Allora Swamp Lands .

Inaba chewed her lip. She watched them go her ear flopping a little and nose twitching. She looks back behind her to check on Liam and Mikey hoping the little guy would not fuss or wail until the dons were out of ear shot.

Or make any loud calling sounds.

Donatello braced his feet with wider steps and quicker when he felt Don move, he grunts and makes sure he had a firm hold. " Sorry other me... hey what if I tell you about revisiting the concept of super-asymmetry is related to super-symmetry string theory. In particle physics, "supersymmetry" is a proposed type of space-time symmetry that relates two basic classes of elementary particles, bosons, which have an integer-valued spin, and fermions, which have a half-integer spin..." chatting away and loudly hoping to break through the fever enough to let the Don know it was him and to trust him.

And well Donatello had a habit of babbling and rambling in Science Lingo when he was stressed himself and this definitely qualified.

He splashed and jog great wide long strides and chatted, keeping Don secure. Mikey wriggled more then he did in any case.

Don stops fighting, but whether it's recognition allowing him to relax or sheer exhaustion forcing him to give up is unclear. He just hangs limply across the larger turtle's back. Every once in awhile, a slight jolt or a change in direction will elicit a soft 'oof'. Other than that, he's silent.

Mikey watches, big guy could really move when he wanted to and he was pulling ahead... ahead...

and out of sight. Mikey cradled the little guy and pouts a little, he was wriggly. " It's okay little dude, we will see them soona nd hopefully by then your fave Don be a little more up and around okay?" he whispers and churrs, nuzzling the little turtle and moving wrapping the both of them in the oiled pelt to keep the rain off as it started.

Leon glances over his shoulder at the young turtle and the child smiling. He was worried and would be until he saw them again but was determined to keep a somewhat unruffled appearance up. If nothing but to bolster up his travelling companions.

"at least we're actually moving this time." at a decent speed and all!

Watching the disappearing turtle her ears following him longer than her eyes could and she sighs really wishing she had a terrible terror to send ahead of them and warn the Reinigen's they were coming. but...

the Donatello's struck her as very clever and she suspected there would be interest enough in the Genio Innocuo to ensure that Don was seen to.

With Donatello no doubt hovering over them until the Don showed signs of improvement.

Leon felt... something. " Could you steer for a moment please Inaba?" not that any one really needed to the Jersey seemed to prefer the wide opn track in any case and even with no one watching had stayed on course. However they had to maintain this pace if they were going to arrive not too long after the now gone ahead Dons.

And he felt the touch of consciousness. When Inaba nodded he crossed his legs and held his hands out breathing deep. And closed his eyes, searching. Seeking... finding slowly and opening himself up to -

Other hims... other Leo's he felt somewhere out there.

He was not sufficiently practiced at this to speak to them or astral project himself but he felt them and let them feel him too. And thanks to them he could at least feel his own brothers, distant and again not as practiced he could reach them and get a sense of their feelings.. But he was comforted they were alive at the very least.

Mikey's felt the touch himself. And knew Liam did as the boy stopped squirming and huffing in his sleep settling against Mikey's plastron, he gets comfortable too and lets the familiar feel of big brother sweep over him. Not sure if it was technically his bog brother or many Leo's -

Not caring.

It was strengthening and soothing and comforting and he let it lull him into a light nap trusting to Inaba, Leo and Jersey.

Don breathes out a steadier breath than he has since he woke up, and whispers.

"Leo..."

He groans softly and looks around a moment. Then taps Donatello on the shoulder. His voice is soft and weak, but he's himself and not quite as horribly feverish.

"Hey... Donatello, can you let me down a moment...Please?"

Liam... responded to the light brushing of something by resting, and opening himself up as Leon was doing, as Leonardo was... his energy young and endless and imbued with dragon...

though he like Duncan was untrained and didn't understand the contact.

Not sure what was going on but happy to comply Inaba nods and glances around to check on the little guy and Mikey then on the Leo beside her. They were all a bit more relaxed in any case which she was pleased to see.

Donatello slows, he had come tot he top of a crest in the track and felt the tap and was glad to be able to lightly let Don down, " Leonardo...." a wealth of warmth feeling - yes he knew that feeling. Relished it. And it eased his worries as much as Don being coherent and when he touched skin his hands hadn't been resting on to firmly hold him in place it was less dry and hot to his touch.

At least the rain had that to it, it kept them both hydrated a bit.

Once don was down Donatello straightened and stretched and shook tension off his shoulders and neck, glancing the way he'd come, the cart was a speck a trail and hillocks back now. And here on the rise he could see across the mostly even swamp tree canopies to the destination.

the fortress straddling the river way that separated the swamp lands and a more savanah planed grass land. He estimated if he kept up his jo he would make it early next morning earliest. Even with this break.

The Leo... Leos?

Could offer some revitalising strength but couldn't heal the Don he doubted... though as least they could make the Don feel stronger. More himself. Well so Donatello hoped in any case.

Once on the ground, Don sits, leaning against a tree relishing the remaining moments of the contact that is now extending to so many other turtles.

When it ends, he sighs, letting pain and worry drain away. No, he's not healed. Just given a short reprieve, and he knows it. The change in position feels good. Despite the rain, he's still dehydrated. And malnourished, but that is a separate problem. He knows this is temporary, but so long as he has it, he should probably take advantage of it while he can. At least of the moment of coherency.

"Thank you... You didn't have to do that, and... I appreciate it."

He's tired, but capable of holding himself in a sitting position. Though he's not eager to try standing on his own. And he's actually not horribly nauseous at the moment!

He sunk deeper into the contact, relieved. warmed and pleased by it. And there was a sense of bliss which he couldn't understand but hell it felt incredible and boooy did it relax him in a gooey limbed sort of way? he might have actually flopped backwards on the back of jersey and churred his tail wagging just floating.

It wouldn't be forever and he knew that but whilst it was there he would enjoy this.

Mikey beams, he felt.... better. Not so anxious and worried annnnd soooo relaxed, like floating about in the pool at home under those solar lamps Donnie made... mmmmmm

Liam also calmed, it spread across himself and his brothers, he didn't understand it was mostly asleep and it all felt like a blurry dream but he would wake with a certainty laters his brothers were fine. And that would make him a very happy little guy who was also going to be sad to miss his fave big turtle.

Donatello smiles, he is calmer and feeling stronger and revived again and a little wonderfully blissful in a way that is not proportionate to this situation. " We both know as soon as the our Leo's withdraw this contact and supply of good feels will leave then will slowly disapate or quickly. You were in a bad way, I did have to and hold onto the thanks until I get you properly care for. Who knows how much respite you will have once the big brothers leave us spiritually before the sickness has you again? Your dehydrated, malnourished and not as feverish but still warmer than most turtles..."

His talk was slowish and sluggish hard to focus through these moments of calm and bliss and good strong feelings of his brothers, he could feel them all, they were all here...

his brothers and interdimensional ones!

" When they leave us you can walk with me if you feel up to it for a bit but the moment your not well its either back over fire man style or shell back and we are heading for that fortress in the distance. Liam, Mikey, Leon and Inaba will catch up with us."

Don nods. He knows what will happen when the Leos leave. "I stand by what I said, and I still appreciate the attempt however it turns out." They're interdimensional brothers, but that's not the same. Donatello did not have to help him.

He leans against the tree, letting his eyes close and enjoying the contact. His Leo is far and away the strongest one he can feel, but the others are there. Dim, but present. He reaches back, and can touch Leo, but none of the others.  Another 'thank you,' this one sent to his brother, so far away and still protecting him.

Donatello is troubled by that.

Sure their from different dimensions. But really wouldn't Don do the same for him?

Or all over the place magic Mike?

Or the pudgy but quiet protective Leo?

The soft motherly fussy bunny who didn't have to guide them but choose to.

" yes I do... I am not facing your brothers or my brothers at the end and explaining I didn't do absolutely everything I could. I am also not facing your Splinter or my own with that... I am not facing myself with that - I'm not that kinda turtle to turn away from a brother or father or friend or interdimensional brothers, fathers, friends in need." A sort of shudder, it was slow coming cause he was still comforted and blissful. " And I am not breaking a little boys heart."

He would do whatever he could for Don, even though he is not his own brother. And for that little boy he'd had to dump in Mikey's care.

He would try, but does not expect it of others. Well... he probably wouldn’t carry this particular counterpart. Even if he were top form, he’s pretty sure he’d be incapable of picking up the big guy for any sort of reasonable length of time. And Don is not a doctor, what Donatello has done is far beyond Don’s abilities. There’s a sad smile. So really... the answer to the unspoken question of if Don would do the same for his counterpart is ‘no.’ Not because he wouldn’t try, but because he is flat out incapable of doing what the larger turtle has done.

I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. Just... Thank you. I don’t often get this sort of help...

At the mention of Liam, Don wishes he could reach out to the child, but Leo still has him blocked off. He sighs and prods his brother to reach out to the boy for him. Don can feel Liam’s bright energy though and hopes he’s okay and behaves for the others.

When he feels Leo backing away and letting the connection fade, he drops his head and sighs again. The clock is ticking... and he doesn’t know how much time he has before he’s incoherent again.

He slowly gets up and stretches a little, rolling his shoulders and just sort of seeing how he’s feeling. He’s not great, but he’s okay to walk, at least for awhile. He offers his counterpart another sad smile. And as long as he’s walking, that’s a little distance that the other turtle doesn’t have to carry him.

“I should probably take advantage while this lasts, right?”

Inaba started and squeaked when Leon fell back beside her. blinking, leaning over to look at his face worriedly. But he didn't look sick or anything and that grin was a little waaaaay to happy happy to make her continue worrying.

Lazy the link was going... going... gooooing...

but it left Leon with a deep sense of wellbeing. True it didn't stop them being lost on this world and they had a fight coming up possibly in the capital possibly else where probably one coming up soon.

But...

For the moment he was a limp relaxed Leo of a turtle and his brothers were alive.

He could see Inaba leaning over him through his eyelids, a sort of shadowy blur where she blocked out light.

A bit longer...

He'd felt his brothers! his brothers were in this world somewhere alive and well and he'd see them again!!

Mikey wanted to yell and hoop and holler in joy - and also to just lounge here in the residual afterglow and bliss and enjoy the moment knowing his brothers were fine, sides he also had a small charge with him and rubbed the little guys shell.

Liam became less restless sensing Don even if he knew he wasn't there. And Mikey's rubbing made him chirp and churr a little and for the moment he sunk into sleep and dreams slowly.

Donatello grins, " Some offense - I know I would be a difficult case if the situations were reversed, but I'd guess you would simply unhinge Jersey from the cart and ride on ahead with her and the others would have to wait in the cart for retrieval or make a raft to slip along with the waters or come on foot as I have." He held no doubts and fears if he were injured and bigger that the endless ingenuity of the Don's not to mention that Mikey with them would see them through.

He nods and stretches, ready, " yes we really should, you feel up to telling me every symptom you have or suspect? I will give it to whoever I find at the other end. But I will watch them like a hawk." Because he was the turtles doctor, and would therefore hover, learn and watch.

Offering a hand down to the Don to pull him upright so they could set off.

Don laughs softly. "It would probably be whatever crazy, 'That-can't-possibly-work...could-it?' brilliant scheme popped into Michelangelo's head.

He sighs and nods. Yes, sharing symptoms would be important. Especially if he's non-responsive like he was earlier. Once they're walking, he starts.

"Honestly, the big one is the nausea that I can't shake. Other than that... Achey, everywhere. That fever.  ...Oh. Dizzy on occasion." The dizziness he's been able to mostly control thanks to his training, but it's there.  "And there's a headache that comes and goes."

Those were the obvious ones. The ones that were most urgent. He hadn't noticed much in the way of a sharp pain. No sinus or lung issues. At least not since the first day.

"It was before you got here, but I was coughing up that swamp water for several hours. I think I both swallowed and inhaled it. That was horrible. It was really hard to breathe. I don't know the name of the creature that pulled me under, but it was large and had tentacles. I've felt... fuzzy? Ever since. Even before I had the fever." And by fuzzy, he means it's harder to concentrate and focus on the task at hand or the current thought.  He's aware that a lot of the smaller symptoms are probably related to the more urgent ones, but Donatello asked for everything. So everything he's getting.

" mmmm like a swamp dwelling octopus or squid? I suddenly have a desire for calamari. Lightly battered with salt and pepper.' mmmm sounded good as he made a mental note of all symptoms told to him, listing them in order in his mind from ones he found or felt were more serious. Though all together it was quiet serious.

" haha yes exactly, sometimes our crazy little brothers are onto to something and their hairbrained schemes work. Actually work.' that was surprising to him most the time.

He didn't rush their pace but it was moving towards the distant fortress. " anything more?" curious and wanting to make sure he missed nothing or maybe if there was anything Don thought none important?

The sound is halfway between a laugh and a groan.

"Ugh... no... not even on a good day. He held his stomach at that one, then absently readjusted his belt down to fit better. It’s one of those automatic actions one barely notices, and he doesn’t even realize that he’s done it.

"And I'm pretty sure that me moving you this far by myself, my friend, would require a hairbrained scheme." He's smiling, but takes a moment to get through one of those dizzy spells he mentioned.

"Anything...?" Wait what were they talking about? Oh... He frowns in thought, considering the past few days. "No, I think that was everything..." Pretty sure... Hopefully... trying to go through the list in his head, he’s not even sure what he listed.

Donatello grins, " really? I swear it's good..." keeping chatting light but he was slowing as he notices odd movements and the confusion seeming to set back on the turtle. Preparing himself to carry Don again and nodding all the while. " At least if you needed a crazy scheme there is a Mikey there to plot one up.' he puts a hand on the Don's shoulder.

" wanna shell back?"

(( to here : https://maskedmayhem.forumotion.com/t144-fortress-gorlan-reinigen-stronghold#2691 ))