punkish furball – Happy New Year, all! XD

Words to Ponder:

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This post is one of many for the beginning of the New Year! I hope you all enjoy it and all the others to come. Also, check out my recently updated TMNT/InuYasha crossover, Just a Little Kiss!

Installment 2: Chemistry

"This is completely hopeless!" Kagome cried as she dropped her head onto her notebook, audibly whining. Sitting beside her, Donatello reached over and put an awkward hand on her shoulder.

"It's not that bad," he tried to reassure her with a smile.

"Yes, it is," she retorted, her voice muffled.

Donatello rolled his eyes and slipped his hand away. He thought tutoring April in trigonometry was tough, but he had no idea what he signed up for when he agreed to help Kagome with her chemistry homework. The only reason he volunteered to tutor her was to get in April's good graces.

'Too bad that ship sailed a long time ago,' he thought, dismayed.

A few weeks ago, around the same time she first met Kagome, April decided she liked human boys more than boy turtles. At least, Casey Jones was an okay guy when he wasn't on a mutant bashing rampage.

"Kagome, get up," Donnie instructed, "This assignment is due tomorrow, and I don't want to be at this all night." He paused and looked at Kagome's uncovered notebook, skimming through her nearly illegible scribbles.

"I don't see what you don't understand. We're only covering basic salt metathesis reactions."

Kagome lifted her head to stare at Donatello blankly. He sighed.

"Double replacement," he clarified.

When she didn't reply again, he continued, "A chemical reaction where two compounds exchange—"

"I get what you're saying!" Kagome interjected, irritated, "You don't have to talk to me like I'm an idiot."

"I'm sorry," Donnie amended, "Just tell me what you don't understand, so I can help you."

Kagome tiredly ran her fingers through her hair.

"I don't know. Everything I guess," she admitted, "I sort of understand the concept, but how do I know which compounds are going to make what and how much of it is going to be made? Especially when there's stuff in the equation that doesn't even react with anything else! Why are they even there?"

"Those are catalysts," Donnie stated and paused before he continued his explanation. Despite her difficulty balancing equations, Kagome was a very smart girl. She was always genuinely interested when he explained his new inventions or latest experiments when everyone else didn't even pretend to listen. She even asked questions and added her input, which occasionally proved to be very insightful.

April wasn't the only reason he agreed to help her; Donatello liked Kagome very much.

'I just need to explain everything in terms she would better understand,' he thought.

"Okay," he began once he devised an idea, "Forget the plus signs, the yield arrows, the charges, the numbers, everything!"

"But, if I do that, what's left?" Kagome asked.

"Two compounds that have no choice but to react whenever they are together," Donatello answered, grinning.

"Then what about the catalysts?"

"Even without a catalyst, they'd still react," he replied, "The reaction will only occur slower. The purpose of the catalyst is to bring them closer together."

"Close enough to speed up the inevitable?" Kagome suggested.

"Exactly," Donatello said. He scooted closer to Kagome and gently placed his hand on top of hers, no longer concerned with the contents of her textbooks.

"The two reactants will come together and make something amazing," he continued, grinning when Kagome's face developed a delightful, rosy hue.

"We are still talking about chemistry, right?" she asked.

Donatello leaned in a little closer and, just before he met Kagome's lips, he uttered, "Definitely."

-O0o0O-

punkish furball – I hope you've enjoyed this latest installment. Donnie needed a little love. Next time, it's all Leo! Until then, TCB! = ^.^ =

(edited 12.31.2013)