Retrospective - A TMNT Oneshot

Oneshot

"That's not entirely accurate, Mikey," Donatello retorted, still writing. "You didn't see me because you were unconscious on the couch."

"Really?" he scratched his head and shrugged as he walked away.

April approached Donatello and looked over his shoulder. "So what are you working on that's so important?"

"Only the greatest scientific breakthrough in recorded history!" he beamed, motioning to the plethora of papers strewn across his desk.

April raised an eyebrow at the mess and picked up one of them. "Looks like a bunch of math homework to me."

Donatello scoffed at her lack of understanding, "Well to the uneducated eye, perhaps." She narrowed her eyes and looked down her nose at him.

"Not saying you're uneducated!" he chuckled nervously. "Just, umm, well ..." he struggled with a redemptive statement.

"Just tell me what this is for," she sighed, returning the paper to the stack.

Donatello eagerly explained, "If I can get the formula just right, I should be able to manipulate the mutagen so that it removes the genetic composition of an original specimen, leaving only the secondary DNA that was introduced during mutation."

April furrowed her brow as she processed what he'd said. "So if my dad was mutated into, say, a giant bat, you'd be able to take away his humanity and change him into just a regular bat?"

"Exactly!"

Her jaw dropped in disbelief, "Why would you do that?!"

"Well, I wouldn't do that. Not to your dad, anyway. But there is someone else who could benefit from a reverse mutation like that."

She continued to stare at him in shock, "Who?!"

He sighed and looked up into her eyes with sadnesses, "Me. With that kind of mutation, I could become fully human."

"But why would you want to do that?" she asked in concern.

He stood up quickly as a wave of anger took over him. "Why?! Because I'm a hideous mutant, that's why. Just look at me!" he gestured to his body and then began to pace, trying to calm down. "There's so much I want to do; places I'd like to visit ... people I want to hang out with," he paused and glanced at her. "But I live here, underground, because I can't even walk the streets of my own city. I just want to live a normal life, you know?"

April could feel the disparity in his voice. "Yeah, but hey, if it counts, I don't think you're a hideous mutant."

"Psh," he huffed, "One of those attributes is indisputable and the other one is up for debate."

She smiled and shrugged, "I'm entitled to my own opinion." Tapping the papers on his desk, she added, "And I think you should trash this crazy idea. You're perfect just the way you are. You don't need to change."

"Thanks for trying to make me feel better, April, but you're not the one who has to live in this body."

She reached out and touched his arm, "Just promise me you won't do something major without telling me first?"

He smiled at her, "Yeah, ok."

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*buzzzzzz* *buzzzzzz* *buzzzzzz*

April swatted in the dark in the general direction of her phone. When her hand finally found it she squinted into the blinding light and answered. "Donnie?" her raspy voice questioned the caller.

"APRIL! I think I've done it!!!"

She pulled the phone several inches from her ear and groaned. He was way too loud. "Done what? Do you know what time it is?!"