***
Kali runs up onto stage.
"Hey everyone, welcome back. Sorry I'm late, but I was off with other projects. Which ones? That's top secret. Okay, this week our loser is Donatello!"
"I'm not going out there," a voice says from off stage.
Kali runs off stage and returns, literally dragging Donatello with her. She drops him in the plastic chair and jumps onto the throne. "Welcome Don!"
Don glances at the camera nervously. "Hey Kali. I never thought I'd be voted off before the Dragon Lord."
Kali shrugs. "You win some, you lose some. So, Don, did you get your magazine back?"
"Huh?" He blushes. "Oh, yeah."
Kali smirks. "So, what do you think about Venus' current…condition."
"I think you need a vacation from insanity," Don replies.
"I'll just come back with a vengeance."
Don shivers. "Nevermind. Forget I suggested it. Venus isn't very happy."
"So? You think I care?"
"Not really."
"This ought to be fun."
***
Day twenty six
Mike paces around the couch where Raphael is sitting. Leo is sitting in a nearby chair, looking a lot better than before, but eerily quiet. Dragon Lord is standing in the corner, as far away as possible while still being in the room.
Raph finally rubs his eyes and puts his head between his knees. "Damn it, Mike, will you quit it? I'm getting dizzy."
Mike stops, and begins shifting from one foot to the other. "How long does it take?"
Raph sighs and Leo shrugs. Dragon Lord rolls his eyes. "What do you care?"
Mike whirls around to face him. "I care about what happens to Venus because she's part of our family. And she's cute."
Raph shakes his head. "So do we Mike, but…"
The bathroom door opens and Venus emerges. She sits on the couch next to Raph, and Mike shoots into the bathroom.
"That bitch!" Venus shrieks and lowers her head to her hands. Raph gives her an odd glance and looks over the back of the couch to Mike.
"Yo, what is it?"
"She trashed the box!" Mike yells as he comes back into the room.
"So?" Dragon Lord asks, still in disbelief of how a small white stick could cause so much trouble.
"I don't know what the little dot means!" Mike throws his arms into the air. He stands in front of Venus. "What is it?"
She looks up and glares at him so intensely that he backs away.
***
Day twenty seven
Leonardo watches Venus from his place at the kitchen table. Mike busies himself by cooking…something. Leo's grip on his teacup tightens as he watches Raph approach Venus.
"So what were the results?" Raphael demands.
"Kiss my shell!" Venus snaps before turning on her heel.
Raph grabs her arm. "Come on, tell us."
She turns back to him. "Look Mister I-think-I'm-so-hot, it's my life!"
"But you're living with us," he reminds her.
Venus suddenly relaxes. Her lower lip starts quivering. "Why do you have to be so mean?"
"What?"
"Just leave me alone!" She spins and runs from the room, leaving behind a very confused Raphael.
He stumbles into the kitchen. "What the hell was that about?"
Mike shrugs and Leo frowns.
***
Day twenty eight
Leonardo taps his foot impatiently. "This is a fine mess you've made."
Raph and Mike look up from their game of Uno.
"I don't care what you think the readers want."
Raph and Mike exchange glances.
"Oooh, just wait until I get out of here."
"Uh, Leo," Mike says. "Who are you talking to?"
Leo looks over. "Hmm?"
"Who ya talkin' to?" Raph repeats.
"Oh, Kali."
Raph and Mike exchange another look. Mike puts down a blue six. "So, what happened to the papers?"
"She got a new book on astral projection," Leo tells them as Raph draws a card.
"Ah," Raph replies. "So, what does she have to say?"
"At the moment, she has insomnia, and nothing's on TV at the moment…so she writes."
Mike sets down a blue two. "Why does she have to take it out on us?"
"It gets worse," Raph says, setting down a red two.
"How?" Leo asks.
"She's planning a sequel to that stupid pun story of hers."
"Say it ain't so!" Mike cries.
"I've seen the plans, dude."
***
Day twenty nine
Venus walks into the kitchen. She grabs random things from the cabinets and stares at the cans and boxes.
Dragon Lord stands in the doorway and watches her curious behavior.
"I can't decide," Venus finally says.
"Just choose something!" Dragon Lord snaps.
"But I want it all! Together!"
Dragon Lord presses his fingertips to his temples. "I can only hope that I'm voted off. I don't know how much more of this I can stand."
Venus turns to him. "Is that all you can think about? Yourself?"
Dragon Lord raises a spiked eyeridge. "I'm a villain, what do you expect?"
"No wonder she killed you off."
***
Day thirty
"This sucks!" Mike cries.
Raph looks around. "Kali's here?"
Leo cringes. "I do NOT want to think about that statement."
"I don't get it," Venus says.
Dragon Lord crosses his arms over his chest. "Why am I not surprised?"
Mike glares at the group. "I'm gonna be kicked off, I just know it!"
Raph smacks him upside the head. "No you're not, dork, dragon breath is."
"Excuse me?" Dragon Lord says. "Since when did you get to decide?"
Raph shrugs. "Just seems like your time. Or maybe it's Leo's."
Leo looks at the ceiling. "Oh, I hope so. If I don't, I'm going to kill you next week."
Mike snaps his fingers. "Hey, we never found out the results of the test."
All eyes turn to Venus.
"Oh, well, it was…"
***
Kali smirks as all the readers scream in frustration.
"Did you really think I was going to just tell you? You all should know better than that." She grins. "Well, you all need to vote now. Why do I keep having to remind you people?"
"Kali," Don calls from off stage. "Stop patronizing the readers."
"Aww, you're no fun."
***