Stars Under the Stars

[thepurpleone]

WHO: Y'all
WHERE: By the not-spider warehouse in the southeastern quarter of Temba
WHAT: Movie night!
WHEN: The night after this announcement
WARNINGS: N/A
NOTES: We're all chill here, feel free to backtag or whatev


Maybe it was a lot of effort put into but Donnie never does anything without reason. The recent free display of memories thanks to the last storm had gotten him thinking. What's the point of it all if they just keep getting railroaded by bad experiences and memories here? No one's stopping them from enjoying themselves in an otherwise dilapidated city, and if they keep on focusing on the negative and being stuck for an indeterminate amount of time then that's just more fuel the Atroma or whoever's out there has to use against them.

So Donnie's got the designated space all set. He's made as much use of convenient rubble as he could find within the area for some makeshift seating. He's found some kind of old cushions and blankets to pad them. Since Steve's offered to handle prepping the popcorn, Donnie's happy to leave that business to him and Leo.

The movie selections for the night are definitely things appreciated by a certain audience and might in some universe be considered cult classics, and once it gets dark enough for optimal projection clarity, it's show time!

Teriyaki Shakedown is a martial arts action movie starring the great (as so proclaimed by Leo and Donnie) Lou Jitsu, who's trademark seems to be a pompadour and a flare-legged spandex onesie.

"Where's our free grub, noodle man?"

"Okay- How ‘bout some . . . hot soup? Too spicy for you? Hahaha- Everyone’s a critic."

It's very cheesy and definitely reminiscent of what you'd expect of martial arts movies made in the seventies and eighties.

Jupiter Jim's Last Trip to the Moon turns out not to really be his last trip considering it's the second time it's apparently happened, but what's continuity? It's a sci-fi flick, dated effects and melodramatic, and perhaps one might wonder how anyone can watch more than sixty movies of this?

Comments

[butterfly_kiss]

"I think I'd much rather it stay as close to mundane as possible. When things get 'interesting' then people get hurt. And a doctor that is bored is better for all of us."

Especially as she's the doctor with the medical degree that sees people most. She respects what Steve and Billy do of course. They're beyond all measure wonderful aids. But in an emergency if they lost their datapoints, it's on Tae.

[thepurpleone]

"....I guess when you put it that way..." Donnie reluctantly concedes.

[butterfly_kiss]

"I understand," she says, her voice soft. "The desire for excitement and adventure has always been a powerful force among the young. And I can respect your longing for it. I've just been through enough now to enjoy the quiet moments."

[thepurpleone]

"Maybe that's why dad opts to stay at home sitting in front of the TV all day... But you're not old like him." Sometimes it's too easy to overlook the fact that your father is the famous martial artist and actor they've idolized as turtle tots until he's kicking your shell in training.

[butterfly_kiss]

"No, but I'm a doctor," she reminds him. "And I worked as a specialist with an illness that hurts children a lot more than adults. That ages you in a different way."

[thepurpleone]

Donnie blinks at that. It does occur to him that he really doesn't know a whole lot about people here after all.

"What kind of illness is that?" he asks, because that sounds kind of scary, actually. The worst he and his brothers ever get sick with is the rat flu and that's seven stages of strangeness that would likely not make sense to anyone outside of their family.

[butterfly_kiss]

"I specialized in research in a rare respiratory disease," Tae says with a sigh. "I do other medical work of course, but... Well, I suppose I'm not there now."

[thepurpleone]

"Huh. Well...at least you can still apply your skills if needs be, right? So...I guess that's something." Donnie wouldn't know what to do with himself if no one needed help with his chosen area of expertise.

[butterfly_kiss]

Indeed she can. She smiles at the conclusion he reached there. She can absolutely apply her skills.

"Yes. I just wish I could do it better. I know nothing of, for instance, your physiology. So in some areas I have to hand things over to the sweet pup to lead on."

[thepurpleone]

"Ah, that is a good point. Um. I guess if you need data I can come to the hospital." Donnie can only imagine how panicked Leo was when he'd gotten hurt, the recording of the Incident telling enough. He's not sure if he'd handle things any better if the roles had been reversed. "We've never really dealt with doctors or anything before but...I guess there's no reason to not take advantage of that now."

He tilts his head. "Pup?"

[butterfly_kiss]

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable like that," Tae promises. It's not right to force it after all. "And Pup is Billy Kaplan. He heals with magic and he's learning more and more about medicine each day. Soon he'll be better than me."

[thepurpleone]

Donnie shakes his head. "No, it's important. If something happens to me or Leo, I want to take out any guesswork, especially if it's life-threatening."

He tries not to make a face at the mention of magic, but he clearly has his doubt about that sort of thing still. He's a man of science after all! But he can't deny that Billy's helped, so he nods.

[butterfly_kiss]

Alright then.

"Then I suppose I should at the very least get some blood samples to study, and maybe an x-ray or two. I really am regretting the failure of stealing that Agrii scanning bed now..."

[thepurpleone]

"Can we just ask them for one? That should be a reasonable enough request," Donnie thinks. "But otherwise the rest is reasonable. When do you want me to come over?"

[butterfly_kiss]

It does feel like a reasonable enough request, but Tae sighs.

"What of the Agrii makes you see them as reasonable and sensible? And whenever you are free. Just text me a warning first."

[thepurpleone]

"Well, they aren't psychic either. And they're learning things. The like to help, and they're trying to make sure we're able to take care of ourselves," Donnie points out.

"Have you tried talking to them? Asking can't hurt, save for maybe a headache given previous conversations- but they're not impossible. Giving them reasons will give them something to consider."

Why are grown-ups always so difficult? Donnie wonders why it seems like hardly anyone's tried to actually talk with the Agrii without being stuck aboard the same ship with them. He holds back a sigh, nodding at the latter subject.

"Sure. I can probably do that tomorrow. Or... Hm. If it's a blood sample it's probably better I don't eat and all that, huh." Not that that's entirely a problem, but who knows how much coffee he's had, and he wasn't skipping popcorn for movie night. "Day after tomorrow."

[butterfly_kiss]

They are learning, but there is only so much help that that can do for them.

"We did try acquiring one. It did not go well," she says, leaving it vague at that. Which was sad. The thing had been a thing of wonder and she loved it.

It wasn't that she was trying to be difficult. Just that her aspirations had been confounded.

"Yes, a fasting is traditional to get the best resting levels of a healthy individual. That is kind of you to do. Day after tomorrow. I'll ask Radley to ensure there is a good lunch to greet you after."

[thepurpleone]

Donnie can't fault them for that. He knows how difficult the Agrii can be, the language barriers not at all helpful, the paranoia of their pink friends even less.

"...can we get the specs at least..." he muses aloud. Although building something like that himself would probably be more difficult. The parts itself would be tricky, and he imagines the functions would take more time to decipher how to replicate.

He nods. "Got it." Wouldn't be the first time he's gone without food for that long anyway. The lack of coffee might not be great but maybe it'll prompt him to catch up on sleep.

[butterfly_kiss]

"Not sure how good they would be at developing specs. But if we could, I'd definitely trade whatever was necessary to get them."

Because diagnostics tools are so very important.

"And tea, if you'd like?"

[thepurpleone]

"Hm. Well, I'll put it on my list for whenever we get another chance to go up to the ship or head to another planet to shop."

Donnie doesn't quite make a face but tea's more his brother's thing. "...coffee?" he asks hopefully.

[butterfly_kiss]

That sounds like a plan, and she appreciates his offer. And his request earns a small smile.

"Yes. I can give you one of my cups of coffee in exchange. It's one of my rare indulgences for myself."

[thepurpleone]

The boy should not be so excited about coffee but sometimes it's the little things.

god that face this precious baby

[butterfly_kiss]

Tae has to chuckle at the way the boy reacts.

"I almost wish Sojiro was here. He makes curry that goes so wonderfully with his coffees. I'd give you that in thanks.'

[thepurpleone]

Look, no one ever offers him their coffee, and it sounds like Tae's making some sort of small sacrifice for him.

"Ohhh, I've never had curry and coffee. Is it a Japanese-style curry? I wonder how those would taste together..."

[butterfly_kiss]

It is not a small sacrifice in her books. It's INTENSE. She loves coffee.

"Of course it is Japanese style. It is in Tokyo. And the curry at LeBlanc is perfect with coffee. He has some sort of secret recipe that makes them perfect together."