Here we go again. Another training session. Only this time, we're going up against Splinter. The boys are helping me out. Now, I've tried this before, but so far, none of my strategies worked. But this should be different.
The boys are discussing a game plan. I'm just planning this out myself. Today's gonna be the day I actually land a hit on Splinter. We spread out, waiting for Splinter to give us the go ahead. My stomach is barely touching the floor in a crouch. See if I can at least try to hide first.
Michelangelo attacks first, who gets grabbed by the leg and thrown down. As Leonardo, Raphael, and Donatello attack Splinter, or at least try to, I turn invisible and sulk away stealthily, waiting for the right moment to attack. Minus the invisibility, this is how I used to hunt. No one can see or hear me coming. I've learned how to use that to my advantage. Ultimate stealth.
Leonardo flips away from a punch, only to hit Splinter in the face. "Ah! Sensei, I'm sorry-!" He cuts himself off when, with white eyes, I take the chance to tackle him down, turning visible again as I did so.
Forgetting what I was doing, I growl in Splinter's face. My green eyes return to their place as I put a friendly look on my face. "How was that? How'd I do?" I ask excitedly, stepping off of Splinter. "Well done, Marcel. Leonardo, just when you had the advantage, you hesitated, and that would have made you vulnerable."
"Hai, Sensei," Leonardo answers painfully as I help him to his feet. Not realizing how hard I was pulling, he bumps into me. I place my paws on his midriff to steady his movement. He looks at me. I give him a trilling noise as he scratches me behind the ear.
"Now, that is all for today," Splinter starts walking to his room, but he stops and turns his head. "Unless you care for a rematch."
"No, thanks. Wouldn't wanna eat you by accident." I said jokingly. This earns a laugh from the boys and an amused chuckle from Splinter. He enters his room, and the boys run up to us. "Not bad," Raphael comments, arms crossed. "Guys, I can't believe you two actually tagged Sensei. That was epic," Donatello said in awe. Michelangelo grabs Leonardo's hand and my right paw.
"The hand, and paw, that punched Splinter. You know you can never wash these again." I stick my tongue out in mock disgust, earning a laugh from the boys. "I gotta said, guys, it was all teamwork," Leonardo said.
He's got a point there. Charmander's stats seems to have skyrocketed some since the whole incident with the Mousers. Pātonā and I are getting closer to each other. He does his own thing, but he's cool. And as for my Eevee, well, the boys underestimated him a couple times, but he's shown me that he can defeat Pokémon bigger than him. He's come a long way since his shy, quiet beginnings. I told him that when or if I find a Fire Stone, I'll evolve him when I believe he's ready. It's only fair. I can't bring an under level Pokémon into battle.
I know, says the one who had a under level Charmander take on an over level Bisharp. Still.
"And let's not forget this guy!" Raphael said, putting an arm around me and punching my chest playfully. "Oh, please. I never would have gotten even close to him. I must've gotten lucky or something."
"That wasn't luck, dude," Michelangelo said. "Call it what you may. I just used my signature hunting skills did what my instincts told me to." I said to him. I didn't use invisibility because it wouldn't be fair. Although Splinter probably would have sensed me coming whether I was invisible or not. "You must have great instincts, then." Raphael tells me. "Why, thank you."
I'm staying in the dojo for a second, when I have a terrifying vision. I roar in fear. No doubt everyone heard that. I'm clutching my chest and breathing hard. I have no idea what I thought I just saw. Wait, what?
"Marcel, are you okay?" Pātonā asks me. "What happened?" He asks Leonardo. "I don't know." He answers. "I'm okay." I said, even though I don't really think I'm okay. "I just had a scary vision, that's all."
"What was it?"
"I have no clue anymore. I had it, then I lost it. My brain isn't working properly right now." I answer, shaking my head. "All I remember was a pack of small, black and red dog Pokémon with skulls on their heads."
"Houndour?" Donatello asks me. "I think so."
"Okay... Anyway, this isn't why I came here. There's something you guys should see. April is having a bit of a pest problem." Pātonā said. I can sense that she's having a problem with the biggest pack of Houndour I've ever seen.
My head starts hurting so much, I can't help but groan. "Are you sure you're okay?" Raphael asks me. "No, Raphael, I'm not. I think I should stay here. I've got a massive headache." I think I have a migraine. My vision fades every few seconds, but I don't feel any nausea. Could be.
"Okay, you stay here. I'll go." Pātonā said. I hate having to stay here, knowing that my girlfriend could be in danger, but I guess my health comes first. "You guys might be dealing with Houndour. Be careful."
Pātonā's POV
It's cloudy outside as we jump across rooftops. I'm worried about Marcel. I mean, his head seems to be killing him, figuratively speaking, and he's having a hard time concentrating. I don't think this is an ordinary headache he has.
Oh, yeah, there's a countless number of Houndour down there. April is hanging on for dear life on a pole. Somehow, the Houndour are chewing nonstop on the pole, some using Fire Fang. I had no choice but to stay here. I've had a run in with a pack of Houndour before, and it didn't end well. This coming from a Rock type, who's resistant to Fire type moves.
But my question is, why would there be a bunch of Houndour here? Could we be dealing with a mutant? Think about it. No human has the capacity or willpower to do this. Although, a mutant would. A Houndoom can make a pretty stern leader, but a pack this big?
Speaking of Houndoom, I can see a Shiny Houndoom and a Mega Houndoom from up here. Maybe that's the leader and deputy. Wait. I just thought of something. Houndour and Houndoom are both Fire types. Marcel, being part Pokémon, and his Charmander, is also a Fire type. Meaning somebody's controlling every Fire type in the city. But who?
Meanwhile, Marcel's POV
Why won't this damn headache go away?!
I've been tossing and turning, trying to sleep it off. But I'm in excruciating pain. And my paws are starting to hurt from grasping my head. I feel like crying, it hurts so bad. I start to give up and let a few tears fall.
"Marcel?" I hear someone ask me. I turn to see Kijani's concerned face. "Are you okay?"
"No, Kijani, I don't think I am. I had a vision that scared the daylights out of me, and now I'm having the worst headache of my life." I let a few more tears fall. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I think I'm being mind controlled or something, but,"
"Oh, you poor thing," Kijani said. "Is it a migraine?"
"It sure feels like one. My vision fades every now and then, but I don't feel any nausea. I'm trying to sleep, but the pain is too much for me to handle."
"I think some rest is the best thing you could do right now. I'm not sure how to fix your headache."
I find a comfortable spot in the living room and, trying my best to ignore my possible migraine, I finally fell asleep. I'm unconscious after a few minutes. Weird.
What's happening to me?!
Pātonā's POV
When we come back to the lair with an unharmed April, we find Marcel fast asleep. Michelangelo pokes Marcel in various spots, but he doesn't wake up. "Jeez, he's pooped." I said. Michelangelo, uncontrollably, starts giggling. "It's not that kind of poop!" I retorted.
Raphael stifles a laugh, covering his mouth. I just glares at him, a vein on my head. When Michelangelo finishes his giggle fit, he starts poking Marcel's nose with Donatello's bō staff. "Dudes, check out the nose nuggets," He said. I facepalm. Now it was my turn to stifle a laugh.
"Aww, look at him! He's so cute when he's sleeping," Michelangelo coos. "Hey guys, check it out, I'm picking his nose," He said, gently sticking the bō staff up Marcel's nose partway, wiggling it. I couldn't help but let my laughter loose. I had to support myself on hands and knees.
Marcel's POV
When I open my eyes, I feel something up my nose. I clamp my teeth down on the staff, causing Michelangelo to jump. I have a distressed look on my face. "Guys," I said wearily. "Are you okay, Marcel?" Raphael asks me. "Haven't you asked that question enough times today? No, I'm not. I... I think Falco is out for revenge or something."
"Falco?" Cyrus asks. "He mutated his colleague and gained psychic powers." Pātonā explains.
"But my question is, how?" Pātonā asks me. "Beats me. He passed his psychic powers on to a Mega Houndoom and a normal shiny Houndoom. The Mega Houndoom is the leader. His name is Akari. The deputy's name is Shah."
"Aw, great!" Michelangelo said in protest. "So now we're letting the bad guys name themselves? We gotta take them down!"
"Agreed." Pātonā said. "I don't know why Houndoom and Houndour of all Pokémon, but they must be stopped. I've heard that if you get burned by one of those, the pain will never go away." Everyone shudders at the thought. "Yet again, I think it's a myth. I hope it's a myth. A Houndoom's fire hurts like hell, and that is no understatement."
"All this time I thought I couldn't be mind controlled because I have a metal plate in my head. My powers were a lie." I walk up to the Razor Fang that my Gliscor held many years ago. "I'm believed to be raised by the most powerful Pokémon deity anyone's ever known. The Dark Raikou. His mind can't be controlled, but mine can. Controlled, but not read." Everyone listens as I tell my sob story.
"But the truth is, I was a real tiger cub before I mutated. I was being experimented on by the Kraang. Some said I was a mutant that had the pelt of a tiger, the muscles of a pro wrestler, and the Pokémon characteristics of a Mew."
"Mew? You mean the New Species Pokémon Mew?" Donatello asks me. "That's the one. Some said Mew, some said Mewtwo. I was raised by some other Pokémon, but I refused to believe those people. All jokes aside. I lost everything that day. My brother, all my friends... Even some of my dignity." Trying not to break down crying, I clench a fist. "I knew how Splinter felt, losing a loved one and having a hard time moving on. I hated living by myself for that long. When I met Splinter and the rest of you. I thought I found a foster family." Forget it. I had to let my tears fall and choke out a sob.
"And- and looking back, after I got separated from my family, all I had was my trusty Gliscor. But he did something so life risking, I'd be missing a limb from frostbite as we speak. He..." I was so close to breaking down into tears. "D-during a blizzard, I was freezing cold, despite my fire powers. My Gliscor tried to keep me warm when I couldn't. When I woke up afterwards, he was frozen solid, covered in ice. He was dead. Ice beats both Ground and Flying."
I swear, I heard someone sniffle behind me. I was too busy trying to talk and cry at the same time. It's not easy. "I looked everywhere for my family, but they were nowhere to be found. I was never so lonely in my life." I sink to my knees, ready to let it all out. "Now... You four are all I have left." Without another word, I break down completely, crying my eyes out. A pair of muscular arms wrap around me tightly. I didn't have to open my eyes to know that the one hugging me was Raphael. He was trying not to cry, too. "You poor thing..." April said, speechless.
"We're so sorry." Leonardo said, wiping his eyes. "We promise, we'll take out Shah and Akari for you."
"But we gotta find them first." Donatello points out. "You know where Herald Square is?" I ask them. They nod. "I think, hope, that their territory is somewhere close." My head starts hurting again, and I roar, clutching it. Raphael let's go of me. "Fight it, bud," he said. "I will. Go, go now."
"You got this, Marcel," Leonardo tells me. "Thank you, Leonardo." April stands by me. "You guys go. I'll stay with him." April said. Charmander went with them.
Pātonā's POV
That was the most heartbreaking backstory I've ever heard.
"So... You're the turtles that Falco was talking about." Akari said grimly. "Well, rest assured, me, Shah here, and my pack of Houndour are the hellhounds who shall send you to hell."
"Empty threats," I said, hands on my hips. "That's what you think. We have a special addition to our pack, and he didn't come to play." Shah said. We hear a tiger roar, and there Marcel was, his eyes glowing white, teeth bared, drooling as he growls, almost as if he had rabies. I freeze in fear.
"Marcel, snap out of it!" Leonardo calls out. "Don't waste your words." Marcel said, the hundreds of Houndour surrounding him. "This is where I belong, with my kind,"
"No..." Raphael mutters. I'll bet it hurts to see your best friend like this. "Your beloved Marcel is ours now. Imagine my delight when I realized that not only could I take over the streets of the city, but him being a mutant tiger, he could be the key to your demise," Akari said, evilly laughing with that deep voice of his. Now I don't know who's worse. Kirā or Akari.
"Marcel, destroy them."
"No!"
Marcel attacks us, anyway, knocking all of us out quickly. I watch in horror as he fights his best friend. Marcel roars in Raphael's face. "This isn't you, Marcel!" He said, struggling to avoid getting his face, and fingers, bitten off. Marcel's mouth was open, showing his sharp teeth, and Raphael was holding his mouth open.
Marcel pulls away roughly, but then, with every ounce of strength he has, he scratches Raphael across his chest, er, his plastron. Raphael screams out in pain, holding his stomach. His brothers call out his name in fear. Marcel isn't done yet.
He punches Raphael right where he scratched him, causing him to double over. Down on all fours, he slowly walks toward Raphael, who was looking at him with pleading eyes. I cover my eyes. I can't watch any more of this!
But then I hear Charmander's loud, enraged cry from across the room. His silhouette turns into a bright blue and white. Of course. Charmander and Marcel have had a strong bond ever since Marcel hatched him from the egg. I'm guessing he's pissed because of the demon possessing him, and he wants to protect him.
The blue and white from his silhouete disappears, and Charmander's new form can be seen. Now, he's a bipedal, reptilian Pokémon. It has dark red scales and a cream underside from the chest down. It has blue eyes and a long snout with a slightly hooked tip. On the back of its head is a single horn-like protrusion. It has relatively long arms with three sharp claws. Its short legs have plantigrade feet with three claws and cream-colored soles. The tip of its long, powerful tail has a flame burning on it.
I don't believe it...
Marcel's Charmander evolved into Charmeleon.
Wait until Marcel sees this.
Speaking of Marcel, he attacks Charmeleon. But the red lizard Pokemon fought back with Fire Fang and Slash. The little big guy's beating the crap out of him! Er, at least he was. Marcel punched Charmeleon in the head. Dizzy, Charmeleon recoiled. Marcel was about to finish him off, until...
"Yame!"
I know that voice anywhere! I uncover my eyes and see Splinter standing there, looking at the mind controlled Marcel like he was the enemy. "Leave my sons alone."
Marcel just growls, manifesting his claws. Splinter and Marcel attack each other at approximately the same time. But Splinter was winning instead of Marcel this time. Every time he takes a hit, Marcel's anger goes up. Soon, his anger causes him to collapse, rolling around like an animal, growling and roaring.
The turtles and Splinter pin him down, even Raphael, who was injured. Shah and Akari, who saw the entire fight, were furious when Marcel starts to snap out of it. "Don't listen to them! Your place is with us!" Akari barks. Marcel knocks all of them off of him, grabs the nearby katana blade, and points it at Leonardo.
"My place... Is with the turtles!" To our complete and utter shock, he charges at Shah and Akari. Shah charges forward, only for him to get grabbed roughly by the horns and thrown into Akari. Marcel inhales, taking in as much air as possible. Shah and Akari watch, waiting for something to happen.
A forceful blast of water is launched under great pressure, and it's heading straight for Shah and Akari. Their faces change, and they just lay there as they get hit by the powerful blast of water. They're sent crashing into the wall, soaking wet. Was that... Hydro Pump?!
Marcel wipes his nose with his thumb, glaring at his now defeated enemies. He isn't paying attention when Raphael hugs him. He jumps before returning it. Soon enough, Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo are huddled around Marcel, hugging him.
Marcel's POV
Yeah, I just used Hydro Pump on Shah and Akari. And it was worth it. Worth the group hug I got when I defeated them. I purr into Raphael's shoulder. I look up at Splinter. "I'm so sorry." I said. Splinter pats my head. "Do not be. You could not control your actions." Splinter said.
Raphael pulls away. "We're just happy to have you back." He said to his best friend with a smile. "It's good to be back." I respond before hugging him again. I hear multiple yelping noises, signifying that Shah and Akari have retreated with their pack.
"Hey. Guess who evolved." Pātonā said, pointing to what used to be my Charmander. "I saw." He's finally big enough to give me an actual hug. "I'm so happy for you, buddy."
We're back in the dojo,. "Are you sure you're okay?" Pātonā asks me. "I am now, thank to you guys."
"Did you seriously use Hydro Pump back there?" Donatello asks me. "Yes, I most certainly did. I can perform Pokémon moves of almost every type, except maybe Fairy."
"You really do have the Pokémon characteristics of a Mew." Pātonā said. "You guys see how Shah and Akari just fled the way they did? Acting like a bunch of chickens, yelping as they ran away." I said, trying not to laugh. "They were all like 'I'd better get outta here before I get wet! I'm nothing more than a aquaphobic dog.' And a chicken. A chicken dog."
I make chicken clucks and a bark from a dog, earning a laugh from the turtles. I couldn't help but laugh too. I'm still laughing when everyone else was done. When I was finally done, Leonardo was giving me a look. "Marcel,"
"Yes?"
"Are you ticklish?"
"Yeah, why?" There's a smirk on their faces as they slowly walk towards me. My eyes widen at what I just said. "Uh, wait a second, guys, I didn't mean... Oh no..."
No escape for me.
I run out of the dojo as fast as I can. I'm only in the pit when Leonardo tackles me down. His arms are around me, trying to keep me still. "Gotcha. So, where are you ticklish?" Leonardo asks. "Like I'd tell." I said. "Figure it out yourselves." Raphael tried the jaw line, the armpits if I had any, the neck. "Really? You said you were ticklish." Raphael said. "I was joking." I answer.
"Did you try the feet?" Donatello asks him. Gosh darn it!
I try to move my foot out of reach, but Raphael grabs it and starts tickling my foot, and I can't restrain my laughter. Donatello decides that Raphael shouldn't be the only one having fun with this. After what felt like eternity, Raphael stops tickling me so I can catch my breath.
"You don't mind this at all, do you?" Donatello asks me. "To be honest, no, not really." I respond. Donatello puts a mad scientist smile on his face, with the same mischievous vibe as Michelangelo. "So, you really wouldn't mind if I did... This?" Right at the last word, Donatello sticks his finger in my ear, leaving an unpleasant tickling sensation in my ear. I flick it to shake off the finger that's tickling me. "What about here?" Leonardo scratches my belly, doubling the laughter.
"Or here?" Raphael squeezes my leg, right about the base of my foot. "Okay, that's enough." I said when I have no more laughs in me. "Aw, but you love us, don't you?" Michelangelo asks me.
"I do, Michelangelo. I really do."
Marcel's Charmander evolved! I'm so happy! Serously, I am, because Marcel's Charmeleon won't evolve until Season Two. Enjoy Charmeleon while he lasts.