Work Text:
“Don, we’re going to be late to the party.”
You followed the eager turtle to his lab. The pom poms you held shimmied with every swing of your arms. Donnie claimed he had some last second touch-ups he wanted to do. Which then turned to him wanting to show you his work. Considering the time to the party was soon, you went ahead and texted April the two of you would be late. The others already left a long time ago. She returned your message with a winky face.
“Not by long.” He waved his hand dismissively.
The two of you entered his lab where you noticed a white sheet hung over something as tall as you two. It captured your attention for good reason. Donnie looked over his shoulder, smiling proudly at your curiosity. He stopped next to the object as you stood a few feet away.
He began to cackle, hunching slightly. “Are you ready?”
Well, now you are afraid.
“Behold, science-ah!” He hissed dramatically while pulling away the sheet.
You guffawed at the likeness of Donnie in metal form. It looked just like him. Green with similar painted purple spots. It even donned a purple mask and battle shell. Glancing from it to Donnie, you could not see a difference. You waved your pom poms.
“Whoa, Donnie, you made a statue?”
“No, no. Even better.” He cleared his throat and clapped his hands twice. “I present to you, Frankendonnie.”
The statue came to life and turned its head between the two of you. So, a robot. Even better. You clapped your hands in awe, smacking the pom poms together as you did. At your praise, Donnie dramatically bowed.
“What does it do?” You asked.
“Everything I do.” He patted the arm of robot Donnie. “I programmed him to think just like me. He’s my backup, my secret weapon, should my brothers and I end up outmatched.”
“I love it.” You smiled as Donnie slinked away from it. “Now, come on, we’re going to miss the party and you’re not in costume.”
“I will be gone for only a moment. Wait here with my greatest creation.” He walked off to his room and you turned around.
The robot was still on.
You walked over to it, tapping a pom pom against your chin. You walked around it, looking at all the details. Donnie really put in the work to make it an exact copy of him. You wondered how far he went to make it work.
Standing in front of it, you gestured to your costume. “How do I look?”
The robot’s eyes took in your form. “You look amazing as usual.”
You snickered, a bit bashful at the compliment. “Thank you.”
As a true test of Donnie’s genius, you stepped into the robot’s space. The robot backed away, rubbing the back of its neck. You laughed and backed away. Wondering how it would handle affection like real Donnie, you formed a heart with your hands. The robot stiffened.
“Wha-”
“I’m here!” Donnie strode into the room, donning his costume.
Compared to the effort his brothers put in, his costume was more plain. An orange shirt and a green hat, supposedly a pumpkin. You crossed your arms, wondering if you should have stuck him in a football player’s uniform to match your cheerleader outfit. Ah well, he still looked cute. You said as much.
“I know,” Donnie said with ease. “Shall we head out?”
“Yeah.” You pointed over your shoulder. “But what about-”
Donnie’s eyes widened. A breeze shot past you and cast a shadow on the ground. Donnie ducked out of the way just as the robot’s bo staff slammed into the floor, cracking it. Your jaw fell, confused at the sudden rebellious nature. Donnie, too, was confused, whipping out his own techno bo and getting into a fighting stance.
“Frankendonnie,” his voice wavered a tinge of above impassiveness at the betrayal. “What-”
The robot raised its staff and swung at him. “There can only be one!”
You had an inkling that this was somehow your fault, having been alone with it for a minute and all. So, you felt the need to apologize mid-battle. “I’m sorry for breaking your robot.”
Donie glanced from you to the bot. “Scoff, I should have known.” They clashed again before Donnie broke off, landing next to you. He pointed at the robot from the side. “You are TOO much like me.”
So, you weren’t to blame? Completely?
The two fought a few minutes longer. Where Donnie tried to minimize damage, the robot crashed his work table, slammed a ceiling light, and did everything in its power to destroy Donnie. The turtle finally had enough of it, coming to a stop several feet away.
“That is it! Frankendonnie, execute plan Z!”
The robot, in mid-air, stopped its lunge at Donnie. It slammed to the ground lifelessly. Donnie gave it a quisitive look before straightening from his fighting stance. He draped his staff across his shoulders, lazily wrapping his arms over it.
“And that is why I am the better one. I have fail-safes, even for my copy.” He sighed. “Sad. You were the most handsome thing I built.”
You snuck around the destruction to stand beside him. “Nothing compares to the original though.”
He rolled his head in your direction with a smirk and a shrug. “True. I am handsome.”
You jumped as the robot caught on fire. Before you could panic, Donnie called Shelldon in to extinguish the fire. The turtle drone produced a hose from its shell, spraying an extinguishing foam onto the robot. While the drone did that, Donnie took in the state of his lab with a frown.
You blinked, remembering the pom poms in your hand. “Uh, should we head to the party?”
He said nothing for a moment before shrugging, putting away the bo staff. “Yeah.”
This whole mess could be taken care of after.