Monkey Brains.
Eleanor's POV.
Ugh, what a day. School and a part-time job. I entered my room and crashed on to my bed with a sigh.
Oh, didn't I tell you guys? A few days ago, I got a part-time job at a noodle shop. The owner, and cook was looking for an assistant. And I treated April and myself out, because of our report card streak. And I noticed, with my sense of smell, that the shrimp of another costumer's order were overcooked.
Impressed, the owner asked if I could be his assistant. I accepted, and I've been working ever since.
I still have time to train with Master Splinter and hang out with April and the Turtles. I've been trying to make new friends, but sadly had no luck. 'Who wants to be friends with your kind of people?' they'd say.
Oh, crud! I have training with Master Splinter tonight, and I have homework due in three days! Eh, I'll do my homework tomorrow.
I rose from my bed, fed Mulan, got my ninja gear ready and quickly made my way to the Lair. As soon as I entered the Lair, I saw Mikey and Donnie exit the Dojo. Mikey had a huge grin on his face, with his hands behind his head. And Donnie looked like he lost a fight.
I walked past the two brothers, and entered the Dojo. Master Splinter was standing in front of the tree, with his back facing me.
I went on one knee and bowed, "Sensei, I've come for my training for today."
My muscles tensed as I noticed that Splinter said nothing, but charged at me. He threw a few punches, which I blocked and countered with a few kicks and performed 背負い投げ(Seoi Nage/Shoulder Throw). When I got him on my back, Splinter-sama flipped off my back and took a step back.
Splinter-sama put his hand up, "止め (Yame/Stop)." I dropped my stance and relaxed. He smiled, "Very good, Eleanor. Your reflexes are impressive. Do you know what today's lesson is?"
I thought for a second, "Being able to fight without thinking?" I guessed.
Splinter-sama nodded with a smile, "Correct. Now, again. This time, counter."
I charged toward Splinter and threw a few punches and kicks. He grabbed me arm and performed 背負い投げ, however I rolled off his back, grabbed his arm and performed 巴投 (Tomoe-Nage/Circle Throw or Monkey Flip). Splinter flipped to his feet and took a stance, I did the same.
Suddenly, I heard metal swinging in the air. My muscles tensed, as I caught whatever it was behind me, throw it over my shoulder, causing it to land on its back, and sat on top of it, with its own weapons to its neck.
As soon as I saw my attcker's green scaled, blue masked face, my muscles relaxed and I lowered the weapons. I felt like my heart just dropped. My attacker was Leo. I nearly harmed him.
"止め! Very good, Eleanor. We will continue tomorrow." Master Splinter said with a smile, and walked into his room.
I dropped Leo's weapons, stood up and helped the grounded turtle back to his feet. "What were you thinking, Leo? I could've hurt you." I asked, then told him.
He shrugged with a smile, "I was testing your reflexes."
I smiled and giggled. That was the same thing I told him. I gave Leo his weapons back. As we left the dojo, I heard what sounded like a marker pen on a cardboard paper. It was coming from Donnie's lab. I looked and saw Raph and Mikey peeking through the door. I felt a nudge in my arm, and I looked at Leo.
"Wanna see what's going on?" He asked me with a cheeky smile.
I nodded with a cheeky smile of my own. Leo, Mikey, Raph and I quietly entered Donnie's lab and looked over Donnie's shoulders to see that he was making a flowchart of multiple plans and ideas.
"What you up to, Donnie?" Leo asked, startling Donnie.
Donnie looked and saw us around him. "Just putting the finishing touches on my master plan." He answered, as he continued drawing.
"Master plan?" Raph asked.
"Yeah, to get April to hang out with me." Donnie replied, finishing a line.
Donnie's brothers laughed at him. I just rested my head on my hand.
"Aww. That's so cute." I smiled.
"Try this, 'April, do you want to hang out with me?'" Leo suggested with a cheeky smile.
"Yeah. You see, it's not that simple. I have to prepare for every possible response to maximize my chances of success." Donnie answered, as he finished his chart.
"Aw, that's so romantic!" Mikey said with a smile.
Donnie showed us his flowchart, which he pinned on the back of Leo's Space Heroes III movie poster.
Donnie cleared his throat, "Yeah. For instance, if April says she can't because she has homework, then I will suggest an informal study session and serve healthy, brain-stimulating snacks." He explained, pointing to a black-lined idea.
"Well, what if she says she can't, because you're a total nerd?" Raph asked.
"Ah, that's this thread here." Donnie answered, pointing to an orange plan, "I will list my many non-nerdy qualities and suggest activities that will highlight my coolness, such as skateboarding or shark wrestling."
Suddenly, April showed up without warning. She was carring her laptop, which was open. Speak of the devil, and she doeseth appear. Heh.
"Guys!" April shouted.
April's presense alerted Donnie, as he hurried to flip his chart back to Leo's poster.
"Hey- hey, Ap- Hey, April." He studdered, love-struck. That Turtle's crush on my best friend is so cute.
"You guys gotta check this out." April told us, as she pressed play on a news video clip.
"Renowned neurochemist Dr. Tyler Rockwell has been reported missing." The news reporter said.
My eyes widen in shock, "Professor Rockwell?"
Leo looked at me, "You know him, Ellie?"
I nodded, "Yeah. He was my science teacher when I was young." I smiled at the memories, "Neurochemistry was fun."
"Is there anyone in this city you don't know?" Raph asked me with a strange look in his eyes.
I scratched the back of my head, "I'll keep you posted on that, Raph."
"I spoke with Rockwell's colleague, Dr. Victor Falco." The reporter finished, as the camera turned to a skinny, man, in his late-40s, in a lab-coat. Another man I know, Victor Falco.
"I hadn't heard from him in days, so I stopped by his lab. The place was a mess and he was gone. I fear the worst." Falco said.
There was something up with his voice. He sounded genuine, but there was something in his tone. I can't put my finger on it.
"Police say they have-" The reporter continued, until April closed her laptop.
"So?" Raph asked.
"So, the Kraang have been kidnapping scientists from all over the city, including my Dad! Maybe that's what happened to this Rockwell guy." April answered.
"Or they may not be connected at all." I said, deep in thought.
"There's only one way to find out. We should go to that lab and look around." April said.
"April's right. We should go check it out." Donnie agreed, then faked hearing something, "What's that? You guys are busy? Guess it's just the two of us, April."
I broke out of my train of thought and noticed Donnie walking off with April.
"Oh no, you don't. I'm coming with you guys." I told them.
"Why?" April asked, confused with my actions.
"I know Rockwell. And I need to know what happened to him." I answered.
Donnie smiled, "That's great, Ellie. We could use your kind of skills."
Donnie and I got our ninja gear and traveled with April, to Rockwell's lab, which was in an apartment building. Slightly on the way, Donnie tried to start a conversation with April, but she was too focused on the task at hand. That girl needs to loosen up a bit. She's way too much like her father.
"Ellie?" Donnie called, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, Don?" I answered, looking at him.
"If you don't mind me asking, do you plan out your stratigies of combat?" He asked. So, that's why he was upset. He was thinking during his spar with Mikey.
"I don't. Thinking too much will make you lose sight of what's coming. You need to live fully in the moment, when you fight." I answered, matter-of-fact.
Donnie sighed, "You sound just like Master Splinter."
I smiled, "He's a good teacher. Sometimes, you need to listen to him."
By the silence, Donnie knew I was right. We arrived at the apartment building and made our entry through the roof. We quietly made our to the lab door and it was locked with an electronic lock. Donnie got a small device, with a computer chip inside, from his belt. He placed it on the lock and the red light turned green. The door opened.
"There isn't an electronic lock out there my digital lock pick can't crack." Donnie said with smile.
"Smooth!" April said with a smile. Donnie chuckled.
Donnie, April and I entered the lab and began looking around. It was really dark, so we couldn't find the light switch. Instead, April turned on her flashlight. The place looked like it was turned upside-down by something larger than a full-grown man.
"Wow, this place is a wreck." Donnie gasped.
April shone her flashlight at a torn open cage. She shuddered, "Ugh, he must have been experimenting on animals."
I looked at the cage. It looked like it was big enough to hold in a person, or a monkey. That doesn't add-up. Rockwell hated experimenting on animals. He loved them.
April moved her flashlight to what was next to the cage, a dentist chair with metal restraint-cuffs.
"Either someone was up to some secret research, or they were renting space to one freaky dentist!" Donnie summarized.
I shuddered at the thought, as I looked at the chair, "Ugh. I've always hated medical places. Always give me the creeps."
We turned our attention to the desk, on the other side of the room. Research papers were all over the place. Donnie looked at the papers, and I checked the drawers. I opened the bottom one. It was empty, but there was a familiar, light blue glow under the bottom panel.
"Donnie, April. I think I found something." I said, as I lifted the panel.
Donnie gasped, and April obtained the contents; a canister of Mutagen. Now that does raise suspisions on what research Rockwell and Falco were up to.
"Mutagen!" Donnie identified the canister.
April looked at the canister, then behind Donnie, "Donnie, look out!" She shouted.
A shadowed figure of a man, with a golf club, swung his weapon toward Donnie. Donnie easily blocked with his staff and threw the man to the ground. April finally found the light switch and the lights turned on. It was Falco that attcked Donnie, well... tried to.
"Dr. Falco!" April exclaimed with surprise.
Falco yelled when he got a good look at Donnie. "What are you?!" He asked.
"Relax. I'm not gonna hurt you." Donnie said in a calm tone.
"You already hurt me!" Falco told Donnie.
Donnie stood up, "I mean any more."
"We're here to help." April told Falco, as Donnie offered him his hand.
Falco took Donnie's hand and Donnie helped him back on his feet. Falco dusted himself off and saw me.
"Eleanor. It's good to see you again, my dear." He greeted with a smile.
I kept my distance from him and said nothing. Ever since I first met this man, I always get a cold shiver running down my spine. Rockwell told him I was shy, which was slightly the case, but the shiver was the most logical reason.
"Do you know anything about the location of my father, Dr. Falco?" April asked.
Falco sat on his desk, "I'm sorry. I wish I knew something about your father, but I don't." He answered.
"So what can you tell us about this?" Donnie asked, holding the canister of Mutagen.
"Some shady corporate goon paid Rockwell a lot of money to experiment with it." Falco answered.
"This the guy?" April asked, showing a photo of a disguised Kraangdroid on her phone.
"That's him." Falco answered with a nodd.
"The Kraang!" Donnie gasped.
"Well, I wanted no part of that stuff. Who knows what kind of monstrosities could result." Falco explained, then looked at Donnie, "No offense."
"Some taken." Donnie replied.
I narrowed my eyes at Falco, there was that tone again. How can no-one else hear it? Must be just me and my hearing.
"Is that what was in that cage over there? One of his monstrosities?" April asked, pointing to the cage. I looked at the cage.
"Can we ease up on the 'M' word, please?" Donnie asked.
"That's where he kept the monkey, he was experimenting on." Falco answered.
"Whoa. It sure didn't like being locked up in there." Donnie commented.
"Rockwell didn't treat it very well." Falco explained.
"Maybe the Kraang didn't take Rockwell. Maybe the monkey went berserk, busted out of the cage, and dragged him off. Or worse." April said, thinking about possibilities.
I stared at the cage, then looked at my hand. A few days ago, I realised that my dreams of a person's past can also happen when I touch something, or somebody. It worked when I was sparring with Master Splinter, so it must work with other things too. My reached out my hand, to touch the cage, until Falco's voice stopped me.
"I hope you're able to find Rockwell soon. Who can tell what's happening to him now." He said.
"Thanks for your help, Dr. Falco. We'll find you, if you need anything." April said, then made her way to the door, with Donnie following her.
I sighed and followed my friends and exit the apartment building. We made our way back to the Lair, through an alley way, that was a few blocks behind the apartment building.
"So how do you suppose we're gonna find Rockwell without any leads?" April asked.
"Well, maybe we'll know more once we have a look at his flash drive." Donnie answered. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. And not by Shredder's men.
"What flash drive?" April asked.
"The one I swiped off his desk." Donnie answered, with a smile, showing the flash drive.
"Nice!" April smiled.
"Awesome." I smiled.
"Yeah. Well, keeping cool under pressure is the hallmark of a-" Donnie was about to boast, until we encountered a Mutant. A monkey Mutant with dark brown fur, slightly tanned skin, and amber-brown eyes.
The monkey had cuffs on its wrists, beltline and ankles, and wore a pair of indigo pants. It roared at us. Donnie got his weapon ready for a fight.
"Careful, Donnie! That's a dangerous Mutant!" April warned Donnie.
"That makes two of us!" Donnie told her.
"April, stay behind me." I told April, moving her behind me.
Donnie prepared for an attack, but the monkey was fast and kicked Donnie away. The force caused Donnie to drop his staff. The monkey picked up the staff and sniffed it. It threw the staff away. Donnie stood up, rubbing his head slightly.
"Donnie, are you okay?" April asked, worried for her Turtle friend.
"I'm good." Donnie replied, with a weak smile, then returned to his fight with the monkey.
Donnie tried his best to land a hit on the monkey, but the monkey kept dodging and keeping its distance. It was like the monkey was either empathic, or telepathic. The monkey had the upper-hand and beated Donnie to the ground.
"Donnie?" April shouted.
"I was just figuring out his timing. He is gonna regret-" Donnie tried to explain, until the monkey hit him, "Ow! That." The monkey punched him, "That, too!" It hit him again, "And that!" And again, "Got a lot of regrets, monkey!"
The monkey grabbed Donnie's head and threw him across the alley. Donnie didn't have time to react, as the monkey jumped on to him and began hitting him over the head. Donnie tried to protect himself, "Hey, come on! Hey, ow!"
Then, the monkey threw Donnie toward us. April ran to Donnie, to see if he was okay. The monkey growled to get her attention. April turned and saw the monkey advancing toward her and I. I kept April behind me as we slowly backed away, but the monkey grabbed me by my shoulders and roared at me.
I stared, unfazed by the roar. It realised how calm I was and stopped snarling at me.
I placed my hands over its wrists with a gentle smile, "It's okay. Everything's going to be all right." The monkey looked at me. I gave it a gentle smile, "We're not gonna hurt you."
I could feel the monkey look into my eyes. It let me go and stared at me. It looked like it was trying to say something, but couldn't find the right words.
"What? What's wrong?" I asked the monkey.
The monkey was about to say something, but roared, "Stay away!" Then it dashed off on to the rooftops.
Once everything calmed down, I ran into the alley to get Donnie's staff, and April ran to Donnie and lifted his head, "Donnie, are you hurt?" She asked him.
"Just my pride. And my internal organs." Donnie was able to answer, until he lightly blacked out for a few seconds.
"Come on." I said, as April and I got Donnie back on to his feet and April put his arm over her shoulders.
We made our way to the manhole and April slowly helped Donnie into the sewers. I couldn't help but look back at the rooftops. That voice that spoke to me. It was definitly coming from the monkey, but it sounded so familiar. It sounded similar to...
"It can't be..." I wondered.
"Ellie, come on." April shouted, breaking my train of thought. I made my way down, and put the manhole cover back where it belonged.
April and I slowly, but surely, got back to the Lair. The boys saw us and saw how beaten up Donnie looked.
"Whoa, what happened?" Leo asked.
"Donnie got beat up by a lab monkey." April answered.
The boys looked at each other. I moved aside, as Leo took my place, with Donnie's other arm over his shoulders.
"April, can you get an ice pack?" Leo asked. April dashed off to the kitchen.
I joined April into the kitchen and began heating the teapot.
"Ellie, what are you doing? Now's not the time for tea." April asked, then told me.
"Natural remedies, April." I answered, as I put a ginger teabag into the teapot.
"Donnie, you gonna be okay?" I heard Leo ask.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'll be fine." Donnie answered.
"In that case." Leo started, then Donnie's brothers laughed at him.
"You got beaten up by a monkey? In front of your girlfriend?" Raph asked.
"She's not my girlfriend! And that monkey was a vicious Mutant!" Donnie argued.
"Yeah, I'm sure he went bananas!" Leo joked, and then the brothers burst into laughter again. "No, no, no, no, no. He went ape!" He joked again, then the laughter got louder.
"Monkey!" Mikey was able to shout between his laughs.
April and I entered the lounge with an ice pack and a cup of ginger tea. April glared at the laughing brothers.
Raph noticed and gave his brothers an 'Cut it' signal, "No more monkey puns."
April looked at the brothers, then sat down. Donnie lifted his head, then rested it on April's lap, as she placed the ice pack over his head.
"Are you laughing at him because he's hurt?" April asked with a glare.
"No, we were laughing at him because he was hurt by a monkey!" Mikey answered, and burst into laughter again, followed by his brothers.
April looked at the brothers annoyed. I couldn't help but giggle myself. Siblings laugh at each other all the time. Heck, I laughed at Sammy when she tripped over and got bit by her pet artic fox, Kohaku. Of course, I got a boot to the head, but she still laughed as well.
I gave Donnie the cup, "Here, Donnie. Drink this."
Donnie took the cup and looked at the tea. He took a sip and lightly smiled in delight. I smiled as well.
"What is that?" Leo asked me.
"It's ginger tea. Perfect pain relief and anti-inflammatry." I answered.
"Wow. Who knew we had a doctor in the house." Mikey said with a smile.
(A/N: Beast Boy anyone?)
After a while, Leo and Raph were in the dojo, sparring. Mikey was relaxing, listening to music. April was at home. And I was meditating with Master Splinter. Good thing it was a weekend. Donnie was fully recovered, but he was feeling a little depressed, losing a fight to a mutant monkey. His negative energy was stopping me from meditating. Can't say I blame him.
"I just don't get it. I mean, I'm a highly trained martial artist. How could I lose to something so mindless?" Donnie. wondered, looking at the water.
Master Splinter and I decided to give Donnie a little pep talk.
"You are very intelligent." Splinter told Donnie.
Donnie turned and looked at us.
"But in a fight, you can't always be up here." I said, pointing to my forehead.
"But I just don't understand how you can fight without thinking." Donnie told Master Splinter and myself.
Donnie, Master Splinter and I turned and saw Mikey walked toward us, with his headphones on, his eyes closed and listening to his music. A perfect demonstration.
"Observe." I said, as I walked towards Mikey. I threw a few hits at him, but he dodged and blocked my attacks. I lowered my stance and smiled at Donnie, "You see, Donnie? Mikey doesn't think."
"Thank you." Mikey said to me.
"You're welcome." I answered, as Mikey walked off.
Mikey walked past Master Splinter, and Splinter tripped Mikey into the bean-bag chair with his tail.
"You must find the space between your thoughts and learn to live there. That's what Michelangelo does." Master Splinter told Donnie.
"True, but Mikey's got a lot more space between his thoughts than I do." Donnie pointed out.
"Oh, a pepperoni!" Mikey exclaimed, eating a pepperoni that was behind him.
"Yes, well, Michelangelo has his challenges, too." Master Splinter said with light chuckle.
After another while, April decided to hang out with the Turtles and myself, in the Lair. She was researching the documents on Falco's flash drive. Raph was reading his comic books, Leo and Mikey were sparring, Donnie was watching the T.V, and I was finishing my homework.
"Guys, I think I've found something." April said, getting all of our attention.
"These notes are hard to follow, but it looks like Rockwell was able to modify the Mutagen." She explained, as she read the notes.
"Why would he do that?" Leo asked.
"He thought he could use it to create a neurochemical that would temporarily give someone psychic abilities." April answered.
"You mean that monkey was psychic?" Raph asked.
"It's more like he was reading our emotions. After all, he was only hostile when Donnie was hostile." April explained.
"Yeah, well next time I'll be sure to think friendly thoughts while I'm beating a little sunshine into him." Donnie said, punching his hand during his last words.
I sighed a bit, "Emotions are not in the same concept as thoughts, Donnie." Everyone looked at me, "That's what I've heard..."
"Okay, we need to track him down before he attacks someone else. Let's go up to the surface, spread out, and search." Leo told us.
"How are we gonna stay in contact?" Raph asked.
"I have a little something that might help." Donnie said, as he stood up. "Gentlemen and ladies I give you The T-Phone!" He revealed a cell phone-like device that was in the shape of a turtle shell.
I smiled. Very clever, Donnie.
"Dude, I'm in charge of naming stuff. I would've called it - The T-Phone." Mikey retorted at Donnie.
"I did call it the T-Phone." Donnie said.
"Yeah, but I would've called it the T-Phone." Mikey muttered in a pout. Only to get hit in the back of his head by Raph.
"And April, if you give me your cell number, I can patch you into our network." Donnie suggested, offering his T-Phone to April.
"Sweet!" April smiled, taking the cell and put her number into Donnie's phone.
"See that? I got her number." Donnie whispered to Raph.
"Her number's on the fridge, you dork." Raph pointed out.
"Ellie? Would you like to do that as well?" Leo asked me.
"Of course, Leo." I answered with a small smile.
After April was done, I gave the Turtles my cell number too. I didn't notice Leo's blushing smile.
*Later, in the city...*
The Turtles, April and I seperated and began searching for the monkey. April kept to the ground level and the Turtles and I had the rooftops.
"Guys, someone just spotted the monkey on Bleecker." April informed us.
"I think I'm on his trail." Raph reported.
"Ellie, the monkey is headed your way." Leo informed me.
I looked and saw the monkey running down the street, "I've got eyes on him. He's headed south on Delancey!" I informed.
"I'm on Houston! I'll cut him off! Where'd he go?" Donnie reported, then asked.
"He changed direction." Leo informed, then told Mikey, "Mikey, the monkey is headed your way!"
"I'm on it!" Mikey replied.
This monkey was clever. He lead the Turtles and myself into a wild goose-chase. It was confusing and slightly annoying. We all met up in a four-way crossing intersection. But, no sign of the monkey.
"Anybody see where he went?" Leo asked.
"I thought he headed off in that direction." Donnie answered.
"I thought it was that way." Raph replied.
The three started arguing, while Mikey was calling, "Here, monkey, monkey, monkey, monkey!"
Something at the back of my head told me to turn around and look at the dumpster behind me. As I looked, I sensed fear and sadness.
April and I walked toward the dumpster and opened it. Only to see the monkey.
"There you are." I said with a smile.
The monkey turned and saw us. The voice spoke again, "It's you girls again."
April smiled and reached out her hand to the monkey.
"It's alright. We're not gonna hurt you." I assured the poor Mutant.
The monkey looked at April's hand. "Alright..."
The monkey climbed out and stared at me and April. Suddenly, Mikey threw his kusarigama chain and it bound the monkey. "No! Not again. Let me go!" The voice said, as the monkey roared.
"Ha-ha! Gotcha that time!" Mikey smiled.
"Great, we got the monkey. But we're not any closer to finding Dr. Rockwell." Raph said in matter-of-fact.
"I said, LET ME GO!" The monkey roared, making April to jump and back away a little.
I went to one knee, put my hands over his cheeks and spoke in a calm and gentle voice, "Easy, easy, shhh. It's okay."
"I... don't..." The monkey stuttered, as his bulging eyes returned to their normal state.
April looked at me, "Wow, Ellie. How do you do that?"
"It's a gift." I answered with a shrug.
Hearing April saying my name, the monkey's eyes widen in surprise, "Dear Eleanor? You've grown up..."
I raised a brow in confusion, then something hit me. The voice was... Only one thought came to me as tears welled up in my eyes, "Who did this to you?"
"Actually, we're a lot closer than you think." April told the boys.
"What? How?" Donnie asked.
I turned to the boys, "April's right. This is Dr. Rockwell."
*Later, in Dr. Falco's lab...*
The Turtles, April and I were able to return the monkey, Rockwell, back to his lab, Falco seemed upset, but his aura gave me a reason to still keep my distance from him. Falco bound Rockwell to the chair, with Rockwell screaming and trying to escape, and injected a serum into his arm. Rockwell calmed down and fell asleep.
"There. That should calm him down a little. Poor Rockwell." Falco said.
"Is there any way to get him back to normal?" April asked.
"I wouldn't even know where to begin. But I'll see if there's a way to give him some semblance of a normal life." Falco answered.
*Later, back at the Lair...*
The boys, except Raph, April and I were in the kitchen, waiting for Raph to bring the pizza. Mikey was playing with his T-Phone and Donnie was looking over Rockwell's notes.
"Man, this asteroid field is tough. I just can't beat it." Mikey said, as he played.
"Left, right, shoot, back, right." I said.
Mikey did what I said, and he smiled, "Thanks, Ellie." I smiled at him.
"Pizza's here!" Raph announced, as he placed the pizza box on the table and opened the box.
Leo and Raph took a slice each and started eating. Mikey sniffed the aroma of the pizza and caught himself in a silly dillema.
He switched back and forth, "Must eat pizza. But can't stop playing. But must eat pizza. But can't stop playing! But must eat pizza!"
He screamed in desperation, then made up his mind and grabbed a slice with his mouth.
"Sorry we didn't get any closer to finding your Dad, April." Leo said to April.
"It's okay. Everything we learn about the Kraang is another piece of the puzzle." April replied.
"Yeah, but psychic research? This is one weird puzzle." Leo wondered.
"I am curious, April. Eleanor. How did you know the monkey was really a human?" Master Splinter asked, as he walked by us.
"I don't know. Sometimes I just get a feeling about things." April answered in all honesty.
"A feeling? Hm. Interesting. And you, Eleanor?" Splinter wondered, then asked me.
I wasn't sure if I could tell him. That I'm able to understand animals, Mutant and non, and sense the emotions of others and be able to identify who? Will he think that I'm a freak too?
I had to say what I said to the boys before, "Just a hunch?"
Master Splinter gave me a look and walked off.
Raph looked at me, "You're not eating, Ellie?"
"Thanks, Raph. But, I'm not hungry. I'm worried about Rockwell." I answered with a slight sulk.
"Hey, Donnie, how come you're not eating?" Leo asked Donnie.
"What? I'm not hungry. Something's been bothering me." Donnie answered.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Falco said that Rockwell was experimenting on a monkey." Donnie started, recalling on Falco's words.
"And?" Leo asked.
"Well, according to these notes, he never had a monkey in his lab. He was just using samples of monkey DNA." Donnie continued, then looked at me, "Ellie, did Rockwell ever use animals for class experiments?"
I quickly shook my head, "No. He can't stand experimenting on animals. If anything, Prof. Rockwell loves animals."
"We're still not following you." Leo said.
"If he never had a monkey, what broke out of that cage?" Donnie pointed out.
"It must've been Rockwell!" Raph answered.
"Which means Falco put him there and he's been lying this whole time!" Donnie summarized.
"I knew it!" I shouted in anger, dashing off to get my ninja gear and making my way to Falco's lab.
The Turtles quickly followed after me. We made our way to the apartment building and entered the lab. It was stormy, but I had no time to be afraid. Falco has already acquired the psychic abilities.
"All right, Falco! We've had enough of your-" Leo began, but Raph cut him off.
"Do not say 'monkey-ing around'." Raph said.
"I wasn't going to." Leo retorted.
"Yes, you were." Falco replied with a smirk. His eyes were bloodshot. I sensed corruption and evil clouding the lab.
"It's over, Falco! We know it was you who mutated Rockwell!" Donnie told Falco.
"I used him as a guinea pig." Falco admitted. Now, he's telling the truth.
"Well, it didn't work. You turned him into a monkey." Mikey replied.
"Falco, how could you do this to your own partner?" I asked.
"The psychic neurochemical I extracted from his mutant brain is changing me. Your minds are opening up to me." Falco answered.
"So this was your plan all along." Donnie summarized.
"Of course. No man can defeat you when you know his every thought." Falco admitted with a smile.
I glared at the madman and hissed, "You're as low as a rat..."
"Oh, really? Then you must know I'm gonna smack-" Raph began his threat, but Falco saw it coming.
"Smack the white off my lab coat?" Falco laughed at the irony, "How humorous!"
"Lucky guess!" Raph said, and then attacked Falco, but Falco dodged, "What?"
Falco chuckled and gave Raph a 'Come-get-me' motion. Raph tried to attack Falco again, but Falco dodged and kept his distance from Raph. Falco chuckled again and waved his finger, clicking his tongue. Raph aimed a kick, but Falco dodged and took Raph's sai. Falco hit Raph in the face, with the hilt of his sai and then kicked him toward Mikey, Donnie and I. Raph was out-cold.
Leo unsheathed his weapons and began attacking Falco. But Falco dodged and kept his distance.
"Whoa! It's like he's psychic!" Mikey said in awe.
"He is psychic, shell brain. That's what he just said." Donnie pointed out.
"Oh, yeah, I kinda tuned out when he did his whole 'I'm evil, blah, blah, blah' thing. Heh." Mikey admitted. Wow. Master Splinter wasn't kidding about those challenges.
Leo continued to try and attack Falco, but Falco was too fast. Falco caught Leo's katanas and threw them toward Mikey, Donnie and I. Luckily, we dodged them. Falco hit Leo with Raph's sai, knocking him out-cold.
I felt my heart freeze a little, "Leo!" But, the burning anger in my chest thawed it out, "You're gonna pay for this, Falco!"
I dashed toward Falco and unsheathed my eskrima sticks.
I heard Donnie shout, "Ellie, no!" But, my anger deafened me. I activated the taser-ends and began attacking Falco. Falco dodged and kept his distance, but I kept him on his toes.
Donatello's POV.
Ellie was attacking Falco with great agility. She's got Falco on his toes. One bad move and he's toast. Even fueled by anger, she still keeps herself under control. Raph could learn from her.
"How are we going to defeat him if he can read our minds?" I asked Mikey.
Mikey smiled, "No prob. I'm good at this. I just have to fight without thinking!" Then it hit him, "Wait a minute, how do I fight without thinking?" Then, he got confused, "Oh, no! Now I'm thinking about not thinking!"
Mikey's dillema was cut short by Falco, hitting him at the back of head with Raph's sai. Ellie tried to jab at Falco, when his back was turned, but Falco dodged and Ellie ran into the door. She was able to stop herself from hitting the door and turned to face Falco.
"A man who can read minds is unstoppable. Once I dispose of you two, no one will be able to stand in my way." Falco told Ellie and myself.
Ellie conjoined her sticks into a staff, like mine, and I drew my staff. "We'll see about that." I told Falco.
Ellie and I tried to double-team, but Falco dodged our every move. Falco threw Raph's sai at us, but I blocked it with my staff. Elle and I jabbed Falco, but he grabbed our staffs and threw us into the nearest wall. Ellie fell unconscious, whilst my back ached for a few seconds.
"I really must admire that complex brain of yours. You come up with so many ideas. Too bad I can see them all coming." Falco complemented, told me. "By the way, do you really think you have a chance with April?" He asked.
Those words struck a nerve, but I had to remember what Ellie and Master Splinter told me. "I can do this. Just have to fight without thinking. No thinking. No thinking." I muttered to myself. I closed my eyes and tried to clear my head. I was successful. I found a space between my thoughts, "Don't think. Just do."
I charged toward Falco and hit him with two kicks, forcing him into the all behind him. Falco charged toward me, but I stepped aside and tripped him. I gave Falco an upperhook, then kicked him in the back, causing him to stumble to his desk. Angry, Falco tried to throw a punch at me, but I dodged with a backflip. I landed on the wall and threw a round of spinning punches. The force caused Falco to fall into the torn open cage. Falco fell unconscious.
Eleanor's POV.
I regained consciousness and saw that Donnie defeated Falco and Falco was inside the torn cage. The others regained consciousness as well.
"Whoa, Donnie, nice work!" Raph said with a smile.
"Well done, Don." I praised, placing a hand over his shoulder.
"What'd I tell you about those back flips, huh? Pretty cool!" Mikey asked, then smiled, holding the canister of Mutagen.
"Now that we have the ooze, let's see what Falco knows about the Kraang." Donnie said. We looked at the cage and Falco was nowhere to be found, "Falco's gone!"
Rockwell came to and struggled to get out of the chair.
Mikey looked at his brothers and me, "What do we do about him?"
Donnie released the cuffs and Rockwell ran to the window.
He opened the window, then looked at us, "Thank you, Eleanor. And Turtles."
"I'm no psychic, but I think he's trying to thank us." Donnie said.
I smiled, "You're welcome, Professor."
Rockwell jumped out the window and into the city.
"Um, if he reacts to angry thoughts, is New York city really the best place for him?" Raph asked.
Before we could answer, we heard Rockwell nearly got hit by a nearby car. A man shouted, in an Indian accent, "Hey, monkey! Get outta the-"
Rockwell reacted and trashed the man's car.
"I'm sure he'll be okay." Leo answered with a small smile.
*Later, back at the Lair*
April left the dojo, after her little chat with Master Splinter. Mikey was off somewhere. Raph was in the lounge, reading a comic book. Donnie was in his lab. And Leo and I were sparring.
Donnie walked to the doorway of his lab, "Hey, April, you, uh, wanna hang out tonight?" He asked April, as soon as she walked by him.
"That sounds great, Donnie, but I can't. I'm training with Splinter to be a Kunoichi." April replied.
"Oh." Donnie said, then he went behind his door, then smiled, "Well then, maybe we can train together sometime."
"Sounds great!" April smiled. Then she walked off.
"You see? My flowchart is awesome!" Donnie cheered in enthusiasm.