The Words That Hurt Me

Sixty: Tiger-Claw

Mikey didn't know whether to be disappointed that all of his brothers used their one check-in call or happy that they each only called once. The last one was to inform him to get ready for patrol, so he couldn't complain too much.

He met up with the group on the way there, falling into place next to Goo. They jumped gleefully from roof to roof same as before, and Mikey could swear he saw them sparking along with the lights. He also wondered why they were on patrol. He was sure that Leon would put them on medical rest, as they were still recovering.

"Hey, Goo!" Mikey greeted when the group stopped to gather their bearings, "How's it hanging?"

"Not too bad," They grinned, "Had to fight Leon to get going tonight, but luckily, I'm a great fighter!"

"That's for sure!" Mikey laughed, punching their arm, "So you're cleared for kicking butt?"

"Eh, he only really agreed 'cause there were so many of us, but hey! At least I'm outta the lair!" Goo said. They glanced out across the cityscape.

"Whatcha thinking about?"

"Oh, not much," Goo sighed, "Just thinking about how close we are to being done,"

"Being done?" Mikey asked, "Like with Tiger Claw?"

"Yeah," Goo said quietly, "And I'll have to go back home soon,"

Mikey looked at them, trying to find something to say, but strangely he couldn't.

"I have everything set up back home," Goo continued, "My summer job, my college, I'll have to go back. I guess, I just wish this lasted longer,"

"You say that as if it's over," Mikey whispered. Goo looked at him. "Tello and Don are working on a portal-making thing to go back and forth between dimensions, no way they wouldn't make one for you to get to New York! Or for us to go to Yokai Village. This isn't anywhere near over!"

Goo tilted their head at Mikey, looking at him with wide eyes. 

"We still got so many things left to do! You told me we were gonna catch frogs together! Spray paint some billboards!"

"Hey! I never said I'd vandalize with you!" Goo giggled, crossing their arms at Mikey, "You may not exist in the eyes of the government, but I can still be arrested!"

The two laughed, rejoining the rest of the group as they continued onto the first warehouse. It was the one where they found out Goo's parents were involved. The building was abandoned, with broken bottles and rotten potatoes littering the space. They didn't find anything worthwhile there, so they started making their way to the next building, the one where Goo was retro-mutated. 

Not far from the warehouse, Xevor and Rah-zar were arguing with what appeared to be some of the criminals from the operation. It was an aggressive fight, the criminals stopping the two mutants from leaving, which they seemed to be wanting to do. Then, Meat Sweats showed up behind them, scaring the criminals away. He had a brief conversation with the other two mutants before somehow making a portal back to his dimension and leaving. 

"It seems that we are still not alone, Xevor," Rah-zar growled as the team came closer. Leo dropped down onto a dumpster, maintaining the high ground. 

"What are you doing, Bradford?" Leo asked, brandishing a blade at the mutant, "Where's Tiger Claw?"

"Only business with these vermin," Xevor sighed, pulling out his knives, "We aren't working with him anymore,"

"Why?"

The two on the ground looked at each other, releasing their defensive positions.

"I'm only gonna say this because, let's just say we didn't leave on good terms," Rah-zar growled, "I don't know how, but Tiger Claw managed to get his hands on a few tons of stuff from Dimension X. Mutagen, plants, explosives, what have you, though, you seem to know that,"