We were all looking at the robot made. Mikey was making expression toward it.
“Isn’t it cool?” Donnie asked. “I reversed engineered it from the Kraang droid.”
“Why?” I asked.
“It’s for wimps to scared to fight.” Raph concluded.
“No,” Donnie said. “It’s for wimps to smart to fight. I mean…”
Mikey then started banging its head then turned to us, “Let’s call it Metalhead! Why you ask? Because it has a head and it’s made of met--”
“We get it.” Leo interrupted.
“I don’t need a toaster to fight my battles.” Raph snapped.
I turned and left them to argue over it. Walking in the kitchen, I saw Naomi practicing with her new staff. She seemed happy with it, yet her movements seemed unfocused and irregular.
Walking up to her, she stopped and retracted the staff smaller then turned to look at me. She seemed a little out of it. Did I really hurt her feelings that bad?
“Why?” she asked.
I tilted my head, “‘Why’ what?”
She looked at the small staff before enlarging it again and rubbing her fingers down it smoothly. Without looking at me, she said, “Why did you have to eavesdrop?”
“On what?” I tried to play dumb.
Then she looked at me. “I know you were listening to me and Mii-wa, but I didn’t want to say anything. You’ll learn soon enough.” she looked away as she heard banging and screaming coming from the opposite room. “And I know you’re curious about what happened in that tunnel.”
“Who wouldn’t be?” I asked. “Raph’s avoiding you, and you’re acting all out of whack.”
Her blue eyes dug into me. “You said earlier that I don’t seem to be the type that comes up and hugs who I love.” I nodded, remembering that night. “Well, instead of hugging Raph like you did to Mikey, I kissed him.”
“What?!” I exclaimed. “You did what?!”
“I wasn’t really meaning to!” she snapped, putting her staff parallel to her arm. “It just happened…” then she explained what went on with a soft whisper. “Now that you know that, you’ll learn my other secrets in time.”
“In time?” I repeated. “Why in time? Why not now?”
“You’re impatient.” Naomi said simply. “That’s why.”
I looked at her. “Why didn’t you tell me before I thought you were a spy?”
“Because I let you think what you wanted. I still do because you’re my partner and I care more about you than you think. That’s why I also keep things from you.”
“Understandable.” I shrugged.
Naomi retracted her staff and looked out toward the main room, “And now I think Donnie wants to take Metalhead for a spin.”
“How’d you know…?” I started but cut off because she glanced at me.
Naomi headed out and kept the mini staff in her hand as she started off. Everyone glanced at her before following. Raph came second and then me, Mikey, Leo, Donnie’s Metalhead.
We went up and as we tried to stay silent, Metalhead kept making clanging noises as it ran to keep up. The last time, Leo slapped his forehead.
“Should we double back?” he asked. “I think there’s a car alarm we didn’t set off.”
“Agreed.” I muttered.
Raph waved him off then patted the top of Metalhead, “I kinda like it. It goes good with the sirens and cries for help.”
Then with Donnie’s voice, Metalhead said, “You’re just jealous because you’re there in the cold and I’m in here, eating Mikey’s last slice of pizza.”
“Hey!” Mikey and I said simultaneously, only I didn’t hit Metalhead on the arm. “Ow!”
Naomi looked in a different direction, “Guys, shush.” Everyone looked at her as she crouched down. “Someone’s coming.”
Everyone followed her moves, except Metalhead that took a few second s to get down, along with the clanging of metal against concrete.
“Guys!” I heard April call out.
“April!” Leo said, waving to her then jumped down with all of us following.
“Guys!” April said, looking at us all, “I was just looking for you.”
Then we all paused as we heard something falling. Then the dumpster behind April tipped over. Naomi shook her head as Metalhead came out from the lid after a minute of loud sounds.
“Still, it’s stealthier than the real Donatello.” Raph said to April.
“What the heck is that?” April asked.
Leo answered this, “It’s Donnie’s new brilliant creation: Metalhead.”
“Catchy name, huh?” Mikey asked, coming up beside the robot.
“No.” Naomi muttered, looking away and toward the roofs. I followed her gaze, but saw nothing. Mikey glared at her.
Metalhead opened his mouth, “Sorry, April.” his voice was loud and screechy. We all covered our ears in pain. “I’m still getting used to the controls.” then the mouth slammed shut. “Megaphone button got stuck.”
“Guys,” April said, ignoring Donnie. “The Kraang are going to pour the Mutagen in the town’s water supply.”
We all accessed this information. “There’ll be mutants everywhere!” Donnie exclaimed.
“Wow!” Mikey said, hugging Metalhead. “Think of all the new friends we could make?” I nodded a little, and then everyone was looking at both of us. Mikey said, “Sorry about being a glass half-full kinda guy.”
“Your glass isn’t even half way filled.” Naomi commented. “Wait, you don’t even have a glass, so what are you even saying about half-full?”
Mikey and I glared at her.
“We have to stop them.” Leo said. We all nodded and started heading off.
Metalhead started with us, “Yeah! The Kraang don’t stand a chance.”
Leo held his hand to stop Metalhead. “You’re not coming Donnie.”
“Why?”
“Metalhead is just too clumsy. He’ll get in our way.”
“Clumsy?” Donnie’s voice asked as Metalhead knocked down some trashcans. He held his hands up, “I did that to emphasize my point.”
“You’re not coming, Donnie.” Leo concluded, running off. We all followed and then waited as April and Metalhead followed.
April showed us the lair to where the Kraang were and then Metalhead and Naomi stayed up there with April. I didn’t trust Naomi alone so I stayed up with her. Leo, Raph, and Mikey all went down.
“Why are we staying up here?” I asked.
Naomi looked at Metalhead, then the building, then at April. “Donnie’ll want to battle anyway here soon then April will have no way to get home. I might as well take her.”
“That’s true…”
Metalhead looked at Naomi with the same expression Naomi had, even though Metalhead’s expression couldn’t change. They just back and forth before Donnie made the robot look away.
We stayed up there, Donnie occasionally looking at April. Finally, April looked at him and the head clicked to the building again.
“So?” Donnie asked through Metalhead at April. “You like heavy metal?” then Donnie started chuckling.
“You’ve got to be kidding me, Donnie.” Naomi shook her head. “Nice pun.”
Then we waited for another few minutes before Donnie started looking at April again. Naomi watched him with her arms crossed.
“Look at her.” he said. I think he was talking to himself, but me and Naomi looked at him. “She’s so beautiful. And on this monitor, she can’t tell I’m staring.”
April heard this, of course, and said, “You know that’s not muted, right?”
Donnie yelled from his place in the lair and started chuckling, “Of-- of course! Or else you wouldn’t hear me joking!” Then his mouth opened up and the megaphone blared out, “Man, I hope she bought that.”
“That’s the megaphone.” me and April said at the same time.
“I know!” Donnie exclaimed before closing off the megaphone. “So how do you think the fight’s going?”
Then one of the cannon shots were aimed at us and we all jumped back to avoid being hit.
“They’re everywhere!” I heard Mikey cry out, “RUN!”
“Not great.” Naomi answered, coming back up and rubbing her head painfully.
“I’m going!” I announced, jumping up and down.
As I landed, Kraang were everywhere and I got out my swords, slashing out at them before I saw Leo and Mikey hide behind some crates. Kraang shot at me and I followed them.
“Mikito!” Mikey hugged me happily. “So glad you’re not hurt.”
“Where’s Naomi?” Raph asked.
“She’s going to stay to take April home.” I replied.
Then I heard screaming and Metalhead plop down. That means Naomi was left alone. She may take April home, but what if she didn’t?