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memestertrucks2026-01-08 01:50 pm
monstertruckers) wrote in memestertrucks2026-01-08 01:50 pm
Entry tags:
JANUARY TDM/EVENT
The storm drives the Convoy to the very summit of the mountains, before hitting a blinding pitch. The wind howls and drives snow in a way that promises to freeze everything… And there’s also a twist of smoke in the air, to further blind everything.
There’s one thing visible through the storm: a massive fortress clinging to the side of the mountain. The Convoy pulls up into the shelter. It seems this will be the best place to wait out the weather, even if the storm lasts for weeks.
It’s a cold welcome for new arrivals. The garage offers scant protection from the elements, and a winter storm rages outside. Snow, lighting, and thunder all blend together and do their best to break the windows and doors of the structure.
The storm itself shows no signs of abating, at least until several days have passed. So it’s up to the new arrivals to figure out how to survive the storm, find better shelter… And weather the strange changes foisted onto them.
01: SUMMONING CIRCLE
New Drifters arrive to a cold and half frozen garage, almost swallowed up by snow drifts. The Convoy is just visible through sheets of snow falling from the skies, and it is parked in the shelter of a nearby fortress. Getting out of the garage and reaching the fortress will take some work, though.
Starting with digging out through the snow. At least there’s a shovel or two inside the garage and the gas station. But digging through the snow is still cold work, and it’s imperative to duck back in the garage and find ways to warm up.
There’s still a small fire burning in the corner of the garage, near the summoning circle. It curiously doesn’t seem to need fuel to keep burning… Though throwing more on it will certainly increase the heat of the flames. Be advised that the fire will also burn clothing and flesh if a Drifter gets too close to it.
Starting with digging out through the snow. At least there’s a shovel or two inside the garage and the gas station. But digging through the snow is still cold work, and it’s imperative to duck back in the garage and find ways to warm up.
There’s still a small fire burning in the corner of the garage, near the summoning circle. It curiously doesn’t seem to need fuel to keep burning… Though throwing more on it will certainly increase the heat of the flames. Be advised that the fire will also burn clothing and flesh if a Drifter gets too close to it.
02: FORTRESS
The abandoned fortress offers some reprieve from the elements… But the prior battles have found a way to seep into the stones. Ice and Fire both have an effect on the surroundings.
+FIRE Condition: Arcane lava is flowing through the foundations and seeping up through the stones of the building. This is especially clear in the kitchen and dining hall. It may be toasty to the touch, but it also threatens to set things aflame; objects and people alike. Drifters weak to fire will suffer from the increased temperatures.
+ICE Condition: The extremes of the fortress are freezing over in enchanted ice, leaving only the main hall and kitchen with any heat. Drifters who lack ice affinity risk frost bite and hypothermia while exploring the other areas of Bastion. Direct contact with the ice also carries a risk of encasing the limb or the entire Drifter in ice. Might need some help getting chipped out.
In the midst of all this, there are still rooms and beds available for those who want a change of pace from the convoy, or bedrolls for those who want to camp out in the main hall.
+FIRE Condition: Arcane lava is flowing through the foundations and seeping up through the stones of the building. This is especially clear in the kitchen and dining hall. It may be toasty to the touch, but it also threatens to set things aflame; objects and people alike. Drifters weak to fire will suffer from the increased temperatures.
+ICE Condition: The extremes of the fortress are freezing over in enchanted ice, leaving only the main hall and kitchen with any heat. Drifters who lack ice affinity risk frost bite and hypothermia while exploring the other areas of Bastion. Direct contact with the ice also carries a risk of encasing the limb or the entire Drifter in ice. Might need some help getting chipped out.
In the midst of all this, there are still rooms and beds available for those who want a change of pace from the convoy, or bedrolls for those who want to camp out in the main hall.
03: START UP
After digging out, one can see that there are various cars surrounding the garage. Some of them parked directly outside and sheltered from the worst of the storm. But a few are further out, and will also need to be dug out of the snow.
There’s also a certain connection between different newcomers and cars. Something that suggests a particular vehicle is theirs, backed up by possessing the key to that vehicle. The key to the vehicle may already be in the ignition, on the dashboard… It may have even been on their person, ever since they woke up in that garage. Either way, Drifters have the keys to the vehicle now.
…But there’s a few rough edges on these vehicles. Flat tires, cracked windows and mirrors, maybe some stuck doors and locks; all of them the sort of thing that requires two pairs of hands and supplies. The garage can take care of the supplies… Now it’s just a matter of finding some extra hands.
There’s also a certain connection between different newcomers and cars. Something that suggests a particular vehicle is theirs, backed up by possessing the key to that vehicle. The key to the vehicle may already be in the ignition, on the dashboard… It may have even been on their person, ever since they woke up in that garage. Either way, Drifters have the keys to the vehicle now.
…But there’s a few rough edges on these vehicles. Flat tires, cracked windows and mirrors, maybe some stuck doors and locks; all of them the sort of thing that requires two pairs of hands and supplies. The garage can take care of the supplies… Now it’s just a matter of finding some extra hands.
04: WILD ELEMENTS
Even when taking shelter in the fortress, the storms from outside have a way of seeping through the bricks. And trying to take root inside any Drifters. Cold mists and winds seep into the castle, along with fire traveling across the floors and lightning crashing against the roof.
Drifters exposed to extreme elements will find those same elements seeping into their blood.
Teeth also grow along portions of the walls in long fangs, ready to snag at any newcomers. Drawing blood on those teeth can result in changes in the new arrivals… As well as pulling a monster out of the hallway to try and draw more blood.
These monsters frequently manifest as:
+Gyuki, a spider and bull demon fusion.
+YinYang, a Frankenstein abomination
+And Malzeno, a strange eldritch dragon.
Drifters exposed to extreme elements will find those same elements seeping into their blood.
Teeth also grow along portions of the walls in long fangs, ready to snag at any newcomers. Drawing blood on those teeth can result in changes in the new arrivals… As well as pulling a monster out of the hallway to try and draw more blood.
These monsters frequently manifest as:
+Gyuki, a spider and bull demon fusion.
+YinYang, a Frankenstein abomination
+And Malzeno, a strange eldritch dragon.
05: FUEL PUMPS
The fortress also holds a network of pipes leading through the halls and connecting to the gas station. Text from the Convoy asks for at least a few Drifters to follow the pipes to their source, and activate them. Following those pipes leads to a chamber in the base of the fortress, with basins full of liquid.
Glowing and quicksilver liquid, at that. Liquid that looks like it could have been poured straight out of the moon. An inscription on the tanks reads “Moonshard fuel refinement” while a stack of papers details the various attempts to distill moonshards into an energy usable by humans without mutating them. It seems they’ve mostly succeeded with this attempt: once the valves are turned on, the fuel can be pumped into the Convoy and top off almost depleted fuel tanks.
But there is still a risk. Coming into contact with the fuel can instill a sudden, ravenous hunger and push new changes to the front. Prolonged exposure activates all traits at once, and will only revert the person when another monster has been hunted down, and their energy absorbed.
Glowing and quicksilver liquid, at that. Liquid that looks like it could have been poured straight out of the moon. An inscription on the tanks reads “Moonshard fuel refinement” while a stack of papers details the various attempts to distill moonshards into an energy usable by humans without mutating them. It seems they’ve mostly succeeded with this attempt: once the valves are turned on, the fuel can be pumped into the Convoy and top off almost depleted fuel tanks.
But there is still a risk. Coming into contact with the fuel can instill a sudden, ravenous hunger and push new changes to the front. Prolonged exposure activates all traits at once, and will only revert the person when another monster has been hunted down, and their energy absorbed.
06: IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK
The walls of Bastion reach an impressive 20 feet up and stretch for long distances… And have Husks merged into them, often in the hallways and occasionally in the rooms. The Husks clearly belong to either the Silver Tear or the Steel Wardens, given the insignias on them. Many of them are locked together, frozen in a fight. And their last words and thoughts are written on the walls in gold and silver script.
Most of the words are frantic, about defending the moon shards from heretics or freeing the moon shards from confinement. But if any of the words are read aloud, the Husks react by merging together and spawning a berserk heavy tank/tankceratops. Or a large Burner type monster. OR a dragon dinosaur with exploding, punching fists. Drifters may also get caught up in the monster changes, and fuse their own monster forms together!
Most of the words are frantic, about defending the moon shards from heretics or freeing the moon shards from confinement. But if any of the words are read aloud, the Husks react by merging together and spawning a berserk heavy tank/tankceratops. Or a large Burner type monster. OR a dragon dinosaur with exploding, punching fists. Drifters may also get caught up in the monster changes, and fuse their own monster forms together!
07: MONSTER FUSE
An element saturation isn’t the only strange thing in the fortress. Anyone who makes contact with the fortress stones will find themselves building a resonance with a fellow Drifter. This grows stronger the more time they spend in the fortress.
Until finally the bond solidifies on the next change the Drifters go through and hits a fever pitch. The next threat they encounter WILL force a transformation. When that happens, their next change fuses their two monster forms together into something new.
Their fusion form is a combination of two Drifter’s traits. It is also twice the size it would normally be, and is well suited to taking on any giant sized monsters. It can even give Drifters a brief insight into the memories of their partner, as the fusion takes place.
When this happens, both Drifters can switch control over their merged form. Those with greater synchronism will have more control, while those who squabble and fight will find that their monster form becomes more feral and savage. This fusion lasts until the threat abates: when that happens, the fusion breaks apart, and Drifters return to their prior state.
Until finally the bond solidifies on the next change the Drifters go through and hits a fever pitch. The next threat they encounter WILL force a transformation. When that happens, their next change fuses their two monster forms together into something new.
Their fusion form is a combination of two Drifter’s traits. It is also twice the size it would normally be, and is well suited to taking on any giant sized monsters. It can even give Drifters a brief insight into the memories of their partner, as the fusion takes place.
When this happens, both Drifters can switch control over their merged form. Those with greater synchronism will have more control, while those who squabble and fight will find that their monster form becomes more feral and savage. This fusion lasts until the threat abates: when that happens, the fusion breaks apart, and Drifters return to their prior state.
08: STORM CALL
There’s something outside that isn’t just the storm; it calls out in a howl that can make the blood run cold, and also pulls at one’s feet. Until it hits a point where the Bastion doesn’t feel like a restful place. Drifters who hear the storm call need to step outside and find the source; the storm itself isn’t particular on if they search on their own feet, or behind some wheels.
Drifters who travel on their own feet will swiftly be overwhelmed by the storm, and a moon warp hiding in the snow, and forced to transform. It doesn’t help that there’s wild saber-tooth Barioth wyverns prowling the wilds and ready to pounce.
Being inside a vehicle helps to shield them from the worst of the storm and the changes, and also gives Drifters more traversal options:
Tough cars are capable of wading through even the deepest snow without getting bogged down, as well as towing any stricken or stuck vehicles out of the drifts.
Fast vehicles can follow rivers of fire and lava that move through the wilds, without burning up due to prolonged exposure.
Eventually Drifters will find their way towards the summit of the mountain, and the discovery waiting beyond.
Drifters who travel on their own feet will swiftly be overwhelmed by the storm, and a moon warp hiding in the snow, and forced to transform. It doesn’t help that there’s wild saber-tooth Barioth wyverns prowling the wilds and ready to pounce.
Being inside a vehicle helps to shield them from the worst of the storm and the changes, and also gives Drifters more traversal options:
Tough cars are capable of wading through even the deepest snow without getting bogged down, as well as towing any stricken or stuck vehicles out of the drifts.
Fast vehicles can follow rivers of fire and lava that move through the wilds, without burning up due to prolonged exposure.
Eventually Drifters will find their way towards the summit of the mountain, and the discovery waiting beyond.
09: MONSTER CHANGES
Between the weird fuel, the teeth in the fortress, and hostile elements trying to force changes, new arrivals can quickly find their humanity getting worn away and new monster transformations taking place.
With the cold weather and regal structures, the environment calls out to Undead. As long as the elements rage, all Undead traits are available and also:
+Warm Blood: Undead can easily track living bodies through the wilds and the fortress, sensing the warmth of their blood in contrast to the storm.
+Rivalry: Tends to form rivalry with other Undead monsters, becoming territorial and protective of potential food sources.
+Ice Affinity: Undead find themselves better preserved by the cold and thriving in it, energized and strengthened by the snow, and even taking on glowing blue veins and eyes.
+Fire Fear: The presence of fire inspires aversion, and even terror and need to flee from it. Smaller flames like candles provoke unease, larger flames like a bonfire result in more panic.
+Holy Symbols: Presence of Steel Warden symbols (a sword piercing moon) can cause unease in Undead, and even repel them a location.
+Snow Shift: Exposure to snow forces the Undead into a more bestial form. This could resemble a bat, wolf, or deer/horse/bull.
With the cold weather and regal structures, the environment calls out to Undead. As long as the elements rage, all Undead traits are available and also:
+Warm Blood: Undead can easily track living bodies through the wilds and the fortress, sensing the warmth of their blood in contrast to the storm.
+Rivalry: Tends to form rivalry with other Undead monsters, becoming territorial and protective of potential food sources.
+Ice Affinity: Undead find themselves better preserved by the cold and thriving in it, energized and strengthened by the snow, and even taking on glowing blue veins and eyes.
+Fire Fear: The presence of fire inspires aversion, and even terror and need to flee from it. Smaller flames like candles provoke unease, larger flames like a bonfire result in more panic.
+Holy Symbols: Presence of Steel Warden symbols (a sword piercing moon) can cause unease in Undead, and even repel them a location.
+Snow Shift: Exposure to snow forces the Undead into a more bestial form. This could resemble a bat, wolf, or deer/horse/bull.
10: FROZEN HEART
At the summit of the mountains is a collection of freakishly tall and twisted trees. In their branches is a collection of frozen hearts growing like strange fruit. And further up is a massive object that looks like a deer skull with branching antlers. The ice storm flows from its eyes and mouth… And it shows no signs of ceasing without destroying the skull.
The frozen hearts are giving off a cold aura that freezes anything that doesn’t resist ice. Drifters will need to neutralize the hearts to dispel the cold aura. The hearts can be melted by fire, shot down with ranged weapons, magic, etc. When burned, the hearts give off a smoke that causes a terrible hunger and need to hunt in anyone who inhales it. Shattered heart shards also rain down and embed themselves in Drifters, and cause a berserk fury in those they cut.
But with each felled heart the barrier of the skull weakens, as does the storm. When the last of the frozen hearts falls, the storm skull fractures and breaks apart like brittle ice. Drifters can deliver the finishing blows, ending the storm in the process. After that, the way down the mountain becomes clear, and the Convoy may continue down without worry.
The frozen hearts are giving off a cold aura that freezes anything that doesn’t resist ice. Drifters will need to neutralize the hearts to dispel the cold aura. The hearts can be melted by fire, shot down with ranged weapons, magic, etc. When burned, the hearts give off a smoke that causes a terrible hunger and need to hunt in anyone who inhales it. Shattered heart shards also rain down and embed themselves in Drifters, and cause a berserk fury in those they cut.
But with each felled heart the barrier of the skull weakens, as does the storm. When the last of the frozen hearts falls, the storm skull fractures and breaks apart like brittle ice. Drifters can deliver the finishing blows, ending the storm in the process. After that, the way down the mountain becomes clear, and the Convoy may continue down without worry.
MICRO ENCOUNTERS:
PLEASE NOTE! These are small bits of set dressing for players to include in threads if they wish, rather than full fledged prompts or events. You may handwave your exploration of these areas, or thread them out.
Fortress Library: Books and screens seem to have fused together. Assorted data about monsters is on display here; everything from hunting strategy to contradicting praise of their strength. (Read: all lore information from the monster pages is available IC.)
Dining Hall: This time around the gas station and garage are empty of supplies… But there’s plenty of preserved foods in the castle kitchen and dining hall. Though the hot dishes are almost painfully spicy, and the cold served foods can almost freeze a mouth shut.
Snow Fields: Surrounding the fortress are fields of snow, ready to bog down anyone who wanders too far into them. It would be next to impossible for anyone to make it far on two feet without the aid of a vehicle… Or the aid of a monstrous transformation.
Fire Snow: The storm can wildly swing between temperatures, from freezing to burning with how the snowflakes fluctuate. They can suck warmth out of a Drifter’s body on contact, or risk burning any exposed skin.
Armory: The Steel Wardens kept an armory and arena close by for sparring. Various weapons and armor are stored here; some antiquated, some modern and augmented with technology. And everything but the older models are badly damaged by the elements; frozen over and metal crackled, or half melted from fire. They won’t have much use as weapons, but could be used as metal materials.
View from the Peaks: When the storm clears, one can look out from the peaks and see what’s next. A strange, twisted landscape stretches out below the peaks. And beyond that is something on the horizon; a massive city reaching upwards, and the buildings intact and gleaming. Going back to the Convoy reveals a new update in the database: Nirvana is near. And will be reached in an estimated 60 days from now.
no subject
Queue the hunting montage! Complete with Akira-reference bike skidding and angry demon-turtles ready to throw down as he gets the attention of something to kill.
But no one is around to witness it so back to your regularly scheduled fretting over Donatello Hamato.
no subject
Well, Leo might also suffer from the primal terror fire has been causing Vincent as an undead but the gunman also knows he's not at his best right now. More of that could be disastrous.
That it would make it so Leo can't stab him while he's explaining what happen really is a distant third. Though it's still there in the back of his mind.
He sidesteps so Mikey's hand in Donnie's fur is not disturbed too much and half turns to present Leo with his unconscious brother.
no subject
Somehow, just having Donnie in his own arms now instead of Vincent's calms him down a lot. Though he doesn't like at all how still and bloody Donnie is.
"He's probably not going to remember much," he says, to caution Mikey. "He usually doesn't when he's in Dog-atello mode. He might just have hazy memories of getting in a fight."
This is about all he'll say in Vincent's defense. If his and Donnie's stories don't match up, it might not be Vincent's fault.
"And he'll be upset with himself if he hurts either of us," he adds, turning to Mikey now, "so whatever you do, don't let him get you with his teeth or claws. Even if you have to get him with the chains."
That would probably be the safest thing, without injuring Donnie worse. Too bad they don't have any of his tranquilizer darts...
"And... try to send something calming through your ninpo connection. If he's not totally gone, he'll feel it."
no subject
The comments from Leo surprise him, though, and Mikey blinks, brows lifting sharply.
"Wait... this isn't the first time he's been like this?!" he asks, startled. That's news to him! But then, of course, a lot of stuff is news to him since he hasn't been here for very long at all. He nods, though, his brows furrowing now, instead.
"Okay. Hopefully having us right there will help... somehow." he says, looking a little despondent, but then he sets his jaw again. "If I gotta, I'll hold him still, though. It's just like having to get him to take a nap after working for three days straight! Only... with more heads... and more teeth... and stuff..."
He looks glum for a second or two and then shakes his head, sharply, as though shaking it off.
"Y-Yeah! I can definitely do that." After he says it, though, he turns and looks over at Vincent, his expression a rather fierce frown.
"Soooo... what was happening that made Donnie go berserk? What was he doing? We're gonna need all the deets."
[EPIC DEMON MONTAAAAAAAAGEEEE]
He's glad that his bike is tough enough to just barrel through snow and let him seek out what he's looking for - a space where he can disengage to start hunting. Raphael himself is already brimming with the urge to fight something and having the task at hand only makes his blood boil faster, the liquid fire of his veins glowing and extending down his arms as he parks and starts to stalk the nearest thing that he deems worthy enough to die for Donatello's sake.
It doesn't take long for a monster to engage. He doesn't even care what it is - he's already on the offensive to take it out, both with sai and fire---wait what? Fire? It'd have bothered him more that it was another shift but with how rushed he is, the fire appearing with every attack as he wills it into existence to help take down any ice afflicted creature.
Blood and smoke remain in the air as he takes it out, ripping his sai free and dragging it back to his bike, leaving red streaks behind him in the snow. It takes an attempt or two to get it on the back of his bike with its size being roughly the same as him, but he's back in the seat, kicking it back into high gear to head for the convoy - mainly Mikey's van as he knows that's where the crew will be.
After all, Donnie's bound to be starving when he wakes.
no subject
"Ninpo?" He muses the word. "...Maybe that's what it was." There is a short pause. "I think he used it." To reach out. And if that connection can help keep Donnie calm, it's worth having mentioned it to the two.
But now, he won't delay any longer. There's a story to tell and at the moment he's the only one that can do so. Vincent lets out a soft sigh and begins. His statements are simple and to the point.
"The source of the storm is at the summit." They probably already know it. "Donnie rushed close. One of the targets he destroyed sent shrapnel into his body." There will be signs of that on the canine torso come to think. But between feathers and fur and other small holes, they're just a bit more in the mix.
"I signaled my position and he fell back. But something was wrong. He managed to communicate that before succumbing. So I intended to restrain him." Vincent won't hesitate to explain what went wrong. But even so a slight pause seems necessary before he continues.
Something that implies discomfort. Perhaps even guilt, though his expression remains carefully impassive so as not to imply he's looking to justify himself or offer an excuse.
"When I did, he ignited in flames. Since arriving here," at the fortress, "I've been vulnerable to that element. It triggers... fear. Between that and the my goal, it seemed rational to heal through the fire as long as I could endure it. And I needed blood to do that."
The clear, bleak truth need not be spoken as where this irrational logic loop led the gunman. It's enough to Vincent that he stated his awareness of his mental state now that the moment's over. He doesn't add that the battlefield itself amplified the growing instability between the thoughts of a man and monster; not only to Donnie but to himself.
Of course healed through or not, Vincent's face is drawn and... well, it was already pale before, but the eyes seem rimmed with dark circles if one were to look closely. Whatever power the blood gave him merely allowed him to survive a battle of attrition.
"I was able to stop." He almost didn't. "Donnie fell unconscious. I brought him back here immediately. That's all."
no subject
But now it's time to listen to Vincent's actual story, and Leo doesn't like any of it. Particularly the part where Vincent drained his brother's blood like a juice box. Even if he was at risk of being hurt by Donnie...
Some rational part of his brain knows that Vincent was just doing what he had to to protect himself, but the rational part of his brain hasn't been fully in control since they reached the mountains. He has to take a second to breathe and hold on to Donnie.
"...The fire thing is new." He glances at Mikey as he says that. "But we were talking about it back in the fortress. That he has something going on with heat." And Leo with the cold, but that's not important right now.
He cuts his eyes back to Vincent.
"How much blood did you drain? Because we don't exactly have the equipment to do some kind of blood transfusion around here, in case you haven't noticed."
no subject
"Shrapnel?" he echoes, looking over at the long scar on his newly scaled forearm, "If it was like the weird teeth looking stuff that got me, who knows what the heck it did. It probably hurt real bad, too."
They're gonna find out when Donnie wakes up, that's for sure. While Vincent is explaining what happened, Mikey silently points to the side of his van where the sliding door is, still listening. He's in the midst of pulling said door open for Leo when it really strikes him what Vincent and Leo are talking about. Blue eyes snap up to blink at the tall man in red, brows lifted.
"Hold up. Needed blood? Drain? Like... like vampire drain?" he asks in shock, looking over at Leo as well before he looks down at the furry form of Donnie, too.
"Did you turn Donnie into a vampire on top of everything else?!" he squeaks.
[THE DEMON RETURNNNNNNNNNNSSSSS]
He knows part of the lingering anger is not knowing what happened to Vincent and Donnie, but it'll have to wait. The others will give him the cliff notes on it when they can. Right now there's snow to kick up as he turns sharply, not wanting to risk the protection shield to fizzle the dead critter he's got. Instead, he's cruising around it toward where the van is.
Luckily for him, the crew is there, most likely getting answers. He shifts gears and turns again, skidding past the shield as he checks to make sure the monster isn't fried as he passes. Nope! Still there, still dead! Good for him. He adjusts and heads for the others - making sure to slow when he gets there so not to bean them with anything his bike is kicking up.
He parks, kills the engine, and hops out - veins glowing still as he lets out a breath of smoke as feverbright green eyes glow as he focuses on the others.
"Dinner is served."
no subject
There is another world, when it came down to the moment both turtle brothers reacted to his true nature, that some of Vincent's dry humor might have come into play. This was, unfortunately, not the time nor place and the man himself is not in a humorous mood. Perhaps later. Leo first.
"Mm. Not for lack of searching." Vincent dedicated himself to trying to find such things; not least something that could preserve and store blood bags for emergencies. He'd not succeeded and it annoyed him. But he continues.
"I don't know exactly." He wasn't quite himself and he's found he can take a surprising amount of blood from just two tiny fang holes. The strange war of blue and red in his eyes briefly becomes more intense as his gaze falls to Donnie's unconscious form.
"But... I can tell. His heart's still strong." He can practically see its pulse in the warmth of life. "He's lost blood. But not so much he won't recover with food. Rest." There's... a way in which Vincent's gaze lingers that might be worrying, but for the fact that he quickly jerks his attention away and steadily focuses it- less intensely- on Mikey. Yes. Exactly like a vampire.
"I..." Vincent pauses, a small frown furrowing his brow. Surely not. "...Probably not. Nothing else came back." But still how this place is, who knows how it happens between Drifters. Even two vampires weren't the same here.
"If so, then I've got another sin to atone for." There's a deep, heavy way he speaks of that which implies the pain he's holding back, his concern for the situation leaking out of the stoic mask.
....About that time there's the sound of a familiar bike speeding back. Should be expected and yet that doesn't mean there's no danger following in Raph's wake or, with how things have gone at the Fortress, the turtle himself. So it's probably no surprise that Vincent easy swiftly into a ready stance, his hand dropping so as to be able to draw his gun quickly if needed.
As promised he'll protect.... ah. Dinner's here. Well maybe things are fine. Though he eyes the smoke warily, knowing that could be vapor from the cold air or sign of fire. And he really dislikes fire right now.
no subject
At least Raph's back, too. Having them all in his sight again makes Leo feel better.
"Okay, good," he says, looking at Raph and then back at Mikey's party van. "Let's worry about atoning for sins later. We have to see how he's going to be when he wakes up. Then we'll treat the shrapnel wounds."
So saying, he'll clamber inside Mikey's van.
no subject
It's obvious that Mikey has tried to find ways to make the van a little more comfortable for staying in. There's a careful pile of what looks like cedar tree branches with a slightly battered salvaged blanket spread over it so it's somewhere softer than the hard floor to lounge on. He looks at Donnie, who's still unconscious, just letting his hand pet in the thick fur again for a second.
"It's not a lot but I can get her running and crank the heater." he says, half to Leo and half to Donnie, himself, even if he can't hear him. He blinks up when Raph returns and hops off his bike, his brows lifting and his eyes widening a little at the change in how he looks. Is that new, too?! He doesn't know... but it doesn't seem to be hurting Raph any at the moment, at least?
"We might wanna leave that out here until Donnie wakes up." he says, "Otherwise I... think it's just gonna leak all over the floor..."
He hops up inside the van, himself, but he ducks into the driver's seat, instead, so he can get the engine running and get the heat going. It's not great heat but it's at least a little bit of warm.
"I don't have any first aid stuff in here, though... Do you guys know anybody who's got some?"
no subject
When Mikey mentions leaving the dead critter out here so it doesn't bleed all over the floor of his van, he nods to him. "You got it, M."
He lets them handle getting Donnie inside, ready to guard for any other issues if need be, but he glances to Leo and Vincent.
"Can I get a recap of what happened? Bullet points work."
no subject
Also that. That right there, Mikey, that concept of leaking and other things is why Valentine had second thoughts about taking Donnie to his own room.
"I do." Rather than rob the communal supplies that have been collected over the months, the gunman is more than willing to give from his own stash if the turtle brothers will trust him enough in the moment to let him go.
Well, it's probably best to give them a moment alone with their brother, too and besides, there's little else he can tell. And Raph's request for a summary also gets some excellent highlights from the succinct vampire.
"Donnie went beserk. Tried to restrain him. When he used fire, I knocked him unconscious by drinking his blood."
Yup. Trust the bullet points to the firearms expert. Watch him start to stride off toward the Convoy's housing trailer.
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At least Vincent handles the highlight reel so he doesn't have to. He has no intention of stopping him now, as long as he's off to do something useful, instead focusing on trying to get Donnie comfortable.
He hasn't been inside Mikey's van much, but he doesn't have the time right this moment to appreciate his interior decorating.
"Go ahead and do that," he says to Mikey, about the heater. "He hates the cold."
In not just the way he did back home, Leo means. He carries Donnie over to Mikey's little... nest... thing (are all his brothers turning into birds??) and lays Donnie down there.
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The little licks of violet flames that flicker across his black fur hardly hold any intensity of heat and faint enough that it's been easy to miss. Thankfully they don't seem to be catching fire to Mikey's makeshift lounge space. ...which is probably good because it'd probably be particularly flammable.
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"I dunno how much we're gonna need but anything you've got will help. Especially if we gotta deal with shrapnel." he says, his eyes flickering over to Donnie for a second or two. That's a really unpleasant thought, especially because he's got no idea how to do that kind of thing. He sets his jaw a little. If they gotta, they gotta, and he'll help best he can.
He's about to go over to sit close to Donnie again when he pauses and looks at Raphael, his brows furrowed. He looks different and that's worrying, too! But also... Mikey just found out Donnie can turn into a three-headed dog thing so maybe Raph's been able to do this for a while, too?
"You kinda look like a glowstick, bro... You good?" he asks him as he finishes going to sit beside Donnie. He wishes he had way more blankets for him. And pillows. Oh, maybe he can...
There's a little hesitation in Mikey for a second as he looks at those three skull heads. They're scary looking, he can't deny that! It's spooky! But it's also Donnie. So he scoots in close and lifts one of the heads so he cross his legs underneath a bit, letting it rest on top of them. He pets the thick fur, gently, something meant to be reassuring, before he starts parting it to see what wounds he can spot and keep track of. He's being very careful, since his hands are changed now, but thankfully that hasn't stopped him from being able to feel and reach out with their shared Ninpo to try and comfort his injured brother.
"It's gonna be okay, Dee. We'll take care of you. You're safe."
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Instead, he nods to Vincent as acceptance, not bothering to stop him as he wanders off. He has a feeling the guy'll be back anyway. Raph'll play guard-demon for now as the brothers tend to Donnie.
The question from Mikey makes him snap out of 'stare at everything mode' and he blinks for a moment, then glances at an arm. "Huntin' musta activated some stuff fer me, lil bro. M'fine. Focus on getting Dee comfy."
He double checks to make sure there's room for him to guard dog within the van, since Leo's gotten Donnie to the new Donnie nest, and closes the door to keep the heat in. After all, he doesn't have the ninpo like the others, so being ready to throw down while they help Donnie is the role he easily slips into, staying near the door in case.
[ It's an Epic Bandage Gatherin' MONTAAAAAAAAGE ]
At least not this month.
But Vincent intends to do more than medical supplies. Blankets, yes. Towels, water both drinking and used for cleaning. There's always some water on for heating in this cold fortress so that will be on the way too.
Just give him a few moments more...
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"If we find any shrapnel still stuck in there, leave it until Vinny gets back." He carefully picks along Donnie's legs, noting anything he sees in a mental checklist. "Because... you're not supposed to take it out until you have bandages ready, to stop the bleeding. Right?"
He glances up at the other two, then, wishing not for the first time that he knew more about what he was doing.
This would be a great time for his on-again-off-again healing powers to be on again, but there doesn't seem to be any such luck. When he reaches for the way he felt back then, he gets nothing, even though one of his brothers is in trouble. It's so frustrating.
But the most important thing is getting Donnie back on his feet, so he buries his hands back in his fur again, hunting for injuries.
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It's difficult to tell anything from the injuries there. They don't look all that deep nor very big, but whatever had made them can't have gone in too far. Perhaps the shards had simply dissolved.
Maybe it's Mikey's coaxing, or Leo's probing for those wounds, maybe it's a combination of both, but something pulses in response, a weak bump through their ninpō connection, and perhaps a flicker of purple in one of those skull's sockets...
[ Sigil Bonus : + Mental Acuity = strong ninpo maybe?? WORTH A SHOT! ]
He's always been the most 'in tune' of the brothers but, here and now, too, he's doing his best to let Donnie feel him. All of them. He knows this Raph doesn't have ninpo like they do, or at least it was never unlocked for his family but...
He closes his eyes, letting Leo focus on looking for injuries for the moment as Mikey focuses, instead, on that connection between them. The weak and tiny pulse he felt was familiar. Purple. He reaches out to it with more determination this time, to see if he can feel anything else about it. If he can get an idea of what state Donnie's in, it would help give them a warning.
But he can also try his best to send feelings of comfort. Calm. Most importantly, though, the feeling of being safely surrounded by his brothers. Leo over there. Raph nearby. Mikey here with Donnie's head in his lap.
You're okay. You're safe. We're all right here, Dee.
[mmmm delicious infernal pack mentality]
Now? After he went hunting and the other bits of infernal rose up - there's something more. He's had a sense of things before from years of training, but now? It feels deeper than it did before. At least right now with Donnie shifted as he is. The little blip of purple in the socket makes him pay attention to it, feeling the way it sort of tugs at him.
Staying near the door was one way to be protective, but he shimmies himself a bit closer to at least keep a warm presence to Donnie so he knows that he's surrounded by his brothers. After all, he remembers Donnie talking to him through a mental connection back then...so...he might as well try.
C'mon, Dee, I even went out and gotcha somethin' ta eat. It's outside though so no chompin' on either of your bros. So you might as well wake up so you can go ham on it if you wanna.
[ I lied, I am totally adding a bit of montage. ]
"Stay here," answers the gunman. There would be nothing good that comes of the chicken-like beast following him back to the van. But it's not as if there isn't a moment where he reaches out and lightly pets the top of its head.
Then he's gone back into the cold. The cucco rustles its feathers and settles down into the nest. If the next "cluck" sounds like a supportive farewell, it's... well, probably the imagination.
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He looks up just in time to catch the faintest spark of purple.
"Okay," he says out loud, "I think he's coming around. Let's be ready."
He reaches over to give one of the skull heads a few scratches with his fingers, the way he knows it likes.
Come on back, Dee. Everyone's waiting.
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Exit scene, stage left even~
byeeee vamp dad
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