Buildings of dark chrome and sleek, gunmetal walls as far as the eye can see. The Metal Sector is a brilliant, shining place during the day, and when night begins to settle, the hard shimmer that echoes throughout the Sector fades. Splashes of color reflect across the windows - red, orange, purple, painting the starkly utilitarian Metal with the sky's sleepy colors.
It is alive, and cold, and bright and overwhelming. Leonardo had only just gotten used to it when he'd returned to Water for a time several days ago, and now that he's back, he fiercely misses his murmuring canals and soft kedan bustle all over again.
The first morning he wakes up able to see straight again, he spends a few minutes beneath his lantern, watching the soft glow flicker within its paper walls. Then - before his brother can find him and forcibly strap him to his bed - he slings his swords over his shell, ties his mask on, and pulls a spare, oversized jacket from the closet that fits awkwardly around his shell. His hand smoothing over the golden dragon embroidered across the front, he turns and leaves to shake the cobwebs out of his brain.
The morning colors of Metal are similar to night's - so for now, he can handle them. He'll be home within the hour.
Leonardo has walked the roads in Water many, many times, but this is his first seeing Metal from this perspective. The roads are as populated as Water's on a busy day, which isn't saying much, but it's more than he's used to - he tries to stick to the back roads, weaving between busy pedestrians, but still he finds himself bumping shoulders with irritated kedan that hiss at him before scurrying along.
Somehow, that reminds him more of New York than Water ever did.
It takes the edge off of the discomfort. Leo walks for a good half hour, mapping out the Sector from the ground in his mind, but the sun is getting higher and he thinks it's about time to head back. Yet just as he turns westward towards his suite, a loud crash and rolling metal startles him into looking into a back alley just to his left.
There's an old kedan man half-bent against the wall, an overturned garbage bin and a pile of trash at his feet. Grumbling under his breath, he grapples a burst-open trash bag with shaky hands; a sharp breath escapes him when he only succeeds in causing more garbage to tumble onto the ground.
It's almost frightening, how easily Leo's feet carry him towards this complete stranger - as if tugging at his heartstrings is enough to convince him to approach these days. He tries not to think about it; no one in the world would leave a feeble elder to struggle if they actually had the option otherwise, right? Of course not.
"Hey," he calls softly as he approaches. He throws a look over his shoulder to the streets, then goes closer, gently putting his hands on the old man and helping him stand straight. "You all right?"
Yes, yes, fine, the man says, his head shaking in embarrassment. Not as young as he used to be. Leo listens with concern, eyes darting away and back as he struggles to make a decision. Eventually, his empathy overrides that nineteen-year programming; he gently takes the elderly kedan's shoulders and guides him back into the building, where the warm scent of food swallows them whole.
"Looks like you could use a break," he suggests softly.
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It is alive, and cold, and bright and overwhelming. Leonardo had only just gotten used to it when he'd returned to Water for a time several days ago, and now that he's back, he fiercely misses his murmuring canals and soft kedan bustle all over again.
The first morning he wakes up able to see straight again, he spends a few minutes beneath his lantern, watching the soft glow flicker within its paper walls. Then - before his brother can find him and forcibly strap him to his bed - he slings his swords over his shell, ties his mask on, and pulls a spare, oversized jacket from the closet that fits awkwardly around his shell. His hand smoothing over the golden dragon embroidered across the front, he turns and leaves to shake the cobwebs out of his brain.
The morning colors of Metal are similar to night's - so for now, he can handle them. He'll be home within the hour.
Leonardo has walked the roads in Water many, many times, but this is his first seeing Metal from this perspective. The roads are as populated as Water's on a busy day, which isn't saying much, but it's more than he's used to - he tries to stick to the back roads, weaving between busy pedestrians, but still he finds himself bumping shoulders with irritated kedan that hiss at him before scurrying along.
Somehow, that reminds him more of New York than Water ever did.
It takes the edge off of the discomfort. Leo walks for a good half hour, mapping out the Sector from the ground in his mind, but the sun is getting higher and he thinks it's about time to head back. Yet just as he turns westward towards his suite, a loud crash and rolling metal startles him into looking into a back alley just to his left.
There's an old kedan man half-bent against the wall, an overturned garbage bin and a pile of trash at his feet. Grumbling under his breath, he grapples a burst-open trash bag with shaky hands; a sharp breath escapes him when he only succeeds in causing more garbage to tumble onto the ground.
It's almost frightening, how easily Leo's feet carry him towards this complete stranger - as if tugging at his heartstrings is enough to convince him to approach these days. He tries not to think about it; no one in the world would leave a feeble elder to struggle if they actually had the option otherwise, right? Of course not.
"Hey," he calls softly as he approaches. He throws a look over his shoulder to the streets, then goes closer, gently putting his hands on the old man and helping him stand straight. "You all right?"
Yes, yes, fine, the man says, his head shaking in embarrassment. Not as young as he used to be. Leo listens with concern, eyes darting away and back as he struggles to make a decision. Eventually, his empathy overrides that nineteen-year programming; he gently takes the elderly kedan's shoulders and guides him back into the building, where the warm scent of food swallows them whole.
"Looks like you could use a break," he suggests softly.