By Kali Gargoyle
This is a work of TMNT fan fiction, I don't own any of the characters, except Angel.
***
"Krang, are you sure this will work?"
"Don’t question me, Shredder." The large android body moved away from the surgical table. "Take those two bumbling idiots and set the plan into motion."
Shredder nodded and went to collect his mutant henchmen. "Bebop! Rocksteady!"
***
"Pizza time, dudes!"
The box hadn’t even hit the table before four green hands grabbed for their slices.
"That was fast," Donatello said between bites.
"Yeah, someone set up a parlor just a block from here," Michaelangelo told the others. "And they make great pizza!"
"What luck," Raphael commented as he bit down on his slice.
Just as Leonardo chomped down on his slice of pizza, his turtlecom beeped. He swallowed quickly and answered, "Leonardo here."
"Leonardo, it's April," the news reporter said as her face filled the view screen. "You’ll never believe this. I was driving out to cover a story when I spotted Bebop and Rocksteady!"
"Aw man, I just lost my appetite," said Raphael.
"Whoa, what are those two up to this time?" Michaelangelo asked.
"I don’t know," April said. "I couldn’t check it out. They’re down at the east dock."
"Thanks April." Leonardo closed the turtlecom and stood up. "Alright guys, let’s go. Where those two are, Shredder’s sure to be there."
Donatello finished off his slice. "So much for our day off."
***
"Duh, boss, what are we doing here again?"
"Yeah," Rocksteady said. "There ain’t nothing but empty boxes."
"It’s not your place to question," Shredder yelled. "But if you must know, we’re trying to get the turtles attention."
"What!" Rocksteady exclaimed. He dropped a box on his foot and proceeded to crash into a second as he bounced up and down while holding his foot.
"You want the toitles to come?" Bebop asked.
"I knew you would not understand!"
***
"There they are!" Donatello pointed out the window of the Turtlevan.
"Wonder what those clowns are up to this time," Raphael said.
"We’ll find out soon enough," Leonardo said as he took the corner on two wheels. They crashed through some crates and headed towards the villains.
"Fire!" Shredder commanded.
Rocksteady and Bebop pulled out their laser rifles and started blasting away. They dove out of the way just as the van barreled by.
Shredder pulled his communicator out of his belt. "They’re here, Krang!"
"Good," the evil brain replied. "I’m ready here. As soon as they go for the bait, you can leave."
The turtles jumped from the van, weapons drawn and ready. "Give up, Shredder!"
"I think not!"
There was a scream, then a splash of water. The turtles ran to the edge of the dock and looked down at the ripples in the water.
"Michaelangelo, with me!" Leonardo sheathed his katana and dove into the water, followed by Michaelangelo. Raphael and Donatello turned back to Shredder but he and his goons had split.
"Oh, great, they got away," Raphael complained.
"Dudes! Some help here," Michaelangelo called from the water. They helped their brothers pull a figure out of the water.
"Guys, check this out," Donatello said.
"No way!" Michaelangelo exclaimed. "Another turtle."
Leonardo checked the pulse, which was there, but weak. "Okay, let’s get back to the lair. Master Splinter will know what to do."
***
The turtles were gathered around the TV when April walked in. "Hey guys! Did you find out what Shredder was up to this time?"
"No," Leonardo sighed.
"Even better," Michaelangelo said. "We found another turtle!"
"A fifth turtle? That’s news. Where is he?"
"Resting in Splinter’s room," Donatello said.
Just then, the door to Splinter’s room opened and he walked into the living room. Everyone turned towards him, eager to know what Splinter had to say.
"Well?" Raphael finally said.
"She is fine. She is resting soundly," their sensei told them.
"That’s good to hear," Donatello said. "Wait, did you say ‘she’?"
Raphael turned to Michaelangelo and mouthed, ‘A girl turtle.’
"A female turtle," April exclaimed. "That’s big news."
Leonardo gave her a look, then asked Splinter, "Do you know when she’ll wake up?"
Splinter shook his head. "I do not, Leonardo. For now, while she sleeps, I’m going to get something to eat."
When he was gone, Michaelangelo leapt up. "A girl turtle!"
"Could it really be another mutant turtle?" Leonardo asked.
"Could be," Donatello said. "But from where?"
"Hey, we can ask her when she wakes up," Raphael said. "Has anyone seen my new bandana?"
***
"She’s waking up!" Michaelangelo called from his place beside Master Splinter’s door. Splinter gave him a stern look but turned his attention back to the waking figure.
"Ow, my head," she moaned. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. At the sight of Splinter she leapt to her feet on the bed.
"Where am I?" she demanded.
"Calm down, child, you are safe. My sons saved you when you fell in the water. Do you remember?"
"No," she said.
"We mean you no harm." Splinter put his hands up to help calm her. "I am know as Splinter. Please, what is your name?"
The girl blinked a few times then lowered herself to her knees. "I… I don’t know."
Splinter looked towards the turtles and beckoned them to enter.
"I can’t remember," she continued.
"What’s wrong, Master?" Leonardo asked.
"She has amnesia," Splinter said.
"Did she hit her head?" Michaelangelo asked.
"Excuse me," the girl interrupted. "But who are you?"
Splinter smiled at the girl. "As I said, my name is Splinter, my sons refer to me as Master Splinter. They are Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michaelangelo. They saved you from the water. You are in our home."
The girl looked at them, taking in what Splinter had just told her. The other turtles took the time to size her up. Her bandanna was gray and she had black cloth around her ankles. She looked like the others, except she had a slender figure and lighter skin. Donatello noticed that her eyes were dark blue, almost black.
"So," said Michaelangelo, breaking the silence. "What do we call you?"
The girl shrugged.
"How about Angel?" Donatello suggested timidly.
Splinter looked to the girl and she nodded, "I like it."
"Suits you," Raphael commented.
"Angel it is," Leonardo said. "Now, we have to figure out where you came from."
Donatello sat down on the bed next to Angel. "Do you remember anything?"
"Nothing before waking up here," she answered. "I wish I could be of more help."
"It’s alright," Leonardo told her. "Donatello, stay here and see if you can find out what’s causing her amnesia. The rest of us will go back to the dock to look for clues."
"Okay, Leonardo." Donatello took Angel’s hand. "Come with me, I’ve got some equipment in my lab that’ll help us figure out what’s wrong with your memory."
Angel nodded and went off with Donatello while the others went back to the Turtlevan.
***
"There’s nothing here, Leonardo," Raphael complained. "They were scavenging through empty crates!"
"Maybe we shoulda brought Angel," Michaelangelo said. "It might have jogged her memory."
Leonardo looked around. "Why would Shredder be looking through empty boxes?"
"Well, I say we go back," said Raphael "There’s nothing here."
Leonardo sighed. "You’re right, Raphael. But I can’t help but feel that we’re missing something."
"Yeah, a clue, but there aren’t any here, so let’s go home, okay? If Shredder didn’t find anything here, he’ll go someplace else. And since we have no idea where that might be, we have to wait. You know I hate to say it, but we’ve got no choice." Raphael hopped up in the driver’s seat of the van and Michaelangelo got in the passenger side.
Mike leaned out the window. "Dude, you comin’ or not?"
Leonardo took one last look around. "Yeah, I’m coming." Might as well. Raph’s right, there’s nothing here.
***
Back at the lair, Donatello was having little success with his scanners and various inventions.
"Found anything?" Leonardo asked.
"No," Donatello sighed. "I did confirm that she’s a mutant just like us. You?"
"Nada, bro. Whatever Shred-head’s up to, he left no clues," Michaelangelo answered.
Leonardo turned to Angel. "Have you been able to remember anything yet?"
Angel lifted her hand to cover her yawn and shook her head. "Everything’s still fuzzy."
"You should get some sleep." Donatello said, putting his hand on her shoulder.
Just then, Splinter walked in. "I have made up a bed where she can rest."
Angel jumped off the table she was sitting on. "That sounds really nice."
"We should get some sleep, too," Leonardo suggested.
"Yeah, I’m totally wiped," added Michaelangelo.
***
"No! Let me go!"
Raphael ran into the room. "Michaelangelo, what are you doing?"
"Nothing! I was just making up a midnight snack and she started screaming."
"She’s having a nightmare!" Donatello yelled over the noise, reaching the bed. He grabbed Angel by the shoulders and tried to wake her up.
Her eyes shot open and she sat straight up, lashing out. Donatello was barely able to avoid the hit. It took a moment for her eyes to focus on her surroundings. "D-Donatello?"
Don smiled. "Yeah. It’s okay, you were just having a nightmare."
Angel sobbed and collapsed into Donatello’s arms. "It was horrible! I was being chased down this alley and was grabbed by these two… creatures! Then this man with a metal helmet was laughing and I was strapped to a table." She sobbed into Donatello’s shoulder and he cautiously put his arms around her to comfort her.
Leonardo pulled Michaelangelo and Raphael from the room into the kitchen. "I think I’m starting to figure out what happened to Angel," he told them.
"Mind cluein’ us in?" Raphael asked.
"You heard her. She was attacked by a man in a metal mask and two creatures. Sound familiar?"
"Yeah, dudes, sounds like Shredder, Bebop, and Rocksteady!" Michaelangelo exclaimed.
Donatello walked in. "She fell back to sleep. What do you plan to do?"
Leonardo pulled out his sword. "We’re going to make him pay."
***
"This is not going as planned."
Shredder smirked behind his mask. "You mean one of your plans is going wrong? Impossible."
"Be quiet, Shredder. I don't need your sarcasm. The transmitter is not working. It might be damaged or out of power."
"So how do we find the turtles now?" Shredder asked.
"That is not my problem, it’s yours. Here, take this." Krang handed him a small silver box.
"What is it?"
"It’s a control device. When I suppressed the girl’s memory, I put in a fail-safe in case we needed to reverse it. Maybe you can find a use for it."
***
All five turtle sat in the Turtlevan as they patrolled the streets in search of Shredder. Leonardo and Raphael sat in the front, with the former driving. Donatello, Michaelangelo, and Angel sat in the back.
"Anything?" Donatello asked.
"Nothing," Leonardo replied. "Not even on the police bands. I was sure they’d have struck by now."
Raphael rolled his eyes. "I can’t believe you’re complaining that it’s too quiet."
Suddenly, the van swerved to avoid laser blasts. Raphael looked over at Leonardo. "Happy now?"
Leonardo growled and pulled over.
"Fire!" Shredder commanded.
Bebop and Rocksteady only fired a few shots before they were disarmed by the turtles.
"What are you up to, Shredder?" Leonardo demanded.
Shredder just laughed and held up the small box. "This is the key to the female’s… memory lapse. Come and get it, if you dare."
Leonardo stepped forward. "Hand it over Shredder."
Shredder just laughed. Leonardo leapt forward with swords drawn. His first attacks were easily blocked, but, as Leonardo had hoped, Shredder lost his grip on the box and it flew through the air.
Raphael dove underneath the box and it dropped into his hands. "Whew!"
Angered by his loss, Shredder slashed at Leonardo. When the turtle backed up to get a better vantage point, Shredder fled.
"This is not over! I will get you miserable reptiles if it’s the last thing I do!"
"Boss!"
"Wait for us!" Bebop and Rocksteady ran after their fleeing master.
The turtle returned to the van. "Did we win?" Angel asked.
Raphael held up the box. "I think we did."
***
"Okay, I think I’ve got this thing figured out."
Angel leaned over Donatello’s shoulder as he tinkered with the device.
"This is somehow blocking your memories. As soon as I flip this switch, they should start resurfacing."
Angel chewed on her thumbnail. "Are you sure this thing will work? It won’t fry my brain or anything, will it?"
"I’m pretty sure it will work," Donatello assured her. "I’m positive it won’t do any damage. Are you ready?"
"I’m ready."
The turtles and Splinter watched anxiously as Donatello flipped the device off.
Several moments went by, then, "Well?"
Angel closed her eyes. "I can’t piece it together. It’s all a jumble. I think I need some air." She got up and left the lair.
Splinter held the others back. "Let her be alone for awhile. She needs to work this out."
"Of course, Master Splinter," Leonardo said. "But someone should keep an eye on her."
"I’ll go!" Michaelangelo volunteered.
Leonardo nodded. "You and Donatello."
Michaelangelo looked a little disappointed but happily pulled Donatello along after Angel.
They found her sitting under a storm drain a couple of blocks from the lair. Michaelangelo started towards her but Donatello pulled him back.
"Splinter said to let her sort it out herself."
"But, like, what if she needs someone to talk to."
"Then she’ll come back to the lair."
Angel looked down into the puddle that had formed underneath the drain. Familiar blue eyes looked back at her from strange features. Now that everything was making more sense, her life was more confusing than ever.
Michaelangelo glanced over at Donatello before leaving their hiding place.
"Michaelangelo!" Donatello whispered.
Angel looked up. "Oh, hi Michaelangelo."
"Hi, Angel. Feeling better?"
She stared at the wall. "My name’s not Angel," she said quietly.
"Did you remember your name?"
She nodded. "It’s Cassidy." She looked down at her hands as Donatello walked up.
"You were human, weren’t you?" he asked.
"Yes." She paused for a moment. "I can’t turn back, can I?"
Donatello frowned. "I’m afraid we don’t know how."
Angel clenched her fists. "I guess it won’t be too bad." She looked up at the turtles in front of her. "As long as I have friends to help me."
"We’ll always be here for you, dudette."
Angel stood up and hugged them. "I know, Michaelangelo. Now, let’s go back."
***
Leonardo and Raphael looked over the back of the couch as the three turtles walked into the room.
"Well?" Raphael asked, earning a jab in the ribs from Leonardo.
"I have no choice but to stay," she said.
"Well, there’ll always be a place for you, Ang…I mean Cassidy," Donatello said.
"Actually, I prefer Angel," she said.
"So you were human," Leonardo stated.
Angel nodded. She paused, then said, "I know I can’t go back to my old life, but…"
"You don’t want to just leave it," Leonardo finished, seeing the look in her eyes.
"Don’t worry," Raphael said. "Everything that can be moved, we’ll bring down here."
"And we can set up a permanent room," Donatello said.
"Thanks, guys," Angel said.
"No problem," Leonardo told her.
"Yeah," Raphael said, "Don’t mention it."
"We mutant turtles gotta stick together," Michaelangelo said. "And helping damsels in distress is like, what we do."
"Great!" Donatello exclaimed. "I’ll take Angel to get her stuff. We’ll pack up there while you guys set up the room."
They were gone before Michaelangelo could object. "Aw, man."
"Drop it, Michaelangelo," Leonardo said.
"I think they make a cute couple," Raphael said, batting his eyelids.
Michaelangelo just grumbled as Leonardo handed him an empty box.
***
"Wow, you did these?"
Donatello looked at all the pictures on the walls. Most were pencil sketches of people, animals, or things, held up with pushpins. A few colored drawings were scattered among them.
"I love to draw. I sketch all the time." Angel held up a pair of jeans. "Most of my clothes will have to go to charity." She sighed. "And I won’t be needing my makeup. Or hair supplies. Let’s start with the books."
Donatello pulled out one of the boxes they’d brought in the van towards the bookcase. After several minutes of silence, Donatello decided to go see what Angel was doing. She was standing in what he guessed was her bedroom, holding a framed photograph. Donatello looked over her shoulder.
It was a photo of a young blond woman in front of a blue van, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, both torn, and had a backpack slung over one shoulder. She smiled brightly, waving to the camera. The eyes were a clear blue.
"Is that you?" he asked quietly.
Angel took a deep breath and nodded.
"You were pretty."
"Thank you."
Donatello paused a moment before adding, "You’re still pretty."
Angel cleared her throat. "We should continue packing."
Donatello took her hand. "Angel…"
She turned and let go of his hand. "Donatello, I…I’m still getting used to this whole situation."
Donatello scratched the back of his neck. "Sure, I understand. You should get settled first." He turned to go back into the other room.
"Hey, Donatello?"
"Yeah?"
"You ain’t too bad yourself."
Donatello smiled and went back to packing the box.