Renaissance

V

Heph's P.O.V

           I never have slept so soundly in my life. It was bliss, heaven, and I never wanted to get out of bed.  But by 10:30 my lower back began to ache and I peeled myself out of bed. Giotto was nowhere to be seen. Figuring Mikey must have snuck him out, I leave the room as well.

          Raph and Mikey were out on the couch watching the news. It seems some gang called the Purple Dragons were caught yet again last night by some unknown vigilante. I look around for Leo, but he doesn't seem to be here...

          "Good morning, Heph!" My head snaps back to the couch where Mikey has looked up and waved a bit. Taken aback, I wave and utter a delayed 'morning.' Raph partakes in no such niceties and I can't really blame him.

           Eyeing a very comfy Giotto who had snuggled up in Mikey's lap and was currently receiving the belly rubs of a lifetime, I scoff and mumble a word often associated with the chubby Maine Coon. Spoiled.

           Heading into the kitchen, I find the mugs from last night still in the sink. Raph didn't seem to have noticed me and Leo's little four a.m. snack. Today won't be the day that I perish! I peruse the cupboards for a late breakfast. Not coming up with much except for cold pizza and stale Cheerios. Hmm.

           I wonder if I could go up top and get groceries.

           I abandon the idea of scrounging and wander a little bit until I find Donnie's lab. It seems bigger than when I arrived but maybe that's because I was sort of dying. Lights throw purples and pinks onto the floor and walls, adding to the overall mad scientist vibe of his lab. The science majors would go apeshit.

           "Hey, Donnie?" I call out, walking towards what looks like the Mystery Mobile but if it were eaten by a shark, spat out, and a herd of delinquent high school graffiti artists came and expressed their creativity all over it.

           Needless to say, I love it. I am an art major, after all.

           There's a boom box playing the music that must have been playing the other night. It sounds familiar enough. I look at the tape. 'Moving Mountains : ANIMA!' I shrug softly. I've never heard of them but I like the song.

           I call his name again, screeching when he rolls out from under the van on a longboard. He seems to be used to this sort of reaction. He sits up, setting what looks like a blowtorch to the side.

           "What's up?" He looks up at me, wiping his blackened hands on a dirty rag. Which doesn't do much for him.

           "What is this?" I marvel, walking around the van in awe. 

           "It's the Shellraiser," he answers, making me chuckle at the rather appropriate name, "We go out patrolling in it sometimes. It has manhole cover launchers, garbage bombs, um, an AUX cord," he goes on to list some other stuff,  but I'm not listening as I climb into it. The AUX cord is in a pile on the dash, as well as an old pizza box and, unsurprisingly, a sock with pizza stains all over it.

           I take another look around to find that thing that Robbie Rotten has in his secret hideout. The spy thing. I grab the handles and look through it but I'm met with darkness. There's four seats back here, and two up front. It's absolutely amazing! I'm in awe as I look around the dark space, analyzing what little graffiti there is in here. Most of it seems to be Mikey's. Did he paint the outside too?

           "Donnie, did you build this?!" I exclaim, sending him stumbling back as he joins me in the van.

           "Yeah, I–" I don't let him finish.