SERPENTINE HORIZON - LEOXORCISM

[neonleon]

We're exorcising! That! Turtle!

Day 50

Comments

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

[He stills for the moment, waits to see what Donnie will do...

Oh. But that gets a quiet little smile. He thinks for a second before chirping back. Twin.]

Been a while since I've done that.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

[Twin. Another chirp.]

[He shrugs, patting his head.] It was easier to get meaning through with sign language. Or...I thought so.

They might be broader concepts, but maybe it was easier when it was simple. Can't do a classic Donnie overthink when its that simple, right?

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

No, no you really can't.

[He sort of just... Sighs like this. Watching them both.]

What are you gonna do then?

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

Probably have an emotionally difficult conversation after all this.

It's...lonely.

To feel misunderstood.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

...Yeah. It is.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

He put in a lot of work to understand me when I needed someone to.

[Twin. Another chirp.]

I should have been working harder before now.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

[Leonardo watches him a minute.]

It isn't like I make it easy.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

Snort.

Did I?

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

No.

But you were always easy for me to read.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

I still didn't make it easy. You still put in the work. Learned what the sounds meant, what I wanted, found me when I needed it.

Just because its harder for me doesn't mean you don't deserve someone putting the work in.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

[The edges of his skin stitched against the goop burns with that, and he hisses through his teeth trying not to let on how much it hurts.]

Don, just - take the W on this one.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

[He grimaces.]

[He sighs and he's going to lightly headbutt him.]

[Careful of the goop.]

...it meant a lot to me.

That you could. That it was easy for you.

I wouldn't trade you for anyone.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

[Oh a headbutt. He doesn't know what to do for a second.]

...Tell him that. When you get to him.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

I plan to.

I'm going to be absolutely disgusting at him, its going to be so embarrassing.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

[That gets an actual, but brittle laugh, so fragile it could break.]

Yeah, he'll hate it. Good.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

As will I, but that is what one must do for the sake of brotherly love.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

[He nods before looking around the arena again.]

Which door d'you think you'll take? Left or right?

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

...this was to the right.

So just keep going right?

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

Data points, huh.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

Easier to keep track of where we've been.

Were you the one in the Batlle Nexus, or was that another manifestation?

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

[He rubs at his head with his free hand.]

Yeah, that was me. Was supposed to be a round one situation.

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

So just fight you and go deeper sort of thing?

...what was the purple button? [OF COURSE HE NOTICED THE PURPLE THING.]

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

Yeah, you got it.

What purple button?

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[othellovonryan]

There was...a purple pink button near the entrance in the Nexus?

Re: 2nd - BATTLE NEXUS NYC

[neonleon]

[He thinks for a second, doubting his own memory of the other arena.]

Oh. That was one of Big Mama's short-range teleport coins for an exit from there.