Golden Angel

Artemis felt her eye twitch as Mikey got cheese all over the couch.

Mitsukai, seeing how the food annoyed her mistress, started eating it up.

“…You are SO disgusting…”

“What?” The orange-banded turtle asked, mouth full.

“…My point exactly…”

“What point?”

Closing her eyes as she felt a vein pulse in her forehead, she clenched her fist.

‘I won’t throw him out-I WON’T throw him out!’

“Uh, Artie…How do you get pizza sauce stains out?”

Something snapped, like a rubber band stretched too far.

“I just cleaned the couch…I just cleaned the floor…”

Her tone sounded dangerous, and Mikey started backing away, knowing he was in for it.

“Artie…”

“I’ll give you a five second head start before I kill you…”

“But-!”

“Five…four…”

“Artie, you wouldn’t hurt you’re favorite brother!”

“Three…two…”

“EEP!”

“ONE!”

Lunging for him, she smacked into his shell, wrestling with him.

“ARTEMIS!” Leo shouted, running up to try and stop them.

Don came to help, and they managed to separate the two.

Artemis still seemed to be fuming, and none of them would’ve been surprised if she’d started spitting fire.

Leo had his arms around her, so she wouldn’t tackle Mikey again, and was trying to calm her down.

When she managed to regain control of her temper, she blushed, realizing his arms were around her waist.

“We have to go to April’s to help, remember? We need to go.” Don reminded.

“I’m not going.” Artemis stated determinedly.

“Thanks to MIKEY, I have enough to clean around here.”

Understanding, Leo released her almost reluctantly, and she headed for the kitchen muttering curses in Japanese with the occasional ‘Mikey’ thrown in.

Don shook his head, heading for the elevator.

“Nice one, Mikey…”

“What did I do?”

A fan flew through the air, embedding itself into the bricks near Mikey’s head.

“Uh…Are we going or what?” He asked nervously, running.

Leo chuckled, pulling the weapon out and tossing it back to its owner.

“Nice shot.”

“What are you talking about?”

She put the fan on her belt.

“I missed.”

Before he could ask what she missed, a kunai hit the fly on the wall.

“I got him now.”

She smiled before pulling the kunai back, and headed back into the kitchen.

Mitsukai followed her with a wagging tail, and her paw seemed better, so she moved faster.

Sometimes, however unnerving it seemed, Leo was snuck up on by the canine.

She had a sweet personality, and was known to cuddle with Artemis and even him and Raph at times, but she was as fierce as a tiger when someone threatened them.

Normally, you’d hear her collar ring like a little bell around her neck, or her claws click against the brick, but there were times when she walked without a sound.

It was even strange when she seemed to understand commands, and actually did her ‘business’ outside of the lair.

It seemed there was more to the canine than they knew…

“Leo?”

Snapping out of his trance, he met her curious eyes.

“Aren’t you guys going?”

“Oh…right.”

Smiling a bit as he left, she grabbed some rags and went to clean up the couch.

Once the stain was as gone as it would ever be, she threw the rag into a sink and looked at the lair.

“…Where’s the broom?”

Looking around, she found it broken under Mikey’s bed.

“…I’m killing him when he gets back…” She muttered, and Mitsukai seemed to bark in agreement.

“Come on, girl. We need to get another broom.”

Grabbing a long trench coat and fedora, she pulled them on before peeking into Splinter’s room.

“I’m going to the store, sensei. Mikey broke the broom.”

“Be careful, my daughter.”

“I will.”

Heading for the elevator, she clipped a leash to Mitsukai’s deep blue collar and went inside.

Once at street-level, she started her walk towards the store.

Lowering her head and keeping one hand in her pocket, she didn’t think there were shadows in the alleys following her.

Walking into the store, she headed straight for what she needed.

Mitsukai was silent, watching her intently as the jade-skinned turtle picked out a sturdy broom and paid for it hurriedly.

That little thing in her gut was twisting, and she just wanted to get home.

Mitsukai seemed on edge as well, bristling and snapping at shadows.

Heading to the warehouse, she stopped when the twist suddenly sharpened in pain.

Mitsukai was growling at something down an alley, but her tail was tucked between her legs and her ears were back.

“Baby?”

The growl sharpened when a shadow seemed to move, and Artemis’s eyes narrowed before she pulled out a kunai and threw it.

Whatever the person had been holding, it was knocked away, and whoever it was disappeared.

Eyes narrowed, she headed in and picked it up.

It seemed to be a strange remote, and a note.

The note was written in Japanese, and she furrowed her brow as she tried deciphering it.

‘Bring back Sukauto at all costs. If you fail, do not bother returning.’

Looking down at her dog, she set her mouth into a serious frown.

“What were you doing before I found you, girl? Did these guys torture you?”

The dog whimpered and growled, almost nodding.

“They called you ‘Sukauto’…Scout…Do you have a good nose?”

Remembering how Mitsukai had managed to smell out Casey through a moving car, she nodded.

“…Well, no one’s taking you away, girl. You’re a Hamato now, and you’re going to stay that way.” She promised, patting the dogs head before heading into the warehouse.

She headed to her room once in the lair, the husky trailing her as usual, and started setting her fans up on the walls.

Mitsukai settled on the turtle’s soft bed, eyes half-lidded and tongue hanging out.

Artemis smiled at the peaceful look, resting a hand on the dogs head.

‘Poor girl…I won’t let them take her…She was so THIN before…’

She glared at corner, before sighing.

‘…I won’t let them torture her like that again…’

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“Now you want me to SLEEP over at April’s? Did something happen?”

“Just some robberies on her block. She’s worried.” Leo answered.

“I don’t think she’d like Mitsukai over there…”

“Then leave her here.”

“I can’t.” Artemis replied stubbornly.

Even the husky seemed to understand what was going on, and gripped the gold-banded turtle’s wristband in her teeth gently, like a child holding her mother’s hand.

Leo sighed.

“She’s grown dependant on you, Artemis. She needs to learn that she can’t go everywhere with you.”

“She needs me right now, Leo.”

“Why? Did something happen while we were gone?”

He looked concerned now, and she felt her heart twist at the thought of lying to him.

“…Not really…but she’s had a hard time. I promise, I won’t coddle her forever.”

His brow furrowed, as if contemplating if she had told the truth, and nodded.

“Alright. But you can at least drop by, can’t you?”

Nodding slightly, she smirked.

“If you need anything, just call. I’ll be there in a flash.”

“Alright…be careful.”

“Yes, mom.” She teased, Mitsukai pulling on her wrist.

“I’ll just give her a walk and stay out of harms way. I promise.”

“You’d better.”

“Am I ever anything but careful?”

“Now that you mention it…”

With a playful punch to his arm, she smiled and clipped on Mitsukai’s leash.

“Have a good night, bro. Don’t stay up too late.”

Heading out into the sewers for the dog to relieve herself, Artemis let her mind wander.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like April…

In fact, she was glad to know another female.

She just…wasn’t sure how to act around another girl.

She knew how to act around boys.

She had four brothers and a father, but she’d never had a mother to teach her the more feminine things.

The most feminine she ever seemed was when she danced with her fans as practice, and it was more deadly than anything.

Splinter had always said one’s environment shaped who they were, but she wasn’t really sure what she was…

She knew she loved to fight, feel the adrenaline rush through her blood as her heart beat quickened and her fans sang through the air, but it was a different love than her brothers.

She didn’t enjoy the sight of blood, or the feel of bone crushing under her fist.

It made her sick, deep down in her gut, and she hated it.

But she loved seeing kata, especially the way Leo did it.

Graceful and fast…

Mitsukai barked, pulling the kunoichi turtle from her thoughts.

“What is it, baby?”

The dog seems to snap at a shadow, fangs bared and ears back.

She quirked an eye-ridge, free hand fingering a fan on her belt.

“Mitsukai?”

Something beeped, and there was a howl of pain from the wolfish dog.

“MITSUKAI!”

Pulling out her kunai, she throws them at the shadows.

One hit something hard, and the howl died down in the dogs throat as the other hit flesh.

Pulling back, she pulled out a ninja with her kunai in his shoulder and a shattered remote in his hand.

Pulling the kunai out with a flick of her wrists, she slammed the ninja into a wall.

“What the shell do you want with my dog?” She snarled.

“That is none of your concern-!”

Her sharp kunai was at his throat, and her eyes blazed.

“Don’t mess with me. Now tell me. Why do you want my dog?”

“She’s not yours. We made her.”

Confusion flashed in her crimson eyes, but she clenched her jaw.

“What do you mean?”

“W-We made her as a scout. Sh-She’s genetically enhanced.”

“Genetically enhanced?”

“Sm-Smarter, faster, str-stronger…Higher s-sense of smell a-and hearing…”

His voice shook as the kunai threatened to cut him open, and stopped when she lowered it.

“…Good answer.”

Hitting a pressure point, he crumpled to the ground.

“Sorry, buddy. But you chose the wrong team for this game.”

Turning back to the dog, she takes in the lowered ears and almost sad eyes before smiling.

“You’d better do your business, girl. We need to head back.”

As if understanding the hidden meaning, the husky seemed to grin and ran behind some garbage to do her business.

When she came back, that wolfish grin still on her face, she nuzzled Artemis’s side and licked her fingers.

“Don’t worry, baby. I won’t let them hurt you again.”

Seeming to nod, the pair headed back to the lair.

Halfway there, Artemis’s Shell Cell rang.

Opening it, she puts it to her ear casually.

“Yo.”

“Artie, we have a problem!” She heard Mikey say on the other end.

Something like crashing footsteps were in the background, along with a startled yelp.

“Mikey, what’s going on?” She insisted, picking up the pace and heading up a manhole, Mitsukai clinging to her shell.

“Evil robot! Artie, IT’S AN EVIL ROBOT!”

“Calm down.” She ordered in a stern voice once at street level, and, releasing the husky, it followed as she bolted.

“Still at April’s place?”

“Yeah!”

Another crash.

“HURRY!”

“I’m already halfway there.”

Hanging up, she sped up her pace.

‘I didn’t think Mitsukai could GO so fast.’

Seeing the strange robot, she jumped up, large fan open and pulled back.

“HEY!”

Her weapon slashed deep into the machines side, and she landed in a graceful crouch.

“Scaring my little brother is one thing, but CRUSHING him is another.”

The thing seems frightened, like a child, and ran, holding a man close.

Quirking an eye-ridge as Mitsukai reached her side, she turned to look at her brothers.

She shook her head a bit, a smile on her face.

“I can’t leave you guys for an hour without trouble finding you, can I?”

Mikey nodded, hugging her tight.

“Thank you, Artie! Thank you-Thank you-THANK YOU!”

“Mikey…bro…I can’t…BREATHE…”

April came out, looking worried, as Artemis ripped Mikey off her.

“What’s going on down here? Oh God! Casey!”

Looking up, she spotted the vigilante on some bags of garbage.

“…I don’t think I want to know how he ended up there…”

As the red-head helped him up, Don found a strange discovery on the ground.

Picking it up for the others to see, Artemis snapped her fan shut.

“Whoa…why is that metal moving?”

“…I…don’t know…” The purple-banded turtle admitted.

They headed inside, and Don looked at the metal under a microscope as Mitsukai grew accustomed to the two humans that petted her.

As long as it didn’t bother her mistress, why should she worry?

“Whoa…definitely something you don’t see everyday…” Don noted.

“What did you find?” Mikey asked curiously, with the eagerness of a child.

“Take a look.”

As the orange-banded turtle stepped up, Artemis got ready to catch anything before it broke.

Instincts and all…

Her brother’s understood…

“EW…What are they?”

“Nanobots.” Don answered.

“Microscopic robots working together.”

“Are they dangerous?” Raph questioned.

“They’re moving randomly. Probably when they were cut off from the main group, they became mindless. Unmotivated.”

“Like Mikey?” Artemis teased.

“HEY…”

“Speakin’ ‘a mindless…did that thin’ seem kinda…mindless ta ya?”

Artemis gave a short nod, brow furrowed as Mitsukai laid down near her feet.

“Like…a little kid…It almost felt like kicking a puppy…or Mikey…same thing…”

Mikey nodded, agreeing, but still pouted at the hidden jibe.

Don looked back into the microscope.

“It’s reproducing itself…If each nano makes a copy of itself…and the copies make copies…This thing could really become unstoppable.”

Artemis sighed, and Mitsukai grabbed her belt with her teeth.

“Then we’ll just have to blow him away.”

“We have to stop it now.” Leo agreed.

“Do we have any way to trace this thing?”

“Hmmm…the nanobots have a unique power signature…” Don mused.

“Hey! I think the tracker in the Battle Shell can get a lock on it!”

Mitsukai barked sharply, ears back as if miffed that she’d been ignored.

Artemis smiled a bit, patting the dog’s head.

“Next time, girl. Next time. This is techno-geek time.”

“But what about once we find robo-boy? Then what?” Mikey asked worriedly.

“Well…as much as it pains me to destroy such amazing technology…”

He held up a flame to the specimen.

“It does seem to be susceptible to extreme heat.”

“Then what are we waitin’ fer?”

As the boys headed off, Artemis turned to April and a couch-ridden Casey.

“Be good, you two.”

April nodded, smiling.

“Same to you.”

“What? I’m a little angel.”

The turtles climbed into the Battle Shell, strapping themselves in.

Instead of taking her customary place on Artemis’s lap, Mitsukai stayed near Leo, lying down on his feet and seeming to doze off.

“We’re almost on top of them…They should be right around…there.”

Don steered the Battle Shell into the dump, and Artemis fingered her small set of fans.

Parking it in a clear area, they jumped out.

Mitsukai bristled, snarling at the garbage, as the jade-skinned turtle snapped her fans open.

“Look at all of this stolen stuff…” Leo stated.

“Where is that thing?”

“The locator says it should be right here…”

Artemis looked around.

“Mitsukai seems to agree…”

“…I know it’s been used before, guys, but…I’m getting a BAD feeling about this…”

The gold-banded turtle nodded.

“Me, too…”

The robot jumped out from behind a mound of garbage, and they managed to jump away.

Weapons out, they landed among the trash, and Mitsukai snarled as she hid.

It stomped towards them, an angry mask in place of its face.

“I don’t think he’s happy…” She muttered.

It’s arms stretched, and it started building itself bigger, stronger…

“…Dear lord…why me?”

“Wow…I’m getting an even BADDER feeling about this…”

“Life can never be easy, can it?”

“Sorry, Artie…Hey! That rhymed!”

SMACK!!!

“OW!!!”

“Now…how are we going to do this?”

“Like we always do. Together. Hit it so fast it can’t rebuild itself. NOW!” Leo ordered.

They all jumped up, striking quickly.

Her fans cut up its arm and side, and jumped back before it flailed at her in retaliation.

The robot was cut up a bit, and screamed in pain.

The shrill sound made Artemis flinch, covering her ears.

“OW…That’s worse than Mikey…”

Looking pained, the robot reattached it’s dismembered limbs, and the gold-banded turtle sweat dropped.

“…We are SO screwed, aren’t we?”

Mikey nodded.

“Before I go…you’re a great sister, Artie.”

“And you’re not so annoying, Mikey…”

“Great. Right ‘fere we die, princess loses ‘er mind!”

SMACK!!!

“OW!!!”

The robot reached out for them, and Artemis pushed her youngest brother out of the way.

Being lifted into the air like that CERTAINLY wasn’t enjoyable.

“HEY! LET ME GO!” She growled, struggling.

The hold shifted enough to hold her upside down by her leg.

“Not funny!” She snarled, kicking at the clenched fingers as it started spinning her.

“I’m coming, Artie!”

“Hurry up, Donnie! I’m gonna hurl!”

The purple-banded turtle jumped up to aid her, but was punched away by the free hand.

“DONNIE!”

The grip was suddenly gone, and she was hurled through the air.

“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH-!!!!!”

Her scream was cut off when she hit something hard, and closed her eyes in pain.

“…Ow…”

“Artemis?”

Looking up, she found she’d been thrown onto Leo, who had, consequently, fallen over when she’d smacked into him.

Blushing, she pulled herself up.

“…Oops?”

“You okay?”

“Fine…” She managed, standing.

“SO…I’m gonna say that plan didn’t go so well…” Mikey noted.

With all of them standing now, they saw the robot come towards them.

“…Plan B?” Don asked.

“Plan B.”

The five bolted for the Battle Shell, and Mitsukai came out from underneath it to join them inside.

“Inside, girl. There’s an evil robot outside.”

Sitting down, she noticed Mikey at the wheel.

“Why is Mikey driving-?”

She was cut off when the Battle Shell suddenly moved, speeding across the ground.

Regaining her breath, she glared.

“NEVER…again…”

Mitsukai barked, lowering her ears as her tail tucked between her legs.

When the Battle Shell was brought to an abrupt halt, the husky yelped, hiding behind her jade-skinned mistress.

“Mikey, speed it up!” Artemis ordered.

The sides were being smacked, and it left standing tricky and unstable.

“It’s taking us apart!” Don added.

“I’m givin’ ‘er all she’s got, cap’n! She can’t take no more!”

“Raph, you’re on! Shell Cycle time!” Leo stated.

“’A course. I always gotta do the crazy stuff.”

“Well, have fun!” Artemis replied, waving, as the Shell Cycle burst out of the back doors.

The Battle Shell was released, and she released her breath in a sigh.

Mitsukai seemed to relax, hiding under her chair.

Mikey got them into position, and drove their car into the robots legs in order to push him into a crusher.

Peeking over the passenger seat at the horrible cries, Artemis wrinkled her nose.

“Think we got him?”

Mitsukai growled before the robot began to rebuild itself.

“…Mikey…”

“Yeah, Artie?”

“DRIVE!!”

Without a moment’s hesitancy, they were off, robot still trailing them.

“How fast can you get into position?” Leo asked the purple-banded genius.

“Consider me there.”

Don jumped out the back, managing to hide before the robot stepped on him.

“…I’m beginning to wonder why I didn’t go with him…”

They split off from Raph, and were, thankfully, left alone.

“I know one thing.”

She smirked.

“I’m glad I’m not Raph!”

“Leo, tell me ya got a Plan C! ‘Cause I’m REALLY hopin’ ya got a Plan C!” Raph’s voice came over Leo’s Shell Cell.

“Plan C at twelve o’clock!”

“Uh, fella’s? Plan C? Pal?”

The powerful magnet caught the robot before it smashed Raph with its fist, and lifted the mechanical nuisance into the air.

It cried shrilly as Don aimed it over a boiling pit of melted metal.

Suddenly, at least, judging from Don’s reaction, the energy was cut and the robot fell in.

The scream echoed in her ears, as if to haunt her like a ghost, as the machine died.

It shouted ‘daddy’ before the lid slid shut, and they got out of there before the police arrived.

“Ya know…I feel kinda bad for the little bot…” Mikey admitted.

“Little?” Raph replied.

“You know, he was kind of like a little kid…”

“Too bad he got such a rotten parent.” Don agreed.

‘It doesn’t matter who you are…your parents always shape you somehow…’

Mitsukai nuzzled her arm, and Artemis smiled.

‘I guess, at some point, someone was actually nice to her…’

They parked in the alley beside April’s shop, and they walked in on said red-head and Casey fighting.

“…I think they want to be alone…” Mikey stated.

“I second that notion…” Artemis agreed.

“Then…let’s just back up REALLY slowly…”

“MIKEY!”

CRASH!!!

“Oh, Mikey…”

‘Little brothers…’