[OOM: The Balcony of Suite 132]

[mnt_raph]

It's cold outside, but not as cold as it has been. Just cold enough to momentarily take your breath away, but without all of that messed up nose-freezing stuff that requires undignified twitching to fix.

Raph's flopped himself down into a patio chair, while his wheel chair stands guard on the opposite side of the sliding glass doors.

Sometimes you just need quiet....and a little nicotine.

Comments

[awesome_lilly]

Well, at least he still has the nicotine. Lilly spots the wheelchair when she comes out of her bedroom. She grabs a blanket off of the couch and eases the glass door open.

"Hey, Raph."

[mnt_raph]

He sighs. Well, it was good while it lasted.

"Yo, Lilly. How goes?"

[awesome_lilly]

"Not bad," Lilly says, settling herself on the other patio chair under a heap of blanket.

"How about you? Taking a break from rewinding DVDs?"

[mnt_raph]

"Had a good long laugh at me for that, didn't you."

It's not so much a question, but it is punctuated with a drag on the cigarette.

[awesome_lilly]

"Yes," Lilly says promptly.

"But you're still behind in the 'Mutant Ninja Turtle I Have Laughed At Most' race, so. No worries. Mike's got it all locked up."

[mnt_raph]

Okay, that gets a chuckle.

"A'right, you got a point there. Small favors huh?"

Raph reaches into one of the leg pockets of his army pants and retrieves his pack of American Spirits. He flips back the lid and offers her one.

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly shrugs and frees one hand from the blanket to snag a cigarette.

"You have a light, or do I have to wait for one of the bar's firestarters to wander by?"

[mnt_raph]

"Yeah I got it."

Raph's not moving anywhere near as fast as he used to. First he has to close the lid on the pack. Then he has to replace the pack in his pocket. Only then can he fish out the Zippo with the black finish, the one with GOONGALA inscribed on the side.

It's a good thing there are so many of those Zippo lighting tricks that can be done one handed, because ever since he's come back to Milliways, Raph's left arm has been pretty much useless.

Flick. Ting. Whoosh. Fire.

[awesome_lilly]

Prometheus would be so proud. Lilly inhales and then nods gratefully at Raph.

"Thanks."

She doesn't comment on the slowness of movement, but it doesn't go unobserved.

"These are probably bad for us in theory, but I'm dead and you've kinda got other health concerns right now, so I really don't care."

[mnt_raph]

He grins.

"I don't truck with theory. Ain't killed me yet, so they can't be that bad."

Because in Raph's mind anything that hasn't killed him yet, won't.
....
Except maybe magic.

[awesome_lilly]

"Huh."

Lilly considers this.

"That is actually not the worst life philosophy I've heard in this place. Well played, Raph. Well played."

[mnt_raph]

"I got my moments."

A glimmer of the smug bastard returns.

"So what was it? The worst life philosophy, I mean."

[awesome_lilly]

"Well, they've never said it to me out loud, but... totally the Ooompa Loompas," Lilly says, leaning in a little.

She lowers her voice conspiratorially before continuing.

"I mean, the ones we have here rebelled by leaving a world of chocolate to come clean the bar! What kind of life philosophy says that's a good idea?"

[mnt_raph]

"Maybe they're allergic?"

It's the only explanation that comes to mind.
Well, maybe not only.

"Or just like, sick of the stuff?"

[awesome_lilly]

"I suppose they could be," Lilly says doubtfully. "But even then, why would they leave and go... clean stuff?"

She shakes her head.

"I really think they're just messed up. And around here, that's saying something."

[mnt_raph]

"Oh I ain't sayin' they're right in the head, far freakin' from it. Little fuckers booted the chair."

Always the chair. Never my chair.

[awesome_lilly]

"Booted the chair?"

It takes Lilly a second to realize that this is not some kind of really disturbing euphemism.

"Oh! Oh, that chair. Parking boot. Got it. Wow, they did? Damn. That might call for some kind of revenge, you know."

[mnt_raph]

"Yeah? You think? Even if it was just them followin' orders?"

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly arches an eyebrow.

"Whose orders?"

[mnt_raph]

There's probably a name for the look he's giving her right now, and we bet it's not a polite name.

"Who the fuck do you think? I'll give you three guesses, an' all of them gotta end in O."

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly gracefully allows her head to drop onto her knees, holding the cigarette well out of reach.

"Okay, it's official."

Her voice is somewhat muffled by blanket and chagrin.

"Smoking makes you stupid. So, then. What are you going to do to Mikey?"

[mnt_raph]

"Dunno yet. Gotta be good though. Real good."

Mostly because he can't run.

"Suggestions?"

[awesome_lilly]

"Hmmmm."

Lilly lifts her head and takes a contemplative drag of her cigarette.

"He booted your wheelchair. We need a proportionate response. I'd say you could boot his ride, but Mel's a Slayer. She'd get out of it too fast."

[mnt_raph]

Here comes the facepalm.

"...as if hearin' it ain't punishment enough...."

[awesome_lilly]

"Please, I've been listening to it longer than you have," Lilly replies, airily dismissing Raph's squeamish sensibilities. "At this point, I can practically tell exactly what they're doing from the changes in pitch."

That said, she returns to the topic at hand.

"What does Mikey hold sacred or use every day or something?