Okay my dear readers, I know this has been a long time coming but I present to you the first oneshot for my 'What Happened Next' series from 'The Choice'. Just to let people know this will be a series of oneshots and not necessarily in any kind of order. So I hope you enjoy, and again apologies for such a long wait.
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'Muscle Memory'
To say the past 3 weeks had been easy would have been a total lie. It had been hard, far too hard to be honest, not that Donnie would openingly admit to it. After Splinter had agreed that Donatello had sufficiently healed physically, he was allowed to return to training. However, the moment his first session began it became clear to the teen that something was very wrong.
They were practicing katas, that Donnie could do in his sleep but a month ago he had been still trying to perfect it. He had wondered after his ordeal if his 'life dream' (as he had come to refer to it) would have a knock on effect.
As each day passed and each session progressed over the weeks, Donnie was starting to suspect that a knock on effect had indeed happened. He was bored. He knew the new moves that Master Splinter had begun to teach them and he knew them well.
To save face for his brothers he didn't let on and held back the knowledge that he knew. That was a challenge in itself. Being deliberately inept with certain moves, (which was normal in the eyes of his brothers), was sudden so unnatural to him.
He wanted to be normal but as fate would have it he knew he would never be 'normal' again. As if he didn't have enough challenges in his life already, now he had this knowledge 'time shift' to contend with amongst other things.
As Splinter dismissed them for another day Donatello released an internal sigh of relief. He turned to follow his brothers out.
"Donatello, a moment please."
A flush of nerves pulsed through him and he turned around. "I have a lot to catch up on sensei."
Splinter nodded. "I appreciate that my son but I must speak with you now," the tone was firm and it wasn't open to negotiation.
"Hai sensei," Donnie answered obediently.
Much to the youth's surprise Splinter led him through the dojo into his private quarters. He was motioned to kneel and without question he did so. Splinter did likewise and Donnie shifted anxiously. What was this all leading to?
"I have been watching you closely these past weeks Donatello and I believe you are not performing to your full potential."
"I-I'm not sure what you're saying sensei," he answered unconvincingly.
"I believe that you are deliberately making mistakes. Why? Why would you do this?"
"Just a little rusty I guess," Donnie uttered with a sheepish grin.
Master Splinter sighed deeply through his nose and the teen immediately dropped his head. "Why do you continue to lie to me my son?"
He should've known Splinter would have sensed it sooner or later. It was inevitable really. "I'm sorry sensei," he murmured looking down at his scarring hands. "I never meant to deceive you. I just want to be normal again," he sighed.
Splinter canted his head slightly. "What do you mean by 'to be normal again', Donatello?"
Donnie crunched his hands into fists. He had to tell him. It had been too long already. He shut his eyes and summoned his voice. "Master Splinter, I do not feel the way as I did before I had my 'life dream'."
"In what way my son?"
Donnie squeezed his eyes tighter. For a moment he held his breath and then his features relaxed and he let it out long and slow. "I don't feel like a teenager any more. I-I feel like that forty year old man who just blew up that hated warehouse."
Splinter's features creased sympathetically. "And you have told no one else of this I take it?"
Donnie shook his head. "No. I-I thought it would wear off, so I didn't say anything."
For a moment there was silence and Donnie stared at the floor whilst he waited for Splinter's words of wisdom.
"Keeping such secrets can take a heavy toll on your spirit my son."
Ah, there they were, those words. Splinter always did seem to have an answer to everything even if the situation felt hopeless at the time.
"Then what do I do sensei?" he all but whispered.
"Embrace it," he said simply. "Do not see it as a curse my son but a blessing. You have gained knowledge that many others would take a lifetime to learn. You must share it and use it to help and teach others if need be."
"But what about the others? I mean, what will my brothers think if I suddenly excel past them? I mean, especially Leo, he is your best student and in the space of a few minutes I already know so, so much more than him. I mean how would that make him feel? No, I, can't tell them. I can't."
Splinter sighed, almost sadly. "As you wish my son but they are your brothers, I believe they would understand."
"I can hardly understand it," Donnie muttered, rubbing his brow. "How could they even begin to?"
"Try them," Splinter said with a smile.
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Donatello was still uneasy at the thought of confessing such things to his brothers. He felt out of tune with them already. The jargon he used to use with them had all but vanished from his vocabulary. It was a bit of a scary thing that the words 'dude', 'bro' and even 'awesome', amongst other things, had vanished from his everyday conversation.
He hadn't even confided in April and he didn't know why.
Donnie sat at his workbench and stared at the plans of his next invention. To the others it was just another gadget to help them in their missions but from Donnie's view point it was a lot more sophisticated that his usual work. He had gained knowledge not only in ninjutsu but in sciences, mathematics, things that had advanced his natural talent before his 'life dream'. He had looked at the Shellraiser, the Stealth Bike and the Turtle Sub and knew he could drastically improve them all.
Donnie sighed and laid the schematic down, staring into the middle distance. If he had retained future knowledge for his inventions which he had already started to put into practice, surely it would be the same in his ninjutsu skills. Well, there was only one way to find out. Perform those katas to the best of his ability and see if it was actually true.
Making up his mind Donatello nodded to himself. Come morning he was going to see how much of that physical 'knowledge' he had retained.
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It was early, a time when not even Master Splinter had risen. Donnie stood in the middle of the silent dojo. He took a deep breath and bowed his head. It was now or never, the moment of truth. He gave his adolescent limbs a loosening shake and began.
He started with the katas they had been practicing over recent weeks and as he suspected he executed each move perfectly. Damn. Donnie then recalled some more advanced moves he had learnt when he was eighteen in his Life Dream. Unnervingly he could perform them perfectly too. Okay. Okay don't panic. He upped the moves to his mid twenties, his thirties and then started to panic.
Donnie stopped and looked down at his now quivering hands. This, this wasn't possible was it? He balled his fists. What? What did he do now? A sudden thought came to him and he raced to the weapons wall and pulled out a spare staff.
Once again Donnie recalled what he had learned in his Life Dream picking out different years and more complex moves. It was only when he hit the mid twenties that he suddenly started having some difficulties. Ah, good. Maybe he simply didn't have the same upper body strength that he had acquired as an adult. That would make sense. Good. Well, at least now didn't feel quite so bad.
Donnie looked back at the weapons rack and tilted his head. "I wonder?" he mused under his breath.
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An hour passed and Donatello was unaware of the audience that had silently gathered as he practiced with his brothers' spare weapons. The hardest he had to admit were Mikey's. The spinning action appealed to him but with a nunchuck in each hand he had to admire the concentration and coordination that one needed to use them effectively. It was good feeling knowing that he still had skills that he could learn and strive to perfect.
"Dude! Where did you learn to do that?!"
Donnie immediately fumbled the weapon, catching one of his wrists as the nunchuck smacked to a stop against it. "Ah!" he dropped them both and his sights snapped up to see his three brothers staring at him with wide eyed shock. He nervously clutched his wrist and gave a nervous half laugh. "Heh,er, hey guys. How, er, how long have you been there?"
Raphael folded his arms across his plastron. "Long enough," he rumbled.
"How long have you known that you could do all that Donnie?" Leo uttered uncertainly.
"Well, actually this is the first time I've physically tried to remember what I had learned in my Life Dream."
"Seriously?" Raphael genuinely sounded taken aback, which was somewhat of a surprise. "Ya look like you've been doing that for years, up until you wrapped Mikey's nunchaku round your arm."
"Well, you took me by surprise," Donnie stated matter-of-factly.
"Bro, you totally have to show me how to do that move you were doing just now!" Mikey gushed racing up to him and bouncing on his heels like an excited toddler.
Donnie blinked in surprise, "Well I-"
"I don't know if that's such a great idea Mikey," Leo suddenly cut in, being the responsible one.
"No," a familiar resonant voice continued and everyone's eyes fell upon Splinter. "I think it is really good idea."
"Sensei?" Leo uttered confusedly.
"I believe you could all benefit from learning from your brother's experiences. To ignore such knowledge would be a waste indeed."
Mikey immediately pumped a fist in the air. "Oh yeah! Donnie bro, you totally have to show us your moves!"
To say that Donatello was taken aback would have been an understatement. He was to coin the term 'shell shocked' at his father's proposal in front of his brothers.
"Sensei, I-I don't think I can-," he uttered.
Splinter rested his hand on his shoulder. "From all that you have told me, and from what I have witnessed so far this morning am in no doubt that you can. Share your knowledge my son," he whispered so only Donnie could hear. "That's what a good teacher does."
Donnie's eyes widened at he stared up at Splinter. Did he seriously just say that? "Sensei, I am not you," he whispered back.
"No," the large rat smiled benignly. "You, are you. Just remember that and you will be fine."
Donnie nodded slowly, swallowing down the nervous lump in his throat. He turned to his brothers who were all staring at him expectantly. "Well, is there anything I can show you guys?"
"The nunchucks! I totally wanna learn that last sweet move you were doing!" Mikey yelped.
Donnie nodded. "Okay. Anyone else?"
Raphael smirked. "I wanna go one on one with ya, see how well you can use those new skills against me."
Donnie felt a sudden pang of pride in his chest and he returned the grin. "Well, how can I turn down that challenge? You've got it Raph."
Donnie's eyes drifted across to Leonardo who seemed reluctant to say anything at all.
"Leo?" he prompted.
Leonardo looked away and Donnie felt that rising doubt that he'd experienced the day before of unintentionally 'upstaging' his eldest brother. The tension twisted in his breast and the uncertainty tweaked at his features.
At Leo's prolonged silence his other two brothers saw fit to encourage their leader to say something.
"C'mon Leo!" Mikey cried eagerly, clearly keen at learning what his eldest brother wanted to know.
"What is it? Ain't got a clue chief?" Raph quipped.
Leo frowned across at the comment but finally looked back up and waved Donnie over. Curious, Donatello came closer as his oldest brother whispered conspiratorially in his ear.
Donnie took a step back, eye ridges raised in bewilderment at the request. "Really?" he found himself saying.
"Yeah," Leo responded quietly.
Donnie glanced at the floor, taken aback and finally raised his sights to Leo again. "Of course, I can tell you everything I know," he said quietly. "If you find helpful."
"I will," Leo murmured back.
"Okay then, I'll fill you in after we've finished in here?"
"Sounds good."
Raphael and Mikey gave them both blank looks.
"What the heck did you just ask for Leo?"
Donnie watched as Leo gave Raphael an extremely smooth look. "Intel Raph, intel."
"Intel?" Raph and Mikey echoed together. They then looked across at Donnie.
Feeling a burgeoning sense of confidence, Donnie smiled and simply said, "know thy enemy."
It had been a difficult few weeks but now Donnie had to agree that sharing skills and knowledge like Splinter said was a good thing. Keeping things to himself was very slowly starting to eat him up inside but now, he felt the weight that he had carried was lifted. Sharing the wealth of his experiences was definitely going to help him sleep better at night.
The End