Chapter Text
Mikey goes through a lot of exercises and examinations in the morning. Dr. Chaplin is there for all of it.
Mikey is made uncomfortable by his presence, by his calm smile that is consistent throughout the day. At one point, he places a hand on Mikey's shoulder, as if to make him feel comfortable. Or to create the idea that they are close friends, that Mikey can trust him.
It has the complete opposite effect, and Mikey's entire body is set to pins and needles at the touch. His stomach in knots, his mind static, his hands tremble under the immense weight that one hand holds over him.
He sits as still as stone underneath that hand. If he moves, if he breathes, if he cries or smiles or laughs, who knows what punishment he will earn?
And yet... Mikey wishes the touch would last longer. It's warm, it feigns kindness and familiarity. He pretends the hand belongs to someone else, he pretends it belongs to Blue or Red or Purple.
Even though... they don't love Mikey. He doesn't blame them for not loving him, he doesn't even love him. How could he, when he's just a freakish mutant thing?
He tries not to shake, he tries not to cry. He ducks his face away so no one will see.
He wishes he wasn't such a monster. He wishes he was something else. A dust mite, a bottle, a picture hanging on a wall. Maybe a cat, or maybe a bird, or even a worm. Something, anything, that has even an iota of meaning and purpose in the world.
Their necessity in the grand scheme of things outweighs his own, in any case...
And someone must love those things, right?
Mikey can't stop crying. He catches himself on the verge constantly, the tears burning the edges of his eyes.
Dr. Chaplin watches over Mikey the entire first half of the day. He practically hovers over him, like Mikey is his little child at the nurses' office for a checkup, or a precious toy that is getting maintenance.
Dr. Timothy and Dr. Finn do all sorts of examinations and physical tests and check-ups and such and so forth. They take Mikey's temperature, they do a DNA test, the inspect his teeth and claws, they check this and that and that and this and this and that and...
...Why don't the colours love Mikey?
Didn't they love him at one time? Weren't they here with him once? They must have lived with him in the labs, so... were they family? Friends?
Did they look like him? Smell like him? Did they have spots, too?
The doctors say that Mikey was the first and only success in the TCRI mutation experiments. Does that mean that Red, Blue, and Purple are...
...........dead.....?
...Mikey hopes not.
As awful as it is, as painful as it could be... Mikey hopes they left him. Mikey hopes they escaped, got out, something.
He wonders if they think about him.
...But they probably don't. They probably never looked back. And why would they? Why think about this place in any way??
Mikey.... Mikey hopes that they're happy now. Wherever they are.
The tests go on.
Mikey zones out for the whole of they day until he's put back in his cage.
...Maybe Mikey should stop thinking about them, too.
It hurts too much.
Mikey curls in his cage, turning his back to the other experiments in the room. It really is hopeless for him, isn't it?
They all really do hate him, don't they? He'll never get out of here. He'll never see them again.
It's... it's hopeless. He'll never find home...
This is your home, Instinct whispers. I am all you need.
Mikey is tired of listening to him. He tries to ignore him. It's hard.
So Mikey just lays there, in the uncomfortable silence of the labs.
The animals bark and yowl and mew and chirp and hiss and snap and so on.
The doctors argue and discuss things amongst themselves.
At some point, Mikey must've fallen asleep. He only figures this out when he is woken most abruptly by an alarm ringing through the labs. Feet scamper back and forth as scientists start grabbing what they can and then making a break for the doors.
Mikey turns to peek out just a moment to see what the fuss is about. He's never heard an alarm like this before.
"...how many intruders did they say?"
"Not sure, but we have to get everything out of here..."
"What do we do about the experiments?"
"Leave 'em! They're just stupid dumb animals--"
"And the Mikey experiment?"
Silence. Mikey looks out between bars as the two men contemplate what to do.
"...We don't have time to move him. Just... just cover up his cage and push it in the back. Hide him."
"Is that really wise??"
"You heard the alarm! I'm not risking getting nabbed by some thrill-seeking idiots! And what if they're robbers, or armed? And the likelihood that they'll make it to this floor before security gets them --"
"Alright, alright! Fine, geez... do you see a tarp or blanket or something we can use?"
"Yeah, I think there's a fire-resistant sheet in the closet for emergencies..."
Mikey watches with curiosity as one man grabs the blanket and the other starts pushing Mikey's cage into the back of the room, finding a dimly lit corner that will hide him well enough.
"Don't just stand there, help me already! This thing is heavy!"
"Right. Hey, how do we know this thing won't make any noise or something?"
"He's smart, he knows not to do that. Don't you, freak?"
Mikey swallows and whimpers, cowering even further into the corners of his cage.
The two finally push his pen into the corner, and drape the cloth over it. They press a finger to their mouth, signaling him not to make a sound before pulling the cloth as far over his enclosure as possible before running away and turning the lights down.
Mikey shivers. He's not sure why he's so nervous.
Stupid fearful wretch. Do you think this will keep you alive? Fear is weakness!
Mikey begs Instinct not to berate him right now. It's hard to stay quiet when Instinct is --
How pathetic you are. How revolting. They couldn't even care enough about you to take you with them.
Please, stop... Mikey's begging you, j-just --
And Instinct doesn't just mean the evil humans. 'They' couldn't care less about you either. You spend every spare woebegone second crying over those worthless colours! And where are they now?! GONE, THAT'S WHERE! They LEFT you, and ABANDONED you, and all you can think of is how much they could have loved you?? HAH! I was wrong to keep you alive. I was wrong to save you, to fight for you. You aren't even worth it.
Mikey cries.
Stop crying, idiot!!
He can't.
It's... it's so hopeless. Why did he ever have hope? What for?? A happy ending? A family? Someone to hold him and love him?
What a hollow dream that was. Mikey should have known... h-he should have never hoped... Mikey isn't even a monster. He's less than that. He's nothing.
Oh, how long it has taken you to realize, Instinct sighs.
Mikey sobs quietly.
He cries and curls tighter and tighter and tighter around himself, hoping that he'll disappear inside of himself... if it's possible.
A door slams open, causing him to jolt out of his self-pity party. Mikey tries to stop sobbing. Keep quiet, keep quiet!!
Mikey can't stop crying, can't stop whining and whimpering and...
A-and...
What's... what's that smell?
Oof, it smells bad. Strange. But... but he.... he KNOWS that smell, doesn't he?
Red.
RED.
The colour engulfs his mind as the scent comes into focus.
I-it's... it's him. It's Red.
No, it can't be! Red is --
...Is here in the room. Red is HERE!!
Oh.
Oh no. Oh, no, no no no....
Mikey can't let Red see him.
He hides, pushing himself as far away from the cage door as he can.
Red CANNOT find him! H-he can't, if Red sees Mikey, th-then he'll be so angry! Mikey knows they left him, Mikey knows that he was gone, they must be so angry at him! And Mikey knows... Mikey is a monster. Mikey can't remember what he looked like before, but he does know that he looks different now... He doesn't want Red to see him.
Mikey prays that Red doesn't find him.
His heart pounds louder and louder as he listens to each step get closer. He BEGS himself to SHUT UP, STOP CRYING!! HE'LL HEAR YOU!
And hear him he does. Mikey hides his face, cowering in the dark as he hears the shuffling of feet coming towards his cage.
There's a loud CLANG noise as Red destroys the lock. Mikey's body freezes in terror.
The door opens.
Mikey finds himself reacting purely out of fear. He doesn't even know why he does what he does, but Mikey lunges out of the cage and hides behind Red. Red gasps in shock at the speed, but doesn't react beyond that.
Mikey clings onto him, breath trembling in his lungs.
It's Red... it's Red...
Oh..... oh the familiar feeling of hope.
He CAME. Red CAME BACK FOR HIM.
Despite his utter terror, Mikey can't bring himself to let go. Red seems to notice this.
"Alright, you can stay up there, but I need to go find my brother," Red replies with a sigh.
Mikey is confused... brother? He means Mikey! Does he not know? Has he truly not realized...
Mikey lets out a churr, unsure whether or not to tell him. He's... he's looking for him. He's searching for him. He WANTS to find him...
Red places a hand over his shell, helping him to stay in place on his shoulder.
"His name is Mikey," Red says, head swivelling from side to side as he searches the room. "He's got spots and the biggest smile you'll ever see. Mikey's also super talented. Kid can bake, draw, and dance better than anyone."
Mikey chirps, a smile gracing his face. He tries to hug him as best he can in his position. His tail wags, slapping the back legs of Red as he continues.
Somewhere in the back of his head, Instinct tells him not to fall for it, stay on his guard...
"I love him," Red continues, voice cracking. "A lot. I'd do anything for him."
Red goes on and on and on about Mikey, talking of special skills or talents he has, their relationship, and so many other things.
He... he loves Mikey?
He loves...
Someone.... someone loves Mikey.
Someone loves him enough to come into this place. To look for him. Despite what he's done.
Red loves Mikey. Despite all he thought, despite the hope that died and the many times Mikey was convinced of the opposite... he loves him. Mikey was wrong. Red loves Mikey...
He starts crying again.
"Ew! Did you just drool on me!? Come on!"
Mikey cries even more. Red loves him. Mikey never knew that... Mikey realizes that they didn't betray him, he betrayed them...
Red sighs and rubs Mikey's back.
"Hey, sorry for saying all that….you've probably been through enough already."
Mikey rubs his cheek against Red's head, gently wrapping his arms under his neck in what could loosely be described as a hug.
Mikey... Mikey is so sorry, Red. Mikey's so sorry...
"Don't worry about it. I'm not sad. Not as long as I find him," Red explains.
But... Mikey is right here?
Red doesn't understand. Mikey still can't show him his face. He's too scared. Maybe Red will stop loving him if he sees Mikey...
But he has to help Red. He starts tugging Red's shoulders, pulling him in a specific direction. Out of the room, into the hall, towards the elevator.
"I can't go without my brother," Red refuses, trying to pull Mikey off of his shoulders. "Here, you get out, you've probably been trapped long enough."
No, Mikey can't let Red see him!
Red gets irritated as Mikey mews in anxiety, clinging onto his shell and acting completely uncooperative. Red groans in frustration.
"Listen, I can't-"
The scales on Mikey's skin stand up on edge. He smells something.
Danger.
Mikey turns back and sees the cages of the mutants be opened remotely. That's not good. He looks up and sees a camera in the hallway watching them.
Oh. Oh no.
This is Mikey's fault. They don't want him to leave. They're going to take Red away from him again --
NO.
Mikey can't let them have his... brother... They cannot take Red.
Mikey leaps off of Red's back.
"I can't let you down! They're still coming!"
Red whirls around and comes face to face with reality.
Mikey stares at him, eyes sad and smile just barely visible.
Mikey's so sorry, Red...
"M-Mikey….?"
Mikey turns around and growls at the oncoming battle.
Shall we kill? Instinct asks.
Yes, Mikey answers.
WONDERFUL.
Mikey charges.
He'll make it up to Red. He'll protect him. He'll save him, he'll fight for him, kill for him, die for him. Anything.
Mikey will do good.