Ch 8 Renewed Hope.
Donnie walked out of his lab forty-five minutes later looking very dejected. His brothers, who were sitting on the couch watching over their now infant sensei, looked up at him with hope filled eyes that quickly diminished when they saw him shake his head.
"What happened Donnie?" Leo asked quietly, standing up and walking over to him.
He watched as Donnie walked past him and sat down in Splinter's easy chair with a loud sigh. "I finally got a hold of the Fugitoid." He informed them. "He's been doing extensive research in the mountains regarding the various plants the inhabitants of the planet live off of." Donnie took a deep breath and shook his head. "He sent me some more of the herb along with some of the other herbs he thought might help and I've attempted to find a way to reverse the effects it's had on Sensei but…." Donnie looked away from his brothers with shimmering eyes.
"But….What?" Raph demanded.
"Everything I've tried…..everything I did." Donnie swallowed hard. "Yield nothing." He looked over at the small rat munching happily on prunes. "I can't find a way to reverse the effects. Master Splinter's going to continue to revert until he's…..gone." Donnie choked on that last word as he fought back the tears.
The others looked back down at Splinter and Mikey placed a hand on the small rat's head. "I was so afraid to lose him." Mikey said with tears streaming down his face. "I just wanted him to be okay but all I've managed to do was make things worse."
"Oh Mikey." Leo said as he brought him into a hug. "At least were all here now and we'll do everything we can to be there for each other." He now looked over at Donnie whose mask was stained with tears. "How long?"
Donnie looked up and shook his head. "Because he's so much smaller then when he first got the drug, his heart and respiratory system are going at a faster pace speeding up the drug moving through his system and that's adding to his rapid regression….."
"HOW LONG!?" Raph demanded.
Donnie looked at them with red-rimmed eyes. "I'd say possibly another two days…..maybe less." He told them. "Between now and then he'll become smaller and smaller then eventually his organs will no longer be able to give him the oxygen he needs so he'll slowly…" Donnie swallowed hard. "Die."
Leo nodded and looked back at Splinter who was now curled up in a ball and sound asleep. "We'll do what we can to make him comfortable." He looked up at his brothers. "No reason to move him, so I'll sleep out here with him and call you guys if anything happens."
Raph started to stand. "Um, I think I'll sleep out here too," He looked over at Leo as he sat back down. "Just in case you need help or don't wake up in time." He explained upon seeing his brother's quizzical look. "After all, ya just got back from a long trip and ya haven't even rested yet."
"Yeah, ummm," Donnie rubbed the back of his neck, "I think I'll sleep out here too." He leaned back in the easy chair. "Just in case you both need help." The three older turtles looked to the youngest.
Mikey wiped his eyes and stood up. He made his way slowly and tiredly up the stairs. His brothers looked at each other sadly when they heard his door close loudly. But a moment later they heard his door close once again and watched him make his way back downstairs with his stuffed teddy bear in his arms. "Who are we kidding?" He asked as he sat down on the couch. He laid his head on the arm and pressed his bear against his chest. "Looks like we'll all be sleeping out here."
The other turtles nodded at each other and got comfortable. It took some time but they finally fell asleep. But their sleep was anything but restful. Several times throughout the night, the four would wake up to see baby Splinter still on the couch and sleeping peacefully. They would attempt to go back to sleep but it was difficult and the night turned into a long one.
Finally, around five in the morning, Leo awoke and tiredly looked around. He watched as Donnie, still sleeping in Splinter's easy chair, winced slightly as he stretched his aching muscles and yawned tiredly. Leo looked over to the right side of the couch where Mikey was curled up against the arm of the couch, his head and mouth wide open, drooling slightly. Over to his left, Raph had his head laid back against the couch cushion, his mouth slightly open and snoring softly. After tiredly looking from one brother to the other, Leo's eyes slowly moved down to the cushion between him and Raph to where he thought Splinter was still sleeping.
The three other turtles were suddenly startled awake when a loud yell of surprise sounded from their blue banded brother. They looked up to see Leo jumping off the couch and looking desperately around. Raph narrowed his eyes as he watched Leo look under the couch and jump from one end to the other all the while muttering to himself.
"What's the matter Leo?" He questioned. "Ya lose something?"
"Get up guys!" Leo demanded. "And help me look for him."
"Look for who?" Mikey asked tiredly.
Leo looked at them in surprise. "Master Splinter!" He yelled. "I can't find him. He's not on the couch, he's not in this room, he's…." Leo's eyes darted around frantically. "He's nowhere to be found."
"Oh no," Donnie moaned as he tiredly moved himself off the chair. "Not again." He stiffly moved himself over to his lab. Seeing the door still closed, he decided his Sensei could not have gone in there. His eyes searched the lair and he noted the door to the sewer tunnels was also still closed.
"He's still a baby and he's still small so he couldn't open any doors." Donnie said as he joined his brothers in searching the main living area.
"Yeah but he's also still a rat and they move fast." Raph reminded him.
"Split up." Leo ordered. "He's got to be here somewhere."
While Raph and Donnie quickly ran upstairs to search the bedrooms, Mikey quickly ran to the kitchen while Leo ran to the dojo. "I've found him!" Leo cried out. The other three brothers ran to the dojo and found Leo just inside the room staring in awe at their Sensei.
"Whoa." Mikey breathed out as he moved closer. "He's gotten bigger."
Splinter was in the corner of the dojo, huddling and quaking in fear as he watched the three turtles join the fourth. He pressed himself further into the wall as the brothers continued to stare in shock.
"Incredible!" Donnie said as he moved closer. "He's maturing." Donnie knelt down. "It looks as though he's aged five years." He said as his eyes widen in shock. "But how?"
"Don?" Raph placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Is this a good thing?"
Donnie stood up. "I…" Donnie shook his head. "I don't know." He looked in bewilderment at the now slightly larger rat. His brothers watched as Donnie's eyes narrowed in thought and an idea seem to form in the genius eyes. He turned toward his younger brother. "Mikey," He looked back at Splinter. "What food did you give him yesterday?"
"Ummmm." Mikey narrowed his eyes as he tried to recall what happened after they had returned from Shredder's lair. "I tried to give him some more of the Mac N' Cheese but he didn't want it." Mikey tapped his chin. "I think all I gave him was some prunes."
Donnie's jaw slacked open. "It couldn't be that simple." He muttered. He looked back at his Sensei for only a brief moment before looking back at the other turtles. His brothers watched as Donnie's eyes suddenly showed a look of dawning as an idea came to him. "Watch over him guys," Donnie told them as he suddenly took off running. "I've got some experimenting to do."
His three brothers looked at each other in bewilderment as Donnie ran out of the dojo. They shrugged and looked back over to the small shaking rat who was now trying to get from one corner of the dojo to the other. "It's okay Splinter." Leo told him as he held a hand out to him. "We're not going to hurt you." He attempted to move closer to him. "So how bout you relax and come back to the main room with us?"
"Who are you?" The small rat demanded in a small frightened voice. "Where is my Master Yoshi?" He swatted at Leo's outstretched hand while attempting to move past him only to be blocked by Raph. "I want my Master Yoshi." The rat screamed out with tears running down his face. "What have you done with him?!" He yelled as Leo quickly withdrew his hand back. He hissed angrily as Raph now tried to move toward him.
"Easy Masta' Splinta'," Raph said as he held his hands in front of him in a calming gesture. "We'll take ya to your Masta' Yoshi in just a moment." He attempted to get closer to the small rat but once again Splinter held him off by hissing and screeching at him.
"Stay away from me!" The small rat screamed out. He jumped at Raph and sank his teeth into his hand.
"OW!" Raph cried stumbling back. "Masta' Splinta?" He looked back at Leo in shock. "He bit me!" They watched as Splinter once again ran over to a corner and huddled against it. "I can't believe he bit me!"
"I want my Master Yoshi!" The small rat cried out.
"Maybe I can help." Mikey said. The others watched as he ran out of the room. A few moments later, Mikey returned with his stuffed teddy bear. "Here ya go Sensei." He said holding the bear out for Splinter to take. "This will make you feel better." He attempted to get closer to give the stuffed animal to the small rat who watched him warily.
As Mikey moved closer, Splinter narrowed his eyes and barred his teeth. The next thing Mikey knew, the small rat jumped at him and snatched the teddy bear away from Mikey. "I want my Master!" Splinter yelled out as he ripped the bear apart then threw the stuffed animal across the room.
"My Teddy!" Mikey cried out in horror as he ran to get the pieces. He whimpered pitifully as he gathered up his toy and ran out of the room.
"Okay," Leo said as Mikey slowly made his way back into the room. "Let's just sit down and wait for Donnie to get back." He lowered himself to the floor and looked over at Splinter. "It's okay Splinter." He told the frightened rat. "We're just going to sit here and wait for our brother to get back and then we'll all go look for your Master."
The other two followed their brother's example and lowered themselves to the floor of the dojo all the while watching their master stare warily back at them. After a few moments, the turtles watched as Splinter finally sat down against the wall and allow himself to relax. Until twenty minutes later, Donnie came rushing back into the dojo with a yell of excitement causing all four of them to jump.
"It really is that easy!" He yelled to them. He held up a hypodermic needle. "I've got the antidote." He looked from one brother to the other then over to Splinter. "Here Sensei," He said as he came over to the small rat. "I've got something that's going to make you feel better." He attempted to get closer to Splinter. "It'll help soothe you and bring you back to your old self." He looked over to his brothers, each giving him a look of encouragement as he carefully inched his way over to their small child-like master. "At least I hope it will." He muttered quietly.
But as Donnie made his way, Splinter let out a low growl. "I will take nothing from you!" He yelled as he attempted to bite at the purple banded turtle. As Donnie jumped back, Splinter started crying. "I want my master!" He wailed "I want to go home!"
Donnie staggered back to his brothers and looked at them in uncertainty. "We need to give this to him." He said with an urgent sound in his voice.
Leo looked over at the youngest turtle. "Mikey," He whispered. "Talk to him."
"What?" Mikey looked back at him in surprise. "Why me?"
"Because you're the closest thing we got to a little kid so talk to him." Raph ordered.
"Enough Raph," Leo gave him a stern look before turning to Mikey. "Because he's scared and not himself," He placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "And you can talk to him on a level that we can't so please….." Leo gave him a look of encouragement. "Talk to him."
Mikey looked at Splinter tenderly. "But, what do I say?"
"Something to let him know we're only trying to help him," Donnie told him. "I need him to be occupied so I can give him this shot so just get him to calm down and talk to you."
Mikey swallowed hard and stepped forward. "Please don't be afraid Master Splinter." He said as he again attempted to get close to the shaking rat. "We don't want to hurt you." He looked back to his brothers as he continued to step closer. "We just want to help you." He took a deep breath as tears began to fall. "We just want you back the way you were."
Splinter watched curiously as the orange turtle continued to come closer to him. "I'm afraid." He told him in a small voice. "I want my master."
"And I want mine too," Mikey told him as the tears came harder. "I'm so sorry Sensei." He hiccupped and held his hands open. "I just wanted to help you, make you better." He shook his head and got on his hands and knees and sobbed hard. "I just wanted you to be okay and not leave me!"
The rat's face softened as he watched the youngest turtle break down before him. He slowly stood and cautiously made his way over to Mikey. Then, hesitating slightly, he placed a tender paw on the turtle's shoulder. "It's okay." Splinter said to him. Mikey looked at Splinter and nodded. He opened his arms and the rat allowed him to bring him into a hug.
With Splinter now occupied, Donnie crept up behind him and quickly jabbed the needle into Splinter's neck. Feeling the sudden pinch in the back of his neck, Splinter pulled away from Mikey and looked at the turtle with fear. He started to back away but fell to his knees. He wavered for a short moment before falling forward onto the floor unconscious. The turtles took a huge sigh of relief and Donnie brought Mikey into a hug as he wiped his face.
Leo and Raph walked over to the sleeping rat. After making sure he was in a deep sleep, Raph picked him up, brought him to his room and laid him down on his tatami mat. The four brothers looked at their sleeping sensei as they slowly backed out of his room.
After Raph had closed the door, he turned and looked at Donnie. "Okay Don, wanna tell us what ya did to him?"
Donnie looked back at his brothers and shook his head. "Prunes." He told them with a dry laugh. "It was so simple I'm surprised I didn't think about it till after Mikey told me that's what he gave Master Splinter yesterday."
His brothers looked at him in bewilderment. "Care to explain further Donnie." Leo requested.
"Prunes are just dried up plums," Donnie began. "Because of the drying process, certain vitamins and other nutrients are lost but then the antioxidants become much higher along with other nutrients in the prunes." He searched his brother's faces as he continued to explain his theory. "It's because of the nutrients and antioxidants in prunes that help older people feel better and it's because of those things in the prunes that had an adverse effect against the herb we used so now it's actually started making him age." He explained.
His brothers looked at each other then back at Donnie. "So you're saying Master Splinter is now getting older because of the prunes?" Leo clarified.
Donnie looked at them and nodded slowly. "Well, mainly because of the…." He searched his brother's faces and nodded. "Yes."
"So couldn't the prunes I gave him yesterday bring him back to his old self?" Mikey asked. "Did you have to give him the shot?" His brothers looked at him curiously. "It's just…." Mikey looked away, his eyes filled with shame. "He looked so betrayed."
"The prunes you gave him yesterday were not enough." Donnie explained. "And they only had a small percentage of the chemicals needed to reverse the effects."
Leo nodded as he listened to what Donnie was saying. "So how long before he wakes up?"
Donnie shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe a few hours." He replied
"And what's going to happen to him when he wakes up?" Mikey asked looking over to Splinter's room in concern. "Will he go back to his old self? Will he remember us...remember what happened?"
Donnie and the others looked back at Splinter's bedroom. "I don't know Mikey." He replied rather slowly. "I really don't know.
