The Braaaaaaaain (tag LH and kraang)

My name is Loventrice. But you can just call me Love. I'm LeatherHead's new roommate. He's letting me stay here since I had no where to go. You don't have to hide. I'm not known to bite too hard. Uh...LH should be back in a while. He had to take care of a brain.

Love reached out her hand to him.

Come in. I can use the company.

Slash lumbered forward a little bit puzzled by her words. "Take care of a brain? whose?... someone has a headache? is it Squirt?" His nickname for Erica as she was compared to him and Leatherhead tiny.

He sniffed at the offered paw before taking it and shaking carefully as she was also small in comparison to himself. "How long have you been staying here?" He himself almost ended a roommate but preferred to find his own space.

Ok maybe more information was needed.

No no. Not a real brain. It was this creature. Some kind of alien thing. with sharp teeth and angry eyes and crazy tentacle arms. I caught it and we put it in a tank, Leatherhead went to put it some place safe.

She shook his hand before grabbing it and tugging him towards her little nest.

Come! Sit! And I've only been here a few days. So what's your name?

"Alien thing?" Well that was just even more puzzling to the great big turtle.

He lets her tug him over to the newest train car - her nest and then gently tugs free. "I do not fit through the doors." He nods to it - and was quiet right he was just too large to squeeze in there without tearing a great dirty hole in the side, but he was happy to plonk himself outside the cart for a moment.

And at least he now knew where Leatherhead was.

Her question for his name... "Slash." He responds. "So how did you meet Leatherhead? did Squirt find you and bring you here or he?" curious as to how she found this old abandoned set of tunneling.

Indeed he was very large. That was ok! Love plopped down beside him and wrapped her tail around the both of them. This large turtle seemed just as kind as LH, it was no wonder they were friends.

Lovely name. She told him with a smile. Mmmm...I don't know who squirt is. I don't think. No, I have, or...had these other mutant friends. Turtles, a bit smaller then you. They brought me down to the sewers to help me find my own place to live. And while we were looking around we ran into Leatherhead. Actually he had been following us. Anyway, he offered to let me stay here. And this is where I've been.

If you don't mind me asking, how were you mutated? Where you human, or turtle before? I myself was a human. A scientist got to me.

May as well chit chat while waiting for LH. Oh! Maybe he was hungry or something.

I'm so rude. Would you like anything to drink or eat?

"No thank you - I have eaten and had plenty to drink today." He was - unsure of the tail thing but maybe it was a cat mutant habit? and it was warm where it covered him so he leaves it glad she was happy to sit with him. His head tilts a little and he grins. "Erica... I call her Squirt as she is small."

He puzzles, much of what he thought he knew of his mutation was... vague images and he was not sure if nonsense or dreams or real. Leatherhead and Erica assured him in time these may become clearer, so he would wait. "I was... a normal turtle years ago - memory is foggy about that time of my existence and straight after the mutation... Leatherhead and Squirt found me some years ago. I choose to live further and deeper in the old tunnels around here - Leatherhead is kind and offered me a place but we would have clashed being two very large males in the same turf all the time." he explains his decision not to stay with their mutual gator friend.

Then something she mentioned registered and he looks astounded. "More turtles like me?"

Oh! Erica! yeah I know her. Squirt, that's cute. Love chuckled and smiled up at him. she listened to his tale and nodded her head. Then I guess we were both lucky to have met our gator friend. And I can see how two males living in a small home together would be an issue.

When he asked about the other turtles she nodded again.

There's four of them. And they have a human friend named April. But she's kind of a bitch. She attacked me! They also have a father who's a mutant rat. They live somewhere down here in the sewers.

"Well... she is small." He sniggers and then it was his turn to listen.

There were more turtles... like him.. not so big though. But more like him!

He snorts at her description of April. "Sounds fiesty." He comments then his gob fell open in a mark of total taken backed ness. "A mutant rat father?" Wow would wonders never cease? He shakes his head and grins. "well cant make friends with every one I guess." He reaches under his shell rim to pull free the duck taped phone and check it - and with great concentration cause the freaking buttons where so small he types a message to Leatherhead to let him know he was in his den.

Love tried to look over his shoulder then gave up and leaned against Slash, rubbing her head on his shoulder with a soft purr. She wasn't bothered that he seemed bored with her enough to pull out his phone. Because that's what people did when they were bored right? Got their phone out to do something more interesting? No matter, she was content with just sitting quietly with her new friend and rubbing her fur allllllll over him.

Putting the tiny phone back he looks at Love, "sorry, though I nestled Leatherhead know I am here so we do not battle over space." he explains.

And squirmed a little unused to so much warm contact, not that it was not pleasant but he felt it getting too much, the only female to touch him was Squirt previously, and he had gotten to the point he could tolerate a good thorough check over for injuries or infections or parasites such as ticks, but even her light soft touch had a limit on just how much he would allow.

He shifts and gently nudges her off a little, not a rude nudge, just a friendly one - even if he was not comfortable with this a churr that sounded like a tractor starting rumbled and he smiles. "sorry, I am... Not usually a very cuddly mutant." he explains the light nudge. "you say you were human before mutation? How long ago was that?" curious.

At his nudge Love stopped and looked up at him. She really needed to stop rubbing on strangers. But she just loved being snuggly!

No need to be sorry, I have a bad habit of being overly affectionate with handsome guys. She told him with a grin.

I was mutated a few years ago. It was under the ruse of testing some new sleep medication or something. Basically a so called friend of mine lied to me for some cash and I went blindly into Bishop's lab, though I knew something was up after a while, but by then it was too late. Next thing I know I'm waking up in pain and with a lot more hair. I was in the lab for a week or so. then I escaped. kinda been on the run and hiding sense. Before I was this. I worked as a bar tender. I had dreams of opening my own bar. I'm very good with mixing drinks. I was also an exotic dancer. Wanna see some of my moves?

"So what is stopping you now? I am sure mutants would appreciate a place to chill and drink." Slash suggests and shrugs a little. "It is okay - I ... am not used to a lot of contact." He admits taking in all she told him of her story.

"Ah..." He puzzles what on earth she meant as exotic dancer , and shrugs. " No that is alright thank you." stretching a little wriggling his large toes and fingers.

And then another admission. "Never had alcohol." which he personally thought was best - his size alone... what damage could he do if he were to ... allow a drink to erode what self control he had?

Well I don't think the human world is ready for a place for mutants. and even if I had a secret underground bar, it would be very hard to find supplies to make it all happen. No, I have a new dream now. I want to find a good man, Mutant preferably, settle down, and have kittens. Or...Kitten/whatever the guy happens to be.

Love also stretched her legs out and compared her small frame with his larger one.

I have a feeling you could out drink us all. Yer huge! And that's a complement. So, why so shy, big guy? Or are you just one of those who don't really like being touched at all. My dad was like that. which makes me wonder how he stood being touched long enough to make me. I guess when yer in the mood, things change.

"You want to be a mum?" Slash wonders curiously - the thought or desire to sire anything was not one he shared with her.

He was content to allow cloning from him - if that was what was in store for him soon.

And maybe his mind would change over time.

But not yet. "Than perhaps one day it shall happen." He offers kindly chuckling. "Maybe - but it would be a first time drink, surely that would play a part." Then her question and he was not sure how to answer it. "I... just not comfortable with prolonged touch... I fear what may be triggered. I still sometimes fight Leatherhead."

Love nodded her head. Yes she wanted very badly to be a mother. But was starting to fear that would never happen. Though, right now, she wasn't giving up hope with Don.

Hearing him explain why he didn't want to be touched much she had to think on that then finally understood. She thought. Maybe. It seemed that all these male mutants had no control over themselves. Dangerous creatures they were. Maybe she was different because she was human once.

Well. There is this one guy. One of the mutant turtles I told you about. I'm totally in love with him. Messed up a little...but I like to think we can put that behind us. Sadly, the last time I talk with him he...Well, he was busy. So...Yeah. But, Don and I would make adorable kids!

"Depends on what it is. Some things are not easily placed in the past." Slash cautions, because he did not know the story and did not feel comfortable asking more details and probably didn't want to know more in any case.

But it felt like a fitting warning to her. "and what ever it is I think if you use trickery to try trapping this Donatello by your side with kittens would make it worse." He adds - some day time drama tv told him this much for sure.

"I do not like the idea of being a father myself... not yet..." but this was not an unusual thing for males his 'age' he supposed.

No. I wouldn't trick or try to trap Don. I care about him, I think he feels the same about me. But...We haven't actually sat down to talk out our feelings. Which is something she really wanted to do soon, though of course, she had no idea Don was at the moment trapped in a tank with another female.

Being a parent isn't for everyone. Not a big deal. To be honest. I don't even know if I can have children being mutated and all. Anyway! I am happy that you showed up today. it's always nice to meet new friends. Plus I usually end up getting myself in trouble when I'm left alone. Though, I guess that's typical for a cat.

"most of us get into trouble if left to our own devices yes. Turtles included." Agrees the big turtle, "I visit here from time to time. Sometimes hurt from a fight with Leatherhead I may stay away some weeks than come visit." He was more of stay on his home turf sort of turtle.

Made him a bit nervous about what he had agreed to do for Squirt, but he'd had so little human interaction so it would be a varied experience for him and an important one he felt and she had said it was for a good cause... well being on sight to help that is.

I'm sure it's quite scary when you two fight. Knowing that he didn't like to be touched, left Love not knowing with to do with herself while sitting next to the large turtle. And she was running out of topics to talk about.

So you uh....Yer a snapper right? There's a lot of them in the swamp I use to live in. Though...they didn't talk as much. And I mostly seen them on the dinner table.

Nodding Slash admits, "It can get rather brutal, thankfully usually one of us backs off before we are too hurt. Or Squirt... uh... helps us find our minds again among the instincts." He shrugs and has to think on her next words.

" I think so yes - I am not sure and have not yet recieved blood work results from Leatherhead and Squirt to be certain. Though not surprising it is only recently I allowed them to take clean samples to work with." He shifts his position to stand and stretch as prolonged stillness in the same spot was putting his legs to sleep.

Love looked up at him with a bit of confusion. I have lived among snapping turtles and gators all my life. I never seen them fight each other unless over food. They didn't seem to mind living together though. Maybe it's different beacuse you are both mutants?

He nods and looks ashamed. "It ... has gotten a little easier for us to control, probably because we are friends... but sometimes... like for example if Squirt visits near to her... cycle days we may get a little territorial even though neither of us actually view her as a potential mate. But the extra... scent does stir a instinct to fight for her. Might happen a bit now your about - sometimes it's just prolonged time in each others company we feel like the other male is encroaching on our turf and we get going..." He shrugs.

"It most likely is the mutation." He stands finally and stretches. " I need to drain the lizard - huh then I have somewhere to be... if your not here when I return from bathroom it was pleasant meeting you.' He nods and heads towards the back of the Den to the loo space.

Love nodded, but she still figured the men should be able to control themselves. such beast! when he got up and told her he needed to go she too stood up.

It was nice meeting you too. I'm sure we will see each other again soon. I think I'm going to head out myself. see ya.

Love gave a little wave and headed out the den and up to the streets. Once there she made her way to the nearest roof top to run around and play.