Donatello stared as his latest customer left, happy with their new item. As expected, his friendship bracelets were popular. He pulls out his cell phone to text his success to Casey Junior. He switches to his conversation with Mikey, but before he could ask him to make more candies for his stall, a new customer walks up. Or ... Floats?
Not one to judge potential customers, Donatello turns to the hand, and tries to sound like the kid he appeared to be. "Enjoying the competition? I have souvenirs if you want them, snacks if you're hungry. It's all for affordable prices."
The hand flicks blue dust in his face, and Donatello rears back, falling off his chair.
He woke up, still in his cell. His ninpo shuddered, as something within his very soul took him apart.
"Stop fighting it." Krang One says, "Sooner or later, your soul will belong to us."
A chill runs down Don's spine. Already, he felt the bloodlust, the coldness in his soul. He wouldn't last much longer.
"Stubborn." The Krang whispers. "It won't last long."
And then he was gone.
And then he was many.
He was Krang.
He stood before his brothers, and held out a hand, forming a weapon around it. A gun, like what those useless humans and yokai liked to use. He aims it for Leonardo's head and squeezed the trigger.
"Donatello!" Michelangelo exclaimed. The name wasn't familiar. He wasn't Donatello. He was a Krang. He was-
"Donatello!" Michelangelo says again. The voice wasn't right. Too young. Too ...
"Uncle Tello!" The voice screams, and Donatello looks over to find Casey Junior next to him.
He was in a large room. People milled about, some looking at him from nearby. There was a bin of t-shirts next to him, knocked over.
"You're okay. You're safe." Casey says, putting his hand on Don's shoulder.
"You should kill me." Donatello whispers. "It's still there. I'm still a threat." Any moment the Krang would consume him. Use his soul as a template for weapons. Just like they did with Raph.
Casey pulls his hand away as if he was burnt. "Not again."
"Casey, I can't-"
"I can't!" Casey almost sobs out the words. "I-"
Don watches as Casey breaks down sobbing, covering his mouth.
After a second, Donatello pulls the kid into a hug. "Hey. I'm sorry. It's a big ask."
"I keep doing this. I keep almost killing people."
"No!" Donatello says, perhaps too forcefully. "Case, you're a healer. A healer in a bad situation, but you don't kill people."
Casey looks like he has more to say, but he keeps it in, wrapping his arms around himself as if to keep himself together.
Donatello wonders if he should pry. Or comfort. He wishes he could just fix the problem, but he was the problem here.
"You don't have to worry about the Krang anymore, Unc- Donatello."
He trails off. Casey offers him a flat smile. "You were hallucinating. I understand."
Don winces. Did he screw up? Was that why he wasn't calling him Uncle anymore? Still, he can feel his brain beginning to un-fog. He realized his soul didn't feel cold and his ninpo felt like his own. "I- Right. Uh, I am sorry. For ... For suggesting you ..."
Donatello shudders, trying to push away the residual brain fog. Trying to push away the memories.
"I suppose we should clean up." He says, brushing himself off and trying not to act unsettled.
(Oh also I never mentioned this but it’s a small fun fact — so if you look at Raph’s mask tails you’ll see one has three beads and the other has four. The four beads are for him and his brothers, the other three are for Splinter, April, and Casey Jones Jr.)
