Posting two days in a row? I wasn't expecting this either, really.
But how else can I respond to guest reviews, right?
DEAR GUEST- I don't think I'm Donnie biased. I love him too, I just can almost never write him very well. I've written in past authors notes about how sorry I am to have butchered his character ;-; However, I wrote this chapter for you. Donnie-centric. Scouts honor. (I have never been a scout for anything, so does scouts honor still apply? idk) I hope you like this chapter, for some reason I thought of Donnie as British for the last part.
STORY TIME with Donnie
20 Illustration- Donnie has to be able to draw, in order to get his blueprints to look just the way he wants them to turn out.
Donnie picks up the pencil.
The blank paper on the floor in front of him stares back, blankly.
Donnie glares. His adversary is a difficult one; he doesn't know where to begin.
He knows he has to learn. This is the only way.
Splinter tried teaching his son before, but the soft, wavy lines are not what five-year-old Donnie wants.
He doesn't need to draw mountain views; Leo's got that down to a science, anyway.
Donnie lowers the pencil onto the page, and draws.
It's not what he wants.
He balls up the paper and throws it into the ever-growing pile behind him.
...
Mikey tries showing his brother how to do it.
Donnie decides it was a nice try, but it's not the style he's going for.
He's eight now, and Mikey's taken to comics. Leo can draw full-scale scenery settings using just a brush, and his youngest brother can draw people and animals who have purpose.
Mikey tells him to just go with the flow, but Donnie doesn't think so. It has to be perfect. Exact.
He picks up the pencil.
Using the small lamp on the side table, Donnie can see what he's doing on the page.
His arm slips, taking the pencil with it.
He sighs, and throws the paper in the trash on his way to bed.
...
Donnie blows out his candle. It's their birthday, or as Mikey calls it, mutation day.
They're twelve now, and Splinter beams at them when they smile at the real cake he has made for them. It tastes great, even though they didn't have everything they needed to finish it correctly.
Leo opens his present first. It's a flute made of wood; Donnie knows he'll have it mastered in less than a year.
Raph got his present a month ago, at his request. It was a pet turtle he'd found in the sewers, and Splinter let him keep it as a birthday gift.
Mikey, impatient as ever, opens his present next. It's a skateboard, barely used. Donnie inwardly winces at the future injuries this will bring.
Expectant eyes are on him now, as Splinter pushes a thin package his way.
Donnie opens it carefully; removing the tape to peel away the wrapping paper.
His eyes widen slightly.
It's a sketchbook.
Donnie's head snaps up to his father's, who nods. "Yes, it is yours."
Donnie runs forward, unable to contain himself. "Thank you, so much."
Splinter hugs him back, glad he was able to find the gift in the first place. "Happy birthday, my son."
As Don pulls away, Mikey hands him a pencil. "Maybe now you'll show us what you work on so much, right?"
Donnie takes the pencil and nods slightly. "Maybe."
Later, Donnie opens the sketchbook at his desk.
He picks up the pencil.
The lines are smooth- much smoother than in years past.
But it isn't what he wants.
Donnie closes the book with a sigh, and goes to bed.
...
Donnie is surprised when Raph offers to show him how he draws.
It's rare- Raph opening up to anyone these days.
He's changed, that's for sure. Donnie can't say that it's for the better.
It's almost as if turning fourteen changed him.
Nevertheless, Don is glad when Raph offers.
Now, however, he is slightly confused. Raph's taken him down to some part of the sewer that isn't all that familiar.
Suddenly, they stop.
"We're here," Raph announces.
"Where's the..." Donnie trails off when Raph points to a hole in the wall.
Donnie sticks his head in, and gasps.
Colors line the wall in front of them, empty spray paint cans littering the floor.
"You... did all this?" He asks.
Raph nods. "I wanted ta show you, before we go up top next year."
"Why me?" He can't help the question.
"Well," Raph digs his toe into the gravel below them. "You never laughed at me. I knew you'd appreciate it the way I do."
Donnie nods, and hugs his brother. Raph hesitantly hugs back. "Thank you."
"I know you're always working on... whatever it is you work on, and wanted to show you to draw what you want."
Donnie smiles.
Later that night, he picks up the pencil.
He's gotten better, he can tell. His sketches are nearly full-scale by now, and he can draw anything from looking at it a few times.
Satisfied, Donnie closes his notebook, and turns out the lamp by his lab table.
...
Don grins to himself. His newest invention is a perfect success.
It flies, dives, and records all at the push of a button. They're going to need this for surveillance in upcoming missions.
He goes up top to test how far it will go.
...
Mikey poked his head out from behind the corner. "Eagle one is in position, I repeat, Eagle one is- Ow!"
"I'm right behind you Mike, now shut up, will you? If Leo catches us, we're in trouble for sure!"
"Fine, fine! You don't gotta hit me!"
"That was for fun."
"Hmpf."
The two turtles crept past the dojo, making it to Donnie's lab.
"Where's the sketchbook?"
"Which one? He's got a few, y'know."
"Found one."
Raph opened it to the first page.
"Ah, nevermind."
Mikey cocked his head. "What is it? Lemme see."
Raph shook his head, thumbing through the papers. "It's just some blueprints he's printed out or something."
"All of it?"
"Yeah, all of it. Keep looking."
Leo glanced around as he stepped out of the dojo. Everything was as he'd left it, except for Don's door.
Donnie never left a door open, especially his lab door.
"Interesting," Leo hummed to himself. He made his way across the kitchen.
Raph and Mikey stopped what they were doing the second they heard the cough at the door.
They both turned to find Leo standing in the doorway, arms crossed and foot tapping.
"So," He started. "What's up?"
Raph rolled his eyes. "We're just tryna' find some of Don's drawings. So far it's just stuff from his computer he's probably printed out."
"Stuff?"
Raph sniffed. "Yeah, buildings and blueprints and maps stuff."
Mikey nodded. "Are you gonna rat us out?"
Leo stepped in all the way and shook his head. "No."
Raph smiled sideways. "You wanna see his drawings, too, don't you?"
Leo shrugged with a small smile. "He have you checked the cabinets?"
...
Donnie returned half an hour later, triumphant. The machine worked just as he'd predicted.
His upbeat step slowed as he neared his lab. Door, open. Not right.
He sneaked forward, listening for any sort of noise from the inside.
"-just don't see how we can't find any. He's always drawing," Raph was saying.
Donnie knew what they were looking for immediately.
"You know," He started, stepping into his lab, "You could've just asked."
All three turtles froze and sheepishly turned to the doorway.
Leo stepped forward first. "Hey, Don. We, uh, didn't think you'd be back so soon."
Don raised an eye ridge. "Mhmm."
He stepped in to find a few of his drawings already laid out on his lab table and desk.
"Oh. You guys already found them." He ran a finger along the side of his latest work.
"What? You printed those off from your computer." Mikey's words were rushed.
Donnie was confused. "Mike, we don't have a printer."
Three sets of eyes widened. "What?" They spoke in unison.
Donnie bowed his head, still looking up. "I drew these."
"What?"
"Well, what do you think I've been doing with all these notebooks? I've been practicing."
"Wow."
Mikey whistled.
"We thought these things were digital or somethin'"
Donnie nodded. "Yeah, well." He stared at the floor.
"Can we see you do it?"
Donnie looked up, surprised at Leo's request. "Uh, I mean, sure. If you want."
"Mhmm."
"Yeah."
Leo nodded.
"Okay, then."
Donnie sits down at his desk, his brothers all around him.
He picks up the pencil, and draws.