Digital Mutation (Book Five)

Chapter 19: Into the Cyberverse

Art credit to AngelRaiRay

When Annalise sets foot in the lair, the first thing she notices is a tall man in a cloak. He sits in the living room, tenderly holding a mug in both hands. Destiny sits next to him, chatting about something that requires her to wave her hands around, and gathering on the steps outside the laboratory are the rest of the turtles, Sarina, April, Casey, and Splinter.

Judging by the rather relaxed way that Destiny is talking, the newcomer has been here for a while. Annalise eyes the back of his head, unsure of what to do, and he goes even more still than he already was. He slowly turns around, taking in the girl, and she feels the back of her neck prickle.

"Oh, Annalise, you're here," Destiny says, waving at them. She gestures to Diaval, who's still staring at Annalise with the curiosity of a child. "Annalise, this is Diaval. Diaval, Mikey's...friend, Annalise."

"Mhm, nice t'meet you," Diaval mumbles.

He waves, but forgets about his mug in the process and lets out a tiny yelp as he tries to snatch it back before too much spills on him. He stares at the fresh stain on his red shirt, exhaling through his nostrils as he slowly closes his eyes. Truly, she thinks, a mood.

Annalise decides that she likes him.

Destiny's expression tells her that Diaval spilling things isn't abnormal. Destiny is already taking back the mug, smiling and saying something teasing in nature, and Diaval's blank expression is just a little softer as he looks at her.

"I'll clean this up," Destiny says, standing up. She motions to both the humans. "Everyone's waiting. Don and Sarina wanted to be theatrical, and...yeah, I'll catch up."

She trots off to the kitchen and Annalise looks over at the lab again, only then noticing that Michelangelo has already joined them. Instead of wandering away, she shuffles closer to Diaval as he tries to wring out the stain on his shirt. The process reveals his pale stomach, flat without much ab definition at all, and Annalise frowns at the sight of scars dotting it.

He looks up at her as she stops at the edge of the living room pit, dropping his shirt and letting out another grunt of greeting. He stops to scratch his ear, disturbing some silver earrings dangling in it before he draws himself to his full height, making Annalise feel like a dwarf. She's only 5'4", meaning he's got something like eight or nine inches on her.

He lingers at her side, blank, pink-eyed stare on her, and she dons a wobbly smile. His snaggletooth twitches, as if he tried to smile back and just couldn't, and he straightens up enough that his ponytail slips off his shoulder. He gestures for her to walk before going himself, feet dragging on the floor with every stride. She follows, taking two steps for every one of his.

Master Splinter looks to them as they join the group, bowing his head, and Diaval mumbles a gruff, scratchy "hello". Annalise smiles a little at Splinter, a surge of awkwardness rolling over her. Has she ever actually talked to Splinter? She tries to remember and nothing comes up.

Her entire face flushes red and she has to stop herself from crumpling into a ball. How rude, she scolds herself. She's been hanging out with his kids and yet she can't spend a little extra time saying hi or something?

"Annalise, you look ill," Splinter murmurs, sweeping closer to her and curving his head down closer to her level. She makes a noise of something akin to a "meep" and he arches his bushy eyebrows. "Are you alright?"

She nods a little too fast. "Uh, I...yeah! I mean, I..." She makes another defeated squeak.

Diaval eyes her, forehead creasing, and she feels the back of her neck prickle yet again. She reaches to scratch it, shoulders shuddering, and Diaval's lip quirks at the side as his narrowed gaze lands on Splinter.