2871/Pizza Makes The World Go 'Round

Pizza Makes The World Go 'Round
Date of Scene:	10 August 2020
Location:	Ami's Pizza
Synopsis:	Where Terry gets a sharp rebuke for encouraging flights of fancy.
Cast of Characters:	Terry O'Neil, Michelangelo, Raphael

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Terry O'Neil has posed:
Fun fact: The much-beloved American fast-food staple that is Pizza was mostly unknown in the United States until the fateful year of 1958. Since then, it has become such a beloved and de facto dish in the American cuisine, that some people on the internet theorize that pizza joints and pizza parties have brought more people together and created more meaningful relationships and friendships than the majority of religions and philosophies of the world. Of course, one should be wary of anything one reads on the internet...

However, if you were to ask Terry O'Neil, a.k.a Vorpal of the newly-reformed Titans, about that particular theory, he would tell you it is absolutely true- because anything that can bring Raven and Beast Boy into the same room for more than an hour and not end with Gar Logan being turned into a newt after the sixth terrible pun must certainly be a miracle maker.

The Cheshire Cat known as Vorpal is currently sitting at a table in Ami's Pizza in full superhero outfit, his feet propped up on the chair opposite his as he reads a book and, with his free hand, idly picks at his three pizza slices to feed himself. Monday is his day off from the Planet, where he works as not-so-mild-mannered intern reporter Keith O'Neil. Lois, for the most part, respects his day off... unless there's an alien invasion or something like that going on.

Today, though, he feels very confident about the low chance of encountering little green men.

Michelangelo has posed:
The front door of Ami's swings open, revealing not quite a green man, but... a green turtle.

Michelangelo may be the smallest of his brothers, but some say he's got the biggest heart. With a goofy grin plastered across his dial, the turtle makes his way through the establishment with waves and finger-gun motions to the waitstaff that are doubtless familiar with him and his antics. With black sweats on his legs, featuring a bright orange strip along the side, as well as a torn grey hoodie over his shell, he looks at least //semi-disguised// from afar. Given the lack of fear and panicked reactions to his presence though, it's clear that this guy is a friendly to the locals. Or at least neutral.

"Sarah, how you going, girl? How'd that date with Tommy go? You know, if you want someone to show you a good time, you should totally hit me up! Heh heh."

"Max, my man!" Mikey fist-bumps another member of the staff as he strides through. "Dude, how'd you end up getting that invincibility cheat in Goldeneye? I can't beat that level under two minutes for the life of me. Show me your elite skills man. SHOW!"

Finally he gets to the main counter, something he leans upon quite heavily. Propping himself up by his elbows, the orange-branded turtle being takes a long, hard, SNIIFFFFFFF. "Ami, my sweet, eternal love," He starts to drawl, as if he's about to reel off some poem. "I'm here to pick up our order. You got it, right?" A quick bark from Ami herself reveals that there's still some time, which is met by Mikey raising his hands in a surrendering type motion. "Okay okay! I can just wait around, no problem."

Raphael has posed:
Raphael has decided to go with Michelangelo today. Why? Protection could be one angle, but the turtles are well-trained enough that they usually don't need it. There are increased threats in the world that may call for a buddy system sometimes, however, even if Raphael himself is the most likely to go off on his own for something.

Maybe it's just to make sure Mikey doesn't do anything /too/ Mikey, but Mikey being Mikey is pretty much like Raph being Raph. Leopards can't change their spots, and turtles can't change their shells.

Can they?

Raph enters a few steps behind his brother, a knit cap tugged low over his brow, with a coat and sweats to go with. The cap is red, at least. Hands are tucked into coat pockets, and he looks...bulky this way. As his brother beelines for the counter, the other one scans the room and pauses on a certain cat-based sort.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
It's impossible to ignore people like Michelangelo, they are the social equivalent of the one-man band, jingling and jangling, crashing and clanging wherever they go. The cat's eyes lift from his book and immediately land on the green teen, and he raises his eyebrows with an amused smile. He looks very much like his brothers, so it isn't hard to guess who this might be, especially since Raphael and Donatello have spoken of Leonardo as the kind of turtle who would not walk into a room like the life of the party. As he closes the book, he is about to speak up and introduce himself when he notices the second turtle, who looks possitively sullen in comparison to his brother.

"I spy with my little eye someone beginning with the letter 'R'," Vorpal says, taking his feet off the seat and standing up. Some of the wait staff look his way, just in case this is the beginning of some superhero showdown, in which case they would be politely told to destroy things outside, but as no sparks (figurative or literal) fly, they exhale and let things be.

"It's Raph under there, right?" he asks as he approaches the more bundled-up turtle, "Fancy meeting you here of all places," he grins, hands on hips and looking from Raphael back to Mikey, as Ami gives her trademark reaction to impatient costumers.

Michelangelo has posed:
"They said they'd be five or ten, Raph." Mikey calls back to his enforce brother, turning about in his lean on the counter so that his back rests against it instead. "I told you we'd be early. How come we left so fast? Now we have to linger around and smell these great smells without being able to chow on down." A dramatic sigh escapes his lips, before he tilts his head as someone //else// calls out to his brother.

A quick glance goes between Raphael and Terry, looking between the turtle and the feline humanoid multiple times. "Oh man, this guy is good. He totally spotted you through that gnarly kit and everything." Can never hurt to potshot those heavy clothes Raph decides to wear! Standing up from his lean, Mikey saunters over to the stranger. "You a friend of the fam, dude? I don't think we've met. Call me Mikey." A hand is offered forth. Not to shake, but to bump.

"You... you gonna finish that?" A gesture goes to the spare few slices that Terry has seemingly abandoned on his table. ABANDONED!

Raphael has posed:
Green eyes remain on Vorpal as he rises from the table he's at, starting to close in. This leads to him crossing his arms after hands withdraw from pockets. Yes, he has a green face and weird hands, and must have something causing that bulk in back, but just wearing what he is in the middle of summer is abnormal enough.

"Getting here early gives us time to deal with anything," Raphael remarks evenly, showing more self-control amid the scents and aromas in here than his brother does.

That wide mouth draws into a thin line as Vorpal pegs him for who he is. "Yeah, whatever. Mikey, this guy's related to Ape. Don't pounce him or anything like that. It ain't polite."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"I don't mind being pounced, April used to tackle me when we were kids. Once, she almost accidentally pushed me out of the hayloft at the farm one summer. That was before she broke her arm when she pretended she could fly..." Vorpal is not adverse to sharing embarrassing stories of family members to mutual acquaintances. April is the sister he never had, and siblings embarrass each other all the time. He bumps Michelangelo's fist and grins, "You can call me Vorpal in public." He leans, to whisper very quietly to Mike, "I'm April's cousin. Terry. But that's my secret identity, so when you see me as the cat, just call me Vorpal. Or Vorp."

He glances at Raph's tightened lips, and adds "You do realize that the only reason I pegged him is because of you, right?" he says to Mikey with a grin, and gestures to the turtles. "C'mon, join me. You can have the other two slices if you want, my eyes are bigger than my stomach today."

He pulls up his chair and sits down, looking at the two turtles, "Raph, how on earth can you wear all of that and not cook? I'm not wearing anything near that and I still feel like I'm in a turkish bath outside."

Michelangelo has posed:
"Related to 'Ape'?" Mikey queries to his brother, looking up to the ceiling with an idle thought of wonder. "Who's Ape? You mean April?" The look falls back down to Vorpal. "You related to April, dude? Gotta say, I can't see much of a resemblance. But hey, I don't look anything like Raph here either. Heh heh."

The formal introductions made with Vorpal is made, as is the revelation of the family connection. "Oooohhhhhh, gotcha. Vorpal, huh? That's a sick codename. How'd you come up with it? But good to meetcha." The invitation to join Vorpal and, further upon that, EAT HIS PIZZA, earns an almost shocked expression. "Seriously, dude? You're the best!" Mikey certainly doesn't have to be asked twice. Heading over to the empty table, Michelangelo sits in one of the spare chairs and greedily takes a slice. "Hey, we're turtles remember, Vorp." The comment is made in regards to the heavy stuff his brother wears. "We're cold blooded. We need extra heat to keep us rollin'."

Chewing on a slice with utter delight, the baby-brother considers. "So how'd you two meet?"

Raphael has posed:
Raphael notes, "Mind over matter. I come from the fiery depths of Mordor, which is way hotter than here."

Anyone who knows Raph knows what a line of crap that is. He's the /last/ turtle to be able to claim mind over anything, except maybe compared to the one bumping fists with Vorpal.

And yet, his expression suggests doom to anyone who dares question the legitimacy of his words.

He stays back, knowing the danger of getting between Michelangelo and pizza, especially pizza someone else is offering him, Vorpal's talk of past times with April gets a raised brow before Mikey's question takes precedence. "I was out patrolling with Donnie one day when we saw that one getting chased down by Kainashi. You shoulda seen him trying to get up the wall." A 'tsking' follows, along with a shake of the head. "An' all she wanted to do was 'tag' 'im."

Rather than sitting down, he rests the back of his shell against the nearest wall, watching everything.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"Oh shaddup, Rapahel. The first thing I see is this crazy dogperson chasing me and my cat instincts kicked into overdrive!" Vorpal huffs, crossing his arms, "I did quite well, too. If I hadn't forgotten I could do Rabbit Holes..." he wouldn't have slammed himself against that wall, that's what. "You could have warned me she didn't want to eat me or something, yaknow. Instead you guys stood back and laughed at my misfortune!"

Trying to divert attention from his embarrassment, he latches onto Michelangelo's line about being cold-blooded, and he adds "that explains Raph's warm and cuddly personality, then." Quick glance at the turtle with a revenge-worthy smile.

"As for my codename, it's easy- I'm /the/ Cheshire Cat. You know, from Alice in Wonderland? So when it came time to choose my codename, it was just inconceivable to choose something that wasn't a Carroll reference."

He deflate for a second, "I considered 'Cheshire' for a bit, but then Flash told me that there's apparently an assassin who goes by that name, and that if I use it she will hunt down and kill me. I think he was kidding about that last half, but I thought it was better not to tempt fate, yaknow?"

He pauses to take a sip of his soda, and adds "I'm pretty sure you ran into my boyfriend at one of the pizza joints, by the way, Mikey. He's green, like you, but he doesn't have a shell."

Michelangelo has posed:
"...dude. That's sick." Mikey at the very least appreciates Raph's Lord of the Rings reference, giving his brother an appreciative punch in the arm. "Sometimes you do look like you walked straight outta Mount Doom." As he finishes the slice that was offered to him, Michelangelo doesn't hesitate on eating the second slice too. Hey, Raph made his choice to be brooding and lean against the wall! Listening to the story as he munches away, an idle 'hum' is made. "Wait, Kai was chasing you? Wow." There's probably a joke in there somewhere, but Mikey opts to leave it. "And you couldn't get up the wall? That's alright. Not everyone is trained to be a badass ninja like yours truly."

The more detailed explanation from Vorpal earns his complete attention, the turtle falling into silence as the dull sounds of the crowd ambience start to permeate. "So you are legit part cat then, Vorp?" The accusation that they just stood back and laughed is met with a wide, wiiiiiiddeeee grin. "Only when it's good fun, man. Don't take it too personally. But yeah, he's a good barrel of laughs, isn't he?" Mikey turns to look at his brother with a smirk. "Sometimes I wonder if he's actually Batman. And yeah, I know Alice in Wonderland. Cool! I dig it. And-- wait, what? You're dating Beast Boy? The Titan?" Mikey's mouth falls open.

"That's SO AWESOME!" The sudden bellowing is made as he puts both hands on the table heavily. "Did he talk about me at all? Did he give Donna my number, do you know? Do you think //we// can join the Titans some day?" The line of questions stops there as Mikey leans back with glee.

Raphael has posed:
Raphael looks down at the spot Michelangelo just punched, an eye narrowing briefly. The first thing he says is to Vorpal. "We'd have stepped in if she started gnawing on your arm or something." Isn't that reassuring?

He doesn't have a single thing to say as far as the whole Alice in Wonderland stuff goes, or green people without shell, or much else just this moment. Instead, he pays closer attention to Michelangelo, rolling his eyes at the Batman comment before the fanboying over the Titans follows. That's when he pushes away from the wall and passes Mikey en route to another spot to watch from, but in doing so he drops a fist toward the top of his brother's head. "Chill out, baby bro. Take a breath."

*KLUD?*

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"I am ever so reassured," he jokes at Raph, "But she turned out to be nice in the end. Hyper. But nice." Which more or less also describes Michelangelo, doesn't it? "I am legit part cat. Dad was the original Cheshire cat, and when I was born he..." he waves his hands, indicating dispersal, "faded away, because like in that old movie, 'There Can Be Only One.'" It is a passable Sean Connery impression. If you've never heard Sean Connery speak before. "And since I don't intend to have childrne of my own, if /I/ die, then April will become the Cheshire Cat. Or the first born of her kids, if she has any. So if I happen to die, you guys might have to end up playing uncle to a mini version of me if she ever has kids." Now there is a terrifying notion, isn't it?

He can't help but chuckle when Mikey kersplodes. "I'm pretty sure Raph isn't Batman. Our Robin actually makes Raph seem cheerful by comparison, and I hear Bats is worse..." he frowns a little at the klunk on Mikey's head, and he leans forward. "Oh yeah, I'm dating BB... I guess I must have forgotten to mention I'm a member of the Titans. Actually BB and I are the ones who get the old team back together!" He beams proudly, "So that makes me... I don't know, a co-founder two point oh?"

He cleary doesn't want to hurt Mikey's feelings, so he decides to go about things in the most diplomatic way possible, "About Donna... the phone number thing would have totally worked except... well," he pats Mikey's shoulder as he leans in close to impart some sensitive information "She's already kinda dating... Raven." He leans back and gestures with his hands as he explains "You might not know this since I haven't published my article on the Titans yet, but Donna is actually Wonder Woman's little sister. So... you know. Isle of immortal women. Thousands of years..." he waves his hands, "I'm afraid you're going to have to find another crush, is what I'm saying. BUT-" he puts up a finger to offer this consolation, "April has told me about what you guys have done for her. And I was there that night at the skate-off when Killer Croc showed up, so I saw some of you in action. Aside from the fact that Donatello's shuriken almost hit me in the eye," he says with a grin "As a ... er, re-founding member of the Titans, I would be more than happy to put in a good word and sponsor any of you who wanted to be part of us. So consider that my open invitation. Ape considers you like brothers, so you're my... pretend cousins? Is that how it works? In any case, your skills would always be welcome."

Michelangelo has posed:
OOF! The hit at the back of the head lands squarely, causing Michelangelo to rub at the spot that Raph struck. "Bro, come on. These are the //Titans// we're talking about. Hey, speaking of, did you see on Twitter the new Justice League base? They're in SPACE, bro! The moon! Maybe we could move our home to be in space too? Join the Justice League, maybe? They could do with some turtles on their roster, I think." A stupid-wide grin forms across his face at that.

"It would be terrifying, Vorpal. Very. So no dying allowed, okay? You seem like a cool dude. Think of how bummed I'd be if that happened. You don't want a sad Mikey moping around." One can imagine his surprise and excitement when Vorpal reveals that HE is in fact a member of the Titans. "That's so cool, man! Hey, if you're ever looking for new members, just give me a ring, okay? Send me a DM or something. I'll gladly help you guys out. Or the Avengers." Or anyone, really.

That excitement which was on his face falls when the truth is revealed about Donna. "...oh." His head hangs a little. The idea that Donna is Wonder Woman's little sister makes her seem ever MORE awesome, really. The despondent mood only lasts briefly however, as Terry makes his formal offer. "YEAH! I mean, yes please! I'd be so down for that! Right, Raph?? We're so down for that!" Odds are Mikey's thoughts on that do //not// reflect the family as a whole, really.

Looking like he's about to explode into another excited rant, Donna now long forgotten, Ami calls out his name. Standing up from the seat, the orange turtle makes his way to the front counter. Waiting for him are at least half a dozen pizzas, with an assortment of breads and sides balanced on top. Mikey can already feel his mouth watering. "Raph will square you up, Ami. You know the drill." Somewhere along the line, his brothers had stopped Mikey from taking the family card if at all possible. His spending could get just a BIT out of control in cases like this. "I'm heading back home with the goods. It was good to meet ya, Vorp." Picking up the pizza stack and balancing everything as well as a ninja possibly could, Mikey even dares bringing a hand away from it to wave. "See you around, hm? Don't be a stranger."

Without anything said to his brother, Mikey vacates the pizza shop. In reality, nothing needed to be said to him. Raph knew the drill.

Raphael has posed:
Raphael knew the drill so well, in fact, that he let Michelangelo go on without further interruption. Usually it works best that way, to allow him to get everything off his chest and move on. He's already set to take care of the bill for said pizzas, only saying, "You're getting way ahead of yourself, bro," to his, well, bro.

As soon as Mikey's out the door and it's shut behind him, Raphael passes Vorpal and says in no uncertain terms, "Look, I know about the Titans and some of the other groups out there, but my little brother is babbling about things he ain't even gonna remember half of by the time he's done sleeping. He doesn't need to be encouraged by dreams that ain't gonna come true. We're turtles, and we look after each other, and that's how it is. Joining up with some big group up here on the surface," He pauses to roll his eyes, "or in space? Nah. Ain't happenin' now or ever. You're April's family, so that means you're part of our extended family too, but let's not get carried away with all that other stuff. We got an understanding?"

Terry O'Neil has posed:
Vorpal looks at Raph for a few seconds, sipping his soda. "You must look out for your little brother a lot, don't you?" he says, idly playing with the vacant paper plate that, until recently, had held his pizza slices. It might be easy to dismiss Vorpal for a fool or a goof-off, especially when a grin comes to him as effortlessly as a dream, but the inscrutable expression currently on his face is a reminder that he is also a cat, and that he partakes in the heritage of all cats, their genes replete with memories of the Sphynx. Jade eyes are focused on Raphael, revealing nothing. "No brother wants to see his little brother get hurt."

Raphael has posed:
"It's dangerous up here, especially for someone with his head in the clouds," Raphael says in response. "Why do you think we keep to ourselves so much?"

Cat-like looks and expressions fail to sway him one way or another as he moves past the Titan. "So be careful." That could serve as either a warning, a farewell, or both considering he exits just after saying it, all but stomping his way out.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
The Cheshire cat watches Raphael walk away and purses his lips a little. It isn't until the turtle has exited the premises that he lets out some air and looks back to his plate, toying with it a little more. Cats are cats, after all.

"Sorry Raphie..." he mutters, turning the plate over, "But it's dangerous everywhere. Are you going to keep smacking your brother down for wanting a life that's more than just hiding in the shadows?" he muses to himself.

Well, he could certainly see where a source of conflict was going to develop in the future. On the other hand, he felt a kinshp with the turtle who was inclined to flights of fancy. After all... how could he ingnore that, being who he was?

"Families are weird," he mutters, considering that April and his mother are his only real family, due to the fact that Grandma O'Neil disowned his mother for not falling in line with what a Good Catholic Girl should be.

He leaves a tip and, gathering his book and tossing his plate in the trash, walks out into the world to serve Great Justice. Or smaller mercies.