Thank you all so much for your feedback. I really liked seeing all your views. Hope you like the new chapter.
(Donnie's POV)
"Is Leo gonna be alright?" Mikey asks, still freaking out. I was looking Leo over to make sure nothing was amiss.
"You guys are so lucky you didn't kill him. But, yes. I think Leo will be fine." I explain.
I was still mad at all of them.
Leo could've easily died with the mutagen fusing through his epidermis and all that free flowing, unregulated electricity that electrocuted him from my now broken computer, also could've killed him all too easily.
Thankfully, Leo was lucky. I was fascinated by the fact that his body was also totally fine. I was expecting an external deformity somewhere, but nothing.
Then started groaning and his eyes slowly started to open. "Ugh, what happened?" He groans out and tries to sit up. "You're lucky to be alive, that's what happened." I say, still not believing that Leo actually survived what he went through.
"Huh?" He says and I could tell his mental processes were still groggy. I mimic what he did to me earlier and wave my hand in front of my face. He mimicked the action and it was like a spark went off and his eyes went wide as his mouth opened slightly as he stared at his hand in total disbelief.
After Leo settled into the gravity of the situation, I did a minor physical examination over him just to make sure he was okay to get up and move. I tested his reflexes and took his heart rate. Everything seemed homeostasis. Raph and Mikey had long since left.
"It was a total accident Donnie. I was trying to get Raph to get away from it. I would've never gone anywhere near the vial without your permission." Leo says, apologizing.
"It's fine Leo. I know you wouldn't. I'm just glad and totally mind blown right now to see you're still alive to be honest." I say, still surprised. He lets out a short laugh, "Same here."
"Donnie, how painful was it for you?" He asks out of curiosity. "Pretty bad. But from my stand point, the result more than makes up for the pain. Why? What about you?" I ask, interested. "To be honest, it was probably the most painful thing I have ever felt in my life. It's like how I pictured being lit on fire would feel like and then combine that with someone slowly peeling off your skin." He explains, the experience still fresh in his memory.
After that I got up and put my hand on his shoulder. "Just glad to see you okay Leo." I say, expressing great relief.
"Thanks Donnie." He says back.
(Leo's POV)
After Donnie was done checking me over to make sure I was okay, I went to my room and caught sight of something out of the corner of my eye.
I looked and froze where I stood. In the mirror was this person, me.
My skin was extremely light. But, not too light. I was just very fair in complexion. Which is strange considering I had a darker skin pigmentation than all my brothers before this.
Well, that's been reversed.
Contrasting my skin was this short, thick jet black hair that lay straight on my head. I ran my hand through it out of impulse.
Also, my body type was still the same but I felt like I was an inch taller or something. Then again, maybe I'm not. If Donnie were here and I was slightly taller, he'd probably attribute my slight growth as a side effect. But I'm not going to complain about being slightly taller.
I would've probably looked at myself longer if my head wasn't throbbing and my body wasn't in a current state of total fatigue. I made my way to my bed and quickly felt myself succumb to sleep as my head sunk into my pillow.
I was still surprised by how calmly sensei was taking the fact that Donnie and I just spontaneously changed species. But, he just went away and then brought me clothes.
He told me he would see if he could find a way to tailor a uniform for me from something he had. I hope it looks like Donnie's. Donnie in Splinter's old uniform looked very professional and dignified. Donnie looked like a ninja. A real ninja. Not that we weren't before, we just weren't the conventional kind
As training went on, I saw what Donnie meant by having 10 digits made everything way easier. It was true. I was even able to hold my katana more securely in my grasp now that I notice. Also my arm movements seemed to be a lot more fluid and swift without any obstruction on my torso.
I felt light, more balanced overall as training went on. But I guess that's what happens when your anterior and posterior portions of your shell sever themselves from your body.
Today was just a lot of getting used to stuff.
I actually spared with Donnie today and it was weird because for some reason Master Splinter usually has me paired with Raph or Mikey but I like sparring with Donnie. But as we started facing off, I finally realized why we usually never are opponents.
Donnie and I are both 'by the book' more often than not in our tactics and it's not really a huge challenge to either of us because of it. And while Raph and Mikey may not be completely unorthodox in their fighting style, they tend to veer off the norm in tactics more than Donnie and I usually do.
However, Donnie is very fast. I mean, the rest of us aren't slow. But, everything with Donnie's attack style is quick. His movements are very fluid and swift, but bo wielders like Donnie tend to be that way.
We kept going until we were dismissed from our training for today.
April came over after school and she gave me a weird look until we explained what happened. But that was nothing compared to when Mona showed up.
"Hey guys, what's…" But she stopped dead in her tracks as her eyes and face reflected a pensive state as her right pointer finger directed itself back and forth between me and Donnie, for obvious reasons.
"Let me guess, you want to know what happened?" April asks her semi-knowingly. Mona shook her head slightly. "No, no I see what happened. I see who it happened to. What I want to know is the when, where, why, and how of what happened." Mona explains, almost as if she was reading off a questionnaire.
Then we had to explain what happened again for the umpteenth time today and then Mona just kind of shrugged like this wasn't shocking anymore. Not that I blame her for brushing it off.
Compared to all the other insane stuff that happens to us. This is relatively tame.
April went home but Mona was still here and she was done studying for the night and was sitting with Raph reading comics with him. I had no idea where Mikey was and Donnie was most likely in his lab and it was about almost 8 PM.
Wait, the season premiere of Space Heroes is on tonight. I went to turn on the TV.
"What are you watching Leo?" I hear Mona ask me. "Space Heroes is on soon." I reply. I heard her slap the comic book to the ground and I glanced back at her.
"No way. You like Space Heroes too?" She says, like someone just handed her a million dollars. I was shocked too. "You like Space Heroes?" I say surprised.
"Um, yeah. Who care's if people think it's nerdy. It has science fiction and action. My two favorite things." She explains. "Test me. I'm a fan." She challenges.
"Episode 34, Captain Ryan and his crew found what in the Nebulian galaxy?" I ask. She grins knowingly. "An interdimensional portal that led to an alternate, negative universe and made Captain Ryan face off against his evil carbon copy." She answers. She's good.
"What's Captain Ryan's full name?" I ask. "Child's play. His full name is Jonathan Titus Ryan." She says crossing her arms confidently at me. Again, she's good. But let's see how good she really is.
"Where was he born?" I ask, digging deep in my mind for facts. "On the galactic space station on Mars and raised in a small farming town in Missouri." She says
"Catchphrase?" I say simply. "Gentleman, I have a bold and daring plan," She starts and I join in and say the rest with her, "There's no time for hesitation. My orders must be carried out without question." It was quiet as Mona grinned victoriously at me.
"Impressive." I say, very, well impressed. "Same to you. Now scoot buddy." She says and sits with me on the floor as the opening credits began.
But then I wasn't even watching as something happened that I thought would never happen in a million years.
Raph walked over, silently, and sat next Mona as we watched Space Heroes and he stayed the whole 30 minutes. Wow. Not to assume anything, but Raph must be way beyond just crushing on Mona at this point.
If he was willing to watch an entire episode of Space Heroes, when he would always say he'd rather scratch his eye out with a fork than watch it, then he must really be either bordering on or being completely in love with her.
If he was willing to do this with her because it made her happy, then my guess is that he would most likely do anything for her.
But I also found myself having a special bond with her. Mona's even more like a sister to me than April, but I would never tell April that.
It's not that I don't like April, I do actually, it's just the fact that Mona likes Space Heroes and that gives her infinite points in my book.
As I went back up to my room, I saw that glinting steel on my wall that always makes me frustrated and desperate at the same time.
I know it seems like I don't think about her anymore, but that is an absolute lie. I think about her day and night. During the day she's in my thoughts and during the night, she's everywhere in my dreams or sometimes even nightmare type situations...
I'm past hope of getting over her. I probably will never get over her. I used to try and deny it or play down my feelings for her.
But the truth… the frustrating, painful, and sad truth is that I'm desperately and hopelessly in love her. I don't know why? I'm crazy to feel that way about her.
She's a Foot Clan kunoichi, and she's sly, she's unpredictable… and cunning, and fascinating, and beautiful.
I'm starting to wonder if it was worth it to become human now that I'm here? I'm a fool. I have no idea if her opinion of me would change just because I'm human now. Probably not.
But, I can't pass any assumption on Karai. She's a dark horse. I never have any idea what she's thinking ever. Yet, that aspect of her draws me in like a magnet. I throw myself on my bed and put my arms behind my head. I stare at the ceiling before I let out a sigh.
I'm hopeless.
I was sitting in the main room and it was getting around the time that Mona or April usually showed up.
Out of nowhere Mona walked in, grabbed a chair and placed it in an open space on the floor. We all looked at her confused. She had a comb and a bottle of something. We were all just looking at her, wondering what she could possibly be doing.
Then she looked right at me and then motioned to the chair, determined.
"Leo, sit." She said. "Why?" I ask, really confused.
"Your hair, it's been bothering me since last night." She says, still determined and slightly annoyed. My hand immediately goes to my hair. "Why? What's wrong with it?" I ask, still really confused.
"It's flat, it's boring, and it makes me sad to look at." She says to the point.
I heard Mikey next to me choking back his laughs. I glared at him a little.
"Okay?" I say confused, still. She rolls her eyes and just says, "Trust me, I know what I'm doing. Just sit and you can thank me later." I got up hesitantly as I walked over and sat in the chair.
Then she just paced around me, looking at me in deep thought. Then she stopped and got a slight smile on her face.
"Just stay right where you are." She informs me and took the comb and the bottle which I now saw was... hair gel? Is she serious? But, whatever. Who knows? She's a girl and probably knows more about this stuff than I do. Besides, Mona's cool and I trust her judgment.
I felt her running the comb through my hair and using her fingers and the comb to help shape it as I felt the gel reaching my scalp. I really hope this ends up working because if I look stupid then I'm the butt of my brothers' jokes for the rest of today.
"Almost... Got it." She says and then she steps in front of me and grins. "Leo, I think we found your look." She says proudly at what she did. I was still totally confused.
But, before I could react, April walked in and froze. Mona looked at her.
"What do you think of my handiwork? Leo's look, right?" Mona asks, still really proud. April smiles in approval and says, "Definitely. Clean, yet interesting." They just saw me looking confused and Mona half laughed.
"You can look Leo." She says and I get up and hesitantly walk over to the reservoir.
Please, don't look stupid, please don't look stupid.
Then I stopped as I saw my reflection in the water. Not to be full of myself, but... I look good. Mona saw me grinning at myself and said knowingly, "Told you, you could trust me." I let a laugh before admitting, "I know, I know. Thanks Mona." "Anytime." She replies casually with a friendly grin.
"Still, nice job Mona." April says, still impressed. "Thanks. I decided to do my own variation of the Ivy League, but give a little more of an... edge. Luckily Leo's hair was just barely long enough to give it that edge. It goes with his bone structure pretty well, personally." She says and her and April continue talking and I was still staring at myself.
Then I got up and I said, "Guess Donnie's up next?" Donnie stood up slowly before Mona said, "No Donnie, you're fine." I looked at her entirely confused. "How is this fair? You said mine was boring, but you say Donnie's is fine as is?" I say, still kind of confused and put out by her logic. "Sorry Leo, just one of those things in life that's unfair. Besides, need I remind you that I just made your hair less boring." She says with her usual knowing grin.
Okay, now I definitely know why her and Raph have a lot in common.
Also, she was right, she did help me and I'm glad she did in some weird way.
(3 days later)
Master Splinter brought me into his quarters to show me something.
Right when I walked in, I couldn't believe it. It was an actual ninja vestment. It was perfect and it fit.
Splinter is seriously incredible for being able to have the skill to make something like this for me. He even resized an old pair of tabi boots that he found for me.
As I looked at myself in my new attire, I saw mine looked slightly different from Donnie's when he first got his.
My arms had no sleeve of anykind, but I prefered it. I hate having my arms covered and I always feel that material on my arms prevents me from using my weapon to my full advantage.
Donnie also saw that and he even removed the sleeves from his uniform himself. I think it's because of the fact that we got so used to not wearing almost anything for a little over 15 years that we find it weird and uncomfortable to just start wearing them now.
I was still looking at myself in the mirror. Studying myself as this newly formed warrior.
"Leonardo, these are for you and your brother." He says and hands me these two sashes to go around our midsections for support and two new masks. They were in sets. One set was blue and one set was a dark purple. "Thank you." I say and bow my head.
He smiled before handing them to me and saying, "You're welcome, my son. Good luck." With that I walked out and gave Donnie his sash and mask as I put my own in place. Once everything and everyone was all set, we set out on patrol.
We headed to our usual starting point, Anderson Apartments.
I looked at my brothers and said, "Okay guys, split up and regroup back here in 2 hours…" I continued to explain details of what we had to look out for tonight.
({No POV})
Unknowingly to the guys, they were being watched all the while by a figure in the distance...
Karai.
Her mask was in place as she observed the scene with interest and narrowed her eyes at what was currently in her line of sight for verification. Then her focus slowly and steadily focused on Leo.
She was observing him with a certain intensity as she watched him talking to his brothers. Her expression was unreadable due to her facial armor masking a good portion of her face.
However, her right eyebrow quirked up slightly at her point of focus as she observed the scene.
What's going through Karai's mind? Well, I'm sure Leo would like to the answer to that question about anything she was thinking of. Also, I hope you liked the friendship I forged between Leo and Mona over Space Heroes and her trying to be helpful by giving him a little 'sisterly' advice about his appearance. Haha. Also, if you picked up on the slight Star Trek allusions that I placed in that part, kudos!
Have a good one,
Dexter1995