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The Fifth Turtle Prologue
49’s mouth fell open at the sight of a shining… ghost lady? The ghost was wearing what looked like clothes from Japan. 49 had seen some in her Sensei’s dojo. Don’t think about him! She mentally kicked herself.
The ghost lit up the room as she looked at 49 with kind eyes. The turtle had many questions, but was afraid to speak out loud in case this was a trick and Bishop was listening. 49 wasn’t even sure if she could speak. After all, she hadn’t spoken since Bishop took her.
“Do not worry,” Ghost Lady whispered softly, a tender look in her gaze. “I will not hurt you. However, I have much to tell you…”
(This is basically a little sister au)
49 was awakened by a light, yet warm, touch. She jerked sideways and tried to sit up, her arms burning with the effort. 49 half-closed her eyes because of the bright green light in front of her.
She shivered. Was this another one of Bishop’s horrible experiments? She heard a soft murmuring, “Oh my child…” Resisting the urge to scratch at her scars, her eyes adjusted to the green glow.
49’s mouth fell open at the sight of a shining… ghost lady? The ghost was wearing what looked like clothes from Japan. 49 had seen some in her Sensei’s dojo. Don’t think about him! She mentally kicked herself.
The ghost lit up the room as she looked at 49 with kind eyes. The turtle had many questions, but was afraid to speak out loud in case this was a trick and Bishop was listening. 49 wasn’t even sure if she could speak. After all, she hadn’t spoken since Bishop took her.
“Do not worry,” Ghost Lady whispered softly, a tender look in her gaze. “I will not hurt you. However, I have much to tell you…”
Three months later…
Donnie’s phone rang as he was working on writing SHELLDON’s code in his lab. He rubbed his eyes, tired after staring at the screen, and reached for his phone. “You are conversing with Donatello,” he answered, holding back a yawn.
“DONNIE!!!” April shouted from the other end. “Turn on the news!” Donnie flinched, feeling irritated. “Do you have to scream,” he grumbled, swiveling around and getting up from his seat.
“Just do it,” April commanded. “Trust me, and HURRY.” Donnie sighed, heading towards the living room. “I’m hurrying.”
“No time for sarcasm, D,” she shouted. “Yeeeesh, no need to yell, April,” Donnie quipped back. He could practically hear her rolling her eyes.
Donnie entered the room, spotting Leo quietly watching Jupiter Jim on the couch. Papa must still be asleep, he mused. No surprise, it’s four in the morning.
He snatched the remote and shut off the movie, earning a protest from his blue-masked brother. “Hey! I was watching that.” Leo scrambled towards him. “Give it back!”
Donnie ignored him, switching to the news channel. “April called, rudely interrupting me, might I add, and said to turn on the news so I’m just doing what she said. Unlike you’d like to argue with her, my dear brother.” Donnie waved the phone around. Leo shot him a glare followed by a shrug. “I don’t see the problem.”
“That’s what I thought,” Donnie said, sitting down beside his twin. He turned up the volume just as Raph stomped into the room, holding a sleepy, retracted Mikey. “It is four o’clock in the morning! I hope you have a good explanation for this argument.”
Leo stuck his tongue out at Raph as Mikey slowly poked his head out his shell. “Oh come on we weren’t that loud, maybe you’re a light sleeper.”
Raph glared at Leo. “Look, I know you guys can’t sleep but can you at least let us sleep?” Leo gasped dramatically and fell off the couch.
“How dare you accuse me. Donnie started it!” Donnie rolled his eyes. “Gasp! How dare you accuse me Nardo.”
Raph let out a low grumble. “Both of you be quiet. Pops is still asleep.” Leo wouldn’t let the argument go that easily. “First of all, Donnie’s the one that stole the—”
“Ummm, guys,” Mikey interrupted, his limbs popping out of his shell. “You should look at the TV.” Everyone turned toward the screen in confusion.
The title on the screen read: Could There Be Monsters Hiding In Our City?
It showed a woman with a microphone, who was clearly a news reporter, and a man wearing a suit-lab coat hybrid looking thing, black shades, and slick black hair.
“For those just tuning in, I am here with scientist Johnathon Bishop,” the woman announced, the thick hair piled into a bun on her head bouncing. “Do you mind telling us more about your amazing discovery?”
She handed the microphone over to the man. “Thank you, Irma,” he replied, a sly smile on his face. “I am but a humble researcher, rejected by my peers at a young age. However, despite all that, I clawed my way up to the top after making a startling discovery four years ago today.”
Irma pushed up the thick, square glasses that threatened to slide from her nose. “Everyone wants to know, Mr. Bishop. What is this breakthrough you keep mentioning? We have only heard rumors so far!”
Bishop held the microphone up to his lips, a twinkle in his eyes. “I have found the most peculiar creature. A humanoid animal, sentient and sapient. A mutant, a monster, a freak.”
Irma’s eyes widened. “A monster?!” She squeaked, fear sparking in her gaze.
“Yes,” Bishop confirmed. “A monster. It is unpredictable and vicious, but don’t worry. We have contained it. It will soon be on display for scientific study and human enjoyment at the Peterman Zoo. It may be a turtle, but do not be fooled by its looks and fake docile nature.”
Donnie’s phone slipped out of his hand in shock as Bishop continued. “I don’t sugg—” Leo shut off the TV, his knuckles white from gripping the remote so hard. Not a noise was heard as everyone took in the news.
Donnie broke the silence. “Well, I guess I’ll start doing some research.”
Am I the only one that thinks Donnie sits in one of those super comfy swivel chairs that the teachers in 4-6 grade always tell you not to sit on but everyone sits in them anyway? I can also imagine him using it to spin around while stroking SHELLDON when someone enters the room, lol.
Next Chapter:
The Fifth Turtle
Chapter 1: I’ve Got You
As she held it up, the turtle, Leo, pressed his hand against hers. Their three fingers matched perfectly, albeit 49’s hand was a bit smaller than his.
“You’re like me,” 49 dared to say, her voice raspy and barely a whisper.
His eyes widened. “Y-yeah.” He reached through the bars and squeezed her hand reassuringly, a tender smile spreading across his beak. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”
At first Donnie had been skeptical, after a day or two of thinking about it, he had pointed out that this was probably a coincidentally accurate publicity stunt. However, Leo had pulled the leader card and insisted that they check it out. Donnie had wanted to argue, even though Raph and Mikey agreed to it, but the softshell had never seen his twin this serious. That was what convinced him.
After some online research from the totally reliable internet, Donnie had narrowed down their search to a laboratory near Staten Island. It must be Bishop’s personal lab. That was where their mysterious turtle would be.
“I can’t believe we are risking exposing our existence to this guy,” Donnie hissed as they drove there in the Turtle Tank. “And to a scientist no less!”
“We at least need to check it out,” Leo snapped, his eyes narrowed. “Remember, I’m the leader and I say we go.”
Donnie returned his glower, his arms crossed. “I’m just saying, even if there was a mutant in there, there is no possible way they could be our sibling.”
Raph glared at him. “We’re not saving them because they’re a turtle! We’re saving them because we’re heroes, and heroes don’t leave a mutant behind.”
Donnie growled under breath as he turned off the auto-pilot. “We’re almost there. I just need to park the tank.”
As Donnie pulled the tank to a stop, Mikey suddenly grabbed the purple-masked turtle’s shoulder. “Hey D, I need an update.”
Donnie glanced at him. “For your phone again?”
The box turtle shook his head. “No, for the plan this time.”
“Sigh,” Donnie said, leaning back in his seat. “Okay, first we’ll sneak in there and get a look at the situation. Then, we’ll get out and devise a plan to come back later. Any questions?”
“Nope!” Mikey chirped, bouncing out the now opened door. “Thanks, Donnie.”
With Leo leading the way, they went outside, and disappeared into the shadows.
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The door slammed behind 49, making her jump. Usually the two goons that Bishop had hired would have brought her to testing, where Bishop was usually waiting. This time they brought her to a room.
It was pure white, no seams or cracks in the walls, everything was just a smooth, unbreaking white. However, there was a table in the middle of the room. It was a fold up table and had some books and pencils on top of it. After 49 scrabbled uselessly at the door for a bit, she turned her attention to the items sitting there.
There was a book about crosswords and games, some blank sheets of paper, and a math workbook. The only thing that stopped 49 from bolting towards the table and reading was the fact that she knew someone was watching her. The lingering feeling on her shell told her that. She looked around. There were no cameras, but the itchy feeling remained. All 49 had to go by were her instincts and they were telling her someone was watching.
She stood frozen for a few moments, thinking. 49 remembered the people that had come to see her a few days ago. Bishop had shown her off like a rare, exotic animal. Then, he had let them get a chance to poke and prod at her in the testing room. They must have agreed to sponsor his research, she realized, glancing around. They must have paid for this room or something. They must be watching.
She quickly curled up in the corner, her heart racing. Gotta hide, GOTTA HIDE! She wished she could pop into her shell, she knew that box turtles were supposed to do that, but she couldn’t. In fact, she’d heard Bishop musing about it while he had been examining her. He had been saying that something must be wrong with the structure of her shell, something about an old injury.
Right now, all she wanted to do was curl up and let the darkness take her… and it did just that.
49 woke up from the dream memory, gasping for breath. She remembered that she had spent days in that soulless white room. She rubbed her dry eyes, wincing in pain. 49’s throat burned. It felt like she’d swallowed the sun, but she hadn’t drank anything today, or yesterday for that matter. Her tongue felt like sandpaper against the roof of her mouth. Her stomach hurt too. Bishop had to feed her today, he had to.
She glanced down at her chained hands. Though I could just break out if I wanted to…
Thanks to the Ghost Lady, Karai or her “Gram-Gram,” 49 learned that she had magic. Gram-Gram had called it mystics but they sounded like the same thing.
She had taught 49 how to summon her mystic weapon, a bow and arrows. The scrawny box turtle was so, so desperate to escape, but she was too weak.
49 remembered the other thing the spirit had told her. Gram-Gram told her that she had brothers. Other turtles, mutants, like her. Gram-Gram told her that they were coming to save her. The box turtle was still doubtful of course. It could have been a hallucination or one of Bishop’s sick mental tricks.
Bishop wouldn’t do that, things like that weren’t his style. Hope was one of the only things she had, although she was losing it rapidly. I can wait, 49 decided, scratching her arms. After all, I’ve been waiting for a long time, what’s a few more weeks? I can wait. My brothers are coming. Brothers are coming. I have brothers, they are coming. I can wait. Brothers coming…
Her thoughts trailed off as hours passed. She kept repeating those words in her head, until a feeling stopped her whirlwind of thoughts. A noise, accompanied with that lingering feeling, told her someone was here and watching. 49’s hands felt warm and her arms hurt. She barely registered the blood caked under her fingernails and the wounds that she had reopened.
Her head whipped around, her muscles shivering with fear. Someone’s here, GOTTA HIDE!
She curled up in the corner trying to steady her breathing. Every puff of air scraped at her throat.
“LEO!” 49 heard someone whisper shout. Leo? That doesn’t sound like one of the scientists.
She tensed as a figure stepped out of the shadows. It was a turtle, like her. A mutant, like her. Hope soared through her. Brothers are here!
His skin was lime green with bright yellow stripes along his arms and red stripes near his eyes. The other thing that stood out was the blue bandanna over his face. The long tails swayed as he darted up to her cell.
She practically felt giddy with happiness as he grabbed the bars, his three fingered hands wrapping around the cool metal. Three fingers, like her. “Are you okay?” He whispered, a worried look on his face.
… Worried for me? Why?
Instead of replying, she cautiously crept up to him. Her limbs shaking with nerves and the effort of moving. She held her hand up to the bars, trembling.
As she held it up, the turtle, Leo, pressed his hand against hers. Their three fingers matched perfectly, albeit 49’s hand was a bit smaller than his.
“You’re like me,” 49 dared to say, her voice raspy and barely a whisper.
His eyes widened. “Y-yeah.” He reached through the bars and squeezed her hand reassuringly, a tender smile spreading across his beak. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”
A small, happy grin found its way to her face as she stared at their matching hands. Her mind-numbing joy was interrupted as a hulking figure emerged from the darkness. 49 scrambled backwards, shock and fear seizing her heart.
“Leo,” the giant, spiky turtle growled, a beam of moonlight lighting up his red mask. “I thought we agreed this was supposed to be a stealth mission! You can’t just run off like that.”
Leo glared at the turtle, his brow furrowed. “I know, but I couldn’t just leave her!” His worried gaze flicked back to her. “Aw man, look Raph, you scared her. Just chill out, okay?”
The turtle, who 49 could assume was Raph, turned to her, an anxious look on his face. “Raph’s sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you, we’re here to help.”
Oh, right. Gram-Gram had said brothers, as in plural. Are they both my brothers?
In 49’s distraction, two other turtles had revealed themselves. One sported a purple bandanna with drawn on eyebrows and a hunk of metal on his back, and the other wore an orange mask and had bright orange spots.
“Donnie, can you get this open?” Leo whispered, turning to the purple-masked turtle.
“Scoff, of course,” he responded in a flat tone, leaning down and inspecting the tricky lock. 49 had seen it enough times to know that it required an intricate code to open. Then the turtle, Donnie, pulled out a bo staff and made something out of thin air, the marking on his shoulders lighting up with a violet light.
49 watched with awe as bright purple light, mystics she would realize, ran up his staff.
Multiple long, spiky things appeared at the end of the wooden staff. Letting out a hum of approval, he started tweaking with the lock.
“Hi!” Someone whispered, catching her attention. She turned her head to see the smallest turtle pressing his face against the cage, his eyes wide. “I’m Mikey!” 49 locked gazes with him. He had baby blue eyes, just like hers. “Hey, you’re a box turtle like me,” he yelped happily.
Like me? Like me! Another smile crept up to her face.
Mikey gave her a toothy grin back, eyes sparkling. It was weird, but 49 felt something in her soul, like something had clicked back into place. She suddenly felt connected to Mikey, feeling the need to protect him and be by him. She let out a small chirp, walking up and touching noses with him.
He stared at her in surprise, the shock being replaced by wonder. Mikey clicked in response, nuzzling her face. 49 squeaked gleefully, returning the soft nudge with a purr.
Now that the joy and happiness spreading through her muscles resided, she felt weak. Pulling away, Mikey gave her a troubled look. “Are you okay? You look pale.”
49’s legs couldn’t hold her up anymore. She sat on the ground, a harsh wheeze escaping her throat. Her vision grew blurry.
“Donnie, get this thing open, now!” Leo suddenly snapped, turning to the purple-masked turtle. 49 flinched at his harsh tone, her body starting to tremble with exhaustion. Her head was pounding.
“I’m almost done!” Donnie hissed back, still working on the lock. “Just give me a second, Leo.”
They started arguing, their voices raising. “Guys,” Raph snarled. “Be quiet! This was supposed to be a stealth only mission.”
All 49 wanted to do was curl up and go to sleep, weariness dragging at her eyelids, but slow clapping snapped her awake. Her brothers froze, turning towards the sound. A man stepped out of the shadows, a sly smile on his face.
“Well, well, well,” Bishop said in a teasing voice. “What have we here? More mutant turtles?” His smile turned eerily wide, his hands falling down to his sides. “So nice of you to join us.”
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