Real

220 16 29
                                    


Click.

Swish.

Click.

Donatello adjusts the screen before stepping back, squinting at the camera before he nods in silent confirmation. He walks towards the camera and leans the top of his body out of sight for a moment before returning with a remote control.

As if addressing a crowd of people, he waves a hand with a proud flourish. "First test of Project Roboturtle, Donatello patent pending. The first mutant built turtledrone, reverse engineered from a Kraang droid and additional human technology. Purpose? Ninja stand-in. Safety measures. Will be assigned to the dangerous elements of a mission to keep teammates out of harms way."

He turns from the camera and presses a button. "Alright. Controls are linked up with the Kraang processor and should-"

Something explodes off-screen and he flinches, staring at it for a moment before he glances towards the camera. He straightens knowingly. "Okay, that was... Unexpected... But it was only the first test, so clearly some more work needs to be done. I'm sure-"

Click.

Swish.

Click.

"Test eight of Project Roboturtle." Donatello informs the camera as he turns away, a small yellow robot now visible, staring blankly back at the computer. "I am reasonably certain that nothing will explode... This time."

The audio barely catches the following whisper. "Please don't explode..."

He cringes in preparation and presses a button. The hexagon on its head slowly glows a ring of purple, faint blue eyes flickering on. He fiddles with the controls as the robot raises and lowers its arms. His demeanor goes from guarded to hopeful. "So far so good."

The robot stops moving its arms and remains immobile. Donatello messes with the controls a few more times before he walks over to kneel beside the machine. He opens the back of its head and completes a task, closing it after a few minutes and standing back up. "Okay. Now... Walk."

The robot takes a step forward as he presses the small lever and he instantly brightens. "Good, good..." The robot continues to take slow, clunky steps and the turtle throws both hands in the air. "It walks! I did it! Ha! I did-!"

Click.

Scroll.

Swish.

Click.

"Test 14 of Project Roboturtle." Donatello doesn't bother to face the camera as he approaches the bot, its illuminated eyes pointed towards him. "Moving on to weaponry for defensive and offensive capabilities. There's not much a point to a ninja bot if it can't fight, huh, bud?"

He pats the bot's shoulder affectionately before seeming to examine it. Finally standing up, he places some space between them and turns the bot away from him. Pressing a few buttons, he announces, "First up... Flamethrower."

The bot's hand shoots off its arm and it circles around the room as Donnie steps back in shock, shrieking "THAT WAS NOT THE FLAMETHROWER!" as he dives out of the way of the metal fist. Something clatters thunderously in the background before Donnie gets to his feet and runs off-screen.

"AHH- WAIT- NO- DON'T-!"

Click.

Scroll.

Swish.

Click.

"The introduction of Roboturtle-" Sitting in a chair and facing the bot standing in front of him, the scientist pauses a moment, "Metalhead. The introduction of Metalhead to my brothers did not go as expected. Even after I displayed his capabilities to shatter their doubts, they did not seem nearly as impressed as originally expected."

RealWhere stories live. Discover now