Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon.

Summary: Bradford has always blamed Michelangelo for his misfortunes and especially for his mutation so when he manages to capture the young ninja, he's going to make sure he knows exactly what it's like. 2k12 AU.

A/N: I am going to attempt to keep up the pace of updating at least one story each week, whether it is this one, 'Sekai no Owari', 'AOtGO', 'Aftermath' or a one shot. Between this and 'SnO', I certainly have enough at hand ready to go with just some editing, although that said, 'SnO' is a joint project between myself and Sampsonknight so it comes down to both of us having time to work on it. While I don't have a set time for updates, I generally prefer to update around the weekend.

Thank you to everyone who has commented, faved or followed my stuff.


How Much is that Turtle in the Window

ch 3

When Dogpound returned before dawn, accompanied by Foot soldiers laden with supplies, Mikey was pressed into a corner as far away from both the bowl of stinking food and his waste area as possible. Mikey opened his eyes to slits, guarding against the bright light and watched as the humans worked, stringing up lights and loading up the far end of the shipping container with boxes and a mattress big enough for Dogpound. Then, at the former man's command, one came to clean up the waste corner and placed a small child-sized plastic sandpit in its place.

"Since I have to live with you for the next few weeks, you do your business in that from now on," Dogpound snarled, making sure he had Mikey's undivided attention.

Mikey turned his head and glanced at it again, nodding fearfully.

"Hungry yet?" the large mutant sneered.

Mikey shook his head and curled deeper into his corner even as his stomach gnawed painfully at him.

"Suit yourself, mongrel."

Finally, with the supplies in place, the Foot Soldiers left and Dogpound closed the door, sliding closed the bolt from the inside. Then he went to his mattress and laid down. Before long, he began snoring away.

Mikey shuddered at the volume. It made Raph only sound like a heavy breather in comparison. After a time, Mikey got to his knees and tried to shuffle along without putting his hands on the ground but the manacles were heavy and it was exhausting so he was forced to put his hands down too. Then he crawled over, trying to get close enough to inspect the boxes that had been brought in but they'd measured the space well and the chain attached to his collar pulled him up short, tantalisingly out of reach.

He sighed miserably. Bad enough being trapped and tormented like this but now Dogpound was in here with him. At least before he'd been alone.

Moving away again, he sat on his haunches and looked up, wishing he could see the sky. He missed the open sky so much. Seeing the lights from planes passing overhead like so many moving stars, the clouds drifting slowly across the sky or perhaps scudding with speed, depending on the wind, the feel of the breeze caressing him as he ran. He froze. He loved running and jumping so much and now, he'd never be able to again. Unbidden, a sob escaped his throat and he worked to swallow any more before they could also break free and wake his tormentor.

Wallowing in despair was useless so he crawled back to his corner and sat cross-legged. He didn't bother with lotus position because quite frankly, holding his hands up for long in this state was difficult. This was his very last chance. His family had to find him now! Before the container was loaded and the ship sailed away, taking him from New York once and for all.

Mikey closed his eyes and tried to concentrate but it was hard. His hunger and thirst, the heat and all the chains and manacles worked to distract him but he had to do this. He was the weakest of his brothers when it came to the meditative arts, just like with everything else, but he couldn't give up! He had to try.

Somehow, after what felt like hours he finally reached the Astral Plane and joy filling him at his achievement, he searched for his father, knowing he was his best bet.

"Michelangelo?"

"Chichi!" Mikey cried, sobbing as he pelted for Splinter, spying his astral form meditating under the tree in the dojo.

Splinter immediately stood, stepping forward with wide eyes to meet him and embraced him tightly, reluctant to ever let go again. "What happened to you, my son? Where are you?"

Mikey pulled away slightly and wiped at his damp eyes. "I got captured by the Foot," he explained, his voicing rising in pitch with every word. "I'm chained up and can't get away. You've gotta come for me," he begged desperately.

"We will, Michelangelo," Splinter promised reassuringly, pulling him close again and hugging him fiercely. "We've been searching everywhere for you since we discovered you did not return home the other night."

"It's gotta be now! Before it's too late, Sensei," Mikey insisted, barely holding himself together enough to explain as he clutched repeatedly at his father's warm robe.

"We have already searched Foot Headquarters," Splinter said in alarm. "I know you were there at one point, I scented you but we could not find you. They appeared to have taken you away in a vehicle."

"Yeah, I'm trapped in a shipping container," Mikey nodded as he explained, panic beginning to take control. "They're loading me on a ship today so you've gotta come now!" he pleaded frantically, staring up into his father's face beseechingly.

"Calm down, Michelangelo, or you will lose your connection with the Astral Plain," Splinter chided gently.

Mikey nodded again and tried to curb his rising hysteria.

"Which docks are you at, my son?"

"I-I don't know! I woke up in here! All I know is that they're..." Suddenly, Mikey fell over and he was jolted out of the Astral Plain as the whole shipping container lifted from the ground. Distraught, he cried out, "Chichi!" and then screamed in agony as the collar shocked him once more. Instinctively, he reached up with his hands and tried scrabbling at the collar frenetically, trying to get it away, trying to get it off and failing miserably with being unable to use his fingers to gain purchase.

Finally, breathless and barely conscious, he saw Dogpound standing over him and watching, a malicious grin wide on his face as he laughed. Then everything went mercifully black.

-:-

Mikey groaned as he woke, wet and in pain. He blinked and slowly pushed himself up, ignoring the painful pull in his arm, the choking in his throat and his still twitching muscles.

"Disgusting animal," Dogpound sneered disdainfully.

Suddenly a small wet hand towel hit Mikey square in the face and he squawked in surprise.

"Clean yourself up and the mess on the floor!"

Mikey stared down, dumbfounded, then realised what he'd done, feeling himself heat up in embarrassment. He shuddered and reached up to take the towel, fumbling at it clumsily with hands that couldn't grip, just like paws.

"Normally, I wouldn't give a rat's arse if you soiled yourself," Dogpound snarled angrily, "but right now, we have to share the same damn living space and I will not put up with that smell or that behaviour. Next time, use the damn sandpit at the first sign that you need to go so when you inevitably electrocute yourself, you don't make a fucking mess!"

Quivering with fear, Mikey nodded and tried to wipe himself off, whimpering as he realised he'd been laying on his left and the bandage protecting the burned flesh just below his shoulder was soaked through. No wonder the brand was hurting more than before. He whimpered to grab attention and motioned to the bandage but Dogpound just stared at him, seemingly uncomprehendingly. Then hanging his head, he dropped the towel and rubbed it around, mopping up the mess as best he could. When he was done, Dogpound furiously strode closer and kicked him viciously towards his corner, making him yelp in pain as he rolled, the chain twisting around his neck and choking him even more.

"P-please!" he began, only for his eyes to widen in horror as the shock collar kicked in and he began convulsing and screaming again.

Bradford watched with dark pleasure for a moment before he noticed the chain wrapped around his throat. Once the shock finished, he stomped over the few steps to pick Mikey up and free him from it before dropping him in place.

"You ruined my life, mongrel!" Dogpound snarled furiously. "I am going to take such delight in destroying yours and causing you as much pain and humiliation as possible but don't worry, I won't let you die. Even if Master Shredder didn't want you trained, letting you die would be giving you the easy way out."

Mikey just whimpered slightly as he struggled to regain his breath again.

Dogpound crouched down in front of Mikey and gazed hatefully at him. "Now, that said, we need to talk."

Mikey stared up at him in disbelief. He wanted them to talk? How? Every time he tried he was shocked by the damn collar! He made an inquisitive noise and motioned frantically at it.

Dogpound laughed sadistically. "Get used to it, it's not coming off or being deactivated."

Mikey scowled.

"I talk, you listen and you answer as best you can without words." Bradford smirked down at Mikey's plaster covered hands, "Guess sign language is out too, if you were even intelligent enough to have ever known such a thing."

Mikey scowled again, this time at the slur of his intelligence. He was smart. More so than he generally let on anyway. He just had trouble focusing and liked to tease Donnie by pretending he didn't know how to pronounce certain words just to get a rise from him.

"We need to lay out a few ground rules."

Mikey huffed and looked away and Dogpound grabbed his head and viciously turned it back to face him, squeezing painfully.

"First of all, the Foot owns you now, your brand is proof of that and you'll soon learn that the Foot does not tolerate disobedience or insubordination. For your own sake, you are to be an obedient little pet. I have the remote control to that special collar of yours and can activate it at a moment's notice any time I feel like it. Do you understand?"

Mikey let out a strained noise, unable to even move his head with Dogpound gripping it so tightly.

"I asked you a question, mongrel! Do you understand?"

Mikey tried to make an affirmative noise, while blinking exaggeratedly once, remembering seeing on TV when people who could not talk for whatever reason being told to blink once for yes and twice for no.

Dogpound stared at him then laughed. "I guess that's one blink for yes and two for no?"

Mikey blinked again, his heart pounding rapidly in his chest.

"Good," the monster in front of him rumbled lowly, sounding inordinately pleased. "Now, your name. As I recall, you're the one who started calling me that insulting Dogpound, so let me now return the favour with something more appropriate to you and your new status."

Mikey's eyes widened in fright and he made noises of protest. He already had a perfectly good name, thank you very much and Dogpound knew it. Both his full name and his nickname from back when he stupidly thought they were friends.

Dogpound considered him with a nasty smile, head canted as he thought. "Hmm, how about Rex?" he pondered, deliberately watching and enjoying every second of Mikey's discomfort. "Nuh... too kingly. Hachiko? Too loyal and you don't have that quality. Rufus? Too strong which is something you're definitely not."

Distressed, Mikey whimpered, "It's Mike... GARGH!"

Dogpound swore and snatched his hand away in pain, shaking it and hissing. Mikey noticed and grinned inwardly in satisfaction of his tormentor getting a small taste of pain even as the shock wore painfully on.

Once the shock ran its course, Bradford snarled and picked Mikey up by the head again, smashing it into the wall and grinding it painfully. Then he dropped him and turned away, seemingly thoughtful.

"Fido? Perhaps... though Spot would be rather fitting, given the freckles over that ugly face of yours," Dogpound suddenly mused, as if Mikey had never unintentionally affronted him. "Spot or Fido? Hmm... what do you think?"

Mikey moaned and frantically shook his head. He wouldn't respond to either one.

Then Bradford grinned perversely. "Spot it is. Here Spot! Come boy!" he mocked loudly.

Mikey shrank back into his corner. He wouldn't respond to that name. He wouldn't! But Dogpound scowled and reminded him, "Don't forget, rule one is that you obey me. Remember, I can make your life very difficult and very painful if you don't," he warned, snatching at the chain and pulling it up.

'You already have,' Mikey retorted mentally, glaring up as he tried to clutch protectively at the collar digging deeply into his throat.

Bradford kept pulling until he noticed Mikey weaken and his arms fall. Then he finally let go. "You will respond to your new name, mongrel. You will obey my every command, you will learn not to speak or walk on two legs and when we reach your new home, you will learn tricks like a good dog," he sneered, "or you will be beaten and punished like a bad dog."

Mikey lay helplessly on the ground, quivering and twitching, staring up at Bradford in fear.

Bradford suddenly laughed again. "Isn't this nice? You get to leave your pathetic old life behind and start anew with a brand new name, new home and a new master." Dogpound taunted with a leer. "I've already ordered the construction of a very nice kennel and dog run for you at your new home at Foot headquarters and it'll be ready for you to move into by the time we get there, so that's something to look forward to, right?"

'I don't want a new home or life!' Mikey choked inwardly. 'I just want to go home!' But he couldn't tell Dogpound that. Not only couldn't he speak with the muzzle and he'd be shocked if he tried and he hurt so much right now. Hell, he wouldn't be surprised if he had a concussion after the times Dogpound had backhanded him or slammed his head into the wall. Besides, telling the monster in front of him how he felt would only give him added satisfaction that Mikey had no intention of giving so easily.

"Now, do you understand the rules and consequences of your misbehaviour?" Bradford asked, watching Mikey carefully. Mikey nodded, blinking once in no uncertain terms. "Although I have to tell you, I really don't care if you misbehave. It'll only give me an excuse to hurt you and I'll really enjoy that."

Mikey cringed at the realisation. Dogpound would, too. He had to be smart about this. For his own sake, he had to let Dogpound think he was breaking him but he swore he'd never really break. No way would he ever let the former celebrity win.

-:-

Mikey groaned miserably as he tried to sleep the day away. Once again, it was unbearably hot in the shipping container, yet it was better than the previous day at least. Maybe that was because the sun wasn't beating directly down on it like it had when still in the docks. Dogpound had returned to his mattress after their 'talk' and turned off the lighting so he could see the faint strip of daylight seeping through the cracks in the door and it was definitely muted compared to the previous days.

He'd thought about trying to contact his father again but then realised it would be a waste of time and would only delay them in their search if he managed. Though he hadn't been able to tell him everything he'd told him enough and Splinter would be smart enough to realise he lost the connection because he was being moved. That would help narrow down their search at least. The only problem now was that it was daytime and that would severely limit his family's movements. Still, they were ninja and Mikey had to trust that they'd come through for him in time because there was no other choice.

Suddenly, the floor lurched beneath him and he sat up in panic. They couldn't be moving the container again already, could they? What if his brothers or father were searching this very ship right now? They could miss him if it was placed somewhere they'd already searched. No! He couldn't let this happen but he was chained down and trapped inside so what could he do?

All of a sudden a weary voice growled out through the darkness, "So, we're on our way at last."

What? Mikey stared despairingly towards where Dogpound's voice came from. No! They couldn't be sailing already! His family still had to find and rescue him! He whimpered softly, unable to help himself.

The rough voice laughed cruelly, "Surely you didn't think they'd find you in time, Spot? Not even you could be that stupid," he mocked into the darkness. "Oh wait, of course you are! I forgot who I was talking to for a moment."

Mikey glared hatefully towards his captor. Then there was a shuffling noise and a single light came on, softly lighting the prison but after hours in total darkness, it may as well have been a spotlight aimed directly at him and squeezing his eyes closed, he squawked in pain.

He heard Dogpound stand and squinted open his eyes to watch the evil mutant make his way over to a corner at his end of the prison, hidden from view by the wall of boxes. Mikey soon heard the sound of a small flush and frowned. Chemical toilet, he guessed. He scowled again. Trust Dogpound to get privacy while he had to humiliate himself by being forced to go in front of the monster.

"Ah, that's better," the other mutant jeered. Then his expression turned calculating. "Have you used your pit yet, Spot?"

Mikey looked away, refusing to qualify that with an answer. He'd just have to make sure to go when the lights were out.

Dogpound laughed harshly. "Time to see how your brand is healing." He switched the rest of the lighting on and turned to rummage in a crate, pulling out a first aid kit before moving into range of Mikey's chain. "Come, Spot!"

Mikey just continued to glower at the wall, refusing to move.

Dogpound reached into his pocket and pulled out the remote, deliberately fingering it in Mikey's peripheral vision, "Don't make me repeat myself, mutt!" he warned.

Warily eyeing the device in the other mutant's hand, Mikey shifted to all fours and slowly shuffled his way over, hating himself with every step for capitulating. But if his family were on board the ship and looking for him, he needed to be as able-bodied as possible so as not to slow down their escape further. Finally, he reached Dogpound and sat back on his haunches in seiza, looking up at him accusingly.

"There's a good boy," Bradford jeered derisively, reaching down and too roughly rubbing at his head in a mockery of affection. If Mikey had been capable of gritting his teeth, he would have but they were already forced mostly together by the muzzle clamped tightly to his face and only saved from grinding by the gag stuffed in his mouth and between his teeth.

Bradford put the remote away and opened the first aid kit carefully. Then he reached out to remove the bandage before scowling in disgust and once more backhanding Mikey, knocking him to the ground. Mikey pushed himself right back up, scoffing mentally, 'Raph hits harder than that!'

"You got piss on it!" Dogpound snarled in anger.

Mikey huffed and looked away indignantly. 'Not my fault, jerk. I tried to tell you but you won't let me talk and you wouldn't listen.'

"That better not be infected because of that!" Dogpound snarled angrily, jerking at Mikey's arm, uncaring as he ripped the long dry but smelly bandage off.

Mikey snorted derisively at the idea. Donnie had told them long ago that urine was sterile and after filtering, gross as the idea was, it could even be drunk in an emergency.

"Are you fucking mocking me, mutt?"

Mikey adamantly shook his head, even while thinking, 'Course I am, evil dude!' Suddenly, he yelped in pain as Bradford snatched his arm in a large meaty paw and liberally poured disinfectant over the burn. Tears of agony filled Mikey's eyes and he fought to blink them back.

The larger mutant peered closer, inspecting the wound. He smirked in satisfaction and roughly rubbed some cream over it. "The blisters have started weeping," he stated, pleased. "In a few days, we'll be able to leave that to heal in the open air without risk and then everyone who sees you will recognise you as the property of the Foot."

Mikey's horrified gaze shot up to him and he tried to yank away. When he got out of here, he planned on wearing bandages on his upper arms for the rest of his life!

Bradford laughed and bandaged the brand back up before walking to his side of the container and Mikey watched him warily as he opened the crate to put the supplies away. He went to another crate straight after, pulling things Mikey couldn't see out before sitting on his mattress and beginning to eat, ignoring Mikey the entire time, even as the smaller mutant's stomach gurgled and gnawed painfully at him.

Sometime later, Bradford finished his meal and threw a couple of small scraps at him, bouncing them off his head. After three days without food, Mikey couldn't help himself. He pounced at the morsels and tried to pick them up, just about crying in frustration when he remembered he couldn't. He couldn't even eat them straight off the floor with the damned muzzle strapped to his face.

Dogpound laughed raucously. "Did you forget what you are now, Spot?" he mocked cruelly to Mikey's intense embarrassment. "Oh, that's too rich!"

Unable to get his feelings across verbally any other way, Mikey growled unhappily.

Dogpound grinned and settled back, simply watching Mikey until he had enough and crawled back to his corner, turning his face into it. It was only then that the larger mutant gave up his sport and stood, stretching.

"I'm going out for some fresh air. You be a good boy while I'm gone, Spot." Then Bradford slid open the bolt from the inside, opened the door and left, shutting Mikey inside with nary a whiff of the fresh sea breeze.

As soon as the evil mutant was gone, Mikey cried out in rage and despair, finally allowing the tears of frustration to flow

-:-

By the time Dogpound returned hours later, Mikey had pulled himself together again, composing himself and wiping away every trace of the tears that he could. Then he'd curled up back in the corner so he wouldn't have to look at the monstrous dog mutant when he returned. However, Bradford had other plans.

Doing his best to ignore him, Mikey heard him fiddling around with something before walking over and placing down what sounded like two bowls. "Come here, Spot, it's dinner time," Bradford growled.

Despite himself, Mikey couldn't help but respond and he shifted to his hands and knees and crawled over as fast and confidently as he could. Anything to stick it to Dogpound and give him less satisfaction. Bradford smirked at the sight and Mikey stiffened. Then he came to the end of his tether and saw one of the bowls was out of reach. The water bowl. He tried to reach out with one hand for it, hoping to catch it and pull it forward but the short chain connecting his wrist to his leg stopped him reaching further than his torso length. He scowled and shuffled around, instead reaching out a foot to snag it but Bradford simply moved it further away.

"Uh, uh, uh, Spot. If you want to drink, you have to eat first."

Mikey stared down at the bowl of 'food' in dismay. Seriously?

"Hold still while I remove your muzzle so you can eat," Bradford commanded. Hanging his head, Mikey sat back and stayed still while both that and the gag were removed once more. It wasn't freedom but in comparison to with the hated thing on, it sure felt like it.

"If you're good and eat up fast without complaint, I'll give you a reward," Bradford mocked.

'Let me guess, the reward is not beating me or shocking me,' Mikey thought sourly as he continued eyeing the disgusting looking and smelling 'food'.

"I'll let you keep the muzzle off for a whole hour."

Mikey's gaze narrowed and he looked away. Tempting but not good enough for eating that muck.

"And I'll leave the gag out when the muzzle goes back on." Bradford shrugged. "We're out at sea now and the ship's purser is in the Foot's employ. No one will react at the sounds of an animal in distress from one of the shipping containers," he smirked in amusement.

'That explains how Dogpound was able to go out then,' Mikey thought darkly. Then he sighed reluctantly. No gag was a good incentive. At least he'd be able to move his tongue and maybe he wouldn't feel quite so much like he was short on air. If he could at least open his lips a little he could get extra air through his teeth. Creeping forward, he leant hesitantly towards the food, cringing at the sight and smell. He wondered if he could even eat it considering the cans always said 'not fit for human consumption' until he remembered hearing plenty of stories of how when desperate enough, people did. Simply because it was cheap or all they could find and really... could it be any worse than what they used to eat before pizza?

Whimpering slightly, he put his face down in the bowl and took a tentative bite, feeling sick not just at the thought and smell of what he was eating but also because he was forced to eat like an animal.

The taste was as bad as the smell and that was coming from him who could normally eat pretty much anything and who used to subsist on worms and algae. It was all he could do to swallow and not bring it up again but cringing, he dipped his head down and took another small bite.

"Good boy, Spot," Bradford purred in satisfaction. He slid the water bowl closer and Mikey immediately shifted to drink some to wash away the disgusting taste, shuddering as he did. He glanced back at the food bowl, really not wanting to return to it but he was so hungry and he needed to keep his strength up so he closed his eyes and returned to it. Trying and failing to imagine it was pizza instead - pizza cooked by Leo... he shuddered again... or Raph. By the time he made it halfway through the bowl though, he was shuddering with every bite and couldn't take another so he returned to the water bowl and drank it all, tepid though it was in the heat of their abode.

"You still have some left, Spot," Dogpound warned when Mikey shifted away from the bowls.

Mikey shook his head and mouthed, 'Can't. I'll be sick.'

"What was that?" Bradford mocked loudly, putting a hand up to his large, furry ear.

"Can't!" Mikey repeated. "I'll be si... ARGH!"

Bradford chuckled in amusement and when the agonising shock finished, came over and stuffed the gag back into an unresisting Mikey's mouth and reattached the muzzle just as tight as ever. Mikey whimpered loudly, pawing at it desperately. Dogpound had promised an hour without the thing and no gag if he ate! He should have known the vindictive mutant would go back on his word!

"You didn't eat it all and you certainly didn't eat fast," Bradford taunted as he watched with cruel amusement. "Dogs wolf down their food so fast they can't taste it. You need to learn the correct behaviour if you want to be a convincing dog for your new masters, Spot."

Tears threatened and blinking them back again, that's when Mikey realised, Dogpound would come up with any excuse not to keep promises or simply to hurt him.

-:-


Comments, thoughts and concrit are always welcome.