9217/Relation Revelation

Relation Revelation
Date of Scene:	15 September 2019
Location:	Williamsburg, Brooklyn...and elsewhere
Synopsis:	Leonardo meets a very catty relative of April's.
Cast of Characters:	Leonardo

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Leonardo has posed:
Night has fallen in the Williamsburg area, east of the river separating it from downtown Manhattan. Peaceful enough for what activity is usually going on around the CIty that Never Sleeps, the din of vehicles below and a smattering of voices creates a sort of white noise that one can tune out if focused enough.

Focus: a funny thing. It can be easy to attain one moment, as difficult to hold on to as sand the next. For the blue-masked turtle known as Leonardo, an inability to focus is so foreign a concept to him that he's fled from the usual dojo or bedroom in the Turtle Lair to go topside for the evening's meditation and training. The reasons are many, but primarily known only by him for the moment. Thing is, not even this change has brought him peace or left him properly centered. Not yet.

Sitting and meditating proved impossible, his thoughts drifting and straying. Shifting gears, he was now going through forms and katas on a rooftop close by an alley leading back into the sewers, both katanas in hand. Grunting, he chides himself. "Sloppy. You're lucky Master Splinter isn't watching."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal was feeling restless as well. There must have been something in the air, because he simply could not close his eyes and go to sleep. This was bad, because college was back in session and he had a class in the morning that he was guaranteed not to do terribly well at. Showing up and falling asleep through the lecture was a great way to make a good impression with the instructor who held your fate in his hands.

So it was decided that the best way to do things was to tire himself out- patrolling New York ought to do just fine, since there was usually a crime or two in progress that he could frustrate and get a good workout of it. Sleep came easier with a side of justice, right?

As he jumps from rooftop to rooftop, cloaked in his invisiblity, there is something that catches his attention. A blur of motion and the glint metal shining in the darkness. He's a cat. He's curious. He approaches. Walking on feline feet, he moves closer and closer to the rooftop to see, to quote Lord Tennyson, who is this and what is here

Leonardo has posed:
The burden of keeping everything and everyone together and in one piece can be a heavy one, and as much as Leonardo has stressed the importance of going topside with a buddy for protection, even he disobeys his own rules when he feels the need to. It's not like Raphael and his excursions, doing whatever it is he gets up to alone, but Leo getting right with himself qualifies as a good excuse.

There is a particular sword form the turtle is going through, a leap into a spinning dual strike coming at a precise 45-degree angle to cut down across an imaginary foe followed by a forward heel thrust out of a crouch, but after doing it two or three times he stops himself, shaking his head before butting the heel of a palm against his forehead. "Focus! You have to spin tighter, strike earlier, and don't leave that opening! The angle is wrong, too!"

The thing is, to the untrained eye, it looks like what he's doing would be more than adequate. To him, it's full of holes. "Again. Better." Jump. Spin. Slash. Land. Kick.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
The Cheshire cat has now made his final approach, and he has to admit he is intrigued by what he is seeing.

April hasn't really had a chance for an introduction, but Vorpal knows a turtle when he sees one. Even if this is no ordinary turtle. Not even a Mock Turtle.

Impressed by the martial prowess, and seeing no holes, he draws nearer the way a child would to a street performer.

Splish. He looks down. He was so distracted that he didn't take heed of the water puddles strewn about the rooftop, left behind by the recent rain. Invisible, the only thing that shows is a perfect outline of Vorpal's foot, displacing water. The cheshire cat freezes and immediately looks up

Leonardo has posed:
...to find the business end of both katanas pointed directly at him, just a couple feet away, even if the level might be above the usual expectations for one's height, Leonardo's stance immediately shifting from one of practice to one of control, awaiting what may come next.

Rain, puddles - they can be a drawback to one not paying attention to them, and a benefit to one trained to look for any imperfections or irregularities nearby. "I don't know where you got the invisibility cloak from, but if you're smart you'll show yourself and tell me why you're spying on me."

Leo is full of suspicion, and it's clear he's taking no chances. Eyes dart down toward the imprint again, then right back up.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal shimmers into view, arms extended at his side and palms up to show that he is unarmed.

"Would you believe I was just passing by and got distracted by shiny things?" Because, let's be honest, that's exactly what happened.

One of his fingers extends and touches the tip of one of the katanas aimed at him. "My, my, grandma, what big weapons of slaughter and murder you have here!" he says, trying one of his charming grins.

Leonardo has posed:
Slight correction. The blades are lowered to account for the unexpected difference in height, for seeing someone even shorter than Mikey is not that normal unless it's a little kid. This, and the appearance Leonardo sees, which includes the costume and the unique look, leads to a squint of the eyes.

"Who, or what, are you supposed to be?" he asks, ignoring the explanation given about shiny stuff. It may fit, and he doesn't read into it an attempt to trick or fool him, but suspicion reigns. Neither the smile nor the touch to the blade fazes him aside from one brow sliding upward, seen more in the way the blue mask lifts. He answers with silence, not yet convinced that he should put the weapons away.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"I'm not supposed to be anyone. I simply am. That is to say that I am the Cheshire cat."

A meaningful pause. "See, this is the point in which I usually have to say I don't grant autographs. You are really cramping my style, here."

The cat gives a quick up-and-down with his eyes, encompassing the whole of the turtle. There didn't seem to be any other weapons, but you never knew.

Leonardo has posed:
Looking the part of a ninja, one might gather that the swords are not the only thing on Leonardo that could be used for some purpose or another, and that isn't even counting the hands and feet. There are a few pouches at the side of the belt he wears, but that's all he wears. For a normal human, it would be completely inappropriate. He's hardly normal.

He's also not laughing. "The Cheshire cat is from a story. You look like a furred human-cat-thing playing around in a costume," he retorts, and based on the given response it doesn't sound like an autograph request is forthcoming.

"I have not been in a very good mood lately. I say this as a warning." The one katana, if still being touched, is pressed ever so slightly toward that finger as a way of making the point more clear.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
. "I am wounded," Vorpal quips. There was a reason he established contact with the Katana, if it came to this. His finger is still there, and he feels the pinch. "Figuratively, but I'd rather it not be for real. If I meant you harm, I would've already visited it on you, you know."

There is a brief flash of purple magic as he imbues the Katana with chaos and life, "I mean it. There really is no need to point things at each other."

The Katana, imbued with life, will suddenly feel unwieldy and impossible to control. It will try to drag Leo's arm away from pointing the sword at Vorpal, saying in a nasal, rather uptight voice, 'It's not polite to point! Hhmph!'

The cheshire cat leaps back, trying to stay away from any swipes or swings, "Let's not make this a cat-astrophe now, okay?"

Leonardo has posed:
"I could say the same thing," Leonardo answers following the talk of harm meant or not, "which is why I gave you the chance to explain yourself." The answer he's received, so far, has been lacking in his estimation.

However, the strange purple effect has him taking a step back out of caution, the blade no longer in contact with the fingertip. By that point it doesn't matter, and surprise is shown in the turtle's eyes as the arm begins to lift with the katana still held firmly. The other one begins to dip as a side effect, and the chiding words lead to him questioning, "What the hell?"

Additional strength goes into attempting to bring the enchanted sword down. "Whatever you just did, reverse it! These are important!" It seems he greatly cares about his blades.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Aw, don't worry, it wears off in a bit," Vorpal says, leaning on an air conditioning duct, "But if you insist..." the Cheshire cat snaps his fingers and there is a shattering sound that comes from the blade, as if a goblet of fine crystal had been smashed.

There is no damage, however, and the blade ceases all activity immediately. "Well, now that I've established I am as harmless as I am adorable, I'd like to proceed with the social acquaintanceship part of the encounter *without* threatening to insert pointy things into people. Call it unusual, but it just happens to be this thing I have about getting punctured. I hear it's very bad for the figure."

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo remains unconvinced, evidenced by the dubious expression he wears until the magic is no more. The sound of something breaking confuses him enough to turn the blade this way and that, reflecting some of the moonlight off the katana. For a humanoid turtle, his face can convey quite the range of emotions.

Only once he's convinced the sword is fine - the other one remained untouched - does he get to the point of tucking them away at the back of his shell. "I don't know about all that, but I do think you like to hear yourself talk," he points out, now crossing his arms before him. "So you say you're the Cheshire cat..."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal smirks. "Heavens, you are wound up tighter than a baptist minister's wife's girdle at an all-you-can-east pancake breakfast. Yes, I am the Cheshire cat." He now lays on his side on the tubing, watching Leo intently. "I'm also related to a certain news-lady who is very much of your acquaintance. Surely you can see the family resemblance, we have the same hair," he says, reaching up and twirling his fingers on a lock of ginger hair falling across his eyes. "Just a wild guess. If you're not one of -her- friends, then New York has a greater proliferation of humanoid turtles than I originally imagined."

Leonardo has posed:
"You don't know anything about me," Leonardo claims, frowning at the flippant attitude he reads from the costumed feline...in spite of Vorpal possibly hitting the nail on the head in an overly imaginative way. The casual nature of the little cat's placement atop the roof results in a look of irritation.

However, that changes swiftly, replaced by surprise. "Excuse me..but, what?" While neither confirming nor denying what he's just been told, he's given Vorpal all that's needed to understand the turtle knows exactly who is being referred to. How can this be?

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal's eyes are fixed on Leo as he speaks, "Surprised? Don't tell me you've never thought of her as Alice- falling down a hole into a world all of its own, meeting its fantastic..." he looks at Leo up and down again, "and rather amazing-looking denizens? Why be surprised, then, that where there's an Alice there must by necessity be a cat nearby?"He rests his head on a hand, "Rest assured, though, she's broken no vow. I only know of you by the most vague of descriptions and could not say where you live. But if you can't trust an O'Neil, though I don't see why not, you might at least trust a Titan's word that your secrecy is safe. "

"Except when you do rooftop sword aerobics. That, I can't help. "

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo admits, "I've never made that comparison, sorry." Even still, it takes more than a moment for him to think of April as Alice in this scenario, and even if some things could fit, such as her winding up exposed to things she might never have thought existed, it's just not quite connecting with his imagination or frame of mind what it is right now.

Talk of vows or secrets earns a rolled shoulder, a shrug. He knows April well enough to know she's discreet whenever possible. "I've heard of the Titans," he affirms, then he grunts at the mention of being spotted out here. "And I needed a place to try to clear my thoughts, but that's not working out so well." Still so serious.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Oh, is that all?" Vorpal says quietly, raising his eyebrows. "You know, I have often had that problem. The mind becomes cluttered like a poorly-arranged dollhouse, furniture stacked everywhere, and you just can't get space to think." He slowly sits up and hugs his knees to his chest, "You're very focused. And I imagine that focus serves you well, but sometimes that's not enough in those occasions. If your mind is like a cluttered dollhouse..." He tilts his head, "You can always step out the front door and get some fresh air!"

Leonardo has posed:
Is that all, Leonardo is asked? The look on his face reveals a sense of disbelief of some kind at the response. "There are a lot of things I have to be responsible for, a lot of danger to watch out for. I don't have the luxury to be able to put it all aside for just anything." Coiled spring, wound tightly, not hard to imagine.

"Meditation is the key for me, but there's too much going on back...home. I thought by coming up here I might find my balance again." The way he explains it, he's not there yet. But, he did try to get some fresh air! Forget the fact he smells like he spends a lot of time underground. Not foul or awful, but certainly distinct.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal stands up and hops off from the piping, and begins to walk towards Leo. "Heavy is the head that wears the crown and all that." He holds his hands behind his back, pacing around the turtle. "I bet your shoulders are so tense they could be used as banjo strings." He stops and crosses his arms, one hand up to his chin as one considering a puzzle.

"Maybe you should try something different. Something that takes you by surprise and refreshes you, and then you're free to go back to the world you knew with fresh eyes."

He suddenly grins, "Have you ever been on a rollercoaster?"

Leonardo has posed:
"I don't know about that," Leonardo remarks. He might not be familiar with a banjo or its strings. "My brothers..ahh, it's not your problem. A lot is changing. I don't know if it's good or bad, but everyone I know is having to adapt to different things. It's hard to know what the right decision is," he admits, finally letting something out to go on. It's apparent that what he's used to has been turned around, flipped upside down, wrecked in ways, and just figuring out how to handle it has been a source of stress.

However, Leo still comes off as wary. "I'm not big on surprises. I'm happy when everything is where it's meant to be, when it all has balance." The expression that comes next when rollercoasters are brought up is one of...apprehension. "No. Why?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal holds out a hand. "I know you've only just met me... but you trust my cousin. Let's try something out-- if you don't like it, at least you'll have explored a possibility that could have helped you. And if it works- then you'll have discovered something about yourself."

Leonardo has posed:
The blue-masked turtle holds up a hand. It's distinct in its shape, the two thicker fingers and a thumb. One might wonder how somebody can do the whole ninja thing with that 'deformity' but if anyone actually saw the turtles in action, that question would not be asked a second time. "Before we do anything else, I'm Leonardo." It seems to him that exchanging actual names would be useful. "Do I call you 'Cheshire Cat,' then?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal sfeet. "People know me as Vorpal... but you're Ape's friend, so call me Tommy." He takes Leonardo's hand in his and holds it very tightly. "And don't worry. I'm not letting go."

The meaning of this becomes clear a second later, when the floor seems to drop away from them.

Down the rabbit hole they go. Vorpal allows this one to be longer, rather than the instant hole in reality that most of them are. They fall down an iridescent tunnel that glows with all the colors of the rainbow, and then some. "Sometimes you need a little change of perspective..." and the Rabbit Hole ends. Below them is the enormous and glittering expanse of New York city, seen from thousands and thousands of feet above ground. The air whistles past them and Vorpal, still holding tight to Leonardo's hand, spreads his arms and grins, hair flying away from his face by the wind.

Right below them, and growing closer, there seems to be another Rabbit Hole. They are falling towards it.?"

Leonardo has posed:
"Tommy it is, then." Leonardo looks down at the grip on his hand, which is not returned with quite the same intensity. "Because.." he begins, only for it to cut off with an actual sound of surprise when the rooftop they're on is suddenly...just not there at all.

Eyes go seemingly wide as saucers as they go through the colorful, almost psychedelic 'tunnel' that lets them out well above the city. The sensation of falling is what finally leads to his hand returning the grip, eyes slamming shut as the tail ends of his mask flutter in the wind. "Aaaahh!" he blurts, flailing. "Water! Toward the water!" At least they could splash down and probably not go splat! He misses seeing the next Rabbit Hole thanks to his eyes being closed.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Open your eyes Leo! You're going to miss it!"

They go though, and into a tropical paradise. It is daytime, blue-green ocean, translucent, reflecting the sun against bone- white sand, with reefs and palm trees everywhere.

Vorpal yanks Leo close, "Look!"

Vorpal creates a succession of Rabbit Holes that take then from place to place, the exit angled so they maintain momentum. They are flying overt Dubai. Then they skirt the ocean by Cyprus, they soar over the stretched hand of the Christ the Redeemer in Rio... and shoot through the blank spaces of the Eiffel Tower's infrastructure. He navigates expertly enough that it almost feels like flight.

Leonardo has posed:
What if Leonardo is actually too scared to look? This is way different from being on the astral plane with Splinter, trying to learn about how to be of use in that realm. There was no real sensation of actual falling, not like this.

He can feel some sort of changes in the weather around them, then he squints an eye open after slapping his hand over most of that area, only to suck in a shortened breath. The ninja turtle, out of his element!

"This is crazy!" he shouts, as they pass through different parts of the world.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
The Cheshire Cat laughs and holds onto Leonardo. With a few well-placed rabbit holes they start decelerating until they finally touchdown On Solid ground. Or rather, on solid Tower.

"Open your eyes, scaredy turtle..." he spreads his arms "oh, I bet you've never seen Montmartre!"

They have landed on top of one of the tallest buildings, with the old buildings sprawling before them.

Leonardo has posed:
A good way to take someone out of his element is to completely remove him from everything he is used to. In Leonardo's case, that means far from the Tri-City area, far from the Lair, far from his brothers, stuck with a complete stranger whose only tie to someone he knows is April O'Neil.

But does that actually make Vorpal trustworthy? There's little about him that Leo could say really makes him think of the reporter, especially right now, but as they no longer fall and actually alight softly atop the Parisian tower, the turtle drops down to his hands and feet as if more of him in contact with something solid will be safer for the moment. It's...also daytime. It was dark in New York City.

In spite of the view of the old city laid out before them, he adjusts his mask to a more proper position and looks back over a shoulder. "Was all that.." he begins, breathing heavily, "your idea of a good time? How was any of this even possible?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"That was my idea of a shake-up." Vorpal chuckles and puts a hand on Leo's shoulder, "You're so twisted up into yourself with worry, you needed a change. Look!" He points, "Isn't Montmartre beautiful? And kind of sooty and dirty in places... but that's part of its charm. It doesn't have to be perfect."

The cat dangles his legs off the side of the building. "How is this possible? I told you. I'm the Cheshire cat. I used to be a human, just like Ape. Then I merged with the soul of the Cheshire cat. You say I'm only a story..." he tilts his head, "Princess Diana descends from the Greek gods, and *they* are stories too, aren't they?"

Leonardo has posed:
There are things that are odd to someone like Leonardo. Being a mutant of some sort is not one of them. Teleportation, transportation through those means to get to places halfway across the world? Not what he's used to.

"A shake-up. Yeah, you can say that again," he replies, and from the touch attempted at his shoulder it's very clear his muscles are tense right now, especially after that journey. Quite a trip. "It looks like a building. I know this is Paris, though."

He turns to listen to the tale so far, shaking his head slowly. "And I'm what I am because of some slop that spilled on me. What has April told you about us? Anything?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"April has told me that she has for very good friends who are close relatives of the toy turtle I brought her from a trip- and that you can always be counted on. " Vorpal hmms. Tense turtle, "And that one of you is Mikey and that I'd probably get on great with him. Which is probably true... you seem to be ready to kill me." Grin. And then, as an afterthought, "Oh, and Nemean and I raided some mafiosi warehouses. You know him, right?"

Leonardo has posed:
Growing quiet, Leonardo listens to what he says of April - really listens. His gaze fans out over what there is to see below them, and it might be noticed he seems to turn introspective. "We try to be," he says. Modesty? Honesty.

"If you like random, silly things, you and Mikey would get along just fine. I'm slow to trust people I don't know well," he further explains, turning to pace the immediate area of the rooftop now that he's getting himself back under control.

A briefly pained expression comes after the mention of Nemean. "Yes. We know each other," he confirms, voice growing quieter.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Were you always the serious one?" Tommy asks, looking at Leonardo over his shoulder, "Or was it something that eventually became expected of you?". He leans over the edge and looks down at the streets below. He had friends nearby, once upon a time. He wonders what has become of them.

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo glances over a bare green shoulder. "A little of both, I think. That doesn't mean I don't know how to have fun." It may suggest he hasn't had much he's felt like laughing about, in one way or another. "You look like your thoughts are going elsewhere," he observes. "Does this place bring back good memories? Bad ones?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Little of both. I knew two heroes from here. Had a crush on one of them- he didn't like guys, so we became friends. But... we lost touch. "

"SO... what does Leonardo do for fun?" He changes the subject. "Jigsaw puzzles? A wild time at the Zen garden?" He smiles.

Leonardo has posed:
"Hmm." It's just a sound, really, a form of acknowledgement from the mutant turtle who happens to be a ninja. Just how old is he? His demeanor might not make it an easy guess alone. "Good to be friends over not friends," he decides, then he sits down cross-legged and reaches back for one of those katanas. Out comes a small cloth from one of the pouches, and he begins cleaning the blade on the spot.

"I enjoy taking care of my weapons. I like practicing the things I know and learning the things I don't. There's watching TV, playing video games, sparring, eating pizza...training and meditation are very important." He nods to this list, initially satisfied with it.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal stares. Is he really polishing his weapon? "Wow... Leo, no offense, but... I'm almost tempted to ask you if you were shipped off to a Catholic boarding school. I almost fell asleep through that. Where's the excitement? The novelty? The discovery?"

Leonardo has posed:
No better time than the present. In fact, Leonardo appears to be more at peace with things as he gives the blade a good wiping down, even if it already looks pristine. "I apologize if I'm boring you. We can always return to where we left and you can find someone more interesting to talk to." He sounds...sincere, if somewhat wounded. Maybe there's a sensitive side to him after all.

The amount of attention being paid to the cleaning leaves him putting it all back away. "As April's cousin, I'm curious about you, but I'm not sure what I should be asking. What do /you/ enjoy?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Aw, don't take it like that!" Vorpal goes over to Leonardo, moving on all fours to sit next to the turle, cross-legged, and drapes one of his arms over Leo's shoulders, "I say things as they come to me. I didn't mean to insult ya. C'mon, take it out. We'll polish our swords together."

Seemingly out of nowhere, he drags out a small blade that he rests across his lap, and a cloth with which to clean it. "It's my vorpal blade," he says. It is, of course, pure illusion, but Leo doesn't know that.

"What do I enjoy? Hanging out with friends, I guess. Exploring new places. Traveling the world. Busting up a good crime with cool people- that's always enjoyable. Movies. Amusement parks. Concerts. Galleries. Museums. Video games. Getting scratched behind the ear. You know, stuff."

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo makes a bit of a face, regardless of the feline moving in closer. "I'll take care of it later. Thanks, though." There might be some lingering moodiness from the prior reaction, semi-apology made or not. He explains, "I find it calming, but.." The mask seems to slide upward again as he glances in the direction of the so-called vorpal blade. "You use one too?" he asks. The illusion is not one he sees through.

With the list recited off, he admits, "Most of those things, we don't get much of a chance to do. A lot of it is kept to our own home because it's safer if most people don't know we exist. We have some disguises, but there's only so much you can do to account for what we look like." At least, the ears are given a second look when they're mentioned.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
. Vorpal's ear flicks, and he looks up at Leonardo. "Well, disguises, perhaps. But there are always other ways. Like, for example... illusion!" He reaches over and actually touches Leonardo's cheek as he says "Woosh!" There may be no perceptible difference, but when Vorpal takes out his phone and turns it on Selfie mode, the person sitting next to Vorpal is... human. Raven black hair, grey eyes, an athletic nineteen-year old dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and slacks. "I don't think you should hide who you are, but if you need to do it to be safe... fair, I have to hide under a secret identity. Guess what?" He looks over at Leo and takes the picture, "I can let you see those things you normally couldn't, because you have to be careful. You and your brothers."

Leonardo has posed:
There is a mild flinch from the touch against his cheek. The sensation Vorpal will feel is almost exactly like what touching a turtle would be expected to feel like. "What are you--"

It may be an odd reaction as far as Vorpal is concerned, but as soon as Leonardo sees the human version of what he might appear as, he shakes his head and turns away from the screen. "That..is not me. Our whole lives, we've learned how to live in shadow, how to disappear when we don't want to be seen. There are more out there who look different than we thought, but we still have to be careful."

Another headshake comes, punctuating his point. "I'm not upset with you showing me this, but we can't live behind illusions or disguises whenever we go outside. Besides.." His eyes narrow, little more than slits behind the mask. "April may not have told you this, but we are turtles who came to be this way, not humans. We might act human, but we aren't human."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
. "And I'm both a Cheshire cat who became like a human and s human who became like a Cheshire cat," Vorpal answers. "Leo, I'm not trying to insult you. I'm telling you that if you or your brothers ever want to take a day out where you don't have to worry or watch over your shoulders... you can. I guess it was my way of trying to offer something, but I'm blowing it." He puts his phone away and looks down at the roof, seemingly counting the cracks.."

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo frowns. "I understand you're trying to help, and I appreciate that. You aren't 'blowing it,' but we don't know much about each other so you don't know how to make me feel better and I don't know how to make you feel better."

He explains, as he wraps his arms around his legs, "If you met Michelangelo, he'd want to skateboard and party and trade bad jokes and eat pizza with you until you were both ready to throw up, then go back for seconds. Donatello would talk your ears off about his latest invention and probably fry your fur getting you to try it. Raphael...he might just try to knock your head off as a way of saying hi, but he cares about our safety too."

"I guess what I'm trying to say is if you were going to meet one of us first, you got the one who's too deep in his thoughts half the time." A hand hesitates, then extends for a cursory, minimal pat on the shoulder. "But thanks for trying. I don't know about the offer. Maybe."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Well, when in Rome..." Tommy peers up at Leonardo, "Deep in thought might be semi-unknown territory for me. Do you and April ever get philosophical? She's always a very good listener..."

Leonardo has posed:
"Or Paris," Leonardo corrects, without showing whether or not he knows the saying Vorpal's going with. The Eiffel Tower can easily be seen from their vantage point, and he peers in the direction of the very top of it. "We don't get to talk as much as we have before," he admits. "I know she has a..podcast, they call it?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
. "Yeah, she's got her show." Vorpal peers at the turtle, "Heavy is the head that bears the crown and all that. You know... sometimes a guy can think that he's got the world weighing on his back, and he just wants to be alone with his thoughts. And then he keeps his thoughts to himself because who else is going to deal with all the stuff he has to deal with, right? And then you get broody... and moody. And you start avoiding people when you don't have to deal with them. And then you start going to out of the way places to be with your thoughts... and then you accidentally come across a fairy mound and get abducted by an ancient Faerie cat who implants a subconscious message into you which drives you nearly insane until someone figures how to get it out of you..." he trails off.

"Personal experience may vary. Moral of the story is you sometimes have to give your shoulders a rest, I don't care if they're almost wider than I am tall." He smirks.

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo keeps silent so he may hear what Vorpal has to tell him. It ranges from him thinking it's about himself to realizing it's about someone else. A troubled expression takes hold, face twisting into a frown. "This..happened to you?" he asks, in a way that suggests it's a difficult story to believe, Faerie cats and all. And yet...Nemean. Alopex. Two examples of something similar.

"Have you heard of the Foot Clan?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"That happened to me, yeah. My point is that if you fall too deep into thought sometimes things down there come and grab ya. In my case, because my life is weird, it was a thing out here dragging me down there..."NHe hmms. "Sounds... vaguely familiar. I think Robin mentioned a clan like that...crime gang, martial arts centered maybe?"

Leonardo has posed:
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Leonardo says, quietly enough. He listens to more than just what Vorpal is saying, also paying attention to city sounds, which thin out a bit at the height they've taken up at. "Is it better now?"

"And the Foot," he continues, "is nothing good. Yes, based in martial arts. They are led by an evil man who only cares about ruling as much as he can, and he has tried to kill me and my family multiple times. He has made others like us as well. I live to protect my family, and that is what I'll do."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Well, then. Do you want to have a magical chaos cat ally that this bad dude hasn't even thought of anticipating?" Vorpal grins, "Anyone who tries to kill a friend of the O'Neils ain't gonna do well. Do you know what the motto of the O'Neil clan is? It's 'Oh no you DIDN'T'!" he snaps his fingers and leans back on his hands.

"Speaking seriously... I'm not cool with that. Not just as a Titan, but as Ape's cousin. You don't know me from Adam, but I know Ape. And Ape has some of the best judgement when it comes to people. If you're her people, then you're my people." He reaches over and puts a hand on Leonardo's arm.

"I wish she had the same good judgement when it comes to fashion, though."

Leonardo has posed:
"Mikey is chaotic enough," Leonardo quips, and it may even sound like it compared to some of the tones he's used previously. "I..want to say no, because I'm not sure we should drag anyone else into this, but on the other hand the Foot isn't going to stop. A ninja calling himself the Shredder is behind it all. If you ever encounter him, don't take anything for granted. He is dangerous."

With nothing more than a sniff at the mention of April's fashion sense, he asks, "Has she told you how she met us?" The hand is given a glance, allowed to remain.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Not really, I figured it was your tale to tell. Care to enlighten me?" The Cheshire files a question away in his mind, to ask after storytime. There is the sound of a violin, skillfully played, that floats up to them as a street musician begins to busk below.

Leonardo has posed:
"She got herself in hot water with the Foot, we showed up just in time, and we had to take her back home for her safety. When she saw us, she fainted," Leonardo explains, adding, "So that puts you a step ahead of her as far as meeting us is concerned."

He moves closer to the edge of the building they're on, having a glance down below. With that shell more visible in back, Vorpal could see a variety of nicks and marks dotting it here and there.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal raises an eyebrow, "So you saved her life. So we owe you a life debt, and in Wonderland that is sacred." He is completely bullshitting, but how is Leo to know? "That means you get me too, dude. I'm a Titan, I've faced alien invasions. Your ninja dude is dangerous and I'm not going to underestimate him, but give me a little cred, eh?" He reaches over and runs a fingertip across one of the nicks, "You wear your battle scars well."

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo presents a different viewpoint. "Nobody owes us anything for doing the right thing for someone in need," he explains, and given what's been seen of him so far is that really a surprise? "I haven't met any other Titans I know of, but I hear they have a good reputation. Maybe we'll find reasons to meet again sometime. I've been wondering how sensible it is to stay as hidden as we've tried to be, but it's brought us some protection."

The turtle then pauses as he appears to be aware enough of the touch to his shell, turning to glance over a shoulder in a questioning way. "Better not to have any, but some of them have been unavoidable." Listening to the busking below, a few seconds of silence on his end are interrupted by him adding, "We should not stay here much longer. I told the others where I'd be but they will expect me back soon."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Very well," Vorpal smirks. The Rabbit Hole that opens under them leaves them on the rooftop as if nothing had happened. The transition is smooth. "I recognize a subtle Get Lost when I hear one." The cat gets to his feet in a fluid motion and begins to dust off his uniform.

Leonardo has posed:
This time, Leonardo is mainly aware of the shift thanks to the sudden change from light to dark, and it's now his bare foot in the puddle Vorpal had stepped in earlier, setting this whole encounter off. He may never get used to it. "It's not that," he says, whether truthful or not, and so far he's been rather truthful with his answers.

"I'm also due for some sparring with my brothers and they'd know something was wrong if I was late to that," he explains and, for the first time, there's a brief smile. "You..did get my mind onto other things, at least."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal pauses and then returns the smile, "okay then... but don't be a stranger. I mean it, or I'll bug you through April. Here..." he takes out a card and offers it to him. "That's my apartment. The rooftop is accessible for those who are good at doing the ninja thing. Come visit anytime. Come alone, bring your brothers, come with April, we'll make it a game night. "

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo accepts the card, looking it over. "I'm familiar with the area." So he can, at least, read. "And I have a feeling you'll bug me with or without April involved. Tell me I'm wrong." The card is slipped into one of the small pouches at one side, next to a few shuriken secured in the band he wears. That is definitely something a ninja would use.

"I can't promise the same as far as our home is concerned. Not yet, anyway. We're still getting used to having more there than usual. I hope you understand," he adds, even sounding apologetic about it.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"I do, you don't have Rabbit Holes to keep you safe." The Cheshire cat stretches and prepares to resume his patrol. "And you're right, by the way, " he says as he starts to run, in order to bound across buildings, "I totally would with or without Ape."

Leonardo has posed:
"Be careful. Patrolling alone can be dangerous," Leonardo says, a last few words of warning as he watches Vorpal go off. This could have been a bad encounter. The Rabbit Holes could have left him somewhere nobody would be able to find him, and then what? What would it have meant to his brothers? To Splinter? To all of their safety?

Fortunately, the feline, if unorthodox and much more like Mikey than Leo might like to admit, did nothing harmful. Being related to April will earn him a longer leash than what might exist with a complete stranger, but a visit to her place may be in the cards very soon. In the meantime, he disappears back down into the alley, then the sewers, en route to the Lair. This meeting will not be spoken of...yet.