Don's dream
Don's Dream
Disclaimer: No – I don't own the turtles – I am purely borrowing Mirage studio's characters for the pure enjoyment of writing about my favourite cartoon heroes. I do not plan to make a buck out of any of my stories – I just want to share my love for the characters with others. Though I do get a buzz out of reviews – especially when complete strangers get my warped humour – so review all you want my dear friends – and don't forget to enjoy!
Poor Donetello was stuck in bed, with a broken leg after falling the wrong way in a fight a few nights earlier. This was the first day he had been awake for most of the time and was fully aware of his new situation. As a sinecurist he had come to a hypothesis and decided to stay in bed for a few more days for it was more comfortable in this bed then to live on the couch.
It also gave him the opportunity to not be interrupted as so often happens in the Turtle household when you're on the couch. The living room was the central part of the home and the most lived in space. This was where the huge entertainment system Don had built himself lived – complete with DVD and surround sound features, which were the newest instalments.
It was also the place where all the brotherly fights took place. Sometimes it was over the entertainment system – such as someone wanted desperately to watch a special on TV, when the others wanted to just watch a DVD. Or the constant bagging of Mike's poor taste in music which usually consistence of some young pop person who couldn't sing a single note – let alone a whole album. Most of these ended up broken from being thrown across the room – in hope that it was like a record and would break just like that.
Other times it was the typical diss your brother fight – you know the kind – I'm a better ninja than you or next time you spill when going to the toilet – clean up your mess. Or I want pickles on my pizza and everyone else screws up their face at such a discussing suggestion argument.
That was the typical day in the Turtle household – and Don just wanted some piece and quiet after the full on events of the last week.
It had been a busy week tracking down the Shredder and his goons and finally the big show down the other night, which had caused Don to be in the state he was in now.
Mind you it wasn't all bad for Don – for once in his life he wasn't being ordered to come fix something which had been broken immediately. Obviously Splinter had given the other three a lecture about giving Don Time to rest his leg so his leg could get better quickly.
Don had soon noticed the change in tides – instead of him serving his brothers – they were serving him. Mike had come in yesterday and offered Don his Game boy so Don would have something to do – only Mike had come back ten minutes later asking Don if he'd gotten to the higher level for him so he could go bag to Raph that he was now on the highest level. He was offcourse planning to not mention it was Don who had got him there.
Or when Leo had come in and offered to read to him, but when Don realised that the book was in fact not one that wasn't for reading aloud – he soon told Leo he was tired and wanted to just rest.
Really the biggest lesson Don had learnt the last few days was about Raphael. Raph had brought in his portable radio and had even asked Don what station was he interested in and had actually tuned it up for him. So Don was able to listen to the science reports on physics and the latest on the Genome project without the bad reception.
Raph had also snuck in for Don the latest science monthly along with a couple of recently published science books that you could only buy in a specialty shop. Don didn't even know that Raph or his other brothers knew of such a shop – let alone where to get to one.
Raph just said he'd done a Google search and hoped that these books were of interest to Don.
Raph was also the one who brought in Don's meals and even offered to help him to the bathroom if need be. Now this was a side of Raph no one got to see.
Mind you, deep down Don had always thought there was a Raph which rarely showed up in the lair. Raph really was a caring person – only he choose to only demonstrate this when it was absolutely necessary.
Don was happily listening to the science talk back, when there was a knock on the door. Usually this could only mean one person – and that was the one person who had always cared for the turtles in their hour of need.
"Come in, Sensei." Don called, turning off the radio.
"I hope I am not interrupting what you were doing," Splinter looked at the radio.
"No, it's alright – just some stupid human talking about how it's impossible to mutate a human with a creature and that new species be able to function like a human," Don stated, which he and Splinter both knew was a load of rubbish.
"I thought I'd tell you about where I took my morning stroll this morning. I believe it is a place you too would enjoy. I was walking down past the University and thought of you, when I found this book. Which someone had thrown into the pond? I fished it out, for if the previous owner no longer wanted it, I knew of one young turtle that would."
Splinter produced a Scientific Engineering for the first year of collage and presented it to his son.
"Thought you said you found it in the pond? How come it's not wet?" Don asked taking his present.
"I managed to dry it on a heating system that you had installed many years ago." Splinter humbly replied.
"Thank you Sensei, I really appreciate such a gift," Don opened up the book and marvelled at the writing that made sense to his keen mind.
"You are welcome my son. I thought it would keep your mind in peek performance during your time of physical rest. It is an area that sadly I can no longer keep up with, for your knowledge on all things scientific out shines the rest of the family and I want to help you realise how much I value your keen mind Donetello. I know I have trained you all to be masters of ninjitsu, though you my son have also mastered the art of science. Not many have such a sharp mind as yours my son. I want to assist you to cherish it, even though it is beyond my understandings of such matters."
"You'd be surprised Master Splinter how much my scientific mind gets used in this sewer on a daily basis. I mean there's always something that needs fixing or a new invention that could just make our lives just that easier," Don smiled at his father. He understood that Splinter would never understand what he knew about fixing a toaster or building the turtle van from scratch, but he did not look up to Splinter any differently than the others. He was after all the one who had raised them by himself in a world that would surely have killed them by now if he had not been around.
"Now, I think your brother has something he wants to apparently cheer you up with – his words not mine," Splinter walked to the door to open it to the orange masked brother who was standing on one leg, juggling Raphael's sais and balancing one of Leo's blades on his nose(blunt side mind you).
"Michelangelo – do your brother know that you have borrowed their weapons?" Splinter asked.
"Um no, see Raph's in the shower and Leo's meditating – so I couldn't kind of ask them, I just borrowed them. Besides when I tell them it was for Donnie then they'd be cool with it," Mikey continued the balance while throwing the Sais in the air.
"Why you little....."
Mike quickly ran off, with the Sais and sword falling to the ground with a thud. Don witnessed as a Red masked turtle grabbed his priced possessions and gave chase to the youngest brother.
"Do you want this kind of entertainment or shall I close the door behind me?" Splinter asked his son, as he picked up the sword in order to return it to the rightful owner.
Don was laughing as he saw Mike duck from Raph's high kick, "Na, I'll watch Mike get his butt kicked – now that's entertainment."
Splinter walked off towards the dojo, narrowly being knocked over by his youngest sons, "Sorry Sensei" came the two voices as they ran into his path.
Mike ran into Don's room and slammed the door.
"OPEN THE DOOR!" Raph yelled.
"Don wants some piece and quiet – now go away," Mikey called back.
"Like he's gona get that with you in there." Raphael raged.
"Hey Donnie, how's it hanging?" Mikey asked, ignoring Raph's pounding on the door and running to jump on his big brother's bed.
"Yow.....Mikeeeeyyyyy!" Don yelped as Mike knocked his foot.
"Right – now you're definitely in for it!" Raph barged in and saw Don's pan and grabbed Mike before he could move and dragged him out the room.
"You don't hurt Donnie," Raph said, as he slammed the door behind him and Mike's struggled to get free could be heard, followed by Leonardo yelling at them to grow up and act their age.
Later that night as everyone came into the kitchen for dinner, Splinter asked Raphael to take Don's in for him.
"Sure, can I stand and keep him company while he eats?" Raph asked, he wanted a reason to avoid watching Mike's bad table manners when it came to spaghetti.
"Indeed my son, you are most thoughtful of your brother's needs and I feel that you are indeed have Donetello best interests at heart. Off you go." Splinter said.
"Not fair. I wana eat with Don!" Mikey cried.
"You will eat your dinner in here," Splinter was not impressed with Mike, after he had knocked over Splinter's best tea pot and the handle was now broken. Without Don up and about to fix it, he was now reduced to use his second favourite tea pot.
"Hey Don, here's your dinner. I managed to get extra cheese for you, just as you like it." Raph settled the tray on his brother's lap.
Don tossed the science book down and was glad it was Raph who had come to join him. Raph was the only brother who even though he didn't understand half the scientific jargon, he still listened without interrupting to judge (like Leo) or ask a pointless question (like Mike).
"What you reading about?" Raph asked. As he tucked into his spaghetti.
"It' simply fascinating........" and Don went on about the chapter he had just read.
"You know, it's a shame you can't go to University yourself. I bet you're ten times smarter than half the people in that course." Raph stated at the end of Don's recount.
Don sighed as though Raph had mentioned something that grieved him.
"You know if Splinter had been like a normal parent – he would have loved me to go to university. But somehow, I know he could never encourage me, for who'd ever heard of a mutant turtle getting a PhD?"
"You ever asked Splinter about it?" Raphael questioned.
"God no! He would never allow it. Then Leo would deem me a traitor to all we have been taught." Don shocks his head.
"Stuff Leo and Splinter – I think you should. I mean can't you do stuff by correspondence? No one would ever know that you're a turtle." Raph stated, he too was like Don, wishing he had been given a normal life, where he could live out his dreams.
It hurt Raph to think that Don with such a brain as his be neglected simply because of what he looked like. Weren't most geeks weird looking anyways? He'd seem the scientist in movies and how weird they looked – why was Don any different.
"You don't know how much I've thought about it, bro. But really I couldn't go against Splinter like that – not for something so big. And what happens when I do get my degree and I have to turn up to the graduation – it's not like we could all rock up and mingle with the other students and their families."
"Can't you just make up an excuse when it comes to that time – like you've got small pox's or something like that," Raph suggested.
The more Raph encouraged, the more Don knew that it would only been Raph who would accept him if he did go through with it. He had dreamed ever since he was 8 that he wanted to go to University one day. But he knew that Splinter would never allow it and if he did – he'd put himself and his family in jeopardy.
"Raph I can't. The complications weight out the possibility so much. I am happy to read and study on my own terms here in the lair with whatever material I can get my hands on."
"But Don, I think you deserve to be happy for having such intelligence. Why don't I go talk to Splinter for you? I'll do it, I really will – for you I'd do it. I don't have to say anything about this conversation. I could just go up and ask him what he thinks about it and try and talk him in to it?"
"Thanks Raph – I know you mean well, but I can't have you do that for me." Don said, as he put his hand on Raph's arm.
"But Don - you are wasting your God given gift down here!" Raph replied.
"But that's my choice Raph." Don defended.
"Okay, but I still think it sucks."
"I know, thanks for understanding Raph. You're a true friend."
"Okay, cut the mushy stuff or I'll throw the rest of this pasta on your head!" Raphael threatened.
A few days later Splinter came to speak to Don – who was now out on the couch watching a documentary on space exploration.
"My son, I am pleased to see you up and around the lair again."
"Well, I couldn't trust Mike to carry the old TV into my room without dropping it, so I had to move out here to watch this. This is fascinating Sensei, to think of how much we have learned in the last 60 years." Don replied to his Sensei.
"Donetello, may I speak to you? I think it is important that we have this chat." Splinter sat in his chair and faced Don.
"Um sure," Don turned off the television. He was wondering what Splinter was looking so concerned for.
"How did you find that book I gave you the other day?"
"It was absolutely wonderful. Thank you again Sensei, I really appreciate your gift," Don smiled at his father. "Wish he'd just get to the point!"
"I feel that I have failed you my son....." Splinter began.
"What, how? No seriously Sensei you haven't!" Don didn't know what was going on – but he felt guilty that his beloved Master was feeling this way towards his second eldest.
"Yes my son, I see now that I have taken for granted what you really are, Donetello. I have been self fish and been thinking of what I want for you and not thinking about what it is that you desire in your life. You have only just begun your life, whereas I have lived mine already."
"I'm sorry Sensei; I do not know what you mean?" Don was confused, what was this old rat on about. Had someone slipped the wrong thing in his tea this morning?
"Your scientific mind can not be much use to just four turtles and a rat in a sewer, but indeed it should be shared with the rest of the world. That is why your brother approached me and lead me to see where I was going wrong," Splinter continued.
"Raph!" Don muted.
"Do not blame him, my son. Blame me for I was the self fish one who was merely trying to protect you and your brothers from the world above. I now know that it is time for me to put more faith into my sons who have now reached the age of maturity. I wish to begin this new era by giving you my blessing to full fill your dream of going to University. How could any parent not be proud of such a son who wishes to go to university and do great things for all of man kind?"
"But Splinter – what about all of what you have taught us? About being a ninja in the shadows."
Splinter chuckled, "What better shadow than to be in full view. For no one would suspect a science student as a keen ninja student who defends the city by night. No, I feel this will be a real growing period for you my son, and I would be more than happy to help you in getting together any books and materials that you may require."
"So your letting me go to University and study a PhD in anything I choose?"
"Yes, though I do not think you would study a PhD on Britney Spears or something ridiculous like that. I know you much better than that – Donetello –you may study whatever course takes your fancy. Your brothers and I will stand by you all the way."
"Do they know about this?"
"No yet. Only Raphael knows he has spoken to me, but he does not know my decision."
"Oh Splinter, thank you, you don't know how much this means to me!" Don hobbled over to the old rat's chair and hugged the dear old rat.
"Hey what's going on?" Leo asked, "Something wrong?"
"What is this – hug an old rat convention or something?" Mikey chuckled, only to be slapped on the head by Raphael.
"Perhaps you are the one to tell them, for I can tell you are about to burst if you don't say it," Splinter said.
Don stood on one leg, smiling from ear to ear at his three brothers, and "I'm going to University!"
The end – well for this story anyways.....