Chapter Text
Donnie slashes at an origami soldier, smiling as it explodes into confetti. His scanner had picked up some Foot Clan activity at this lame warehouse, but the Foot dudes just dipped, leaving them with some fun little origami soldiers to shred. Forgive him for taking full advantage of being able to go full lethal on some walking piñatas.
“Donnie move!” Leo shouts.
Donnie yelps dodging a flying kick from an origami soldier. He grins, recovering quickly and stabbing it through the chest. It bursts into a satisfying confetti shower.
“Nothing like beating up some origami soldiers on a rough day.” Donnie beams.
The softshell leaps and weaves stabbing origami soldiers in a cruel fluid dance— and Donnie sure loves to dance. He cackles in satisfaction, finishing off the last of the soldiers and basking in the confetti.
“And here we see Donnie in his natural, violent, habitat.” Leo quips.
Donnie frowns, mood instantly tarnished.
“If I am not mistaken, dear Nardo, you partook in the funfetti shredding as well.” Donnie bites back.
Leo opens his mouth to try and clap back but Raph cuts him off, “Quit it you two, let’s just go home.”
“Fiiine.”
“Fine.”
Donnie quickly spots the nearest exit of the warehouse and moves to put his tech bō away. It knocks into something and he hears a clatter behind him. He turns around automatically and spies a small box with black seeds spilled all over the ground. On second glance the seeds seem to have a kind of shimmer around them, like a glow.
Ooh, that seems interesting.
Donatello flips down his goggles and confirms it.
Yep! That's mystic.
An enticing light seems to shine from their core. Donnie steps back and puts a hand on his chin in thought.
Mystic magic seeds… could be potentially dangerous,
Hmm…
“Donnie! Keep up!” Raph calls.
“Alright, I’m coming,” Donnie responds.
He stares at the seeds a moment longer.
Eh, screw it. Since when do I get the chance to grow kickin mystic plants?
Donnie grins, grabbing a handful of the seeds— and immediately regrets it. As soon as his fist closes around the seeds they become like teeth, biting into his flesh. He yelps then his mouth snaps shut. Stop.
What?
Donnie's eyes dart around wildly but he can’t move. He never took off his goggles so he can see it, he can see it, the mystic energy penetrating and surrounding his brain.
No no nononono STOP NO-
He still can't move though. His body won't respond. But he still goes rigid feeling the seeds dig into his hand. Suddenly his mind goes numb. The seeds finish burying themselves and he’s free to move again.
His hand moves to flip his goggles back onto his head robotically. Donnie hisses through his teeth, clutching his bloody hand.
I-
What just happened?
Donnie blinks confused.
What happened to my hand?
It hurts, bad. Like someone stabbed him repeatedly. But… he doesn't remember getting stabbed? It's all hazy like he has brain fog.
Ugh or Raph-brain.
“Donniiie!” Mikey whines in the distance. “Hurry up!”
Oh no.
Fear suddenly floods him. His heartbeat quickens.
I can’t let them find out.
“C'mon Donnie! We could’ve been home by now!” Leo gripes.
They’ll just make fun of me for getting injured for no reason.
He looks around the warehouse frantically. A glow draws his eye almost like destiny. There’s a small darkly colored box with glowing seeds on the ground.
That's it.
Donnie sweeps the seeds into the box gently then snatches it up like a desperate man. Pain shoots through his injured hand, screaming in protest. He bites the inside of his cheek holding in a wince.
I just need it to hide my hand for a bit.
He forces himself to grip the box harder to make sure no blood drips.
Alright. Time to face the music. Just act normal.
Activating his drone shell he flies up to meet his peeved brothers waiting for him on a rooftop. They’re all giving him the stink eye with virtually the same amount of annoyance. Donnie sighs and rolls his eyes.
“I don't see what the big deal is, I just stopped because I found something interesting.” Don hopes he applied the right amount of sarcasm to distract them.
“Uh huh,” Nardo’s voice is dripping with sarcasm, uh oh. “And what exactly did you grab?”
“Nothing you need to worry about, just some seeds…”
“Seeds?!” Leo sounds incredulous and somewhat amused. “Who knew our resident nerd is interested in botany?”
Mikey starts to raise his hand hesitantly but Donnie shoots him a look and he puts it down.
“No, I don't-” Donnie starts then gives up. “Look they just seemed really cool and unique and-” mystic “I just want to see what they’d do, look they glow!”
NO STOP
Donnie freezes. I can't let them see the blood on the box.
“Ohoho, I gotta see this.”
They’re coming closer.
Donnie jabs his free uninjured hand inside the box and grabs a handful of seeds. He holds them out to his brothers who lean closer to see them.
“Look! See? Glowing seeds.” Don says proudly, absorbing the impressed looks of his brothers.
“Whoa, Donnie! You sure these aren't mystic or something?” Raph asks, in awe.
Donnie’s brain buffers for a second, “Yeah, for sure, of course I scanned them. What kind of scientist would I be if I didn't scan them?”
The words come out of his mouth easily but he feels lost. Did I scan them?—
No, of course I did.
His eyes wander around the ground. Something’s off.
“Uh huh…” Leo drawls skeptically. “Sure ya did. Now how ‘bout we get home? I'm starving here.” With that Leo turns and the subject is dropped.
“Yeah let's go.” Mikey concedes bouncing behind his blue brother.
They all walk home casually. Donnie follows them automatically. But he can't help feeling like something’s wrong.
His hand throbs the entire way back.