The TV in the farmhouse living room plays an episode of Crognard the Barbarian, one that Michelangelo watches with no small amount of adoration. Leonardo, Donatello, Casey, Destiny, and Diaval stand in a staggered group around the coffee table in front of the fireplace. Raphael sits on the couch with April situated behind it.
A breaking news announcement interrupts Crognard while he's mid-sentence, earning the attention of the other teenagers in the room.
"Ever since the invasion that is known as the invasion of New York, humans want to know what is...going on," the usual news anchor announces, his expression dazed and unblinking. "Everything is...fine. No human is allowed in or out of the city until Kraang—" He goes cross-eyed for a second, then coughs and clears his throat. "Uh, the military," he corrects, "allows it. This is Carlos Kraang O'Brien Gambe."
Michelangelo leans closer to the screen as the newscast stops, stroking his chin. "Hmm, did the news guy seem a little Kraangy to you?" he asks.
Raphael smacks him with a comic book. "A little? What, are you on the pepperoni?"
April's nose wrinkles and she leans over the back of the couch, eyebrows knitting together. "The Kraang may have the rest of the world fooled, but not us," she says.
"Step one is storm the castle walls," Leonardo says. He steps aside and nods to Donatello. "Donnie?"
"It's not as heavily armoured as the Shellraiser, but it's more maneuverable, has more weapons, and gets better gas mileage," Donatello explains as he lays out a blueprint on the coffee table.
The others lean in, trying to get a peek at the plans. Casey takes one look at the vehicle designs and grins widely, throwing his arms around Destiny and Donatello's shoulders.
"Then let's stop jabbering and build this sucka!" he says, sticking his thumb up.
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At the close of long, hard hours of work, Donatello stands with his shell turned to their labour of love. He grins at his expectant friends and family. "The new and improved...Party Wagon!" he announces, sweeping aside and pointing at it rapidly.
The group admires their handiwork with "ooo's" and "aah's". The Party Wagon has a fresh coat of paint, new designs painted on the doors and roof, and of course it has a tricked out arsenal that includes a flame-throwing stuffed deer head that pops from the top of the van, stink bombs that can be launched from the tin roof spoiler catapult, and three soda canons on its doors.
"It's so awesome!" Raphael gawks.
"Alright, team. Let's do this!" Leonardo grins, sticking his hand up towards the group. Everyone joins him with a high-five.
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Packing up proves to be a lot more taxing than anyone expected, what with doing final cleanup and bringing what belongings they want to take with them outside and then packing them into the van. Casey hitches the Turtle Racer to the back of the Party Wagon, double-checking that everything loose is tied down. Michelangelo walks outside, placing his cooler down on the ground and flipping it open.
"Come on, Ice Cream Kitty. We're going home," he says.
Ice Cream Kitty meows up at him from her portable home and he pats her creamy head. Nearer to the barn, Donatello kneels next to Dr. Cluckingsworth and rests his elbow on his knee.
YOU ARE READING
Forest Mutation (Book Two)
Fanfiction"In Saskatchewan, when I couldn't fall asleep, I'd watch the moon and think about how across the country and over the border, you were probably out on a rooftop beneath the same moon. You were the first person I enjoyed the moon with. Every other ti...
