It's another relatively quiet evening in Manhattan, New York City. The occasional caw of a crow or the buzz of an insect is heard, the only things alive beneath the light of dirty street lamps. Five shapes race past a sleeping hobo, who snorts as he's roused from his slumber. He looks around blearily, belches, then mumbles something incoherent and drifts back to sleep.
Leonardo is the first to reach the edge of the building, his chest lifting and falling rapidly with his breaths as he scans the horizon. His three brothers and Destiny arrive shortly after him in similar degrees of exhaustion.
"Good work, guys," Leonardo says, turning to his team. "Another successful scope of TCRI, no sign of increased Kraang activity, we're in the clear. One less thing to worry about." He checks the time. "And it's only 9:16. We made good time."
"Thank shell," Raphael mutters, stretching his arms skyward as he cracks his neck. "I am ready for a long nap."
"Same, but I'm also ready for pizza," Michelangelo says. He laughs and hooks his hands behind his head.
Silence. Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo turn to their remaining teammates, as if waiting for them to drop their own two cents into the pot. Donatello is staring up at the sky, arms crossed over his chest, eyes slightly narrowed and his lips pursed. Destiny's lips move to herself and she taps her finger lightly against the hilt of her uchigatana, bobbing just enough to show that she's far more interested in the music playing in her head than the conversation happening in the real world. Her gaze is misty and far away.
"Earth to Donnie and Destiny!" Leonardo calls, snapping his fingers. Both teens startle and blink a few times, looking to their leader as he arches an eye-ridge. "Are you two alright?"
"Peachy," Donatello mutters.
"I'm fine," Destiny says with little bounce to her tone.
She wanders past the turtles and hops into the alleyway, swiftly disappearing back into the sewers. Donatello is quick to follow her. The remaining brothers glance at one another and let out similar sighs in synchronization.
"I hate when they're upset and I can't do anything," Michelangelo admits.
"Keep your chin up, little brother," Raphael says with a gentle pat to Michelangelo's shell. "They won't be mopey forever."
Leonardo purses his lips. "I hope you're right, Raph."
They head for the sewers without another word.
----------
The teenagers enter the lair in relatively high spirits, each one ready to kick back and relax. Michelangelo makes a beeline for the TV while Raphael snatches up his comic book from the living room bench and flops onto the nearest beanbag chair. Donatello storms off to his lab, still not uttering a single word to any of his family members.
Destiny's gaze flicks over every living thing in the lair, a slight spark in her eye, but then it snuffs out as her face falls. Leonardo wanders over to her side and reaches out to gently brush her elbow, just enough of a touch to warn her of his presence.
"Now...I get why Donnie's upset," he says as she glances at him. "But, uh...what about you? The usual?"
She shrugs, raking her fingers through her windswept curls and pushing them from her face. "I keep thinking that he'll be here, then I remember. Donnie's mood doesn't help." She smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes and she doesn't show her teeth. "I...also haven't been sleeping well," she admits, rubbing the back of her neck.
He looks at the lab doors and all he can think of is his brother sitting in his desk chair, hunched over with his head slumped onto the nearest surface, his brilliant hands idle and his heart still beating through the pain.
YOU ARE READING
Emotionless Mutation (Book Three)
Fanfiction"However, you say I am human in a sense, that my body is simply fused with the robot that I have been raised to believe I am. Could you teach me...emotion?" The Kraang tried to take over the city of New York twice, and only once did they succeed. Th...
