A New Foe is Born
Deep in the heart of darkness it looms. Waiting to devour all that came in touch with it. A widespread disease spread over causing its victims to break out and foul smelling green fur and white spots. Thunderous footsteps caused the surface to quake as a shaft of light illuminated the realm while the sacred portal opened.
"So why on earth do we have to clean the refrigerator again?" Raphael asked holding up a scrub brush.
"Because Splinter said so. It was your idea to put dirt in his tea," Michaelangelo replied setting down the bucket.
"That doesn't mean you had to actually do it! Sheesh Mikey" Raphael whapped Mikey upside the head.
"Boys! Less talk more scrubbing. A ninja never lets his home grow mold," Splinter scolded from his viewpoint at the kitchen table sipping a newly brewed cup of tea.
The two turtle brothers frowned and plugged their noses at the smell. Leonardo and Donatello had gone to the surface to visit April and find clues of the Shredder's whereabouts. Rumor about New York was that the Shredder had returned under a new alias. Mikey and Raph under Splinter's careful eye did battle against the mold that had taken over the refrigerator.
Birthday cake from three years before sat on a plate boasting of a new hairdo. Mikey cracked a joke and tossed weeks old sushi at Raph. Then there came to the pizza. Pizza bagels, pizza hot pockets, french bread pizza, and a few empty pizza boxes adorned the shelves. After five hours of scrubbing and pitching molding and freezer burnt pizza they came to a plate sitting the the far corner of the fridge.
There sitting in what seemed to be perfect condition sat three pieces of pepperoni pizza. Raphael picked up the plate sniffing it carefully, "Well it still smells okay. Mikey...you eat it."
"No way Dude. Isn't that the pizza we bought right after we defeated the Shredder the last time? Man that was two years ago! And now he's back! Ain't no way I'm taking a bite of that pizza," Mikey pushed the plate back towards Raphael.
"Yeah but Splinter said we can't throw away anything that is still good. A ninja never wastes. Now how do we know if we can throw it away if you don't eat it?" Raphael tried shoving the plate back into Mikey's hands.
Mikey groaned then had an epiphany, "What if we just put it back in there? If it hasn't gone bad yet then why not let it sit in the fridge until it does?"
Elsewhere Leonardo and Donatello sat side by side legs crossed. Casey pondered from his perch upon the couch. Echoes of the city could be heard from the open window. A bulletin issued by the Umbrella Corporation advised all members of major cities to keep windows open for proper ventilation and atmospheric cleaning prevent the spread of harmful microorganisms. Currently the Umbrella Corporation publicly was making an attempt to stop the spread of the T-Virus.
April stormed over slamming the window shut muttering about how stupid ordering everyone to keep the windows open when it was Christmas Day and thirty degrees outside. She walked back into the kitchen finishing her preparations for Christmas dinner with Splinter and the other turtles. From inside the living room she could hear the grand debate going on.
"Leo I said go left not right! I'm the computer guy you are the leader. I know computers and in all programming it's logical to..." Donatello waved his Wiimote in the air.
"Right, left who cares! There is only one screen! You can't go anywhere," Leonardo growled aiming at the screen.
"Well then aim towards the right!" Donatello muttered fumbling trying to catch his flying Wiimote that was spiraling towards the 150" plasma screen television.
A collective gasp echoed through the room as the white plastic flew. By some miracle it fell just short of the gift from Panasonic. Casey laughed nervously, "I hate to tell you this but you are fighting over Duck Hunt. True it's a 150 inches of Duck Hunt glory but still Duck Hunt. Unless you guys wanna tell Panasonic why their gift to Donny has a Wiimote lodged into it. I'd calm down."
Time passed and dinner was done. Splinter and the other two turtles arrived as April drew the shades to a close shielding anyone from seeing the Turtles. She cooked from five am that morning and now finally it was on the table. Sushi, turkey and cranberry pizza, Hawaiian pizza, and of course the traditional fair of Christmas dinner lay on the table. Hungrily the ragtag family ate and laughed together enjoying a moment of peace.
Across town a small game store and arcade stood in the heart of the city. A small non-descript building seemed odd admist the normal skyscrapers of Manhattan. The air around it hung heavy and ageless. To the public the shop was a hangout with the owner living above his store. A place for kids and teenagers to hang out away from the crime that comes with a large city. Inside games and game relics stood. Anyone could play on an item as old as an Atari or the owners latest experiment in a complete immersion system of virtual reality.
A man of medium stature and glasses walked into the busy shop one day. Usually adults never went inside. Unless they were geeks. After several stares from kids and the owner everyone went about their business. He browsed for a while amongst the few shelves that actually held items for sale. Inspecting one box with a smile he walked to the counter and purchased the item using his Visa card.
The head geek and owner smiled and handed him his receipt that read Breatalon R. Proculmion at the bottom thanking him for the rather large sale.
Just like any ordinary New Yorker he slid into the crowd stepping onto a bus. Traveling back to his Brooklyn apartment. Wordlessly he went over to his computer putting in the CD and acitvating the program. Smiling he created a human warlock naming it The Shred. One purpose rang through his head. The Shred wanted to find the fabled dwarf paladin named Don356921.