Thirty-Ninth Theory [Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[The house is too quiet today. With April sent home, Derek hiding out who-knows-where, and Leo gone to battle, it's down to just Don and Raph again - and not in their little apartment now, but in a house that feels suddenly too big

Comments

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert hadn't been doing much either, other than brooding quietly over the fact Ami had been drafted, and had turned out to be a person entirely different from what he'd expected. He's in the middle of absentmindedly writing a report which is mostly just empty words when he hears a rapping noise on the window.

He glances up, looking mildly curious - and when he sees Don's face that curiosity changes to something between surprise and concern.

The scientist hurries (well, as much as he can hurry) himself over to the window and opens it, looking out at Donatello.]

A-Ah. Salutations, Donatello. [This is a very strange way to meet, but Robert can't deny he's glad to see the turtle again.]

[i_speak_softly]

[Not the warmest greeting. An inauspicious beginning to what's likely to be a disastrous conversation. He decides to go through with it anyway.]

Can I come in?

[semper_cogitans]

[Hey, it's warm for Robert. Comparitively. He's mostly surprised to see Donatello in the window.

Something like a strained smile slips over Robert's features.]

Y-Yes, certainly. Please give me a moment. [And the scientist disappears from view temporarily as he opens the door. Donatello might hear the click of the door opening, and then a nervous-but-kind-of-excited-anyway scientist standing just off to the side of the door frame.]

[i_speak_softly]

[And Robert might hear an awkward throat-clearing from just inside his window. While the scientist was unnecessarily opening the door, Donatello had gone ahead and climbed inside.]

[semper_cogitans]

[Here, have an embarrassed scientist turning around at that.]

... Oh. Er... Well. [With a slight flush of embarrassment, Robert re-closes the door (mostly because he doesn't want to broadcast whatever happens) and heads over to where the turtle's standing underneath the window.]

... My apologies. I d-didn't exactly... expect that. [It's so painfully obvious Robert is extremely nervous - but in the blushy stuttery way of somebody trying to talk to a crush. Which is what Donatello is. A kind of shameful, self-mocking smile lights Robert's face a moment.] Do you often enter through windows? I would do well to remember that...

[He trails off eventually, still blushing a little, his fingers going reflexively to his glasses.] ... S-so, may I enquire as to what you... wished to see me for?

Th-though to be frank, I did wish to see you again... [And Robert's blush deepens a bit. Damn his crush.]

[i_speak_softly]

Not lately. [He reaches behind him to slide the pane shut. No sense letting all the cold air in.] Robert, there's something you need to know.

[semper_cogitans]

[That tone - while Robert can't tell what it means, something makes him think it's bad. He sobers a little, his gaze shakily meeting the turtle's.]

... And what might that be, Donatello?

[i_speak_softly]

[He moves the few steps to the couch, and sits down. As he does so he draws his bo and lays it across his knees.]

... I'm a ninja.

[semper_cogitans]

[This gets nothing more than an extremely, painfully confused look from Robert. He gazes at the weapon laying across Donatello's knees without realizing what it even is.]

... A... "ninja"? [This term means literally nothing at all to Robert. Though some Terrans would recognize it in the very strict historical sense...]

[i_speak_softly]

[He thought he might get a response like that. He'll edge a little closer to the point.]

A highly-trained practitioner of the martial arts.

[semper_cogitans]

[Again, not registering to Robert. He blinks, curiously, trying to search his mind for what "martial arts" means. Somewhere, somehow, he might have heard this...]

I apologize, Donatello... The terminology is not that which I am familiar with. [With what Robert's seen of the turtle so far, he's assuming "ninja" is some term for an intellectual-type job which is obviously not the case.]

[i_speak_softly]

[Another step down into layman's terms.]

A person adept at hand-to-hand combat?

[semper_cogitans]

[Okay, this he gets.]

... You? ... [He kind of looks at Donatello with an expression somewhere between "not again" and "well, that explains the scars".]

... It seems all of my friends here are warriors. [He sighs, softly. It's a sad, tired sound.] First Doctor Mizuno and now you.

Why? [Robert can't deny that... he still cares about Donatello. He... he still wants to be with Donatello. But this strangeness, this aberration... what causes it?] I know how wonderfully intelligent you are, Donatello. What reason would you ever have to harm another?

[i_speak_softly]

[Desperately. He needs Robert to understand that this isn't who he is, it's only what he does - no matter what Raphael says.] Self-defense, Robert, only ever self-defense. My world isn't like yours. There are a lot of people who wouldn't hesitate to harm me, and sometimes fighting back is the only way out.

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert looks up at Donatello, hearing that note of desperation - maybe just barely understanding it. The idea of a world where people need to fight to survive...]

There is no way to reason with them? Surely people will listen to that.

Surely your world can't be that backward. [It's more to reassure Robert than anything else.]

[i_speak_softly]

Most people don't reason very well when faced with a giant turtle. [He lowers his head.] I also have a habit of running into people who are just insane.