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The venom that Xever– or Fishface, now– had injected into Raphael with his toxic bite has some wildly interesting properties. For one, Donnie’s angriest brother had been put into a state of near complete calm and tranquility, aside from the vomiting, and he didn’t complain once about the bite on his arm until the next day. The venom is obviously a hallucinogenic, with Donnie leaning towards it being a psychedelic rather than a dissociative. It’s also a pain suppressant.
The scientist collected some of Raphael’s blood just before injecting him with the antivenom. It doesn’t seem like they’ve seen the last of Fishface, so Donnie wants to learn everything he can through the venom in Raph’s blood sample. Now Donnie’s curious about if it could make a good painkiller or stress reliever. It doesn’t seem to have any addictive properties and he’s been studying his older brother since the night he got bit. His wound is healing up fine, just a little sore, no headaches, lasting nausea, chills or sweats. He also has to keep in mind, however, that the anti-venom could combat any of these lasting symptoms.
He’s begun making some good progress in his research nonetheless. It was definitely a slow start, as all of his research begins with scraping the internet for any gaps in his current knowledge. First he had to identify what kind of fish Xever mutated into. The closest match turned out to be a snakehead, so Donnie checked to see if they’re venomous, and he was shocked to find that they aren’t. Fishface’s venomous bite must be a result of his mutation, Donnie concluded, then found evidence for this in the blood sample.
Some type of mutagen based toxin– what a brilliant discovery! That’s what really led Donatello to this line of thinking. Most painkillers don’t work as effectively on him and his brothers due to their high metabolisms. It’s not pleasant, but they’ve always been able to deal, especially since their bodies naturally heal from wounds faster. Even so, he’d like to be prepared if a day ever comes where they require powerful painkillers.
Unfortunately even if this does work he’ll only have a few doses at best. He really doesn’t think Xever would allow Donatello to milk him for his venom to make more, but maybe he could make a synthetic copy of the substance if it’s worth the hassle.
He’s managed to create a solution of the toxin and various chemicals to suppress its negative side effects– specifically the vomiting and potential fatality– but he’s not gotten the hallucinatory properties figured out quite yet.
Donatello is dropping some of his current mixture into a petri dish with an eye dropper when his brothers call him out to the common room for pizza.
While the brothers sat in the pit and ate their delicious dinner from Antonio’s, Mikey tried to get anyone, absolutely anyone to do something with him. Everyone refused, of course– Leo is close to finishing one of his Space Heroes comics and too excited to get to the end, Donnie’s busy in his lab, and Raph simply said ‘no.’
So, when Donnie gets up and goes into his lab, he finds he has an uninvited guest. He loves his little brother, he really does, but Mikey has a tendency to get up to trouble in his lab. Whether he’s breaking beakers, dropping chemicals on the floor, or attempting to drink something he isn’t supposed to, he’s always finding something to annoy him. Worst of all, he refuses to leave. Donnie tries to keep one eye on his little brother at all times, but sometimes he gets too engrossed in his work. He thinks Mikey does it on purpose, is quiet and well behaved for just long enough for Donnie to let his guard down, then clink!
The scientist looks up and his jaw drops in horror. Michelangelo, ever the experimental chef with a stomach of steel and the survival instincts of a toddler, has poured the red solution onto a slice of pizza he snuck in. He’s already taken a bite.
“MIKEY!” Donnie hollers at the top of his lungs. “ARE YOU INSANE!?”
“Mmm, Dee! This new hot sauce is bangin’! Can I get some more of th-”
“That is not hotsauce, MIKEY!”
“It’s spicy!”
Leaping over his desk and sending equipment crashing to the floor, Donatello knocks what little remains of the contaminated pizza out of his brother’s hand. “How many times do I have to tell you, do not touch, eat, or drink anything in my lab! These are chemicals, Mikey, and you just ate an experimental drug made from Fishface’s venom!”
“Well you have the antidote, don’t you?”
Donnie stares at him with an eye twitching in agitation. “I will make a dose of the anti-venom, but I'm not using it on you unless you’re dying.”
“Huh?”
“First of all, that was all I had. I was synthesizing it into a painkiller and now it is on a piece of pizza and flowing through your system. It won’t be fatal, and you won’t get nauseous or any of those super bad symptoms Raph was feeling. You shouldn’t, anyways. Second, I am tired of having to fix your mistakes, Michel. If I keep bailing you out, you’re going to drink something I can’t save you from one day. So, you got lucky today, you’re going to suffer the consequences of your actions. Maybe that’ll teach you to value your life more than your stomach!”
“You’re using me as a guinea pig? As punishment!?” Mikey’s expression is one of horror, the type a boy who’s never faced the consequences of his actions pulls.
“Well, it sounds worse than it is when you put it like that. But yes.”
“That’s so messed up, dude!”
“Dude me all you want, go get Leo and Raph to help keep an eye on you.”
Mikey groans and then whimpers at Donnie with puppy dog eyes. “I’m making an antidote, Mikey. Go get them before the venom kicks in.”
Finally Mikey leaves his lab, giving Donatello just a few moments of peace to recall what he needs for the antivenom in case this little experiment of his goes sideways. He also prepares himself for Leo being on Mikey’s side. Exhibit A on why their little brother thinks he can get away with anything and everything.
“Donnie!” Leo begins at the door to the lab. “What are you doing, trying to kill our little brother?”
“I am not trying to kill him, it’s for Mikey’s safety. Did he tell you the part where it won’t hurt him, but most other things in my lab will? He’ll have one bad trip and learn his lesson, Leo.” Responds Donnie matter-of-factly.
“No. He did not mention that.” Leo responds flatly with a side eye at Mikey, who is zoning out beside him.
“Actually, he told us ‘Donnie poisoned me and won’t give me the antidote. He’s trying to kill me!’” Raph chimes in with a high pitched impression of their brother, causing Leo to drop his head. “Hero boy believed him.”
“To an extent!”
“To an extent?” Donnie replies exasperated. “You think I would poison Mikey? On purpose?”
“No! That’s not–”
“That’s exactly what he thinks, yes.” Raph responds, earning a death glare from his twin.
“On accident!” Leo shouts. “Besides, I don’t think this is a good idea. Aren’t you overreacting?”
“And Mikey wasn’t overreacting when he said I was trying to kill him?”
“Yes, he was, but–” Leo stops in his tracks as Mikey begins to tilt forward and lose his balance, his older brother quickly catching him.
“Lay him on the med table. He’ll be fine, and the antidote is made if he needs it.”
“Donnie…”
“Leo.”
“Loosen up, lame-o-nardo. Mikey’ll be fine, and besides, it’ll be fun!”
"For you, maybe, you psychopath!”
Raph doesn’t even retaliate, just grabs Mikey’s feet and helps Leo haul him over to the table before sitting on the edge, putting Mikey’s feet resting on his legs. Leo stands next to Mikey’s head, resting his hand on their little brother’s forehead for comfort. Donnie can’t help but feel a little guilty while he looks at the antidote in his hands, but he tells himself it’ll finally teach Mikey his lesson.
“How ya doing over there, Mikey?” Asks Donnie, still sitting at his desk. He’s holding a notebook and pen, ready to write down his response.
“I feel kinda good actually.” His words are slightly slurred, his voice not as loud as it usually is, but he seems to be in the same happy and relaxed state Raph had been in.
“See Leo? He’s fine. Besides, it’s Mikey, he’s probably having a great time watching the unicorns fly by.” Raph retorts.
“Did you enjoy watching the unicorns, Raph?” Asks Donnie with a smirk.
“Of course not!” he yells, but it’s too forced. “Okay, maybe a little.”
“Leo!” Mikey suddenly hollers from the bed, holding out his arms. Then he picks his head up. “Raph!”
Leo raises a brow. “You okay, Mikey?”
Mikey doesn’t speak, just pushes himself up and pulls his legs off of Raph’s then turns to get on his knees. Donnie watches as he ducks his head and wiggles his butt in the air like a cat, then suddenly leaps at his older brother. “Leo!” Exclaims Mikey, wrapping his arms and legs around his brother’s neck and shell.
The leader looks somewhat disturbed. “Uh, Donnie?”
“That’s to be expected. Remember Mikey said Raph was holding his hand and telling him he loved him?”
Raphael looks away, face immediately flush with embarrassment. “That did not happen.”
“It definitely happened, bro.” Mikey responds matter-of-factly, still wrapped around Leo and rubbing his face on him like an affectionate kitty.
The leader shoves his little brother’s face away with a large hand, pulling his head away. “C’mon, Mikey, personal space please?” The plea is met with puppy dog eyes that always pierce Leonardo’s heart through that soft spot he has for his smallest brother. With a heavy sigh he pulls his hand away, letting Mikey cling to him like a barnacle on the underside of a ship.
Mikey was expecting this to be a lot worse than it is. His entire body feels tingly and he wants nothing more than to squeeze his oldest brother so tight his head pops off. It's like he can't get close enough to him, he'd probably crawl inside Leo’s shell if he could.
He misses Raph and Donnie too, but they're not as easy to give in to his pleading as Leo. Mikey’s oldest brother has always had an early manipulatable soft spot.
“Leo?” Mikey looks up at him with his pleading eyes.
“What, Mike?” He asks as though tired of him, but the grin on his face tells a different story.
“Can we watch Space Heroes?” Bingo. Leonardo’s eyes light up and he opens his mouth excitedly.
“Of course we-” The leader’s eyes glance over to Raph and he clears his throat. “Uh, yeah, Mikey. We can watch Space Heroes.”
Mikey knows Leo always wants to look cool to his twin brother, even though none of them really ever do. Donnie’s probably the only one Raph ever thinks is cool, like when he made the Shellraiser or the Mecha Turtle, but it's rare he ever says it.
“Have fun watching your stupid show.” Sneers Raphael, and Mikey feels a spark of anger flare up. Little seen Angry Mikey wants to make an appearance. Badly.
“Hey!” Mikey pushes himself up and forces Leo to adjust his grip on his little brother. “Shut up! Space Heroes is awesome!”
Raph and Donnie both raise a brow ridge– Raphael in shock that Mikey is standing up to him, and Donnie perplexed that he isn't staying calm and blissed out. The genius scribbles notes down on his clipboard eagerly.
“You'll watch anything, Mikey, you're not exactly a cartoon connoisseur.” The hothead goads.
“And you are?” The usual goofy, happy-go-lucky spits with an unusual edge to his voice. “Your favorite comic series is the fantastic four food groups! You're reading about super vegetables, it doesn't get any lamer than that, dude!”
He can see the heat rising under Raphael’s skin and his fists clenching tight. Mikey's chest is shoved in Leo’s face as he ignores his older brother's pleas to both of them to calm down. When that doesn't work, the leader starts trying to carry Mikey out of the lab, but the goofball isn't done. Pushing off Leo he puts his feet on his oldest brother's shoulders and hops onto the floor behind him.
“Mikey!” Leo exclaims in surprise as he twists around on his heel, just in time to see his littlest brother launch himself at Raph with a battle cry.
The two begin to tussle, shouting and yelling at one another while throwing punches. Mikey lands a hit on Raph's chin with the palm of his hand, Raph slams a heavy fist into Michelangelo's plastron and sends him flying off of him. Leonardo grabs Raph before he can get back on their littlest brother, but Mikey clearly isn't done.
“Stop being so mean to my brothers you monster!” Mikey screams, pupils blown wide as he lunges to attack Raphael. Donnie leaps out of his chair and grabs Mikey by the arms to hold him back. Raph elbows Leonardo in the plastron and shoves him off him, but doesn't go after Mikey again. “He's high as a kite, probably doesn't even know who he's talking to.”
At this point, Raph is right. Mikey isn't seeing his older brother, his vision swirling, heart pounding, head throbbing. He's not seeing unicorns or rainbows but a monster with gnashing teeth and a hundred eyes, screaming and laughing. Rock music screams in his head like a boss theme trying to drown out his brother's reasoning.
“Get him out of the lab!” Donnie shouts at Leo but his voice seems to drag through the air like it's trudging through muck.
Leo grabs the beast's arms and Donnie shoves Mikey into the desk chair, shoving a glass of water into his little brother's hands. “Drink. Calm down. What were you seeing?” There are tears in the little turtle's eyes.
Mikey closes his eyes and slowly sips the water, then completely chugs it. He didn't realize how thirsty he had been. “That monster was trying to hurt Leo.”
He's weeping, and Donnie rubs the back of Mikey's shell. He leans into his older brother and slowly begins to calm down. “That monster was Raph.” Donnie replies.
Huh? That doesn't make sense. Mikey looks around, Raph, Leo, and the monster are all gone. “Raph isn't here.”
“He was, and you attacked him.” Donnie explained. “Let's get you out to the pit to watch some Space Heroes, okay?”
“Okay.” Mikey responds, letting Donnie grab his hand and guide him out of the lab and onto the couch. “Leo! Mikey’s ready to watch Space Heroes!”
“Coming!” Leo shouts from somewhere in the lair before emerging and dropping in front of the TV to put on season one. “Raph agreed to stay in his room for a while. He'll probably sneak out to Casey's, though.”
“Figures.” Replies Donnie, and Mikey tunes out the rest of their conversation as the first episode of Space Heroes begins to play. Leo throws an arm over the littlest brother's shoulder, and Mikey sinks into his embrace to ride out the high.
He doesn't even notice when Donnie pricks him to get a blood sample and walks back to his lab.