7738/Slow And Steady Wins The Race

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Slow And Steady Wins The Race
Date of Scene: 04 June 2019
Location: April's Apartment - Brooklyn
Synopsis: April lets Vanessa shelter during a troubled stretch. Leonardo pays a surprise visit.
Cast of Characters: April O'Neil, Copycat, Leonardo




April O'Neil has posed:
After April and Vanessa had met one another at a diner not too far from here in Mutant Town, they'd hit it off and continued to chat with one another almost every day with texts and online back and forths. Last night, Vanessa had needed a favor and had asked April if she could stay at her place to get away from some trouble. Being the good friend (though April doesn't have that many close friends that don't live in the sewer) she'd graciously let Vanessa stay here in her apartment over the antique store.

A small tour had been given of that antique store once Vanessa had arrived and then they were upstairs to enjoy some dinner and a bit of tv before April set up a spot on the sofa for Vanessa to sleep and made her way on into her own room.

Its about midnight now, the television is on as is one small lamp beside the sofa in the living room giving a bit of illumination. There's a couple plates sitting on the coffee table with the remains of food along with a couple drink glasses.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle had shown up with a small bag stuffed with some clothing and other items. She was looking a little frazzled, but if April didn't pry, the brunette woman did not supply any details. Just thanked her for letting Vanessa stay with her a day or so. She brings a six-pack of bottled beer with her as a thank you.

After April had gone to bed, Vanessa paced for a bit. Looking around the nice apartment, eying the room. She went over to the apartment's entryway, checking the locks on the door. Unlocking them and locking them again to make sure they closed fully. Her hand twitched at there only being one lock, and twice more before she even went to lie down on the couch, she returned and unlocked and relocked that poor deadbolt.

Eventually she lay down on the couch, turning on the television and flipping it around. One channel after another. Eventually she reaches TBS. "Oh thank god. Jedi," she murmured to herself. Vanessa lay down on the couch, wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and pulling the blanket up over herself. She watched the familiar film, drifting off to sleep not long after the rescue from Tatooine. Because once that slave Leia bikini is gone, there just isn't a whole lot in that movie to keep one awake. Ewoks? Come on.

Leonardo has posed:
Late at night. The perfect time for a visit. Normally Leonardo would call or text ahead to make sure April was home and it'd be all right to swing by, but with so much on his mind lately sometimes the basics are actually forgotten once in a while. Yes, even by him.

Making his way through the sewers to the manhole cover that lets out close to the antique shop, which happens to be very close to where Koya kidnapped April, Leo lifts it enough to peek through the gap, then he slides it to one side when the coast is clear. Quickly, he's up to the surface, the cover is back in place, and he crouch-runs over to the side of the building. From there, it's up the fire escape to the second floor.

Knuckles rap at the window, followed by a hushed voice: "April! Psst, April! Are you there? It's Leo!"

April O'Neil has posed:
April's room light is off, but she's not entirely asleep yet, she's laying in bed and flipping through screens on her phone. When you're a kid of her generation its hard to ever let go of your device that connects you to the whole wide world. She is just about ready to doze off though and can hear Vanessa occassionally pace around out there, she'd assured the woman that they were safe here, she'd said that she's got friends who patrol the streets and keep a watch out for would-be suspicious types, like a neighborhood watch type thing.

But, as it goes, people don't really get comforted by others words that often. April doesn't hear Leo's arrival though, she just flips her phone off and turns onto her side to set it down on the night stand before pulling her blanket up to her shoulders.

Copycat has posed:
Sleeping in a strange place is bad enough for most people. Vanessa has troubles sleeping even at home though. The knocking sound brings her quickly awake, but she's confused by her surroundings. Her hand reaches for the nightstand that isn't there. The brunette sits up quickly, remembering where she is, and why. She looks towards the front door, but then the knocking is there again and the muffled sound of a voice at the window!

Vanessa picks up her bag, reaching into it and grabbing her revolver she brought with her, though keeping it, and her hand, inside the bag. She gets up and cautiously creeps over to the window. From outside there is probably the dark silhouette of a woman's form coming over to the window. Easy enough to think it is April, even.

Vanessa gets over to the window and reaches over to turn on a light. She sees the non-human face outside the window and jumps back, letting out a little shriek of surprise. She trips and falls on her butt, losing her grip on the gun which sinks to the bottom of the bag as she gropes around in it trying to find it again.

Leonardo has posed:
Nothing but silence for now. Leonardo figured April would still be up, but apparently not. Instead, there is a surprise on both sides of the glass. The woman that turns on the light is /not/ April, in fact, judging by that reaction when she sees a bald green turtle-like face with a blue mask tied around it. He also falls back a step with a 'Whoa,' catching himself before tumbling off the landing.

Just for the moment, that's it. He blurts, "Who are you? Where's April?" A hand is already reaching for one of his katanas, in case she's in trouble. They just got /done/ rescuing her within the last few weeks. Again?

April O'Neil has posed:
It doesn't take much of a commotion to get April's attention in her room and the sound of the shriek from Vanessa, as well as the muffled noise of hearing something fall onto the floor, makes April wake up fast. Her blanket is tossed off and she's striding through her room in just a few steps before she tosses open the door!

Rushing out into the main room, wearing a dark blue New York Rangers hockey jersey over a pair of sleeping pants, April is shocked to see Vanessa on the floor. "What happened?!" She asks in a panicked tone, her bare feet sweeping across the rug laid over the hardwood floor in the living room to reach for the main light controls next to the apartment entrance.

With a flick, the over head lights come on, as well as a set of exterior lights that flood down into the alleyway (installed for security purposes). The interior lights throughout the antique shop are all on now as well, making the whole place bright and 'awake'.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle points over at the window with one hand, while the other is searching in her bag. Though she's being careful, not wanting to risk grasping the trigger accidentally, just in case the safety somehow got turned off. "There's someone on the fire escape, wearing a green and blue mask... bald mask thing," she says, waving her pointing fingers about.

Vanessa stands up, moving the bag over to set on the couch so she can use both hands to move things aside to try to find the firearm that the safety-conscious woman brought with her for just this kind of emergency. Vanessa sees the movement on the fire escape outside the window as more lights turn on out there. "I think he's still there!" she says.

Leonardo has posed:
It isn't long at all before the lights come on all over the building and Leonardo can see there's not one, but two people inside. Oh boy. He's just going to stay right where he is and wait for April to fill the woman in on what's up.

Were it Michelangelo here, he'd probably be leaving smudges on the glass after making various faces. Instead, Leo plays it safe. That woman was reaching around for something in her bag and he'd rather not get maced or shot at.

April O'Neil has posed:
In the situation that April is within in her life, she's always got these scenarios in her mind and really its her fault... they have procedures for this, she was supposed to text the guys to let them all know that an 'outsider' was at her place. But she hadn't done that this time, because, well, life and shit happens. She forgot!

At Vanessa's explanation, April isn't too shocked by it, she does still look pretty shocked though as she watches her friend go to the sofa once more while she herself moves to the window in question. She pops the lock on it and starts to raise it up... the nearly-empty bag of catfood at the base of the window is moved off to the side (she feeds alley cats, she's gullable like that) and she leans down and outside to look out... left and then right... wher eshe spots Leo.

"Hey." She says to Leonardo. "Sorry..." Vanessa will see April just leaning half outside, likely hear her voice. "Its a frienda mine. She's in trouble tonight... I think someone's after her. She already saw you, you better come in. Easier to explain the truth than to make up a... whatever. You know."

April then moves to duck back inside and look to Vanessa. "We're all right." She tells her. "Its that group'a friends of mine who patrol the neighborhood. I didn't tell'em I have company. They didn't know. I'm sorry." She winces then, her hands together fingertips pressing to one another.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle looks over as April opens the window, the action causing a more frantic bit of searching. She finally finds the revolver, but then is hearing April's explanation that it is her friends. "Oh, thank god," she says. She glances down at the gun, which is still out of sight in the bag. She double checks the safety then puts it back down into a pocket so she can find it more easily.

There's a tiny bit of reluctance as she relinquishes the gun but she does, moving over a little nearer to the window, but leaving plenty of space should the person outside choose to come in. "I guess maybe I saw a weird reflection or something in the window," she says, embarrassed at having thought it was someone in a mask out there. "Nothing to be sorry about, really. You're really kind letting me stay," she says to April. Vanessa gets a rueful look. "Sorry to have, you know, woke you, with this," she says.

Leonardo has posed:
The humanoid turtle keeps quiet outside, giving the two in the room the time they need to cover the bases about what was just witnessed. As the explanation is offered once the window is open, Leonardo begins to say, "April, we talked.." only to cut himself off with a hand held up, eyes closing as he refocuses. "What I meant to say is we both screwed up on this one. I didn't tell you I was coming over, either."

Still, even with all of that said, he steps inside cautiously as if expecting the stranger to scream again. "Um, hi. I'm Leonardo," he starts out with, holding up a hand that is not very like a normal human's at all. It has half the fingers, plus the thumb, and they're all thick. He also has a pair of swords strapped across his back, which is a shell. Yes, he's nothing but a humanoid turtle.

Here is where Raphael might make a joke about April not telling them she got a girlfriend, but not Leo. He uses the same hand to wave it off and say, "It's fine. I'm kind of used to that reaction. What are you on the run from, or maybe who?" Something about his demeanor indicates a creature who is intelligent, serious, but also concerned.

April O'Neil has posed:
April just smiles to Vanessa and shakes her head softly before she crosses her arms over her stomach rumpling the jersey fabric of that Rangers sweater she's wearing. "Trust me, I wake up suddenly because of random and strange things all the time, its like a nightly thing for me."

As she glances to her left to see Leonardo gracing the window she takes a step to her right to give him more room to jump on in all agile and ninja-y. And when he does? April motions to him with both of her hands. "Ta-da!" She says, to Vanessa. Not wanting her to have to sit and wait for an explanation, she continues after Leo introduces himself... "This is indeed Leonardo, Leo. He's my friend. He's a mutant, and he's a ninja. He has three brothers and they all live... close-by. They're helping to keep Brooklyn safe, among other places."

With a deep inhale, April's hands go to her hips, squeezing the lower edge of the jersey's white and red pattern there beneath her thumbs and fore fingers. "He and his brothers can help you with whatever trouble you got, whatevers got you checkin' the locks every ten minutes." A glance is given to the door, then back to Vanessa.

Copycat has posed:
When Leonardo steps inside, Vanessa's eyes widen just a little bit. Though there isn't any screaming, or other freaking out. Even the eye-widening is only momentary as Vanessa glances to April, perhaps just making sure she's seeing this the same, then looks back to Leonardo.

Vanessa seems to be taking the revelation rather well though. In fact she wipes her hand on the side of her shorts and then offers it to Leonardo. "Hello. Leo? Or do you prefer Leonardo? I'm Vanessa," she says in a tone that may be more surprising for the lack of incredulous tone. "A ninja, you say?" Vanessa asks, glancing to April and then back to Leo. "Swords," she says, nodding slowly. "Ninja."

Vanessa's head tilts to the side just slightly. "You and your brothers wouldn't happen to also brew rice wine, would you?" she asks. If the question gets any kind of curious look that would suggest a no, she'll visibly wave the question off. "Um, my trouble. There's a guy thinks I helped one of his girls leave town. Which, I did. Though I don't think he actually knows that, just suspects it. Anyway, he just needs a day or two to cool off. So, April said I could stay here."

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo steps in fluidly, hinting at someone who is very in control of his body's actions, wasting no energy or effort in anything he does. Following the introductions that follow, there's a moment of possible awkwardness when Vanessa's hand comes out and he begins a more formal bow, only to cut it short and extend his hand instead. The grip is firm yet gentle. "Leonardo will do," he confirms. Maybe Leo is saved for those closest to him?

Striding over to lay a hand against the back of the old sofa, he looks between the two as April volunteers him and his brothers for whatever problems Vanessa's got. "April.." he begins to warn, looking dubious about this without possessing more information, but that's soon being covered.

Were Donatello here, he might reel off a recipe for the rice wine just because he's got that much knowledge rolling around in his head, but this is Leonardo. "Sorry, we don't," he answers with a shake of the head before his eyes narrow subtly. "So you helped a friend move out and someone's going to be upset about it?"

Oh, Leo.

April O'Neil has posed:
April's told a few people about the turtles over the past few years that they've known each other, she and the guys. Casey kind've doesn't count, but she did tell Savage Dragon (who has since moved back to Chicago to find his daughter). She also told her friend Vernon Fenwick since he works with April, previously as her camera man and now as her podcast manager. Now? Vanessa knows. She does her best to keep it a secret, but April is also kind of anti-secrets in general, as thats her job... to seek truths.

She looks between the two of them, grateful for VAnessa cool head and reasonable demeanor--which are things that have made April gladly become friends with the woman--and she looks to Leo.

"She's an... entertainer, Leo." April tries to put it softly for him, so he'll get clued in on the kind of trouble that might be a cliche-idea on this sort've profession in the city. "The guy who's mad at her, probably isn't going to be too friendly about such a thing, ya know?" She glances back to Vanessa, clearly not sure how to describe this stuff since its a lifestyle far far removed from April's own, even if they live in roughly the same place in the world.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle shakes Leonardo's hand, the unusual configuration of his fingers not really affecting the friendliness of the shake on her end. Vanessa looks pensive for a moment at Leo's wording, and then over to April as she tries to fill him in a bit more. "She worked for him. Had to earn for him. And he can be kind of possessive about that. So when I helped her move away, in his eyes it's kind of like stealing from him," Vanessa says.

She gives a little shrug and says, "But, I can handle him, I just need to wait a couple of days so he can get over the worst of his initial reaction," she says. "This kind of stuff, it happens sometimes. I'll offer to work a few shifts for her and... it'll all work out in the end," Vanessa says. It's not likely to be enjoyable, that work she'll have to do. He'll make certain of it. But Vanessa doesn't really let that show on her face. Very much, at least. "But thanks, April, just letting me crash is enough, really. I don't want make too big of waves with the guy."

Leonardo has posed:
It may be easy for April to see Leonardo as one who wouldn't be up on the type of entertainment Vanessa is involved with, but he has spent enough time on street-level crime to figure it out once the dots are connected.

"...oh."

Confusion gives way to comprehension, and they need say no more as he holds up a hand to tell them as much. "Got it. Look, that's not for me to judge. I just hope you know what you're getting into, but what are you thinking we can help with in this case, April? Go see the guy and tell him to leave everyone alone?"

He has to ask, "Does he hit you? Maybe you can handle him, but I have to know. That's a line I can't let someone cross." Honor is the name of the game with this one.

April O'Neil has posed:
A light nod is given to Vanessa from the redheaded reporter. "I'm all for you staying here as long as you need to. Same option goes to anyone else that you trust with the same priveledge. I'm here to help." She says before she drifts her eyes back to Leonardo.

"She doesn't live far from here. I just would like it you guys could maybe look into it?" She asks of her friend. "She's got... street smarts, ya know? She'd be a great contact for you and the guys, incase you're needin' info and such. In the short time I've known her, she's told me stuff about this neighborhood that I didn't even know." April looks back to Vanessa and motions to Leonardo.

"You can rely on them, I've known of them for a few years now, I've watched them kick the butts of entire rooms filled with martial artists. Its like... an art form." No pun intended due to the turtles' names, or... well its April, there probably is a pun intended there. She loves puns.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa manages a shrug which is pretty nonchalant as Leonardo realizes how she makes a living. "It's ok, no one needs to be awkward about it. Yeah, I'm a prostitute. And sometimes a dancer. It gets me by," she says, shrugging again and if she has any shame from it, she doesn't show in the moment at least. "I don't work for him. But some of the girls around me do. He's hit a few, sometimes, but he's not too bad most of the time. Just he's got a temper, and especially if he feels someone ripped him off. So I just need to let him cool down a bit first," she says. "It's kind of a catch 22. Girls can't take care of themselves, and who do you go to if someone stiffs you? The police? So it's kind of a necessary evil for those who can't look out for themselves," she says.

Vanessa looks over to April, smiling to the other woman that she'd been developing this friendship with. "Thanks for that, April," she says. "So uh... your brothers? Like actual brothers? Do they look the same as you? Or is it like... all different sorts of animals maybe?" she asks. "Got any... I don't know, bears or white tiger family or anything like that?"

Leonardo has posed:
"You know you're making excuses for him, right?" Leonardo asks Vanessa rather point-blank when she talks about the man the way he does. "He's hit a few girls but he's usually not bad, but he gets mad easily and people have to let him be so he can cool down. That's an abuser. If you need someone to teach him a little respect..." The offer is left there to be taken or not, but if he catches wind of exactly who it is there may be a visit paid regardless.

That might not even be a job Leonardo needs to handle. Imagine Raphael offering to take care of it.

Regardless, he's otherwise calm and collected, even when saying what he did. His tone is measured, analytical, matter-of-fact. "Whatever you decide, April's a good person. I don't know if she always makes the safest or wisest choices," and here he shares a knowing look with her, "but we're usually around to bail her out when trouble comes up. There's a lot of stuff going on right now that we all have to be careful with."

The question of his brothers leads to an angling of his head to one side. "My brothers and I are all turtles," he responds, choosing against giving her any more information than that for the time being. There's a lot of it, and he needs to be sure he can trust her first.

April O'Neil has posed:
April walks over to one of the sofa chairs and she sits down on the arm of it, her hands dropping down to the tops of her thighs as she looks from one of them to the other. She's absolutely thankful its not Raph here tonight, because she knows he'd already be out for info on where to find this guy 'right now'. Mikey probably wouldn't have gotten past the prostitute part yet and Donnie? Well... Donnie would handle it fine, maybe be a bit more shy around Vanessa though.

A soft smirk is shown to Leo as he summarizes her choices and how wise or not wise they might be. "Look." April says then. "I'll swap numbers for both of you..." She says, looking from one to the other. "That way you guys can reach each other, and we're all... ya know, sharin' info and such. One bigger, happier team, here to make Brooklyn and, well, everywhere else we can, safer. Yeah?"

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa crosses her arms, the posture more serious though the rest of her body language doesn't seem closed off as she converses about the matter with Leonardo. "Oh, he's scum, sure. Most pimps are. Why I try to stay away from them. Except for when I help out when I'd be better off minding my own business. But that's another story."

Vanessa waves a hand. "Look. This is the reality. Some girls feel better having protection. Someone that if a guy gets rough, will stand up for them. If he don't pay, will get her money. The kind of guy willing to do that, wants his cut, and he probably wasn't a boy scout long enough to get too many merit badges."

Vanessa motions to the street. In a neutral voice she says, "So you rough him up enough until he moves on. Then the girls are back on their own. They'll end up with some other guy, and just have to hope he isn't worse. Or are you going to take over for him and become their pimp?" she asks. "Yeah, he's a scumbag and shouldn't hit girls. That's the easy part. Actually making their lives better? Just running him off doesn't necessarily do that."

She looks to April and says, "I'm just getting by. I mean, I guess I help out some of the girls as I can," she says. If April has asked around she'd probably find Vanessa does a bit more than she lets on, at least with those other girls. She's someone they tend to turn to, probably how she got into this predicament. "Anyway, I don't know if I'm able to clean up Brooklyn. But, you know, if you have more questions about what's going on out there? Sure, I can try to help fill you in."

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo grows quiet long enough that they may wonder if he's going to speak again. April may see it for what it is: Leo turning even more thoughtful and introspective than usual, trying to work out exactly what he wants to say. Vanessa..may or may not be able to guess at it.

A good half-minute drags by after everything Vanessa in particular says, with Leonardo merely frowning. Finally, he says, "I'm not going to pretend to like all of that, but I'm not in a position to understand all the reasons why or how someone gets into that sort of thing or stays there. I don't agree that these guys are the only ones who can protect them, but I guess I can't rescue everyone." That alone comes off as difficult for him to say, evidenced by his eyes moving over toward something that's not April or Vanessa. There is, at least, a nod to the talk of exchanging phone numbers, but he stands much like a statue, even if it's one with slumping shoulders.

April O'Neil has posed:
April has a tendency of thinking that everyone is, or should be, trying to make the world a better place. She grew up idolizing superheroes as most kids in this world do. Being in her early twenties she still has a lot of that youthful naivety about the 'good in people' is still universally achievable, if people try to help and others try to change.

"I don't think we should try to... fix the ills of this industry." April says to both of them. "I just think we need to keep this guy a radar, is all I'm saying." She looks to Leonardo. "To tell the other guys that there is this... person, who's got a grudge right now against Vanessa--and potentially some of Vanessa co-workers-- and if at all possible, we should look into it and maybe make sure he's not planning anything... stupid. Yeah?" She raises her dark eyebrows for a moment before she looks to Vanessa.

"I'm sure you're capable of looking after yourself really well, Van, as are a lot of your friends. Just, ya know, a little help as an option, thats all."

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle walks over to Leonardo, and if he allows her, she reaches out to touch his shoulder. It's meant to be a comforting touch, but if allowed there is also probably a bit of curiosity noticeable from her as he's a bit different than most people she's met. He probably can guess that last part.

"Thanks. I mean, really, I do appreciate it," Vanessa says. She turns to look over to April. "And if I'm in a situation I need some ass-kicking, I will absolutely let you know. Just, yeah. If this stuff was easy to solve it would have been long ago, right?" she says, shrugging. But she's upbeat just the same.

Vanessa walks back over to the couch and takes a seat on it. "So, um, April, are you a mutant like them too? Or just friends with interesting people? I heard your podcast by the way. Must have been kind of scary, being there in Arkham?"

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo stands by, near to brooding about whatever's on his mind, though he softens slightly at Vanessa's show of support. "I just don't like seeing people in bad situations," he explains. "And that's a bad situation no matter what anyone says, but I can see how it could get worse if it isn't handled carefully. I'll make sure not to tell Raphael about it for now." April will get it. Vanessa might not, yet.

His skin is definitely in line with what one would expect of a turtle, except warmer than one might be accustomed to. "Just be careful, and let me know if you really need our help with something," he says. "I tell April the same thing all the time and I keep having to remind her." A twinkle in the eyes suggests some humor threatening to break through, emphasized when he adds, "And I think the TV in our place is bigger than the one you have here. How do you not have bad eyes by now with that tiny thing up there?"

April O'Neil has posed:
April smiles softly to Vanessa and then she too sinks down onto the sofa with her hands coming together palm to palm between her knees. She nods softly about the Raphael bit to Leonardo before she raises her right hand up and presses it sideways to her forehead, then gives him a crisp salute about his warnings. "I will do better!" She says, though he likely doesn't believe and wisely-so.

April's stare then wanders to her television and she just smirks. "I've had it since I was a kid... I don't wanna get rid of it. It still works!" She huffs out an indignant exhale and motions toward her office. "Besides, I'm in there all the time. I rarely even sit out here unless you guys are here, or... Company." She motions to Vanessa then.

"There's food in the fridge, by the way. If you're hungry. Not enough for the others though, but you're welcome to chow down. Some pizza, not much, and Chinese Food that is pretty wonderful when heated up."

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle goes to bring in some of the food, and sits with the others to continue chatting, eating pizza, and she brings out those beers she'd brought with her. She continues to take the turtle's presence pretty normally, as if she's used to such things. Which she isn't, though recent experiences at least make this whole night not quite as odd as it once would have been.

Also? Ewoks. Come on, George.

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo raises both hands, apparently begging off of the food this time around. "Ah, thanks April, but I'll pass tonight. I really came by to let you know to keep your eyes open. Father is starting to leave home for some things. I think he's tired of sitting around while things get worse up here. You should visit soon and talk to him. That's a lot more important than a bigger TV."

As such, he begins to lean toward the window to the fire escape again, behind the sofa. "And I think I should let the two of you talk uninterrupted any more. April will take care of the phone stuff." First, he waits to see if either of them have anything else they wish to discuss.

April O'Neil has posed:
April's eyes go to the tv and the movie on, she knows Star Wars pretty well, maybe not as well as Vanessa or Mikey, but still, she knows who Luke is!

Her stare is soon to go back to Leonardo though and she raises her eyebrows. "Oh really?" She asks. "He's tired of you guys having all the fun?" She grins softly. "I'll come by and talk to him, make sure he's okay. I mean, he can take care of himself better than likely all of us combined though. But yeah, I don't want this to be some kind of mid-life... er, however old he is-life crisis thing." She bites her bottom lip for a moment before she waves to Leo. "Tell the others I'll bring some food by tomorrow."