Welcome everyone! Recently I've been reading stories that stem from Flower princess11's "The Many Dates of Danny Fenton" on . There are so many great story ideas that come from a series like that, and I thought it would be a good idea to contribute to the trend with a tale of my own. This story will take a look at another avenue of interest to me. With that said, and leaving some suspense, here's "The Many Dates of a Ninja."
I took a lot of time deciding who will be the focus of this Ninja Turtles fic, even considering two or more at one point. In the end, I decided to focus on just one of them: Mikey. It was easy to come up with potential pairings and fun moments for him, and I hope you'll enjoy the ideas as much as I do. It's gonna be awesome to write.
Anywho, let's get this show on the road. I don't own TMNT or any of the series that show up here. I do own original characters, items, concepts, and other such whatnot. Enjoy!
August 8, 2012
New York City, New York
The sea shined as it reflected the various lights in the sky. The moon shined brightly as it made its presence known. The remaining lights came from a nearby city, the buildings towering above the waves. The scene had a serene atmosphere, a few lights flicking on and off. A loud sound abruptly burst through the night.
"MOVE THAT TIN CAN!" roared a young man. "I HAVE A BIRTHDAY PARTY TO GET TO AND A BED WITH MY NAME ON IT!" A long line of cars surrounded the driver on both sides, stretching the entire block. A sight like this would frighten any visitor to the area. For the everyday New Yorker, however, this was your average night.
People of all kinds walked the sidewalks as they tried to reach their destination. While it wasn't as safe as driving, it tended to be faster at this time of day. Some were lucky enough to find themselves walking in the less crowded areas of the city. There were some streets, however, that only the desperate or tourists would dare travel at night. The main reason for this desertion can be traced to one overarching theme: intense violence.
The Purple Dragons gang basically ran the street, creating havoc whenever they wished. Violent beat downs, robberies, and protectorate payments once littered the nightlife. Recently things have slowed down, but that was also around the time things became bizarre. Aliens, ninjas, and monsters all became talk of the city, though tourists believe these to be rumors meant to increase revenue. Rumors or not, the Purple Dragons were a lot more careful nowadays when it came to where they struck.
Speaking of, a group of the thugs were approaching a convenience store. A neon sign that read "24/7" could be seen in the window. The leader of the group, covered in tattoos of their namesake, smirked as he looked to his comrades.
"Perfect." Stated the man. "Those freaks won't dare attack us when people can see." His fellow thugs were hesitant, but they raised their improvised weapons in preparation. The man kicked open the door, shattering the glass on it. "This is a robbery!"
The patrons inside raised their hands as the Purple Dragon goons entered the building. The cashier moved to push a button, only for a knife to be held to his throat. "I wouldn't do that. All the money, now." The employee gulped before making his way over to the register.
The goons began to spread out as they kept the people in check and grabbed whatever they wanted. One of them looked to see a young couple hiding in the corner, the man standing guard over the girl. He whistled as he began to approach them.
"Looks like we've got a babe here boys!" cried the pudgy thug. "I say we show her how Purple Dragons play." Another thug chuckled as he moved to join him. The young man clenched his fists as he prepared to protect his date from the brutes. Suddenly, one of them was hit in the side of the head by an object.
"What the…" wheezed a third goon. The goon who was not hit knelt down, grabbing a good-sized stone off the ground. His comrade was unconscious, but otherwise unharmed. The power suddenly went out, leaving the people in the dark. The head goon tried to grapple the cashier as a hostage, but a purple flash and a plume of smoke blinded him.
"It's the Turtles!" cried the man. He was suddenly hit in the face by a quarterstaff as a shadowy figure leapt from the smoke. Three more shadows soon joined the fight as they rushed the criminals. One of the villains tried to strike the beings, but two swords blocked his bat. The second goon that moved to assault the couple suddenly found himself being hit with the butt of a weapon before finding himself on the receiving end of a brutal assault.
The sound of sirens approached as the fighting began to draw to a close. Most of the villains were tied up or had already fled as the lights began to draw near. Three of the shadows immediately left, but the one that was assaulting the last standing thug remained. Upon recognizing the sirens, the individual disappeared in a puff of smoke and a flash of purple. By the time the power came back on, the villains were defeated, and the people were safe.
On the nearby rooftops, an individual creature was watching over the event. Behind him, his companions were panting from the fight. They all had one thing in common, they were all some form of humanoid terrapin. One of them smiled as he rolled his shoulder. He wore a red bandana and had a pair of sais as his weapons.
"And that is how you take down a group of thugs!" cheered the turtle. "Those guys won't be able to walk right for a week. Who wants a high three?" He holds up his hand, revealing that he only had three fingers naturally. A turtle with a purple bandana was whipping some spit of a quarterstaff he wielded.
"We would be celebrating, Raph, if you didn't call it so close with that one guy." Stated the taller creature. He put his weapon away before working on some sort of mobile device. "You could've exposed our existence to the police." Raph was obviously offended by the notion as he clenched his fists.
"What the heck are you talking about Donnie? I just beat some Purple Dragon thugs, plain and simple." Donnie stood up as he pocketed the device in his belt.
"I'm talking about one of those thugs that were close to the couple. Don't think I didn't notice how you took some extra care in giving him a beating." The red bandana wearing turtle growled in response as he got in his brother's face.
"How do we know that wasn't you genius? You were pretty all over the place." Donnie pushed back with a good bit of gusto.
"Oh, it's so like you to push the blame on someone else." It looked like a fight was about to break out, but a shuriken struck the ground between them. A turtle with a blue bandana and a pair of Katana strapped to his back landed next to them with a frown.
"Enough, both of you!" roared the teen. "We can't be fighting right now. Raph, it was very clear that someone was being overly aggressive, and someone had to have thrown that stone earlier." Raph raised his hands in defense.
"So, you think it was me just based on that?!" asked Raph. "I didn't do it Leo!" The apparent leader of the group frowned in response.
"Well Donnie and I didn't do it. I had him at my back when two goons tried to get the drop on us." Raph crossed his arms, angered at being accused. Donnie frowned as a thought suddenly came to mind.
"If it wasn't Raph, and it wasn't either of us, then that leaves…" began Donnie. His brothers' eyes widened at the observation. There was only one other person in their group at the moment, and he was being unusually quiet. The group turned to the one that was overlooking the scene, a turtle wearing an orange bandana with a pair of nun chucks at his hips. Leo looked to the boy, still not believing it could be him.
"Mikey? You're being awfully quiet over there." The youngest of the brothers sighed as he continued to look down at the street.
"Those two deserved it." Stated Mikey. Raph's jaw dropped as Donnie's eyes widened. None of them wanted to believe the sweet and outspoken one of them would ever act that way, even if the targets were low lives. The young turtle watched as the man of the couple recounted the event to the police, his date holding tightly to him. Raph stepped forward in shock, only for Donnie to stop him.
"If we wanna make it back home before sunrise, we'll have to hurry now." Stated the smart turtle. The hothead growled in response, only to see the hints of the sun begin to show. He sighed as he backed away. Leo patted Mikey on the shoulder, prompting the boy to stand up and follow along. Like shadows in the night, they vanished while running across rooftops.
The turtles soon made their way down a sewer tunnel as they walked home. Normally they'd be celebrating another job well done, but the events of this patrol still weighed on them. Mikey remained the quietest, seeing as he was the subject in this shift in behavior. The group soon came upon their home, the sound of an active tv becoming apparent. They smiled as they saw two familiar faces sitting on the couch.
The first was a pale skinned girl that looked to be 16 years of age. She had shoulder-length ginger hair that appears to be tied up into a small ponytail and right-sided curved bangs, green eyes, and freckles on her cheeks. She wore a yellow hairband, an elbow-length black shirt with a yellow and white sport shirt with the number "5" over it, blue denim shorts, black leggings, brown bandages/bracelets around her wrists, white high socks with two blue stripes on them and black low-heeled boots. This was April O'Neil, the first human friend the turtles made and Donnie's almost girlfriend. She was training to be a kunoichi and had psionic powers due to her Kraang mutation.
The second was a skinny boy who was taller than all of the teens in the room. He had black, medium-length hair and brown eyes. He wore a black bandanna tied around his head, a messy, maroon elbow-length shirt with a short-sleeve gray shirt and a sleeveless black hoodie over it, grayish-blue jeans, black finger gloves that stop at the forearms, and black sneakers. This was Casey Jones, the only human male of their group and Raph's best friend. Casey got up as he greeted the group.
"Hey dudes!" greeted the boy. "We were just watching the news report of your save downtown. Nice work!" He only got a light fist bump from Raph, something that confused him. April walked up to Donnie, hugging him with a smile.
"Welcome back guys." Greeted the redhead. Her powers began to go off as her smile fell. She looked up at Donnie to see that he was straining a smile. "What's wrong? You guys feel tense." Donnie sighed as he nodded his head.
"Everything's fine." Stated Donnie. "Something happened that we didn't expect." Raph scoffed as he watched Mikey sit down on the couch.
"Understatement of the year." Stated the hotheaded turtle. He walked up to the youngest brother, his smile falling further. "I want answers. What's up with you lately?" Mikey shook his head as he watched the tv.
"I'm fine." Stated the normally happy turtle. Both humans in the room were shocked to hear the perky teen use that tone of voice. That was reserved for when he was really upset. The answer didn't satisfy Raph as he grabbed the remote and turned off the tv. "Hey!"
"Like heck you're fine! You've been being distant for the past few days, you've stopped doing your usual wackiness, and just yesterday you showed a lot of aggression. That's not the mention the way you leave the room every time Donnie attempts to flirt with April." Donnie growled in obvious hurt.
"Hey!" cried Donnie. "I resent that! It's not easy to come up with just the right words to explain someone's feelings!" Mikey growled as he yanked the remote from Raph's hand, once again shocking the red bandana wearing turtle.
"I don't see why you care so much!" roared Mikey. "Not everyone is happy with being alone forever!" The group tensed up at those words. It was no secret that Raph wasn't really looking for love, but it still showed bad signs that Mikey was saying that. Leo quickly raised his hands as Raph clenched his fists.
"That's enough you two." Stated the leader. "We're obviously still stressed from everything that's going on. Let's all calm down and…" Raph pointed at Leo with a growl.
"Can it fearless-leader!" roared the hothead. He returned his attention to the youngest sibling. "You think pointing out my life choices is going to make me shut up? You can't obviously tell me that this attitude change is because you're tired of waiting for Renet to get back with you." A knife could cut how thick the atmosphere became after Raph finished his sentence.
A resounding smack was heard, April covering her mouth while Casey became bug eyed. Leo and Donnie had similar reactions as they saw the scene unfold. Raph took a few steps back as he cradled his jaw, Mikey standing from his sitting position. He removed his hand, seeing a small trickle of blood from his lip. "Y…you punched me!" Mikey's eyes widened as he saw the anger welling in Raph's eyes.
"Raph." Began the boy. "I… I'm sorry." The hothead growled as cracked his knuckles.
"Oh, you're gonna be!" Mikey screamed as Raph rushed at him. Leo was prepared to move and stop the event, but a hard tap on the ground cut him off.
"Yameru!" cried a stern voice. All eyes turned to the origin of the voice. The speaker was a tall, brown furred humanoid rat with a white goatee and ears that had cuts in them. He wore a burgundy robe, off-white wrappings, and carried what appeared to be a jade cane. "Both of you stop this nonsense!"
"Master Splinter!" greeted Leo. "We were just about to stop them." The rat master showed no care for the statement as he held tightly to his cane.
"Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello! To the dojo, now!" The four turtles did as told as they ran to the designated room. Splinter sighed as he looked to the two humans. "April, Casey. I must ask you to both head home. This is an immediate family matter."
"Yes, Master Splinter." Accepted April with hesitation. She walked Casey out, still worried about the others. Splinter soon walked to the dojo, finding his four adoptive sons sitting on their knees in a straight line. Michelangelo and Raph were sat furthest apart for obvious reasons. The man growled as he shut the door behind him.
"I am disappointed in all of you." He pointed his scepter at Leo, the designated leader lowering his head in shame. "Leonardo! As the leader, you should have done more to end the fight before it began. You are to be both an example and a voice of reason in situations such as this."
"Hai, sensei." Agreed Leo. "I will not let it happen again." Splinter pointed his scepter at Donatello, the tallest turtle whimpering a bit.
"Donatello! You, like Leonardo, should have ended the situation before it could get out of hand. It is not only the leader's job to hold the team together and it is especially shameful for one as bright as you to not speak in such a situation." The genius nodded in response, not wanting to be the subject of ire. Mikey remained silent as Splinter moved down the other side of the line.
The rat master then pointed his scepter at Raph. "Raphael! You should have known better than to instigate violence when confronting an emotional issue. Not only did you worsen the situation, but you crossed a line." The hothead looked up at his adoptive father with a frown.
"But Mikey's been acting off for the past week!" argued Raph. "He needed a wakeup call, especially after he almost…" He was hit in the head by the cane, but it was not hard enough to do lasting damage. Splinter's face still held its parental fury as he stared down the lad.
"You do not dictate what your brother needs, especially after what I just witnessed. Never turn your fury on your brothers. It is meant to be used in defense of those you hold dear, not against them." Raph looked like he wanted to argue further, but he let his words die in his throat. Finished with the conversation, Splinter moved back down the line.
He rested against his cane as he looked down at his youngest child. "Michelangelo, I am disappointed in you the most. I can see you are in emotional pain, but that is no excuse to cause physical pain to your brothers." The childish boy looked away in denial.
"I'm telling you guys I'm fine!" cried Mikey. "Why can't you guys just leave me alone!? I just…" Splinter lowered down as he grabbed his son's chin. He turned the boy's head towards him, revealing his tear-stained face.
"Do not lie to me, my son. I know the pain of heartbreak all too well. It burns deep to your core and leaves you feeling empty inside. Do not stow that pain away from the light. You may speak with us about anything, for we are family."
Mikey, unable to hold back anymore, fell forward into his adoptive father's arms. His brothers looked on in remorse, not used to seeing the boy like this. Raph's eyes fell as he rubbed his arm, feeling especially guilty about his actions towards the boy. They were completely oblivious to just how much pain their brother was going through. Mikey finally pulled back as he moved to sit on his rear, Leo turning to face him.
"Father is right Mikey." Began Leo, using Splinter's lesser used title. "You can talk with us about anything. No turtle is an island." Mikey sighed as he nodded his head. He steeled himself as he cradled his legs close to his plastron.
"A few months ago, I ran into Renet while taking a late-night run." Admitted the boy. His brothers were a little confused by the opening statement. Usually that would be something good, but they knew the story wasn't over yet. "We had that date we talked about. I took her to the fairgrounds and kept my disguise on. We saw a circus group perform."
He chuckled as he let a small smile grace his lips. "It was honestly the best night of my life… until she had to leave." His frown returned as he looked down at his lap. "She told me she wouldn't be coming back unless it was an emergency, and that we couldn't see each other anymore." The group's eyes widened in shock, Raph's face showing fury.
"She what!?" roared the hothead. "That little…" A look from Master Splinter stopped his sentence in its tracks. "If I get my hands on her I'll…" Mikey quickly held his hands up in defense.
"No Raph! It's not like that!" The hothead looked to his sibling, seeing the concern in his eyes. "She was told by Lord Simultaneous that she couldn't be with me because it could cause irreparable damage to time or something. Our descendants are the reason she's alive to even be his assistant and…"
"Having a relationship with you would have altered the future and allowed Savanti Romero to have his victory." Guessed Donnie. This was one of the few times the smartest one of the siblings hated being right. Mikey sighed as he nodded his head, still looking into his lap. Leo did the only thing he knew to do and rubbed his younger brother's shoulder. Splinter rubbed the boy atop his head as he nodded.
"It is alright, Michelangelo." Stated Splinter. "It is probably for the best that it happened this way. Mrs. Renet gave you the best she could on that night." Mikey looked to his adoptive father with a frown.
"It still hurts. I feel like I just fought Razar, but it won't go away. I don't like it." Leo smiles as he wraps an arm around his brother's shoulders.
"Don't worry Mikey." Reassured the leader. "We're here for you, whatever you need. Turtles forever." Mikey chuckled in response to the statement, but it was clear that he was still down. Master Splinter stood up as he looked over his sons.
"I believe it would be good if you took a break from patrols Michelangelo." Instructed the ninja master. "The Foot Clan has been rather quiet of late and there have been no Kraang sightings for a while. You must recuperate from this state and learn to move on." Mikey nodded, not wanting to argue with Splinter. "I believe it is time we all get some rest. Sleep well my sons."
The turtles nodded as they moved on to bed. Raph couldn't keep his eyes off Mikey, the boy still having a sad look on his face. It was better than before, but it still pained the hothead that he made it worse. The turtles split off as they went to their respective rooms. It was going to be a long morning's sleep for them.
1 Week later
It had been a week since the incident that got Mikey benched, and he had slowly recovered. He was still nowhere near ready to return to fieldwork, but he was slowly gaining progress. April also gave the boy her condolences when she asked Donnie what had happened, her older sister instincts kicking in. It made both her and the aforementioned genius blush when Mikey called it that, but it was nice to see that his fun-loving side was coming back. Throughout all of this time, however, the boy still seemed like he was missing that spark that made him who he was.
Today was no different from the past week as Mikey found himself having a gaming session after Splinter put him through some training drills. He missed being able to help his brothers out on patrols, but he didn't dare go against Splinter's wishes when he felt that pain still in him. So here he was, trying to get back his mojo by beating his high score on Pacman. He hadn't plaid the game in a while, but he still had an awesome time with it. He smiled as he heard the familiar sounds of his brothers' footsteps coming from the sewers.
"Yo dudes!" called out Mikey. "I've almost got a new record on Pacman! I'm about to eat my own… dust…" Mikey continued to stare as he watched his brothers enter, only they weren't alone. Among them was a person he hadn't seen in a while.
She was a Japanese girl that looked to be a little taller than Leo and April. She had amber eyes, black hair that is blonde in the back with an angled bob and long ear-tails, and a very athletic body. She wore several black earrings, red eyeliner on the top of her eyelids, a form-fitting jumpsuit fitted with silver armor, black material worn under her armor, traditional Japanese shoes, and a purple belt with a shuriken design on it. This was Hamato Miwa, aka Karai, the daughter of their master and their adoptive sister. She was also kinda Leo's girlfriend, if the fact that they were holding hands didn't tell him enough.
He was so distracted by the slight show of affection that he narrowly missed the sound of his game over. He looked to the screen to see that he still beat his record, but it wasn't enough to satisfy the returning pain. The brothers, recognizing the look on his face, stopped in their tracks. Leo and Karai released each other's grip as the leader walked forward.
"You alright Mikey?" asked Leo. "I'm sorry if we upset you. I know you're still getting over what happened but…" Mikey sighed as he shook his head.
"It's fine. Not like there's anything new about shows of affection around here." Mikey plopped down on the couch as his brothers winced. Miwa walked over to Mikey, sitting down next to him.
"Leo told me about what happened with that Renet girl." Stated the daughter of Hamato Yoshi. "I know you said it was alright, but I'll be happy to 'take care of her' if it would make you feel better." Mikey groaned in response to the offer, but there was a hint of a smile on his face.
"Not you too! It was bad enough when Raph was doing it! What is with you two and going to straight violence with a heartbreak!?" Miwa smiled her usual grin in response.
"It's a protective older sibling thing." Mikey chuckled in response, something that brought a smile to the guys' faces. The youngest turtle gained a devious look as he smiled at his adoptive sister.
"You might be Master Splinter's daughter, but I still don't see you and Leo sporting matching rings." Leo turned red as a tomato as Raph and Donnie tried to hold in a laugh. Miwa hummed as she tapped her chin in thought, a devious smile of her own on her face.
"That might not be such a bad idea. You know what they say, if you like it put a ring on it." Leo fell backwards at the thought of him and Karai as a married couple, causing the other two turtles to begin laughing at his expense. The leader held his hands to his face as he sighed.
"You two are going to be the death of me." Groaned Leo from in between his fingers. This caused Mikey to burst out laughing as Miwa let out one of her infamous chuckles. April and Casey suddenly came running in as Leo finally pulled himself together. From the smiles on their faces, it looked like they had some good news. Casey huffed and puffed as April looked to the group.
"Guys!" greeted the redhead. "Oh, hey Karai!" The daughter of Splinter waved in response. "Good news! I think I have a solution to Mikey's heartbreak dilemma!"
"You do?" asked Donnie. Mikey looked over the couch as he watched April pull out her t-phone, a device of Donnie's own inventing. A picture of the couple from a week prior was on it, only he could clearly see they had large buttons that looked like ancient Greek plates shaped like hearts on their chests. It looked like one of those buttons used for dating services.
"I looked it up after the story of your save at the store went viral. You guys are gonna wanna look it up for yourselves." Curious, the turtles moved over to Donnie's lab. Donnie powered up the computer as April scrolled through a website on her phone. "It's called Operation Aphrodite."
"You mean like the Greek goddess of love?" asked Raph. The others slowly looked to him, most of them expecting Donnie to be the one to mention it. The hothead held up his hands in defense. "What? Splinter made me read something educational when I was grounded so I chose a Greek mythology book."
The group ignored his attempt to save some grace as Donnie began to look up the service. He immediately found the website, alongside a line of pictures that seemed to be from people that used the service. He clicked on the website, surprised by the detail put into the webpage. There seemed to be a lot of details on it for a standard service. He squinted his eyes as he saw the full name of the service.
"Operation Aphrodite: Humans, Monsters, Xenos, and More?" asked Donnie. He decided to read over a description of the page. "Are you a xeno (alien) looking to find love on this new and strange planet, a monster looking for their zing, or a human who is okay with being matched with the prior categories? Are you stuck waiting for Mister or Misses Right to come into your life? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then Operation Aphrodite is here for you."
The group who didn't already know about the service were shocked to see the service call out to individuals like them. Donnie decided to keep reading, his own interests peaked. "Here at Operation Aphrodite, we make it our mission to help every user find that special someone for them. Give us a month's worth of dates and we'll find the right person for you. If you don't find your match, you can get a refund or go for another round of dates."
"Sounds like a scam to me." Stated Raph. "There's no way that something like that could be as innocent as it's making itself out to be. What's the cost?" Donnie hummed as he skimmed through the details of how the service came to be. His eyes widened as he found the details requested.
"It's a flat fee of 30 per month, and they provide a refund if you are unsatisfied during the first month. They actually cover the cost of booking the date locations and unforeseen expenses." The group blinked at this bit of information. Even Splinter, who was listening in nearby, was shocked that a service would do such a thing. Mikey, being hopeful yet skeptical, raised his finger in confusion.
"How do we know this thing actually works?" asked the youngest turtle. "It talks some big game for a service we haven't heard of before." Leo smiled at Mikey, impressed that the boy was asking questions like this. Donnie hummed as he scrolled through the site once more. His eyes couldn't get any wider as he looked at the section of successful couples.
"You know how King T'Challa Udaku of Wakanda, the Black Panther, and Ororo Munroe, Storm from the X-men, got together a few months ago?" The group saved for Casey nodded. Most of them remember how Mikey geeked out about one of his favorite hero couples actually getting together. Donnie pulled up a picture of the two aforementioned heroes together at a movie release. Both of them were sporting pins from the service, the objects actually accenting their outfits.
Donnie then pulled up a slideshow displaying even more couples that came about thanks to the service. "There is a good amount of famous celebrity couples that came from this service. Who says a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle can't find love with its help." Master Splinter finally made himself known as he approached the group.
"The hours the service operates is a good place to start." Answered the rat master. The group looked to the man, Karai smiling at his presence. "Hello Miwa. I see you have become curious of this service yourself." The girl nodded in response.
"More for Mikey than myself." Stated the girl. Donnie decided to scroll through to the Q section. He sighed in disappointment as he found the information he needed. The group looked to him as he turned to face them.
"While there are sometimes at night, most of the date times take place closer to daylight." Stated Donnie. "It's way too close for comfort, but it could be worked if the rest of us took extra shifts during patrols." Splinter shook his head in denial.
"Out of the question." Denied the rat master. The group looked to him, most not surprised by his response. "It would be catastrophic if any of you were seen during the daytime. The Foot Clan would stop at nothing to smear your image and begin a city-wide manhunt." Mikey held his hands together pleadingly as he looked up at Splinter.
"Please Master Splinter!" begged Mikey. "I'll do anything to join that service! I'll clean my room and the bathrooms for the whole month! I'll do training drills every morning I wake up! I'll even try that Tai-chi you keep talking about!"
Splinter felt weight on him as his youngest son unleashed the puppy eyes on him. He remained stoic on the outside, but there was turmoil within. He did not want to deny the boy his chance at love. Goodness knows he lost his own chance years ago, but Hamato Yoshi had a tough decision to make. The man sighed as he shook his head.
"I am sorry my son, but I cannot allow it. Not only would it put yourself and the rest of us at risk, but it would be unfair to those who need to take the daytime hours to have such a limit. Pushing your search too far could hurt your chances of finding the one that's right for you." Mikey's face fell at the words of his father. Leo quickly stepped forward as he looked the rat master in the eye.
"Sensei, what if Donnie built him a disguise wristwatch?" asked Leo. "Mikey could go on the dates and still keep his identity a secret." Donnie raised his finger in response.
"That would take a considerable amount of time to complete." Argued the smart turtle. "Not to mention I wouldn't be able to hide the fact that he only has three fingers and…" Raph put a hand over Donnie's mouth as he growled.
"Not helping Einstein!" grumbled the hothead. Mikey sighed as he shook his head. He sent the others a strained smile, one that was clear to all.
"Don't worry guys." Denied the boy. "Master Splinter's right. It wouldn't be fair to everyone else if I went ahead with the service." The group winced as the boy succeeded in holding the smile. "Thanks for trying April."
"Anytime Mikey." Offered the empath. It hurt her the most to see the youngest turtle do this, especially since she could feel his real emotions. Mikey looked to the main area as he walked away from the group.
"If anyone needs me, I'll be playing pinball." The boy disappeared into the main room, leaving the group behind. Splinter sighed as he shook his head. He turned to the others with a bow.
"I feel the need to meditate in the dojo." Stated the master ninja. "It was nice to see you again Miwa. I hope you will soon be able to call this place your home." His daughter bowed in response before she watched her father walk back to the dojo. April growled as she crossed her arms.
"It's not fair!" growled the redhead. "If everything was better Mikey could be out there trying to find the right girl for him. If every mutant was like Karai it wouldn't be a problem!" Raph's eyes widened at the prospect, Leo and Donnie following suit.
"Yeah." Agreed Raph. He looked to see if Splinter was still around before yawning. "It's getting pretty late for all of us. I think we should give Mikey some space and call it a night." Leo, having a similar expression, nodded his head.
"Great idea Raph." Agreed the leader. "I think that's what we all need right now. Maybe tomorrow we can think of a way to cheer Mikey up." April could tell what they were getting at, a knowing smile on her face.
"Dad wanted some help cleaning the house anyway." Stated April. "I better get back before he worries." She then turned to Casey with a smile. "Last I check you had a hockey tournament tomorrow, Casey." The teen's eyes widened as he grabbed the side of his head.
"I can't go to the match smelling like sewer water!" cried the boy. "Thanks Red! Goodnight, guys!" The group said their goodnights as the humans left for home. Donnie waved his brothers off as he stood at the entrance of his lab.
"I gotta work on something for a bit." Stated the genius. "I'll see you guys tomorrow." He suddenly slammed the door shut as the two remaining brothers sounded off their parting calls. Raph entered his room, but he quickly began to put things together. He wasn't getting any sleep tonight.
Midnight soon came around, and even Master Splinter was fast asleep. The sound of usual sewer creatures filled the area as the night wore on. Raph slowly opened his door, making sure no one heard him. He saw that Mikey's door was open, but it was obvious that he was asleep. He snuck his way through the area, only to bump into Leo.
"Raph!?" whispered the leader. "What are you doing up!? You should be asleep!" The hothead crossed his arms as he smirked.
"I could say the same about you." Whispered Raph. "It's not a very good example for you to be sneaking out this late." Leo stuttered as he tried to keep quiet. Raph let his arms fall as he shook his head. "You're going to find out what made Karai's mutation different."
"So were you!" Raph quickly shushed Leo, especially since Mikey's door was still open. The leader calmed down as he took a deep breath. "Look, it's obvious neither of us are going to get the other to go back to bed. Mikey really needs this, and I think we all kinda do."
"Couldn't agree more Fearless Leader. If we find out what made her different, we could finally have some form of a normal life." The duo soon stopped outside of Donnie's lab as they thought over the options. "We'd have to look into everything that happened that day." Leo sighed as he nodded his head.
"I don't even know where we would start." The duo suddenly jumped as they heard a door open. The sighed in relief as they saw Donnie standing inside his lab.
"That's why I started earlier today." Stated Donnie. "I asked Karai to help me out with some samples before she left. Come in quick!" The blue and red turtles nodded as they quickly entered the room. They sounded their interest as they saw a small sensor device on the table.
Donnie brought up a tray with a blood sample on it. "This is a sample of my DNA. Under the microscope, it would look similar to any other mutant's, given that they're also reptiles." He then held up another sample. "This, is a sample of Karai's blood."
The other brothers nodded, waiting for Donnie to continue his explanation. "I've found that there is a secondary chemical that mixed with the mutagen in her bloodstream, allowing her to have both a human transformation and the usual mutant form. I've spent all night trying to separate the three liquids, and I've finally identified the makeup of the liquid. The only problem is I have no idea what the compound is, but that's what this is for." He held up the device, a smile on his face as it powered on.
"I'm guessing that radar tracks the chemical somehow." Guessed Leo. Donnie nodded enthusiastically as he pressed a few buttons. A faint beeping came from the device as it came to light, a map of the city displayed on its screen.
"Exactly!" Donnie was immediately shushed by his brothers. "If we follow the chemical signature, we should find wherever Baxter got the chemical from. The hard part will be getting some from whoever has it." Raph smirked as he cracked his knuckles.
"Worse case scenario we get to bash some skulls." Argued the hothead. "I see no problem with that." Leo sighed at his brother's antics, but he couldn't entirely argue with the logic. The leader nodded his head as he grabbed his katanas from the nearby weapons rack. He turned to the others as he sheathed the weapons.
"Let's lock and load then." Stated Leo. "For Mikey." Not even two minutes into the search and the trio were running across the rooftops. They had some close calls in the search, but most were false signatures. They spent almost an hour looking for the liquid.
They stopped to rest as fatigue began to set in. They weren't used to being out this late, but they needed to do this for Mikey. They soon came to a resting point as they looked over the city. They had checked everywhere they could safely venture, but nothing was working. Raph groaned as he popped his back.
"This is taking forever!" groaned the hothead. "It's like trying to find a drop of water in a desert! We'll never find this stupid stuff!" Leo growled as he shook his head.
"We gotta have faith Raph." Argued the leader. "We just need to look harder and widen our search. We can even come back out another night if we need to." Donnie hummed as he recalibrated the device. He frowned as the beeping began to increase.
"You think Splinter's not gonna catch on? The moment he sees we're tired tomorrow he'll know something's up! We don't find it tonight; we'll never find it." Donnie's eyes widened as he saw some people loading boxes with chemicals into a black van. He raised his finger as his brothers began to argue.
"Uh… guys." Interrupted Donnie. "I think I found it." The two stopped their bickering as they saw the truck. The beeping on the radar got louder as it was pointed at the vehicle. Leo sent a cheeky smirk to Raph, only to get shoved a bit.
One of the workers was about to put a box in the van, only for a noise to catch his attention. He put the object down in order to examine the origin of the noise. Raph quickly swiped the object and replaced it with another of the boxes. The man turned around, seemingly none the wiser. Raph grunted as he brought the box over to his brothers in a faraway alley.
"Are you sure this is the right stuff Donnie?" asked Leo. "We need to make sure before we head back." Donnie smiled as he pulled out the glass with his blood on it and a microscope. He dropped a bit of the liquid onto the sample before placing it under the microscope. Leo looked on in anticipation as Raph kept a lookout.
Donnie smiled as he watched his mutant blood change to match Karai's. "Eureka! It worked! We got what we needed!" Raph frowned as he saw a few of the workers walk away from the truck. He grabbed his sais as he noticed something awfully familiar about the men, specifically that they looked uncannily similar to each other.
"Good, because I don't think those are regular guys." Grumbled Raph. He was proven right as he had to dodge laser fire. "Kraang!" Leo and Donnie readied their weapons as the men ran into the alleyway. One of the men raised his gun in preparation.
"Kraang!" stated the man. "Kraang has located the thieves of the unidentified liquid which are also the ones known as the turtles. Kraang will now eliminate the ones known as the turtles." Raph groaned as he kicked the man away.
"I liked it better when you guys weren't around to say those stupidly long sentences!" The trio got to work as they battled the men. Raph ended up kicking the stomach of one of them, sending some kind of squishy flesh out of it. The body fell over as the mass was revealed to be a brain-like creature. It screeched at him, only to be sent flying by Donnie's staff.
"We don't have time Raph!" cried Leo. The leader deflected a laser blast back at a Kraang, causing it to fall over. "Let's just get out of here before we run out of steam!" Raph growled in response but nodded as he joined his brothers in throwing down smoke bombs. The Kraang walked through the smoke, only to find that the trio had vanished.
The trio panted as they made their way into the building. It was problematic enough that they had to escape the Kraang attack, but they also had to carry the chemicals back home. They did their best to keep quiet, hoping not to disturb Mikey and Master Splinter. They set the box of chemicals down on the kitchen table, sighing in relief. Raph groaned as he sat in one of the genius's chairs.
"That was exhausting." Groaned the hothead. "I don't wanna see another Kraang for a week max. I say we get a turn for a vacation now." Leo shook his head in response as he approached the couch.
"You know it doesn't work like that Raph." Denied Leo. "We'll be lucky if our patrols are uneventful. Let's just be glad we're back in one piece and no one knows we were gone." He bumped into something, causing his brothers to pale. He looked up to see Master Splinter looking down at him.
"You are correct Leonardo." Stated the rat master. "Uneventful patrols will be the highlight of your days for a while now." He stamped his staff in anger. "You three went out so close to daylight and risked not coming back at all! You should all be grounded for your recklessness!"
"With all due respect Sensei, we did it for a good cause!" Cried Raph. Splinter looked to the hothead, intrigued but still very angry. "Show him Donnie!" The genius in question dawdled a bit before grabbing a bottle of the chemical.
"This is the same chemical that Karai has in her system in tandem with her mutagen." Explained Donnie. "It makes her DNA different from most mutants, so I hypothesized that it's what allows her to change between a human and a mutant form. After getting a hold of the liquid, I was able to run the necessary experiments to determine my hypothesis." He showed Splinter the tablet with the altered blood sample on it. "That hypothesis is now a very plausible theory, meaning we could be a mere dose away from having human lives alongside our status quo."
Splinter seemed to space out as he looked to the nearby wall. He could have a human life again, or at least allow his sons to experience one. There were still risks to be considered, especially with the uncertainty behind such modifications. The sound of groaning caught the group's attention. Mikey walked into the room with an exhausted expression on his face.
"What's goin' on?" Asked the youngest turtle. "Why are we all up?" He gasped as he grabbed his cheeks. "Are the squirrels attacking!?" Leo sighed as he shook his head.
"Donnie, ready a vial for testing." Leo ordered. "We don't know if that stuff spoils or not." The genius nodded as he took the chemicals back to the lab. Splinter looked to Leo with a concerned frown.
"Are you sure it is wise to run tests on this chemical so soon, Leonardo?" questioned Splinter. "We have no idea how it will truly affect the body of a mutant." The leader nodded his head in response.
"Like I said, we have no idea how the liquid is maintained. This could be our one shot." Mikey growled in response to not having his question answered. He hated when the others ignored him. Donnie came back with a syringe before the youngest turtle could call them out.
"Here it is." Answered the genius. "While any of us could try it, the best control would be someone that started out human. Timothy is still frozen and we have no idea where Spider Bytez or Snakeweed is so…" Splinter, knowing where this was going, grabbed the syringe from his son. He nodded as he hesitantly looked at the object.
"You do not have to ask about my comfort, my sons." Reassured Splinter. "It is only fitting that the father goes before his children." Steeling his nerves, Splinter injected the liquid into his arm. At first he felt nothing, save for the tension in the atmosphere. The group waited for a good minute as they wondered what would happen.
Suddenly, the rat master began to convulse. He grabbed at his heart as he rested against the nearby wall. He felt like every hair on his body was digging into him. Mikey cried out in fear as Splinter's ears began to flicker wildly.
"You poisoned Master Splinter!" Cried the youngest turtle. He moved to try and find some medical supplies, only to stop as he watched his adoptive father's ears slowly become more human. Splinter began to shrink in size a bit as his snout caved in on itself. His tail receded into his back as his body continued to shift. Graying black hair now adorned the top of his head as his breathing began to steady.
"Master Splinter?" asked Leo. The ninja master stood up in response, shocking his sons. He looked to be of Japanese descent, which was accurate to who he said he was. He now matched the image of himself and his family on the wall of the dojo, only much older. He felt at his face as he chuckled.
"Did… did it work?" asked Yoshi. Raph quickly grabbed a hand mirror, bringing it to his father. He was slightly uncomfortable with having the man so close to his height, but he said nothing as his master took the object from him. Splinter looked into the mirror, a face he had not seen in years staring back at him. Donnie allowed the man time to marvel at his reflection before speaking again.
"Now for the important part." Stated the genius. "I need you to try and turn back into a mutant rat, then change again." Splinter nodded as he focused on himself. He entered a state of meditation as he tried to reach the other side of himself.
He flexed his entire body as the transformation began. It was slow and slightly agonizing to watch, but eventually Splinter was back to being the rat master they all know and love. Focusing again, he soon returned to the human state. Mikey's eyes became like stars at the sight. He ran to Donnie as he jumped up and down.
"Me next!" Pleaded the boy. "I gotta have some of that stuff!" Donnie pushed Mikey back a bit as he shook his head.
"Hold on Mikey!" Cried the smart turtle. "I still need to test whether it would even be safe for a mutant that started out as an animal to take the chemical, let alone if it'll have the same results." The youngest turtle groaned in disappointment as he threw his arms in the air. Leo sighed as he shook his head.
"We don't have time for a second control." Denied the leader. "By the time we could get the Mighty Mutanimals or one of the others in here, the chemical could evaporate or something. I'll test it out." Raph shook his head as he stood beside Leo.
"No way Fearless." Argued the hothead. "I should be the one to do it. I made Mikey's situation worse by bringing up the issue a week ago. It's time I make up for it." Mikey beamed with respect to his hotheaded brother, but Leo quickly shook his head.
"As the leader, the responsibility of testing something like this falls to me after Master Splinter has a go. I failed in my responsibility as a leader to look after Mikey's emotional well-being. I'm not going to fail you guys by shrugging this responsibility on someone else." Donnie cleared his throat as he flicked another syringe. The others looked to him as he shook his head.
"Whoever is testing the chemical, I have another dose ready to go." Stated the genius. "I can always test it on myself if you guys can't decide." Leo chuckled in response as he stepped forward. He took the syringe, stabbing it into the same area Splinter did. He soon began to convulse much like the rat master did.
Unable to get to a wall, he fell on the floor. His shell began to pull itself apart as it folded inwards, his skin coming forward to fill the void. His face began to change shape as his skin changed in color. Black hair began to sprout from his head as he took deep breaths. Karai walked in just as the transformation completed.
"I hope you guys haven't left without me yet." Stated the daughter of Splinter. "It took a while to find a lab that made the stuff and…" Her eyes widened as she saw Leo sit up. The leader opened his eyes as he looked at his arms.
He appeared to be of Japanese descent, just like Master Splinter. His eyes were a crystal blue while his hair was black and ran down to his shoulders. Karai couldn't help but blush as he had a nice pair of abs on him. She became visibly shaken as he began to stand up, turning around instantly. "Don't stand up you idiot!"
"What?" asked Leo. "What's the matter Karai?" He looked down at himself, only to quickly remember that he was only in his belts and wrappings. He quickly covered himself as he cried out in shock. "I forgot humans have shells!"
"Quickly my son." Ordered Master Splinter. Leo happily accepted the spare robe as he put it on. "You may turn around now daughter." Karai groaned as she turned around, only to gasp of the sight of her father's human face. She was at a loss for words as he held his arms in a monastic grip.
"Father?" asked Miwa. Splinter nodded his head, a smile on his face. The girl placed her hands on his face, feeling his wrinkles. It was a face so alien to her, yet uncannily familiar all at the same time. Leo suddenly cried out again, ruining the touching moment as he wiggled his fingers.
"I have five fingers!" cried the leader. "Look at these things! This gonna take some getting used to." He closed them into a fist, but it was obvious his body wasn't quite working with him at the moment. Donnie cleared his throat once again as he gestured to the boy.
"Leo, I need you to focus." Stated the genius. "Try turning back into a mutant." Leo nodded as he clenched his fists. Much like with Splinter, it took time for the transformation to be complete. To everyone's shock, the robe disappeared as the boy was now in his mutant form.
Another thing that was clear was that something was different about Leo this time around. His skin had dark blue stripes on it while his shell seemed to reflect what he was just wearing. There were also a slight ridge running down the back of his shell. Leo looked down at himself, surprised by the change in appearance.
"Um… this doesn't seem right. What the heck happened to me? Why doesn't Splinter look any different in his rat form?" Donnie hummed as he tapped his chin.
"It must have something to do with the fact that we didn't start out as humans. The chemicals must have made slight adjustments in order to compensate for being introduced late into our mutation. I'll have to run further tests, but it seems pretty harmless at the moment. Try changing back." Leo nodded as he focused once again.
Sure enough the robe returned along with his human self. It was a breath of relief for Karai as she was not looking forward to having to turn around again. Leo looked at himself in the mirror, humming as he grabbed at his hair. It was clear that he was thinking of getting a trim. Mikey walked up to Master Splinter as he poked his fingers together.
"So, Master Splinter." Began the youngest turtle. "If this stuff works and we learn to go from mutant to human and back faster, could I try that Aphro-whatchamacallit thing?" The boy unleashed the puppy eyes, hoping it would help his case. Splinter rubbed his chin, already missing his rat goatee.
"Michelangelo." Began the master. "You are to make sure your room, the dojo, and the bathrooms are clean for the week that we attempt to adapt to our new abilities AND go on mandatory patrols for five days afterwards. If you can do all of that and do it well, then I will allow you to participate in the service." Mikey flashed a grin that the others had not seen in a long time. He pumped his fist in success.
"Yes! You won't regret it Master! I'll get started as soon as I get my dose!" Donnie sighed as he shook his head.
"I need to make sure we have enough for future tests, so you'll have to wait for me to set some aside." Denied the smart turtle. He grinned with a slight blush as he rubbed the back of his head. "Still, it'll be nice to finally be able to walk around during the day. Maybe I can finally ask April on a real date." Raph and Leo began to poke fun at their nerdy brother, only for Splinter to return to his rat form and tap his cane against the ground.
"I'm afraid none of you will be doing anything of the sort." Ordered the master. "You three are still grounded for the rest of the month! Leonardo, no tv! Raphael, no pinball or working on that motorcycle! Donatello, you will be doing no further projects unless it pertains to the strange chemical! Do I make myself clear!?"
"Yes Master Splinter." Grumbled the three turtles. The master tapped his cane again, causing the trio to jerk. "Hai Sensei!" Mikey dared not chuckle out of fear of being dogpiled or earning a punishment himself. The rest of the month was going to be interesting.
August 31
The month was nearly over as the group continued to get used to their new forms. Turns out going from a humanoid mutant to an actual human was a lot harder than the group thought. They had get used to human hands, being more vulnerable to attacks, finding clothes that fit them without being too tight. This was made easier with Karai, with April and Casey joining in, being involved in the process. Turns out having people that knew the culture better than them was a big boon.
Mikey currently sat at a table in a mall as he looked down at a paper. He was in his human form, his shaggy blonde hair and pale skin shining in the sunlight. He wore an orange tank-top with a pizza decal on it, a white undershirt, green cargo shorts, white socks with orange stripes, and black sneakers. His baby blue eyes were filled with contemplation as he filled out a form for Operation Aphrodite. He smiled as he finished the last sentence, holding up the paper to read it better.
User Name: MCMikey
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 130 lbs.
Star Sign: Taurus
Home Town: New York City
Physical Description: Slightly chubby, baby faced Japanese boy with blonde hair and baby blue eyes.
Personality: A bright and fun loving dude looking for the right girl.
Likes and Interests: Pizza, Video Games, DJing, Animals, Cartoons, and Adventure.
Type of Person I'm Looking For: Someone who enjoys relaxing but can also get behind a good prank, likes me for being me, and understands when I fumble my words.
"Perfect!" cheered Mikey. "Now to just submit it at the booth." The blonde stood up as he made his way towards the kiosk. He smiled as he saw a short line of people waiting. The booth was literally shady as a good amount of umbrellas and other such things were used to cover the inside in shadows.
"Next!" cried a voice in the booth. Mikey joined the line, a grin on his face. He couldn't wait to get started. One more person joined behind him, seeming a little impatient. The individual sounded his surprise as he looked around the boy.
"Hey Mikey!" greeted Casey. "I almost didn't recognize ya with the… you know." The youngest Hamato's eyes widened in response.
"Casey!" The two fist bumped, allowing Mikey to take notice of a familiar pamphlet in his friend's hands. "You're joining the service too? I figured you were more into hu… people that were more to your speed." The hockey player shook his head in response.
"As much as I hate to admit it, Donnie's probably gonna get with April at this point. I figured now would be as good a time as any to start looking for Mrs. Jones. Plus, imagine the babes I'll meet that aren't on the average person's radar." Mikey chuckled as he shook his head. He noticed that the line had moved up considerably and moved to keep up.
"Next!" called the voice again. Mikey's smile remained as he was next in line. He walked up to the person running the kiosk, coming face to face with a Romanian man. The man sniffed a bit before nodding his head. "Do you have a flier filled out or do you need one sir?"
"Got one right here dude." Offered Mikey. "My username is already on there." The man smiled as he took the pamphlet. He then gave it to someone in the back, and the sound of pounding was heard. The Romanian man then gave the boy a stone pin with his username etched into it in gold and a paper with a code on it.
"This is the pin you will use on your dates. It is very hard to replace so please do not lose it." Mikey nodded as he accepted the pin. "Log into the website and use the code provided on that paper to access your account. You will be notified of your first date before the night is over and it will take place the following day."
Mikey nodded in response as he began to walk away. "Next!" The blonde tuned out Casey's conversation as he looked at his pin. It was grey unlike the red heart pins seen on successful couples, meaning he'd probably get a new one after the service was over. Casey walked up to him with a confused look.
"That last question was weird." Stated the vigilante. "Did that guy ask you if you were alright with dating any kind of girl that appeared, human or otherwise?" Mikey hummed in response.
"No?" replied the blonde. "He did sniff the air before asking if I already had a pamphlet. Did he do that with you too?" The hockey teen nodded in response.
"Maybe his pal let out a rank one at some point. It did smell like moldy toad in there." Mikey sounded his disgust as he wrapped an arm around Casey. "Let's just hope our dates are relatively normal. Besides, how many people with lives as interesting as ours can there be?"
The Romanian man watched the duo walk away with interest in his eyes. His cheek smoked as a bit of sunlight hit him, causing him to hiss. He adjusted the umbrella to his right in order to remove the offending ray. A young man in a suit, a fedora, and a yellow diamond pin that read "Inkaliber" approached the booth, his hat twitching a bit. He smiled as he tightened the bolt on the umbrella.
"Nice work Stefan!" cheered the man. "That should be the last one for a while. You and Percy can take a break." Stefan sighed as he grabbed an umbrella and walked out of the booth.
"Thank goodness! I was thinking I'd be here till sunset." His partner soon walked out, revealing himself to be some kind of humanoid toad wearing a cloak.
"I don't really smell moldy, do I Mr. Ink?" asked the toad man. "I made sure to shower yesterday, just like you said to." The young man sighed as he shook his head.
"Well Percy, I did warn you about using random pipes to shower in." Mr. Ink replied. "Go home and use the de-molding body wash I gave you last week. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a kiosk to run and a chapter to close." The vampire and toad duo looked to each other in confusion before walking away. They would never understand their employers strange behaviors, but they wouldn't have him any other way.
-To be Continued-
Next time on The Many Dates of a Ninja Turtle
Huff, Puff, and a First Date
And done! I wanted to throw myself into that bit as the author of "The Many Dates of Danny Fenton" did since it was a fun little cameo. I also wanted to confirm that Amphibia is in the universe in some capacity. How integrated the series referenced in this chapter are into the story are saved for a later time. Anywho, I will be previewing the next chapter by its name in order to see who you think the dates will be.
Before we close out, I would like to ask for your opinions as my readers. I have the dates planned out, but I would like to see who you guys think would be a good match for Mikey. It's kinda hard because I'm not very diverse when it comes to series that can be crossed over with TMNT. Please note that I'm limiting my search to only female characters or characters that have no real gender but are perceived as female. If I like the idea I might just use it instead of a planned one.
Anywho, what did you think of the chapter? Did you like the way I handled the group gaining human forms? What do you think Raph and Donnie will look like, and should Leo get a haircut? Let me know what you think down below and I'll try to get back to you ASAP! This is Inkaliber, signing out.
