According to Klunk
Chapter one: Just Another Day
Klunk's P.O.V
It was a hot, sticky, do-nothing type of day. Donny was working on another air conditioner, which I wasn't sure was going to help. Splinter called off afternoon practice; "it is simply too warm for cold blooded creatures, my sons." Raph was sprawled on the recliner in front of the TV and a large fan, but still sweating up a storm.
I know, I know, "Turtles don't sweat!" But neither do they walk on two legs, practice Ninjutsu, or eat pizza. True, cold blooded and sweat don't seem to go together, but trap us in a hot room and there is defiantly a major stink of BO. And BO is caused by sweat. And Raph's is the WORST! And get him hot; especially when he can't cool down enough, he gets crabby. I mean, more than normal for Raph, anyway.
"Donny! What's takin' so long?! I'm dyin' of heat stroke here!"
"I know Raph, and that's quickly becoming possible. I'm trying, but I don't think this can be saved. The parts are oxidized, the air conditioner is outdated, and my hands are sweaty and swollen. I can't-" CLANG! "OW!"
"You ok, Don?" Leo asked. I jumped. I didn't know he was there, I guess I was too focus on Donny and his injury. "No, I just said ow to make you look!" Donny snapped back. I stared at him. That wasn't like him at all. But immediately, Donny looked stricken. "Sorry Leo, but I sliced my hand open, and it hurts like a burn!"
Leo sighed. "We're all cranky; it's been hot for days." He took a look at Don's hand. "Ouch, that has to hurt!"
"Do you need the first aid kit?" Raph asked, hopping up. I looked over the back of the couch at him rushing around.
"Relax, Raphael, it's too hot for you to get so excited." Splinter came to the kitchen, first aid kit in hand.
"Sorry sensei, you know how it is when it's hot."
"More than you know, my son." He said, treating Donny's hand. "I'm surprised that we haven't heard more from Michelangelo, however." He smiled wryly, his liquid brown eyes flicking in my direction.
I looked down at my best friend, snoring on the couch.
"Klunk, how can you stand it right there? That's the hottest place in the lair!" Leo smiled. I jumped down from the back of the couch, purring at him. Besides Mikey, Leo's closest to me, the only one to daily pay me much notice. I rubbed against his leg, wishing I could respond to him.
"Why do you do that, Leo? Klunk's just some alley cat Mikey found. It's not like it understands you." Raph said, sticking his hand in the freezer for some ice.
"That's not true, Raph. Klunk's VERY intelligent." Donny grinned. I jumped up so he could pet me with his uninjured hand, which he did. "I mean, come on, she knows all kinds of tricks, and it's MIKE training her."
Raph laughed. "Good point." then he relaxed, then sat up. "Training… her?"
"You didn't know Klunk was a girl?" Leo asked, amused.
Ooooohhhhh how I wished I could smile and laugh with Leo, Splinter, and Donny at Raph's confused look.
"I guess I didn't pay much attention…" he mumbled, turning darker green, the turtles' way of blushing.
Splinter finished with Donny's hand and ran his slender hand through my fur. Despite the fact I can't eat rats or mice anymore, I adore Sensei, and have never felt the slightest bit nervous around him. "Never underestimate her, my sons. Remember, I was a simple garden rat when I learned Ninjitzu from my master Yoshi."
"Very true." Leo grinned at his sensei. I basked in the rare attention of my family.
"Oh Kluuuuuuuuuuunk!"
Oh crap! When Mikey calls me like that, there is going to be trouble. Usually a dishtowel and duck tape. I flew off the table and under the stove. I HATE duck tape!
Raph and Leo laughed.
"Now THAT'S a ninja!" Mikey giggled, hanging over the back of the couch. "even Leo can't move that fast!"
"That was mean." Donny said, as Raph tried, unsuccessfully, to stifle his laughter. "we thought you were asleep!"
"Well, I'm right, aren't I?" Mike bounced over to the table. "Klunk's a natural ninja! For her size, her jumps are like jumping onto a 2 story building from the ground. Klunk's flexible and energetic, with natural instincts for stealth and speed. Not to mention SMART."
I peeked from under the oven. True, at the time I just wanted to know how close Mikey was, but I sensed he was praising me even then. I crept along in the space between the cupboard and the floor, never taking my eyes off my mischievous best friend.
"Yeah, maybe, but she's also bright orange, furry, and will do just about anything for a tuna." Raph argued. I leapt on the counter, pausing slightly at the word "tuna". But Raph's and Mike's backs were turned to me, with no indication of standing up and getting the can opener. Boo.
I was hungry, and Donny put my bowl of food on the fridge so he didn't step in it. I crossed the countertops, edging around the sinks and not knocking down Splinter's decorative rice, bean, and noodle jars, his spice racks (all gifts from April, though I just thought of her as "that human that brings me catnip") and towering piles of dishes yet to be washed or put away, not to mention the eternal pile of pizza boxes and aluminum foil. At the time, I didn't realize how impossible to do that was, just that I was hungry, and didn't want to attract attention. I hopped up on the pile of pizza boxes, sniffed them for scraps of pepperoni (That stuff is almost as good as milk and tuna!) then jumped up on the fridge. My bowl was full of dry cat food. Boo again, I hate dry food. Mikey squatted down and looked under the oven for me.
Dishes rattled as Raph slid his chair into the fridge door. "Whatever, Mikey. There ain't nothin' that's gonna convince me that that little cat is anythin' but normal."
Oh yeah? I knocked over my bowl on purpose. It landed perfectly on his head, topside down, cat food flying everywhere. The effect was even better than I thought. Mikey lost it, laughing crazily, Donny fell over laughing, Splinter got a rare mischievous glint in his eyes, and Leo even full out laughed. I landed on Raph's chest and bounded onto the table in the same movement.
"Perfect timing Klunk!" Donny gasped. "It was almost like she planned that!"
"I think she did." Leo said between chuckles.
"Cunning little feline, is she not?" Splinter said. Raph pulled the bowl off his head, looking flaming embarrassed.
"Come here Klunky, Mikey has a weward fow his smawt widdle kitty." Ugh, baby talk. But it always meant something good to eat, so I pranced to him, mewing. He poured me a bowl of milk and opened a can of tuna. I got so excited gulping it down that I didn't notice the green mask and cape he fetched from his room at first.
Oh heck no! Even tuna was not worth putting those things on… at the time. I backed away as fast as I could.
"Come on Klunk, the Turtle Titan needs a sidekick! The Fantabulous Feline!"
"Fantabulous? Is that even a word?" Splinter asked, as Raph roared with laughter.
"Too obvious? How about Cat Challenger?" (Keep in mind, as he's spouting off these ideas, he's chasing me around the lair.) "No? Tubular Tabby! Yeah! I like that one!"
Oh dogs… he had me cornered. If April hadn't had me de-clawed, I would've scratched his mask off! But when he went to pull the mask over my face, I slipped out of his arms and into the nearest room. The room, the only room Mikey ever chased me away from. The room where sat the Shredder's helmet, the Ultimate Ninja's clawed gauntlet and so many other things that were significant memories in the turtles lives.
Most importantly for this tale, the broken canister that held the ooze.
"No! Klunk, not in there!" I understood the frantic tone in Mike's voice, but I thought he still wanted to put that cape on me. I just leapt to the top shelf when he grabbed for me.
Now, the top shelf was an old piece of wood found waterlogged in the sewer somewhere. It had dried brittle, and if it had held anything more than the canister, it would have broken long before. I had hardly set a paw on it when SNAP!
It broke in two! Now, I am a cat, so I did land on my feet. But then half that metal and glass canister, as long as I am, and almost as heavy, landed on ME!
Mikey screamed terribly as the other half shattered against Shredder's helmet, causing glass to rain down on me. Then the heavy metal end landed on me too.
I don't remember any pain, but I did smell blood; I didn't know until later that it was mine. I do, however, remember Mikey shrieking for Donny… His voice was terrible, and I NEVER want to hear him ever use that voice again. From what I've heard since, he thought I had died. Frankly, looking back, as my vision faded, I thought I had too.