Back in the lair, the turtles are feeling the effect of the yellow gunk that Muckman spewed on them: reddened eyes, stuffy noses, you name it. Destiny tends to them as best she can while under the angered gaze of Master Splinter, focused on giving them blankets, tissues, and whatever else they need. Diaval hands out tea while April hands out soup. Grody to the Max is playing on the TV again, every eye watching it anxiously.
"They saw something, but they don't know what," Michelangelo murmurs.
"And that 'something' seemed to be four human-sized mutant turtles," Joan exclaims from the screen.
Leonardo sneezes as Destiny places a warm towel over his neck. April shies away from Splinter's low growl before handing the rat a bowl of soup.
"At least she doesn't know they're ninjas," she says with a twinge of hope in her voice.
"And they appeared to be carrying ninja weapons!" Joan continues.
April gets a stupefied look on her face. "Or that they're named after artists?"
"Furthermore, they may also be named after famous Renaissance artists, one rumour reports!"
Splinter's growl becomes almost feral and April smacks her forehead. "Okay, well they don't know about Destiny," she says, looking proud of herself.
"With a werewolf partner by their side that looks like she's straight out of the Twilight Saga—"
"Oh, doesn't she ever shut up?" April snaps as she shuts off the TV.
"Twilight Saga?! Werewolf?!" Destiny shrieks, her eyes blazing as she leaps to her feet. Her claws appear, her tail fur raised and her ears perked, her fangs bared in a snarl. "I oughta—"
She falls silent with a squeak as Splinter pressure points her, pushing her down into the spot beside Leonardo. She twitches, one eye screwed shut, her limbs frozen in place. Splinter releases her without relinquishing his glare from his sons. Destiny stops twitching, but remains twisted with discomfort.
"How could you all be so careless?! Secrecy is the most important rule of the ninja, and you have broken it," he scolds, his voice sharp and stern like a knife. His frown deepens and he momentarily switches his gaze to Destiny. "You five are forbidden from leaving the lair."
"What? You can't hold that sloppy escape against us," Raphael argues. "We got slimed with toxic puke!"
"Silence!"
Every teenager flinches and Diaval even lifts his hands up to shield his face and curls into a protective ball.
"But...Sensei, if that pile of muck took us down, you know he's dangerous," Donatello says softly. He turns his head to cough a little into his arm.
"Which means we need to be out there looking for him," Leonardo adds.
"No!" Splinter slams his staff into the ground, earning another round of winces. "Until I decide I can trust you to watch yourselves, you will remain here. Grounded!"
He turns and strides away. The turtles and Destiny groan heavily and slump over. Diaval slowly unfurls himself and looks at everyone.
"Am...I grounded?" he whispers.
"I doubt it," Destiny mumbles, massaging her shoulder as she frowns deeply.
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...
