Family is Forever

Down with the Sickness: Part 2

Aria's POV:

We'll reach the' Must Say Yes' stage if we survive all seven stages of Rat Flu without catching it. We get that far, and the guys get a 'yes' from Dad for whatever they want. Right now, we're trying to get through stage one: Fever.

During this stage, Dad's central body heat rises to the point where the lair's heating system has to be extremely low. Donnie, Raph, Mikey, & I are all huddled together, shivering from the cold, Donnie placing me in his lap as I cuddle into his plastron. Meanwhile, Leo sits across from us in a blue fur coat, sipping hot chocolate from a mug with a confident grin. To help with our staying warm, we're all under a giant heat lamp.

Mikey: "I hate stage one."

Me: "I don't know. It's kinda nice from where I'm sitting."

Donnie smiles as he wraps his arms around me.

Me: "Just think warm thoughts, Mikey. I'll start, pizza ovens."

Mikey joins in with his thought.

Mikey: "Bricks from Italy."

Me: "Wood chips roasting."

Mikey sighs, half in relief & half out of shivering. Yet, he still sends me a small smile.

Mikey: "Thanks, Ari."

Raph: "We're four hours in. His fever's gotta break soon."

Leo takes a sip of his cocoa, smirking at us from the comfort of his coat.

Leo: "I told you guys to plan ahead. Now I'm sitting here all toasty."

We all turn to look past Leo to see Splinter having shaved all his fur off to deal with his fever. Leo follows our gaze, spitting out his cocoa in surprise.

Leo: "Wha-What? Why?"

Splinter: "Had to air myself out."

Splinter falls on his face as steam rises off of him.  Then he growls and lifts his head, screeching and looking weirdly creepy. Guess it's time for Stage Two: Wild Rat Man. We all race along the balcony of the lair as Dad gives chase to us.

Mikey: "Don't eat me! Raph's tastier!"

Raph: "Suits on! Suits on!"

Me: "Donnie, get the device ready!"

Donnie leaps to stand at the center of the lair.

Donnie: "Oh, it's ready. You know, my inspiration for this device was simplicity. Why dress something up with lots of bells and whistles when you can just let it speak for its-"

Leo: "No one has time for this!"

Me: "Sorry, babe! Splinter now, history lesson later, I promise."

Donnie sends me a small smile with a nod as he presses a button on his watch. There's a deep rumbling as water from a pipe stops flowing, and a large transparent ball rolls out, crashing into Leo, who grunts as it hits him. He falls to the center of the lair with the containment ball.

Raph: "Nice. Alright, let's get him inside!"

We all leap down to the ground floor, surrounding the ball as Leo opens a pizza box. Splinter approaches with a snarl, so Leo throws the box into the ball, and Splinter leaps after it, going into the ball. Donnie shoves a giant plug into the entrance.

Donnie: "Ok, this should hold him for a while."

Leo: "And, you're sure this isn't cruel?"

Raph: "He loves pizza and confined spaces you can barely breathe in."

Donnie tries to hold onto the top of the ball as it starts shaking violently.

Me: "Donnie, is it gonna hold up?"

Donnie: "Most definitely!"

Splinter starts running around from inside the ball, causing Donnie to start screaming as the ball gets faster and faster. Suddenly, the ball gets airborne and starts bouncing off the walls of the lair and then busts open, releasing Splinter, who jumps into a pipe and disappears. Donnie hits the ground with a thud. Raph turns to Mikey with a stern look.

Raph: "Mikey, follow me, and be careful. We can't afford to lose anyone before, Stage Seven."

Leo: "I thought we all agreed it was now called the 'Must Say Yes' stage."

Mikey gives Raph a sly grin.

Mikey: "It would be easier for me to be careful if I knew you were gonna ask for a pizza oven."

Raph: "I'm still thinking!"

Donnie: "Quick question, is uranium on the table?"

I facepalm as Raph sighs in exasperation.

Me: "Can we talk about this later? For now, Raph & Mikey, you two head to Splinter's room. We'll stay here in case he makes a u-turn. Agreed?"

The guys nod as Raph & Mikey rush off into Splinter's room. After a minute or two, Leo & Donnie start to take off their hazmat suits.

Leo: "Ugh, these things do not breathe. Ari, how come you're keeping yours on?"

Me: "Oh, I'm not taking any chances."

Donnie: "Respect. Now, Leo, are you sure we're safe?"

Leo: "Calm down. We're fine. Raph & Mikey have it under contr-"

We then hear screaming from Splinter's room.

Leo & I: "Oh no."

We all turn to our left to see Raph & Mikey running toward us as Splinter chases them with a childlike grin. The two brothers run past us as we follow their lead, Leo & Donnie yanking their suits back on. Oh man, time for Stage Three: Captain Cuddle Cakes. Raph turns to Leo with an annoyed look.

Raph: "Why weren't you in your suits like Ari?"

Donnie: "It was Leo!"

Leo: "No one forced you to, Donnie!"

Leo falls, then gets back up, his suit fully covering him.

Leo: "Ugh, what's that smell?"

Splinter pops up in Leo's helmet, tightly hugging his 2nd youngest son.

Splinter: "I love you this much."

Leo: "No, no, you don't! I'm your least favorite!"

Leo falls back over, this time for good.

Donnie: "Uh, Leo's infected. Quarantine him."

Ok, quick recap:

Stages Left: 4

Team Members Left: 4

And so, it begins.

TO BE CONTINUED