Author's Notes and Disclaimer: Hi again, and oh boy have I got a lulu for you all. I realize I may have said it before, but I think I mean it this time; this is probably the longest chapter I've ever written. It was kind of those "completed while on a roll" chapters. There's probably so much here that it'll take a few days to read, but I wanted to get it all down before it was gone.
Now, to start, I just want to let everyone know that I don't own Godzooky; Hanna-Barbera does, or should I say Warner Bros. and Toho do. I don't own the series TMNT 1987 either; the series belongs to Murakami-Wolf-Swenson, Inc. and Viacom, and is based off the TMNT comic book series created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. There is some Japanese used here, and if I have used the wrong terms/phrases, please let me know and I will fix them. I also want to warn everyone that the T rating for this story is also due to mentions of traumatic events and a mention of an event of self-harm, which is mentioned in this chapter. Now, for the recap:
In the intro for this, Godzooky was on his way to buy Christmas dinner for himself and his co-stars in Hollywood when he spotted a green glow coming from a manhole in the road. To avoid an incoming truck, Godzooky—for some unforeseeable reason—jumped into the sewer, and ended up being transported to New York. In the previous chapter, after wandering the streets, he finds April O'Neil, a reporter from Channel 6 and defends her from a group of punks. Their escape route takes them down a storm drain, which starts to trigger Godzooky's traumatic memory from San Francisco, but a sudden arrival by four unknown figures (including one that has a familiar voice) quickly brings him back to reality. He assists them in defeating the punks, and now they have revealed themselves to be…you guessed it: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!
What will happen now? Well, read on and find out…
Chapter 2
Once Zooky managed to push his surprise off to the side, he took in a visual description of each turtle, starting with the one in front. This one was holding the nunchuks, and wore an orange mask and matching elbow and knee pads, along with a belt that had the letter "M" on the buckle. The next one had the sais, and was wearing red instead of orange with a belt that had a letter "R" on the buckle. There was also a certain look in his eyes and a grin that told Zooky that this turtle was the one he had started trading one-liners with. The third had the bō staff and was wearing purple, along with a belt that had a "D" on it. The last one, who was dressed in blue and had the letter "L" on his belt buckle, was sheathing his two katanas.
"Y-You're not human!" April exclaimed in shock.
"Bingo," said the red-masked turtle, allowing Zooky to put a face to the voice. "Yeah, we're dealin' with a real mind here," he remarked to the other turtles sarcastically.
This guy sure knows how to deliver a line, Zooky thought, cracking a smile.
"You…You're…You're turtles!" April stammered, still dumbstruck about the identity of her newest rescuers.
"Yep, so we are," responded the turtle wearing the purple mask.
"I…I can't handle this…" April said, her speech starting to slur.
Hearing that and a quick glance at April's paling complexion told Godzooky that this woman was heading for a faint, so he quickly held out his arms and caught her before she would land in the sewer mud.
"Whoop! Gotcha!" the juvenile, winged saurian cried out.
"Whoa, nice reflexes, man," the surfer-dude-voiced turtle complimented, which Zooky saw was the turtle with the orange mask.
"Thanks. You guys gonna help me before she falls in the mud?" Zooky asked.
"I got her," said the purple-masked turtle, taking the human woman from the juvenile kaiju.
"Thank again," Zooky said.
"No problem," said the turtle with the bō staff.
"Do you know her?" the blue-masked turtle questioned.
"Her name's April O'Neil, and she's a TV reporter," Zooky answered. "I only met her a few minutes ago."
"Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa, hold it. Wait a minute," spoke up the sai-wielding turtle.
"What's the matter, Raphael?" the blue-masked turtle questioned the now-identified Raphael.
"What's the matter is that it's not a question of who she is, but rather, who he is," Raphael answered, pointing from the currently-unconscious April to Godzooky.
"Hey, easy there; he did just help us take out those punks after all," said the purple-masked turtle.
"Donatello's right," the blue-masked turtle spoke up next, identifying another of the turtles for the winged kaiju. "We shouldn't be interrogating him."
"Hey, the concern is understandable, considering," Zooky said with a small shrug of the shoulders. "Um…if I may be so bold, you guys have never had a human or…anyone like me come down here before, right?" he asked, not wanting to be nosy.
"No, not really," spoke the nunchuk-wielding turtle.
I figured as much, Zooky thought to himself.
"Speakin' of anyone like you, just who and what are you, anyway?" Raphael questioned Godzooky. "Ya don't look any mutant I've ever seen. Not that I've ever seen another mutant."
"Excuse me?" Zooky asked on impulse.
For that, Raphael got a hit to the back of his masked head by the blue-masked turtle, who did not look happy. For that matter, neither did the other two turtles.
"Ow!" Raphael yelped.
"Nice going, Raphael!" the blue-masked turtle chastised.
"Why'd ya have to insult him like that?!" Donatello yelled.
"Yeah man; that dude just helped us and now you're callin' him names?! 'Specially since you guys were actin' like buddies a few minutes ago? Way to sink low, dude," the orange-masked turtle said, shaking his head disapprovingly.
"OK! OK! I get it! Get off my shell, will ya?!" Raphael shouted in exasperation, feeling the pressure. Sighing heavily, he took a deep breath and addressed Zooky, "Hey, I'm sorry about that. I wasn't tryin' to-"
"No, no, no, no, it's OK," Zooky said, holding up his hands and smiling to show that he hadn't been affected by the remark. "Frankly, I've been called worse, so being called 'mutant' is nothin' new to me," he added.
Godzooky wondered why he said that and if he really should've said it; he was trying to accept Raphael's apology, not make him feel worse. But then again, he had suddenly felt that he could trust these turtles with that bit of information…it was just something he had sensed; that these turtles knew how it felt to be seen as a freak.
He felt a bit bad seeing the concerned looks on the turtles' faces and felt a slight pang of guilt when Raphael said, "Uh, you wanna run that by us again, kid? 'Cause I can't tell if you're kiddin', or if you're serious."
"He's serious; I heard it," the blue-masked turtle noticed.
"No foolin', Leonardo?" asked the orange-masked turtle, looking sad and concerned.
"No fooling, Michelangelo," the now-identified Leonardo confirmed to now-identified Michelangelo.
"Whoa…" Michelangelo trailed.
"Sorry again for…" Donatello started.
"Hey, hey, guys, it's all right; really," Zooky said in a reassuring tone, walking over to a walkway near one of the walls and sitting down. "Such words applied to me don't get me as much as they used to, but when I little…" Zooky sighed heavily, remembering all those times the other younglings ganged up on him because he was the only youngling saurian on the island who possessed wings, under his arms no less. One particular occasion nearly drove him to self-harm and left him with a fear of spiders of the kaiju-sized kind, which was rather contradictory for someone who came to see a comic hero named Spider-Man as one of his heroes. "Yeah, you look up those particular words in a dictionary-'freak', 'mutant', 'abomination', 'accident', 'akuma', and a couple others unsuitable in mixed company," he added, nodding in April's direction at the words "mixed company", "and I've been called them."
"Whoa, major bummer, dude," Michelangelo said sadly, sitting down next to Zooky on his right.
"You know, you sure know how to make a guy feel more like a heel than he already does," Raphael told the juvenile winged kaiju, sitting down on Zooky's left, his tone part-sarcastic and mostly apologetic.
"I'm sorry," Zooky apologized honestly. "That was the last thing I wanted to do when I said that. I just felt like I could tell you about it."
"Well…frankly kid…we're glad ya did," Raphael said sincerely. "We…kinda know how it feels. I mean, c'mon, who up there wouldn't look at the four of us and yell 'HELP!'?"
The delivery of Raphael's impression of a person calling for help was enough to tickle Zooky's funny bone and make him giggle a bit.
"Yeah, we ain't exactly the prolific type, you know?" Michelangelo said.
"I dunno; you're all certainly unique in your own way," Zooky shrugged, smiling.
"Well hey, so are you!" Raphael said, brightening up now that Zooky was smiling. "In fact, I'd go as far as to say that you're neat and terrific, and kind of real specific! There's certainly no-one else exactly like you are, even if you are a little weird, but we all like ya just the same. Right, guys?"
The other turtles enthusiastically voiced their agreement, which touched Godzooky. He could tell had definitely found some new friends.
"Thanks, guys," Zooky said. "You know, I guess it helps that I've sort of developed a thick skin where insults directed at me are concerned; it's also come in handy in my line of work, 'cause boy-howdy do you need it!"
"What is your line of work?" Raphael asked.
"Besides bein' an awesome fighter," Michelangelo added, making Godzooky do another "aw-shucks" look.
"If I might interject here," Donatello cut in, carefully laying April down on the concrete walkway as his arms were getting tired, "I couldn't help but notice that you said 'akuma'."
"So? What does that mean?" Raphael queried.
"Wait, that's Japanese, isn't it?" Leonardo asked.
"That's right," Godzooky and Donatello answered at the same time.
"Somebody say 'jinx'?" Raphael chuckled to the fourth wall.
"You wouldn't happen to be from Japan, would you?" Donatello eagerly asked.
"Well, not directly from Japan, but I come from an island in the general area," Godzooky answered.
"That's incredible!" Leonardo exclaimed. "Our sensei is from Japan, too!"
"Your sensei? He's here, too?" Zooky inquired, his interest piqued.
An actual teacher from Japan in New York? In the sewers, no less? This was getting more interesting by the minute!
"His name is Splinter," Leonardo said.
"Which reminds me; we've been carrying on this conversation for what feels like an hour now and we haven't even introduced ourselves!" Raphael noticed.
The others also noticed the social blunder and became slightly embarrassed.
"Well, let's fix that," Leonardo started. "My name's Leonardo."
"Like, I'm Michelangelo. Awesome to meet ya, dude," said the surfer-dude turtle, giving Zooky a high-three.
"I'm Donatello."
"And I'm Raphael, but you probably know that already," the red-masked turtle remarked.
Zooky chuckled and nodded. "Well, my name's Godzooky Gojo. But you guys can call me Zooky for short; all my friends and family do."
"Where's your family?" Donatello asked.
"They're back on the island," Zooky replied. "Except for Vicky, she lives in New Jersey."
"You got a friend who lives in Jersey?" Raphael asked, his sarcasm on full.
"Yes, she does, and she loves the Garden State as much as you guys love the Big Apple," Zooky stated. "Although, I think she might like Hollywood a bit more," he admitted, remembering how enchanted she had been with the place when he, Vicky, and the family were there back in 1947.
"Hollywood?" questioned Michelangelo.
Oops. Should I…? Ah, why not? Go for it, Zooky shrugged to himself. "Sure. In fact, I came here from Hollywood. As a matter of fact, I have my double citizenship there and…I work there."
The reaction was an explosion of astonishment and absolute elation that made Godzooky laugh and feel warm from embarrassment.
"HOLY GUACAMOLE, DUDES!" Michelangelo practically screamed at the top of his lungs. "We've got ourselves a movie star!"
"Wow! This is so cool!" Raphael exclaimed, geeking out like a fan at Comic-Con.
"What's it like working there?" Donatello asked.
Godzooky laughed a bit more before he finally managed to get his giggles under control and tried to settle the turtles down so that he could clear up a few things.
"Guys, guys, guys. Whoa, whoa. Hold on a minute there! Hold it, hold it! Whoa," the juvenile saurian said, making a "time-out" signal with his hands so that the chatter would stop, which it did eventually. "I'm not that famous," he said honestly. I doubt this world, or this dimension, whatever it is, even features me in Looney Tunes cartoons; if they have them here, that is. "I just work in cartoons, that's all."
"Which ones?" asked the inquisitive Michelangelo.
"…I don't know if you've heard of them…" Zooky said hesitantly. "…They're called…'Looney Tunes'? …Bugs Bunny? Daffy Duck?" he hinted.
As he had mostly expected, the expressions on the terrapin quartet's faces told him that they hadn't.
"But we can fix that," Raphael assured the kaiju. "Just point us in the direction of a video store holding those cartoons and we'll watch your work together, how's that sound?"
Considering the first reaction, I'm not gonna hold my breath on that one, Zooky said to himself. "Sounds cool. You're on," he said aloud, him and Raph shaking hand-and-flipper to seal the deal.
"Mondo fabuloso, dude!" Michelangelo exclaimed happily.
"Great. So…how about takin' me to see this sensei of yours? I'd like to meet him," Zooky said. He then took a deep breath and added, looking behind Leonardo and Donatello, "…And I think we'd better scram 'cause the dregs of society are startin' to get their third wind and I'd rather keep chattin' with you guys rather than stick around for a rematch right now."
Sure enough, the six punks that Zooky and the turtles had knocked out no more than-goodness, was it an hour ago?-were starting to stir.
"Whoa-oh, dudes; I think it's time to haul some shell," Michelangelo suggested, getting to his feet.
"I second that emotion," Raphael agreed.
"Third it," Zooky piped up.
"Guess that makes it unanimous," Donatello commented.
"Get April and let's get outta here and back to the lair," Leonardo suggested.
"Are you guys gonna be OK with that? I mean you just met me and this lair of yours must be a secret," Zooky brought up in concern.
"Is bringing up good points something you practice or does it come naturally?" Raphael asked.
"Either way, he's right, Leonardo," said Donatello, who was once again carrying April.
"Well, do you promise to keep our lair a secret?" Leonardo asked the juvenile kaiju.
"You have my word," Zooky said, crossing his heart. "And when I make a promise, I make a promise," he added seriously.
"Plus, it's kinda hard to ignore the whole 'crossing-your-heart' bit," Raphael commented.
Leonardo saw the honesty in his eyes, for he nodded and then urged him and the turtles to make tracks for the lair, with the still-unconscious April O'Neil in tow.
As they went along, Zooky kept track of the route; he would need to remember it should he ever get separated from the other turtles in the sewers. At the same time, he and the turtles continued to talk; Leonardo about different marital arts moves, Donatello about gadgets and stuff (Godzooky was really thankful for all that time he had spent on the Calico in his youth and with Wile E. Coyote in Toontown or else he never would've understood what the brainiac turtle was talking about), Michelangelo about movies, and he and Raphael…well, let's just say they mostly practiced their one-liners with each other, the wisecracking turtle zinging one out and the kaiju zinging one right back, often making them fall over each other laughing.
After an hour or so, the four turtles and Godzooky (and the still-unconscious April, now being carried by Michelangelo) came to a wooden door in the wall.
"Is this it, Leo?" Zooky asked, having pretty much bonded so much with the turtles that he started using their nicknames.
Leo nodded. "This is the place," he said before knocking on the door.
"Finally, home sweet home," Michelangelo sighed in relief.
"You want me to take over, Mikey?" Zooky asked the dude turtle.
"Nah, like, I'll be fine as soon as the door opens."
And it was opened. By a rat that came up to no higher than Godzooky's chest. And dressed in a lavender-colored Japanese kimono, of all things.
So that's where the scents of silk and the rat fur came from, Zooky realized.
"My turtles, you have returned," said the rat, his voice deep, gentle, and firm.
Godzooky sensed an aura of honor, kindness, and respectability about the rat, very much like he had felt around his uncle's teachers and grandfather, and before anyone would even introduce him, he knew that he could only be looking at the turtles' sensei, Splinter.
"Master Splinter…we…we found someone in the sewers. Two someones, actually," Leonardo started off. He then beckoned Michelangelo to come forward and introduced April O'Neil. "She, uh…fainted when she saw us, Master," Leonardo confessed.
"An understandable reaction," Splinter said.
"Like, she's been sleepin' for the whole time; I don't think she's seen or heard a thing," Michelangelo told his sensei, adjusting his grip on the unconscious April's form again.
Godzooky grew nervous; Michelangelo's arms had to be getting close to fatigued by now. If she wasn't put down soon…
"Since she is here, we may as well make her comfortable," Splinter decided. "Take her to the resting area," he instructed.
"Sure thing, Master," Michelangelo complied.
"You need any help?" Donatello asked.
"Maybe a little, my arms are gettin' tired and I still need to make chow," the orange-masked turtle admitted.
Donatello followed Michelangelo to help him with April, and the other two turtles entered with Godzooky, who noticed Splinter got a look that was either surprise or shock upon laying eyes on him.
"You don't need to worry, Master," Leonardo told his sensei.
"Yeah, he's good kid," Raphael added, putting a supporting hand on Godzooky's shoulder. "And he's no slouch in the fight department, either; you should've seen the way he helped us handle those punks that were chasin' him and that O'Neil reporter."
"And he's from Japan, too, Sensei," Leonardo put in. "Just like you."
"Oh?" Splinter asked, looking at the juvenile kaiju.
Godzooky was initially frozen by the sudden attention put on him by a being that exuded a presence that commanded respect, but he quickly unfroze and replied, "It's true, Splinter-sama. I'm not directly from Japan, but I am from an island in that area."
Splinter smiled at the use of the honorific, Zooky noticed, while he could feel the confusion coming off of Raphael and Leonardo.
"My name is Godzooky Gojo. Your students told me about you. It is an honor to meet you, Splinter-sama," Zooky said, doing the traditional Japanese bow of respect.
Splinter chuckled and replied, "And it is an honor to meet someone from my country after so long. But please, call me Splinter."
Godzooky straightened back up in surprise at being told that, but he was assured that it was perfectly fine.
"Tell me, Gozuki, this island you come from, what is it called?" Splinter asked the juvenile kaiju as they sat down at a small table.
"Monster Island, Splinter-sa-sir," Zooky said, correcting himself after being told it was all right not to call him "sama".
Normally, he wouldn't talk about Monster Island unless it was absolutely necessary, as that place was never really a topic of discussion, but he couldn't withhold information from Splinter; that would've been like lying to his own teacher.
"'Monster Island'?" Donatello's voice piped up, the purple-masked turtle having entered the area at that moment. "Sensei, isn't that the island where-?"
"Yes, Donatello; that is the island where the kaiju live," Master Splinter answered his curious student.
"Kai-what?" Raphael asked, a bit confused.
"'Kai-ju'," Donatello enunciated. "It means 'giant monster' in Japanese."
"That's what I am," Zooky told them.
Zooky had to hide a smirk when Raphael got a look on his face that plainly read: "Yeah, right".
"Um, begging your pardon, Zuke, but, uh, you don't look like the…'giant monster' type," Raphael told the juvenile kaiju.
"That would be because of this," Zooky replied, showing the watch on his right wrist that he had gotten a long time ago when Vicky had started taking him, his uncle, his uncle's mate, and his three young cousins on adventures outside of Monster Island that took them to human places like South America or places where being the size of a human was needed to get around, like the Hundred Acre Wood or Toontown. There was even an adventure when the watches had shrunk them to the size of mice when the Godzilla family worked with Basil of Baker Street to help rescue the grownups of the Calico crew and Olivia Flaversham's father from Professor Ratigan.
"Don't ask me how it works or who built it; Vicky was the one who first found these things and she can't explain them either. All I know is that this little gadget has come in real handy, especially in talking to people who would normally be smaller than me," he added with a slight chuckle. "And I wouldn't recommend asking me to take it off, Donnie; my body's molecules will reset themselves to their normal size and I don't think your sensei would want me to raise the roof."
Splinter chuckled in agreement as Donatello wisely withdrew his hand and put the question out of his mind.
"Well, OK, sure, but size aside, you really don't," Raphael said. "Frankly, whenever you're not in battle mode, you're a pretty gentle kid."
"So are some of the other kaiju on the island, the ones who behave themselves, anyway," Zooky told him. "If there's a battle to be fought, we can get pretty fierce, no denying that. But, frankly, I think a lot of us have been misunderstood. Sure, the first time humans encountered certain kaiju, damage was caused, but they each had their own reason."
Godzooky then related all such occurrences, such as when Mothra came to Japan in 1961 because her priestesses had been kidnapped, Varan appearing in 1958 because some humans were going to use his home for testing, and even when Anguirus appeared in 1955, Baragon appeared in 1965, and King Kong appeared in 1962, respectively, because all three had sensed powerful opponents. He even told them about what happened to the Rodan family at Mount Aso in 1956, and about what happened to Gojira back in 1954 when he faced his demise at the might of the Oxygen Destroyer, or, as the saurian kaiju called it, GOJIRA'S BANE. While he was talking, he had to be careful to only mention kaiju occurrences that took place before 1987; he didn't want to take the chance of disrupting the timestream of this world/dimension should it be linked with the world of 1987 Toontown.
"Of course, that doesn't mean that there aren't a few bad apples in the bunch," Godzooky added, relating the stories of Hedorah, Gigan, Mechagodzilla I, and King Ghidorah. "But, very much like it is with humans, many people are only willing to see the bad that a small portion of a particular group has done and not look at the good that others have done."
"It appears that the old saying, 'There are two sides to every story', is very true here," Master Splinter said. "Not only have the humans suffered due to the conflict, but the kaiju as well. You and your family have my deepest sympathy, Gozuki," he said, bowing his head.
Godzooky returned the nod.
"And ours, too," Leonardo added.
"Like, totally, dude. You kaiju guys and gals have been put through the wringer one time too many," Michelangelo said, having entered the room some time ago.
"Well, I'm certainly not gonna let a couple of those bad pepperonis spoil my outlook on you or your family. Even though those said bad pepperonis would probably crush us flatter than a flat-crust pizza," Raphael remarked nervously.
"Don't worry, Raph; my uncle and I would be on them long before that would happen," Zooky promised.
"Well, if you're any indication of what your family's like, I believe you," Donatello said.
"Thanks. Honestly, I normally wouldn't be telling you guys about all this, but I know I can trust you," Godzooky admitted. "I guess it's because that, even though I'm a kaiju, I'm more different than any of them."
"How so?" Splinter asked.
"You're looking at the only saurian kaiju on Monster Island who was born with these, Master Splinter," the juvenile kaiju answered, holding up his arms and showing his wings.
"The only one?!" Michelangelo asked incredulously.
Zooky nodded. "I have an older sister, and even she doesn't have these," he said. "So, quite literally, I'm one of a kind."
The turtles gasped in amazement.
"That can't be easy for you," Leonardo said.
"It hasn't," Master Splinter said, a tone of firm concern in his voice that Godzooky's ears immediately picked up on, making him nervous. "These markings on your wings…they are a few years old. And unless I am mistaken, and I greatly apologize for this, these are the results of self-inflicted wounds."
Zooky hung his head in shame as the turtles gasped again, this time in shock and concern.
"Remember when I told you guys about the insults I used to be called when I was little? Well…this is what happened when…they went too far one day. …Almost got myself killed that day, too," Zooky admitted, starting to cry as the memory started playing itself back. "If my uncle hadn't rescued me in time…"
"I greatly apologize for bringing back such hard memories for you, young one," Splinter said, taking one of the winged saurian's hands in comfort.
"It's all right, Master Splinter," Zooky assured the rat as he wiped a few tears away. "I've been taught that it's good to get such things out in the open instead of just letting them sit and poison your soul over time."
Zooky was taken by surprise when he felt a hug from behind, but relaxed when he noticed that it was Michelangelo, who was looking a bit tearful himself. Leonardo put a hand on Zooky's right shoulder and Donatello gave him a pat on the back once Michelangelo let go. Raphael, on the other hand, gave him a full embrace that lasted at least a minute or two and threatened to have tears falling again. Once the two separated, Zooky noticed the Raphael's eyes widened upon seeing something on the juvenile kaiju's left upper arm.
"Oh, this one; I guess this is what one would call a battle scar," Godzooky explained. "Got myself stabbed with a sword there back when I was younger. Hasn't healed completely and acts up on a yearly basis, but I've been dealing with it the best I can."
Of course, that wasn't the whole story, but Zooky figured he'd better not make the turtles and their sensei more worried about him than they already were.
"Hey, even in battle, there's always the possibility of getting wounded. You just have to learn from it so that it doesn't happen again."
"Very true, Gozuki. Very true, indeed," Splinter agreed. "Which reminds me, how is our other guest?"
"I'll check, Master," Donatello offered.
"She'll likely need refreshment when she wakes; I will bring her some tea. Would you care for some?" Splinter asked Godzooky.
"Please," Zooky said.
"Whoa, like, speakin' of refreshments, I-I'd better go check on the chow," Michelangelo said, getting up to go.
Splinter left to get the tea while Zooky got up to join Donatello. He found April had been placed on a mattress in an area that Zooky could identify as the bedroom quarters. There were four individual sleeping areas, each one decorated to each turtle's likes. Leonardo's had posters of martial arts movies, Donatello's was full of schematics and books, Raphael's also had posters of different movies, and Michelangelo's was decked out with everything on the subject of surfing.
Who knew a place in the sewers could be so…homey? Godzooky wondered, taking in these surroundings.
Some light groaning made him turn to see April start to stir, so he sat down on the end of the mattress so that she would be able to see him first; a familiar face would likely make her awakening a bit easier.
"April. April, it's me. It's Godzooky. We're safe," Zooky told the human woman gently as she opened her eyes and slowly sat up.
"…Godzooky…? Where…where are we?" April asked slowly, her senses still trying to come back to her.
"We're among friends." Zooky's nose then caught the scent of hot tea behind him and he turned to see Splinter with two cups of tea in his hands/paws(?) "Oh, arigato, Sensei Splinter," Zooky thanked the rat, accepting one of the cups.
"Dōitashimashite, Gozuki," Splinter responded. He then offered April the other cup, asking her in English, "Some hot tea?"
The tired look on April's face quickly morphed into one of shock and Zooky got a look of nervousness on his.
"I don't believe this…!" April said, falling back on the mattress in another faint.
Zooky rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, blew out a nervous breath, and said, "Oh-kay, that was not how I wanted that to go."
"I wish she'd stop doin' that," Raphael said.
Donatello walked over to April, touched her hand, and said, "Come on, lady; wake up!"
And wake up, she did; this time letting out a scream, prompting Zooky to put down his cup of tea so that he could calm her down.
"Hey, it's tough tryin' to carry on a conversation with you, you know?" Raphael said, hands on his waist to show his impatience.
"Give her a break, Raph; she's scared," Zooky told him before turning back to April. "It's all right, April; no-one's going to hurt you here."
"You…You…You know…?" April tried to ask, but she was still recovering from her fright.
"Let's just say the guys and I got to know each other while you were…unavailable," Zooky told her, referring to the turtles and trying to be diplomatic about the fact that she had fainted.
"Perhaps some food would aid the young lady's powers of speech," Splinter suggested, having walked back in with a plate of sushi.
"Oh, you don't mind if I…?" Zooky trailed, asking April if it was OK if he took one. Her response was a bit dazed, but it was an affirmative one, so he took a bite. "Mm-mm, very good," Zooky complimented.
"Arigato. It is nice to have someone else here who also appreciates Japanese cuisine," Splinter told Zooky as he set the plate down with April. "Around here, it's mostly-"
"Pizza time!" Michelangelo called from the living area.
Godzooky took a whiff…and was taken aback by the cocktail of smells that came along with the scent of regular pizza: Pepperoni, ice cream, jellybeans, mushrooms, anchovies, peanut butter…
"Nani de?!" Godzooky asked, bewilderment plain in his voice and on his face apparently, for Splinter was quietly chuckling. "OK, I gotta take a look at this; excuse me, April," the saurian kaiju said, dashing off for the main living area.
And when he got there and saw the spread on the table…
"What on Earth…?!" Godzooky yelped in surprised confusion; apparently his nose wasn't playing tricks on him at all.
"Who had the pepperoni and ice cream?" Raphael asked, holding up a slice of the said pizza.
"Yeah, I-I want some of the jellybeans and mushrooms," Donatello said.
"Yeah, gimme a slice of anchovies and peanut butter," Michelangelo said.
"Hey, easy fellas, I think there's plenty to go around," Leonardo told the other turtles.
At that moment, Michelangelo, who was just about to bite into his…unusual slice of pizza, spotted Zooky standing in the doorway. Zooky giggled; Michelangelo looked like a cartoon character on pause with his eyes and mouth wide open and the pizza almost in his mouth.
"Whoa! Hold it, dudes! Wait!" Michelangelo cried out, stopping the other turtles before they could actually start digging in, bringing Zooky out of his stunned state.
"Huh?" Leonardo and Donatello asked in confusion.
"Michelangelo, what's come over you? We're starvin' here!" Raphael questioned.
"Dudes, we can't just start scarfin' without offerin' somethin' to our new friend!" the surfer-dude turtle explained, gesturing to Zooky.
The other turtles soon saw Godzooky as well and got slightly embarrassed looks on their faces.
"Oh, hi," Leonardo said.
"H-Hey, kid, didn't see ya there," Raphael chuckled.
"Aw, I just walked in," Zooky shrugged.
"Hey, you want some of this bodacious pizza? There's, like, plenty to choose from," Michelangelo offered.
"Uh, I don't know, Michelangelo," Donatello said, shaking his head. "I saw him take a bite of that sushi Master Splinter gave April."
"So?" Michelangelo queried.
"So, I'm not sure that someone who also likes…raw fish will like pizza, too," Donatello finished.
Hmm, so they don't think I like sushi and pizza? Zooky thought, a smile coming over his face as an idea entered his head. I don't know if I'll be able to do it, but… Ooh, this is gonna be great if it works! he giggled to himself. "Hold that thought, fellas; I'll be right back," the winged saurian said, going back to April, whose sushi platter still looked full.
"Hey, April, if you're not that hungry, mind if I take three of those?" he asked.
"Go ahead," April said, a little confused about what the young kaiju was doing.
Godzooky took three pieces in his hand, said "Thanks", and went back to the turtles. He looked over the pizzas, looking for one that was going to be just right for the little surprise he was going to pull.
"Mind giving me that plain slice there, Mikey?" Zooky said, pointing to one portion that just had cheese on it.
"Like, sure, Zuke; I left this part plain 'cause I wasn't sure what you'd like," Michelangelo explained, handing it over.
"Whatcha got there?" inquired Raphael, who was looking at one of Zooky's hands, the one that held the sushi.
"Just a little something I'm hopin' I can swing," Zooky said, preparing himself.
This was going to take just the right amount of lift and precise timing if it was going to be executed successfully, and it was going to be successful. Once the mental math was complete, Zooky tossed the three sushis in the air, followed by the pizza slice, took a deep breath, breathed a small puff of fire that hit and warmed the airborne pizza slice, opened his mouth, and once he felt the food hit his tongue, snapped his mouth shut…and savored the taste of cheese pizza with three pieces of sushi on it.
Yes! Zooky exulted in thought. I don't know how I managed it, but I did it! And what a tasty trick it was, too! he added, swallowing the combo and licking his lips.
Once he saw the turtles' surprised faces, Zooky was bit nervous, but it soon went away when the surprise turned into smiles.
"Dude, that was totally OUTRAGEOUS!" Michelangelo crowed in delight.
"That was terrific!" Donatello cheered.
Raphael whistled as he and the other turtles applauded. Zooky turned to see that even Master Splinter was applauding.
"Looks like you were wrong about Zooky, Donatello; the dude loves sushi and pizza!" Michelangelo said to his fellow turtle.
"Well, when you live and work in Hollywood, you learn to have a flexible palate," Zooky said.
"I must say, you continue to amaze, young Gozuki," Splinter told the juvenile kaiju. "You have many talents."
"Well, let's just say I've been around and learned a lot," Zooky said. "By the way, speaking of a flexible palate; hey, come on, guys, lemme in there so I can eat. I haven't had a bite all night!"
Donatello and Raphael moved over so that Zooky could have a seat between them.
"I gotta tell you guys, I think I'm gonna love this kid!" Raphael told his fellow turtles, a wide smile on his face as he put a friendly hand on the juvenile kaiju's shoulder.
"Absolutely!" Donatello agreed.
"Like, for sure, dude!" Michelangelo concurred.
"You'll get no argument from me," Leonardo added.
Godzooky chuckled humbly and asked Raphael, "Hey, you mind handin' me that slice of pizza you had a minute ago? Thanks," he then said when the red-masked turtle handed him a slice that had pepperoni and ice cream on it; vanilla, no less.
Michelangelo then lifted his pizza slice like he was going to make a toast and said, "To Zooky, a bodacious one-of-a-kind dude with a one-of-a-kind taste in pizza!"
"Not to mention terrific fighting skills," Leonardo added.
"And a quick mind," Donatello put in.
"And a quick wit to match!" Raphael finished.
"And to you guys, who are certainly no slouches in any of those respective departments, either!" Zooky said with a sincere smile.
With a cheer, Zooky raised his piece along with the turtles, then took a bite. His slice was certainly unique, to say the least; gooey, sweet, and spicy all at once. It was good!
"Glad you like it, Z-man," Michelangelo said.
Zooky stopped in mid-chew, raising an eyebrow at the new nickname.
"Uh, hope you don't mind bein' called that."
The juvenile kaiju swallowed the bite he had in his mouth and said, "Hey, I call you Mikey, don't I?"
"He's got ya there, Mikey," Raphael said, his line delivery making Zooky and the other turtles laugh.
"Hey, uh, this is great and all," April spoke up, having regained some of her strength and entered the room before Zooky did his trick. "But the choice in food is kind of grossing me out."
"She talks, she walks!" Raphael remarked, which earned him a light elbow from Zooky that meant "Hey, be nice".
"How can you eat that junk?" April asked.
"Like I said, livin' in Hollywood gives one a broad palate," Zooky answered as he took another bite of his pepperoni-and-ice-cream pizza.
"Well, no offense to you, Zooky, but how can you eat raw fish?" Donatello asked April. "Blech!"
"We all have different tastes, Donnie," Zooky told the purple-masked turtle honestly.
Leonardo cleared his throat then and stood up, saying, "I hate to do this guys, and it's been fun, but we need to get back on track here."
"What-? Oh, yeah," Zooky said, remembering there was still the matter of him and April being pursued by the six punks to be dealt with. Well, it was fun while it lasted, he shrugged to himself. Time to go to work.
"Now, Zooky, April, would you like to tell us why those men were chasing you two around the sewers?" Leonardo asked.
"Yeah, like we've told the Z-man here, we don't get many humans down here. Or kaiju, for that matter," Michelangelo told the human woman.
"Well, I guess if we're gonna start anywhere, we might as well start with me and how I got here," Zooky offered.
"Good idea; I'm sure it's not every day somebody from Hollywood can arrive in the city and not be mobbed by adoring fans. Not that I would know," Raphael remarked.
"Well, I'm honestly still having a bit of trouble believing how I got here myself," the winged, juvenile saurian admitted.
He then told them how he came to arrive in New York: going to the store in December-time Hollywood, investigating a strange green glow coming from the sewers there, jumping into said sewer to avoid being run over by a truck, being pulled through the sewers to New York, walking through the streets, and hearing April's broadcast on the robberies.
"I helped her get away from the punks when they came after her on the street, then we ran and hid in the sewers, they cornered us, then you guys show up and the rest you know," Zooky finished.
"I have to agree with you there, Zuke; that is a little hard to believe," Raphael told the juvenile saurian. "Goin' from December in Hollywood to summer here in the city? And through the sewers, no less? I mean, come on!"
"Believe it or not, it's the truth," Zooky told him.
"Hm, that's interesting," Donatello mused. "Perhaps that particular manhole was a portal of some kind; I'll have to investigate, once we've taken care of current business, that is."
"Well, the part about my broadcast is true enough," April said. "I was doing a story about a bunch of thefts at scientific equipment companies…" she started before got a look that told Zooky she realized something, and he had a feeling he knew what it was. "Hey, I-I'm sitting here talking to a bunch of turtles and, uh…what did he say? Kai…"
"'Kaiju'," Zooky clarified. "That's what I am. It means 'giant monster' in Japanese. I would've told you earlier, but things got a little busy and then you fainted," he said, his tone and face apologetic.
"Actually, I kind of gathered that when one of those punks screamed 'Monster!' Uh, no offense," she said.
"Hey, none taken," Zooky said good-naturedly.
"But that aside, I'm still talking to you, a bunch of turtles…and their pet rat? Who the heck are you guys?" April asked, referring to the turtles and Splinter.
"Perhaps I can best explain," Master Splinter spoke. "And since young Gozuki has told us about himself, it is only fair that he should know about our origins."
Zooky turned around to face Master Splinter, sitting cross-legged and nodded, telling the kimono-clad rat that he was ready.
Splinter began, "The story of my young friends and I is really the story of a man named Hamato Yoshi."
Godzooky couldn't help it, but his perceptive senses couldn't help but hear a touch of sadness in Splinter's voice when he said the name "Hamato Yoshi". In fact, as Splinter talked about this man, Zooky could see a wistful look in the rat's eyes.
"In Japan, there is a ninja clan known as 'The Foot'," Splinter continued. "Hamato Yoshi was their shidoshi, teacher of the warrior ways of enlightenment. Yoshi was a quiet man, who loved art."
I've got a feeling he and Vicky would find a lot to talk about, seeing how she likes art and all, Zooky thought.
"But one student sought to usurp his leadership of the Foot Clan: Oroku Saki," Splinter said.
Zooky felt a shiver go down his spine at the name; his senses told him that this Oroku Saki character was bad news.
"Then one day, a master sensei, a teacher, came to the Foot school, and Oroku Saki made his move."
"What did he do, Master Splinter?" Zooky asked.
"Oroku Saki stuck Yoshi's kimono to a wall with a knife, so that he couldn't bow to the sensei. Then, when he withdrew it, the sensei's guards accused him of trying to kill their master, and Hamato Yoshi was banished from the Foot Clan," Splinter explained.
Zooky felt sorry for Hamato Yoshi; it was unfair that he had been punished for something he didn't do. A similar thing almost occurred with him in 1954 Hollywood when news of Gojira's attack on Japan was broadcast worldwide; when the higher-ups at Warner Bros. saw the resemblance between Gojira and Godzooky, they threatened to terminate his employment there. Of course, the significant difference between what happened to Yoshi and him was that Godzooky's friends, the Looney Tunes, stood up for him and threatened not to go back to work unless Zooky stayed, while it seemed no-one was willing to stand up for Yoshi.
"In disgrace, Yoshi fled to America. Penniless, he was forced to live in the sewers, in these underground tunnels," Splinter continued. "His only friends were the rats…until, one day, some new friends came down the drain. Apparently, someone accidentally dropped a glass bowl holding four young turtles down a sewer drain, and they landed, quite literally, in Yoshi's lap," the rat chuckled.
Four turtles, huh? I've got a feeling I know who they are, Zooky thought knowingly to himself, looking around at the four turtles whom he had become fast friends with.
"Back in Japan, under Oroku Saki's evil leadership, the Foot Clan turned into an army of crime. But back in New York, Yoshi lived happily with his turtles and rats. But then, one day, Hamato Yoshi returned to his living quarters to find the four turtles covered in a green-colored goo."
'Green'? Wasn't the color scheme of the sewer I jumped into green?! Zooky suddenly thought, a feeling of worry overcoming him.
"Are you all right, Gozuki?" Splinter asked, cutting through the saurian's train of thought.
"Huh? Oh. Yes, I…I'm fine. A thought kind of occurred to me," Zooky explained.
"A troubling one, from the expression on your face," the rat pointed out.
"It's just…when you said that the goo that…that Yoshi found the turtles covered in was green, I couldn't help but think back to the strange light in the sewer that brought me here," Zooky confessed.
"So Hamato Yoshi found the turtles covered with goo," April said, getting the rat's story back on track after the momentary interruption.
"Bingo," Raphael said. "You get the feeling all this is startin' to lead somewhere?"
I already have an idea, Zooky thought in response to Raphael's question, looking at Splinter.
"So…and I'm a little hesitant to ask, just what was that stuff?" Zooky queried.
"It was a powerful mutagen," Splinter answered.
Zooky gulped. Had the sewer he had gone through been full of that mutagen?!
"Just…what…does it do?" the juvenile saurian asked hesitantly.
"It caused whoever touched it to take on the form of whatever animal they had most recently been in contact with," Splinter told him.
Zooky internally sighed with relief; if that sewer had really been full of that transforming mutagen, he would've either turned into a kaiju-human or kaiju-turtle hybrid by now. Thankfully, that apparently wasn't the case.
"The turtles started becoming human; they had most recently been in contact with Yoshi."
Now came the part that confirmed what Zooky had already suspected: "But Yoshi had most recently been with…the rats."
"Then Hamato Yoshi is…you!" April realized.
"Yes, although I have a feeling your perceptive young friend here has already figured it out," Splinter said, looking at Zooky.
"I'm afraid so, sir," Zooky confessed, smiling in that very manner. "You're very perceptive yourself."
"Quick, and a mind like a steel trap. Will this kid ever stop surprising us?" Raphael commented to the fourth wall.
Splinter nodded in thanks before continuing, "My four young wards nicknamed me 'Splinter'…for obvious reasons," he smiled. "I, in turn, named them after my favorite Renaissance painters."
I knew I'd heard those names somewhere before, Zooky grinned.
"I knew the outside world would consider them freaks, so I trained them in the art of ninjitsu." He then began introducing each of the turtles; Zooky already knew them, so this was for April's sake: "Donatello, whose simple wooden bō can disarm any adversary. Raphael, no sword on Earth can withstand his sais. Leonardo, his swordsmanship is unmatched. Michelangelo, master of the whirling nunchukus."
"And master of the whirling pizzas!" Michelangelo himself added, spinning the now-empty pizza pan on his right pointer finger.
"I can see that," Zooky chuckled.
"And that is how they became the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," Splinter finished.
'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles', huh? Sounds like a name that could stick…and I have a feeling I've heard, or maybe seen, that name somewhere before, Zooky thought to himself.
"So, do you know who dropped that mutagen on you?" April asked.
"Any clue at all?" Zooky asked, April already having presented the question that had been on his mind.
"No," Leonardo answered as he polished one of his katanas. "But one day we're gonna find him, and force him to make our master human once more."
"So, what do you guys think?" Michelangelo asked.
"It's quite a story," Zooky said. "I am sorry to hear about your banishment, Yoshi-sama; I just wish there was something I could do. It's not right to be punished for the misdeeds of another."
"Your sympathy and offer of help is much appreciated, Gozuki, but I am not certain of what you can do. However, you've certainly lightened the spirits of myself and my young friends with your arrival; that, I am grateful for," Splinter said.
Why do I get the feeling he knows that I know what he went through? Zooky asked himself, seeing a knowing look in the former human's eye.
"What about you, Ms. O'Neil?" Splinter asked the young woman, who was standing up.
"I think you committed those robberies!" she accused, starting to run off.
Zooky couldn't believe it; she had heard their story, and they saved her life, to boot! How could she accuse them like that?! OK, maybe the weapons were a bit of a takeaway, since there had been evidence of the use of a katana in one of the robberies, but still! The juvenile saurian jumped to his feet to stop her and try to talk some sense into her, but Raphael got ahead of her first and Donatello came up to her before Zooky got there.
"Wait a minute, did I miss somethin' here? Ain't you up on current events, lady? We just saved your life!" Raphael exclaimed.
"Raph's right. Besides, just because they have ninja weapons doesn't mean they committed those thefts!" Zooky defended.
"Exactly! The thieves were ninjas!" April said.
"Well, yeah, but were they turtles?" Michelangelo asked.
"It doesn't matter!" April exclaimed.
"'Doesn't matter'? 'Doesn't matter'?!" Zooky yelled, starting to get upset at the woman reporter's inflexibility. "Lady, you're a reporter, for cryin' out loud! Your job is to find the truth in a story, not go around accusing innocent people-uh, turtles, in this case, of something they didn't do! You do that, and you'll be no better than those who banished Hamato Yoshi from the Foot Clan! Besides, they saved your life from those punks; doesn't that count for something?!"
"They're still news!" April pointed out.
That was a major red flag for the young kaiju.
"Oh no way, ma'am," Zooky said seriously, glaring at her and crossing his arms. "You do that and it's gonna be a media circus! You heard Master Splinter; everyone will look at them and see nothing but freaks, just like the other young kaiju on Monster Island only saw me as a freak! I'm NOT gonna let that happen to them!" he shouted, his voice breaking at that last sentence.
Zooky didn't want to start crying again, but he was determined to show April that he was adamant on his position. He was thankful for the supporting hand on his shoulder from Donatello.
"He's right; you put us on TV and every scientist in town will be after us. …And probably Zooky, too," Donatello added sadly.
"Hey, the four of us spent half our lives crawlin' around the bottom of a glass bowl, and we ain't goin' back," Raphael added. "'Sides, there's no way we're gonna let this nice kid get treated like that again, not after what happened to him!"
"What?" April queried.
"Frankly, Miss, this sweet, humble, talented kid-who also saved your life, by the way-is lucky to be alive right now!" Raphael explained ardently. "He almost left this rock before his time because a bunch of other kids couldn't see past his outward appearance, which is what may happen to us if you do what you're thinking of doing!"
Godzooky was touched by Raphael's speech; who knew someone who mostly spoke with sarcasm had such a kind heart? Not to mention a gift for passionate speech? He could tell it got to April too, as evidenced by her look of shamed apology in his direction.
"Which means, and I'm sorry to say this, Zooky, but you're staying here until we work this out," Donatello said to April.
Now that definitely worried the juvenile, winged saurian kaiju. He knew the Turtles wanted to keep their existence secret, but he wished that they didn't have to resort to keeping April with them against her will. He wanted to say something, but he was still too upset, and the last thing anyone needed was for high tempers to make things worse. He silently asked Donatello to let him go and he walked over to a far corner of the room.
"Whatcha doin', Z-man?" Michelangelo asked, concern present in his voice.
"I just need to clear my head, Mikey," Zooky sighed, sitting down in a cross-legged position and taking up a meditation pose.
As he meditated, Zooky turned over in his mind what had happened to him so far: His sudden transport to New York, saving April from that group of punks, getting to know the Turtles and their sensei, hearing their origin story… He just couldn't believe that the Turtles were responsible for the robberies at those scientific equipment facilities. True, on one hand his fast friendship with the terrapin quartet could be clouding his judgment, but the minute he had heard Raphael's voice, it was like a spark went off. And then as he had talked with him and the other turtles, he had felt that he had found kindred spirits, like he had with so many others; like Spider-Man from the comics, and Tigger, Frodo, Roger Rabbit, and the Looney Tunes. In addition, it was like the Turtles had found a brother in him. When that happened, Zooky knew that there was no way the Turtles could be bad. But now April's threat to expose them was threatening to tear everything he had built with his new friends apart.
Out of one frying pan and into another, Zooky sighed. Well, genius, how are you going to get yourself, and everyone else, out of this one?
And…done! Whew! That was a long one to be sure. I guess you could call this one the "bonding chapter", where Zooky and the Turtles get to know each other, and it looks like it's shaping up to be a strong friendship, even though Raphael may have (unintentionally) insulted Zooky near the start. But, if you've read my other stories that feature Godzooky, considering what he's gone through, can you blame them for becoming friends so fast? Although I suppose knowing your newest friend is from Hollywood doesn't hurt, either. And it looks like the Turtles and their sensei, Splinter, get a lesson about kaiju and their history with humans, which may have dispelled any hidden preconceptions anyone may have had about the young kaiju.
I also warned you guys that there was a mention of an event of self-harm in this chapter, and…well, there it is. I think you can pretty much picture everyone's faces in the room when that was brought out into the open. So, as a message, if you're facing difficult times because of bullying, abuse, and/or depression, and you're contemplating self-harm and/or suicide, DON'T DO IT! Your life is too precious and unique to be taken away by your own hand! To use Rob Paulsen's own words from the song "There's Only One of You" that he sang solo on an episode of his podcast "Talkin' Toons": "There's no-one else exactly like you are./'Cuz you're unique and you're terrific,/And you're kind of real specific./There's no-one else the same/As the person you became". And that is true for everyone, including you! So please, if you feel like there's nowhere to turn, talk to a friend or counselor, or call a help hotline, but please, please, don't throw such a precious gift away!
One little thing I want to mention: In the original episode, when April tries to leave the Turtle Lair and Donatello stops her but Raphael's voice (Rob Paulsen) comes out of his mouth, I fixed it up in this fanfic so that it was both Donnie and Raph who stopped her before she could leave. That way, that scene kind of plays out with a little more sense. Also, for those of you who know the original series, you know that Shredder has been observing the unfolding events from a currently undisclosed location, which means he knows about April, the existence of the Turtles…and about Godzooky. Uh-oh.
For those of you who may be a bit confused about the detail of Godzooky almost getting fired from Warner Bros. in 1954 due to Gojira's attack on Japan that year, you might want to refer to the intro for clarification.
I'm certain there's some sharp eyes who may have noticed, but for those of you who haven't, for writing Raphael's dialogue, in addition to his lines from the actual show, I'm also using some material from the man behind the turtle himself (and the voice of the 2012 Donatello), Rob Paulsen, as inspiration; hence why there's lines like "I'd go as far as to say that you're neat and terrific, and kind of real specific!" Also, on his podcast, he's told his listeners that it takes a tough skin to make it show business, which, even though I'm not in that profession, I'd have to agree with, which is why Zooky also says that particular line here. I think you guys can also see where Yakko Warner got his habit of talking to the fourth wall from. And if you've ever heard Mr. Paulsen talk, he may claim he can get a bit…smart, but he's both passionate when it comes to his work and compassionate around people. I mean, you hear him talk about his encounters with fans (whom he's often referred to as "friends whom [he] hasn't met yet"), and you can just feel it. Yet another reason why I like him so much; because he's genuine, something I strive to be in my day-to-day life. I so cannot wait for the day if and when I actually meet him in person. But, till then…
So next time, a crisis will be solved and an investigation will be made.
Anyway, please read and review. Thank you.