Remember [Book 1]

25 - Donatello

Personally I didn't understand where everyone's attitude was coming from. Splinter was right, though. I only thought of the girls as friends. Very helpful friends, but friends. Leo and Raph could go head to head as far as I was concerned. Mikey seemed to daze off as well when talking about the girls. It was confusing, honestly.

We were allowed to leave the meeting. It felt off to leave the girls behind but we needed it nonetheless. Splinter heard us complain, and heard my brother's opinions on the girls. It honestly made me wonder about their opinions. The girls toward us, I mean. Did they like us? Mikito was kinda cute. Funny and sweet. But I think Mikey may defend against her. Huh... Mikey on the territorial side. That would be interesting to watch.

And then there was Naomi. She was starting to warm up to us. She was still hard to read though. I personally believed that she saw me as a friend as well. Not that I was complaining. We made a great team in the lab. Which reminded me... She gave me some ideas recently. Although Naomi didn't have the ability to explain it in detail like I did, I understood most of it.

Now back in my lab, I was decoding some Kraang information from Spy Roach's data before he was fried. Or rather, drilled. That's how Raph put it. I shook my head as I flew through file after file. Eventually, one phrase caught my attention: "Subspacial endoparticle disruptor".

I knew that couldn't be good. So I set to work on translating what the Kraang had in store for the weapon. I hoped I wasn't too late. It was the night after this all went down that I decided to see it. Of course it would be!

As the data was translating from Kraang nonsense to English, or something close enough to what I understood, I left the lab. In the direction of the rooms I heard a deep bass. Guess the stereo was going to work fine as a room warming gift. Good! I didn't want it to go to waste. It was the spare I made for Mikey in case his current one broke somehow.

Sitting on the couch was Leo. He had his head in his hands. Worried, I came up to my brother. "Leo?" I asked.

His attention drifted up to me. I noticed his shoulders relax more as he realised who it was. "Hey, Don."

"What's up?" I questioned him. "Is Sensei getting to you again?"

"No," Leo sighed. Then my second guess was the girls. "It's the girls." Bingo. I loved it when I was right. "Do you think they can actually tear the team apart?"

"Yes, actually," I answered truthfully. He looked at me shocked. Taking a seat beside him, I explained. "We're teenagers, Leo. And when--"

"Please don't..." He interrupted me. I looked at him with a blank expression. "Don't... Don't do that talk."

"I wasn't planning to," I frowned. He nodded, letting me go on. "And when teenage girls come around it's sometimes difficult to think clearly. For Mikey, it's helped him think a but more clearly. He's matured a little."

"But Raph--"

"And you," I finished it for Leo. He gave me a disappointed look. "It's true! You've been acting privileged, more confident. Almost like you're marking your own territory. Seriously... You two have got to stop."

Leo stared at me in shock. He looked down and sighed heavily. "You're right... as usual..."

"Ease up on us, Raph, and Naomi," I advised. Although he may not take it, I stood up. "Fighting over somthing like this won't solve anything."

Nodding his head, my brother looked at me. "Thanks, D. I needed to hear that."

"It's what I'm here for," I smiled. Standing up, I stretched, "Now, I have something translating in the lab for a Kraang weapon that's being transported."

"When?" Leo stood up after me. "Where's it going?"

Looking at him, I smiled internally. That's the Leo I knew. Eager for our next mission. "That's what I'm translating now."

Leading Leo into the lab, I went back to the computer system. It was mostly done translating. In the meantime, I checked over the security cameras throughout the lair and beyond. Nothing. A silent sewer was a good sewer. Partially quiet sewer, at least. the bass from the girl's room has gotten louder. Hopefully Splinter would put a stop to it.

Sure enough it did stop. Finally.

"Did you give the girls a stereo as a gift for their finished room?" Leo asked me. I nodded. "Why?"

Turning in my chair, I faced Leo. "Well, you know how I've been watching Naomi and Mikito's phone screens?" It was Leo's turn to nod. "Naomi's been downloading music. Just listening to it, saving it, and continuing on. I thought she would enjoy the bigger sound."

"She likes music?" Leo asked. Again I nodded. He gave a curious smile. "She really is just something else." And the topic of three minutes ago just flew out the window.

Answering him in an exhausted sigh, I turned my chair back to the screen. Yes! The translation was done. I felt Leo's presence beside me as I opened the files to read them. Mostly I scanned. Only over the words "Kraang" and repeated nonsense. Basically Kraang talk.

"All right," I finally spoke up. "It says..." I paused as I scanned over it again to simplify it. "That the subspacial endoparticle disruptor will be transported from the Kraang warehouse on Houston to TCRI tomorrow night around midnight."

"It's always midnight, isn't it?" Leo sighed. "But we'll be there. Whatever the weapon is, it isn't good in the Kraang's possession."

I nodded in agreement. The subspacial endoparticle disruptor could only mean chaos and implosions everywhere. Basically a miniature black hole that sucked in what it touched before disappearing.

It got me thinking about black holes suddenly. They weren't black. They were invisible. Then why the term "black"? Why not death holes or something? That sounded like something Mikey would say. I realized Leo was talking to me. With a casual expression, I zoned back in.

It was too late, though. Leo was already walking out of the lab with a determined face. I sighed and looked back at the notes that I just received. Guess tomorrow night would be a hassle.