Apprentice

Chapter One: That Sinking Feeling

By: Demi4yah

Author's Note: So, I never thought I'd actually write a fanfic that was slightly based off another cartoon. You should know which one I took it from by the end of the chapter. It's my first chaptered fic... gosh I really hope you all enjoy it!

Hope you like it! Rated T just in case.

Disclaimer: I do not by any means own any characters of the TMNT.

"Mikey, watch out!"

I stop laughing and quickly duck. Red beams of light fly over my head. It's too late for my brothers. They're hit one by one and fall to the ground by the impact of the laser.

So, we were being followed.

Leo was right. Boy, am I gonna get a to talking for this one.

A foot ninja leaps over me, but I catch his ankle and yank him out of the air. I send him crashing into one of his team mates. They both collide to the ground with unison groans of pain. Grabbing one of my nunchucku, I hurl it at the laser beam that managed to hit my brothers. It's knocked out hands of the two foot ninja who were manning it and tumbles over the edge of the roof.

There's a pause where I wait for some sort of retaliation, but they simply look at each other, bow to me and disappear.

Well, that was weird.

I turn to face Leo, Raph and Don.

"You guys, okay?"

Raph glares at me, "Okay? Okay? You're so stupid! All you had to do was shut up like we told you to! But you had to go and blow our position and you nearly got us killed!"

He growls angrily before going over to help Donnie.

Leo goes into lecture mode, "How could you be so irresponsible?"

During moments like these, I would pull out the kicked puppy face. It usually helps me when I get myself into a situation like this, but I don't think the traditional puppy eyes is going to cut me any slack. It's not like it ever proved to work on Leo anyway. So, even if I try, it would never get through to him. But, hey, two out of three brothers isn't so bad. I mean, Donnie usually bends over backwards when I give him 'the face' and Raph just grumbles, but eventually relents.

"I can't believe you! After all the training and all the meditation, you still manage to screw up somehow." He sighs heavily, "But, I forgot. You like to spend your time eating junk food and watching TV!"

I'm pretty sure New Jersey can hear him right now and I'm only standing five feet in front of him. But, noooo, he wants to do the 'I am Fearless, hear me roar' routine. So, I'm guessing silence and stealth isn't the main priority right now. But, it should be. Especially since we're like, oh, I don't know… STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOFTOP! I really don't think he understands what kind of position he's putting us in here!

"Dude," I begin with a flicker of a smirk, "That's not all I do," At his skeptic look, I sigh and throw my hands up, "I cook!"

Smack!

"Ow!"

Count on good 'ol Raph to comply whenever I make a dumb comment. I rub the back of my head. I should really talk to Donnie about probable brain damage.

"Could you hit any harder?" I snap crossly.

Raph raises his hand, but I quickly stick my hands in the air. I know when I go too far.

"Mikey, listen to me when I'm talking to you!" Leo barks.

Whoa!

I give him a ten right across the board for that one.

That was the best Master Splinter imitation I have ever heard! I wonder if Leo actually practices that? Doesn't he have a mirror in his room or something? I really doubt it's used for meditation like he so claims.

"There you go again!" he shouts and then lets out a frustrated groan.

"What?"

Honestly, if I had known we were coming up here for a lecture, I would have stayed in the lair. The call of Halo is too much to handle.

"Everything I say goes right through one ear and out the other!"

So, it's half true. Can you blame me? Listening to one of Leo's lectures makes me tune out just like when Donnie goes into one of his scientific rants. I really think I've gotten accustomed to it too.

Oops. Looks like I tuned out again.

Leo looks like he's ready to explode.

Double Oops. Donnie is shaking his head.

AHH! Raph is…well he's just looking like Raph.

Now, either I completely missed something or I'm in serious trouble

"Mikey," Donnie speaks. I was waiting for him to stick up for me. He always does. My favorite bro never lets me down. "Leo is right." Insert shocked face here. O.O "Shredder is back and if we want a chance of winning against him, you have to step up your game."

Okay. Now, I'm listening. I'm totally confused here.

Raph's eyes narrow. "I ain't gonna sugarcoat nothin'." When does he ever? "You're holdin' us down, Mikey. We always gotta watch yah an' we ain't doin' that no more."

You know that sinking feeling you get? Well, I think I'm having that. "I...I don't – I don't get it. What's going on?"

"You have to pull your act together. You don't act like a ninja and all you are to us is a li…" Leo trails off. It looks like he's debating on finishing his sentence. He sighs, "Look, you haven't been giving it your all. Training is a joke to you and punishment doesn't seem to help."

That's technically true. I never really take those extra flips to heart. It's not like anyone watches me do them when I'm sent back to the Dojo. You'd think they'd learn by now.

"This is our life, Mikey." He says, "We train in the art of Ninjitsu because it protects us."

Life? Ninjitsu? Those two words should never be put in a sentence together. I'm not like him. I don't want to eat, live and breathe the way of ninja. I'm still a teenager and teenagers need something other than…that.

"You're not good enough, Mikey."

Now, I'm not one to get angry. That's Raph's department, but... I just couldn't take this anymore.

"That's not fair!" way to sound like a five year old. "Have you ever thought that maybe I don't want my life to be all about Ninjitsu? That maybe I actually want to try to have a normal life like a normal teenager."

"You can have a normal life, Mikey." Donnie replies, "It just doesn't always have to be centered on video games and all that."

I doubt he even realizes.

"Look who's talkin'," I scoff, "All you do is lock yourself in the lab. I don't see anyone yelling down your throat."

If looks could kill, I would have been dead a million years ago. Donnie isn't very pretty when he's mad. I swear, he's like related to the Incredible Hulk and he's already green, so that's a bonus!

"What I do in my lab benefits the family." He points out, "I fix all those games of yours, repair things that you and Raph break multiple times, I build tanks and devices to help us get around versus sitting around doing nothing," he looks heated, "I can't believe you'd compare what I do to your nonsense."

So, I might have struck a nerve with Donnie. Not the best tactic. He's usually my last line of defense when I'm getting ganged up on.

"Look, Mikey," Leo seems to have cooled off a little, "What we're trying to say is that we can't keep watching out for you. This training we're doing is for the fight against the Shredder. If you don't get your act together, you'll be staying behind."

Staying behind?

My heart felt like it just dropped straight to my feet.

"So, I don't get any say in this?" I ask.

"No, bro," I guess Raph takes it upon himself, "The decision is unanimous."

I scrunch up my face in confusion.

Leo dives right in again, "If you don't start getting it together, you'll be dismembered from the team until we see some sort of change in you." He crosses his arms. "Starting tomorrow, you're routine will include nothing, but Ninjitsu training conducted by Master Splinter and myself." Leo tells me. He looks a little sad, but I think he enjoys this, "No video games, no television, no-"

Don't say it… please don't say.

"- comics."

I squeaked. I couldn't help it. Comics to me were like Leo to meditation.

"Dude, that's like everything I live for."

"Well, now, you'll be living Ninjitsu."

I swallow around the lump in my throat. "This isn't fair."

"You brought this on yourself, Michelangelo."

Oh, okay. So, we're on a full name basis now?

He continues, "You don't get it, do you?" he rubs his temple, "You're a disgrace to our family by your foolishness. Jokes, pranks, playing – it's not all about that all the time. You need to get serious and get serious soon."

Jeez. Tell me how you really feel.

I'm stunned. I don't know how to react to those words.

Right now, I feel lower than dirt. If I could find anything lower than dirt then that's how I feel.

Donnie looks torn. He doesn't know whether to back me up or stand his ground. A sharp look from Leo tells me his decision.

"Leo's right, bro," he replies, "We don't have the time to deal with you anymore. We're telling you this for the sake of our family, Mikey. All you have to do is lose the act and start acting more mature."

Those words coming from Donnie felt like a gut wrencher. I feel betrayed. Didn't they know that the person I was now was me? If I change for them, I'm only cheating myself.

I guess they don't care.

"This is a no brainer, knucklehead," Raph mutters, "It's either you clean up your act or you stay restricted in the lair like the little baby you are."

Thunder clapped above. I barely noticed. The clouds turned black and began to cover the city.

That's how I felt inside. Hollow, Angry, Sad.

I stand in front of them, looking at the ground. I couldn't help the tears that fell. The truth in their words really hurt me. It's great to know how family really feels.

"It's raining, we'll finish this up at the lair," Leo says, "let's go."

Donnie looks around, "I want to run some tests on us when we get home though." He says, "Make sure that laser didn't do us too much harm."

They all turn to leave, but I don't move. I don't care about the rain. It feels nice when the droplets hit my skin. The storm understood me.

"Mikey, move it!" Raph shouts at me.

"No," I shake my head, "If I'm so much of a burden to you guys, then why should I even bother listening to you? It's not like you care about me by the sounds of it."

"Cut the Dr. Phil stuff, shell for brains." Raph growls.

I probably sound like a child, but I don't care.

"This is not the time, Michelangelo." Leo hisses.

So, this is what feels like to be Raph. No wonder he's mad all the time. I would be too if Leo kept hounding me all the time. I kinda wanna hit him over the head with my nunchuku, but I think I'll stay with the angsty, misunderstood act.

"It's the perfect time." I snap, "You all got to say what you wanted. You all showed me how you felt about me. I stood here here and took it and now I don't get a chance to talk? To defend myself?"

"Mikey..." Leo begins. He comes forward as if to try and calm me down.

"Stop it!" I shout, "I'm not a kid, Leo! I'm your brother!"

"Well, you're acting like a kid!" he yells, "How do you expect to be treated the way you want to if you keep acting the way you are!"

"Because you make me!" I scream.

Leo looks shocked. He shakes his head in disbelief. "No, we don't."

I nod my head wildly. The tears are falling, but you can barely notice because of the rain. "Yes, you do. All of you!" I wipe my eyes, "When I try to be serious, you look at me weird! When I try to help Donnie with something, you tell me to shut up! Even if I tell you a plan that sounds like it could half work, I'm shut out! All I have are my jokes because that's what you expect of me, but you just don't realize it! None of you do and it hurts! It hurts!"

They all stare at me.

I'm not sure if I should keep standing there like a loser. Not one of them says a word. The only thing that complies is my legs.

"Mikey!" I can hear Donnie's call.

I keep running and I never look back.

It's only when I feel my legs start to burn that I stop and take in my surroundings. I'm at the corner of April's block.

The lights are on in her apartment and she was beginning to close the windows. I stealthily drop into the alley, climb up the side of the building before poking my head through her open window.

"Hey April!" I greet.

She screams and stumbles back. Yeesh! Wake up the neighbors, why don't' ya?

Note to self: Never sneak up on an unsuspecting victim.

"Mikey!" She glares at me, but motions me to come in. "How many times have I told you not sneak up on me!" she exclaims at the puddle I've made on her carpet. "And look at you! You're soaking wet! Do you want to catch a cold? I'll get you a towel."

I introduce April, our mother hen.

She wraps a warm, pink towel around me, "Thanks."

"No problem," she says, "Um... where are the others?"

I don't answer her, but I think she gets the message because she closes the window and puts her hand on my shoulder.

"You're always welcome here, Mikey." She tells me, "What happened? Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," I sniff around, "but let's talk food because something smells good!"

She laughs, "Nothing gets past that nose of yours, does it?" she shakes her head, "It's soup. Do you want some? I made enough."

"When have I ever turned down food?" I ask in a serious tone.

"Well, make yourself at home…"

No need to tell me twice. I'm already on the couch, flipping through the channels of her TV.

Click. "No."

Click. "No."

Click. "Boooooring!"

I see April come out from the kitchen. The two bowls of soup she's juggling are steaming hot. As much as she hates us doing anything Ninjitsu in her house, I still flip over the TV and snatch the two bowls from her.

She gives me a face of warning.

"Please, Mademoiselle," I recite in my best French accent, "Have a seat and choose from the arrangement of DVDs that I have laid out for you."

She smiles.

See? She can't stay mad at me for too long. I have that effect on people – well, certain people.

To all those guys out there. NEVER let the girl choose the movie because April picked out Titanic, a movie she's probably seen a hundred million times!

"Who teaches a girl to spit?"

"Come on, Mikey. It's like you teaching a girl some of your fighting style." Aprils says, "You show off what you're good at."

"I don't count spitting as something to show off."

She scrunches up her nose, "Yeah, me neither, but it works on her."

"She kinda looks like you."

"Why because we both have red hair?"

"Yep," I nod, "And green eyes." I sigh dramatically, "Now, if only you were rich."

"Mikey!" she pushes against my shoulder with hers.

At that moment, the shell cell we gave her rang. They're probably wondering if I'm here. April glances at the caller ID and picks up the phone. "Hey Donnie."

I snort and April gives me a sad smile. She presses speaker so I can hear too.

"Hi, sorry to bother you, but is Mikey there?" he sounds kind of worried, "It's late and something important has come up."

"Um..." she trails off and looks at me. I know she won't lie, "Yeah, he's here."

There's an audible sigh of relief. "Good. Can you tell him to come home now?"

"Will do, Donnie." And she hangs up. She looks at me. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, don't worry about it." I tell her and move to stand.

April pulls me back on the couch, "Mikey, you're like family to me. I know when something is bothering you. Please, you can talk to me."

It's enough to get me to start talking. She doesn't interrupt, she didn't speak a word, she just listened to me and I liked that. I actually for once felt that someone actually cared.

After I finish the story about our fight on the roof is when she speaks.

"What they did was wrong, Mikey." She tells me, "I know why you're upset and you have every right to be, but hiding here isn't going to help the situation."

I cross my arms, "Well, it works great for me."

"I'm sure it does," she places her hand on top of mine, "Your family is the only thing you have and I know how much they're important to you. Keep standing your ground, keep telling them how you feel and I'm sure they'll listen when you make them." She squeezes my hand to make me look at her, "You're a good kid, Mikey. Don't ever doubt yourself and just be you. That's the Mikey everyone is waiting for. You don't have to change for no one, but yourself. Understand?"

All I can do is nod as I let some of the tears fall that I had been trying to hold back. She laughs and leans over to wipe them away before getting up to pause the movie.

"Thanks, April." I say softly, "Talking to you really helped."

"I'm always here for any of you." She tells me, "You're family."

"Well, sis, I better get going before they all blow a gasket and start a search party." I say, opening a window. "Can you call them and tell them I'm on my way home?"

"Of course," she replies.

The rain stopped about an hour ago. Just a passing storm. With a wave, I disappear into the night and take to the rooftops. There's a shortcut that goes over an old warehouse complex that me and my bros take. So, I go that way. It shaves off about ten minutes.

You know how you get a feeling that you're being watched? Well, that's what I'm getting and if I had hair, it would be standing on end right now.

When I land on an old shipping warehouse that's been broken down and boarded up since I can remember, I see a shadow to my left. But, when I turn to face it, an impact from my right sends me to the ground.

The boarded roof suddenly starts beeping and explodes beneath me. I plunge into the abandoned building. My shell slams against a crate and then I crash to the floor, knocking my head hard against the ground.

"Ow..." I groan, rubbing my head. "That's gonna leave a bump in the morning." I stand up and take a look around, "What the shell just happened?"

Foot ninja spill out from the shadows and the four foot elite take their place in front of me. I pull out my nunchucks. I know I'm badly outnumbered, but I'll have to think of a plan. At times like these, I really wish Leo were here.

"Nice of you to drop by, Michelangelo."

That voice cuts through me like a blade. The foot part way and Shredder steps out from the dark, his eyes staring right at me.

I let out a nervous laugh, "Yeah, well, thanks for having me, but I'm not feeling too well all of a sudden, so I think I'll just- wah!" I'm sent across the room by a kick to my chest.

Those foot elite might have nice hats, but their moves are nicer. I have to keep my guard up from now on. As I make to stand up, a pain flares through my side and I wince. That kick must've done some real damage to my ribs or something.

"Special training" was all Shredder said, "It's the next best thing."

"Not right now, it's not." I mutter between clenched teeth.

"Perhaps, you should sit down?"

I'm definitely not stupid. This is either a trick or a trap. Either way I'm about to be in the heaviest battle of my life. I should probably call my bros. My hand hovers over where my phone is slipped away into my belt.

"Don't even think about it." He hisses and nods in my direction.

I quickly push a random button, but I'm suddenly attacked and the shell cell is wiped from my possession. The ninja that stole it from me handed it to Shredder who stomped on it.

Donnie is gonna be so pissed. That was the upgraded version.

Shredder suddenly picks me up by my belt and yanks my weapons out of my grasp. He seriously does not look happy right now. I feel myself swallow in fear when he rips off my orange bandana and belt.

"You are trying my patience, turtle." He says in a dangerously edgy tone.

Lights suddenly turn on from across the room. He drops me to the ground and presses his foot on my shell while he angles his blades to my throat. My eyes go to where the light is which I finally figured out was an arrangement of televisions.

I gasp. Leo. Raph. Don.

They're names are posted up on the screen. Pictures of the recent fight we had was playing on each of the three wide screens.

"I don't get it."

He pushes me aside and turns to the television screen. The scenes change to where it shows the bloodstream of each of my brothers with tiny devices attached to the cells flowing through. I must have looked confused.

"They're nano scopic probes." He explains, "Infiltrated through the laser I shot at your… brothers." He turns back to me, a simple, red button device in his grasp, "You see, Michelangelo, with one press of this button, my probes will destroy your brothers from the inside out."

My face hardens slightly. "You can't control them. They'll never obey you. They'd die first."

"This isn't about them, Michelangelo. It's about you."

"Huh?"

"I have watched each one of you for a very long time. I know your strengths and your weaknesses. Leonardo has been my prime target for a very long time, but you, Michelangelo harness so much power that you have yet to unleash."

Okay, did he hit his head on something? I'm starting to think this is some sort of bizarre dream. "Are we talking about the same Mikey?"

"I have been searching for an apprentice for awhile now." He says, "Someone to follow in my footsteps and Michelangelo I have chosen you."

I take a few steps back and shake my head, "You're outta your metalhead if you think I'd ever work for -"

The rest of the sentence dies when he raises the device for me to see.

"If you join me. I will allow them to live." He stops for a moment, then adds, "But, if you disobey even the smallest request I will kill them and… I'll make you watch."

"No!"

"So, do we have a deal?"

I hang my head and do the only thing I can do to keep my family safe. As much as I hate to, I accept the deal that was offered to me. "You have my word."

His bitter laugh rings through my head. As I turn to follow him, I look over my shoulder at the discarded pile in the middle of the room. My belt, my mask and my nunchucks.

Things all part of the past that I'll never be apart of again...

Until next chapter!

Thats...Demi4yah! ;D