Family is Forever

Purple Jacket: Part 1

Aria's POV:

April asked Donnie & me to meet her at her school to help her with something. To ensure our secret stays a secret, Donnie's wearing a purple hoodie that's a little bigger than he is to accommodate his shell. Donnie crawls through the vents while I walk into the lab and sit next to April.

April: "Hey, Ari! Where's Donnie?"

I point up to the ceiling right as Donnie crash-lands onto the ground.

April: "Never mind. Thanks for coming, guys."

Donnie: "No probbles. I love this place."

Donnie rises to stand as he takes a deep inhale of the air in the room.

Donnie: "Smells like learning and puberty!"

I laugh as Donnie sits down in a rolling chair.

Donnie: "So, what do you need help with?"

April: "My computer science project. Just need you to check the code to make sure I haven't missed anything."

Me: "No offense, Apes, but that's more Donnie's field of expertise."

April: "Oh, I know. I just heard that you have something to show me."

Right, the video. I sneak it to April from behind my back as Donnie gets to work at April's computer.

Donnie: "You don't know how lucky you are to be in school, April. Surrounded by true intellectuals, scholars after my own heart-"

April bites back her laughter from watching the video to ensure Donnie doesn't know I recorded the performance at Albearto's.

Donnie: "Resplendent in gorgeous purple satin jackets-Wait, what? Purple satin jackets! The shimmering sheen, the exquisite violet hue, the silkiness of the fabric! It has everything I love, and even things I didn't know I loved yet-"

Me: "Donnie, if you drool in here, something's gonna short-circuit."

Donnie: "They must be the kings and queens of high school."

April: "The Purple Dragons tech club? Yeah, if by 'kings and queens', you mean stuck up jerks who think they're smarter than everyone else."

Donnie: "Oh, that's what I was hoping you'd say."

After running something called 'The Nakamura Vault Simulation', the Purple Dragons engage in a secret high-five.

Donnie: "Superior minds, glorious jackets. Ladies, I am joining this club."

April & I: "You're what now?"

Donnie rushes to stand before the Purple Dragons.

Donnie: "Greetings, tech enthusiasts. I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of your club. Wait for it, here he comes, it's me."

Kendra: *to April* "Uh-huh. April, that's your name, right?"

April: "You've known me since kindergarten, Kendra."

Kendra: "Uh-huh, who's this guy and why does he look like mold?"

I growl as I pull out my kunais, but April stops me with a hand in front of mine.

April: "Jeremy, Jason, Kendra, this is my friend-"

Donnie: "Othello von Ryan. Maker, coder, artisan. I am ready to join your esteemed collective and with regard to purple jackets, I am a medium."

Kendra: *to me* "And you are?"

Me: "Aria, his girlfriend."

Kendra: "Well, sorry, von Ryan, but to join this group, you gotta bring something to the table."

At that, Donne pulls out his tech bo, which deploys multiple tools and weapons.

Jeremy: "Wow! It's the granddaddy of all multi-tools!"

Then, Donnie presses a button on his goggles, and two of his battle shells approach us as they float through the air.

Jeremy: "Sweet! So, how do these things communicate? Is it a microwave transceiver?"

Donnie: "With Class C encryption protocols."

Jeremy: "Oh. My. Fave! I know Class C inside and out."

Kendra: "Can the bromance. Von Ryan, you're in."

Kendra tosses a purple jacket for Donnie to wear, and he starts grinning widely.

Donnie: "Be honest, ladies. Do I look fantastic or superbly fantastic?"

April: "You look like you dropped a juice box in the laundry."

Me: "I don't know. 'Superbly fantastic' has a nice ring to it."

I'm happy for Donnie, but something about these guys seems off.

{Time skip}

Later that night, Donnie and I are fast asleep in our room until I see flashes of something vaguely familiar. It seems like a lab, but I don't feel trapped. When something resembling the sound of an explosion goes off in the dream, I jolt up with a gasp. I see Leo in the doorway wearing his pajamas with a mug of hot chocolate when I look up. His previous smirk morphs into a look of concern as he slowly walks toward me.

Leo: "You ok there, sis?"

Me: *clears her throat* "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bad dream. Where's Donnie?"

Leo: "He just ran out of the room acting weird. He was watching this."

Leo hands me Donnie's tablet as a news report shows various technology companies are being robbed by the Purple Dragons...with Donnie's tech!

Me: "I knew it!"

Leo: "Knew what? What's going on?"

Me: "Look, I gotta find Donnie, but I promise we'll be back before sunrise. Later!"

I rush up to something covered in a cloth, my latest invention.

Me: "All right. Let's hope you work this time."

TO BE CONTINUED