Chapter 17
Fluctuation

"Were you abused?"

Mona Lisa ran to the store buy the latest manga. She was saving it all year. For 100 dollars, she would blow it all for one Japanese comic. But she didn't have time. The sun was setting down and it's about to close...

...That was what everyone thought.

Oh glob, I hope my expectations are wrong. Mona Lisa thought.

"Mona Lisa..."

Mona Lisa turned to see a human Mikey. He wore an orange shirt, pants and rubber shoes. She carried a plastic with two beer bottles inside. He shuffled his feet and looked at Mona Lisa.

"Mikey!"

Mikey looked down. Then, he saw his uncle looking at the window.

"Mikey, you left the water boiling!"He exclaimed.

"Sorry. You told me to go to the store so-"

"Baka na roba!"Mashimi exclaimed as he threw a plastic plate full of cigarettes. It missed Mikey.

"I'm sorry..."

Then, he turned to Mona Lisa.

"Mona, my uncle came back. He felt so bad about his brother hurting me that he let me stay in his house. We're one, happy family now."Mikey said with a fake smile.

"Mikey!"

"Yes!"

Then, Mikey left.

"Oh no...not again..."Mona whispered.

"Mona Lisa, hello, hello. I didn't expect a call from you."A police officer said. He was in the New York Police Station.

"Mariano, is Francis there?"Mona asked. She called him from a phone booth.

"Not here. He's with his wife at a spa."

Mona Lisa gasped. Then, he hung up.

"This won't happen again. This won't..."

Then, she punched the phone booth.

"I won't give up! Why is this happening? Why, why?!"

Mona leaned ont he refrigerator of her apartment, drinking grape juice. A ghostly figure name Featherine appeared.

"This is going to happen like in Tatarigoshi-hen. When Mikey..."

Mikey fell off the bridge and his brothers were shocked.

They failed to save him.

"See, Mona. If you expect something too much, your chances for a better future might go down."Featherine said.

"How could I not notice it? Mika said that I'll take care of Mikey. But..."

Tears started to form on her face.

"Why...?"

Then, she set the glass down.

"I'm giving up. Not just about this world...but for the others to come."

Then, she slept.

I almost resigned my heart.

The next day...

Mona Lisa was walking to school, thinking what happened in the other worlds.

We had our hands reached out in front of him...but he refused and he let fate decide its way. Like in the other worlds, his brothers stopped this cat madness and decided to save him. In Onikakushi-hen, they failed and were vivisected by the Kraang. In Wata-hen, they were shot by Jewis and Mikey drowned. In Tatarigoshi-hen after Mikey fell off the bridge, his brothers commited suicide. Leo drowned, Raph opened out his throat and Donnie made a poisonous chemical and drank it. In Meakashi-hen, they were the sole survivors of the invasion of the earth. And in Tsumihoroboshi-hen, they were once again a team but were the sole survivors of the invasion of the earth. Time and time again, this happens. My death has almost been the same. I was gutted alive at the middle of the road and no one noticed. Unlike in Meakashi-hen, I stabbed myself to death in Mika's house and was burned when the house burned. No world ever changed.

She stopped from there, looking at the sky.

Who is making this horrible world. Just...who?

"Mona..."

Mona Lisa looked at April.

"April, I thought you're-"

"I know. I just want to check. Where's Mikey?"April asked.

"He's...abused..."Mona mumbled. April gasped.

Then, she ran to the sewers.

"Mona, where's the new student?"one asked.

"Is he sick?"Another one asked.

"Ms. Gertude..."Ms. Rumiko mumbled.

Then, Mona stood up.

"I'm going home."Mona said, leaving.

"Ms. Gertude!"

In the faculty room, Ms. Rumiko sighed.

"The new student is being abused?"Ms. Rumiko asked. Mona nodded.

"We could at least contact the Child Counseling Center-"

"They did."

Ms. Rumiko looked at Mona. Mona shook her head. "It's not use."Mona said.

"That's it! I'm going to-"

"There's nothing you can do..."

Mona looked down.

"It's already too late..."

"Nonsense! I'll appeal to Mr. Hamato! There's nothing you could do!"Ms. Rumiko declared.

Then, they went outside.

Four people looked at them.

"Is the new student being abused, I wonder?"Miriam asked.

She nodded. This was going to be a long day.

Meanwhile...

As the night approached, Mikey escaped. He ran and jumped from rooftop to rooftop until he found the manhole.

"I'm sure to get in. I know it."

Quietly, he went to the sewers, the home of the shadows.

I can't erase this feeling now;
There's too much life ahead of me, right?
There are things I have left to do;
I want to do them over

Mikey crept inside and peeked inside the lair. Still in his human form.

He hopped on the ceiling and looked at dinner.

I was chasing a continuing dream
But people trip up on that narrow, winding road
When I say "like those days", it doesn't mean I want to go back
I'm searching for the sky I lost

"Nii-san! Nii-san! I finally learned by alphabet!"Lucy exclaimed, giving the paper to Donnie. Donnie was amazed. It was perfect. Perfect position. perfect answers. Perfect handwriting.

Donnie pat her head.

Mikey gasped.

"Donnie, I finished it!"Mikey exclaimed. Donnie looked at the paper. Mikey may not have a perfect handwriting but it was all correct.

"Very good, Mikey!"Donnie pat his head for his good job.

"Mikey is good! Mikey made nii-nii proud!"

"Of course you did!"Donnie exclaimed.

I pray that you'll understand
Stop making that sad face like you're a victim
Sins don't end with tears
You carry them painfully forever
Who is waiting
In that emotional maze with no exit in sight?

Mikey took a look closer. Raph offered a piece of pizza to Lucy.

This time, a tear came out.

Mikey was still guilty of that whole Chris Bradford incident. Why was he so stupid? Why?

Raph smiled. Taking the pizza, he offered it.

Mikey gratefully accepted the pizza and hugged Raph. Raph hugged him back and kissed him on the forehead.

I want to come out and say the words
I've written on my white notepaper
What do I want to run away from?
...Is it reality?

After eating, Leo decided to watch TV with Lucy. There came a horrifying. part. Lucy got so scared. Leo hugged her and mumbled, "Everything's alright."

While watching "Paranormal Activity", Mikey was too scared. Leo lugghed him, let him bury his face on his plastron and mumbled, "Everything's aright, Mikey. Everything's alright."

They say we're living to make our dreams come true
In the middle of the night, I begin to forget that
Because nothing goes off without a hitch
...I have nowhere to go home to

Then, the brothers gently put their sleeping sister on Mikey's room. Soon, they all cuddled together in their sleep. That last part made Mikey's heart break.

"Mikey..."

Mikey woke up to the sound of his brothers. He sighed. It's been several hours ago since his brothers were under the control of the parasitic wasp and that voice made him scared.

"Huh...?"

"Mikey...thanks for saving us. Sorry about not saying it earlier."Leo said. The rest agreed.

To make it up to him, his brothers jumped on MIkey's bed and hugged Mikey. They snuggled each other as Leo turned off the lamp.

"Night guys..."

"NIght Mikey..."

I can't erase this feeling now
There's too much life ahead of me, right?
(I'm on the way)
I even welcome this nostalgic pain

Then, Mikey ran off to that cliff.

I need to apologise, don't I?
Ah, I'm sorry I couldn't say it well and just kept worrying you
Everything I had that day, everything I'll have tomorrow
I won't arrange it into order

Mikey stared at the moon and sighed. Why did it hurt? Just why? Stupid cat's fault for doing it.

A single tear came out.

I pray that you'll understand
I quietly closed my eyes, I'm seeing things I don't want to see
Rumours I don't need
Which was the first I heard?
Meeting twice means you're friends?
Stop kidding me

Then, MIkey looked at the river. It was at a steady pace as it moved on. Some blood poured in. That must have been Mikey's cheek. His uncle used a knife to make a mark on Mikey's cheek.

Mikey nodded as more tears came out.

My red heart
Is burning in irritation inside me
The truth is, I have high hopes
...For reality?

They say we're living to make our dreams come true
I want to scream, can you hear me?
Because nothing goes off without a hitch
...I have nowhere to go home to

Soon, Mikey stood up and looked away. He ran. Ran, fearing that his uncle might abuse him. He didn't want to run. He wanted to show to his brothers that he's there. But how?

I'm always grateful for kindness
That's why I want to be stronger
(I'm on the way)
In order to move on, I welcome foes and friends

He ran faster. He didn't care if he tripped. He just needs ot save his life.

How do you open the next door again? Are you thinking about it?
I can't go back now, the story has begun
Wake up, wake up

Mikey stopped. He walked. The house wasn't a few blocks away. He just needs to walk before the sun rises. While that, he thought of all what happened back. Somehow, it's been too heavy. He was mocked by his brothers, his friends died in the fire, he was abused and his brothers found a replacement.

It's been too painful.

It's too painful.

I can't erase this feeling now; there's too much life ahead of me, right?
There are things I have left to do; I want to do them over
I'll go once again

Mikey started climbing to the window. On the clock, it was 3. Only an hour left before he could make breakfast. While lying down on the floor, he still kept thinking about his past life.

The Mikey. The Mikey who had fun. The Mikey who knew that his brothers were always there for him...was not there.

Not anymore.

They say we're living to make our dreams come true
I want to scream; can you hear me?
Because nothing goes off without a hitch
...I have nowhere to go home to

This time, he had a new determination. He would find that MIkey. The Merry MIkey. The Mikey who was loved my by his brothers. And he won't give up. Ever.

I'm always grateful for kindness
That's why I want to be stronger
(I'm on the way)
I even welcome this nostalgic pain

While he slept, a tear came out.

What was in front of me were there hands

Was I always unreachable?

When will I stop being unreachable?

REPLACED, Massacre Arc

Chapter 18: Negotiation

Can you believe?

So in Massacre Arc, it's already focused on Mona Lisa. Sorry if its bad. Recently, I'm a Percy Jackson fan. So you can roam around my PJO fics if you want.