his snow gear to observe their alien abductors. Take some selfies in front of the fabulous tree. Surreptitiously throw a snowball at a hapless Agrii or two and see if he can instigate snowball fights between them. For science.

II. Gift Gremlin
The barn is a curiosity, more so the big questionable robots that seem to be standing guard. Donnie watches from...the roof because that's what ninja do, right? as Agrii drop off gifts. Huh?

Presents are something he hadn't really expected. An Agrii gift exchange? Someone coax this feral boy from the roof so he can get his presents.

III. Second Childhood
a. One day Donnie's communicator is activated, but something's off about the transmission. Since when does Donnie wear glasses? They're quite huge, square-framed, and yes, that is tape over the bridge keeping it in place and string tied around the temples. He peers very closely at the screen as he plays around with it for a bit, having to stop to find his hands now and then because he's all but swimming in a big purple hoodie too many times his size. Eventually he gets tired of this game so he puts the communicator down to go investigate the drawers. Maybe there's him-sized clothes that's put away!

It takes some doing but he finally tugs one open, and perhaps that's when one can really get a sense of just how small the turtle tot is, maybe about two feet high. He starts pulling out sweaters and jackets, more to his size, frowning thoughtfully. Red? Headshake. Blue? No. Orange, that's Mikey's. He makes sure to fold each one up as nicely as he can while he sets them on the floor before looking in the drawer, but he eventually reaches the bottom and finds none for him. Oh.

This is what happens when your dad color codes you.

b. A little lost child in the snow! At least he's bundled up, and by now he doesn't care too much that the jacket he found isn't his color because it's warm and better than nothing. But winter clothes makes it hard to move, the snow, harder still, especially when it comes up past your knees.

He has no idea where he's going and he can't find the cabin he found himself in. It's a bit scary since everything outside is so big and new, not at all familiar like the sewers, not that he's gone very far in them without any of his brothers or his dad. The thought makes him sniffle as he hugs his action figure close. Donnie's not sure where it came from either but he knows Jupiter Jim anywhere! The space hero's poofy plastic afro is fitted in a fishbowl helmet, and he even has karate-chop action! Maybe it's one of his brothers, but right now, it's his emotional support.

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[Sameen reaches offscreen and pulls on an eye-catching bright red hat, getting ready to head out.]

I'll look for you.

[She can't imagine he'll be hard to spot.]

'kay.

[He's back to frowning at clothes again. There's nothing purple that isn't huge for whatever reason. He supposes he'll have to pretend he's Leo or something. Bleh. But it's better than freezing, and the blue's darker than what his brother tends to wear anyway. There aren't any gloves that suit a kid with two fingers and a thumb so he foregoes them, pulling on some nice warm black pants and boots that thankfully fit his stubby feet. There! All ready! Maybe.

He picks up the tablet and tries to put it in his jacket before pushing the door open- C-cold!!!]

[Very cold, but Sameen isn't bothered. It had been an adjustment when they'd moved from the base in Qatar back to America, but it's been long enough since then - almost two years - that snow and windchill and freezing temperatures are old hat to her now. She tromps through the snow in her boots, gloved hands stuffed into her coat pockets for extra warmth - and as she'd suspected, the turtle kid isn't hard to spot. She jogs to meet him, and when she gets there, she asks by way of greeting:]

What's your name?

[He has not been making very good progress, and the girl comes across him right when he's trying to pull himself out of the snow after another spill, shaking out his hands.]

Donnie. What's yours?

Sameen.

[She looks him up and down, her attention settling on his bare hands. Or... are they hands? Are they another set of feet?

He's human enough that they're hands, she decides.]

Are your hands cold?

[He rubs his hands together briskly, nodding before he stuffs them into his pockets. Finally he looks at her, suddenly very shy as it occurs to him this is the first human he's ever met, let alone spoken to.]

[The way she's blatantly looking at him with curiosity probably doesn't help - but when a trio of Agrii walk by a few yards away, she steps in between them and her new friend, trying to shield him from their view. Helping!!!

You shouldn't touch snow without any, because it's dangerous. Maybe we can get big mittens from a grown-up.

[Not at all. Is this what it feels like to be studied? Ick.

Donnie doesn't realize what she's doing until he catches a glimpse of the Agrii when he peers around her. What were they???

He looks down at a hand when Sameen speaks up again, nodding.]

...are they nice grown-ups..?

Probably. Somebody said I'm supposed to take care of myself, so I don't think it's dangerous here.

[She pauses.]

I can protect you. If you have to run, I'll run in between you and the bad guys so they can't get you.

[He starts to nod before pausing.]

But what about you?

I'm not scared. And my dad was a soldier.

[She wants to be brave and strong and protect people, just like him.]

Ohhh...

[She's so cool!]

Is he as good a fighter as Lou Jitsu?

He was a Marine, and they're the bravest. But he died when we were in a car crash.

[This is relayed as matter-of-factly as anything else, with no change in expression.]

Who's Lou Jitsu?

O-oh...

[That information clashes badly with the delivery so Donnie stares a bit, confused.]

...you're not sad?

[He tries to rally on, forcing a smile, not too difficult when talking about Lou Jitsu!]

He's a...a martial artist film star! Dad lets us watch his movies with him. There's nothing Lou Jitsu can't do!

[Sameen is quiet, taking in both the information (she likes martial arts films!) and the question (oof). Her expression stays the same, but her gaze drops to the ground.]

I have something that's wrong with me.

[He tilts his head at that.]

Why?

I don't know. I don't even know what it is.

[She bends to scoop up some snow in her gloves, curling her fingers into the powder. Turns out it is the kind that's good for sledding.

She points at Donnie's face - his animated face that's constantly changing expression.]

You look sad sometimes, and scared sometimes, and happy sometimes. I can tell. I think it's because I don't do that.

[Donnie reaches up to touch his face, suddenly self-conscious. He flinches at his cold fingers, tucking his hands under his arms.]

Oh...

...but you still feel things, right?

I don't know. I guess not. I wish my dad wasn't dead and I hope my mom isn't dead, too. Does that count?

[He takes up a very thoughtful pose, face scrunching up as he parks a fist under his chin.]

Yeah! I think so. Kind of. Mmm... Yes.

[He has decided it counts.]

[Sameen thinks of how she'd overheard Fireman Joseph say I think there's something wrong with the kid after he'd told her that her dad had died, and how she'd realized that he couldn't have meant that something was wrong with her body, because he'd already told her that she was very lucky not to have any injuries. She thinks of the school counselor who had been so nice and friendly and understanding at first, and who had told her that it was okay if she felt like crying - but who had then frowned when she'd said that she didn't feel like crying, because apparently that wasn't okay. She thinks of how on school picture day, the smile she's instructed to do always looks different from all the other kids': theirs look nice, and hers look like they were cut out of a magazine and taped onto her face.

She lifts her gaze from the snow, looking at Donnie.]

Okay. Thank you.

[It's nice, being told that missing her dad and worrying about her mom count. It kind of feels like being given a gift.]

[Donnie beams at that. He steps over to reach for one of her hands to grab, giving a light tug.]

Did you see a playground?

Don't Eat Yellow Snow

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