- Chapter 40 -
Return to the Underground
It had been a few weeks since Yukio had ventured home to Japan to find Oyuki. His clan business had long since been dealt with, and all that remained was his wayward sister. He had not found her in any of her old haunts, and the landlord of her apartment had told him she had been evicted. Now, he was hopping across the rooftops every night, praying to find any sign of his sister. He took a moment to catch his breath, stretching his sore muscles out.
"This used to be so easy…" he lamented.
As he took a moment to rest, movement out of the corner of his eye made him pause. On the rooftop just below him, he saw a young woman looking over the edge of the safety railing. To his horror, he saw her sliding off her shoes, leaving them neatly in front of the railing (1). Reacting quickly, he jumped down and landed behind the woman, catching her by the arm.
"Don't," he pleaded. "Please."
The woman stiffened, her back to him and the light far too dim for him to make out any details. However, when she spoke, he recognized her voice instantly.
"How pathetic…" she muttered. "Even now I still hear him scolding me…"
Yukio stiffened before spinning her around, allowing him to get a good look at her face. The figure was a young woman in her early 20s with short black hair and blue eyes, a single bang covering her left one. She was wearing a black leather jacket over a red shirt and simple blue jeans.
"Oyuki…"
The woman looked him over, her eyes devoid of hope or a spark of life. Then, she seemed to finally see him and a tiny flicker of light appeared in them.
"Y-...Yukio? Is it… really you?"
"Oyuki, what are you doing? Why are you about to do something so... unthinkable?" He ran a gentle hand through her hair before cupping her cheek. "Why didn't you call me when you got evicted?"
"I couldn't get ahold of you. I tried going to the dojo, but they said you'd moved to America."
"I did, yes. But I came back." He tightened his grip on her ever so slightly. "I came back for you."
Oyuki pulled away, tears running down her face and voice cracking.
"I am so, so sorry, Yuki," she wept. "I'm so sorry and ashamed of what I did. I never should've abandoned you and the clan."
Yukio shushed her gently, pulling her back in and hugging her.
"I'm sorry I didn't try harder to convince you to stay. And I'm sorry I didn't come and find you first before leaving for America," He pulled back, holding her face in his hands. "But some good came of it, sister. We found Hamato Yoshi and Kasumi Lee overseas."
Oyuki just blinked. "That's impossible. Yoshi's dead."
"I expected that reaction. If you need proof…"
Yukio pulled out his phone, scrolling through different pics Makoto had been sending him. Eventually, he found one and showed it to her, a group photo of the assembled Hamato/Lee family. Splinter and Kasumi stood in the middle, Splinter holding his cane and his eyes closed in a serene expression, with Hisako by his right side, hugging his arm with a smile. Kasumi was to his left, a hand on Kagome's shoulder in front, while Leo stood next to her, Donnie leaning casually on his shoulder. On the far left, Raph had Mikey, who was making dual V signs with both hands, in a playful headlock, while Vee was behind them giving Raph bunny ears (2). He tapped Splinter in particular.
"That rat is Hamato Yoshi," he explained. "The rest are his children."
Oyuki looked at the photo, blinking in surprise and confusion. She had seen reports about the New York mutants, but she didn't think they were actually real. The Hamato crest on the rat's robe all but sealed the deal.
"He's alive..." she let out. "By the Ancestors, Hamato Yoshi lives..."
"Kasumi saved him from the blaze that night, and they fled to New York City shortly after," Yukio explained. "His mutation occurred a year after."
Looking back at the photo, Oyuki's gaze settled on Hisako's image. "The blonde girl... Miwa?"
"No." Yukio shook his head slightly. "That is Hamato Hisako, one of his adoptive mutant children. He and Kasumi have been raising them beneath the city for the past fifteen years."
"Then... Miwa is lost to us…" Oyuki let out sadly. "Damn that monster..."
"Not quite... I'm sure you've heard of Saki's so-called daughter, Karai?"
Oyuki perked. "No... he didn't..."
Yukio nodded grimly. "She has been manipulated and brainwashed into believing that Saki is her father, and that Yoshi murdered her mother."
Oyuki's expression soured, her fists clenching. "Bastard..."
"We'll get her back," Yukio assured. "Yoshi's children have a plan for that. But for now, I have what I came for." He placed a hand on his sister's shoulder. "There's nothing left for us here, Oyuki. Please, come back to America with me."
Oyuki looked back at the railing for a moment, then bent down and picked up her shoes. That simple gesture seemed to breathe life back into Yukio as they turned and walked towards the rooftop entrance.
"These turtles... Yoshi's children..." she began. "What are they like?"
Yukio smiled. "They're the very model of Hamato Clan shinobi. He raised them with honor."
Raph slammed his fist against the door to Donnie's lab hard enough to shake the frame.
"I know you're in there!" he shouted. "Open up!"
When he got no response, Raph let out a growl. "Last chance, Donnie! You have until the count of ten to open the door, or I'll break it down!" When he again got silence, Raph pulled back. "Alright, you asked for it! One! Two! TEN!"
He went to kick it down, only for a green halo to stop him.
"Raph, the door's not even locked," Hisako informed him. "And it's a slide door. All you'll do is hurt yourself."
"..Right," Raph rubbed the back of his head.
Hisako set him down, and the two slid the door open. When they entered, they saw it was a complete mess. The tables were covered in so many notes and papers, one could mistake it for a tablecloth. More than a few of the lightbulbs had burned out, and there were cans of Red Bull, empty styrofoam cappuccino and instant ramen cups, and snack wrappers everywhere.
"Christ…" Raph let out. "And I thought Mikey's room was a pigsty."
"Hey!" Mikey came into the room to argue, but stopped short of the door. "Oh... okay, I have no argument for this. This is way worse than my room."
The other Hamato siblings filed in, eventually finding Donnie at his lab table pouring over notes and calculations, tubes of April's blood and mutagen by him. April herself was passed out in a beanbag chair nearby, and Erika was practically out cold herself, her chin resting on her fist.
"Oh geez... he's in a Death March..." Leo managed. "And a bad one."
"They're not dead, are they? Vee asked.
"Let me check," Mikey walked over to April and Erika. "Hey! Are you two dead?!"
Erika sprang awake with a yelp, falling out of her chair while April got up, barely able to open her eyes.
"Oh c'mon, Dad!" she whined. "I'm too tired to go to school!"
"You're in the lair, April," Leo informed her.
"Erika, I thought you went home days ago," Kagome said. "Why are you still here?"
Erika yawned, wiping her eyes. "He called the two of us in last night to help with his retro-mutagen experiments. Guess we lost track of time."
"Erika… it's dinnertime," Hisako informed her. "On Thursday. Donnie called you in Monday."
Erika processed that, still half-asleep, before her eyes snapped wide open. "Say what?!"
Hisako wordlessly handed over her T-Phone, with the time and date visible.
"Oh, my God... Mom's gonna kill me!" Erika scrambled up, tripping over a stool before springing back to her feet. "We'll have to pick this up some other time! See you later!"
"Your mom's gonna kill you and my dad's gonna kill me!" April grabbed her sneakers off the ground and snagged her hoodie. "I am so dead! Bye, Donnie! Good luck!"
Both girls fled the lair as the siblings watched. Donnie hadn't looked up from his work once.
"Donnie?" Leo asked, Donnie giving no sign that he heard.
"Hello?" Mikey waved a hand in front of his face. "Hamato Donatello? Donatello Splinterson? Anybody home?"
When he got no reaction, Mikey blew a whistle in his ears, before banging two trash can lids together like cymbals. Through it all, Donnie remained silent and still. Mikey rubbed his chin in thought.
"Hmmm what else is loud and obnoxious?" He snapped his fingers before putting his T-Phone up to Donnie's ear, blaring the ringtone, still getting nothing.
"Try April's ringtone?" Vee offered. "He always answers that one."
Before he could, Splinter entered the room, hands over his ears.
"What is going on in here?" the rat sensei demanded.
All of them jumped, Mikey fumbling the phone and dropping it into Donnie's coffee cupIt sank like it was in quicksand.
"Awww, maaan!" Mikey whined.
Donnie blinked, finally reacting and turning around. Huh? What's going on? When did everybody…"
They cringed at his look. He had massive dark circles and bags under his bloodshot eyes, and his face was greasy. It was clear he hadn't slept or showered in several days.
"Donatello, what is the meaning of this?" Splinter demanded. "Your lab is in worse condition than Michelangelo's room."
"Oh come on!" Mikey objected.
"I'm perfecting the retro-mutagen, Dad. What's the big deal? It's not the first time I've camped out in the lab for a little while."
"Don," Vee interjected, "you started working on this project Monday."
"So?"
"Today's Thursday."
Donnie blinked owlishly, clearly not believing his sister. He checked the date, and his eyes went wide. "Wha…?"
"When was the last time you ate?" Hisako questioned, looking around at the instant noodle cups everywhere and the filthy coffee pot. "Or showered? Or slept?"
"Too long," Leo declared. "We're putting an end to this Death March here and now."
"I made them a promise!" Donnie insisted as Leo moved to pry him from the lab. "I can't stop now, Leo! Not when I'm so close!"
"You need to take care of yourself first." Leo insisted.
Donnie just took a swig of coffee, about to turn back to his work. At that, Leo sighed.
"Alright. My hand has been forced. Grab him!"
The other five immediately joined Leo in dogpiling Donnie, grabbing the brainy turtle and dragging him out of the lab en masse.
"Stop! STOP!" Donnie screamed, squirming to get loose. "I need to make the retro-mutagen! Not just for Sydney and the others, but for Dad as well!"
That immediately stopped them, the siblings dropping him with a thud.
"For me?" Splinter repeated.
"Of course," Donnie rose to his feet. "I mean, you weren't born a mutant like us. You were a human once, and with the retro-mutagen, you can be again. You can be Hamato Yoshi again."
Splinter was silent, thinking it over.
"To be human once more, to walk the streets, to feel the sunlight... I will not deny I have often dreamed of it," he confessed. "But this form is not without its advantages, Donatello. I have abilities that have aided us in the past. My night vision and my sense of smell."
"But as a human, you could go topside anytime to see what Shredder's up to." Donnie countered.
"Be that as it may, this is not a decision to make lightly. Save Krang's diggers first, and then I will consider it."
"Right. Now, if I can just-" Donnie went to go back into the lab, but Splinter's cane stopped him.
"After you have taken a shower, eaten a full meal, and sleep uninterrupted for the night," he said sternly. "Rescuing the victims is important, but your health and well-being come first."
"But-" Donnie was cut off when Hisako stepped forward.
"You are going to do what Dad told you to do," Her mist swirled around him, his eyes clouding over quickly. Donnie tried to resist, but his exhaustion left him in no condition to.
"I'm going to do what Dad told me to do." he droned before walking off.
Leo let out a breath of relief. "If he fell that quickly, we got here just in time."
"Agreed," Vee took a seat. "No wonder he's been working himself like this. All for Dad…"
"Dad as a human again…" Raph mused. "Is it bad that I can't imagine him as anything other than a rat?"
"We never knew him as a human," Hisako noted. "We've only known him as a rat."
"But... if he takes it, what if he wants to go live topside again?" Mikey asked sadly. "Stay with his own kind? I mean-"
"Stopping you right there, Mikey," Kagome said, gently taking his shoulders. "Don't ever think something like that. Human or mutant, he's your father. Our father. He'll never abandon you."
"Agreed," said Hisako. "Nothing matters more to him than this family. Human, rat, that will never change."
"Right, sorry," Mikey perked up. "Thinking on the cynical side is Raph's thing, not mine."
"I'm sitting right here," Raph said, annoyed.
"I know."
"And you're within smacking range."
Mikey sat there for a minute, then scooted out of range, much to everyone's amusement.
The next day, after making sure to eat breakfast and shower, Donnie went back to the lab. Mikey had headed topside not too long ago for something important, in his words. As they relaxed and watched more of Super Robo Mecha Force Five, Tai came down into the lair.
"So…" he began civilly. "on behalf of my mom, someone mind explaining to me why Erika was down here all week without calling us or anything? I must've left fifty texts."
"She was helping Donnie with the retro-mutagen, and got swept up in his latest Death March," Vee replied.
"Yeah, we didn't even realize she was in there with him until Raph went to check on him," Leo rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry."
"Seriously?" Tai groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I get that he's concerned for Sydney and the other mutants, but he needs to-"
"BOOYAKASHA!"
Everyone jumped out of their skin to hear the triumphant yell come from Donnie's lab.
"Booyakasha?" Tai blinked. "Thought that was a Mikey thing."
"Trust me, it sounds weird when anyone says it," Raph deadpanned.
The doors to the lab flew open as Donnie ran out, holding an orange mutagen canister.
"Finally!" he cheered. "Weeks of blood, sweat, tears, and literally burning a Bunsen at both ends pay off! In your face, Krang! In! Your! FACE!"
"Calm down, Donnie," Leo insisted. "You're gonna break something."
"So that's it?" Tai questioned. "Looks like orange juice to me."
"Looks can be deceiving," Donnie replied, holding up the canister. "This special batch of my retro-mutagen isolates the mutagenic signature in DNA, eradicating it and replacing it with healthy chains. This should be enough to cure all the diggers in the Undercity."
"Can you make more?" Vee questioned.
"Yeah, but this took ten canisters of basic mutagen to refine. I don't have any left."
"Then we'll have to make this one count." Leo decided.
"I'll get in contact with the clan," Tai told them. "See who I can get for an underground mission."
"I'll get Mortu up to date," Hisako said.
"Anyone who can come, tell them to meet us at the garage where we first found those crystals," Donnie ordered. "I've got something stashed there that should be able to get us down there without much hassle."
Sometime later, they met up at the aforementioned garage. Tai was there, Miko, Hana, Erika, and Jade with him.
"This is everyone you could get?" Mikey asked, lugging a big cloth bag that was filled to the brim with something.
"Dad called," Hana replied. "He found Aunt Oyuki and convinced her to come back to the States with him. Everyone else is busy prepping a room for her."
"What's with the bag?" Jade asked Mikey.
"Oh this?" Mikey held it up. "It's just some essentials."
"Essentials?" Kagome questioned.
"Yeah, since you're a model, I figure I can ask this," Mikey pulled two shirts out of the bag. "What goes better with hot pink pants?"
At their blank looks, he shrugged. "What? Can't a turtle ask for fashion advice?"
"Why do you have all these?" Kagome asked.
"Because there's no way these guys should come back to the surface in rags. So I raided Goodwill for all the supplies we need.."
At the local Goodwill, the workers were staring at their empty clothes and shoe rack, a large money wad on the counter. There was a note on top of the money that just said "THX" with a turtle shell icon.
"Well... that's very considerate of you, Mikey," Hana commended. "But I doubt they'll really care if their clothes match."
"Anyway," Donnie interjected, gaining everyone's attention, "let me show you how we're going to be traveling down to the Undercity."
He slid open the door and the group gasped at the sight of the hi-tech digging machine they'd initially seen in the Krang outpost. This time, it had been painted green with a turtle shell insignia on the side.
"That's the excavator we saw at the warehouse that day," Erika realized. "But how did you-?"
"A turtle has its ways," Donnie said simply, gesturing to the machine. "Allow me to introduce… The Turtle Tunneler! Comes equipped with a drill, all-terrain wheels that can cling to walls… the works."
"Have to say Don, you really outdid yourself," Leo complimented. "Just don't kill yourself doing it next time."
They all piled into the vehicle one by one, Donnie activating the drill. It turned on with a loud roat as they began tunneling down into the earth.
As they descended down, Tai looked at the back, noticing several hi-tech backpacks attached to the seats.
"Hey, Don, what's with these?" he asked.
"Survival packs. Made 'em using tech and weapons I found on the tunneler," Donnie replied. "They come equipped with flashlights, deployable nets, concussive stun blasts, and grappling hooks. One for all of us."
"You've thought of everything, haven't you?" Vee remarked.
Donnie shrugged. "I'd rather have one and not need it than need one and not have it."
"Alright, team," Leo declared, putting one of the packs on. "Let's do this."
Eventually, they emerged in the cliffs overlooking the Undercity, but something was off. Hana glanced up, and gasped in shock.
"Look!" she exclaimed, pointing up.
They all followed her finger and gasped. The crystal moon that had floated above the city the last time they were there was gone!
"The moon!" Vee exclaimed. "Where'd it go?!"
"Guys…" Jade let out, "that moon was the only thing keeping Sydney and the others human, right?"
They nodded, horror dawning as they realized what Jade was getting at, just as the sounds of snarling and jabbering reached their ears. A massive spider creature began stalking toward the Tunneler, alongside a giant cyclops monster.
"Oh, crap!" Kagome screamed. "Punch it, Don!"
Donnie turned and floored it, but they didn't get very far before the creatures grabbed onto the Tunneler, lifting it up and tossing it off the cliff to the river of lava below. They all screamed as the Tunneler splashed down into the molten rock.
"It's all over!" Mikey shouted. "I'm frying! I'm turtle soup! I had so much to live for!"
"Relax, I remembered the lava," Donnie told him. "I installed a heat shield."
"...Oh," Mikey let out.
Erika looked at him, a blank expression on her face. "Now, could you please let go of Tai before you kill him with your death grip?"
Mikey looked down. Indeed, he had grabbed Tai around the neck in his fear, and the teen was starting to turn blue in the face.
"Whoops." Mikey let go of Tai, who collapsed, gasping for air. "Sorry about that."
"You could have told us about the shielding, y'know," Kagome pointed out.
"And I was supposed to know they'd changed back and would've thrown us into the lava how?" Donnie questioned rhetorically.
"Whatever," said Raph. "Let's just get out there and see what we can do."
-X-
They made it to the Undercity, near the tower where they first confronted the Entity. Keeping on their toes, they entered, noticing the still-frozen body of the Entity standing where they had left him.
"At least this guy's still under wraps," Hana remarked.
"That's definitely a plus," Donnie agreed. "But it doesn't bring us any closer to finding Sydney and the others."
Something caught his eye and he looked down. It was the Entity's crystal amulet, glowing slightly.
"Hmmm…" he muttered. "This is the first crystal we've seen since we got here."
He reached for it, his fingertips brushing the crystal. On contact, it lit up, and a hidden door opened up to reveal a new room.
"That's new," Mizuki remarked.
Leo walked in, and promptly stopped at the doorway. "No way… I don't believe it."
The others followed him in, and gaped in shock to discover the room was filled with people frozen in stasis, all of them resembling the Entity. Jade scowled, realizing what that meant.
"That bastard lied to us! He's not the sole survivor of his race at all!" she snapped, clenching her fists. "He was gonna hold Sydney and her pals prisoner down here for nothing!"
Tai stroked his chin in thought.
"Something definitely smells fishy around here," he muttered. "Why fool us with that sob story about being the last of his kind?"
A loud, monstrous hiss in the distance drew their attention.
"Maybe we should save that mystery for another time?" Vee suggested hurriedly.
Donnie quickly hefted the crystal, and the door closed… but then something began pounding on the door, which dented under the assault. Eventually, something began to melt through it. Then, in burst Sydney in full monster form, hissing and growling wildly.
"Sydney?!" Mikey said in relief. "Hey, girl! We've been looking for you!"
But his relief was short-lived when Sydney snarled, spewing acid in their direction.
"EEP!" Mikey let out, jumping back. "What's her problem?"
"The side effects…" Erika realized. "She said a side effect of the mutation was losing their sanity! It's finally happened to her!"
Donnie hurriedly pulled the retro-mutagen vial and a syringe out of his pack, filling the syringe up.
"Keep her busy!" he told the others.
"Easier said than done!" Leo retorted.
"Press the button on the belt!" Donnie informed him.
Leo did so just as Sydney leapt at them, and a purple concussive blast fired out of the pack, knocking her down.
"Whoa… that was something," he let out.
"Now the button on the left strap!" Donnie exclaimed.
Raph did so, and a thick net fired out of his own pack, ensnaring Sydney.
"Grab her!" Leo ordered.
He, Raph, and Tai immediately tackled Sydney, pinning her down as Donnie approached.
"Sorry, Sydney," he told her as he plunged the syringe in Sydney's neck and injected her. Panting and breathing heavily, Sydney settled down, and Leo, Raph, and Tai let her go as she shifted back to human. The boys immediately covered their eyes as Sydney pulled herself up, covering her breasts with one arm.
"You… you came back…" she let out. "I knew you would…"
Keeping his eyes tightly shut, Tai removed his leather jacket and tossed it at Sydney.
"H-here," he stammered. "I know it's not much, but it's better than nothing."
"Thankfully, Mikey thought ahead," Donnie told them, the orange turtle pulling a pile of folded clothes out of his pack and handing it to Sydney. "I never thought I would ever say that with a straight face."
Mikey glared at Donnie as Sydney got dressed.
-X-
Later, Sydney, fully dressed, spoke with the group.
"Sorry it took so long," Donnie told her. "Working out a retro-mutagen was harder than I thought."
"I admit we were getting a little worried," Sydney replied. "But I knew you'd all come back eventually."
"Sydney," Vee began, "what happened to the Crystal Moon?"
Sydney sighed. "It's all our fault. We got desperate, using up most of the crystals trying to find a cure."
"That explains where most of the crystals went," Mikey realized.
"Yes," Sydney nodded. "When we ran out, we turned to the Crystal Moon. We found some explosive geodes that the Entity had stashed away, and hoped to use it to break off a piece of the moon."
"Let me guess," Jade interjected. "It worked too well."
"Far too well…" Sydney lamented. "Instead of just breaking off a piece of the Crystal Moon, we dislodged the whole thing. It fell into the lava around the city. And without it…"
"You changed back into monsters and lost your minds." Hana finished.
Leo sighed. "I'm sorry, Sydney."
"Damn it…" Donnie cursed. "If only I'd realized April's blood was the key sooner. We could've stopped this."
"It's not your fault," Sydney assured him. "You did everything you could."
"Don't beat yourself up, Donnie," Makoto insisted. "We're here now, and we can fix things."
"Yes," Sydney said. "Unfortunately, everyone's been mutated back. Including Richard…"
She sighed sadly, one hand unconsciously going to her belly. The girls all went wide-eyed, but remained silent.
"Who?" Leo asked, not realizing the apparent significance of Sydney's gesture.
"Stonebiter's real name," Sydney explained. "We were a couple before Krang got ahold of us. We still are."
"Then we'll find him first," Raph told her.
Sydney smiled gratefully. "Thank you…"
As they began to go out the door, the girls lagged back. Erika leaned over to Kagome.
"You saw it, didn't you?" she whispered. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"I did," Kagome whispered back. "She's-"
"Hey!" Leo shouted back. "C'mon!"
That snapped them back to attention.
"Should we tell them?" Jade asked.
"No. Not right now," Vee decided. "Let's focus on getting them out of here, then we'll take Sydney to a doctor to be sure."
-X-
As they went along, Sydney winced, clutching her stomach and leaning against the wall as a wave of nausea crept over her.
"Hey, are you okay?" Tai asked with concern.
"Yeah…" Sydney replied, pulling herself up. "Just an upset stomach. I'm fine."
Donnie approached her, realizing what was going on. "Sydney… are you… are you pregnant?"
The boys gasped in surprise at that, and Sydney sighed.
"Yes," she admitted. "Richard and I weren't sure if we would ever get out of here. We were comforting each other one day, and, well... one thing led to another."
After a minute, Mikey broke the silence. "That's great! A little bundle of joy!"
"No, it's not great, Michelangelo!" Sydney snapped, tears streaming down her cheeks as she went on. "I was mutated by Krang! The baby… what if it's a monster, like I was?"
Everyone winced at that. After all, they knew that mutagen could affect a fetus, given both April and Hisako were natural born mutants.
"I'm scared," Sydney admitted tearfully. "I want this baby, make no mistake. But if it does turn out like me-"
"Shhhhh…." Kagome soothed, walking over and touching Sydney's shoulder. "It's gonna be fine. As soon as we get out of here, first thing we'll do is take you to a doctor."
"Mortu should be able to help," Leo said. "In the meantime, you stay in the Tunneler. No point putting you or the baby in any unnecessary danger."
Sydney nodded in agreement.
"I'll stay with her," Erika decided. "I'm more of a medic than a fighter, anyway."
"In the meantime, we need a plan," Leo told them. "The last time we tried to stop all these monsters, we needed the Entity's help."
"And there's no freakin' way we're thawing him out," Jade insisted.
Hana snapped her fingers. "The Crystal Moon! Maybe we could raise it from the lava. Keep them human long enough to apply the retro-mutagen."
"It's been in the lava for a while now, Hana," Mikey pointed out. "How do we know it's not melted down into slag?"
"You're kidding, right?" Donnie asked. "Those things are indestructible."
"He's right," Sydney added. "The only thing that really destroyed the crystals down here was them running out of power."
Leo turned to Donnie. "Will the heat shield be enough to stop the drill from melting?"
"If we move fast enough, yes," Donnie informed him. "But we need something to tow the moon."
"The tram line," Sydney suggested. "It's made from the same crystal."
"And where did you find those explosive geodes you mentioned?" Donnie asked.
"In the tower where the Entity is frozen," Sydney replied. "The room right beneath it."
"Okay, here's what we're gonna do," Donnie began. "We'll secure one end of the tram line around the tram tower, and the other to a sturdy rock ledge. It should provide us with a good angle for optimum leverage. From there, I'll take the Turtle Tunneler down into the lava and hook the cable to the Crystal Moon. While I'm doing that, you guys place the geodes around the tram tower, and when I give the signal, set them off. The explosion should dislodge the tower from its foundation, and topple it over, raising the moon like a giant winch."
"Uh, question," Mikey pointed out, raising his finger. "When the explosion goes off, won't it draw every monster in the city to us? I mean, sure, the Crystal Moon's energy will change them back and all that, but what about the time in-between?"
"We'll have to take that chance," Tai said firmly. "One way or another, these people are gonna be human again, and we're gonna take them home."
"I can't thank you enough," Sydney told them, smiling. "So many nights I prayed you'd come back to save us all. You're... you're angels."
"Nah," Jade replied. "Just people who like to do the right thing."
"Okay," Donnie cut them off. "You know what to do. Let's get cracking."
-X-
Later, Donnie, Erika, and Sydney strapped into the Tunneler, getting ready.
"Sydney, you don't have to do this, y'know," Erika told her.
"Yes, I do," Sydney replied. "I'm the only one who knows where the Crystal Moon went down."
"Then hang on tight!" Donnie declared, punching it.
With the tram line hooked to the back of the Tunneler, he descended into the lava.
-X-
On the other side of the city, the others had just finished stocking the tower's foundation with the geodes.
"Well, that oughta do it," Kagome said. "We've stocked this tower with enough explosives to blow it clean to Dimension X."
"Just hope this works," Mikey remarked.
"So... now I guess we wait it out until Donnie gives the signal," said Makoto.
"And what is the signal?" Mizuki asked.
"We'll know it when we see it," Raph told her. "Til then… we got company."
On cue, monstrous growls sounded, and the other monsters approached.
"Oh, good!" Jade exclaimed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "For a second there, I thought this was gonna be too easy!"
"Try not to hurt them!" Leo instructed. "We just need to hold them back!"
Stonebiter was the first to come in, swinging his big rocky fist at them. Jade drew her staff, ready to give him a good beating.
"Jade, what did Leo just say?!" Hana snapped. "He's Sydney's boyfriend, the father of her child! Don't hurt him!"
"Well, we can't exactly let him kill us either, Hana!" Jade retorted.
Raph used his sai to fend off Razor Fist's strikes as Tai jumped in, firing on him with the tech-pack's concussive blaster. He reeled back, and eventually tumbled backwards into a lava flow behind him.
"NO!" Tai screamed in horror. "I… I didn't mean-"
After a few seconds, Razorfist emerged from the magma, barely scorched.
"I… don't know whether to be terrified or relieved," Tai let out.
"Try both!" Raph shouted, the two jumping over a claw swipe.
-X-
Down in the lava, Donnie and the others continued searching for the Crystal Moon, the drill beginning to get warm and the trio beginning to sweat. Erika looked at a display, and gasped.
"Donnie, the heat shield's down to 50 percent!" she shouted. "We're running out of time!"
"C'mon, where is it?!" Donnie muttered.
"THERE!" Sydney exclaimed, pointing.
They looked, and indeed, the Crystal Moon was down about ten feet below them, perfectly intact.
"Deploying grapnel!" Donnie called out.
He fired, hooking onto the moon, then began driving in circles around it, wrapping it up.
-X-
As Razorfist advanced on Raph and Tai, he whirled around to catch a kunai knife thrown by Hana in his claw.
"Leave him alone!" she shouted as she threw several more in the monster's face.
Razorfist blocked them all, roared, then charged and tackled her.
"Hana!" Tai shouted, running over and jump-kicking Razorfist in the head.
"Donnie and his big ideas!" Mikey ranted, before mimicking Donnie's voice. "'C'mon, guys! Let's go down to the Undercity! We'll have some laughs! We'll get eaten!'"
"Less bitching, more fighting!" Vee shouted, dodging a bite attack from Stonebiter.
"Where's Donnie's signal?!" Jade demanded, dodging a web spit at her from the spider creature. "We can't keep this up much longer!"
"Come on, Donnie…" Leo muttered.
-X-
Down in the lava, Donnie continued to wrap up the Crystal Moon. Erika and Sydney were sweating profusely, close to passing out from the heat.
"Heat shield… at ten percent…" Erika managed.
"Just… a bit… more…" Donnie said.
He managed to tie off the cable at last, and immediately made for the surface.
"YES!" Donnie cheered, pulling out his T-Phone and dialing Leo.
-X-
Leo jumped back as his T-Phone went off. He quickly pulled it out and answered it.
"Alright, I got it!" Donnie shouted. "Set 'em off!"
"Bombs away!" Leo declared, yanking a handful of shuriken out of his pocket and throwing them at the geodes. "BOOYAKASHA!"
The shuriken impacted the geodes, and they immediately started going off one by one. The tower fell, pulling on the cable, and the Crystal Moon was hoisted out of the lava, exposing the monsters to the light. They all began convulsing, slowly changing back to their human forms.
"YES!" Jade cheered. "We did it!"
"Donnie, your plan worked!" Leo said into the phone, only to get no answer. "...Donnie?"
"Erika?" Tai said in worry. "Sydney?"
"Oh, no…" Vee let out. "It can't be! They can't-"
At that very moment, the Tunneler burst out of the lava.
"They made it!" Makoto exclaimed.
The door opened, and Donnie emerged from the Tunneler.
"Hey, guys," he said. "What'd we miss?"
"Well, we've got a bunch of naked people running around," Mikey told him. "I don't suppose you still have all those clothes I brought."
"As a matter of fact…"
On cue, Erika came out, carrying the massive bag filled with clothes. She dropped it on the ground and everyone began passing out the clothes. As they did that, Sydney ran over to the now-human Stonebiter. He was a tall, well-built African-American man, and his face broke out into a grin as he embraced her.
"Sydney, are you…" he began.
"We're fine," Sydney told him, placing a hand on her belly. "Both of us."
Richard's eyes widened for a moment, then he smiled.
"We're having a baby…" he said happily, holding her close.
Donnie approached him, injecting him in the arm with the retro-mutagen.
"As soon as we get back to the surface, we'll take you two to a doctor," he assured them. "One who's an… expert in mutagen."
After curing all of them, they led the former diggers back to the surface. Sydney teared up at the sight of the rising sun.
"It's beautiful…" she let out.
"I'd forgotten how warm the sun was," Richard mentioned.
"Hey, guys!" Everyone turned, seeing Hisako approaching. "The guardians are on standby, ready to look everyone over and make sure the de-mutagenic process went smoothly. He's also got Samson on standby to locate families and next of kin."
"Perfect," Donnie told her, looking back at Sydney and Richard. "Because boy, do we have a lot for him to do."
Sometime later at TCRI, most of the former diggers had been fully vetted and given a clean bill of health. All that remained was Sydney, who explained her pregnancy to Mortu.
"Mr. Mortu, I'm scared," Sydney admitted. "Even though I looked human when they were conceived… I'm… I'm scared that the baby was affected by my mutation."
"I understand," Mortu said comfortingly. "I only know of two cases where mutant children were conceived. However, those were with stable mutagen samples. Yours is a new case."
Sydney looked worried, and Richard took her hand in his.
"I'm not trying to frighten you. Make no mistake," Mortu assured her. "I just want you to know what may be happening. You deserve that much at least. For now though, I'm just going to run a few scans."
Sydney nodded and leaned back on the medical table as Mortu's scientists entered, wheeling in what appeared to be an ultrasound. They placed it on Sydney's slight baby bump, watching the screen as the vague image of a small baby appeared. While too small to tell if it was a boy or a girl, it was very clearly human.
"It seems your fears were unfounded," Mortu told her. "No signs of mutation or monstrous features. Your baby is fully human... and perfectly healthy."
Sydney placed a hand over her mouth, tears of joy spilling from her eyes.
"Thank God…" she let out as Richard pulled her into a hug.
-X-
From outside, Hisako let out a happy yell, having managed to hear everything. "It's not a mutant! It's not a mutant!"
The door opened and Richard and Sydney came out. The former diggers crowded around them, exchanging hugs and congratulations.
"Congratulations, Sydney," Kagome said with a smile. "How far along are you?"
"About three months, according to the doctors," Sydney replied.
"It took me that long?" Donnie said in surprise. "Man… I'm so sorry."
"Like I said, it doesn't matter how long you took," Sydney assured him. "You came back for us. That's all that matters."
"Yeah, you did good, Donnie," Raph said. "Take the win."
"And we're gonna make sure Krang never hurts anyone else like that," Hisako promised. "Ever again."
Author's Note:
(1): An expansion of the Japanese custom that you take off your shoes before entering your house so as not to track dirt into your house; it's also custom to take off your shoes before entering the afterlife so as not to track dirt there, either. Thus, abandoned pairs of shoes are symbolic of suicides.
(2): Based on a commission Author of the Insane had done of her fic, Secrets of the Sewers, with Kasumi and Kagome added.
Yeah, Quarry/Sydney being pregnant and in a relationship with Richard/Stonebiter was my own personal flavor. The baby in question will play a role in a future chapter, but you'll have to wait and see what that is.
Also, I forgot to mention this before, but Oyuki Mashimi is a character from Archie's TMNT Adventures comic; since she has the same surname as Yukio, I decided to make her his little sister here.
Voice cast for this chapter:
* Oyuki - Cristina Vee (Sailor Mars in Sailor Moon's Viz dub, Shantae in Shantae and the Pirate's Curse onward, Nanoha Takamachi from Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, Noel Vermillion from BlazBlue, Robyn Hill from RWBY, Ladybug from Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, Mio Akiyama from K-On!, Meiko Mochizuki from Digimon Adventure tri., Morgiana from Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic)
* Richard/Stonebiter - Bumper Robinson (Carter in TMNT 1987's Red Sky seasons, Hot Spot in Teen Titans, Black Lightning in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Damos in Jak 3, Mondo in Generation X, Star Boy in Legion of Super-Heroes)
Please R&R. Until next time!