Chapter Text
Donatello was a turtle who prided himself on being spectacularly unfazed by the odd and peculiar. Whether he was amazingly well-adjusted or horrifically repressed, nobody was quite sure.
That being said, even Donnie was taken aback by the huddled mess of fur and feathers that greeted him when he dropped down silently behind his favorite pizza place.
"You, uh, you good?" Donnie asks the... mutant? Furry? Feral mountain lion? - and receives a chirp in reply as feathers shift and someone stands up. With a jolt, Donnie realizes what he's looking at.
The skinniest crow mutant he's ever seen stands in front of who has to be his brother, come on, and Donnie doesn't even move forward a helf step before there's a blur of speed and the crow kid is at his throat, slamming Donnie back against the wall in a way that makes him grateful for his battle shell, black eyes narrowed. He looks reasonably human, Donnie notices a bit hysterically, with a pale face lined with tiny black feathers and a hooked nose and solid black eyes.
"Do not even try it, bitch," the kid snaps, wings tented. Donnie raises his hands up in surrender.
"Let him go, man." a voice says and the kid jerks back, looking up in surprise. Donnie takes his chance and drives his elbow into the kid's stomach, slipping free and making a run for it. A hand, something far too human, closes tightly around Donnie's arm and drags him to a stop, yanking him around until he's face to face with something he's only ever read about.
The android's red eyes narrow as it stares Donnie down. "So, where were you running to?"
"You're so cool," Donnie breathes and the android jerks back, looking uncomfortable. The crow kid is bent over the other mutant again, quietly talking.
"I'm gonna ask you again. Where were you running to?" the android asks, its bone-white face and hair nearly glowing in the dark. Donnie swallows hard, fully aware that this might be how he's killed.
"I was going home," Donnie says quietly, the android staring him down. "My-my brothers are gonna be worried, I said I'd be home soon."
There's silence and Donnie glances up to see the android looking down at him, its eyes a bit duller.
"Alright. Dave, don't kill him. Be nice." the android calls over its shoulder. Then, turning back to Donnie, it adds, "Call me AR. How much do you know about wound care?"
"You're gonna trust a fucking kid?!" the cro - Dave, Donnie reluctantly corrects himself - exclaims. AR shrugs.
"Dunno if we have another option. My databases were purged, I lost my medical knowledge. This kid's all we got." it says, and Donnie can't help but feel excluded.
"I don't know a lot," Donnie admits and Dave groans, but Donnie feels a bit braver now, and steps forward, ignoring the way AR and Dave tense. He walks up slowly and winces at the guy sprawled over some trash, completely motionless.
He's a fox mutant, judging by the fluffy grey tipped tail and sharply pointed ears and schnozz. But he's pure white, which again, something new to Donnie. He's also covered in blood, a gash running down his leg and side, weeping and so obviously infected. Dave glares at Donnie, who takes his cue and backs off.
"I can't help you but, uh, Ra - my brother knows a bit more medical stuff." Donnie offers, and AR looks thoughtful while Dave just glares at him.
"So you're insinuating that we follow you to your home." it's not a question from the way AR monotones. Donnie swallows hard and nods.
"It's getting to be light soon, and you're going to have a way bigger problem on your hands if a human sees you." Donnie says. "We live in the sewers so there's no way you'll be spotted."
"I don't like this," Dave grumbles, wings shifting. AR nods.
"Let's go, then. I'd rather the sewers than a slag heap." AR agrees and easy as anything, scoops the fox into its arms. Donnie hesitates, then pops off the cover to the manhole nearby and hops in.
Dave gets down easily, though he keeps half spreading his wings, looking deeply uncomfortable. AR has a bit more trouble, and has to hand Donnie the other mutant for a second as it clambers down. Donnie barely stops himself from flinching as the guy's bloody fur touches his arms but Donnie can shower for twelve billion years later.
He leads the way down the tunel, ignoring Dave's comment about the lack of smell, and finally pulls open the door to the base.
A bit too late, Donnie realizes he probably should have texted someone before Leo comes hurtling over the couch, sword drawn and ready to fight.