touchscreens | [audio] backdated to the end of the de-aging event

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[audio] backdated to the end of the de-aging event

[Fortuna begins a network call like normal. Well...sort of like normal. She sounds hesitant now, a little slower to speak and not quite so confident. Wherever she's standing, there's an echo.]

Hey Saeng Seong, you know what? [A beat.] ...no, never mind.

[There's a beep and a soft tap as she sets her commlink down. But the audio continues. She doesn't realize the button to end the call didn't register her touch.

She sighs heavily.]

Thought I'd convinced myself I wasn't ugly. But no, I had to go and look human again for a while. Didn't think I could pull a fast one on myself, but I guess I did. [Another sigh, softer, and a pause.] Now what? Now what... Keep telling myself other trolls have it worse? Right, like I'm gonna call all of them ugly. Living a double standard, that's what that'd be.

Drek...thought I was okay. I thought...

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Fortuna? Hey what's up?

I don't think you're ugly at all! I think you're awesome! [This was spoken in such honest, warm pleasant tones. This wasn't a pity thing. It was matter of fact]

Be glad you aren't some walking turtle! It doesn't really help with the girls back home...[light laughter] So I totally get how you feel. But trust me. I think you're pretty hot!

[When she hears Michelangelo's voice, her head snaps towards her commlink.]

Drek! Can't believe I left that on... [There's a good long pause, where, by her breathing, picked up by the echo-friendly room, would indicate she's trying to compose herself, before she picks up the commlink.]

...Thanks, I guess. I know I'm kind of...lucky, genetically. [She's still got those horns. She's still fragging huge. She still only shows the skin that's "acceptable" as far as roughness or "scaling" or "warts" went.] And I get what we've got to do is redefine what beauty means, but it feels impossible. It's hard not to buy in, harder than it sounds.

I know...[Michelangelo's voice had the softness of understanding in it, but also incredibly warm. He really did understand in a lot of ways and he cared.]

Hey, if you want, I can come over and keep you company! You don't have to talk if you don't want to. [He added quickly] But sometimes friendly company helps. Plus if you need a hug I'd be happy to give you one! [He really did think Fortuna was a friend, and hoped she would take him up on his offer]

[Did she want company? She wasn't even sure, herself. It takes her a while to respond.]

...I guess I could use a recharge. Don't want to get sick again.

[Which is as close to admitting she needs a hug as she'd get.]

Cool! Where are you? I can meet you.

[Mikey was relieved that she seemed open to have company and he was only too happy to help out a friend]

Building four, 2-09.

[And she didn't particularly feel like leaving.]

Okay awesome. I'll be there in a few okay? [He reassured] I'm just coming over from my place. I'm in building 2.

Cool. See you then.

[She hangs up, for real this time, and sighs. Company means being presentable. Great. While Michelangelo is making the trip, she'll be...attempting to do that.]

[True to his word, it didn't take Michelangelo long to get to Fortuna's place. He was wearing a winter coat to keep warm out in the chill and had the hood pulled down over his head. He was also carrying a cardboard box with some holes on the sides. He knocked on the door of her apartment and waited, a grin on his face]

Knock knock! Guess who?

Come in. [Fortuna calls him from inside.

She...sort of made it to "presentable". If hair that looks like it was combed with her fingers, a ratty tank top, and pajama pants were presentable.

She doesn't particularly feel like trying to look nice right now. It was just part of the lie she'd been telling herself, she thinks.]

[Michelangelo comes in and puts down the box so he can take off his jacket.]

Hey! I came with a surprise that I'm sure will cheer you up!

[The box let out a small cute little meow and Mikey chuckled.]

Woops, surprise revealed...

A cat?

[Sure, cats are cute. Might or might not totally cheer her up, but it's certainly nice of him. So she smiles a bit.]

Well, it's not a surprise anymore. Let the poor thing out of that box already.

Not just any cat!! [Mikey hung up the jacket and reached down to take the lid off the box] This is my cat! His name is Klunk.

[He reaches in the box and picks up the orange and white kitten nestled in the blankets. He mewed and started to purr when Michelangelo cradled him in his arms.]

Klunk, this is my friend Fortuna. Say hi!

Klunk, huh? Odd name for a little furball like that.

[Seems friendly. She can see why he brought him over, at least.]

[Mikey gave Klunk an ear scratch and the kitten stretched with another purring mew happily]

Klunk always cheers me up when I'm sad. So I thought I'd bring him over and help cheer you up! You can hold him if you want! He's pretty friendly.

Sure. Hope I'm not big enough to scare him. [She reaches out, trying not to look too much at the areas of her upper arms where her skin appears rougher, and the "scaling" effect, like overblown freckles, is more random. She thought she'd accepted that, and was only covering it up for the sake of looking better to other people (as it made smooth talking her way through problems so much easier). Hell, even wearing a tank top wouldn't have been out of the ordinary for her. But now...]

Nah! [Mikey laughs] He's used to my brother Raph. If he can handle mister crankypants he can handle anyone. [His tone was light with humor. He liked to poke fun at his brothers, even if they weren't present.]

I think he likes you all ready. I can tell.

[Mikey holds out the purring kitten with a smile, and places him in her held out hands. Her state of dress didn't bother him in the slightest. He was the one practically walking around nude (though with the shell, it didn't seem like it anyway)]

Edited 2015-02-11 05:44 (UTC)

[The kitten fits comfortably in her hands, wide as they are. She can't help but smile a little as he continues to purr.]

How'd he wind up with a name like Klunk?

See? I told ya he likes ya...[Mikey grins, reaching over to scratch the kitten behind the ears.]

Klunk's a stray kitten I found on one of my adventures top-side. It was around Christmas and I ventured out in the snow and to see the sights. I came across bad guys trying to rob a shipment of toys that were supposed to go to an orphanage. Klunk had looked so cold, so I put him in my jacket and he ended up along for the ride when I stopped the bad guys. He stuck with me ever since!

[He shrugged a little.] The name just came to me! It suited him.

[She carefully draws Klunk in a little closer so she can support his weight and pet him. She feels kind of like an elephant handling a teacup...it was another thing she thought she was done with. Those days of looking in the mirror and sometimes thinking she looked great and sometimes thinking she looked like the monster her race had been named after...]

Owning a pet's a lot of work, and cats are finicky. [There's that faint smile again.] Looks like you've kept his loyalty pretty well. At least cats don't care what the people in their lives look like.

It doesn't seem like work to me! Klunk's my best pal. He's part of the family.

[He's quiet as he watches Fortuna and listens to her words. They might have had different lives in different worlds with different circumstances - but in a way, Michelangelo could understand and relate to the root of the problem.]

Hey...I know. [Mikey regarded her with a serious expression for once - but there was compassionate understanding in his blue eyes.] C'mon, we can get comfy and stuff.

[There was an unspoken invitation for her to get things off her chest if she wanted to - but he'd be more than happy to be friendly company for a while. She didn't have to talk if she wasn't comfortable.]

[She looked up at that, raising an eyebrow for a moment before shrugging the statement off. She didn't get much opportunity to talk about herself in the first place, and then generally either she didn't care to talk about it or they didn't care to hear about it or both.]

...Yeah, I know you know. It's even worse for you, really. You can't go out in public at all.

[Mikey was quiet a moment before responding.]

It doesn't devalue what you go through though. [He said honestly with surprising insight.] I know we have different circumstances and stuff, but I know it can hurt. It's why I wanted to come over and be with you. It's because I know where you're coming from.

[He smiled a little.] And if anyone has said anything to you to make you feel bad - I can go have a talk with them...[His blue eyes twinkled. He would never let anyone hurt one of his friends.]

Heh...nah. This place is actually the most accepting I've ever seen. Nobody's said a word like that to me here.

[She guesses she could go to the Ork Underground back home, for acceptance. She doesn't know why she's never been.]

It's...really, it's just me.

[Actually, it's the society she comes from and while she's aware of that on a logical level, the emotional level doesn't quite line up.]

Good. [Mikey said with a decisive nod, happy that no one was mistreating her here. As for the rest that she said...he could understand. There was nothing to say but actions spoke louder than words.

The ninja simply stepped forward, wrapped his arms around Fortuna in a friendly hug, mindful of the kitten in her hands. Not sure if she'd shy away or not, he made sure to keep it loose so that she could back away if she wanted.]

Edited 2015-03-12 23:40 (UTC)

[Fortuna flinched involuntarily as the turtle hugged her, her arms drawing closer to her body, holding the kitten in her hands close as she eventually leaned into the hug. She may have needed one, but she wasn't a huggy person, really.]

...Thanks.

[Michelangelo was aware of her flinching, but was happy she didn't move away. Even though he wasn't one to get hugs that often, he enjoyed them.]

No problem! [He beamed, letting her go] I brought some of my comics if you wanna just hang out and be comfy. I'm more than happy to listen if you need to vent though. [It was clear that she didn't have to if she wasn't comfortable. Mikey was just happy to offer her contact and company.]

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[audio] backdated to the end of the de-aging event

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