Chapter 19: Falling
Rockwell, Slash, and Leatherhead sat on floor in the dojo, watching as Mikey played with Donnie. Michelangelo was sitting in the tree, a laser pointer in his hand, letting the red dot zoom around the room. The large turtle darted around the room, chasing after the red dot. Donatello growled and wagged his tail in anticipation as he jumped. It was like watching a large cat. Donnie bit at the strange dot and pounced, covering it with his large paws and practically running around in circles.
Mikey was laughing with glee with Karai perched next to him. Leo, Raph and Pete had taken a seat on a lower branch, watching their brother play. Donnie was closer to regaining the control he had lost. His eyes were still red but they were back to the brown flicks. It was slow but Donnie was getting used to everyone again. Donatello pulled out of the circle Mikey was making him do and groaned, collapsing onto the ground.
"I think Donatello has had enough fun for the day," Master Splinter stated, walking over to his son and placing a hand on his head. "What do you think, Donatello? Do you think you'll let Dr. Rockwell take a look at you?"
Donatello blinked open his eyes, gazing up at his father. Master Splinter gasped as the familiar brown eyes gazed back up at him. Donnie nodded slowly before laying his head back on the dojo mats.
"Is Donnie back?" Mikey asked, jumping down from the branches.
Master Splinter nodded. "Yes. Dr. Rockwell, would you like to come take a look at Donatello?"
Rockwell nodded and walked over to where Donatello lay on the ground. The mutant gently ran his hands over Donnie, checking every scratch and scar on his body. "Do you think I can take a blood sample, Donatello?" Donnie opened his eyes slowly and nodded, leaving his head on the mats.
"Mikey must have made him dizzy," Raph said, knelling down by Splinter. "Is he really back?" Donnie grumbled and lifted his head, glaring at Raph. "Man, I'm so glad, Donnie."
"Here you go, Doc," Leo interrupted, handing Rockwell a needle and some sterilizing alcohol. Rockwell nodded, cleaning the area, and taking his sample.
"I'll take this in Donatello's lab and begin to study it," Rockwell stated before leaving the dojo, carefully holding the sample.
"Hopefully he'll be able to find something," Leo said, sitting down by his brothers.
"Everything will be okay," Splinter stated.
Donatello groaned on the floor. Something was wrong. He couldn't figure out what, but something. The thought was hard to grasp and slipped through his fingers. He couldn't even figure out how to tell his family something was wrong. At least he was back under control. He had nearly attacked Leatherhead and Slash a few times before he regained control.
"Hey, D? What's up man?" Donnie looked up. Mikey was kneeling down, smiling down at his brother. Donnie groaned and pulled himself to his feet. He pushed his snout in Mikey's hands, trying to tell his brother something was wrong. "What is it Donnie? Are you hungry? That's what it has to be! Right?" Mikey zoomed off, intending on getting his brother something to eat. Donnie huffed. Mikey hadn't understood. Something was wrong and he couldn't figure it out.
"What's up, Donnie?" Raph asked as Donnie walked into the living room. Slash and Pete were sitting on the couch watching TV with him. The Mutanimals had practically moved into the lair while Rockwell worked. Donnie shook his head as he walked over to the group. Maybe laying down would help with the strange feeling.
Rockwell walked out of Donnie's lab, looking around to see the occupants in the room. They were all in the living room, either watching TV or simply talking. Donatello raised his head at the entrance and put his head back on his hands, not interested in Rockwell.
"Everything alright, Doc?" Slash asked, standing up from his place next to Raphael.
Rockwell slowly shook his head. "I can see the mutation on his already mutated DNA. I do have to say, I'm not sure where to even start."
"Wait," Leo interrupted, standing up. "I think we do have some kind of start. Mikey, do you have that flash drive?"
"The one we told you not to pick up?" Raph angrily grumbled.
"YES!" Mikey jumped to his feet and ran into his room.
"What flash drive?" Karai asked.
Raph rolled his eyes. "When we came to rescue you and Donnie, Stockboy told us to not push a button or take a flash drive. Mikey did both."
"If Mikey hadn't done that, we wouldn't have Donnie back," Leo stated.
"And I wouldn't be free," Karai inputted.
"Here it is!" Mikey ran in, holding a black flash drive in his hand. "Here ya go Doc." Rockwell took the flash drive with a thank you and pulled Donatello's laptop, pulling in the device.
"Should we really trust flyboy?" Raph asked as the group gathered around the laptop.
Karai nodded. "Stockman helped Donnie while we were captured. I'm sure he must have had something on that flash drive that could help."
"Interesting," Rockwell muttered, clicking through the files. "These are notes that Stockman took during Donatello's mutation. I can use this to figure out how to cure him. Hmmmm, there is also a video."
"A video?" Splinter asked, stepping forward to get a better look.
"Well, click it," Leo said. Rockwell nodded and started to play the video. The black screen turned to a view of Stockman's laboratory, looking down with a view of Stockman's table and the vat of mutagen. Stockman buzzed around the desk while Donatello, in his normal form, wrote something down on a piece of paper.
"My son."
He was maskless, bruise, and beaten. They could clearly see the crack in his shell, as his back was turned to the camera. The group watched as the Shredder walked into the room, stalking toward the desk.
"Oh no," Karai breathed, stepping away from the laptop.
"Karai, are you okay?" Leo asked. Karai shook her head and turned away, going over to Donatello and pulling his head in her lap, gently stroking the top of the head.
Before Leo could try to get an answer out of Karai they heard Shredder's voice come through the speaker. "Donatello." The Shredder waved to someone off screen as Rahzar and Tiger Claw rushed Donnie and proceeded to wrap him in chains and hook him onto a large chain suspended from the ceiling. Rahzar nodded to Fishface, who stood by the desk and pressed something that lifted Donnie into the air.
"Ummmmm, I don't think I can do my work from up here." The group jumped at Donnie's voice coming through the speakers. It had been so long since any of them had heard it that they were surprised. It took them a second to realize that Donnie was suspended over the vat of mutagen.
"I'm done waiting. This worked with Stockman to get him to work harder. I'm hoping to see the same results."
"Stockman…. You shouldn't do this! There is no solid evidence that mutagen will give you the desired results! It is highly unpredictable and who knows what will happen if you dump me in there!"
Shredder's laugh ripped through the air as he walked over to the controls. "Then, we will see what happens."
"DON'T DO THIS!"
Shredder pushed down on the red button, a horrifying click, and Donnie was falling. A tight scream was the last sound they heard as Donnie splashed into the vat of mutagen. The group watch horrified as Donnie's body grew, muffled cries escaping as the chains broke and he changed.
After a few minutes, the tank released, letting the large mutated version of Donatello fall to the floor. The large turtle moaned before getting his feet under him. They watched in horror as he roared, attacking the group of mutants, and get herded back into his cage. They watched as he threw himself as the glass, a mindless animal. The video cut to black and stopped, leaving a stunned audience.
They had just witnessed Donatello's final moment, how he cried out for the Shredder to stop. He tried to use reason and had to resort to a helpless beg and it all lead to the same result, him being mutated into this large form.
"I saw it in person." The group turned their eyes to Karai, who was sitting on the floor, hugging onto Donnie's head tightly. The large turtle's eyes were shut, faking sleep, but the shudder in his limbs told how he knew what they were watching. "It was horrible. You couldn't hear everything in the video, like I did that day. His screams, muffled by the mutation as he drowned and changed. The horrible realization that his mind was gone. I lost my hope the moment his body hit that horrible substance. I never want to remember that day. And he's done so much for me and I couldn't help him, I still can't help him. Donatello deserves so much more. We have to find a cure for him."
Author's Note: Well, I was going to wait til I hit 100 reviews before I updated but then I remembered what I told myself when I started. It's not about reviews, it's about the story. Special thanks to Pilyartquitect, Sonic155, BipperCipher3, and Andraia452 for the reviews. You guys are awesome and thanks for sticking by since practically the very beginning!