Mutant Ninja Turtles

A New Dawn

Donny slowly opened his eyes. He blinked to clear his vision and gradually sat up. He was in a room and that girl was staring at him. He blinked again just to be sure. He winced slightly as he moved his feet to a more comfortable position. He rubbed the back of his head for a moment. He laid his hand on his leg and looked over at her after looking around once more.

The room was similar to the one he had burst into sure that Mariko was in there. This room was more barren however, and the door appeared to only open from the outside. The ceiling was solid as the walls, which seemed to be something other than wood; what exactly it was, he couldn't figure out. The floor was plain and a small crate stood in one corner. A smaller one was beside the girl, who had her legs curled to her body and looking directly at him. He blinked at her once more.

"Who are you?" he asked softly, in a curious but polite way.

"I don't know." she answered monotonously.

"My name's Donatello. I'm looking for a friend of mine. Her name's Mariko and she's a river turtle mutant. Have you seen anyone like that?" he asked her.

She blinked at him. "I don't know." she said softly.

Donatello sighed, feeling faintly annoyed. "What happened after I passed out? Are you all right?" he asked, absently touching his head again and wondering if it were only bruised or worse.

"They brought us here." she answered one of the two questions, sort of.

"Why? I mean, why lock us up together?" he asked.

She blinked incredulously at him. "Do you know what they made me for, what they plan to do with me?"

"I have an idea." he said slightly disgustedly.

"Take a guess why they put us together then." she said eye lids lowering.

Donny's eyes widened. "Are you sure that's why?" he asked.

She nodded once before laying her chin on her arms that were resting on her bent knees. Donny looked around again, paying close attention to the details in the room. He couldn't find anything that could be a camera or where one would be. The room was quite empty except for the two small crates, which seemed to be empty. The crates appeared to be something to sit on or something that just happened to be in the room when they were tossed in. He brought his gaze back to her.

"There doesn't appear to be any devices watching us. How would they know if we did or not?" he asked nobody in particular.

The girl seemed to curl up tighter and turned away. Donny blinked at this and wondered what had happened to her. He reached out and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. She recoiled at the touch and stared up at him with wide eyes.

"What's wrong? Did they hurt you? You can trust me, I won't hurt you. I plan on getting us both out of here as soon as I figure out how." he spoke gently to her.

"They'll just examine me and find out if we mated like they want. They'll never let you go. I'm sure they'd think of a way to do it even if you refused to do what they want. Besides, there's nothing out there, no where to go for a freak like me, us." she said, eyes watering.

He rested his hand on her shoulder again and this time she let him.

"I have a family out there; you could stay with us, my father, brothers, and when I find her again, my very special friend Mariko. We have a couple human friends who visit us now and then too, April and Casey. You just have to trust me." he replied softly, reassuring.

"Your family are freaks like us?" she asked genuinely curious.

"Yes. My brother's and I are turtles, our father is a rat. My brother's and I sometimes call our selves mutant ninja turtles." he continued to speak in hushed tones, a small, encouraging smile on his face.

"Ninja? You are a ninja? Or do you call yourselves that for another reason?" she asked, almost casually.

He returned his hand from her shoulder to his lap.

"Our father taught us after he found and raised us. Mariko was learning it as well." he grew somber towards the end.

"Donatello, this Mariko, you... really care for her." she spoke hesitantly.

Donny sighed as his brain screamed an immediate response, 'Yes, more then life.' The thought only served to cause his heart to become heavier.

"Yes, I do." he whispered softly looking down. He sighed and looked back up at her. He brought his one hand up that forever held Mariko's bokken. "This was hers. I found it where she disappeared." He brought it back against his body and closed his eyes.

"You love her." the girl said warmly.

They remained quiet for awhile. The girl shifted uncomfortably.

"They may have her, I don't know. If they do, they might be doing something to her right now." the girl shifted again in apparent discomfort.

Donatello looked at her and then at the door. His eyes darkened and became half lidded. He took a deep breath, realizing that getting angry in a tiny room with no escape and an innocent turtle girl inside wasn't going to get him anywhere. Once again Don was reminded of how like Raph he had been lately. It annoyed him, he was supposed to be the level headed smart one, not let his emotions and frustrations get to him like Raph. Suddenly Donatello was snapped out of his reverie. His nose twitched slightly and his eyes widened. He turned back to the girl.

She was curled up tight and fidgeting. Her eyes were closed and a tear made its way down her face. He felt his mind swirl and he staggered. 'No!' he screamed at himself and turned away from her. He practically jumped to the other end of the room, as far as possible from the girl. Her scent was doing things to him that he didn't like.

He heard her start sobbing. She cried out between sobs, "I'm... sorry... they... gave me... h-hormone stuff..., they wanted... t-t-to ensure th-that... you'd..." and she cried not finishing her sentence.

He swallowed hard. He had to resist this. 'For Mariko, I have to fight.' he thought fiercely. He forced himself to look away from the crying, fidgeting girl. He covered his nose and breathed lightly through his mouth. He momentarily considered making himself pass out, but placed the thought aside as a plan B in case he couldn't hold out. He swallowed dryly, wondering how he was going to get himself out of this. There wasn't anyone who would come and save him. He'd didn't want to think about his emotional being if he couldn't control himself. He was stuck in a room with no escape except the door, which doesn't open from the inside and his bo not on his person, not that he even knew if it would help or not anyway. 'Kuso' he thought and let a tear fall down his cheek. He let his body drift to the floor and seriously considered letting himself pass out.

A thought crossed his mind at that moment. Breathing, air… His eyes widened. He frantically darted his eyes about the room for an air vent or some way that air was getting into the room. The door went straight to the floor, the light shining dimly from a small light in the center of the ceiling, walls plain as the ceiling. He got on all fours and scrambled to the crate farthest from the girl. She jumped backwards surprised, eyes wide. Don threw the crate across the room to see what behind it. The crate broke a bit at the contact to the far wall. He moved over to the other crate and hesitated at the girl's frightened look. He gently grabbed the crate and slid it out of the way. He blinked at his discovery, and then blinked again for not thinking of it before. He shook his head a small smile on his face. He sighed and crawled up close to the vent he discovered.

"What are you doing?" she asked him.

He kept examining the grate over the vent. His main concern was whether they would fit into it. He answered her without tearing his gaze from the vent.

"Trying to get out of here."

She blinked incredulously at the back of his head.

Don reached into his shell and his arm reappeared with a small tool kit. He unwrapped it and pulled out a screwdriver. He began to unscrew the vent. The girl stared at him in surprise. After a few moments she managed to speak.

"You keep tools in your shell?!"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, just some emergency tools just in case. You won't believe all the times it comes in handy. I should have started doing it years ago." He said continuing unscrewing the screws holding the vent. He was glad it wasn't bolted, that would have proved more difficult.

"Handy for what?" she asked bewildered.

"I'm a bit of a mechanical genius." He answered humbly.

She blinked surprised. "Wow." She mumbled.

A small smile crossed his features for a tiny moment at picking up her mumbled remark. A second later the vent was removed. He was judging the size of it and pulled out a mini measuring tape. He smiled and sighed in relief. They would barely fit, he hoped. It could get smaller anytime in there. He turned to her getting to his knees.

"Okay. You coming?" he asked.

"In there? We don't even know where that goes." She replied unconvinced.

"It's this or stay in here. I don't want to leave you here, I said we'd get out of here." He answered.

"I didn't believe you," She said flatly and slowly started towards the opening, "You first."

He nodded and jumped in after stuffing his tools back in his shell, pulling his limbs in as well. She arched an eye at this but sighed and slid in too, closing her eyes. After a fast but short ride the floor gave out below him and he fell to the ground on his back. He had just brought his limbs out to get up when the girl fell on top of him. He grumbled internally until she hurriedly pushed off. He sat up and looked around. It was dark and dank wherever they were. He could smell water and took it as a good sign.

"Stay close." He said to her.

She nodded in the near darkness and they walked forward. They reached a wall and a door. Don listened at the door. It seemed quiet on the other side. He slowly opened it a little. He cringed slightly at the sudden light but adjusted quickly. His eyed widened at what he saw. It was a lab, with several unwell looking mutants. He swallowed and took a slow breath. He opened the door more and stepped in. A couple mutants looked their way; the other few continued laying still. The girl gasped and stood back by the door.

"What is this place?" Donatello whispered to no one.

"It's the experiment room." The girl answered breathlessly.

Don looked around unable to believe what he was seeing. These creatures were in horrid condition. A feline looking creature lay shaking, patches of its fur missing and filthy, while nearby a strange mutant combination lay simply trying to breath. Some kind of lizard stared directly at him unmoving from his laying position. A frog was curled up shaking and crying silently in a corner with a chain around its neck. A furry mutant, likely a wolf or similar was also looking at him, but only from a half laying position. It seemed the most alive.

Don avoided looking at the horrible instruments on the one large table. There were a few small cages next to it holding several actual small animals. This prompted Don to look and see if the mutagen was about. He would destroy it. Unfortunately he didn't see it. There was nothing else in the room except dirt and mold and bugs. Don didn't know if he could help these creatures. Most didn't look like they could walk. Some looked like they would die any time now. Movement caused Don to jerk his head back towards the chained frog. It stared at him a moment, its eyes holding a desperation, pain, and fear.

The creature reached out towards Don helplessly, weakly. Don walked over to it and examined the chain. The creature curled up afraid again. He pulled out his tools again and pulled out a small lock pick. He began picking the heavy lock. He wasn't as good at this as his other skills. After awhile he managed to unlock it. When it fell unlocked Don sighed and the frog looked at the lock in disbelief. It looked towards Don and as soon as Don removed the chain from its neck it weakly threw itself at him and sobbed quietly.

Don stood shakily with this creature on him. He helped, what he now knew as a female from the contact, to stand. He helped her over to the door and to the other girl. She hesitantly took the frog. Don turned and looked at the others who now all seemed to be looking at him. He swallowed. He knew he couldn't save them all, not in their conditions. Maybe if he came back with his brothers… hopefully they believe him now, believe that he is innocent in Mariko's disappearance. He swallowed again looking at all their faces.

"I need to tell my brothers about this. They can help, hopefully. I may be able to help them, you all, if we can get you to my place. I know a bit of medicine, to make you better." Don turned around and looked at the girl holding the frog.

"Are we leaving them?" she asked.

"We have to; we'd never escape with them so badly hurt. I will come back with my brothers; I promise we will help them if we can." Don started out the door.

"Didn't you say you were a ninja?" she asked a bit upset.

"A true warrior knows when to ask for help, my sensei taught us that. Let's go." He said and stepped forward again.

The girl took one last glance at the sad faces and stepped out letting the door close. After a few steps Don took the frog's other arm to help. Don led them towards the scent of water. Eventually Don sighed happily as he stepped onto a familiar metal cover. He looked down and smiled. He released his arm from the feline and knelt before the sewer cover. As he moved to find a grip to pull it open the girl's eyes widened. The frog girl wasn't paying much attention, or didn't seem to be at least.

"We're not going down there are we?" she asked a bit panicky.

Don smirked. "Yup."

"But that's the sewer!" she said exasperated.

He gave her a look that said it's this or nothing and she swallowed and remained quiet, eyes wide. Don finally pulled the cover up with a heave and looked down a moment. He hopped down with ease and reached up to help the next person. As the girl was preparing herself the frog pushed away from her and stepped into the hole falling into Don's arms. He set her down gently and looked back up.

"Com on." He whispered up to her. She got on her hands and knees and slowly backed in clenching her eyes. Her foot caught a ladder and Don helped guide her down.

"Eww." She said when the smell caught up with her.

"Heh." Don replied.

He began walking ahead putting an arm around the feline for support. The other girl quickly caught up and did the same. They walked for some time, Don memorizing their path along the way. Eventually Don had led them to another sewer cover and started climbing up. He pushed the cover up a little and looked around. It was late afternoon it appeared. 'Good' he thought and slid the cover across.

"Come on." He whispered to the two below.

They crawled out Don looked around at where they were. He ran across the street quickly with the other two and down an alley. Eventually he led them to another sewer entrance after traveling above ground for a good fifteen minutes.

"Again? Why didn't we just stay down there?" she complained.

"Not all of the tunnels are connected to each other, that's why. Now be quiet and get in there." She complied reluctantly and they traveled the sewers again for awhile.

These sewers, the girl noticed, were dryer and older looking. Parts of the walls crumbled a bit and the air didn't smell nearly as bad. After awhile they ducked into a hole in one wall and walked around for awhile longer. The frog seemed to be growing increasingly tired. The turtle girl was getting winded herself but kept quiet.

"Just a little further." He said softly to the frog.

She made a small noise of understanding and they continued on. This area was full of debris and eventually they ducked into a few more holes. Then after one more it all opened up to a dark cemented area. Don sighed and a rush of adrenalin caused him to walk so much faster he was practically dragging the other two. He slowed after only a few seconds and turned and walked slowly towards a door. He opened it and you could see another door, though this one was obviously handmade.

The girl turtle had noticed to low ceiling and the slantedness of it. Don opened the other door and removed himself from supporting the feline. He was tense. He wasn't sure how his brothers would act and he felt guilty a little for coming back without Mariko. He had written in the note that he wouldn't return until he found her. He clenched his eyes at the pain in his chest that her name and the thought of her brought. He sighed trying to get a hold of himself and helped the frog again. The girl turtle looked at him curiously. Don led them forward down a short hallway that led to a living room area. Everyone was seated there.

They all looked at them when they walked in. Don swallowed and looked at his sensei, his father, avoiding his brothers' looks. He spoke finally, ignoring the look of relief and curiosity from Mike, the suspecting and worried looks from Raph and Leo. He focused on the calm look of his father.

"I found these two in my search. They were… there's a very evil man who is trying to breed mutant turtles and is apparently doing experiments with other mutants as well. There were four others who were in too poor of condition for me to be able to get them out on my own. I came to… to ask you all to go help free them and stop these horrible people. I… I do not know if… if they have h-h-her or not." Don paused and swallowed, cursing internally at the feeling of tears burning his eyes.

"Hello." The girl turtle managed nervously and a bit surprised.

The room was silent for a few minutes.

"Who are you?" Raph ventured to ask the girl.

"I don't know." She answered softly, slightly afraid.

"What about you?" he asked to the feline.

She shook her head and made a little sound of exhaustion. Don and the girl turtle helped her to sit down on a chair that Mikey had vacated on their entrance.

"This is indeed troubling my sons," Splinter finally spoke to the boys, "My name is Splinter. These are my sons, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, and it seems you've already met Donatello." Splinter introduced them to the girls.

"I don't have a name." the turtle girl said.

The frog cocked her head slightly at the turtle and then yawned.

"Would you like a name?" Splinter asked her.

"I… yes." She replied softly.

"How about Itsuko." He suggested.

"I… think I like that." She smiled a tiny bit.

"So, Itsuko, can you tell me what has happened to you, as much as you can remember. Start from the beginning." He said softly.

Itsuko sighed a bit and tried to smile. For some reason this Splinter seemed to emanate a calming presence. So, she began her story, from everything she knew. It was the first time she would ever tell anyone of her life. She was still replaying all that she had seen on their brief trip aboveground. She was still afraid she'd be brought back to that place. She looked into the wise old rat's eyes and became at peace, at least for now.