Michaelangelo, You Made Me Smile (Book 3)

Back to the Beginning

I looked up and saw grey stone. I frowned. They saved my shell again and I was in the lair's lab. But I looked around, and I noticed a lot of things fuzzy and badly portioned. It was a dream. That mention alone made me wake up and show me where I really was.

The first thing I realized was that I was on my side and that I hurt very much. I sat up and put my hand to my forehead. My head was pounding and I tried to calm it down. Groaning, I looked around, trying to get ahold of my vision.

To me, it looked like I was in a three-walled sewer. I realized I was trapped and Shredder had me in one of Baxter's cages. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to try and calm myself. I looked at the clear wall. It had streaks of light on it, which meant it was glass.

Shaking my head slowly, as to not hurt it more, I got up and looked around more. There was a round table and chairs. I walked over to it and saw on the table that there were some threads and strings. Was Shredder telling me something?

I frowned at the thought and decided to turn the strings into something useful. Sitting down and getting comfortable enough, I grabbed at the strings and tied the one end into a knot. I looked arounds before going to work. I knew it was going to be awhile while I stuck in here.

Thinking back, I knew it was Mikey who put me in here. I remember him kicking me. It hurt. More through feelings than the actual action. My head still hurt, but the fact he did it without hesitation made it worse. And I even lost the ornament... I sighed and stopped my work, trying to gain control of myself again.

When I calmed down, I looked at the strings and noticed I was tying them with the four-square knot. I blinked, but continued more. The thread was green and red in memory of Chistmas, but I also found a little orange, so I put that in there. There was no pink.

I continued working until I heard a buzz and a knock on the window. I turned my head around and saw Baxter twitching his head with a tray of food in his smaller hand. I frowned but got up. He flew off the ground a little and went to the edge of the cage wall. There was a device beside it and he pressed a button only for a fraction of a second. The glass raised up only enough for him to slip the tray of food and water inside the cage. I stood back as he closed the glass once again.

I took the tray without speaking and went to the table, setting it down to the side of the thread. A muffled buzzing went quiet as Baxter flew off. I looked at the soup before pushing it away. I used the heavy tray to help keep the threads in place.

For another three hours I worked. I kept hearing Baxter buzz by. But he didn't stop again. I couldn't tell what time it was. But, I finally grew tired. My ehad had been feeling better by then. I moved the chair back and looked over to a bed. At least Shredder was nice enough to supply that. But I still didn't trust him.

I grabbed the pillow and thin blanket and curled up by the table. My eyes closed and I went into a dreamless sleep. I woke up. Since I couldn't see what time it was, I assumed it was the next day. I looked toward the glass and noticed there was another meal ready.

My stomach growled and I came up slowly. It was a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich with a glass of milk. I shook my head and ignored the meal. Instead, I looked out at the different cages. Baxter's shadow was passing through each one as he flew around in a circle to scout and keep an organized place.

Then I saw Mikey roaming around the circle walkway. He was with Footbots. Backing up away from the glass, I turned away and back to the table. I started back to my work for a few minutes when I heard the glass open a little.

"Mikito," Mikey said. I stayed quiet, focused on the work in front of me.

"Mikito!" I paused and turned around. Julie was on the other side of the concrete. But she seemed different. Her eyes were red and more feral. Her hands and feet up to her elbows and knees were scales instead of fur now. And wings sprouted from her back. Her curly squirrel tail was now straight and had a point on the end. My eyes widened in shock. What happened to her!?

Mikey turned around and growled, punching the device that opened the door. The glass slammed shut and the device sparked like it was broken. Muffled footsteps were coming to the side and I heard Mikey shout something, but I couldn't hear it because the Footbots were yiping.

I watched as Donnie and Leo came out of the sides and sides and knocked the Footbots out or push them down the middle of the circle. When the last of the Footbots were over with, Mikey growled and looked at each of his brothers before jumping toward the middle. I cried out and pushed myself against the glass. "Mikey!"

Julie jumped from the concrete on the other side, her wings flaring. Donnie and Leo got out of the way as Julie rammed her claws into the glass. Where she hit it, the clear structure cracked. I backed up and out of the way to avoid being hit.

Flying back and toward the other edge again, Julie opened her mouth in a foul way. In a way, it looked like she hissed. Again, she flew right at the glass, this time it broke under the impact. Julie flew in and flared her wings to slow herslef down. She landed on the table and looked at me.

"Mikito, come on!" Leo said, looking at us.

I looked at the gaping hole in the glass. Getting up from my crouching position, I ran up to it, ignoring the glass pieces that dug inside my feet and jumped. I mistimed my jump and I cut my leg on the glass. I fell to the concrete and grunted.

"You okay?" Donnie asked as he helped me up. I shook my head and raised my injured leg. Warm blood dripped down to my foot and on the floor.

"Where's... Mikey?" I asked.

Leo looked over the edge. "He escaped..."

"We can't deal with him right now," Donnie said. "You're leg needs bandaged. We can try again later."

Julie then jumped up on the edge of the glass that she broke. The sharp edges didn't even cut through her scaled that had replaced her fur. I looked at her scared, but she flicked her tail and said, "I'll take her home..."

Before I could argue or ask, Julie jumped from the edge and opened her wings. I heard angry buzzing as Baxter flew at Julie. Noticing, Julie hissed and flew to the side as Baxter tried to attack. Whipping around in the air, she swung her tail and it hit Baxter square on the back.

Baxter flailed as he tried to work his wings. He landed on a lower level of the circle. Leo watched him for a second to make sure he wasn't going to get up, then him and Donnie led the way out. Julie then flew at me. She slowed down then wrapped her arms under my own and lifted me with some strain.

She followed Leo and Donnie out while I looked for Mikey. I saw him come up to Baxter just as Julie turned the corner and we left Baxter's lair.