20

"Who are we beyond the roles that we play?"

- Joan Anderson -

Donatello was lying in his cell, facing the wall. The soldiers' footsteps were barely audible in his clouded mind. He didn't know how long he had been lying there. He didn't know what could have happened to his brothers. He didn't know what the Shredder planned to do with him. This uncertainty was creeping through his body, slowly choking him. He was the supposed "genius" among his brothers, he always did everything to have enough information about everything important. But right now, he knew nothing. An uncomfortable weight pressed his chest as he wondered about his breakout. If he cannot save himself with his brain, then how? He was already the weakest fighter in the team, how could he escape all alone?

He pulled his body into a ball. He had to find something out! His brothers needed him! He had to get out immediately and tend their wounds. All of them required serious attention. Raph lost an eye, Mikey an arm... and Leo? He feared the worst.

Hot teardrops wet the dirty floor.

His father... he was truly gone, wasn't he...?

Something knocked against the cell bars. Donatello tiredly sat up and turned his head towards the sound. From the corner of his eyes, he quickly recognized his guest.

He sighed and turned back towards the wall.

"That's it? No questions?" Karai raised an eyebrow as she watched the turtle.

"Without answers what do questions worth?"

"Interesting take," she tilted her head slightly. "You don't seem too cooperative. Perhaps seeing your brothers' corpses would change your mind."

Donatello jumped to the bars, ready to grab her, but Karai leaped back in time.

"What did you do to them? Did you kill them?!"

"I thought questions were not worth your time."

"What happened to them?"

"They are alive - for now. And if you will be good, then it remains like that."

"What do you want from me?" he growled.

"Your knowledge. Master Shredder wants you to work with Stockman. In the first round, you will design his new suit. It must be stronger than anything created before. Obviously, you will have other projects, too. If you succeed, your brothers will live."

"How could I believe you?"

"Your choice. However, if you reject, I go back to that filthy hole to bring their heads here."

Donatello shivered at the thought. His forehead heavily wrinkled as his fingers tightened around the bars.

He had no choice—he had to trust Karai. Perhaps his brothers will be able to recover and hide somewhere else until he's working.

But why would the Shredder let such an opportunity be wasted? He could eliminate his biggest enemies once and for all. Why would he spare them? What kind of development work will he have to do that this deal is worth to the Shredder?

"...Fine."

"Good choice. You will be soon escorted to the lab."

In the next hour, some soldiers led him to Stockman's lab. That place was a mess! Papers and vials were everywhere. And in the middle of the mess, there was Baxter Stockman.

"Well, well, well, Donatello," he smirked as he walked closer to the turtle. "Congratulations on becoming my assistant! Let's get to work immediately, we've got a lot to do!"

"I was told designing a suit is the first on the list. What else is on the Shredder's mind?"

"Oh, he has a lot of orders for a huge plan. How could I summarize? Hmm... world domination?"

"What? This plan sounds ridiculous, even for him!"

"I don't think so. He can do it, and he will. Our job is to prevent every possible scenario that could step into his way."

"With a suit?"

"The exo-suit will be an extra strong fighting suit. Earthly weapons won't be a challenge to it. But it's quite a difficult thing to do, so I need you to do the tedious things during the development. I will do the thinking obviously."

Donatello narrowed his eyes.

World domination? Sounds like a cartoon villain's plan.

However, when he thought about the Utroms it didn't seem so impossible anymore. Especially if he and Stockman keep working on newer and newer weapons...

Can he really participate in it? What if with his help the Shredder will actually take over the world? What the Earth would become? What the human society would become?

What would happen to his brothers? Could they even live in such a world?

Would his brothers ever forgive him for letting the world fall just to save them?

Could he stop the Shredder from this current position, or this doom was already settled whether he joined or not?

"Hold this," Stockman pressed an iron part into his hands, then turned back to his desk to scrabble on his papers.

He sighed broken.

Donatello could not tell how much time had passed since he started working with Stockman. The suit was close to finding its final form after many, many redesigning, testing, and sleepless nights.

Donatello's life was reduced to only two components: working in the lab, if not then he was worrying about his brothers.

By that time, he felt like he had become a master of Utrom technology, with each day he had learned more and more, realizing how much power the Shredder actually had.

He was scared. Terrified.

And yet, numb.

Uncertainty was driving him crazy.

"Wonderful!" Stockman exclaimed. Donatello turned his head towards him, lifting his glassy eyes on him. "I believe this last modification will be the key to perfection! My position will be secured!"

Donatello just rolled his eyes. He couldn't understand how he could serve the Shredder so assiduously.

They finished the final version of the exo-suit in the following months. As soon as it was ready, the Shredder tried it out.

"Excellent," he commented with a satisfied expression on his face.

"I'm glad it is to your liking, Master," Stockman smiled.

Donatello silently watched the scene.

"Ah, turtle," the Shredder turned towards Donatello. "In the years, you worked on several projects, including the several redesigns of my suit. Do you know what your brothers were doing in the meantime?"

Donatello looked at him puzzled.

"They collected new little friends to work against me. Little do they know that I know about every step they make, thanks to my excellent spy. They don't even know who they give the information to. What can I say? They are mere animals, obviously they are stupid," he stared into Donnie's eyes. "They are planning to rescue you."

Donnie's eyes widened and stepped back to keep his balance.

"It can be any day now. Even today. They are your so-called brothers, so let me tell you. Once they enter my mansion, they cannot leave. Not alive."

Donatello fell on his knees and started begging without hesitation.

"Please, spare my brothers. I can talk to them! If you let me go, I will make sure that none of them comes here!"

It hurt every part of his pride, but he would do anything for his family. And he knew it very well what the Shredder was capable of. His brothers were no match for him, even if they found some new allies. But apparently, not all of them are allies...

The Shredder laughed. He laughed so hard that he almost fell over in his exo-suit.

"What a wonderful view! What a shame that I cannot help you," he shook his head.

"Wait, wait! I can stay then and help Stockman create anything you want! I will... I will just send a message and then-"

"Turtle." he cut him off. "Do you perhaps not know your own brothers? They will not stop until they are dead. They are too proud, too angry, and stupid. They cannot analyze the situation the same way as you can."

Donnie pressed his forehead against the floor. "Please..."

"...Fine. It seems like you have to see it with your own eyes," he smirked. "I let you send a letter to your brothers."

Donnie sighed in relief and sat up. "Thank you..."

The Shredder waved to a soldier who immediately brought a piece of paper and a pen.

"Be quick."

Donatello took the pen into his hand and started writing.

Dear Leo, Raph, Mikey, April, and Casey!

You probably found out where I am and wish to rescue me. I'm begging you guys not to do it! I have been here for years now, and I know your chances are close to 0. Please, listen to me and don't come here! I am fine. I am not tortured, I just need to work in the lab, so don't worry about me! I need you guys to live, and if you come here then you won't make it, so please! Move on and survive. If not for me, then for father.

Donatello

He could barely finish his own name when the soldier grabbed the letter.

"Take it to the turtles' assumed area. Do not attack them. Our friend needs to see that his brothers will come here either way, they don't need further provocation."

The soldier nodded and left the room.

After that, Donatello and Stockman were also sent back to the lab.

It was late so they went to bed. However, Donatello couldn't get any sleep through the night. He couldn't stop thinking about his brothers and worrying that they wouldn't listen to him and get themselves killed here. He was also worried what if the Shredder was just playing with him and not actually delivering the letter?

A few days had passed since Donatello wrote the letter. No response yet.

And he was glad.

He hoped that his brothers listened to him and stayed hidden.

With Stockman, he was working on an older project, the Karai Legion. Deadly robots that looked like Karai with different weapons.

They had made three ready ones that were already tested by Karai.

They had been making last fixes on them when the alarm went off.

Donatello jerked his head up and looked at Stockman who was just as clueless as he was.

Then, it got him...

His brothers...

"Oh no," he sighed as he dropped the screwdriver.

He jumped up from his seat and rushed to the door, but it was locked. He was violently shaking the handle when Stockman pushed him away.

"You cannot leave without the Master's permission."

"I need to warn-"

"Your brothers? You already warned them. They didn't listen! Why would they listen now?"

"No, no, no! I need to get out! I must try! Open the door!" Donatello frantically tried to get out of the lab. He grabbed Stockman by the collar and continued hysterically. "Stockman! Open the door right now or I don't even know what I'm going to do to you! But it won't be good, I swear!"

"Let go of me!" Stockman was trying to tear his attacker's hands off of him but with no luck.

Donatello was blinded by fury and worry unable to sense the dangers around him until he felt a sharp pain in his outer thigh. Looking down he noticed that Stockman stuck a syringe into him.

"I was ordered to keep you here. I couldn't risk you ruining my performance index."

Donatello barely heard these words as his world began to spin around him until it became completely dark.

When Donatello came back to the living world, his eyes opened painfully. The lights, the smell, and even the air hurt his body. His arms were tied behind his shell. He coughed a few before he heard Stockman again.

"You can meet your brothers now."

Stockman pulled him up from the floor and led him out of the lab. Donatello had trouble staying on his feet, but the thought of his brothers gave him strength. Finally, he can see them! Oh, how much he missed them! He could warn his brothers and protect them!

Stockman dragged him through many corridors and corners until they reached the throne room.

As the doors opened, a horrible sight greeted him.

His brothers were covered with several long and deep cuts, lying on the ground, unmoving, while blood was slowly increasing around them. The three Karai Legion, that he had upgraded, were standing above Mikey, his blood shining on their thick armors.

Leo's black glasses broke, exposing his closed, heavily injured eyes. He had a hole in his chest, his plastron cracked around it. Someone stabbed him...

Raphael was lying on top of Leonardo, one eye missing, the other lifelessly staring into the void. His left hand still strongly grasped onto his brother's hand, close to the stab wound.

Karai and the Shredder were standing next to them, their blades dripping blood.

Stockman cut the rope around Donatello's wrists, and he immediately fell to the ground.

Donatello didn't register the Shredder's words, his body shivered as he was kneeling next to Raphael. He was trembling. He reached out to his brothers, and where they held onto each other's hand, Donatello too placed his hand. They were still warm. It felt melting against his cold fingers.

His breath hitched between his heavy breath. His eyes filled up with hot tears, completely blurring his vision. His ears were ringing, and his mind was desperately trying to tear away from reality.

Then, he got kicked away from his brothers.

"Are you deaf?" a foot soldier asked. "You were ordered."

Donatello blinked away his tears and lifted his head up to look at the soldiers, then slowly his gaze wandered to Karai.

"Leave," she said, probably for the umpteenth time by now. Her voice was weak. Her eyebrows bent and her eyes shined in a strange light. Donatello couldn't understand this expression. She didn't seem like someone who just eliminated her enemies...

"My...my brothers..." Donnie cracked.

"You can take them with you. Your other friends' as well, " she replied, then turned around and walked towards the door. At the doorstep, she slightly turned back to take another look at the turtles, then disappeared from the room.

Other friends? So, April and Casey too…? And probably even more friends.

The soldiers followed their boss and left the crime scene. Now it was only Donatello and his brothers.

And then, the hysterical crying broke out of him. He was screaming unintelligibly, his tears were flowing down in a thick line, burning his freezing skin. He hovered over his brothers, trying to hug them. He gripped them strongly, not caring how bloody he became.

And he just cried and cried and cried...

Donatello buried his brothers and friends in the same park where his father was resting. Master Splinter really liked this park since his owner, Hamato Yoshi used to bring there a lot.

He only dared to hope that now they have peace together.

He just lost everyone. Now, he had no one.

He knew that for him there wouldn't be a funeral, he would just rot wherever he would drop dead.

Why not choose a place for that himself then?

He had no purpose in this world anymore.

He lost his family, and the Shredder already took over most of the world.

He had no chance of facing him alone. He could just witness how strong he actually was.

Therefore, his life lost its meaning.

He went back to the old lair. It was as messy as it was left when the Shredder ambushed them. His father died here, and the spot can be still recognized. His brothers managed to flee but they had to leave their home behind for good. No one lived here in ages, but Donatello didn't care. This was his home.

And this place will be his tomb.

He walked into the dojo, took a katana, and kneeled down at the center.

A memory resurfaced in his mind.

Once he was talking about the afterlife with Leonardo. Leonardo liked to believe that death is not the end. He believed in the afterlife, whether it was heaven or reincarnation or some kind of other ghost world, he believed that life doesn't disappear, just changes.

Donatello on the other hand was more practical, more rational. He knew that Splinter and Leo liked this spiritual stuff, but he himself wasn't too sure if he could believe in all of them. He told Leo that once all the receptors and neurons stop working in the brain, then it's death, the end.

Leo then challenged him for a bet. He said that "we will see who's right". Donnie thought it to be stupid. After all, if he's right then how could Leo pay him? But he still agreed to it.

He hoped he wouldn't have to find out about the truth this early, but he could not continue living in this world.

So, for once, he hoped that he was wrong. He hoped that Leo was right, and they would reunite soon and then he would do whatever Leo wanted as a reward.

He positioned the blade against his stomach and took a deep breath.

He looked around in the dojo for the last time.

He sighed.

So, this is the end.

He closed his eyes and firmed his hands on the hilt.

And then, a big thump and a loud yell filled the lair. Donatello dropped the sword and rushed out of the dojo to the living room.

"Ah, I can't believe this, I ruined it again!"

Donatello's eyes grew wild as he watched a familiar woman collecting herself from the ground.

"Renet?"

ScribeofHeroes: Heyho, it's good to see you around here again :)
It's okay, life happens!
Thanks for reviewing! :D
Yesss, I really want to finish this story, hopefully I can achieve that hehe :D