Same As It Never Was (TMNT 2012 Short Story)

Chapter 2: The Loss of Destiny

"So, where are all the people?" Donatello asks as they run through the hidden passages of the city.

"The ones who survived? They're working twenty-four hour days in Shredder's labour camps," Michelangelo answers coldly. "Don't ask any more questions until we get there."

Mikey leads Donnie to a hidden spot, where there's a comfortable looking home. There's a bed or two, a fire pit, and even a few broken pieces of furniture. Mikey moves inside, his lips remaining pressed in a hard line.

"Hey Des. Look what the cat dragged in," he calls.

Donnie's eyes adjust to the gloom of the place, finally able to see the shape of a familiar wolf-girl on one of the beds, staring at a picture frame in her hands. She looks up at the two turtles, her green eyes growing misty.

"Donnie?" she asks.

Donnie nods and moves forwards. "Yeah, it's me. It's me."

She gets up and dashes over to him, engulfing him in a tight hug. His stomach twists when he notices that something is missing from her too, just like Mikey's arm. He looks to the bed as he returns the hug, noticing that she was looking at a picture of her and Leo, making goofy faces at the camera together.

"Destiny...what happened?" he asks softly.

She pulls away from him, her eyes wet with tears. He notices now that she has more scars on her face, smaller and less noticeable, but still there. Her arms and legs bear the same scars as Mikey, and her tail fur has dulled. Where her wings once were are only two bandaged stumps, and one of her wolf ears has a jagged tear in it.

"You've missed a lot, Donnie. Call yourself one of the lucky ones," she whispers, her ears drooping.

"Your...your wings, how did this happen?"

She looks at Mikey, who sniffs indignantly and turns away, heading off to another spot in the small hideout. She lets out a heavy sigh, turning away from Donnie as she runs a hand up her arm.

"You have questions...I can understand that. You've missed all the really terrible stuff," she says lowly.

"Yeah, I have a lot of questions," Donnie responds, his tone hiding an air of panic. "Please Des, tell me everything."

She looks up at him, sad green eyes meeting brown. She nods once and gestures to one of the seats, which he takes gratefully. She sits down next to him, managing a weak smile.

"So? What do you want to know?"

"Where's Sarina?" he asks immediately.

Destiny's eyes cloud a little as she gets a sympathetic look on her face. "That's the one thing I thought you would remember, Don..."

Instantly, his heart freezes and his mind snaps to the worst possibilities. "W-Why?"

"She was the reason you left in the first place. Don't you remember? The Kraang? Her emotions? Her memories?"

He shakes his head furiously. "No, I don't remember. Stop being vague and just tell me straight; Where is my girlfriend?"

"Last time I saw her was when she led the Kraang to our lair and turned us over to the Shredder," the wolf-woman says bitterly.

"Sarina...betrayed you?"

She sighs. "It wasn't her anymore. After the Kraang wiped her memories and she went back to being Subject 60184...well..."

Donnie feels as though his world is collapsing all over again, and he sinks even farther into his chair as he places his hands on his head. His girlfriend, his wonderfully smart and beautiful girlfriend...gone? Destiny reaches over and places a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"Donnie, you tried everything to help her. She almost killed you before we managed to get you back to the lair...but you didn't stick around for very long after that. You got out before it went completely bad." Her voice breaks and she looks away, her eyes tearful again. "I can understand why you would leave, but I highly doubt that the guys can."

"What about them? Destiny...I'm begging you, tell me everything that happened after I left." He grasps her hands and stares deep into her heartbroken eyes.

Her bottom lip trembles and she looks away. "After you left, Sarina...or General Subject, as she's known now, led the enemy to our home. We just managed to escape, but only...only after..." She bites her lip as her voice grows thick. When she speaks again, she's changed the subject, "Annalise was captured after we got out, and Mikey went out on a rescue mission to save her on his own, without anyone knowing. He came back with her, but his arm was gone and she wasn't alive anymore. He wasn't the same after that, and he still hasn't recovered."

"Annalise...is dead?"

"Someone like Mikey doesn't stop smiling for just anything, Donnie."

"They...they would kill someone-"

"That innocent?" Mikey's voice interrupts from behind.

Donnie turns around, seeing his little brother leaning against the doorway. The orange-masked turtle doesn't remove his steely look from his face.

"Yeah, they killed her. They killed her right in front of me. I followed the creeps to the Shredder's base, I crept in, and she was within my grasp. I was going to save her, but Shredder came. He sliced off my arm, and then he sliced her apart, just as she was screaming out my name in fear. There I was, bleeding and heartbroken, my brothers unaware that I left, and I just saw the love of my life die. I just managed to get her body and take her home," he speaks, his voice deep and cold. He tilts his head a little as his sneer grows deeper. "Tell me, Donatello, how am I supposed to laugh and smile after something like that happened?"

Stuck in a state of shock, Donnie doesn't respond. Destiny lowers her head, her shoulders slumped. Mikey turns away from the two and looks towards the door.

"Destiny, I think it's time we took Don to see Master Splinter," he says coldly. "Let's move."

Destiny stands immediately, nodding. She grabs Donnie's hand and pulls him to his feet, forcing the purple-masked terrapin to follow in their footsteps.

"Are Leo and Raph with him?" he asks hopefully.

Mikey lets out a harsh laugh, nothing like the cheery noises he used to make. "Leo and Raph aren't with anyone nowadays."

The orange-masked turtle disappears outside, Destiny leading Donnie after him.