(no subject)

[honorthecode.livejournal.com]

Who: i_speak_softly, honorthecode, the_mikester, gaijin_ninja, and later ninjacane
What: Long over due bonding time, as brothers and as a team.
When: Early morning on July 9th to sometime on July 15th
Where: The forest and mountains.
Summary: After what's happened in the past few months, Leonardo decided it's time they need to get out of the village for a while.
Rating: PG for now
It's early morning, when most of the village is still quiet and the heat of the day hasn't arrived yet. With Mikey finally recovered and feeling fit, other than he still can't talk, the brothers pack up what they need and head out into the forest surrounding the village. Away from the distractions and just back to the basics.

Comments

[meanandgreen.livejournal.com]

Well, finally this camping trip is happening. Raph's been eager to go ever since they started planning. But he can't blame Mikey for needing a few days. Coming back from kidnapping can do that to a turtle.

But now it's early and Leo dragged him out of bed, and even though he's excited to get a little fresh air, he can't help being his usual pleasant self this time of morning.

He staggers out of his room looking bleary and still tying his bandana, wandering out toward the living room where his brothers are doing some last-minute packing.

"Why do we gotta leave so freakin' early?"

[honorthecode.livejournal.com]

Leo's not faulting Mikey needing to rest either. He expected there to be some delay for when he got back, and he certainly wasn't going to do it when Mikey was exhausted.

"To beat the heat of the day." He says, looking up from where he's finishing packing. As much as he likes the hot weather as a turtle, it can still be too much sometimes. Leo as usual doesn't sound all that tired. Getting up early is normal for him.

"Plus, the sooner we go, the sooner we'll get to the campsite."

[i_speak_softly]

"Took me three hours at a flat run," Don chimes in. He tosses a tightly-rolled sleeping pack at Raph. "And you always slow us down." It's more a friendly jab than anything else, but it's also completely true.

[the-mikester.livejournal.com]

Mike, still a bit subdued, is stuffing the fifth bag of chips into his backpack. His mouth turns up into a big grin at Don's jibe and his shoulders shake like he's laughing, but of course no sound comes out.

Hang-gliding - Saturday

[i_speak_softly]

The weather does indeed hold, and any Turtle who wishes to get up in the air may follow Don out to the cliff's edge on the first full day of their camping trip. There he'll be inspecting - yet again - the gliders, keeping a watchful eye on his brothers to make sure they're strapping themselves in correctly, and making a few experimental efforts at redirecting the wind.

[the-mikester.livejournal.com]

Mike is there, bro. He may have the straps completely in knots, but he's so excited he may just jump off the cliff if you don't stop him.

[honorthecode.livejournal.com]

Leo's there too, setting, checking and rechecking his straps. Making sure they're in the right places.

"We need to be careful with these. We didn't have wings back home." He says. But he's also there to stop Mikey's suicide plans, moving the excited one away from the edge.

[meanandgreen.livejournal.com]

Raph, on the other hand, figured out the straps pretty well on his own and his just as eager to hit the sky. He's already toeing the edge of the cliff, trying to beat his brothers into going first.

"No shit, Sherlock." He has no idea Leo's talking about aerodynamics or whatever. He's not thinking into it that much. "Look on the bright side - if any of us die, we'll just come back in a week."

Now he's just trolling. You guys really sure you wanna do this? Because he's got no sense of self preservation whatsoever.

Swimming/Meditating - Sunday

[i_speak_softly]

The second day of the camping trip dawns hot, and Don announces his plans over breakfast.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm hitting the springs today." He pokes thoughtfully at his food. "I - I think I'll try meditating down there, see if I can make contact with the Water spirit."

[honorthecode.livejournal.com]

The heat's feeling good on Leo's shoulder. Easing the pain, and helping him to relax a little over all. He looks up at Don's announcement.

"If you don't mind the company, I'd like to join you." He says after a moment.

[meanandgreen.livejournal.com]

Raph's already pretty much inhaled his breakfast, wanting to get a head start on the day with some swimming. He's eager for that cannonball competition he challenged Mikey for earlier.

"Hot springs? It's hot already. I'm goin' swimming."

[the-mikester.livejournal.com]

Mike nods at Raph. He's gonna kick your butt, you know that, right?

Very very very early in the morning on the 11th

[the-mikester.livejournal.com]

"WOOOOHOOOOO!"

Guess who has his voice back.

[i_speak_softly]

Don groans and throws a kneepad in the direction of the shout, before he realizes who exactly is screaming in his ear at some still-dark hour of the morning.

"Mikey?!"

[meanandgreen.livejournal.com]

Raph just groans and stuffs his pillow over his head, not even registering what's happening in the slightest. Not that he cares. They knew it'd come back sometime. He'll celebrate with you when it's not fucking insane-o'clock-in-the-morning.

[honorthecode.livejournal.com]

Leo's used to insane-o'clock-in-the-morning. He does jerk into a sitting position at the shout though. He glances around for danger, before his gaze lands on the cheering Mikey. He rubs a hand over his face, as leans back to lay down again.

"Nice to hear your voice is back, Mikey."

Monday - Training/Training run

[honorthecode.livejournal.com]

The third day of the trip is another hot one. Leonardo's out in the late afternoon, doing a warm up kata.

Pretend he's not dead in this icon >__>

[meanandgreen.livejournal.com]

Screw training. It's too damn hot for training and he's not in the mood to get heat stroke today. So instead he's out on a rocky outcropping by the edge of the lake, lying on his plastron and lazily soaking up rays.

[the-mikester.livejournal.com]

Mike is sitting near Raph, yakking his ear off and splashing his toes in the water.

"-and then he was like pwoooosh and I was like 'hahahaha' and then he was all 'grawour i'ma eatchoo' and then-"

He'll go until you stop him.

Friday - The return home.

[honorthecode.livejournal.com]

Unlike the previous five days of this trip, the sixth dawns with over-cast skies, the clouds hinting at the possibility for rain, but not yet yielding it. Along with keeping it slightly cooler out, without the sun beating down.

"It's time to pack up and head back home." He says. It's hard to believe they've been gone almost a week already. The days seem to have flown by. But they;ve been good days, and regretted that they had to end already.

[the-mikester.livejournal.com]

"Awwww man! Already?"

[i_speak_softly]

Don is silent and subdued as he turns to the packing. Part of him wants to stay longer, another part is ready to go home, and a third part is already planning a second trip. It's been a good week, and he's quietly hoping his family's renewed sense of camaraderie doesn't fade once they're back in the village.

July 12th, evening

[the-mikester.livejournal.com]

Mike is sitting by the fire, staring into it like he's mesmerized. After a while, if no one disturbs him, he brings his hand up and snaps his fingers, producing a large spark. His eyes refocus, and a grin starts building on his face.

"Did you guys see that?"

[i_speak_softly]

Don saw it, but he isn't impressed. It was only an amusing sleight-of-hand trick with the fire, right? He regards Mike for a moment and then resumes writing in his journal.

[meanandgreen.livejournal.com]

Raph, on the other hand, is staring at Mike like he's got two heads. "What the heck was that?"