How To Be Yourself When You're Not Yourself
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By: plus2-minus1-brilliance
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Chapter Two - Marshmallow Fluff to the Rescue
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"I don't think there's a single part of me that doesn't hurt…" Michelangelo groaned as he sank onto the couch.
"Well, other than the fact that it's physically impossible for your shell to hurt…I agree." Donatello grimaced as he followed Mikey's example.
"It's because we don't practice enough," Leonardo stated, taking a seat in an arm chair. "If we were practicing every day -"
"We'd have no time for anything else," Raphael cut in, opting instead to head for the kitchen to grab a drink.
Leonardo huffed at being cut off, but decided not to reply; he was too sore and too tired to start anything. They'd just finished nearly three hours of training with Master Splinter, and it had been eight days since they'd last trained.
"He still didn't have to drive us so hard," Mikey whined. "We've been doing stuff. Important stuff!"
"Mikey, I'm sorry to tell you, but getting to the next level in Crackdown does not count as important," Leonardo informed with faux sympathy.
Michelangelo just stuck his tongue out at his eldest brother in retaliation, not feeling up to moving anything else. Otherwise, Leo would have been the proud recipient of a pillow to the face.
Coming back over to his brothers, Raphael dropped a bottle of water next to each of them and then sat down in another arm chair. "Even if we haven't formally trained for a while, it doesn't mean we ain't been doin' nothin', though. Master Splinter coulda gone a little easier. This was just…vindictive."
Donatello snorted into his water, then said in a contemplative tone, "And yet he always looks so innocent…"
"The evil ones always do," Michelangelo said conspiratorially, getting a chuckle from each of his brothers. "I bet he's laughing at us right now."
"If he is, it's because we deserve it," Leonardo stated. He knew they were being pathetic. His sons were being lazy, so Master Splinter gave them the push they needed. But who ever wants to admit when they're wrong?
"Yeah…but now I feel I deserve some major pain killers! If only I had the energy…" Michelangelo ended his statement with an over-dramatized pained whimper.
"Well, I've actually got something I've been working on. It should be really powerful, but I haven't tested it yet," Donatello commented.
"Great, go get it! No better time to test a pain reliever than when in intense pain, right?" Michelangelo said, if for no other reason than it meant he wouldn't have to be the one to get it - Donatello never let anyone else touch anything in his lab, after all.
Donatello groaned. "Now I wish I hadn't said anything…"
"The quicker you get it, the quicker Mikey quits whining," Leonardo said, trying to offer good incentive.
"That's it!" This time, Michelangelo found the strength to throw the pillow, which ended up smacking Leo right in the forehead. "Ha!"
"All right, I'm going," Donatello said, forcing himself off the couch. "Don't want to be next…" he muttered as he limped off to his lab.
"You're the greatest!" Mikey called after him. Then, once he'd left earshot, said, "Think it'll work?"
"I can't think of the last time something Donnie made failed," Leonardo replied.
"Yeah, it'll work," Michelangelo agreed.
"Either that, or it'll melt all our skin off," Raphael said with a shrug. "Gotta keep my options open."
"All right, here it is…" Donatello said, walking back towards them. "I rubbed a bit on my arm and it seems to be successful."
"No melting, then?" Raphael questioned.
"Um…no. Just a pleasant tingling sensation."
"Sweet!" Michelangelo grabbed the container from Donatello. "Hey! This is the marshmallow fluff!"
"The what?" Leonardo looked now skeptically at the concoction.
"I saw it in his lab last week, and I thought it looked like marshmallow fluff," Michelangelo explained while rubbing a little onto his shoulder. "Ooh, it does tingle!"
The four turtles passed the container around, rubbing the pain reliever on various body parts, enjoying the tingle, and the fact that it really did relieve their pains.
"Thank you so much, dude!" Michelangelo gushed when finally nothing more hurt.
"Yeah, thanks Donnie," Leonardo agreed.
"Score another for the mad scientist," Raphael added.
Donatello smiled bashfully. "It did turn out nicely. Thanks guys."
"Hey, you should go see if Master Splinter wants some," Michelangelo said. "Sure he's an evil slave-driver, but he hurts, too."
"Good thinking, Mikey," Donatello said.
Picking up the container, he went off in search of their father. Looking in the most obvious place first, he was rewarded with finding Master Splinter meditating in his room. He knocked quietly and waited for a response.
"Enter, my son."
Donatello did so, and kneeled before the aged rat. "Master, I've created a pain relief cream, and we've just successfully tested it. We thought you might like to try it, too."
Master Splinter looked up at his son, a proud smile on his face. "You are very gifted, Donatello. I am proud of your accomplishments."
"Thank you, Sensei," Donatello blushed at the compliment.
"I would love to try it," Master Splinter added, reaching a hand out.
Donatello handed over his creation, smiling brightly. No matter how hard Splinter worked them, Donnie couldn't have asked for a better father.
"Oh!" Master Splinter exclaimed, a surprised look on his face. "It tingles!"
A laugh escaped Donatello at that, and Master Splinter chuckled along with him.
"It works wonderfully, my son. Thank you," said Master Splinter when he had finished, handing the container back to Donatello.
"I'm glad it went over so well," Donatello confessed. "I guess I'll have to start making more tomorrow. Will we…er…be training tomorrow, Sensei?"
Master Splinter chuckled lightly. "I do not think so. But it should not wait another week."
"Yes, we all agree. We just kind of got caught up in our own things…"
"I understand." Master Splinter smiled kindly. "You boys are at an age where you crave independence. It is only natural."
Donatello looked down at the ground, sorry he'd brought it up. "I…" he began to say, but stopped when an odd sensation took over him. The same tingling he'd felt when applying the pain reliever had reappeared all over his body. Suddenly, his vision blurred and the world turned on its side.
The last thing he heard was a worried "My son!" from Master Splinter and then everything went black.
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Author's Note: …Or maybe it'll only be a couple of days. Yay for updates! It actually might have been done yesterday, but my sister wanted me to hang out and watch M*A*S*H with her. A quick thank you to all you wonderful people who clicked on my story. Watching my hits counter go up really inspired me! And to those who reviewed or put the story on their alerts list, you are the best!
Although I still make no promises, I'm going to try extra hard to get the next chapter out soon. Cliffhangers drive me crazy, too, but they must be done. I apologize that this chapter is also short and kind of action-less. Thanks to those who got this far!
A Special Note to Crackdown Fans: I picked this game for the sole reason that it was the first game title I saw mentioned in the archive for Ctrl+Alt+Del (an online comic) in 2007. I've never actually played it. I'm sure it's a great game, though.