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"They are. They believe in strength over everything else and wanted to take our planet over. ...someone from our future was sent back to try and change it, because things turned out for the worst where he was from."

Donnie rubs a hand over Illex again. "We can't stay here long, bud. It isn't safe."

He doesn't look back at Esmeryl, but he shakes his head. "Damaged one. Lost another. I have spares at home and I can easily use my mystic-tech to conjure one if I need it, but...I was trying to give my shell a rest."

"I see. I know the type well, yet it is good you had allies in your fight. You did well." Most would say her Decepticons are the type, and while she whole heartedly agrees with strength over everything else, there is something to be said for stealth and cunning over brute force. It's how they took over so many worlds before they revealed themselves outright.

Another twang of guilt stabs her core though, and claws dig into the ground, only retracting once it'd eased. "We should find somewhere to rest, then."

Rest and plan, at least. "... I may have a health pack on me."

She doesn't know, not yet."

Donnie nods. "I don't think anything's been compromised, but I'll run some scans once I get back." He's trying very hard not to move too much so his back won't spasm with pain, but he's sure it's mostly bruising. Hopefully.

"Save it, it's fine," he says, looking back at Illex. "I need you to either have legs or be something more portable, can you do that bud?"

Esmeryl doesn't like the sound of that. Not when 'I think' allows for an ambiguity she doesn't like, but she also isn't about to push someone she considers one of her precious people. "Very well then. I trust you."

The mimic seems to think with an uncertain churr. It's too big to sit on Donnie's shoulder, or head and it doesn't like that! But- it morphs into a small version of a golem, though the image is half ruined by the fangy grin around the middle. This is good right?

Not that Donnie likes not knowing things for certain either, but there's really nothing to be done about it now.

He blinks in surprise when the mimic changes, something aching in his chest even as he smiles a bit at the sight. Ah, he remembers those. "Heh. Nicely done. That...might work for now, so long as we don't run into anyone down here."

"Given the state of the place, I'd be surprised if we did." A pause, then, slower, as if she does not like admitting she is blind to this world: "Though I would not hold my breath on it, either. Doubtless your leaders would be monitoring, and if my arrival was noticed..."

She doesn't quite shiver; the less she considers what a worse case scenario is, the better. For now, at least.

"Regardless, let's get moving."

Donnie frowns at that. "...I wouldn't be surprised either. Someone had to have picked up the Kraang sister that April trapped. Everyone knows that aliens exist now."

Something he'll have to try looking into. Later. Later. He nods at Esmeryl.

"Right. Let's go."

"Indeed, though they know they have protectors too." Or not; it's likely better her son and his family remain in the shadows. Less targets on their shells.

She follows his lead on where they go, ears pricked this way and that, the Empress determined that nothing will sneak up on them.

Yet more she walks, the more the clack of claws falls into a pattern noticeable on though familiarity with the Decepticon: Esmeryl is favouring one side - her left, actively working to hide just how much damage those missiles did earlier.

She could see if she has a health packs left in her subspace, and by rights she should. Yet, perhaps it's sentiment that keeps her from doing so, or some morbid feeling she deserves it for treating an ally - family - so rough, earlier.

Or perhaps it's sheer practicality; they could need it, and it isn't as if her self repair systems are slouches.

"Will you tell me about this world? What do you love the most here, outside your tech?"

Edited 2025-09-02 13:01 (UTC)

That's true enough. Donnie knows they sure haven't bothered much with hiding once they went to deal with the Kraang on their own ship, but he's not sure how many people could have actually seen what they were doing up there. Weirdly enough, it's not something he's that concerned about at the moment.

Even if he couldn't remember all the details exactly, Donnie knows machines, and there's something off about the sounds coming from Esmeryl as they make way. It's easy to pinpoint when Illex's footsteps are more solid.

"It's...home." Donnie can't help but smile as he says it. "It's hard to really say. But my family's here. This is what I know, and as much as there's so much more I want to discover... it's just...nice being where you are."

But it's a little sad too, knowing you lost something.

"...did I hurt you bad?" He turns to look at her, pointedly glancing towards the side she'd been taking more care with.

"It appears worse than it is." It's a wrapped in habit; the cadence is dry, almost airy, but then her tone softens a fraction. "You hurt me just enough to make me proud."

That much is not a lie, but her left wing twitches anyway and plates along that side lift a fraction to vent heat, and she dismisses an internal diagnostic. She is all too aware of the damage, thank you very much.

"Superficial scoring along the flank. Your missiles know how to bite. However, self-repair is engaged. I will not fall. Not now, not ever." The last two words are more a promise than posture.

His answer about home lingers between them. Esmeryl tilts her head, ears angling toward him rather than the dark.

"Then we keep it yours," she says simply, softly, optics dimming somewhat as she thinks of the Fortress, of what awaits her return.

Politics. Her husband. Star Saber. Solon. "And ensure you have the right to be where you are. For it to be uninvaded. for it to be safe."

Proud as she may be about it, Donnie still can't help but wince. He murmurs a quiet 'sorry', glancing forwards again.

"...after the Kraang, I wasn't taking any chances." Not that it seemed to do much. He'd have been dead if he were really in trouble, and still not at one hundred percent for focus.

He nods, fully set on doing whatever it took to keep his home and the world it was attached to, safe.

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Donnie. I would have done the same in your place."

Esmeryl considers for a second and, after a small internal war, speaks again. "The damage done is enough to tell me you have grown stronger. Were I not myself, you would have grounded me. Even now, my self repair is struggling, somewhat."

More than somewhat, but she's not about to admit she needs a full night's rest to be back to par. Even this feels like pulling teeth. "Had I not reacted as I did, you would have grounded me."

"...."

Would he have remembered? Or just considered it a victory and left her? The thought makes him feel queasy.

"Well, I'll find you somewhere to rest. I'd bring you directly home but I don't know how I'd explain everything, and my family's still on edge after things. I'd rather not trouble them to think there's another alien threat."

"You didn't; that matters more than what-if's," she said with a light laugh - if she's read him right, he too doesn't like what could have happened - before her visage sobers.

His family, based on what she knows and can infer, is vulnerable. Pleased she might be at the idea his brothers might see her as a threat, they are Donnie's family. Her people by extension-

She is going soft.

"Wise. I'd... rather meet them at their strongest, then at most vulnerable, here. It would make them feel better." A head tilt, then a wry smile. "You'll have enough explaining Illex."

Said mimic give a confused churr. Trouble? It? No! Never. Is good!

Donnie blinks and then winces, glancing over at the mini golem plodding alongside of them.

"Right...." he says, unable to help for a wry smile. "Going to have to lay down some ground rules for you. No eating my family. Or well...no eating anything that moves, we'll start with that." The last thing he needs is to say eating rats are okay and then finding his father half-way down a treasure chest's gullet.

"Also, you might have to pick a new form because those don't exactly exist around here..."

Illex blinks, then pauses and wilts. Huh? Eat nothing that moves?! Family?? It hasn't dared eat Leo or Mikey!! It would never eat them. The mere idea of doing so is anathema! The mimic wilts more at the mere idea with a sad churr.

The Pinkness isn't the best, but it is food.

It can, however, pick a new form! Which it does - a cat. If it a cat was 2' at the shoulder and looked like like a 6 week old kitten than a year old cat...

It's like the Kraang feast made the mimic grow in size, not age. Like Donnie's mimic will end up a 3 story house instead of a single story one.

Edited 2025-09-18 09:27 (UTC)

Having to lay down new ground rules for a mimic isn't something Donnie had anticipated. He'll have to put some thought into it.

He blinks and looks down at the mimic-turned cat, smiling crookedly. "Wow. That's not unusual at all," he says, sarcastic but amused. Reaching down, he scoops up the cat. "Raph will be ecstatic, I think. You haven't met my big brother yet, but you'll know him when you see him."

Nooo not thinking about the logistics of the effects of mimics eating Kraang matter, that's a headache for future Donnie...

It's like listening to a pleased tiger- more rumble than true purr, but clearly the mimic thinks all is right in the world again. Its person still loves it! "Merrwl"

An amused laugh claws its way out of Esmeryl's throat as she watches them. "Tell me about him as we walk?"

An idea has sparked in her brain: she could disguise with her holoform or the disguise tech after a fashion, but the question remains: How much does she want to expose the truth of her damage to her son?

Answer: No.

Donnie laughs, even as he tries to figure out the best way to hold such a big cat. In the end he gives up, setting the mimic back down on the ground. "You're a literal handful right now and my arms still hurt, so just stick close, okay?"

He smiles over at Esmeryl as they resume their trek.

"He's the oldest. And the biggest. Loves to punch things. He's gotten a whole lot better at planning before pummeling though. And he's always loved cute animals. Unfortunately a lot of the time the feeling has not been mutual."

Ilex can stick close! Not quite under the feet close, but close enough Donnie can likely feel as well as hear the happy purrs.

Esmeryl blinks, head tilting in a rather bird-like manner as she considers what she knows Donnie and his family. "Bigger than Leo?" Last she looked, the lanky turtle had been a bit of a beanpole in terms of height. "Perhaps this time shall be different."

Satisfied with that, Donnie continues to lead the way.

"Leo..?" It has the suggestion of 'well why wouldn't he be?' But he has to frown as he tries to claw through fuzzy thoughts, dusty information that doesn't come in an instant like a convenient electronic file search. Distantly he feels like he remembers something of how that had been, nice, efficient, clean and quick...but also cold, all edges and corners...

"Raph's like...over six feet tall. Nearly Mikey's height in breadth." A slight exaggeration, but it was close enough."

"Yes — though from what I understand, there were mitigating circumstances as to why Leo was taller."

Her tone is thoughtful, almost distracted as she recalls Leo. "Something about the spacebridge brings people in from different times. We never did figure out how it worked."

A low hum follows, wings shifting in faint agitation before she smooths it away, returning her gaze to Donnie. "I would like to meet him when you are all healed and I've found a better way than holograms to disguise myself."

As much as she believes she could easily take on three mystic-powered turtles who think her a Krang, it is also three against one, and she is very much NOT her true size.

She'll have to find something to spar against and fix any and all reactionary problems.

"The Primes..." Donnie finds himself saying, brow furrowing as the two words leave his mouth. "...I was...researching it. With Soundwave and Shockwave." It's frustrating trying to hang onto those memories, brief sparks of remembrance, and the details don't come as easily. He hasn't realized he'd stopped walking again in favor of closing his eyes, trying not to lose that train of thought.

"I can't remember if we found any more conclusive evidence, but...I know the energy that it took to bring anyone from beyond that universe was far beyond the capability of that ship."

Donnie seems reluctant as he opens his eyes again, letting the thoughts go. How easily they stream past his figurative fingertips. But he wasn't meant to remember them, was he? He stares down at his hand, flesh and blood, not magical stone. Fingers close into a fist.

"If you have the disguise tech with you, I can have a look at it later." It'd be something to do, and maybe looking at foreign tech would help jog his brain some.

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Sorry for the slow!! I will always tag this back!

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