***
Kali and Mike wave to the audience.
"Hello everyone, and sorry for the long wait, but you know how it is. This time it was rather close, but Mikey got the most votes, so he's here with me today."
Mike grins. "That wasn't so bad, actually, except for that last day." He shudders.
Kali pats his shoulder. "Don't worry Mike, it'll be over soon. Everything that happened will be void after the story ends."
Mike frowns. "You mean everything will go back to being normal?"
"As normal as they get around here."
"Damn, and I was looking forward to seeing Raph in maternity clothes. Venus, too. Did we ever find out who she was with?"
Kali shrugs. "I don't think it matters at this point. Anyway, this is the second to last chapter."
The audience claps and hoots wildly.
"So it's down to Raph and Venus, two of the fan favorites. And given their...conditions, this should be interesting."
"Have we decided the prizes yet?"
***
Day Forty One
Everything is quiet in the lair. Hmmm, maybe a little too quiet.
CRASH!
"Raph, look what you did!"
"Me? I'm not the one who put it there!"
"You should watch where you're going."
"I don't need to 'cause this is your fault."
Venus screams in frustration and looks down at the bowl that had been sitting on the counter, its contents now spread all over the kitchen floor.
"I'm not cleaning it up," Raph says.
"Oh, yes you are."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"No way!"
"Get back here!"
***
Day Forty Two
"How 'bout Glen?"
"For a boy? Nah, I want something Japanese."
Venus flips through 'The Everything Baby Names Book'. "Kanji?"
"That has promise."
***
Day Forty Three
Venus and Raphael sit on the couch watching TV. Raph keeps flipping the channel but all of them are showing TLC's 'A Baby Story'.
"That's it!" Raphael stands up and throws down the remote and it smashes into a hundred pieces.
"Raphael!" Venus yells. "You should not have done that. Donatello is not here to fix it."
"I don't give a damn! This whole thing is getting on my nerves. I'm going crazy! I have no control over anything."
"Then you should not have been a fictional character," Venus replies. "How do you think I feel? I'm not even canon anymore!"
"Oh, shut up! You got it easy. You wouldn't last one day in the Mirage comic series!"
"I would too!"
"Would not."
"Would too."
"Would not."
"Would too."
"Would not."
"Would too."
***
Day Forty Four
"Would not."
"Would too."
"Would not."
"Would too."
"Would not."
"Would too."
"Would not."
"Would too."
Just to let you know, Venus wins the argument, and to get his revenge, Raphael hides all the food except for a box of store brand rice crispies.
***
Day Forty Five
Raph and Venus sit at the entrance to the lair with their bags at their feet. They looked very tired, but oddly relieved.
"I want a new bike," Raph says suddenly.
Venus stares at him a moment before realizing what he's talking about. "I just want this story to end. I don't really know what I want."
"I'm sure Kali's got something good. I mean she wouldn't gyp ya, 'cause we know where she lives."
Venus nods as Kali appears in front of them. "Well, time to go."
***
Mike runs across the stage, holding something in his hands, and Kali chases after him.
"Mike, give me that back! I just got it!"
Suddenly she notices that the camera is on and stops.
"Oh, hi again. I for one am glad this little adventure is almost over, as fun as it's been. It's time for the final vote, so vote."
Mike sneaks back onto stage and puts bunny ears behind Kali. She turns and chases after him.
After a minute she comes back, smoothing her hair back. "Okay, a few additional notes. I do have some ideas for prizes, and thanks to all of you who gave suggestions. And specifically, thanks to Mica for the information on...uh...well, thanks."
Mike appears on stage, his hands tied in front of him. "We'll use it in good faith."
Kali gives him an odd look and he just shrugs and grins.
***