DISCLAIMER: Sorry about the long delay. Writer's block again – at least with this one and a few others. I can't top chapter 5 and I refuse to try, but where this is a humor-based story, I hope I can at least get you to chuckle! Maybe two more chapters and then 'the end'.

To state the obvious, I don't own the TMNT's. Only The Cat, aka Buster… and the pizza…which is all gone and that means none for you. Bwahahaha! R&R :0)

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CHAPTER 6 – BOY GENIUS

Three forms came barreling into the lair from the sewers, quickly closing the door behind them.

"PIZZA'S HERE!" Mikey yelled out!

The cat leaped frantically off its master's lap, startled by all the commotion. He had only been in the company of these strange creatures for less than two weeks, but it was still unnerving to him the way the one in orange would act. He was loud and boisterous, but at the same time, Mikey would make sure the cat had first dibs on any cheese stuck to the pizza box! That was his saving grace, too. The Cat liked Mikey best of all, second to Splinter. Then, Leo and Donatello were next in line. However, the Cat definitely had it in for Raphael.

"HEY, RAPHAEL!" Mike yelled again.

From down the hallway, his brother replied just as loud, "Just keep yer shirt on…I'll be there when I get there!"

Mike looked at Leo, puzzled, "How can I keep my shirt on when I don't wear any clothes?"

Leo shoved his younger bother playfully, smiling, "Might be an improvement if you did, ever think about that?"

"Ooo, hey, humor! From the serious dude, no less! What a concept!" Mike giggled as he sat the two pizza boxes down on the kitchen table. He then stared at the hallway from which he expected his brother. Tapping his foot impatiently, he waited – for about two seconds. Then…

"COME ON, RAPH, WE'RE STARVING IN HERE!" Mike bellowed out.

"Michelangelo, you will please keep your voice down." Splinter admonished from his rocker. He then stood up to join his sons.

"Yes, Sensei. Hey, Cat, want some cheese?" Mikey entreated as he noticed the cat.

"Cheeeese" was a word that the Cat was becoming quite familiar. It almost rated right up there with "Tu-na". He quickly hopped onto the table where the two boxes of pizza were waiting. He pleaded with a short 'meow', rubbing the boxes in his attempt to let them know he wanted inside.

"Say, you'll just have to wait your turn, Cat." Leo admonished. He tried to reach over and gently shove the animal off the table, but in the next moment, a set of claws racked across his hands. The Cat remained where he was however and went back to the pizza box, loving it some more with his face.

"OW!" Leo yelled, tenderly holding his now bleeding hand while he pulled back away from the table. "What was THAT for?" he grumbled at the Cat. He looked at his wound and was grateful for the one claw currently encased with the vinyl nub.

"Maybe he doesn't care for turtle pizza?" Donnie said as he smiled at his offended brother.

"Eww, gross!" Mike complained, "Donnie, you need to stop talking like that!"

"Well, it's true…there are people who eat turtles." He said casually, taking a seat at the table.

As he leaned against Donatello's chair, Leo looked at his brainy brother and shook his head sadly, "Sometimes, Don, knowledge is a dangerous thing, you know that," at which the other looked up at him and smirked.

"Yeah, dangerous AND sick" Mike remarked and then threw his hands up into the air, yelling again at the hallway, but with more force, "Hey, RAPH, get yer TAIL in here!"

"Michelangelo!" Splinter admonished sternly, taking his walking stick and rapping it against Mike's plastron, "Raphael will arrive soon; be patient!"

"Yes, Sensei." He replied sheepishly, grinning as he rubbed his chest.

Finally, Raphael made his appearance. Yet for all it was worth, he looked more like a motorcycle accident. With bandages wrapped around his left arm and around his right leg, it was apparent he had a run-in with the Cat again. A few scrapes were evident on his face, as well, complimenting his one scar that Leo had given him years ago.

"Say, you get too personal with a lawn mower or something?" Mike chided, sniggering, as he well knew who had done the honors.

"I'd LIKE to take a lawnmower to the one who did it!" Raph sneered, eyeing the Cat with an angry expression.

"So glad we managed that one nail nub on him, bro, otherwise you could look a whole lot worse!" Mike laughed, thoroughly enjoying his brother's torment.

Raph rewarded him with a slug in the arm, "Don't get smart, dipstick."

Mike quickly turned away from him and then asked, "So, how many does this make for you? Thirty, fifty, a hundred?" He danced around the table, putting it between himself and his surly brother.

"How about we count them out on your head, Gimme your chuks..." Raph exclaimed as he tried to take off after Mike. However, his brother quickly dashed over to stand just behind Master Splinter, sticking his tongue out at Raphael as if quite pleased with himself.

Nonetheless, he soon felt the rap of the rats walking stick on his head, hearing his sensei admonish him, "You will be quiet and settle down, Michelangelo. Raphael has had enough grief without you adding to it."

Raph grinned, counting, "That's one..."

"Well, you just need to be careful when you pick the cat up, is all." Donnie remarked, "I mean, even Leo got nailed a moment ago because he wasn't being careful."

Splinter looked on, smiled, and then went into the kitchen to grab some plates.

All three turtles looked at Don and shook their heads. He straightened up defensively, "It's true." Looking at his blue-bandanna brother, "Leo, you reached in front of him, which, as everyone knows, is a threatening gesture. If you had come around the table like this…" Donnie moved slowly around the table and stopped behind the cat, "and let him know that you mean no harm." now he gently reached out and stroked the Cat's back. With his tail in an exclamation, the feline arched up and stood on his tiptoes as Don's massage continued. The black ball of fur began to purr contentedly.

Everyone watched - waiting, hoping, anticipating.

Don continued, "Then slip one hand under his belly while supporting his hind legs with the other…"

Every other breath now held expectantly.

"…and, then, finally pick him up!" Now, Donnie had the Cat in his arms. He turned the creature around so it could rest its front paws on the turtle's shoulder. Don grinned back at his brothers, completely smug about his success and lesson in how to handle the Cat. He wasn't the boy genius for nothing. "See, simple as that." He chortled proudly.

All three held back their smiles, trying to act impressed, nodding their heads approvingly - and then waited.

They didn't have to wait too long

As Don turned his head back to look at the Cat and to praise it for its good behavior, the Cat pinned his ears. Facing Don and then letting out a menacing growl, he nailed him right on his snout. Don let out a sound much like a wounded cow. Leaping away from his victim, the Cat pushed off with his back feet, digging his claws deep into Don's plastron. Yet, another interesting howl came from the ninja. Between holding his nose and gripping his chest, Don leaped about screaming something about skinning and stuffing. Then he tried to mumble some expletives, but the words came out too muffled by his covered nose to understand what he was saying.

In the meantime, his brothers doubled up in hysterics as they watched their victimized brother dance around the living area as he headed for the hallway and infirmary.

While they were distracted however, the Cat had found its way back up onto the kitchen table, nosing the box and trying to find his way inside.

"Hey, thanks for the lesson in animal care, Donnie-boy!" Raph bellowed out. He held his sides while he laughed, watching his injured brother head quickly towards the infirmary.

"SHUT - UP!" came a curt reply from the hallway. A moment passed with the sound of someone rummaging frantically through a cabinet and then…"HEY, where's the peroxide…" was Don's next statement. "…and the BANDAGES?"

Raph doubled up some more, "I've used it all, bro, you'll have to go topside to get more!"

They all could then hear Don groan in misery.

Leo hollered out, "Say, while you're at it, why not pick-up a book on how to handle dangerous kitty cats, too!"

"Funny, Leo, you're a real comedian today!" was Don's response.

Then, Leo then turned around to head for the kitchen sink to wash his own wound off. Yet, as he did so, he let out a groan himself.

"Say, DONNIE..." Leo yelled out, shaking his head in dismay.

"WHAT NOW!" he replied in exasperation.

"Ah, ya think you could pick up more pizza, too?" Leo answered.

Mike and Raph turned around to see what Leo was talking about and when they did their eyes went wide. Mike put his hands to his face and moaned while Raph growled menacingly.

"Why?" Don asked irritably as he came back into the living room. Yet as he did so, he soon found out why.

There, content and happy, was the Cat. He had succeeded in nosing his way into the box and was currently smack dab in the middle of the pizza, eating cheese like no tomorrow.

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Comments - Thanks to the following for leaving their thoughts behind - PHOENIX RISINGDRAGON BALL GOKURAMICAHAZLOV2004GEMDRIVE2000PRETENDER FANATIC. Be blessed.