Like Father Like Son [ROTTMNT]

Chapter Twenty-Four: Static and Silence

Green's mind roared with static and silence.

"I won't order you to kill them. Even in your pathetic attempts at kindness, you condemn them to become useful to me, so my goals are completed all the same. But it is an unpleasant... tendency I have noticed from you that I will not hesitate to correct if I see it again." His eyes narrowed slightly before he abruptly released Green's horn, turning away from him to open up a new portal.

Green staggered slightly, straightening back up as his eyes darted between the portal and Draxum. He dared not back away, but his breath caught in his throat as his heart hammered away in his chest loud enough to be heard.

"You're lucky that I took an interest in you," the yokai concluded. "Imagine where you would be if I hadn't."

There had once been a spot for him to come back home to, with people that wanted him. But he couldn't remember exactly when he had realized he no longer was fit to claim that as his home, or why his family had even bothered to put up with him in the first place.

Draxum snorted, finding something in Green lacking. Green didn't blame him; he could feel the hole within himself, too. "Go on, then," he ordered. "We better get moving now if you hope to complete these tasks in an acceptable period of time. You first."

Green didn't wait for the collar to warn him; he almost tripped over his feet as he ran over to the portal, jumping through without any hesitation this time.

Anywhere was better than there, in that room.

Anywhere.

Green's eyes blinked open again, adjusting to the newfound darkness, but it's not to the New York skies at all; it's back to staring at the rail of the gurney, at the bleach-white gauze and colored bandages covering his hands as the light creeping under the drawn curtains did its best to illuminate the space.

He had been- dreaming? A memory?

Green listened for movement, half expecting the tap-tap of hooves to shatter the silence again, but there was nothing but quiet and the soft sounds of someone else breathing. Probably one of the other turtles or Splinter, as at least one of them had always been watching him ever since Green had first woken up here.

He closed his eyes again, tempted to pretend that he was still asleep if only to hide from facing any of them before he calmed down. None of them would hurt Green for "sleeping" even if he was caught. And part of him was confused as to how he just knew that, how there was no doubt that he wouldn't have cold water thrown on him or a sharp rebuke if he failed to guess what they wanted him to do before he was even ordered to do so.

And there was another part of him that was ashamed he was even uncertain about that info for an entirely different reason.

Splinter.

Raph.

Donnie.

Mikey.

He remembered their names. They were family. But any more detail than that kept slipping just out of reach, taunting Green with every failure to remember the context clues to judge their next move and reaction. He knew Big Mama's and some of Draxum's hints well enough to at least please them if he was trying; his best attempt here so far had caused Mikey to break down crying even though Green had done exactly as he had ordered.

And then it had been Mikey superimposed by Big Mama, ripping the paper away from him, Green unable to communicate anything at all-

Green sat up, his right hand pressed hard against his mouth as his stomach rolled. A quick glance showed that Splinter was once again the one on sentry duty- good, at least being around him didn't make Green's skin crawl in the same way the others did- before Green forced himself to swallow and take a few deep breaths in through his mouth.