Emotionless Mutation (Book Three)

Chapter 15: Lessons in Working it Out

The silence in the lair is deafening, reaching the level of quiet that only empty graveyards and churches manage to achieve. Splinter stands at the head of the group, one hand on his staff. His russet glare scans over his little family, making his sons squirm.

Destiny sits by herself, now wearing an oversized sweater and jeans. She keeps her arms crossed tightly over her chest and she refuses to look at anyone in the room. The turtles are separated from each other and Sarina sits next to Donatello, occasionally looking him over in search of a bump or a bruise, to which he shakes his head at her and silently motions for her to stop fussing.

"So, who would like to explain why I found my sons acting like squabbling children?" Splinter asks. The turtles tense noticeably.

"Leonardo can explain," Destiny snaps. Leonardo flinches.

Splinter's stern glare turns to his son. "Leonardo?"

"Sensei, I didn't mean—" He stops, clamping his mouth shut as he huffs heavily. He gestures to Donatello. "Sarina and Donnie spied on Des and my training session, and Donnie was ogling Destiny and being generally disrespectful—"

"I was NOT!" Donatello retorts, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yes, we spied, but it was an accident. It went too far and we panicked! And if it means anything, all I said is that she's flexible. I'm sorry."

"It was my idea," Sarina states. "Donatello felt obligated to stay with me, that is all." She glances around. "Plus, I think the workout clothes might have been problematic in this situation."

Splinter sighs heavily. "It sounds like there was disrespect on all sides."

"Yeah, but mostly with them," Leonardo insists. "Raph, Mikey, Donnie, they were all being rude to Destiny. Just because they find her attractive—" Destiny sinks further into her seat, burying her face inside the collar of her sweater.

"Dude, I find pretty much all girls attractive," Michelangelo pipes up. He shrugs, albeit his face is sodden with slight shame. "I can't help it, and I don't mean it to be bad. Girls are cute, like...every girl I have ever seen is cute in some way. Even Irma was cute before she went all Kraang-y. It was probably the cool purple bob-cut."

Leonardo's mouth falls open. Donatello purses his lips and tucks his knees to his chest, hugging himself into a tight ball. Raphael grunts and shifts his position, lifting his hand.

"Mikey's right. There are a lot of pretty girls out there, Leo. There's Karai, April, Renet, Tang Shen—" Splinter gives an agreeable nod at the sound of his late wife's name. Raphael continues, "They're all beautiful and thinking that isn't disrespectful. Also, Leo, you're a hypocrite."

"Wha—"

"You stare at Des more than any of us do."

Destiny turns beet red and her head completely disappears inside her sweater, and suddenly, she is a pseudo-member of the turtle club. Leonardo lowers his head and claps his hand over his face.

Sarina's eyes flash and she raises her hand, earning the attention of the males in the room. "I think Destiny is uncomfortable with this...topic."

"Ya'think?" comes a muffled response from the sweater.

"Des, I didn't—" Leonardo starts.

"It is best that you remain silent, my son," Splinter advises. Once the blue-masked turtle is once again silent, he begins. "My children, this has brought my attention to the fact that all of you are getting older and have become more aware of your bodies since women have come into your life—"

There's a round of groans from the turtles and Raphael physically cringes. Destiny flops onto her side and pulls her arms into her sleeves, still encased in her sweater.