I only own the Mom character.

Mikey's POV

This was cool, and awful, and cool … We finally got to go outside, topside! And it was cool, and awful, and cool … The sky, the rooftop-running, the pizza, and new friends were all awesome! The Kraang, and Leo and Mom missing and maybe captured, and my bros yelling each other was not cool …

I don't know what's happening to Leo and mom right now. They're both pretty awesome. When we weren't swinging our weapons into each other, all of us were doing pretty awesome against the Kraang earlier, but especially Mom and Leo!

So, what happened to em? I'm hoping mom just dropped her phone and a Kraang happened to pick it up and answer when Dad called. But Mom's really protective of her and our stuff. She's "always" asking if we all have everything we left the lair with. She doesn't want "anything" to be left behind to be found by anyone cept us. So … her dropping and leaving her phone for a Kraang to find if she's still okay doesn't make much sense.

I'm really afraid she and Leo are … But I can't think like that! I can tell this guy all about Mom and Leo instead! I can't tell him about the lair, or the fact were turtles and mutants, or that Mom used to kill people, of course. But I can still tell him all sorts of fun stuff!

"Mom reads to us. She'll even read my comics to me. And she listens to Don talk science stuff. Sometimes, it seems like she even understands him. And she turns training into games like 'Capture the Pizza!' And Leo almost always wins, but Mom says she likes how I never give up at that game! And she hangs nets across shafts like that one we just climbed into, so we can use them to practice climbing and swinging and balancing! And 'I'm' best at that. And Leo is nice about reading my comics to me if Mom's not around or really tired for some reason. And Donnie helps her with her job sometimes. And she says Donnie could do her job too if he could go outside. And maybe he will now, because we finally got to go topside tonight! And …"

I stop cause, Mr. (oops) I mean "Dr." O'Neil is talking. "Wait … You were finally allowed outside. What do you mean you were finally allowed to go outside?"

Both our new human friends are staring at me now. They look like Mom, when she's worried about us for some reason. Maybe I'm wrong, though. I've never seen any humans but Mom before, except on TV. Oh, and I've seen the sewer worker who likes to eat snacks down here a bunch of times! I used to try to "borrow" some of his snacks, but Mom stopped me. I don't know why she and dad were so mad about it. It should have counted as great ninja-training!

I look at my brothers, minus Leo. Donnie is making slashing motions across his throat. Raph is pounding one fist into his other hand repeatedly. Oh! Mr. I mean "Dr." O'Neil is talking again. "Is it because of your hands?"

"Huh?" And people say I ask weird questions. Then, I look down to see my hand next to his and get it. "Oh! That! Uh, no! I mean not really. I mean …"

I look to my bros for help, and they are no help at all. Donnie has one hand covering his eyes and Raph is now grinding one fist into his other hand. Mr. "DR"! O'Neil is talking again. "I noticed you all have three fingers on each hand. I assume it's an uncommon genetic trait one of your parents passed down to you. Is it your father? I noticed he tried to hide his hands in the sleeves of his robe most of the time, but his hands didn't feel like yours, when he helped me off the ladder. Is it a recessive trait? You all seem to be the same age, but you also have different eye colors. So, I assume you aren't identical multiples. Is it a trait attached to the Y chromosome your father is passing to you your mother's DNA can't compensate for, for some reason?"

"Uh …" I stare at him. "Dude, you're reminding me of Donnie right now."

Our genius "finally" broke in. "Yes, 'Dr.' O'Neil it 'is' a genetic trait. My brothers and I all have it."

"I noticed you all cover yourselves pretty well. Is it solely for cultural reasons or are you afraid of being ostracized from society for genetic, cosmetic abnormalities your clothing hides?"

I stare at him. Then I look to my smart brother. "Donnie?"

"It's both, sir. It's traditional ninja garb that hides our obvious, genetic abnormalities from strangers."

Dr. O'Neil nods. "Did the Kraang trying to kill all of you once before have anything to do with your current, genetic abnormalities?"

This one I know. "Dude," I raised my arms up on either side of me and spread all of my fingers as I answered. "They had 'everything' to do with it."

Both of my bros (minus Leo) yell at me at once. "Mikey!" Whoa! What did I do?

Dr. O'Neil (Nailed it!) sighs and bows his head. "That's what I was afraid of …"

I tilt my head at him. "Why? We're pretty awesome."

He turns a smile at me, but it looks like Dad's most sad and tired smile. "He" gets it when he's missing Tang Shen, or Miwa, or his dad. Who did Dr. O'Neil lose? He's talking again. Maybe I'll find out.

"Yes. But you're down here hiding, because of what the Kraang did to you." He looks away from me, pinches his nose, and sighs.

April is now staring straight ahead of her, blankly, like people do in horror movies after they've seen the monster. "Is 'my' life going to be like this from now on?"

Raph shrugs. "Eh, don't worry about it. It's not so bad."

My jaw drops. Not so bad? I stand up and begin to shake Donnie by the shoulders. I'm a little afraid to do the same thing to Raph, but I have to do it to somebody! "Donnie! Tell me we're going to the surface again sometime soon!"

Donnie grabs me back and holds me away from him frowning. "I don't know Mikey! We just got attacked by the Kraang and Mom and Leo were kidnapped! That's a pretty bad first result of an experiment!"

April makes a little whining sound and bends over where she's sitting. Her father puts his hand on her shoulder and tries to look into her face. I look at them too, and then to my bros, (minus Leo). Everyone's sad. I can't let it stay like this. Being sad stinks.

I smile at everyone. "Well … at least we got some new friends!" I wave my hands toward April and her dad. April looks up and gives me a small smile. I feel warm inside, until Raph interrupts.

He snorts. "Yeah, that was totally worth losing Mom and Leo over."

April bows her head and closes her eyes. "I'm sorry …"

I frown and then scowl. This isn't her fault. I fold my arms and scowl some more.

I feel a little better when I see Donnie begin to reach out to touch the human girl's shoulder. Then he stops, draws his hand back, and looks away. I roll my eyes and walk over and put "my" hand on her shoulder.

I feel Donnie scowl at me, but let it roll off my scales. He had his chance. "It's not your fault Dudette. You didn't mean to. They came after 'you!'"

April stares off at the wall in front of her again. "But, I made you lose your mom."

Donnie stares at her. "Where's yours by the way?"

April keeps staring straight ahead of her. "I don't know …"

April's dad turns away from her. I find that weird. She's sad. Shouldn't he be cuddling her? Donnie notices too. "Dr. O'Neil, do you know something about this?"

"I …" The man stops. He hasn't even said anything.

April turns her gaze upon him. Her eyebrows furrow and eyes narrow. She looks like Mom when she thinks one of us lied to her. (She's usually right.) April tries again as I watch her and Dr. O'Neil. Even I'm getting nervous. "Dad?"

What do you think?

God Bless

ScribeofHeroes