Donatello had mourned his lost children but he knew he couldn’t linger on it for long. He had allowed himself a few days of deep depression, staying in his room for most of the day.
It was good that nothing of any significance happened in that time and that April and Vern were so wrapped up in work that they were unable to visit. So the Turtles didn’t need to come up with any excuses for what was going on with Donnie.
They were able carry on the way they did every year. The only difference this year was that Donnie had allowed Raph to be there for him. Donnie had to admit, having Raph there helped a great deal. But now the process was done and it was time to get on with everyday life.
When he did emerge from his room for the first time in almost a week, no one treated him any differently. They mumbled their good mornings as Donnie walked into the kitchen. It was the way he wanted it. It was better than lingering on it and his brothers knew better than to bring it up or to dote over him.
He threw himself into his projects, losing all track of time. Maybe it was still part of his depression but at least he was being productive and contributing to his family.
Donnie was in the process of repairing Mikey’s custom skateboard when Splinter entered the lab. Donatello didn’t have to ask what it was his father wanted. There was only one reason his father would be visiting him. There was only one thing he needed to know in order to help him. “What name would you like for me to research, father?”
“The general whose son was killed along with Yoshi and the others,” Splinter answered. He entered the lab and looked around at the many projects in various degrees of completion. “I hope that my requests aren’t a bother for you.”
“Not at all,” Donnie assured him as he set the skateboard aside. “I am more than happy to help you in any way I can. I will get the information for you. I might have to hack into some highly secure systems to get it. He was military after all and high ranking on top of that. So it might take a little longer.”
Donatello wrote down the general’s name on a sticky note and placed it on his computer as a reminder to do the search. It was his way to insure that it would get done sooner rather than later. He tended to focus on one thing and forget about others for a while but he checked his computer often out of habit.
“Take your time,” Splinter replied. “There is no rush. Thank you.” He hesitated a moment as he turned to leave. He took a few steps towards the door and then turned back around. “Are you alright?”
Donnie looked down at his desk and nodded his head. “I’m okay.” He glanced over at his father without turning his head. “I’m managing.”
Splinter’s brow creased with worry. “I know you don’t like talking about it but bottling it up will do you no good. I hate to see you suffer.”
“I’m working on a solution,” Donnie replied without looking up. “I believe I have everything I need. If it works, then my suffering will end.”
“I will leave you to it then,” Splinter said and then saw himself out.
….
It took Donatello over a week to compile all of the information on the general. And truth be told, he dug deeper than was necessary. Donatello was becoming fascinated with the story. It was his own curiosity that had him digging as deeply as he could.
What had drawn him in was the name of the general’s wife, Nozomi. It was like a punch in the gut when he read her name. It couldn’t have been a simple coincidence. Could it? He wanted to know all that he could about the man and his family.
In the end, what he found for Splinter was that the general had been placed in charge of the mutagen that had been kept in a US military facility in Okinawa. The mutagen was of alien origin and had been found in Japan. The US military quickly stepped in and took control of it. It went missing only three days after the general’s son and the others had been killed. Nineteen years later that same mutagen was used by Sacks and Mr. O’Neil to mutate Donnie and his brothers.
The whole thing gave Donatello goosebumps.
After setting the extra research he did for himself aside, he took his findings to his father. “I think Yoshi and his students were killed so that Shredder and Sacks could steal the mutagen,” Donnie stated as he walked into his father’s room.
Splinter had been meditating but his eyes snapped open and he quickly got to his feet. “What?” He reached out for the papers. “Let me see those.”
“I’m assuming, of course,” Donnie admitted, licking his lips. “But the facts make it hard to believe that it isn’t linked.”
Donnie stood in silence while Splinter scanned over the documents. “It does seem that way,” Splinter agreed after several minutes of reading.
Donatello nodded. “After the mutagen was stolen the general discovered that his keycards were missing from his home. However, there was no evidence of a break in.”
“Suggesting that it was possibly done by skilled ninja,” Splinter continued the line of thought. “They knew that in a situation of distress the general would have been given time off from work. Since he would not be working, the security passes would be locked up in his home.”
“So they killed his son to make that happen,” Donatello stated. “The general’s son was the main target. Yoshi and the others were simply collateral damage.”
Sighing, Splinter shook his head in sorrow. “The Shredder and Sacks were both ruthless enough to do such a thing.” He looked Donatello in the eyes. “They were willing to kill millions just to get what they wanted.”
“Tell me again, how did you know about Yoshi in the first place?” Donatello wanted to know. “I don’t understand what led you on this fact finding mission.”
Splinter placed the documents down on a small table. “Do you believe in reincarnation, Donatello?”
Donnie shrugged. “I’m a scientist. The concept of reincarnation is… a little too… farfetched to me. The concept is a nice one and I can understand how it would be comforting to believe but… there is no evidence for it, at least nothing concrete.”
“There are times that you boys say or do something that brings forth a flash of memory,” Splinter stated wistfully. “I have meditated on them and on the information you have gathered. And I believe that we are Yoshi and those boys reincarnated.”
“You do?” Donnie was not surprised. His father tended to lean more towards the spiritual side of things. But, instead of arguing over such a philosophy, Donnie decided to humor his father. “Which of the boys do you believe me to be?”
“I believe that you were the general’s son,” Splinter answered. “And much like you and Raphael, the general’s son and one of the other boys came to me to confess their love for one another.”
Leaning in closer to his father, Donnie allowed himself a slight smile and a chuckle. “How did that go?”
“I supported the two of you then,” Splinter replied and lifted his withered hand to caress Donnie’s cheek, “just as I do now.”
“I love you,” Donnie said, placing his hand over Splinter’s. They lingered in the familial embrace for a moment before Donnie pulled away. “But, as fascinating as all of this is, I don’t believe in reincarnation. Maybe you overheard Sacks saying something about Hamato Yoshi when we were still his test animals. Your mind pieced together fragmented information in an attempt to make sense of things.”
Splinter didn’t seem daunted by Donatello’s dismissal of his theory. He simply sat back down on his mat and shifted into the lotus position, preparing himself for mediation. “Just because you do not believe something,” Splinter said, as he closed his eyes, “does not mean that it isn’t true.”
Donnie sighed and crossed his arms over his plastron. “Then why were we made to come back as this? Why not come back as human?”
Opening his eyes, Splinter looked up at his son. “In this form, you and your brothers were able to stop Sacks and Shredder. If you had been human, you would not have succeeded.”
Donnie dropped his arms to his sides and shrugged. “It’s hard to argue with that.” Not in the mood to debate his father, Donnie turned to leave. “Enjoy your meditation, father. I have to get back to my projects.”
“Did you research the general and his family more than needed?” Splinter asked, causing Donnie to pause mid-step and turn to look at his father. Chuckling, Splinter smiled. “Judging by your reaction, I would say, yes.”
“I wanted to be thorough,” Donnie fibbed a little. “So you would have all the information you needed.”
Splinter tilted his head to the side. “Are you sure that was the only reason? Or maybe there was something that struck a nerve and prompted you to dig deeper?”
“There was something that grabbed my interest,” Donnie finally admitted. “But it’s not something that I want to get into.”
“I will respect that,” Splinter said bowing his head slightly. “All I ask is that you do not dismiss the possibility that I am right so easily.”
Donnie nodded in agreement. “I will… do more research into the matter.”
“You can do that. However, some answers cannot be found in a book and must be found within.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Donnie promised as he saw himself out.
