Sorry for the wait guys. I kind of distracted myself making a picture. (See image above for details.) I've also run out of pre-written stuff and we also had a mini-flood in our kitchen, so there are construction people here tearing up the floors and I have a funeral on Tuesday to prepare for. -_- So bear with me. And nobody ELSE send Ninjas to find me. (I swear I saw one just this morning.) OK, I've blabbed long enough. Here's the next chapter. (I count 15 pages. O.O) Enjoy!
I Don't own TMNT
Chapter: 5
"Seizure?" April repeated in a panic. Holding the Turtle's head, so he didn't break his neck. "Why?"
"I –" Perry started to say, before something comparable to doctor instincts took over. "Mr. Jones. Do you have any medical supplies here?"
Casey looked at him; as he helped April keep the Turtle from thrashing around. "Yes, but our doctor's out-of-town, I have no idea what –"
"Where are they." April demanded suddenly, seeing where this was going.
"The attic." Casey answered immediately. "We use it as an infirmary. Everything should be up there."
April nodded before addressing the Ninja Master next to her. "Keep his head still, don't let him twist his neck." Yoshi confirmed her instructions with a nod and took her place, as she rushed into the living room and up the stairs.
"Why is this happening?" August asked the scientist. As he struggled from his jacket, while still trying to hold the Turtle's legs.
"I can't be sure." Scott answered as he held his patient's other side, while simultaneously helping August roll his coat into a ball and placing it under the Turtles feet. "But – I think it may be the Retalion."
"What is that?" Yoshi asked, his sensitive ears picking up April's frantic movements up stairs, as she got what they needed.
"It was the Super Drug we used on them." Scott explained, while silently instructing Yoshi to hold the Mutant's head back father, so his airway would be clear. "It's caused a lot of negative side effects in the past. Serious illness, coma, shock, heart attacks. The list is endless."
Yoshi nearly stopped breathing, as he looked down at the child struggling to breathe in his arms. Could all of those things soon happen to these children? Had they already happened? How long could their bodies hold out under that kind of burden?
"I'm sorry." Scott said softly after another minute. Yoshi looked up to find the man hunched over the little body on the table. Desperately trying to keep him from hurting himself. "I'm so sorry." He said again to no one particular. "I never wanted this. I should have tried harder to stop it."
"Mr. Perry." Yoshi said gently, getting the man's attention again. "You can not change the past. But you can help secure their future. Please. They deserve the chance to live?"
Scott swallowed, before looking down at the Turtle again. Yoshi saw the change in his eyes. For the first time, he didn't see a test subject or his ticket home. He saw a child. A child that needed his help.
"I got it." April suddenly appeared again. With a hand full of different bottles and needles.
"Good." Scott stated. Then suddenly he and April were on the same page. Acting as one. Not as friends, or colleagues. But as two doctor's working desperately to save someone under their care.
After only a few minutes. They had administered saline and several other drugs in alternating intervals. And thankfully whatever they had been, seemed to help. As the Turtle's convulses slowly weaken, before stopping altogether.
Yoshi, August and Casey remained attached to his form. Almost afraid to hope that it was over. Scott quickly, felt for a pulse, checked his blood pressure and a few other common things to insure his well-being. He was about to tell everyone that it was all right. When the child suddenly opened his eyes.
Scott jumped back. But not fast enough to avoid the wrath of the little Mutant that hated him with every fiber of his being. Somehow not even the three other men holding him down, were able to stop him from suddenly attacking and leveling Perry to the ground.
In a flash the Turtle was off the table and attacking his adversary. All Scott could do was hold his arms over his head and take the abuse. August and Casey tried to pull him off. But only received a fist to the face for their trouble.
"Ya-me!" Yoshi yelled mostly on impulse. A habit he picked up from helping to train young Ninjas.
The Turtle stopped immediately and looked toward the source of the sound. Though Yoshi could tell, that it had been more the force in his voice, than the actual word. But it had brought the Turtle out of his daze.
…
(9's: POV)
When I woke up lying on a metal table. The familiar fear of tests and pain returned ten-fold. But it was only when I saw the White Coat, that secured my panic. Somehow, we had been recaptured and taken back to the Lab.
Something in me snapped. And not even the other White Coats, could keep me from lashing out at him.
Of course, a small part of my brain registered that they weren't White Coats. But at the moment I couldn't have cared less. This man was trying to hurt me. Hurt my brothers. And I was the only one who able to defend us.
With every punch I threw. I vented my rage, my hatred, my sorrow on the man. This man who had taken so much from us.
After fighting so hard, only to wind up back here. In this prison. Hadn't we earned our freedom? Why couldn't we have kept our new life? Why did that have to be taken from us too? Hadn't we suffered enough?
"Ya-me!" I jumped when I heard that and turned to find the source. I nearly fell into shock when I saw it was Yoshi.
That seemed to wake me up. I could almost hear my brain turning back on and I realized that I wasn't at the Lab. Of course I still had no idea where I was exactly. But Yoshi's presence could only mean one thing. I was safe.
He quickly picked me up and held me gently in his arms. As I looked around in a daze at this strange new place. April and August quickly helped the White Coat to his feet and ushered him out of the room.
"It is alright little one." Yoshi assured me. As I tried to retreat into his shoulder to escape the man.
When I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned violently when I realized it was right where my brothers were. But I found it to be only Casey. There were no other White Coats. There was no examination table. Just a huge, dented, piece of junk that resembled one. It and the room itself, were just far too unorganized to belong in a Lab.
Casey leaned against the table and looked up, it seemed I wasn't the only one in shock. "Was that some kind of; 'Ninja Mind Control' or something?" He asked absent-mindedly.
"It is a Japanese word used for training." Yoshi explained simply.
"Really?" The teen asked. It would appear that his mind was 'out-to-lunch.' "What's it mean?"
"Stop." Yoshi answered simply.
"Oh. Cool." Casey responded. Obviously not that interested. Just then April rushed into the room and was at my side in 0.5 seconds.
She immediately started asking me all kinds of questions. That I had no way of answering. Making a fuss about checking my pulse. Ensuring that I was breathing right and taking my temperature.
Thankfully Yoshi saved me from the bombardment that was April O'Neil. "April." He proclaimed tiredly. "It will help little if you give him a heart attack, while ensuring his heath."
She suddenly stopped talking and looked at him sheepishly before turning back to me. "Sorry." She stated and I smiled to let her know she was forgiven. "Are you alright?" She asked simply and I nodded.
After a while the adrenalin seemed to be wearing off. And I couldn't help my yawn. "We should find a place for him to sleep." Yoshi proclaimed. I couldn't have agreed more.
I heard Casey mention something about a couch, but I hardly cared. I felt like dead weight. Like I hadn't slept in days. I absent-mindedly identified the sensation of drugs in my system. But they weren't the core of the problem. My body seemed to be demanding compensation for something. Like I had run a thousand miles without giving it rest or water.
I realized that I ached all over. And it was an ache I recognized. One that had become distinguished from others, during my time at the prison. One that was infinity worse than the pain of tests or experimentation.
I couldn't help wincing when Yoshi laid me on the couch. But he immediately soothed me. Gently rubbed circles on my shell, as he helped me turn on my side, so I would be more comfortable. I felt him lay his other hand on my shoulder and softly push a finger into the side of my neck.
Then, just like that, the pain was gone. I felt April wrap me in a blanket and I snuggled into the warmth and comfort. I don't know how long they stayed with me, but at some point they seemed to think that I was asleep and got up to attend to other matters.
Instinctively I grabbed Yoshi's hand and he looked back at me. He kneeled down immediately and rubbed my head. "It is alright." He assured me in a voice only I could hear. "I will be right here when you awake." Reassured by his promise. And knowing that he would protect my brothers as well. I finally let myself fall into the blissful quiet of sleep.
…
(Yoshi:)
April looked like she was fighting off a panic attack, but collected herself and returned to the kitchen to check on the other Turtles. A few minutes later August walked in from a side room. Dabbing a paper towel against his split lip.
"That kid has one hell of a right-hook." He stated, before accepting that the cut had stopped bleeding and stuffed the paper into his pocket, as he calmly assessed the situation.
"How is Mr. Perry?" Yoshi asked, determining that the Turtle's quiet breathing; indeed signified that he was finally asleep. Carefully he lifted his hand from the child's back and stood.
"He's got a bloody nose and possible sprained his wrist." August explained, watching the Turtle sleep. "Nothing serious. But we might want to avoid letting the others see him."
"I agree." Yoshi said, before he looked up as said individual, peeked around the corner of what Yoshi guessed was a bathroom. "It is alright Mr. Perry. He is asleep."
Scott walked back over and studied the Turtle and nodded. "Is he alright?" He asked. Yoshi was admittedly touched by the total lack of concern he showed toward himself.
"He indicated that he was." Yoshi answered. "But it would seem that he holds quite a grudge against you."
Scott dabbed at his still bleeding nose and answered with a humorless; "I noticed."
"So what happened?" August asked him. "What's with the Seizer?"
"They're just too young." Scott said sadly. "The Retalion, coupled with the stress from the Nano-Bots. They're bodies just aren't built to withstand this kind of pressure."
"I thought you made them to be Shredder's Super Solders." August stated, using air quotes for the words 'made' and 'super.'
"Yes. But they weren't going to do any of that until they were older." Scott explained. "We had intended to allow them to age naturally. But The Shredder isn't exactly 'the model of Priestly Patience.'"
August scoffed at that. "That's a hell of an understatement."
"Tell me Mr. Perry." Yoshi interrupted and Scott looked at him. "Those other side-affects you mentioned?" He decided the leave it at that, knowing the scientist would figure out what he meant.
"We were monitoring their conditions before they escaped." Scott started, sitting down heavily in one of the room's lazy-boys. "We were keeping their health under control. But now – I don't have any means to check for these kinds of things or help if they happen." He suddenly buried his head in his hands and said quietly. "I'm so sorry. I –"
"Mr. Perry." Yoshi interrupted him in a quiet voice. "You saved a life today. That is not something that warrants an apology." Scott seemed to absorb this for a minute. Before he looked back up.
"He's right." August agreed. "April's done this kind of stuff in the past. But she's never been this emotionally attached before. I'm not sure she could have done it without you."
Scott looked back down at the ground with a small laugh. "I'm sure she could have found a way. The last thing I'd ever do is underestimate her."
"You're a doctor." April suddenly stated from the doorway to the kitchen, making the poor man nearly jump out of his skin. But April just looked at him, in expectation of his answer.
"Yes." Scott responded after a minute. "I life-time ago." He said looking back at the floor. "I'd converted my own house into a hospital. And, like you, I treated both Humans and Mutants. I never distinguished between the two. Perhaps I should have."
"What's that supposed to mean?" April asked close to anger.
"A Mutant I had treated –" He started again. "Attacked my family." April gasped soundlessly in response to this discovery.
Scott intertwined his fingers nervously, before he continued. "But even with everything I had at my disposal. I could not save the one person who meant the most to me." He actually started to cry then. "If I had not saved that Mutant –" He said around his tears. "My wife may still be alive."
Silence prevailed after Scott could no longer speak. April returned to the kitchen and August joined her shortly after. But Yoshi stayed behind speak to this new-found kindred-spirit.
"Mr. Perry." He said respectfully, when it seemed the man's tears had finally dried. "I did not tell you before, because I could not bring myself to say it. But I feel now that you have a right to know."
When Scott looked up at him, Yoshi took a beep breath and continued. "We are not so different. My family too is gone. My wife and – my baby daughter as well."
Scott sucked in a painful breath, before burying his head in his hands again. "It seems we have a lot in common Mr. Hamato." He stated, his voice muffled slightly.
"Indeed." Yoshi agreed, giving the man a chance to continue speaking, if he wanted. But after several minutes, it seemed that Perry no longer had the will to talk. Yoshi bowed respectfully toward him and turned to go into the kitchen.
"I will be there – in minute." Scott assured him, his voice cracking.
"Take whatever time you need." Yoshi stated, but he was quickly refused.
"No." Scott said sternly. "I had drawn a line at experimenting on children. But Shredder refused to let me enforce it." He stood up then and collected himself. "These four have suffered long enough. It's time they experience true freedom."
…
They performed the override on the youngest next. Thankfully they avoided a seizer with the assistance of the drugs, beforehand. And any other unpleasant side effects.
August and Casey made sure to quickly pull Scott from the room this time. While Yoshi made sure that he was the first thing the Turtle saw when he awoke. The child, reacted much like his other brother had. Panicked and scared. But when he saw Yoshi he threw himself into the man's arms and snuggled into his shoulder, to cry.
Yoshi rocked him gently. Ensuring him that he was safe and unharmed. April checked him over thoroughly. Having been concerned for him the most, due to his small size. But he was soon deemed healthy and Yoshi returned to the living room to place him with his older brother.
The Turtle snuggled into his brother's side almost immediately. Yoshi gently applied pressure to a point on his neck and soothed the child as the tension in his body dispersed. After a minute he started to look around. A look Yoshi had grown to recognize. "It is alright." He assured him. "Your brothers are safe." He smiled as the Turtle relaxed again and curled up deeper into his brother's plastron.
Yoshi feared for a second that his movement might awaken the other Turtle. But it seemed that the little guy had grown resistant to his little brothers constant moving. As he unconsciously turned slightly to comfort the little one, never once waking from his own sleep.
Yoshi gently laid his hand on the little one's head and closed his eyes. To open his mind the young Turtle. Finding the child's spirit firmly intact. He delved a little deeper to mind his mind. Having not met the Turtle in this fashion before, he decided to do so now.
He immediately sensed a curious and trusting soul. Immature and bombastic, but also shrewd and crafty. Full of energy and light. He thrived on bringing joy and laughter to others. But at his core, there lived a cunning intellect and observant nature.
With more raw talent then all of his brothers combined. Yoshi had no doubt, he could one day become a dangerous adversary. A spirit of freedom. An internal child. The heart of his family.
Yoshi opened his eyes and smiled once again. It was not wonder the other three were so protective of this one. He was literally the glue that kept his family together. The fuel for their fire. The source of their hope.
When Yoshi was sure that this child too was asleep. He left again to assist the others.
They moved onto the leader next. As no one was all too eager to face the little muscle-bound Turtle any sooner than they had to. Scott performed the Override and was quickly pulled backwards into the living room, by August. However; nothing happened.
"What's going on?" April asked nervously, as August and Scott reentered the room. Scott immediately started checking him over, trying to figure out what had gone wrong.
"I'm not sure." Perry answered. Lifting the child's wrist and checking his watch to count his pulse. "He's awake." He revealed.
Yoshi leaned down to put his ear near the Turtle's mouth and discovered that he was indeed breathing normally. He gently laid his hand on the Turtle's plastron and nudged him gently as if trying to wake him up.
"He was the closest to Shredder. Did he hurt him?" August asked, throwing around some ideas.
"No." April answered. "I didn't find anything."
"Mr. Perry." Yoshi asked then, still watching the child closely.
"Yes." The man answered walking up next to him.
"Did anything like this happen when they were in your custody?" Yoshi asked.
Scott thought about that for a minute. "Now that you mention it. Yes. This one would always go into a kind of trance when he was younger." Scott explained. "But he stopped doing it when we put him with the others."
"What do you mean?" April asked looking at him.
"We –" Scott paused then like he was deeply disturbed by what he was about to say.
"It's okay Mr. Perry." April said kindly and Scott looked at her in complete and utter shock. "I know it wasn't you're choice." She started again. "And know you're trying to help. I can't hold that against you anymore." She stated.
After a minute Scott actually smiled at her and nodded. Then took a deep breath and continued from where he had left off. "We had methods of producing subjects that were strong enough to withstand the Retalion." He started. "To produce the mental strength they needed to survive."
He took a deep breath before continuing. "There were so many. But I remember every one of them. This one." He said nodding at the Turtle on the table. "We locked him in a small, dark room, alone, for two or three days." Scott explained, looking at the Turtle sadly.
"When we retrieved him he had fallen into a stupor. He was obviously awake, but wouldn't react to us in any way. Shredder saw that as a resistance to pain. And ordered him to receive the transfusion. He surprised us all, when he was actually the first to ever survive it." Scott stated.
"That's cruel." Casey said, absolutely disgusted.
"It was supposed to be." Scott explained. "The Shredder came up with these methods himself. Based off of successful torture techniques."
"Dear God." August prayed, as he sat in a chair and absorbed this.
"But even after receiving the drug, he remained in his coma." Scott continued, checking the Turtle's pulse again. "We thought he was a failure. And we were going to terminate the test." Scott explained. "But since turtles are so sociable in the wild. I thought we could try introducing a companion. Almost from the second the other one was introduced, he came out of his stupor and interacted with him."
"That doesn't explain why this is happening now." April revealed. "He's not alone."
"But he thinks he is." Yoshi said suddenly, making everyone jump. He kneeled down so he was on the Turtle's level and placed his hand on his head. "When Shredder took him from his brothers, he much have unconsciously fallen back into this coma. Now he's afraid to awaken and learn that he is alone again."
"I have been watching this little one for a while now." Yoshi continued. "As the oldest, he is extremely protective of his brothers. He would rather give his own life to ensure his brother's safety. Because to face a possible life without them. Is something he simply cannot do." Saying this, Yoshi gently lifted the little Mutant's hand and laid it over the hand of the other Turtle still on the table.
He then leaned back and waited. It only took a couple of minutes for Yoshi to sense the Child's spirit growing closer to this world. When he found his brother's presence, he started to fearfully open his eyes.
Yoshi didn't interrupt and held his hand up to ensure that everyone else knew to stay back. He watched as the Turtle slowly turned his head to look at his brother. Then he started to cry.
He quickly pulled himself to his slightly younger siblings side and just cried in joy that he was there. Giving him another minute, Yoshi stood up and touched his shoulder. He wasn't a bit surprised when the little leader quickly tried to protect his brother with own body. Then he looked up and all fear washed away, as their eyes met.
"It is alright little one." Yoshi assured him. "Your brothers are here. They are safe." The little Turtle seemed beside himself. All he could do was continue to cry. Tears of pure joy that his family was still intact. And that he was not alone.
Several minutes later the little Mutant had completely exhausted whatever reserves he had left and fell asleep on the table without ever-moving an inch. Yoshi looked up at the people around him and nodded.
Everyone released a breath. Then, using every Ninja skill be possessed, Yoshi gently separated the two Turtles and carried the leader into the other room to reunite him with his other brothers.
"It seems we're getting the hang of this." August proclaimed, when he walked back into the kitchen. When they turned to look at that table again, everyone's heart dropped a little when they realized they only had one left. The one-Mutant-mobile-army himself.
"Maybe we could just leave him. He seems pretty cool like this." Casey suggested, only to receive a hard slap to the back of the head, courtesy of April O'Neil. "Ow. I was just kidding." Casey defended himself.
August and Yoshi took a deep sanity-ensuring breath. Before moving to opposite sides of the table. August prepared to quickly remove Perry from the room. While Yoshi situated himself so he was holding the Child's head, forcing him to look at him.
Casey readied himself for an attack. Complete with gear and weapons. Knowing that she wouldn't be a lot of help against this particular Turtle. April stood in a corner, so she would be close at hand if she was needed. But out-of-the-way in case things got dicey.
Scott took a deep breath and started the Override. He was pulled from the room, almost before he had finished. But to everyone's surprise, the Turtle didn't wake up; swinging. He just opened his eyes and looked around at everyone standing above him.
It was obvious that the little guy was in a great deal of pain. Just by how stiff and rigid he was. Every move he made, had his muscles twitching uncomfortably under his skin.
April moved up to the table and he looked at her. She started gently prodding his arms and legs, checking for anomalies. Her touch was feather-light, but still the little Turtle winced with ever one. He some comparable to a wine escaped his throat on occasion.
April stopped when she had her conclusion. "It looks like he's pulled nearly every muscle in his upper-body." She revealed. The four other occupants of the room couldn't help but wince. "He'll recover, with therapy. But it'll take a while." She carefully checked the child's bandaged wrists, turning her head around his arm instead of turning the arm itself.
"Looks like he's damaged his wrists again too." She sighed. "I told you not to hit anything." She told the little Mutant jokingly. But he just looked at her in confusion. Obviously he had no idea what she was talking about.
"Maybe this'll teach you not to randomly attack people." Casey stated coming up next the little hot-head to cuss him out. April was about to reprimand him, but the little Turtle apparently had it covered.
It probably took all the will power he had. But he quickly sat up and punched the hockey player in the face. Sending him straight to the ground.
"Hey. I thought I told you not to hit anything?" April scolded, trying to hide her smirk. The little guy just gave her a look that clearly said. 'It was worth it.' And laid back down.
"I'd say he's back to normal." August suggested with a laugh, as he gathered Casey from the floor.
…
They waited tell the last Turtle lost conciseness to move him. April checked on the others and made sure they were warm. Yoshi found it hard to locate the correct pressure-points on the turtle, as his muscles were so badly damaged. But he eventually allowed the child some semblance of comfort.
"So why are they so tired?" Casey asked absent-mindedly, about an hour later.
"It's a hibernation mood." Perry explained. "It's similar to how cold-blooded creatures will hibernate in the winter."
"But they're not cold." Casey stated obviously. Touching one of them, just to make sure.
"No. But hibernation also helps their bodies recuperate from major injuries, stress or lack of food." Scott explained. "We were beginning to study them for the possibility of Longevity Genes, as well."
*Awkward pause.* "Say what?" Casey asked totally lost.
"Long-er life." April explained slowly, like she was talking to a child.
"Someone discovered that a turtle's organs don't gradually break down, or become less efficient over time. Like most other animals." August explained, casually leaning up against the end of the couch, obscuring something from view. "The liver, lungs, and kidneys of a 100-year old turtle are virtually indistinguishable from those of a juvenile. I guess that inspired some genetic researchers to examine the turtle genome for the possibility of eternal-life. Or some shit."
"How does he know that?" Casey asked, observing the older man closely. And quickly discovered the reason. August had a rather large book, open in his lap, on none other than Turtles. "Hey that's cheating." Casey complained.
August just gave him a look. "No one said this wasn't an open-book test." He joked before returning to his studying.
"Will it heal their exposure with the Nano-Bots?" Yoshi asked.
Scott looked at him, like he had forgotten he was there, through his silence. "Not entirely." Perry admitted. "But Basking should." He answered, looking out the window, then checking his watch. "It's still about 8 hours tell sunrise though."
"How will Basking help?" Casey asked as he lounged on the floor. "I thought that only worked with that nutrient thing?"
"Again, in them it's quite different." Scott explained. "Despite the negative effects, the Nano-Bots will actually help them this time." Everyone looked quite skeptical about that. "You see, the Nano-Bots were originally created to be doctors. To heal and repair damage."
"They can also enhance natural abilities." Scott stated. "Basking; for instance, will function about 100 times better than with normal turtles. Since turtles can literally absorb sunlight and covert it into vitamins and nutrients. It will help them heal internally."
"Would a UV lamp work?" August asked. Holding up his book, that had been flipped to a page on turtle care. An ultraviolet lamp clearly visible in the pictures.
"It would help." Scott admitted. "But to be honest, the sun is much more suitable."
"Why?" April asked.
"Because the Nano-Bots are solar-powered." Scott explained. "They actually function better in natural sun-light, as opposed to a UV lamp. Don't ask me why." He stated, obviously this trait had confused even him.
"Wait, wait, wait." Casey ordered sitting up again. "I thought we were trying to get rid of the Nanos, now we're helping them?"
"There's no way to remove a Nano-Panel, once it's been implanted." August answered, pointing toward the back of his neck. "The Nano-Bots are physically apart of them now. But now that their command codes are deactivated, it would be stupid not to use them to our advantage."
"I've seen them in action Casey." April stated. "They really can do a lot of good."
"Fine, don't mind me." Casey muttered, a bit put-off. "Just ignore the rambling, clueless, idiot." He declared laying back down.
April couldn't help but rise to that. "Gasp, he's starting to face reality." She joked. "We might need to clean out all the dead brain-cells, to make room for the new ones."
"Ha, Ha." Casey stated humorlessly.
…
A couple of hours later, April broke the silence again.
"Mr. Perry?" She asked and the scientist looked up at her. "What methods did you use on the others, to prepare them for that super drug?" April asked making sure to keep her voice kind and curious. Instead of hateful.
Scott hesitated for a minute. But when he received confirmation nods from everyone else, he continued. "That one." Scott stated, nodding at the strong-arm Turtle. "Was based off a technique Ancient Romans used to train lions for their Colosseum. We used a similar system to train our – attackers." Scott explained. "Mutants specifically trained to be ruthless and merciless."
Scott closed his eyes and looked away from the Turtles. "They would be kept in a small cage and shocked with a cattle-prod. This would continue until they struck back. It effectively trained them to believe that attacking would make the pain stop. Often they would be given food as a reward, as well."
"If it had continued, he would have eventually been stripped of all emotion entirely. Just the need to fight and kill would have remained." Scott stated, still not looking at the couch. "But he was lucky. When his older brother there became the first to survive the Retalion. Shredder got the impression that turtles had a greater ability to withstand it then other Mutants. And ordered that any remaining turtles receive the injection."
"No wonder, he's so violent." Casey stated.
"What about the other two." April asked again.
Scott took another deep breath before counting. "The small one was the last viable Turtle we had. But he was almost a whole month younger than the others. So he was put into a room full of mirrors. At the time he didn't understand what they were. And couldn't understand why his reflections would never interact with him." Scott explained. "It was a method to produce a feeling of abandonment, separation and loneliness."
"That's why he's so attached to his brothers." August stated. "Cause they're the first real things he's ever seen."
"Yes. Since he was so much smaller. We needed him to cling to one or more of the others, to ensure his survival." Scott answered.
"The other one. The smart one." Scott started. "He was actually chosen at random. He was considered more of a tester. Mutants that we tested things on, before giving it to more important subjects." Scott explained. "He turned out to be quite the fighter. Nearly took my hand off."
Casey laughed a little at that. "Can't imagine why."
Instead of feeling insulted or put-off, Scott merely smiled. Then went on. "He was actually chosen to just test the Retalion, to see if Turtles really did have a resistance to the drug." Scott revealed. "We were going to dissect him after words. To learn more about its effects."
"But then, being the stubborn little Mutant that he was. He went and survived it." August stated.
"Can't say that we weren't surprised." Scott admitted. "But – we were still going to go through with the dissection. That is, until we discovered that he had an IQ equal to that of Einstein's. Not to mention he was only a year old at the time. Of course, now it's even higher. 637; if I remember correctly."
Everyone's jaws dropped. "6 –" April tried to say. "You got to be kidding."
"Is that even on the IQ chart?" Casey asked.
"No." Scott answered simply. "I think we can safely assume that he's got the highest IQ of anyone on the planet. And not just currently,but in all of Human history."
"Damn!" August declared.
"But my question is." Casey started leaning forward in his seat to get closer to the scientist. "Why Turtles?"
"Casey?" April lectured.
"Honestly, I can't say." Scott answered anyway. "Their not normal turtles."
"Well yeah." Casey declared. "That much is kind of obvious doc."
"That's not what I meant." Scott stated. "I mean, even for Mutants they're different."
"That might require a few more details." August requested sitting in on the conversation now.
"The Mutagen is an anthropomorphic substance." Scott started, but when Casey looked dumb-struck, he decided to use some smaller words. "It combines a host's DNA, with another source of DNA. Generally only two different types. Maybe three, at the most." Perry explained, then nodded toward the Turtles on the couch. "They were created through the combination of several species of turtles."
"Oh right." Casey stated as if that made all the sense in the world.
Scott watched him disbelievingly for a minute before continuing. "Before they were born, we injected their eggs with a wide variety of other turtle DNA. From the Leather-back to the Red-Eared Slider. We also added Human DNA and even a type of lizard." Scott revealed.
"For all we know. We could have just found a combination that worked." Scott guessed. "The oldest was the first turtle we ever tested with the Retalion. And by the time we realized we had a success. We were down to only four from the original nest."
"So it was a complete coincidence?" August asked, shocked.
"Basically." Perry admitted. "We used reptiles and birds mostly. Because we could mutate their eggs and add what DNA we wanted to the developing fetus. In other words. Turtles were just easy to come by."
"Spooky." Casey declared just as someone knocked on the front door. He turned to look at the door seriously and grabbed a hockey stick from his bag. August, April and Yoshi were all on their feet and ready for anything in less than a second.
"Who is it?" Casey asked the door.
"Tezz." Declared a voice from the other side.
"Damn it." Casey swore, throwing the door wide open, to reveal a tall, dirty individual and thrust his hockey stick in his face. "What did I tell you about using the code?" Casey yelled at the teenager.
"What code?" He asked, gently moving the stick from his face. Casey quickly knocked a rhythm on the door and glared at the other insurgent.
"Oh that code." Tezz stated, as if he couldn't care less. "We have a situation down at the river." He declared, before turning to walk away.
"Hey I –" Casey growled low in his throat. As he stared at the back of the teen's head as if he could burn a hole through his skill. He then turned back around, addressing the room at large. "Sorry. The thing around working for a rebel faction, is that the people can be a little rebellious."
"He is a friend?" Yoshi asked. Speaking for the first time in hours.
"Friend might not be the word." Casey stated turning around to glare after the retreating teen. "But he's good to have in a pinch."
"What's this about the river?" April asked.
"Don't know yet." Casey answered, donning his hockey gear. "It shouldn't take too long. I'll call if anything happens." He explained, then stormed out onto the porch, yelling at the leaving figure.
"I guess we should get used to that." August stated returning the iron poker, he'd borrowed from the fire-place, to its original position.
…
(9's: POV)
When I woke up, my mind immediately put the pieces together and informed me that this was not where I was supposed to be. There was supposed to be a street. They were supposed to be fighting Shredder. We were supposed to be saving 2.
I bolted up right, trying to locate my brothers and regretted it instantly. As my body was suddenly raked with agony. I cried out in both pain and surprise and fell back down into my pillow.
Then I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked hurriedly in its direction. Quickly wishing I hadn't once again. "It is alright." I heard Yoshi say and felt him gently massage my neck. Where I had strained it.
Calmly this time I turned to look at him. And the memory of the last time I was awake jolted my brain. I tried to sit up again and locate my brothers. But Yoshi stopped my frantic movements before I could hurt myself more.
"They are fine." He assured me and gestured around me. This time I turned my whole body to look and found 5 curled up at my side. Gripping my arm, like he usually did, while he slept. Looking farther I found 2 and 8 sleeping back to back at my feet.
They were all safe.
I breathed a sigh of relief and reached down to touch 2's shoulder. The Shredder hadn't hurt him and he had been returned to us. Two things I found myself internally gratefully for.
I felt 5 snuggle closer to me. Unconsciously kicking both of our blankets off in his sleep. Yoshi sighed before reaching down to cover him up again. Obviously this wasn't the first time, he'd had to. That's when I saw him.
I stiffened and stared at the corner where the White Coat sat watching us. Yoshi immediately sensed my tension and rubbed my shell.
"It is alright little one." He assured me. "He will not harm you. He is only trying to help."
This actually did nothing to calm my fear or anger toward the White Coat. But when the man tried to stand up, I lost it. Panicked, I immediately withdrew from him. Trying to bury myself deeper into the pillow. To escape the man who had caused me and my brothers so much pain.
"It is alright." Yoshi said again. For the first time, I couldn't find it in me to believe him. I knew this man's voice. He had been present through almost all of the torture and experiments. His voice had become a bacon of fear. Always heard when the pain got worse. Yoshi had not been there to hear it. He had not been there to experience it.
How could he know that this man had no intentions to hurt us? How could he know he was safe? There seemed no other logical explanation. Other then he didn't.
But the idea that the White Coat had tricked Yoshi, was so unfounded. It couldn't be true! Yoshi was by far the strongest person we had ever met. How could one White Coat have managed to deceive him?
"No." The White Coat declared suddenly and I jumped at the sound of his voice. "He has every right to be afraid. After what I've done." This actually made me pause. 'He was admitting what he had done?' 'That was new.'
Just then April and August walked into the room and the White Coat backed up into a the corner. "I'll be upstairs if anyone needs me." He said before skimming close to the wall, as he made his way to a staircase and disappeared up them in a matter of seconds.
"It's OK." April tried to sooth me. But I didn't want to be soothed. I instinctively held 5 closer as I searched the room for any way that the White Coat could get to him. To us.
…
It wasn't too much longer before my brothers started to wake up as well. It didn't take me long to realize that they too were in a lot of pain. I didn't remember feeling like this when I woke up before. But it accrued to me that; that could have just been the drugs in my system at the time.
That in itself was bothersome. But what I really couldn't understand was the 'how'. How had we gotten so hurt?
I remember trying to get to 2 after he had been taken by The Shredder. But after that. Nothing.
It wasn't like we had never noticed before, that pieces of our lives were missing. We had just never had a reason to care about it before. But now, we had a new life. Something we wanted to remember. It didn't seem fair that; that had been taken from us as well.
2 leaned up against the other end of the couch, muddling over something. Occasionally he would look at us, like he was making sure we were still there. I could tell that he was upset about something and wanted to go to him.
But 5 was still wrapped around me like a Mutant-Turtle-blanket. And I could hardly move my own body let alone his. So I had to settle for smiling and clicking to my oldest brother. Unfortunately, in addition to distance. He was also in one of his; 'I'm not talking,' moods.
I knew he wouldn't tell us anything like this. At least not where others could hear him. Even if they didn't speak our language.
8 hadn't moved very much since waking up. I tried checking him over. But he quickly pushed my hand away. It was obvious that he was in a lot of pain. But was going to a great deal of trouble to hide it from us.
Even 5 wasn't as perky as he usually was. I knew he was awake. But he continued to hold on to me looking for comfort. I could never deny him that, so I didn't try to break away. Every once in a while I would ask him a question. How he was feeling? Where it hurt? Sometimes he would answer. But usually he just pretended to be asleep
Thankfully the stressful silence was broken, when August came in through the front door and called Yoshi over. The older Mutant got up and walked over to his old friend. When he saw something outside, he smiled and came back over to us.
He kneeled down to address us on the level. "I have something to show." He said kindly and we all looked up interested. Can you walk?" He asked. I knew 8 was in the most pain. But it seemed even he was determined to do something besides sulk.
It was a short, but painful walk to the door. But the adults helped us as much as they could. When we finally made it, we were admittedly shocked to discover that we were outside.
5 was the first to see it and he quickly called our attention to the spectacle as well. When I looked in the direction he was pointing, I saw a light. A light brighter than any we had ever seen before. But unlike the ones back at the prison. This one felt real.
5 started jumping up and down, trying to spread his body out so he could feel more of the coveted light. I looked up at Yoshi excitedly and he read my mind.
"It is the Sun." He answered simply. I decided it was the perfect name. We couldn't have chosen a better one ourselves.
We made our way out to the middle of the yard and watch the bright yellow sphere soar higher and higher into the sky. It didn't take long before we found that we could no longer look at it directly. But the warmth of its rays on our skin, made up for the sight we were missing.
…
We stayed out in the sun all day. Lounging in the grass and basking under its glow. I realized absent-mindedly, that it gave us kind of the same feeling as the lights in the white padded room. Only 100 times better. In fact, there was just no comparing the two.
It seemed from the moment we had first felt its rays, we started feeling better. Like it was calming us. healing us. Like the sun was soaking into our bodies and mending our internal wounds.
It fact as the day wore on, we all started felling much better. Even 8 started to move naturally again. At one point we even fell asleep. It seemed it even made us unusually drowsy. Which was odd considering sleeping wasn't something we ever really enjoyed. As it left us too exposed.
Some unknown amount of time later, we woke up to the strangest sound. But it turned out to only be Casey, ridding in on an extremely noisy machine, called a motorbike. He greeted us just as loudly, which resulted in 2 nearly jumping to his feet to asses the threat.
Unfortunately he had been the bottom of our turtle-mole-hill and the rest off us crashed to the ground. 8 and I groaned our disapproval and glared at our older brother. Who proceeded to give us a sheepish smile and apologized.
Over the curse of the day, we had a number of similar incidents. All involving 2. I decided that ether the sun had a different effect on him. Or this was just his way of declared top-turtle basking rights. Either way, he was started to tick us off.
The light had a rather humorous effect on 8 however. Who became extremely calm under its gaze. And had gone from being the hot-headed, hit-first-ask-questions-never brother we all knew. Too 8; king of imitating the inchworm and out-sleeping the sloth.
5 actually became a little less annoying than usual. Which in itself was enough to have us honoring the sun with sacrificial lambs. However he still always found a way to lounge across all of us at once. Even my super mind couldn't figure out how he managed it.
I woke to the sound of footsteps and looked up to find April and Yoshi watching us with a couple of big grins on their faces. I couldn't really bring myself to care if they found us cute or funny. I honestly couldn't remember if we had ever been this comfortable.
April kneeled down to gently nudge 5's shoulder, as he twitch happily in his sleep. She then seemed to notice that I was watching her and smile at me. "Feel better?" She asked, I just gave her a big goofy grin, currently drunk on sunshine and she laughed. "Yeah I thought you might."
Suddenly the screen door slammed and out walked Casey, in all his glory. "Who's hungry?" He proclaimed to the world. 2 was immediately up right, looking around of any sign of danger. And seeing as he had once again claimed position as the bottom of the pyramid. The rest of us soon found ourselves in a heap on the ground.
While 8 and I once again declared our intentions of brotherly murder. 5 just jumped to his feet, suddenly wide awake and declared as clear as day. "Pizza!" Everyone just stared at him. But he didn't seem to notice at first.
However after a second he looked around at us, confused. Then seemed to suddenly put the pieces together. And his eyes widened, as he realized. He had just spoke.
Well it took a while. But one of them is finally talking. Oh and it will kind of be slowing down a little as they are at a (quote; un-quote) "Safe-House." And it would kind of defeat the point if there was an incident around every corner. That and I need to cover some basics.
R&R