Chapter 35: Mikey Gets Shellacne
The Hamato siblings sat in the kitchen after a failed attempt to make breakfast. Hisako had futilely tried to pick egg shell bits out of the eggs, Vee had burned the bacon, Raph had smashed at least five plates, Donnie had dropped the orange juice all over the floor, and Leo had just dented the toaster after failing to make toast. They all looked around, taking note of the chaos.
"Good God, this place is a disaster!" Leo exclaimed.
"Where's Mikey?" Raph demanded. "Breakfast is usually his job!"
He whirled toward Mikey's room, scowling.
"MIKEY!" he shouted. "Get your lazy shell outta bed!"
"Ummm…" came Mikey's voice, complete with a fake cough, "I can't."
"Mikey, either you get out or I drag you out!" Raph threatened.
"Um, bad idea!" Mikey warned. "I'm, uh, changing! Not decent!"
"What are you trying to pull, Mikey?" Vee demanded. "We don't even wear clothes!"
Raph stomped toward Mikey's door, banging on it.
"No!" Mikey shrieked. "Don't come in!"
"I'm giving you to the count of three to open this damn door, or I'll break it down!" Raph warned. "One… two…"
At two, he kicked the door open, only to stop short at the sight of Mikey.
"...Three?" he finished.
Mikey shuddered in the corner, hiding his face in his hands. Through his fingers, his brother could see that the orange turtle's face was covered in little zits.
"What the flip?!" Raph exclaimed.
"Don't look at me!" Mikey pleaded. "I'm hideous!"
"Well, can't argue with that." Raph agreed.
"What's going on?" Leo asked as he and the others rounded the corner.
They all stopped short, seeing Mikey's numerous pimples.
"Oh, gross!" Hisako gagged.
"What the hell?!" Vee demanded.
"Mikey, what happened?" Leo asked.
"I dunno!" Mikey replied. "I just woke up, and I was covered in these!"
"I thought I was the only one in this family who dealt with acne." Hisako remarked. "And it wasn't this… grotesque."
"It's not… that bad." Leo said uncertainly.
"I look like a green chimichanga!" Mikey pointed out.
"What I wanna know is how you got like this?" Donnie asked. "None of us have ever had acne."
"Mikey," Leo began, "did you do anything or mess with anything that may have led you to become like this?"
"No…" Mikey replied uncertainly.
"Stop lying, Mikey." Hisako ordered, tapping the side of her head.
"Okay, fine!" Mikey gave in. "I might have... placed a little mutagen... on my skin."
Everyone gaped at him for several seconds.
"You did WHAT?!" Donnie shouted.
"To become better." Mikey explained. "Cooler, you know? You guys treat me like I'm a big goofball all the time. So I found this vial in Donnie's lab. The label said it'll make you super cool!"
Realizing what he was getting at, Donnie facepalmed.
"No, it said "keep it super cooled"! As in temperature!" he snapped. "That was a reject batch of retro-mutagen, Mikey! It's very dangerous!"
"Well, why didn't you make that a bit clearer?!" Mikey demanded.
Donnie promptly stomped out and into his lab, coming back with the vial in question. He flipped it around to reveal a multitude of warning signs all over the vial, one of which specifically said "Mikey, Don't Eat Me". Leo groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Mikey…" he began before letting out a sigh. "I've run out of things to say."
"I haven't." Raph said, before grabbing Mikey by the throat and pinning him to the wall. "You fucking IDIOT! I swear, out of all the stupid shit you've done, this takes the retard cake!"
"You have been warned time and time again to stay out of my lab." Donnie added. "I make labels! I lock cabinets! I literally tell you to your face to keep out! But unless it's about cartoons or pizza, you couldn't care less!"
Finally, Donnie sighed, rubbing his eyes in annoyance.
"Just... get in my lab, so I can run some tests and figure out what to do." he said quietly, completely and utterly done with his brother.
Raph dropped Mikey, shaking his head.
"Whatever's gonna happen, it's his own damn fault for farting around in your lab." The red turtle told the upset brainiac.
"I got no sympathy." Hisako said in discontent.
"Me neither." Vee added.
-X-
In the lab, Donnie examined a sample of Mikey's blood on his computer. He paled at the results.
"Oh, crap." he let out.
"That doesn't sound good." Leo remarked.
"How bad did he screw up this time?" Raph questioned.
Donnie turned to them.
"The mutagen in his system is unstable." He explained. "Those zits are going to spread all over his body. In about three hours, he'll-"
He trailed off, much to his siblings' collective discomfort.
"He'll what?" Vee demanded.
"Basically, he's gonna mutate into one, single, huge, giant, gargantuan zit, and when that happens…" Donnie clapped his hands together for emphasis. "BOOM!"
Everyone gasped in horror at that.
"I'm gonna explode?!" Mikey screamed.
Donnie nodded.
"Like a massive zit." he described.
"Ewww…" all six of them let out in disgust, before snapping back to attention.
"Can you cure him?" Hisako asked.
"Well, now that I know what caused this, I can engineer an antidote from the remaining sample." Donnie replied. "I'm just missing one key instrument though. A molecular centrifuge to mix the solution."
"And where do we find one?" Vee asked.
"What happened to having no sympathy for his dumbassery?" Raph questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"That was before we found out he's gonna explode." Hisako said matter-of-factly. "Mikey may be a dumbass, but he's our dumbass."
"Thanks." Mikey said, before realizing what she said. "Hey!"
"The only place I can think of that would have a molecular centrifuge are TCRI." Donnie answered.
"I'll talk to Mortu." Hisako declared. "See if he has one."
"Take Vee with you." Leo told her. "Maybe pick up Kagome along the way. Make sure to let me, Raph, and Don know if you need any help."
"But what about me?" Mikey asked.
"You stay here where you can't fuck anything else up." Raph hissed at him.
"That's actually for the best." Donnie cut in. "If just one of those zits pops, it could cause a chain reaction and make him explode sooner."
Mikey gulped, taking a seat. "I'll just stay here then."
Hisako and Vee made their way to TCRI, picking up Kagome on the way and explaining the whole situation. Kagome sighed, shaking her head.
"Just when I thought Mikey couldn't possibly get any stupider." she remarked.
"I know." Vee agreed. "And as per usual, we're stuck cleaning up his mess."
"Hopefully Mortu will have what we need." Hisako said. "Then we can cure Mikey, then beat the shit out of him for putting his own life at risk like that."
"Sounds like a plan." said Kagome.
They made it to TCRI, where Samson let them in and ushered them up to Mortu's office.
"Thanks for meeting with us on such short notice." Hisako told him.
"It's no trouble." Mortu replied. "Now, what seems to be the problem?"
"Long story short, our brother pulled a massive stupid, and Donnie needs a molecular centrifuge to save his sorry ass." Vee explained.
"We were hoping TCRI had one they'd be willing to lend us." Kagome added.
"I did have one, and I'd be more than happy to lend it to you." Mortu informed them before sighing. "But it was stolen from the labs last night."
Vee pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance.
"Always something…" she grumbled.
"Do you know who or what stole it?" Kagome asked.
"Please not Krang…" Hisako pleaded.
"No, it wasn't him." Mortu said, getting a relieved sigh out of Hisako. "We don't know who or what did it, but we do have security camera footage."
He hit a few keys on his laptop as the three kunoichi gathered around, playing the camera footage. The screen showed a hole being chewed through the floor, and multiple small robots emerging to grab the centrifuge. Kagome squinted at the screen in recognition.
"Hang on." she pointed out. "Aren't those the robots that attacked my house?"
"The ones that had the StockGen logo?" Vee asked.
"Then that means…" Hisako began, realization dawning.
"Stockman did it!" all three girls declared.
They immediately turned to Mortu.
"Baxter Stockman's the one who stole your centrifuge." Kagome informed him. "He's working with the Shredder."
"The head of StockGen?" Mortu questioned. "I knew he had a bit of an ego, but to think he'd do something like this…"
"We can figure out why when we get it back." Hisako declared.
Vee pulled out her T-Phone, calling up Leo.
"Let's call the rest of the clan too." Kagome suggested. "With what's at stake, we'll need all hands on deck.
It wasn't long before the rest of the turtles and Tai's group were called down to the lab and told of the situation. Much to their surprise, Jade was a tad unenthusiastic to help.
"What do you mean you won't help him?!" Vee demanded.
"Exactly what I said." Jade replied. "It's his own damn fault for being such an idiot. Why should I put my ass on the line just to cover his mistake?"
"He could die!" Kagome pointed out. "Do you really want that on your conscience?!"
Jade looked conflicted, but stood firm.
"Let me handle this." Hisako said.
She darted forward, jamming her finger into a pressure point near Jade's jaw.
"Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!" Jade let out, before giving in. "Y'know, on second thought, I'll help out. You could use it, right?"
Hisako withdrew with a smirk and a chuckle as Jade rubbed her jaw.
"Thanks." Vee told her. "And in the future, stop being a bitch."
"You're being a bitch!" Jade retorted lamely.
Hisako held up her index finger threateningly.
"I will use this." she warned.
Jade backed off at that, still rubbing her jaw.
"For the record, I was mostly saying that because all of you are working on it right now." she clarified. "Why need me when you've got plenty of other hands?"
"Our brother's life is on the line." Vee pointed out. "We need all hands on deck."
"And we're also breaking into the lab of a psychotic robotics engineer who works for Shredder." Kagome added. "Need I say more?"
"I'll stay with Mikey." Erika offered. "I'm the medic, after all. I'll do what I can to keep his condition stable and buy you time."
Across town, in the Foot HQ, Shredder had just called in his men to make an announcement. Dogpound was the last one in; his tail got caught in the door, and he let out a pained yelp before tripping and falling into the water tank.
"Like a bull in a China shop." Fishface remarked with a snicker.
Dogpound pulled himself out of the water, growling.
"Damn this clumsy body." he cursed, shaking himself dry. "What I wouldn't give to be human again."
"You think you're the only one?" Tokka questioned. "I'm sick of being a turtle. I look in the mirror, and all I see are Splinter's freaky disciples. Makes me sick!"
"You think being a fish is any better?" Fishface demanded. "At least you two can breathe without an apparatus."
"Enough!" came Shredder's commanding voice, snapping them to attention.
The three mutants bowed to their Master as he lorded over them.
"What is your bidding, Master Shredder?" Dogpound asked.
"I have business to attend to." Shredder informed them. "For the time being, I must return to Japan."
"You're leaving?" Tokka questioned. "But Master, the Turtles-"
"It is because of them that I am leaving." Splinter cut her off. "The Foot needs more recruits. And I know just who to find for aid."
"But while you're gone, who will lead?" Fishface asked.
As if on cue, Karai emerged from the shadows, smirking.
"Karai will be acting leader in my place." Shredder told them. "While I am gone, you will answer to her."
All three mutants were shocked and outraged, but wisely decided to keep it to themselves.
Karai turned to Shredder, bowing respectfully.
"I won't let you down, Father." she promised.
"See that you do not." Shredder replied, before standing up. "I must make preparations. I leave tonight at sundown."
And with that, he was gone, leaving Karai to sit down in the throne.
"Don't get too comfortable, Karai." Fishface scoffed. "Only Shredder is worthy of that throne."
"Remember who's in charge here, Xever." Karai warned, before getting to business. "Now, I do believe Stockman is finished with my father's request. See that it is delivered safely."
"As you command, boss." Tokka said, saying "boss" with a sarcastic bite. They left the room, and as soon as Karai was out of earshot, she scoffed.
"She may be the Master's daughter, but she's still a bossy little bitch." she spat. "To think we have to lower ourselves to taking orders from her while she's away."
"You're telling me." Dogpound agreed.
"That's one thing we can agree on." Fishface remarked.
Dogpound perked up, realizing something.
"But there is a positive side to all this." he remarked.
"And that would be?" Tokka asked.
"Stockman." Dogpound pointed out. "If he's such a science whiz, maybe he can change us back."
That got the other mutants' attention.
"Yeah." Fishface said eagerly. "I could look like a man. Walk like a man. Love like a man."
"I'll settle for not looking like the one thing I truly hate." Tokka remarked.
"And I'll do anything to regain my former agility." Dogpound added. "I'm a far cry from the ninja I once was like this."
"I don't know." Fishface quipped. "I'm quite fond of the idiot man dog look you have going."
Dogpound glared at him, but ultimately brushed it off.
"Karai's order can wait." he told them. "We're getting back our humanity, one way or another."
Elsewhere, the Hamato Clan had just made it to StockGen. Tai's cell phone vibrated, and he pulled it out, revealing a text from Erika as well as a picture of Mikey; his zits had grown bigger and begun to spread to his eyelids and tongue.
"Damn…" Tai remarked before turning to the others. "Mikey's getting worse. We better hurry, guys."
"Remember the mission." Leo informed them. "Get the centrifuge so Donnie can help Mikey."
Just as they were about to sneak in, a lone Foot soldier suddenly jumped down, blocking their path.
"Ugh!" Vee cursed, throwing up her hands. "We don't have time for this!"
Barking, Miko charged at the soldier, latching onto his leg with his teeth. It shook him off, and then punted him aside. Tai saw the small dog hit the ground with a yelp, then whirled on the soldier, seeing red.
"You fucker!" he shouted in a rage. "I'LL TEAR YOU APART!"
Blinded by his anger, Tai drew his sword and swung at the soldier, cleaving his head off in one quick slash. The severed head bounced along the ground, and everyone gaped in horror at how quickly Tai had resorted to such brutality.
"Tai, what have you done?!" Hana shrieked.
"Wait!" Hisako cut in, pointing at the headless body. "Look!"
They saw sparking metal in the man's neck, before looking at the head.
"No way…" Tai said in awe. "It's… it's a ninja robot!"
Donnie picked up the head, examining it.
"Seems to use the same technology as those little bots Stockman attacked Kagome's house with." he remarked.
"So what?" Makoto questioned. "Shredder's contracted Stockman to make Foot soldier robots?"
"Footbots!" Kagome declared. "I named 'em. Mikey's just gonna have to deal with it."
"You get to tell him that." Hisako informed her, getting a shrug.
"Okay, focus, people." Leo ordered, prying off a vent cover. The group entered one by one.
-X-
Within his lab, Stockman was just putting the finishing touches on the other Footbots. Behind him was a massive tank of mutagen, and seated before it was the centrifuge he had pilfered from TCRI. Within the vents, the group watched.
"I got eyes on the prize." Raph whispered.
"That's a lot of mutagen." Hisako remarked, looking at the tank.
"I need the centrifuge to make the antidote." Donnie said. "Looks like Stockman stole it to make mutagen."
"Shredder with mutagen and robot soldiers?" Vee asked. "Isn't three mutants on his crew enough?"
"Tai's dad and Yukio always told us about this." Jade replied. "Shredder will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. Vengeance, domination, you name it."
"We'll worry about the mutagen later." Leo cut in. "Let's just grab the centrifuge and get outta here."
Before they could do anything though, the door opened and in came Dogpound, Fishface, and Tokka. Tai and his friends gasped, seeing the three for the first time.
"Who the hell?" Tai questioned.
"Meet Dogpound, Tokka, and Fishface." Raph informed them. "Aka Chris Bradford, Gina, and Xever."
"That's Bradford?" Jade asked, looking him over. "Damn. He needs to cut down on the ugly pills."
"They got doused with mutagen a while back." Donnie informed them.
"Well, that explains it." Mizuki remarked.
Leo shushed them, and they all looked back at the conversation.
"Hello, Stockman." Tokka greeted.
"Oh, just in time." Stockman remarked, turning to them. "The Footbots are fully operational and ready for action."
"Forget about that." Dogpound declared. "We have something else in mind."
"We want to become human again, and you're just the guy to make our wish come true." Fishface added. "You're going to help us, or else."
Stockman gulped. "Or else what?"
In response, Tokka pulled out a collar lined with multiple tubes of mutagen and clamped it around Stockman's neck.
"This is insurance." she informed him, holding up a button. "Fail us, and you get to join the club, and we get to see what you turn into."
"Some kinda lowly bug, I bet." Dogpound remarked.
From the vents, the Hamato Clan witnessed the event with scowls on their faces.
"Bastards!" Makoto cursed under his breath.
At the lair, Mikey paced around nervously. His zits had continued to spread, and were now beginning to break out of his shell.
"Mikey, you have to stop." Erika warned. "You could aggravate them!"
"I can't help it!" Mikey replied. "I'm seriously stressing here!"
"Well, maybe now you'll stay out of your brother's lab." Erika said matter-of-factly.
Mikey turned to her. "I can't just sit here and do nothing, Erika. I gotta go out and help!"
"But the zits!" Erika insisted. "If they pop, you're done for!"
"Maybe." Mikey admitted. "But what kind of bro would I be if I sit here while they take all the risk to fix my mistake?"
Erika sighed, adjusting her glasses.
"If you're serious, I'll go with you." she offered. "Someone has to keep your condition stable."
"Thanks, Erika," Mikey said with a smile. "They said something about StockGen."
Erika nodded. "Then that's where we're headed."
Back at StockGen, the Hamato Clan were discussing a plan of attack while the Foot mutants were barking orders at Stockman.
"Okay," Tai said. "Somehow, we gotta grab that centrifuge, without letting Rover and his pals know we're here. Any ideas?"
"I could try and telekinetically lift it," Hisako suggested. "But I have no idea how heavy that thing is."
Before she could try, they saw a kusarigama chain lower down from the rafters. They looked up to see Mikey and Erika, trying to fish for it.
"Damn it, Mikey…" Leo muttered under his breath.
"What is that idiot doing?" Vee hissed.
"If I had to warrant a guess, he's trying to fish for the centrifuge." Hana said.
The kusarigama lowered, accidentally poking Dogpound in the back a few times. Eventually, he caught on, whirled around, grabbed onto the chain, and pulled, sending Erika and Mikey tumbling down to ground level.
"Well, what do we have here?" Dogpound remarked.
Mikey and Erika looked up, Mikey's acne now making him resemble a blob monster more than a turtle.
"Damn." Dogpound mused. "And people think I'm ugly."
"That's because you are." Fishface retorted.
Dogpound chose to ignore that comment.
"Keep an eye on Stinkman here." he ordered them. "I'm gonna tear these two apart myself."
"No, don't touch me!" Mikey said, adding a fake cough for good measure. "I'm contagious!"
"It's true!" Erika added, playing along. "He's got turtle-pox! Very rare disease. Very deadly."
"Oh, shit…" Tokka gasped. "How contagious?"
"I don't know for sure." Erika went on. "For all we know, it's airborne!"
Tokka nervously took a step back, and Dogpound rolled his eyes.
"Are you seriously buying this bullshit, Gina?" he asked.
"You wanna risk catching it, dog breath?" Mikey shot back.
"I'll take my chances." Dogpound retorted. "I've wanted to kill you since the night Gina and I pretended to be your friend!"
"Ouch," Mikey said dryly. "Rub salt in the wound, why don't ya?"
With that, he threw a smoke bomb in Dogpound's face, and he and Erika promptly ascended back to the rafters.
"Mikey, at this stage, any pressure could cause the zits to explode." Erika warned. "Whatever you do, don't let him touch you!"
"Right, no touching." Mikey nodded. "Got it!"
Dogpound let out an enraged growl and jumped up to the rafters after them. Letting out a howl, he sprang at them, with his weight smashing through the wood. Mikey managed to grab onto the edge, while Erika grabbed his leg and Dogpound grabbed onto hers, all three hanging over the mutagen vat for dear life.
"Erika!" Tai shouted, kicking open the vent and jumping out.
"MIKEY!" The other Turtles, Hisako, and Kagome screamed, following him out with the others in tow.
Erika glared down at Dogpound, grabbing her tonfa.
"Get off me!" she shouted, unsheathing the hidden blade and stabbing Dogpound in the hand. With a yelp, he let go, and fell directly into the mutagen below as Mikey pulled himself and Erika to safety.
Everyone looked on as Dogpound screamed and writhed inside the mutagen vat.
"Oh damn." Hisako said aloud. "Double mutation."
"Donnie," Mikey began, "what happens when you mutate a mutant?"
"My guess?" Donnie replied. "A super-mutant."
"In a word, I'm guessing that means we're in deep shit." Jade said nervously.
"Let's just say we're not gonna like what comes out of that vat." Hisako informed her.
The mutagen bubbled for a few minutes, and with lightning speed, out came the newly double-mutated Dogpound. He now resembled a skeletal werewolf with dark brown fur. He looked down at himself, flexing his bony claws before chuckling.
"I feel the mutagen coursing through me." he mused with a grin. "I'm faster, stronger, more powerful than ever. I feel like a ninja again."
"Aaaand you're welcome for it." Mikey said nervously. "No need to thank us. It was our pleasure. So we'll just take the centrifuge and be on our way."
"Oh, no. I insist on showing you my gratitude." Dogpound said. "To thank you for this... I'll make your deaths quick and painless."
He charged at Mikey with a roar, slashing at him; Mikey quickly ducked.
"Rawr to you too, you razor-faced dog!" Mikey shouted, before thinking. "Rawr… razor… that's it! Rahzar! That's your new mutant name!"
"That's your priority?!" Erika demanded. "We've got a super-mutant out for our blood, and you're gonna explode any minute!"
The gang began clashing with Rahzar, and it soon became clear that he had the advantage.
"Crap!" Kagome cursed as she swiped at the super-mutant. "He's just as strong as Dogpound!"
"And I have the speed and agility to match!" Rahzar retorted, kicking her back.
"I warned you!" Hisako shouted.
Jade tried her luck next, clashing with Rahzar.
"Like I said, guys!" she declared. "He needs to cut back on the ugly pills!"
"Ugly?!" Rahzar repeated, scowling. "That does it!"
He grabbed Jade by the throat and tossed her across the room; she skidded across the table, knocking the centrifuge to the ground.
"The centrifuge!" Mikey shouted, before whirling on Rahzar, bashing him repeatedly.
Tokka turned to Stockman, holding up the button for the collar threateningly.
"If I were you, I'd get your Mousers out here now!" she ordered. Stockman nodded and pressed a button, sending the Mousers out.
"Mousers?" Donnie asked. "That's what you call them?"
"Yes! Mousers!" Stockman replied. "Mobile Offensive Underground Search Excavation and Retrieval Sentries!"
"Sounds kinda forced." Leo remarked.
"Yeah." Vee added. "Like you were trying way too hard."
"Nevertheless, get them!" Stockman ordered.
The Mousers began firing lasers, which Leo and Tai deflected with their swords before slicing them to pieces.
Rahzar furiously chased after Mikey, who was doing his best to stay ahead of him. Erika looked at them, then at one of the electrical wires leading to the mutagen vat.
"Hey, Rahzar!" she called out, getting his attention. Erika turned around, mockingly slapping her butt at the dog mutant.
"C'mon, boy!" she taunted, whistling. "I'm right here! Come and get me!"
"Why, you little…" Rahzar growled before charging at her, his claws extended.
Erika dove out of the way, leading to Rahzar jamming his claws into the wires behind her. He screamed in agony as the electricity coursed through him, and was then shot through the air toward Fishface and Tokka, knocking them all flat.
"Well, it's been fun, guys." Donnie remarked, snatching up the centrifuge. "But we gotta get going. A. B. See ya!"
With that, he threw down a smoke bomb, and the group slipped away, leaving the dazed villains alone in the lab.
At the lair, Donnie quickly finished whipping up the cure and dropped it onto multiple Clearasil pads, which he handed over to Mikey. Mikey wasted no time rubbing them all over his body.
"Was putting the antidote on those acne pads really necessary?" Kagome questioned.
"Of course not." Donnie replied with a smile. "But it is hilarious."
"By the way, you're buying me more, Mikey." Hisako added. "That was my last box."
"You got it!" Mikey declared.
After a few minutes, his acne shrunk away into nothingness, as if it was never there to begin with.
"Check me out!" Mikey cheered, spinning around. "I'm super cute again."
"Good for you." Vee said. "And hopefully, you'll actually learn to stay out of Donnie's lab this time."
"Yeah." Raph said sarcastically. "And maybe we're actually kung fu frogs, not ninja turtles."
"Relax, guys." Mikey informed them. "I learned my lesson."
"Really?" Hisako replied. "'Cause you've said that exact same thing at least twenty times already."
"But this time, I really mean it." Mikey insisted.
"Five pizzas says he lasts a week." Vee offered.
"I'll take that bet!" Raph declared.
"Hey!" Mikey objected. "C'mon, you guys!"
The others just laughed, doubting that even this would get Mikey to stay out of Donnie's lab.
Author's Note:
Another one bites the dust. Now we have Rahzar and the Footbots thrown into the mix.
And in response to my one reviewer mentioning that the Silver Sentry didn't actually demonstrate any powers last chapter, they're still developing as of this point. He'll be showing off next time he appears.
Please R&R. Until next time!