"Acrcade!"

"Weight room!"

"Lab!"

"Serenity garden!"

"Boys!" Splinter interrupted his four ten-year-old boys in their heated argument. All of the turtles immediately turned to their Sensei, who towered above them in his rat form. The master shinobi let his gaze scan over the pre-teens. His shortest son, Michelangelo, looked up innocently at him with crystal clear eyes that shone brightly with his purity. His chubby, freckle littered face did not do the justice his skill in hand to hand combat deserved. Splinter knew better than to underestimate this son, unlike his brothers. Michelangelo was the heart that kept his brothers together through thick and thin, their ever-present source of joy and brotherly love.

His eyes next fell to his darkest colored son. Raphael's emerald eyes were cast downwards, his ever-present scowl apparent across his features as Splinter knew he was trying to hold his tongue. Raphael held his hands behind his back, causing the powerful muscles in his arms to flex and show themselves off. Powerful, but hot-headed, this son was the muscle and passion of the team.

Mahogany eyes met his amber ones next as Donatello stared up at him nervously. This turtle was the tallest of all four, his muscles lean over his lanky frame. While this was not his most athletically inclined pupil, Donatello's eyes shone with an understanding and intelligence that not even Splinter himself possessed. An old soul in a young body, yet just as naive as Michelangelo at times, Donatello was his dreamer, the one that moved them forwards.

Finally, Splinter's moving stare fell upon the leader of the team. Leonardo looked back at his master with calm cerulean eyes, just like the ocean. This son was most certainly the most diligent student Splinter had ever had, even in his human years he could not recall a pupil so dedicated and perseverant in their studies of the arts. Leonardo was skilled, loyal, and fast-thinking. He was the one that guided his brothers even if they did not realize it; the leader.

"What are you bickering over?" Splinter asked Leonardo, the one least likely to lie to him. The turtle looked over at his brothers for an instant, and Splinter patiently awaited an explanation. Once Leonardo took in a deep breath, he finally received an answer.

"We were just trying to decide what to turn the playroom into." Leo explained, waving one arm back to the large room behind the area they currently resided in. Splinter's eyes drifted to the large room, and he hummed thoughtfully.

"When did you decide to stop using the room as a place to play in?" Splinter asked, looking back down at his sons. It was Raphael who replied with an impatient huff.

"Please, Splinter." The hot-tempered son said, wincing slightly and straightening up once Splinter sent him a sharp glare for using a disrespectful tone. Raphael continued on slowly, "None of use 'play' in there anymore, well, besides Mikey. But he's still a baby so he doesn't count."

"Hey!" Mikey resentfully called out in an indignant attempt to disagree, but was stopped short as Splinter raised a pink paw into the air that demanded silence.

"And what if I said that I already had plans in mind for that room?" Splinter asked calmly, closing his eyes and holding his head high so that he could take in the full blow of the responses he knew were coming.

"WHAT!?" All of his sons yelled in unison. They each started rambling on about how unfair it was, or how they needed the room themselves.

"But Sensei!" Leo's voice rose above the others, "I wanted a serenity garden so that I could find my center in the mornings without disturbing you! Surely you would want that as well? And we could all benefit from it!"

"Hah! Yeah right!" Raph snorted, blowing off Leo's idea entirely, "The only ones who would ever use the room would be you and sensei. No one else is interested in raking a bunch of sand around rocks for hours."

"You should seriously consider how it could do you good, Raph." Leo responded, narrowing his eyes at his rebellious brother, "Besides, no one likes your idea."

"Whatever! A weight room would be perfect for training!" Raph retorted vehemently, throwing his hands up into the air, "I'm surprised, I thought Splinter Junior would want to work on getting as strong as he could!" Splinter's ears twitched at the nickname Raphael gave Leonardo, but ignored it and let the conversation continue.

"Pfft, yeah. Because brawn is all that matters in ninjitsu." Leo remarked sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. Mikey took the opportunity to interject.

"No, Leo! Splinter says we need stealthy-stuff, deception, and skill, too!" His brothers all groaned at once at his comment, but Michelangelo continued on as if he had never heard them, "Raph, no one wants to smell your sweat twenty-four-seven anyways. A weight room is an awful idea, almost as bad as Donnie's."

"Hey! I resent that." Donatello put in, but was promptly ignored.

"My idea, however, is awesome! An arcade room would be slammin' yo!" Mikey said excitedly, nodding his head and smiling wide, "I can't belive you don't want that!"

"We have enough video games, Mike." Leo responded, crossing his arms over his tan plastron, "You're distracted as it is. An arcade would keep you from training forever."

"Hey! I'm multipurpose!"

"I think you mean 'multifunctional'." Don corrected Mikey while rolling his eyes. Splinter opened his eyes and looked to his tallest son.

"And what would you have this room for, Donatello?" Splinter asked, seeing his quietest, yet sometimes snappy, son perk up at the inquiry.

"Why, a laboratory of course!" The tall turtle exclaimed, and Splinter tilted his head to the side to prompt further explanation, "I am always fixing things around the lair, and my room is overcrowded with all of the tools and things you've brought back for me from the junkyard. I think it would be beneficial all around for the lair to have a lab where I could fix things, tinker, and improve our living arrangements where I wouldn't get in the way."

"Whatever! You just want to play mad-scientist!" Raph accused, throwing an angry glare over at his genius brother, who harrumphed and crossed his arms indignantly.

"I propose," Splinter interrupted before another argument could escalate, "A competition. Winner shall do whatever he wants with the play room, without complaint from the others." He added when Michelangelo opened his mouth to protest. It would be good for his sons to experience some form of competitive interaction that reflected combat. There would be no argument from the losers if all was played fair, and it would give a chance for his sons to claim something for themselves aside from their rooms.

"What kind of competition?" Leo asked, obviously enthralled with the idea. Splinter knew that Leonardo was always looking to be the best, and hoped that this could teach him an important lesson.

"A melee shinai." Splinter stated simply, and all went quiet. Splinter looked questioningly at his sons, who were glancing at each other with mixed reactions. Leo and Raph seemed thrilled with the aspect, while Michelangelo seemed extremely distressed, and Donatello held a mysteriously unreadable expression.

"Not today, though. I will allow you to gather yourselves and make tactics. Practice will be cancelled tonight. I suggest you rest and gather your strength." Splinter said as he turned to leave for his room, a small smile finding its way to his lips as murmuring broke out behind him.

Raph lashed out at the sandbag viciously, his still-developing muscles taught with the exertion he was putting on them. He was going to win that room. How? Brute force is how. He would get stronger overnight, and beat them all in the morning. Who cares about a stupid arcade? A pointless garden? Or a self-gratifying lab? Not him. He knew they would all thank him later for his idea. In Raph's mind, he had already won.

"Raph?" A voice interrupted him from the doorway of the dojo, and Raph made a big deal out of whacking the punching bag with all of his might before turning to see Donatello looking at him worriedly.

"What do you want, Dorkatello?" Raph growled venomously. Donnie visibly flinched, but Raph didn't feel any remorse for it. The taller turtle twisted his hands together nervously, looking at them before returning his deep red-brown gaze to Raph's emerald.

"Just worried about you. You seem to be pushing yourself." Don admitted, looking quite sheepish, "Are you that worried about tomorrow?"

"Yeah, right! Like I'm worried. I've got this in the bag!" Raph pointed a thumb into his chest cockily. To his surprise, Donnie nodded submissively.

"Yeah, I think so too." He heard his brother mumble. Raph stared at him for a moment, shocked at how strange his brother was being.

"What? I thought you wanted that lab of yours? Don't think you can win?" Raph added at the end, sending a scornful chuckle Donnie's way. The taller turtle only hung his head sadly.

"No, I don't." Don's voice was barely a whisper, and Raph was once again shocked into silence, his jaw now dropping.

"Wait. What?"

"I just-" Don started, fisting his hands and angrily clenching his jaw, "I'm not as strong as you, as quick as Mikey, or as skilled as Leo, so how can I win in a battle against all four of you?" Raph stared at his brother, disbelief clear on his face. He had no idea what to say, so it was lucky that Don wasn't finished, "So I got to thinking... Maybe your idea is better after all?"

"O-of course it is!" Raph immediately replied, hoping his adamant attitude would cover his stunned core, "But I thought you really wanted that lab?"

"I did, but really, the more I thought about a weight room, the more sense it made." Don explained, moving across the room towards his brother, "If I'm not as strong now, I could always use the weight room as a way to, uh, well..."

"Bulk up?" Raph finished, noting how skinny his brother was despite the muscles he knew were there. Don nodded sadly, and for a moment he felt bad for Donnie. Then a thought struck him, "Hey! Why don't we team up! That way we'll win for sure, and we can have the weight room." Raph proudly observed his words having an effect on his brother as Don perked immediately.

"Really? You'd do that for me?" Don asked, suspiciously. Raph laughed loudly and smacked his brother on the shell.

"Of course! We'll take Fearless out first, then Lame-brain. Then if you forfeit, I'll win and we can train together!" Raph heartily made his suggestion, and Donnie was all to willing to shake his head in agreement.

"Wow, Raph... That's actually a good idea! I didn't think you had it in you." Donnie chuckled, and Raph hit him playfully on the shoulder.

"Heh, maybe your position as the brains ain't so solid!" Raph joked, and Don sent him a knowing grin before yawning deeply.

"Awesome! Well, I'm gonna rest up then, you should too or else you'll be tired for our match." Don said as he stretched upwards and began making his way to the exit, he looked back expectantly, "Coming?"

"Nah, I'm gonna hit the sand a little more before hittin' the sack." Raph replied as he punched the sandbag. Donnie nodded and smiled before disappearing through the doorway. Raph grinned to himself as he pummeled his inanimate opponent.

What he failed to notice was the little purple notepad in Donatello's belt that wasn't usually there.

"An arcade would be awesome!" Mikey muttered to himself as he sat amidst the toys in the playroom. He was taking a few minutes before bed to reminisce in the room they used as toddlers one last time before he renovated it into the world's greatest arcade. His brothers were only being stupid. They might think they want a rock garden, sweat lounge, or evil scientist lair, but Mikey knew deep down they all wanted a place to chillax, and an arcade would do just the trick.

This was how Mikey's thoughts were going as he built a building out of half decomposed wooden blocks Splinter had pulled from the dump years ago, when a hand rested on his shoulder. Mikey yelped and jumped up immediately, not having heard the intruder come in. He spun around alarmingly fast, only to face a grinning Donatello.

"Scaredy cat." Don stated wickedly as he raised an eyeridge at the bristling turtle.

"Am not! You just snuck up on me!" Mikey replied, not realizing he wasn't making himself sound any braver. Donnie just chuckled and shook his head. Mikey smiled at that, forgetting almost immediately his anger, "What'cha up to Don? Come to scout out the toughest opponent?" Mikey asked, raising his arms to kiss his biceps. Donnie just laughed and shook his head.

"Nope, just coming to make sure you get some sleep." he said, "You don't wanna be tired for the melee tomorrow. You have an awesome arcade at stake!"

"Yeah I know!" Mikey exclaimed, nodding in agreement, "It would be a shame if... Wait. Did you just say an arcade would be awesome?" Mikey asked, the realization of what his techy brother had said dawning on him suddenly. Don looked shocked for a moment before looking away bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck.

"D-did I say that...?" The taller turtle laughed nervously and shuffled his feet around. Mikey's eyes widened and he pointed a thick green finger at his brother.

"Dude! You so want an arcade, don't you!" Mikey loudly accused. Don was quick to hush him, looking back at the door anxiously. He walked briskly up to his brother with a dark expression on his face that took Mikey aback.

"You can't tell anyone, hear me?" Don whispered, and Mikey nodded with exaggerated movements. The tall turtle sighed and rubbed his temples, a sign Mikey had come to associate with headaches when it came to Don, "I only said I wanted a lab because that's what everyone expects of the genius; a laboratory for the 'mad' scientist."

"Don, don't say that!" Mikey whispered back, trying to cheer up his brother, "I'm sure Raph and Leo would get it, I mean, they like to have fun too. I'm sure they just don't realize how much they actually want an arcade!" Don looked at him incredulously.

"Do you really think Leo would want an arcade?" He asked Mikey, who tilted his head to think of an answer, "I mean, I can see Raph secretly wanting one, but if Leo wins, he's definitely going to put in his serenity garden. But that would be a real shame. It just sounds so boring! Your idea is much better."

"I know, right!" Mikey shouted in exasperation, finally relieved that someone was on his side, and Donatello hushed him once again. Then the turtle shook his head again, looking depressed, "What's wrong Don?"

"I just... I never should have come in here." Don admitted, "I can't believe I was found out by you of all people!"

"Hey! I'm smart too!" Mikey retorted quickly, and Don smiled and nodded a small agreement. Mikey huffed and looked over at his brother, "So what are you gonna do?"

"Well, we could team up, I guess." Don looked embarrassed again as he proposed the plan, but Mikey stood a little taller.

"That sounds wicked!" Mikey said, then hummed thoughtfully for a second, "If you're sure about Leo not wanting an arcade, he's gonna be trouble, not to mention we aren't sure about Raph."

"Well, you know how Raph is. He'll go after Leo first most certainly, and if we follow his lead, we can take Leo out first!" Don pointed out, and Mikey grinned wide, seeing the logic in his brother's plan. Raph always was picking a fight with their unofficial leader, so it would be easy to guess that the hot-head would go after leo first.

"Sounds good! Then we'll take care of Raph!" Mikey added, grateful the smart one was on his side.

"Right! Then we have a rough plan. It'll have to do on such short notice." Don said with a final nod, "Anyways, like I said, get some sleep. We have a hard day coming up!" Mikey smiled at his brother, who did him the favor of returning it before leaving the room.

As soon as he was out in the hall, Don pulled the small notepad out of his belt and took a short pencil out of its spiral binding, writing something in it before snapping its purple cover shut once more.

Tea lights flickered in a circle surrounding Leo as he meditated at the center, the light emanating from them being the only one in the darkened room. He found it hard to center himself with a temperamental brother next door, and an overly exited one across the hall. that was why he wanted a serenity garden. He knew his brother's hated the idea, and would rarely ever use it. But that would be perfect for him, and most likely Splinter as well. A place to just relax and find a place on the astral plane while being enveloped with the serenity of silence. It would be absolutely fantastic.

"Come in, Don." Leo said with his eyes still shut and remaining in the lotus position. There was a pause before the door to his bedroom squeaked open, and his taller brother flicked on the lights. Leo tried not to flinch at the blinding light that penetrated his closed eyelids. He allowed a few seconds to pass so that his eyes could adjust before opening tem fully, then turning his head to Donatello. His brother was leaning up against the door frame, looking anywhere in the room except at Leo, and twisting his fingers into repetitive knots.

"What is it?" Leo asked knowingly, seeing all the signs that his genius was trying to keep something important to himself. At the sound of his voice, Don seemed to jump and looked directly at Leo. He opened his mouth, then closed it quickly as he shook his head, "Don..." Leo said warningly.

"No, nevermind. I-I just was checking in to see if you were asleep yet." Don said hurriedly, turning as if to leave. Leo stopped him before he could step out, though.

"Well, I'm awake. So you may as well tell me what you're hiding." Leo told his brother as calmly as he could, he didn't want to scare Don off just yet. The lanky teen turned back around, uncertainty swimming in his eyes. Leo waited patiently, though, never breaking eye contact as he held his brother in place with his gaze. Finally, Don let out a deep breath and his shoulders sagged low in defeat.

"I really shouldn't say, Leo. i didn't mean to bother you..."

"If it's bothering you, then you should just say it."

"Well, I want to, but... But I don't know if I should. The others would kill me-"

"Just spit it out already!" Leo finally snapped, causing Donnie to flinch and Leo regretted yelling almost instantly. But Don just nodded as he acquiesced.

"Well, it's about the melee tomorrow." Don informed his brother slowly, "I think... I think Raph and Mike are planning on ganging up on you secretly." Leo's eyes widened in surprise at the thought of Mikey and Raph teaming up. Actually, it wasn't too hard to believe, Mikey was always scheming something, and Raph had it out for him big time. The two together could certainly try something as dishonorable as out manning a single opponent for their own selfish reasons.

"I guess they want to take out the highest threat first." Leo noted thoughtfully, baring his teeth in a regrettable fashion as he looked up at Don, "I mean, oh, sorry. I just-"

"No it's fine Leo," Don interrupted smoothly, "We all know you're the most skilled at ninjitsu, there's no doubting that." Leo felt his chest swell with pride at that, and a grin formed on his lips. Soon, though, it cast down into a suspicious frown.

"You said, you think they're ganging up on me?" Leo questioned, eyes squinting as he turned around fully to face his brother. Don gulped nervously as if on cue and looked like he wanted to run away.

"Well, there is the fact that they, well..." Donnie started to trail off, but Leo gave him a sharp glare that told him to keep going, "They kinda insinuated that I join them too."

"And you said no, right?" Leo slowly approached with the question, making sure to scan Don's feature's thoroughly.

"Of course!" the tall turtle replied instantly, standing up a little straighter to protect his pride, "There would be no honor in that."

"So, why did you tell me this? You could have still won, even if you didn't gang up on me with them." The occupant of the room asked, still suspicious, "Don't you want a lab?"

"Yes, I do!" Don said insistently, "I just had an idea, so that you, well, you know. So you wouldn't be so outmatched." Leo looked over Don with scrutiny, discerning what his brother was trying to say.

"Are you suggesting we team up to beat them?" Leo finally let out when he came to a conclusion. Don nodded his head slowly, "I dunno, Don. Even if we did beat them, what would happen with just me and you left?"

"We would fight, of course." Don simply replied, "A fair, even match. I'm sure I could beat you."

"Yeah, right, I'd like to see you try." Leo laughed as he winked at Don, who smiled back.

"So it's a deal?"

"It's a deal, but only until one of them is out, then it's back to one on one so it's fair." Leo pointed out, his belief in honor and fairness showing itself. Don grinned excitedly at him and nodded, "Alright, get to bed, genius, I don't want you to be tired when we brawl."

"Fine, fine." Don said in mock annoyance, his smiling eyes betraying him as he walked out with a wave goodbye. Leo picked up the closest tea light to him as Don shut the door to blow it out so he could get some sleep. He was immeasurably happy that at least one of his brothers seemed to be taking an honorable path. Maybe, when Leo won, Don would find it in him to use the serenity room after all.

Meanwhile, out in the hallway, Donatello head for his room, notepad out and pencil at ready as he scratched down another observation. A wicked grin spread across his face as he opened the door to his room. He made his way through the piles of unfinished inventions and items that needed to be repaired until he found his bed. Plopping down on its soft outer layer, Don lay back with a confident sigh.

"All the pieces are in place. Now the experiment begins."

All of the turtles were quick to get up and grab their weapons the next morning, and even Mikey forgot about breakfast as they all rushed to the dojo. Leo arrived first, as always, leading the others into the room where Splinter was waiting expectantly for them. Their master waited for all four to settle into kneeling positions on their tatami mats before the inhaled deeply.

"You are ready, my sons?" Splinter asked as he opened his eyes. Not a word was said in reply as all of the turtles nodded. Splinter noticed glances from Michelangelo and Raphael in Donatello's direction, while he and Leonardo kept a vigilant and expressionless stance. splinter immediately sensed something afoot, and a thought tickled at the back of his mind from the conversation the day before, but he pushed it away as quickly as it had come, "I was not expecting you to be so eager to have this match so early."

"We're ready, Master Splinter," Leo replied immediately, receiving a mischievous look from Raphael.

"Oh, I'm ready alright, that's for sure." Raphael said with a smirk. Leonardo glared back at his brother intensely, an anger burning within his cerulean depths that Splinter could not place the reason for. Before he could give it too much thought, though, the rat stood from his crouched position and signaled for the others to do the same.

"Go to your corners." Splinter directed, and his sons willingly obeyed. Leo and Don took corners on his left side, while Raph and Mikey took the right. Both of the latter fought over the corner directly across from Donatello for a moment before Raphael pushed Mikey away and claimed the spot. Splinter kept silent until all had settled, then called for attention, "You are out if you are forced into a submissive position, step off of the bamboo mat, or forfeit. Kneel once you are out, do not distract the others as you leave the mat."

All of the ninja-in-training tensed as Splinter finished speaking, readying themselves for the melee. Splinter eyed each son for a moment, noting how each seemed to look towards Donatello momentarily, while the tallest boy remained passive. After which, he raised his jade cain, bringing it down as he called; "Hajime!"

Instantly all were on the move, weapons at ready as they head into the melee. Splinter was surprised though, to see three turtles converging to one in particular. Leonardo shifted towards Don, leaving his side open as Mikey and Raph charged at the leader. Leo blocked Mikey's spinning nunchaku expertly, but seemed surprised when Donatello struck his legs out from under him with his staff, giving Raphael the opportunity to push Leo back. The force caused the katana weilding ninja to stumble backwards, directly off of the mat and onto his rump.

Raph grinned cockily at his downed brother, who seemed in complete shock and had his mouth agape. Raph quickly turned around to face off with Mikey, and Donatello followed soon after, but not before sharing a strange glance with Leo before running off.

Splinter called his stunned son over to kneel beside him as he kept his eyes on the unusual battle unfolding before him. Leonardo was the last turtle he expected to be the first out, not that he expected less of his other sons, it was only that Leonardo rarely left himself so open, and had yet to lose a spar so easily. The Master ninja carefully observed the three remaining on the field. They now stood in a lopsided triangle, moving to the left as each waited for the other to make a move. Splinter found it unnervingly odd when both Raphael and Michelangelo gave Donatello a wink in the same exact instant, neither realizing what the other had done.

Suddenly the two winkers lunged at one another, Raphael losing the upper hand as Mikey knocked away one of his sai. Mikey had just cried out triumphantly when Donatello knocked his wooden weapon hard across the front of his plastron, sending him staggering back painfully. Mikey looked wide-eyed at his tallest brother for an instant before Raph took the shortest turtle's distraction as an opprotunity and kicked him in the side, sending him flying out of the designated area so that he lay on his shell, looking up at the ceiling with a lost expression.

Splinter knew something was off when Michelangelo obeyed him and kept silent, a dark brooding expression plastered onto his face as he kneeled beside Leonardo, who whispered something into his ear that made Mikey gasp. Splinter took no notice, though, as he was focused on straining his sharpened hearing to catch the hushed conversation between the remaining turtles that were now circling each other, both with one weapon each and glaring harshly at each other.

"What are you doing, drop out already!" Raphael whispered tersely at his brother, who smiled and shook his head.

"Don't you get it, Raph, I'm not backing out." Donatello replied quietly. Raph let loose a low growl that caught the attention of his two downed sons.

"Forfeit." Raph demanded, loud enough so that all could hear now. Don let out a cackle that took all present aback, even Splinter was surprised at the malice in the laugh.

"You don't actually think I would ever go along with the prospect of a useless 'weight room', did you?" Don chuckled, and Raph's muscles tightened considerably, "Come on, weren't you gonna replace me as the 'brains'? Figure it out already!"

"Y-you lied to me?" Raph said in disbelief, almost dropping his weapon with the oncoming shock. Don grinned wickedly in return.

"Looks like you have a brain after all!" He laughed. At that, Raphael let out a ferocious roar that almost took the onlookers by surprise as much as Don's insane laughter had, but Donatello himself seemed unfazed. The taller turtle easily sidestepped a charging Raphael, much like a matador would a raging bull. Don tapped the back of Raph's head with his staff as he leapt away with a giggle. That only seemed to enrage the opposing teen further as Raph growled once more and twirled his sai angrily.

Nothing could have prepared any of them for what happened next.

The hot-tempered turtle ran blindly at Donatello, who was standing dead center of the bamboo floor that cover the concrete below it. Instead of dodging the attack this time, however, Donatello swept low with his staff, knocking Raphael off of his feet as the shorter turtle continued to fly forwards with the gathered momentum. Donatello ducked underneath as Raph soared overhead, landing just before the edge of the out-zone. Raph was just about to recover himself when Don sent his bo away from him, the end of it landing with enough force on Raph's shell to push him down again. The genius turtle was quick to sit on his brother's back after that, knees on either side of his brother's shell. Before Raph had a chance to comprehend what was happening, Donatello had stuck his arms under Raph's so that his elbows locked into place, and intertwined his fingers as his hands met behind Raph's neck. Then the attacking turtle pulled back on Raphael's upper body, keeping the lower half firmly in place.

Splinter recognized this move as a hold they used commonly in aikido, an art Donatello preferred. This particular hold caused extreme pain in the spine and discomfort in the neck from being in an unnatural position compared to the spinal cord. It was clear who had won this match, but before Splinter could end the melee, Raphael cried out the words no one expected him to.

"Ow! Alright, I forfeit, I give!" Raph shouted as he was held in the painful position, "You win, Donnie!"

Just like that, it was over. Donatello quickly released his brother, standing up and stepping away, panting hard as the full force of his exertion hit him. The room was silent for several agonizing moments before Mikey finally broke it.

"So, wait? Did Don just get a lab?" Mikey looked around at his family expectantly. Splinter looked down at him and smiled softly.

"I believe so, Michelangelo." He replied. Immediately he was met with objection from three turtles. Raph made his way over, cracking his pained back as he did so, Leo and Mikey also standing to face their Master.

"But Master Splinter, he cheated-"

"He lied to me, Sensei. That just isn't-"

"There's no way that's in the rule book! That move isn't even legal!"

"Ya-me!" Splinter demanded as he tapped his walking stick to the ground. The turtle teens straightened up and zipped their lips immediately. The rat looked over to his quiet son who had outcasted himself to the edge of the room, "Donatello, do you believe you won by fault?"

"No, Sensei!" Don immediately replied, taking his chances and stepping forwards towards his angry brothers.

"And why do you think as such?" Splinter asked calmly. Donatello looked sheepishly down at his toes, pulling a small purple note-book from his wide leather belt that had even escaped Splinter's notice. The book was handed to the rat and he quickly opened it to the first page, eyes widening as he read what was on it and moving to the next.

"You gave us the opportunity to plan it out, so I did." Don said with a humble shrug, "It's not like I lied just for the sake of lying. I had a whole plan in mind that just needed the proper incentives."

"This is... Impressive, Donatello." Splinter said with a nod as he closed the book, "May I show this to your brothers, I'm sure they could come to appreciate your victory if they read this."

"Uh... Sure, I guess. I don't know how happy they'll be to read it, though." Donatello gulped as Splinter passed the small book to Leonardo, the other two clustering around him to read over his shoulder.

"What the...?" Raph let out as he read his name, followed by a checklist that included; Join sides with Raph. Get him to attack Leo first. Make him angry enough to charge.

Get on Mikey's side. Get him to attack Leo first. Knock him out after he and Raph start to fight.

Get Leo to think Mikey and Raph are in league. Join sides with Leo. Surprise him.

The three turtles gaped at the completed to-do list, which was followed by extensive notes on probable outcomes following different conditions of everything had not gone as planned, which they had. Everything was written out so precisely that the others had no words for any of it.

"When Mikey knocked Raph's sai out of the ring," Don said, brining the other brothers back to the present, "It helped me out a lot. I know I could knock away one, but if he still had one when I threw away my staff, it could have been problematic."

"You knew I was going to get back up?" Raph asked in awe. Donnie smiled slightly and shrugged.

"You always get back up, it's one of your good points." He simply said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Wow, Donnie." Mikey said, "I never knew you were such a good liar."

"Deception is part of being a ninja." Splinter added, and all of the boys nodded as if they were in a trance. Leo huffed angrily, causing the attention to turn to him.

"I was really hoping to get some peace around this place for once." he said indignantly. Splinter chuckled lightly and pat his growing son on the shell.

"You will learn, my son, that in this household, peace is a rare occurence." Splinter told him, causing Mikey and Raph to laugh knowingly at their brother's expense. It was then that Donnie cleared his throat and brought all eyes back to him.

"Sorry to win epically and leave," Raph groaned and rolled his eyes, knowing he was never going to live this one down, "But I have a lab to build!"

Fave and review, yeah? I may just do a part two to this one-shot if it's demanded. If not, then I'll just leave it completed with this. :P