Disclaimer: I do not own Ninja Turtles; Peter Laird, Kevin Eastman and Mirage comics do…And whoever else.
"Home sweet home." Donnie mused as he and his family continued to wade down the shallow waters of the sewer. Master Splinter at the lead, followed by Mikey and Leo, Don close behind and Raph (Who's arm was finally healed up.) purposely lagging behind: more than ever the red-masked turtle has been alienating himself from the family, the guilt and anger eating him up from the inside.
"Yeah; cold, drippy sewer water, darkness and a stink up to high Heaven: doesn't it just scream 'solace'?" Mikey scoffed playfully.
Don caught up and gave Mikey a playful shove "What, using big words now?" He teased.
Mikey gave him a smirk "Orokana musuko wa kashikoi musume yori mo sugurete imasu." He retorted and crossed his arms, giving Donnie a look that seemed to say 'what now?'.
Splinter and Leo stared at him; they had understood what he had just said in Japanese. Don however, who never had too much interest in Japan, was stumped.
Don turned to Leo "What did he just say?"
"Donnie, you really don't want me to answer that…..But Mikey; that's a Chinese proverb, not a Japanese one. And Don isn't even a daughter."
Mikey shrugged with his smirk still intact. "Could have fooled me."
Don may not have understood what Mikey said in Japanese, but he did now know that Mikey was calling him a girl."Hey! You little-!" Don snapped and took out his Bo Staff, then chased Mikey with it. Chuckling the entire time; Mikey ran away from Don.
Master Splinter and Leo looked at each other and smiled; things really were getting more normal. Well, normally it'd be Raph chasing Mikey after a remark like that, but this was nice too.
"So uh…What exactly did he say anyways?" Raph asked, still several yards behind.
"For Don's sake; it's really best not to tell." Leo told him, Master Splinter nodded and they continued on their way back to the Lair.
"Hey, did we leave the lights on when we left?" Raph asked as they entered the lair; sure enough the living room lights were on.
"I'm pretty sure I turned them off." Leo replied. The blue-masked leader looked around the Lair; it wasn't this messy either….
Mikey suddenly took a sharp inhale and a growl tore from his throat. Alertness took control of his movements; he whipped out his Jumonji-Yari and held it out protectively in front of his family. His kept turning his head and looking in all directions.
"What's wrong, Mikey?" Don asked, concerned and suspicious; something was definitely off about the Lair and Mikey could sense it.
"Blood." Mikey growled, his blue-gray eyes narrowed "I can smell it; this place reeks of blood and fear."
Master Splinter sniffed the air and his own body tense up "You are right – someone is here."
All of the turtles withdrew their weapons.
"How the shell do you know what fear smells like?" Leo asked his mate, though being serious he was curious as well.
Mikey didn't look at him but replied "When you're in the Foot, you learn things you don't want to learn." His voice was tight and razor-sharp.
The family was about to rush around and search for whatever had intruded their Lair, but they were stopped.
"Wait!" Mikey hissed and shot one of his arms out in halt. "Look over there." He pointed in at the (open) entrance to Don's lab where someone was lying on the ground.
They hurried over and huddled around the shape; the person was lying on the front of their body and looked as though he had fallen and not gotten back up, a small puddle of blood surrounded him.
Mikey recognized him instantly. "Chaplin!" He shouted in alarm and crouched next to him; after rolling him over, he lifted the genius's head with one arm and supported his back with the other. "Chaplin! Wake up!" He demanded and shook the red-head.
Chaplin's brown eyes opened half-way; they were glazed over and filled with fear. Chaplin was covered in bruises, there were deep cuts all over his body and his ripped up clothing was coated in his own blood.
"Who did this to you?" Mikey demanded.
In response, the weakened genius gripped onto Mikey's arms and shakily replied "…..Shredder…Knows…Karai…..They…..Got…Her…..Betrayal…Help….." with those long-drawn, shaky, fear-filled words spoken he went limp and blacked out in Mikey's arms.
Mikey turned to Donnie "Don't just stand there! He needs medical attention!" He roughly told him and got onto his feet and carried him into Don's lab, Don followed rushed for his medical supplies.
"Stay with me, my friend." Mikey whispered to his unconscious friend and turned to Donnie "I know what he meant Don, I know what he meant." He said in a dreadful tone of voice.
"Huh?" Don said, he hadn't heard Mikey because he was too busy looking over Chaplin's injuries.
"The Shredder knows, Don." Mikey said quietly in anguish "He knows Karai betrayed him; they have her and she needs our help and by the looks of things," he glanced at Chaplin "he was lucky to get away with his life."
The Shredder Knows! Oh no! Karai is captured! Chaplin is near death; Angelo ain't pleased.
Oh and Mikey said a Chinese proverb in Japanese; he said "A stupid son is better than a clever daughter" he was calling Donnie a daughter. Yeah, really good thing Donnie doesn't speak fluently in Japanese like Leo and Master Splinter. Who actually saw this comming? Angelo has been in Japan for over a year: it only makes sense he speaks some Japanese!
Oh and by the way, I was listening to Music one day and I finally found a song thatfits Angelo perfectly! 'Pet' by a Perfect Circle; It goes between him and the Shredder and how the Shredder brainwashed him and convinced him he was only trying to make him a better ninja.
