POV Centi:
I cleared my throat as I looked down at the soot-covered turtle in front of me, "He isn't. Like I said to you months ago, your brother left. He's gone-", the kid smashed his hand against the wall, as he continued to glare at me, pointing his finger towards me, pressing it firmly against my chest, "I'M NOT STUPID! MIKEY IS IN THAT LAB WITH YOU! FIVE MONTHS AGO HE WAS TURNED INTO- INTO- AH! YOU CAN NOT PERSUADE ME ANY LONGER, I HAVE WATCHED THE FOOTAGE THOUSANDS OF TIMES! LOOKED FROM EVERY SINGLE ANGLE TO SEE WHERE HE WAS TAKEN...", his arm dropped down to his side, his breath was heavy, he was tired, I was tired, "So don't tell me that bullshit anymore...I know my brothers in that fucking room and you are going to take me to him NOW!!!", the boy was like all the men, and even some women, short-tempered and hot head, but this was not just a short temper, no... this was months, almost years of anguish and frustrated spilling over, but I knew he was mad at me, I knew but I could tell he was also mad at himself.
Reaching down towards the ground, I picked up the plastic bag, still holding Pequenito's food in my other hand, but when I looked at the boy I knew the answer, and I knew he wouldn't like it, "No"
"You b-", I held my hand up, placing the bag in the boy's arms, he was angry, but also confused, staring down at the bag he looked up towards me, his eyes held a subtle glare, "No, because that is not possible, I will tell you why if you tell me, why you have been staying here-", he looked shocked, undoubtedly ashamed that I noticed him, "I've been seeing your shadow follow me whenever I leave the lab, for weeks I thought it was a droid, and maybe even Flaco, but they never approached-", I turned around as I walked back, he walked fast to catch up with me, but he didn't walk by my side, instead he walked a few feet behind me, "- it's been here for some time, droids whenever they see me and hear my footsteps, they call out my number, demanding as to why I'm wondering around, so I knew it was someone foreign", he was silent, his once quiet feet, tapped louder than before.
"When I got back to my old home that night, my family was there waiting for me, instead of being...proud, they berated me, telling me that I was in the wrong for finding more information on Mikey's whereabouts, and my...father-", the way he said it, like to him it felt wrong, to him it felt odd to say, "-told me that...since Mikey hasn't at all tried to tell us where he was, then there is no point in searching for someone that doesn't even want to be saved, so...I...", I stopped and looked down at the turtle, his eyes never meeting mine, instead he stared down at the ground, "I told them that if I ever found him, I would never bring him back to a family like that, and left...and as you can tell...I don't really have anywhere else to stay so, I've been staying here...", he slowed down as I continued our trip, walking down the long halls, he noticed I never stopped, so he ran for me, 'Well he gave me the answer to my question, might as well answer his'.
"Like I said earlier you can't see Peque-... Mikey-", it felt odd saying his name, but I needed to, I needed this kid to understand, not me but his own brother, "...he doesn't want to see anyone, he's been hiding inside the nursery for five months, he comes out a few times, but it's rare, only coming out when he needs to throw something out, or go to the bathroom, and even that is rare, he doesn't trust anyone, not even me. And I know I'm most likely nothing special to him, but his cellmate was close to him, he didn't even let him in there...", we finally arrived, slowly I entered the code, and waited as the doors slid open, the air pressure releasing. "Let me talk to him, maybe I can say something...".
'Was it a good idea, it worries me, what would Pequenito do, would he run, leave with the two, heck maybe four turtles with him...', making our way up the stairs, I walked up the inner door, and entered the code again, pushing the door open, I stopped the kid, "Wait here...", whispering quietly, barely loud enough for the boy to hear, I walked towards the nursery and knocked on the door, my hand resting on the door handle, ready for him to unlock it.
M E A L S H E R E
Waiting there, I stared down at the ground and heard a quiet click, a hand reaching out as he grabbed the bag, and bowl, closing the door before I could say anything, before I could ask him. Looking off to the side, I motioned the kid to come over, to sit next to the door as I tried to get Mikey to talk, to answer his brother.
P E Q U E N I T O
S O M E O N E W A N T S T O T A L K T O Y O U
I D I D N T T E L L T H E M Y O U W E R E H E R E
T H E Y F O U N D O U T
Looking towards the kid, I waited, I knew the possibility of Pequenito speaking to anyone, let alone to his own brother wasn't going to happen, I knew he wouldn't come out, yet the tapping continued.
W H O
My finger hovered over the door, hearing the quiet sounds of coos, and giggles.
Y O U R B R O T H E R
T H E P U R P L E O N E
I pushed myself up and turned away from the door, he didn't want to see him, he wanted to be alone, that's what Pequenito does, he ignores it, he hides just so he can protect his young.
L E T M E P U T T H E K I D S T O B E D
T H E N I L L C O M E O U T
W H Y D O N T Y O U A N D H I M G O G E T S O M E F O O D
"Alright-", my hand nearly fell off the handle before I grabbed ahold of it once more, "-but please...", my grip on the handle was firm, pulling it towards me , hoping that this could keep him here, that this will make him not want to leave, "don't run away, he's not here to take you home...he's not apart of that family anymore...", I let go of the door and ushered the kid to follow, walking down the stairs, I waited for the turtle to follow, but he just stood on the stairs, looking up towards the door, "He won't leave kid...", he said nothing and followed after me, "How hasn't Bishop found you?", he looked towards me, "Bishop can see every live camera footage, through the city, so how-"
"It's because it's not live video footage, all of the videos sent through are footage recorded is a week after I cleaned the halls, just after I fixed them, I played those videos on repeat, so Bishop doesn't think something wrong, throughout the day, he'll see the old footage of you walked up and down the hallways, making your way towards the kitchen", he smiled, so did I, looking up I stared down the end of the hallway. Listening to the silence, I thought that he would stay silent after that, too awkward to speak to someone, but he wasn't, filling the journey with question after question, I tried to answer as many as I could, but the majority were about my mutation, my old life, he even questioned why I never left, I was happy to answer...that was until he got to my name...my real name, "So I've also been wondering, did Mikey give you that name? He loves naming mutants and other things, so it made me wonder if Centi was even your real na-"
"The kitchen's not that far, I'll let you look through the cupboard, but please, we're rationing our food, so don't eat too much", he was silent when I interrupted him, I hoped he understood, that was a topic I refused to bring up...not anymore, yet...for some reason, all I felt...was guilt.
Walking through the door, I pulled out a large bag of rice, and brought it towards the counter. Inside this facility, the Kraang regularly collected kitchen appliances, whether it was the newest edition, or even something from when I was a kid, but often never knew what and how they were used, a few times I tried to explain it to them, but they never understood, one of these appliances was a rice cooker, a simple device, but one created in the 1970s. Placing the rice cooker on the counter, I poured half a cup of rice inside the cooker, a small amount, but just enough to make the two of us feel full for the time being. Pulling the removable bowl out of the machine, I washed the rice, rinsing it over and over until finally, the water was clear, I brought it back, and began cooking the grain.
-------------------------------
It's been fourteen minutes, waiting quietly by the cooker, the boy sat on the counter, his legs swinging back and forth, writing away on his overly used notepad, with his choice of seasonings sitting aligned next to him, "I never got your name...what is it?", I stared down at the orange light, waiting for the second it changed to bright green, "Oh it's Donatello...", switching my gaze over to his pad, I looked over his notes, it was just...equations, for what I had no idea, so I chuckled, as I looked back at the blurred orange light, "Your father must have really liked the Renaissance era, what about the others?"
*Beep* *Beep*
Pulling off the lid, I reached for two bowls, and a rice spoon, scooping each equal parts into each bowl, "If I remember currently...there was a red one and a blue one-", handing him the bowl, I added simple seasoning to mine, garlic powder, onion powder, and soy sauce, nothing to fancy, "Well the blue ones, Leonardo, he is...was my leader, and the red ones, Raphael", rinsing the cooker, I placed the machine away, and carried my bowl with me, "What strong names...Donatello, I want to apologize for what I did early-", with the small distance, just standing a foot away, I could tell he was confused, "-when you asked about my name...to be frank, I don't remember my name, and...", pushing the door open, I started our trip back, he looked back before looking at his bowl, noticing his confusion, I informed him that the Kraang never supplied us with utensils so he'll have to use his hands, he didn't mind, so he scoops some rice and ate from his fingers.
"Ever since I was...I would like to think around my thirties, I was close with very few mutants and even humans that lived in this facility, I told them my name, and we were all just so close, but for some reason...the ones I told died...the cause was always different but it always happened a month after I said it, well excluding the Kraang, so I never said anyone else my name...except one day...this girl, kidnapped by the Kraang, came to this facility, I think I was about thirty-five, she grew close to me, he hair was a beautiful brunette color, and of course, her mutation was just a lovely as she was, a mourning dove. We grew close, she...in the beginning never learned my name, so she called me, Centi, mutants started calling me that, a name, one that brought no signs of death in its path, it made me happy...she made me happy...so I thought she was different, I told her my name...she died in that project a day later, brain dead the moment they removed that crystal from her body, so...Bishop killed her...", my face felt wet as I remember my old friend, a girl that barely lived past the age of thirty.
"Anyways, like I said, I don't remember my name, the only one that knows is Bishop, so if you really want to know ask him...", I quickened my stepping, the door just down the hall, I could almost see it, "There's this girl, I like-...", looked down towards Donatello, he held a soft smile as he looked down, his thumbs fidgeting with one another, "she's the smartest, prettiest, and by far the only person I have ever wanted to be with...she was the first human I ever met, yet it felt like it was love at first sight, a saying I heard through the internet as I did my research...I wanted her to know, so I got my feelings out, she-...she denied feelings, sure I was sad, but I'm glad I was able to tell her, so that I can focus on other things that can help with team", entering the last digit, the door opened, 'Feelings?...for her', I thought back to the girl, 'I could remember her clear as day, but...feelings?', we walked inside, "You're a good kid...", the door closed behind, and when I looked up towards the stairs, the door was wide open, and fear filled my chest, 'No...-'
H E Y
I looked off to the side, and there he was, Pequenito sitting quietly, as he ate the pasta I made earlier, "Oh my lord, I thought you left-", he placed a finger over his mouth as his other hand tapped the bowl.
T H E K I D S A R E S L E E P I N G
"Mikey...", Donatello spoke through his breath, I looked at him, his cheeks wet as his eyes landed on his brother, his steps were stuttered, yet he continued to walk, his reached out towards him, "I-...I can't believe it's you-", and as Donatello walked towards him, Pequenito scooched himself back, switching his gaze between the turtle and me. Donatello could tell Pequenito wasn't ready, so he stopped where he was, actually he took a step back, sitting on the ground and just looking at his brother, "Wait you're still...", Donatello watched as I sat off to the side between them, "What happened to the retro-mutagen I gave you...", I didn't want to answer, but I knew that it was going to have to be me the one explaining, translating everything, "Pequenito didn't want the retro-mutagen, so...he gave it to Flaco..."
"Flaco? Who's that?"
"Do you remember, his cellmate, the bat-", Donatello nodded his head, still eating the rice I propared for him to eat, "He was transformed back, but he was also taken in my Bishop...", Donatello's gaze turned back to Pequenito, his gaze softened as he watched his brother eat the pasta with his fingers, watching as his once little brother fumble with the noodles, using his large hands to pick up the tiny pasta, "But why didn't you take it...", Mikey said nothing turning his gaze back towards me, but I just looked back at Pequenito, sighing tiredly as I scratched my arm, "When he's like this, he feels stronger, he feels strong enough to protect himself, to protect his family, strong enough to fight against Bishop-"
"His family?...but if that was true, why didn't you just come home after the Kraang left this building?", I looked towards Pequenito, wondering if he wanted to tell him, but I guess...
"WAHHHHHHHH!", he didn't get to decide, Pequenito pushed himself up and walked back towards the lab
I L L B E B A C K
I nodded my head and looked at Donatello, "He'll be back, he just needs to do something real quick-"
"Does he have a kid in there?! Wait...who's-", I nodded my head, but I told him to wait, letting him know that if the time comes I'll explain everything to him. Pequenito kept the door, wide open, carefully he walked down the stairs, both hands full as they carried one thing delicately, in one hand, he carried a bottle, filled with the formula I brought earlier, and the other...held his eldest child, Uno. Watching from afar, I switched my gaze between the two and Donatello's face was just covered in pure shock, his mouth stuttered as he tried to find the words, but he couldn't. Looking towards Pequenito, he tapped his finger on Uno's shell.
E X P L A I N
"Everything?", the boy nodded his head as he fed the child, tapping his tail on the hard concrete floor always seemed to calm the child, so I did as he said and turned back to Donatello, "Who's-...who's kid is that?". Taking a deep breath, I looked at him, and turned my body fully towards him, "it's his...meet Uno, his first child-"
"First? Wait what?! How-"
"Let me explain. Pequenito ever since day one has been unknowingly monitoring and watching over his kids, Bishop assigned Pequenito to these tasks, while working alongside Flaco, his cellmate, six, maybe seven months later, Mikey was informed that those specimens were truthfully his own-", watching others cry felt odd, but I let the kid, it was gross to listen to, to listen to this story hurt, "Bishop took Mikey's DNA and well created them-", Donatello's hand covered his mouth, he was silent, no sounds of choked up sobs or even the utter of words, "Bishop created five mutant turtles from eggs..."
"Project Soldiers", so he knew, "Oh my-...Mikey, how could-"
"Love and accept them? Because that's Pequenito for you, he knows it's not their fault on how they were created, so he wanted to love them and give them the closest thing he can to a normal life...", I continued and turned my gaze towards Pequenito, he seemed content, happily feeding the baby with ease, "But...one didn't make it, so now he's taking care of two-", I looked towards Mikey once more, only for him to hold up all his fingers on one and an additional on the other, "Four kids...", I expected tears, but when I looked back the boys eyes looked empty, his hands gripped tightly into his, he was angry, "That disgusting piece of-"
N O C U S S I N G
Donatello stopped, looking towards me wondering what his brother tapped, "He just said no cussing, I'm guessing because of the baby", Donatello nodded his head as he set aside the empty bowl, "Is this why you never came home, did you think we would have been angry about the children?", Pequenito shook his head, "I'll translate, go on Pequenito"
("Centi Translate Mikey's Morse Code")
"No, I knew you guys would have loved them whole heartingly. It was because I feared that all of you would be disgusted because of why and how they were created"
It hurt to hear him tap those words but it made sense, the kids would be a constant reminder of what happened to Mikey, a constant reminder of the hell that happened to him, no one would forget.
"Mikey...your kids, my nieces or nephews would never be seen in that way, I would love them with all my heart...but why aren't you talking?".
Pequenito went to tap his chest, but I looked at him, my hand raised letting him know that I'll explain, "Let me...I can tell you why he's not talking...Pequenito?", he nodded and slowly turned around, his back now facing the two of us, "If you looked at the back of his neck, he has a device that is permanently bonded to his neck-"
"Well let me look at it, I can-"
"No...the device was created by Bishop, the properties of the device makes sure the user's larynx stays paralyzed when Bishop permits, throughout his time here there had been new controls added to it, boundary limit, disobedience, and if anyone other than Bishop touches the device it shocks him, so-"
"Let me help-"
"I told you, no one can touch-", from his pouch, Donatello set the remote on the floor, sliding it straight towards me, "How?-"
"I went into Bishop's office...now please-", this time he wasn't looking at me, but instead looked at Pequenito, I looked as well, Pequenito was worried, his eyes stared in fear as he gazed down at the remote, his body trembling as he held his child close to close to his chest, "Mikey...Let me help you..."