- Chapter 20 -

Metalhead

In Hisako's room, Hisako sat in a meditative position across from April, the redhead mimicking her position. April's powers showed no sign of going away, and she was desperate to control them. Thus, Hisako was doing all she could to help her.

"Close your eyes," Hisako instructed. "Focus on your breathing. Let the world around you fade away."

April obediently closed her eyes, taking slow, deep breaths. She felt the voices in her head slowly begin to fade away.

"Nothing exists outside of the two of us," Hisako continued. "No Krang, no Foot, no voices."

April gave a slight nod, continuing to focus.

"Hey, girls!" came the voice of Mikey. "You get April's powers under control yet?"

That blew their concentration in and instant. Their eyes opened and both girls turned to glare at Mikey. The orange turtle was standing in the doorway, seemingly oblivious to what he had done.

"Damn it, Mikey!" April shouted.

"Why are you even here?" Hisako demanded. "I told you this was a 'No Mikey' zone."

"She made a sign and everything," April added, pointing to a sign on the wall.

The sign depicted a picture of Mikey with a "no" symbol across it, reading "No Mikeys allowed." Mikey shrugged.

"Donnie sent me to get you guys," he explained. "He wanted to show off his newest invention. He's been working with that Dr. Lily-whatever."

"Dr. Lillja," Hisako corrected.

"Alright," April said. "Let's see what he's up to."

Hisako stood up, offering a hand to April. April was about to take it, but stopped.

"I shouldn't-" she remarked, recalling what had happened at the Worldwide Genome Project.

"Right," Hisako said sheepishly, retracting her hand as she too remembered. "Sorry. Still getting used to that."

April just pulled herself up and they followed Mikey out of the room.

It wasn't long before the group met up in front of an old warehouse.

"This is where he lives?" Vee asked.

"From the sound of it, yeah," Kagome replied.

"What is it with fugitives and old warehouses?" Hisako questioned. "There's gotta be better places to lay low."

"According to Don, he's always lived here," Leo answered. "Dr. Lillja's... a bit of an oddball."

"Like we have any position to judge," Vee admitted.

After a minute, the door slid open, revealing a smiling Donnie. "Great, you all made it."

"What's all this about, Don?" Raph asked.

"Just come in," Donnie began, "and all will be made clear."

The group entered, marveling at various gadgets and pieces of equipment all over the place. Mikey's eye caught on a gauntlet like device.

"Ooh, what's that?" he said, reaching for it, only for Donnie to slap his hand away.

"Look with your eyes, not your hands," he said sternly.

"Donnie, what is it?" Hisako asked.

"Dr. Lillja displayed this at last year's New World Expo," Donnie explained. "The Anti-Gravity Gauntlet."

"Anti-gravity?" Raph questioned. "You mean-?"

"Yep, it gives the user control over gravity. But there are a few bugs I helped him work out."

"Like what?" asked April.

"The original design drew power from the user's own bio-electricity."

"So, it's like mine and April's power," Hisako compared. "Powerful, but deadly in excess."

"Not anymore." Donnie couldn't keep the smug look off his face. "We added external power sources to circumvent that."

"Good to know," said Leo.

Donnie chuckled. "Funny story. Last year at the expo, Dr. Lillja demonstrated the gauntlet on a hot dog cart. He ended up disqualified because he dropped and damaged it."

"The gauntlet or the hot dog cart?" Mikey asked.

"The cart," Donnie replied. "He burned himself out using the gauntlet."

Hisako winced, hissing slightly in sympathy. "Bet he felt that in the morning."

"Yep. But that's not what I called you all here to see. Follow me."

He led the group back to a workshop, where Harold and Rockwell waited.

"Dr. Lillja," Leo greeted. "Dr. Rockwell."

"Greetings," Rockwell said with a smile.

Their attention was soon drawn to a table in the middle of the workshop, where a figure lay beneath a large white cloth.

"Don't tell me you guys have been playing Frankenstein," Mikey questioned, already picturing the outcome in his mind.

"Let me explain," Harold began. "After you saved us from Krang, I decided I needed to work on keeping myself more secure. So with Donatello's help, I whipped up a new security robot."

"Donnie always wanted to make a robot," Leo recalled. "Ever since Kagome introduced us to Star Wars."

"Looks like he finally found a way to build it," added Raph.

"Yep," Donnie grinned. "So, without further ado..."

With a flourish, he whipped the cloth off of the table and the group took in the figure underneath. It was a short robotic turtle with a yellow "bandana" circling its head.

"That's it?" Vee said flatly. "I thought it'd look more... imposing."

"Great things come in small packages," Donnie retorted. "And thanks to Dr. Lillja, I was able to get my hands on actual weaponry. We installed an Anti-Gravity Gauntlet in its right arm, and its left arm has a flamethrower, machine gun, and laser cannon. Then there's the laser eyes."

"Laser eyes?" April asked in surprise, getting a nod from Donnie.

Mikey looked over the inactive robot, contemplating, then deciding on it.

"Let's call him Metalhead!" he announced, getting looks from others. "Y'know. His head's made of metal."

"We get it..." everyone else said flatly.

"Does it work?" Hisako questioned.

Harold smirked and pressed a button nearby. Metalhead's eyes lit up, glowing a bright blue color as it stood up.

"It works," Kagome said with mild surprise and awe.

"It's still in the testing phase," Harold remarked.

April let out a groan, rubbing her temples. The others took notice.

"You okay?" Donnie asked in concern.

"My head..." April moaned. "So many voices..."

"Hisako," Leo said, turning to her, "you should take her back to the lair."

"Good idea." Hisako reached out to take April's hand, but stopped herself. "Just... follow me."

April nodded and Hisako led her out of the workshop.

"April's not handling being a psychic well," Vee said sympathetically.

"Hope Hisako can help her," Donnie remarked.

At the lair, Splinter brewed some jasmine tea. Kasumi sat next to Hisako and April on the couch, April rubbing her head all the while.

"All these voices in my head..." April groaned. "I can't shut them up!"

"I hate to admit it, but they never do," Hisako confessed. "I just learned to tune them out."

"I'm hearing every voice in New York! How can I possibly tune them all out?!"

"I know it feels like all of New York, but I doubt it is. It's just overwhelming."

Splinter came over with a cup of tea, giving it to April. She took a sip, sighing.

"What can I do?" she asked. "If I don't get a filter or something on this soon..."

She just put her head in her hands, the very idea making her already aching head worse. Kasumi placed a hand on April's shoulder.

"Hisako found peace through discipline and training. And you can do the same."

April raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Splinter and Kasumi exchanged a look, nodding at each other.

"To help you control these abilities, we would like to train you as a kunoichi," Kasumi explained.

April gasped in surprise. "You mean it?"

"It's a great idea," Hisako said. "Training is one of the best ways to discipline your mind, and train your body to be stronger."

"If I do this," April began, "does this mean I get to kick everybody's butt?"

"We don't believe in using our abilities that way," Splinter replied.

"But yeah," Hisako added softly. "In time."

"However, I must warn you," Splinter continued. "It will be the hardest thing you've ever done. It will drain you mentally, physically, and spiritually."

"Hey, can't be any worse than high school," April deadpanned. "And if Kagome can handle it, so can I."

Kasumi smiled. "That's the spirit."

"So when can we start?" April asked.

"Right now, if you wish," Kasumi replied.

Back at Harold's workshop, the group looked over Metalhead.

"Well, if Metalhead here's still in the testing phase," Mikey began, "why don't we take him out for a test run?"

"I do need to gather combat data," Harold admitted, stroking his beard.

"Maybe a sparring session will do us all some good," Leo remarked.

"Alright," Donnie said with a small grin on his face. "But don't blame us when he hands you all your shells."

"No tin can has ever beat us," Raph replied, cracking his knuckles. "And that ain't about to start."

"Alright then," Harold replied. "Activating Battle Mode."

He pressed a few buttons, and Metalhead's eyes changed from blue to red. Raph charged in first, drawing his sais and jumping into the air, flying directly at Metalhead. The robot casually caught his sais in one hand, and then slammed him off the ground about four times before tossing him into the wall.

"That's gonna leave a mark," Vee winced, shrinking into her shell.

"Who's next?" Donnie asked.

Leo and Mikey double-teamed the robot, slashing and striking at him from both sides. Neither made any dents in the metal. Finally, Metalhead grabbed their weapons and yanked them forward, bashing their heads together before stomping on Leo's toes. Leo screamed in pain before Metalhead punted him across the room, right into Raph.

"Yeowch," Vee declared. "Yeah, I'm gonna opt out of this slaughterfest."

"Hmmm..." Mikey mused. "Maybe this'll work!"

He swung his foot, kicking Metalhead in the crotch. Predictably, he began hopping around, clutching his battered toes.

"Oh..." Mikey managed, pained, "your poor wife!"

Vee facepalmed. "How did you think that would work? Even you can't be that dense."

"Vee," Kagome interjected matter-of-factly. "It's Mikey."

"Good point."

"Owie..." Mikey whimpered, rubbing his foot. "Owie..."

"Hell of a security robot, Doctor," Leo remarked, pulling himself up.

"Not just for security," Harold replied, smirking. "It's been programmed to hunt down Krang's men and facilities."

"Whoa there," Vee said, holding up her hands. "You just escaped from Krang, and now you want to send a robot after him?"

"He needs to be wiped out," Harold retorted. "I thought you'd understand."

"I do understand," Vee insisted before her train of thought came to a screeching halt. "Leo, help me out here."

"Vee's right," Leo remarked. "It's risky."

"More than risky, it's stupid," Raph added. "We've been fighting these brain blobs for months now. Had way too many close calls. And that's with seven of us."

"Well, Metalhead here is on a whole different level," Harold said proudly.

"I have to agree with my siblings on this one," Donnie cut in. "I just installed the Hunter program so it wouldn't attack innocent civilians, not to take on an entire alien race."

"For God's sake," Harold grumbled. "How can you all be so obtuse?"

That got him blank stares from the others.

"Uh... what?" Mikey asked.

"You're... using that word wrong, Harold," Donnie said.

"You're not changing my mind on this either way," Harold replied stubbornly. "Metalhead is going to destroy Krang's operations."

"Wait," Leo began. "What are you-"

Harold pressed a button, and Metalhead converted into a small, four-wheeled vehicle mode before blasting off.

"Speeder Mode," Harold declared. "He'll hunt 'em down in no time."

"Damn it, Harold!" Donnie shouted, stomping his foot. "I agreed to make you a security robot, not a weapon of war!"

"We better go after it," Mikey said.

As they turned to go, Raph glared at Harold. "When this crashes and burns, remember one thing: We warned you, old man."

Some distance away, Metalhead stopped, scanning around for any evidence of Utroms. He eventually detected some in a nearby building. Its eyes turned red, and it moved in, ripping the door off with the Anti-Gravity Gauntlet. The Utroms within barely had time to react before Metalhead jumped into the fray.

-X-

Soon after, the Turtles and Kagome arrived, hearing laser fire from within.

"Sounds like he found them," Leo remarked.

"Donnie," Kagome began, turning to him, "how do we shut Metalhead down?"

"Uh... well..." Donnie stammered. "I don't know."

That got him incredulous looks from the others.

"Are you shitting me?" Raph screamed. "You helped make that thing, and you DON'T KNOW HOW TO STOP IT?!"

"I thought it was a defense robot! A bodyguard!" Donnie said defensively. "How was I supposed to know Dr. Lillja would add stuff like this behind my back?!"

"What's done is done," Leo cut in. "We need to figure out a way to stop it."

They looked inside, surveying the carnage Metalhead had inflicted. The inside of the building was a ruin, and Krangdroid parts were all over the place. The walls were covered in laser blasts, the building's structural integrity going down by the minute.

"Holy Chalupa," Mikey gasped. "At this rate, Metalhead's gonna cause more damage to the city than Krang will!"

"Don..." Raph began, annoyed, "how many weapons did you install again?"

"Well, there's the anti-gravity gauntlet in his right arm, then the flamethrower, machine gun, and laser cannon in the other," Donnie listed off.

"We're totally boned, aren't we?" Vee said flatly.

"We're gonna need backup," Leo remarked. "Mikey, call Hisako. Tell her to get here ASAP."

Back at the lair, Hisako and April sat in their meditative positions once again.

"Close your eyes," Hisako instructed. "Focus on my voice."

April obliged, concentrating.

"Focus on my voice alone," Hisako continued.

April did so, shutting everything else out.

"Now," Hisako's voice echoed in her mind, "what do you hear?"

"Your voice," April replied mentally.

"Aside from that, what do you hear?"

"Nothing," was the reply.

Hisako grinned. "No other voices?" She asked knowingly.

"No," April replied. "I think we've done it."

They sat up, coming out of their meditation.

"That's the first trick Splinter taught me," Hisako explained. "Focus on a single voice, and the others drain away. For silence, just focus on your own."

"Sound advice," April remarked, closing her eyes. "They're... a lot quieter now. I don't hear them anymore."

At that very moment, Hisako's T-Phone went off.

"No rest for the wicked," Hisako sighed, answering the phone. "Psychic hotline. Madame Turtelli speaking."

"Hisako!" came Mikey's voice. "We have an emergency!"

"Is this a 'the pizza guy is late' emergency, or a 'Shredder's here' emergency?"

"It's Metalhead! Lillja had more planned for him than just guard duty."

"Oh, great," Hisako groaned. "What happened?"

"He's sent him out to hunt down and destroy every Krang outpost he can find. We found what's left of one he took out... it's not pretty."

Hisako scoffed. "I fail to see how this is a problem. Let the robot take out Krang. Son of a bitch deserves worse."

"Think about it for a second. A killer robot armed with heavy weaponry, going on a rampage. Metalhead could end up causing way more damage to the city than Krang and Shredder could ever hope to."

"Okay, now I see the problem," Hisako admitted. "Where are you?"

"A warehouse on the Upper East Side. We're about to take him on."

"I'll be there," Hisako assured, hanging up the phone. She then turned to April. "We figured out your telepathy. Now time to see the extent of our combined telekinesis. You're coming too."

"Well, okay then," April conceded.

"I'd do it here, but I've broken enough lamps. Let's go."

-X-

The two girls arrived at the warehouse at record time, just in time to see Metalhead light up a Krangdroid with a machine gun.

"Damn..." Hisako remarked. "You went all out, Donnie."

"I know," Donnie sighed. "If I'd known Dr. Lillja planned something like this, I would never have agreed to help him build this thing."

"What's done is done," Leo cut in. "Let's just fix this mess."

"Agreed," Hisako said. "April, you ready?"

April nodded. "Yeah."

The two girls grabbed hands, beginning to glow green and yellow, respectively.

"Everyone stand back," they warned in unison, the others obliging. They raised their free hands, and Metalhead was clad in the green-and-yellow aura, stopping in place.

"Holy-" April began.

"Concentrate," Hisako interrupted. "Don't lose focus."

"Donnie, shut him down!" Leo ordered.

Donnie obediently ran over, popping open an access panel in Metalhead's back and pressing a few buttons inside. Within minutes, Metalhead collapsed, its eyes blank. Hisako and April dropped the robot, letting go of each other's hands. Hisako stumbled slightly, but April collapsed.

"Whew..." she breathed.

"It's exhausting the first couple times," Hisako said, falling to her knees. "You'll get used to it."

Donnie picked up Metalhead, a look of anger on his face. "We're gonna give Lillja a little piece of our mind."

They went back to Harold's warehouse. Harold was taken aback when Donnie dumped Metalhead at his feet.

"My robot!" he shouted. "Do you have any idea what you've done?!"

"Do you?!" Leo demanded. "He wrecked an entire warehouse pursuing Krangdroids!"

"You're really damn lucky no civilians were around!" Raph added. "That thing could've caused a lot more damage!"

"Do you have any idea what that creature has done? Or what he plans to do to this planet?" Harold demanded, pointing to April. "To your psychic friend there?"

Hisako scowled at him before ripping off her jacket, revealing her multitude of scars. That shut Harold up in an instant.

"We know what he's done," she declared as she put her jacket back on. "I lived it. But no matter how much I want him gone, I am not willing to sacrifice this city. Or any innocent people!"

"And if this happens again, we're shutting you down," Donnie warned.

"You won't be saying that when he comes for Miss O'Neil," Harold retorted. "He needs her, after all."

"He won't touch her," Mikey declared.

Harold scoffed. "Good luck with that."

They departed the warehouse. As they left, Donnie turned to the others. "I wiped the Hunter program when I shut him down. Metalhead will only act defensively from now on."

"Good to hear," said Vee.

"So, Hisako," April began, turning to her. "Whaddaya say we go back and train some more?"

"Sounds fun," Hisako said, smiling. "Let's get to it."

Author's Note:

Another one bites the dust.

Voice cast for this chapter:

* Harold - R. Bruce Elliott (Richard Moore from Case Closed, Captain Ginyu from Dragon Ball Z, Makarov from Fairy Tail, Whitebeard from One Piece, Odin from High School DxD, Xerx from BloodRayne 2)

Please R&R. Until next time!