Taking Care of Business

[thepurpleone]

WHO: Donnie and you!
WHERE: NG-102
WHAT: Trying not to get too distracted from mission while most definitely getting too distracted
WHEN: Uh. Yes.
WARNINGS: N/A
NOTES: Will match tagging preference


This is more like it. This is how space adventures start- panning into the expanse of some kind of sprawling conglomeration of structures hanging against the darkness of a star-pocked backdrop. Yes, Donnie is fully aware that they are here for Reasons, but this is the first chance he's ever gotten to go anywhere that resembled some sort of active alien civilization. A spaceport like that is just screaming new and interesting sorts of technology and culture just waiting to be explored.

Eager as he is, Donnie's also practical. While waiting for things to be cleared for them to disembark, he pulls up any information he can on the station, a directory, a map. There has to be some equivalent of a space extranet or something, or at the very least a local network to patch into. He knows better than to dive into some place that big without doing some research!

He's also quite aware that paying for things is going to be an issue. It's tough starting out from scratch, but he's always been the enterprising sort, and he's not about to let such foreign circumstances stop him from getting down to business. It'll just take some work.


I. Research & Development
The turtle teen spends the first couple of days getting a feel for things and looking for business opportunities. He figures he shouldn't stand out too much amidst an alien crowd, but he also knows that certain people can pick up on Tourist vibes and he's not about to let himself be a target. Having swapped to Communications for the occasion, he makes note of places that might be interested in hiring someone for repairs or upgrades and places he might be able to sell to. Copies of rare cult classic Earth movies? Foreign plants? Small but functionally useful gadgetry? Ka-ching.

In the days that follow, he's out making deals. Hopefully people don't think him underdressed for doing business but he still carries himself about as professionally as one can when they're just dressed in a purple hoodie. He has a bag slung over his shoulder and a backpack awkwardly set over the bulk of his hidden battle shell. If he sees someone from the ships, he makes a beeline towards them.

"Hey, you busy? Okay cool-" not waiting for a response, he passes the backpack over. "-here, hold this and whatever you do don't drop it."


II. Deployment
The best part about having money is being able to spend it. With what he hopes to be a sufficient amount of starting funds, Donnie sets out with the intent to shop. He has several lists, one for parts needed to repair the Agrii mess, one for Leo because Donnie is a most benevolent brother, one for himself of course because what's the point of having money if you aren't going to buy yourself cool things? and another for general items that might prove useful for the inevitable return back to the isolated, ruined city.

...he doesn't want to really go back, not when they've been able to do all this.

Unfortunately it's difficult to haggle when there's a problem with communicating. Donnie's in a bit of a mood as he leaves one store, folding his arms tightly in front of him and his bag as he goes. He may not understand the language but he's pretty sure they were trying to overcharge him on his purchase, and so he'd left without it. Would it be weird if he switched data points and came back? Annoying, certainly. He sighs, starting down along towards where the repair shops are. Maybe putting in some hours fixing crap will make him feel better.


III. Roots
It's not stealing if it's junk, right? The spaceport may as well be its own city, and that has to mean it has its own salvage and trash lots. This is Donnie's normal means of acquiring most anything to tinker with back home, so it's second nature for him to track down where things are being dumped and go to scope things out.

The areas aren't the nicest places, but then that's no big surprise. Making sure to avoid security cameras, Donnie's elbow-deep in junk as soon as he finds a promising spot to dig through. Maybe you caught a glimpse of him sneaking out here. Maybe you were following the toughs that were meaning to have a nice secret exchange at an unsuspecting junk lot. Maybe you just got lost.

In any case, things might get hairy in a few minutes, and Donnie tends to get a little carried away with his scavenging.

Comments

[thepurpleone]

"Maybe some appetizers on the side, but yeah. Just relax and enjoy the view."

Donnie grins then. "Oh, I am way ahead of you there. Follow me." Fancy duds are going to be the simplest part of things considering he's already had someone splurge on an entire wardrobe for him. He seriously has no idea where he'd wear half of the things but here's an excellent excuse to put some of it to use. At least he and Leo aren't too dissimilar in size.

[faceguy]

Donnie has a plan for clothes!? Leo will follow him, wondering how in the world he’s swung this.

“Man, you have an idea already?”

[thepurpleone]

"Ha-ha-ha- of course I do! And as it so happens, a plethora of new outfits at my disposal."

Donnie leads them to an area marked by various lodging spaces. The one goes towards looks decidedly swankier than others. He pulls out a passkey to get into one building, heading for an elevator once they're inside.

[faceguy]

What the- where the heck is this!? How does Donnie have a key card to such a nice place!?

For the trip to the elevator, Leo is pretty much silent, eyes wide as he follows his brother waltz in like he owns the place. There’s no way Donnie was able to get this much money. Not unless he committed some kind of… bank robbery, or NFT scam.

“Dee, what the heck!?” he asks as soon as they’re in the elevator. “What are we doing here?”

[thepurpleone]

Someone's enjoying this, but that's no surprise. And while Donnie does not in fact own the place, he's acquainted with the one who's currently renting space out, which is the next best thing.

"Going to access some fancy wardrobe so we can hit this fancy dining establishment- I thought we had that part covered."

The elevator pings for their floor and Donnie's slipping out as soon as the doors yawn open, flipping the keycard between his fingers until he gets to the right door. He pauses, giving a knock, waiting a beat before he goes ahead and gets it open. Guess Tony's not in. Not surprising.

[faceguy]

“Yeah, but…” Leo glances around the hallway to make sure no one is listening in (they aren’t exactly employing ninja tactics right now) before looking back at Donnie. “Are we stealing right now?”

Not that he’s totally opposed, but he’d like to know when he’d committing grand larceny!

[thepurpleone]

Donnie looks at Leo, brow arching. "Of course not! Everything has already been purchased. Although honestly I'm not sure how he managed to secure so much funds himself but less questions asked, the better," he adds in afterthought. Shrugging, he steps inside.

It's a big space, a stack of boxes sitting to the side of the door, some open to reveal various technical parts. A skateboard sits against the wall. Donnie walks in further, going into one of the bedrooms apparently designated as clothing and storage space for the pile strewn across the bed within. He sets the box with his newly acquired tablet onto a table before stepping over to the small mound of clothing.

"Might be more to my tastes but I'm sure you'll be able to find something you wouldn't mind wearing..." he says as he picks up a pair of slacks.

[faceguy]

He...?

Leo walks in, observing the piles of boxes and clothes and other purchases, scrambling to catch up to this new information. If Donnie didn't buy all of this, then...

"Wait, is this all that Tony guy's?"

How does he have so much money!?

"He bought you clothes!?"

[thepurpleone]

"Pretty much," Donnie says as he goes through the pile. He tosses a few things in Leo's direction. Or at his face, whichever happens first.

"-and no, I didn't even ask- I just saw this super sweet jacket in a window and then we went in to see it and the next thing I know, I've got more outfits to try. I didn't expect him to just buy them all, I was just putting stuff on for fun."

[faceguy]

Leo scowls as a pair of pants smacks his face, catching them on the way down. Okay, but this pair isn’t too bad, actually…

“Geez, is he your father figure or your sugar daddy?” Leo asks, pulling the slacks on. He and Donnie are close enough in size that they fit. He examines the shirt thrown his way with a sniff, then gets closer to the pile to compare options.

[thepurpleone]

"...yes," Donnie decides, looking a little unsure about anything for a moment. He drapes a blazer over his shoulder.

"He wouldn't even let me pay for the stuff I found at this one parts store. I thought he was just... Actually I'm not sure what he was trying to prove- honestly I can not follow his train of thought a lot of the time but I don't think he was trying to insult me when I asked him if he didn't think I could pay for my own stuff."

[faceguy]

Leo had just been teasing him, but the surprisingly earnest answer catches him off guard. To Leo, this chain of events sounds like Tony may have been underestimating Donnie a bit (and if there were ever one of his brothers to not underestimate, it's Donnie), but he also doesn't know how Tony said it, or what the full context was.

"Yeah, well, he's an adult, right?" Leo finally settles on. "I thiiink it's normal for adults to assume kids don't have any money."

He thinks, because most adults in their life back home are pretty weird.

"But hey, if this guy has cash to burn, might as well take it and save your own money for something else."

[thepurpleone]

Donnie gives him a blank look, because it's not like they have a whole lot of experience with normal. Or adults, really. Not many that weren't trying to kill them for whatever reason, anyway. ...actually that's kind of a sad thought.

"I...guess?" It makes as much sense as anything. It makes Donnie feel a little better, anyway.

"Huh, not like he's given me much option. Here, try this one," he says as he digs out another shirt.

[faceguy]

Leo gives him an equally bewildered shrug back. He doesn't know, he's just guessing!

The shirt is thrust at him, and Leo takes this one with a much more approving hum. That's better! It just fits over his shell, too.

"Did you tell him we grew up in a sewer? He probably thinks he's saving some poor orphan waif."

Leo snickers at that idea. He reaches over and pulls a thin jacket free of the pile.

[thepurpleone]

Donnie actually laughs then. "Apparently he thought it was the other way around when I said I was a mutant turtle- in that I started out human and got...turtlized or something. I have no idea. He had a weird look when I straightened things out for him. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned the sewer thing though..."

He makes a face, hoping everything hasn't just been out of pity. No, that can't be it. Maybe it's just how the guy is, even if Donnie's still not quite sure what to make of it. Some weird way of caring. Or maybe not so weird. Donnie liked to provide gifts for people too, after all. He considers as he pulls out another pair of pants for himself.

[faceguy]

Started human and then turned turtle? Well, it’s not totally crazy - just look at their dad - but it’s still funny to think about.

“Heh, I’m not surprised… Humans have a hard time not believing the world revolves around them. Can you imagine Draxum kidnapping four babies, though?”

Hilarious!

He does catch Donnie faltering, though. Oops, maybe he’s pushing the joke too far…

He notices a belt that he thinks would go with what Donnie has so far and tosses at him, whether he’s ready or not. Just to pull him out of overthink mode (and because it’s funny).

[thepurpleone]

Well, that's one way to snap him out of his thoughts. Donnie sputters as he notices something flying at him, barely managing to avoid getting smacked with a belt although the attempt to stop it has him getting all tangled up between that and his pants. He shoots Leo a likely anticipated glare before getting things sorted out.

"Anyway, I think we have all the requirements for a night on the town. Shoes should be on the other side of the bed there. They should actually fit right too!"

[faceguy]

Shoes too!? Shoes that fit!?

Sure, Leo has worn shoes, but they always end up rubbing blisters somewhere. He rounds the bed, looking at them curiously.

“Where’d you find these?”

[thepurpleone]

"Custom job," Donnie replies like it's obvious as he begins to pull on his own clothes once he's de-hoodied.

"If they fit you we can probably go back and get you a pair or something, let me tell you, shoes that fit makes soooo much of a difference!"

[faceguy]

Man, Leo is starting to get jealous now. No one is buying him a whole new wardrobe with custom shoes that actually fit.

Or, well, maybe someone is. Not a whole wardrobe, maybe, but Donnie is offering to buy him shoes. And he should probably invest in a good pair, if it really gets as cold and hot in Temba as Donnie has said (and he himself has experienced). He doesn't really want a repeat of the frostbite situation.

"Sure, just don't complain when I end up more stylish than you."

He takes one of the pairs and tries them on. Since they're custom for Donnie's feet, they don't fit him as well as the clothes, but they're close enough in size here too that it's not uncomfortable.

"Whoa."

[thepurpleone]

Donnie's not about to let his brother get toasted and frozen. Although to be fair, the former had been a pretty specific instance, and hopefully volcanoes sprouting up on Agra Ten isn't a common occurrence.

"Uh-huh," he says dismissively as he pulls a shirt on, buttoning up the front. Please. He knows who the stylish one is. Leo's response to the shoes has him grinning again.

"Right?"

[faceguy]

"Okay, I have to admit." Leo leans back and lifts one of his feet, giving it and the shoe an experimental wiggle. "This has definitely opened my eyes."

He wonders if they can find someone to make them custom shoes when they get back home. Maybe not in New York, but in the Hidden City - if they can make it through one day in the Hidden City without getting arrested, anyway.

[thepurpleone]

Pulling on his blazer, Donnie steps around the bed to stoop down by Leo, a knowing smirk on his face. "We've been ruined, but at least we can make the best of this trip." Stocking up on shoes had not been a part of his plan but it is now.

He plops himself down so he can grab another pair to slip into.

[faceguy]

"Guess we can say we got at least one good thing out of this whole experience, then." He wiggles the shoe one more time. "You can say it's been good for our soles."

He hops to his feet, ready to go now.

[thepurpleone]

"Ahaha- since I am in a good mood, I'll let that one slide," Donnie says as he gets up as well. He pulls his phone from his hoodie, and his money from his bag because that'd probably be a good idea.

"We can take pictures once we're there," he proposes, because even if they look good, they can look even better with the right kind of background. "Let's get going."