True Colors

by Zaru

Disclaimer: I do not own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They belong to Peter Laird. I only own Zaru, Zyphen, Denim and Kyanna. :D

Summary: When he felt things were already too harsh in the world, where he wished the world would just accept them, he finds somebody who can actually see his true colors.

A/n: Okay. This is in the beginning of being revamped. So I'm totally happy I'm getting back into writing this again.

Prologue:

The darkest of dark in New York City was not very unusual. Lamps illuminated the busy city streets below as people bustled along, hurrying home from work or just heading off to work. Hailing taxis when they could actually receive a ride, which was rather rare in New York City. Hitching a ride in the darkness you call home, wasn't really the smartest thing you could do. Especially when New York is known for its murders and rapes and muggers and anything else somebody would fear that could crawl upon like night shrouding the city. It was definitely not the right place for a young woman to be alone in. Especially when she was all alone and had to walk home when she was new in town.

Zaru looked around at the busy streets and wondered if she would ever get home at a decent hour. An hour ago the sun had originally set and she hoped she would be able to get home in time to continue helping her roommates unpack their belongings. But an issue was not important as she just wished she could be home. She was still new in New York City, wondering if it was the right decision to move there from California with her best friends. It was a decision she made because it was the right one. She basically was usually living a country life, with barely anybody around and too much open space. She wanted to see what it would be like to be a city girl for once. If that could ever become of her.

Besides, New York City was definitely the right place for her DJ company. She had her company passed down from her mother who had passed away several years ago from cancer. And in doing so, the company was not really on its feet as it was going to be shut down as soon as her mother passed on by her father who wanted nothing to do with it. Zaru had begged her father to let her take control of the company and help it lift. After much pestering and begging from his only child, he agreed and she took full responsibility for the actions of the company. After a few years of building, it was the most popular DJ company in California and it expanded into a few cities, but mostly into Los Angeles. She wanted to expand it cross country and so moved to New York City to set up the company there along with her three best friends Kyanna, Denim and Zyphen.

Although, she was a little uneasy to have Kyanna and Denim move with her in the first place. Especially when the girls were only 17 and still in high school. The girls were practically orphaned as their parents were rarely around, thus giving them the opportunity of free reign to leave California with parental permission and move with Zyphen and Zaru to the Big Apple. Zyphen had traveled across country to New York City first to find a big enough apartment, luckily finding one with four bedrooms and two stories and definitely affordable. Then it was her job to find a huge building for them to finally expand their company into. She had found that as well. Zaru was very excited when she found out everything was going to plan and all was going to work out just fine there in New York City.

It was only a week ago that the rest of the girls had moved across country to New York City to Zyphen who greeted them graciously showing them around the city and the apartment. Earlier in the week, too, she and Zaru took a tour around the city to the building which would become their new DJ headquarters and plans were already made. The girls got a group of construction workers together to start working on the building. To have it done by the end of the month. And they made that promise, especially in their contract.

Zaru really did not have to worry about anything. The workers were working on the building. The apartment was nice. She just needed to finish unpacking. Not to mention call her father to let him know the girls were all safe and sound and would contact him again real soon.

As she had continued on her way, she could not help but get the feeling she was being watched. But from where. She looked all around her at the passersby but saw nobody staring at her. And she could still feel eyes boring into her. Through her flesh even. 'Why am I feeling this now? Of course I would be feeling it. It's New York City, the Big Apple. People stare at people all the time. No big deal.' But she really had no idea what big of a deal it was to the person who was actually watching her.

Then before she could continue to walk away, somebody grabbed her from behind and pulled her into the alley.

~~~~On the Rooftop~~~~

Raphael was gazing across the city, familiar with its scent. Its lights. Its sound. Its noise. All of it. It was not like he was new to the whole thing of New York City. He had grown up here as matter of fact. But just not above where the people mingle and cars puff out exhaust. No. He was born and raised in a sewer away from the sight's eye. Not allowed to be seen by anybody. Ever. That was his life. He was not allowed to be seen. Not even heard. Yet he was helping these human people as he was taught to do. The humans would never accept them or their way of life. That is what his sensei Master Splinter had always told them. But it was a noble and honorable thing to do by helping them even when they know not who their saviors are or ever if they do not know about them. Raphael wanted them to know about the group. Not putting them in danger, but just at least some people, so he could actually go above and wave hi to friends and go out as himself instead of having to put on a disguise all the time. He had had it with it all. He wanted to live like a normal person Not live in the sewers the rest of his life.

As he was bustling on and on in his head with thoughts running through and through, he noticed a young woman, out of all the people in New York City, this woman. Raphael was not the type who wanted to know and remember every single face in New York, but sometimes certain people would catch his eye, especially this young woman. By the way she was walking, it seemed she had not a care in the world. Like nothing could stand in her way. 'She must be new here. A woman being confident in New York City definitely has to be just moving here.' Although sometimes it was a joke to him. Why help the humans though if they could take care of themselves? Let them get out of their own muggings. Let them get out of their own robberies. Let them beat the guys that are trying to rape them. Let them. Why should he care? Why? Because he has to and because he wants to care. At least when he feels like it.

The woman moved down the sidewalk with ease, nothing moving in her pathway, but she stopped to look around every once in awhile to see if something or somebody was there or she was just checking the scenery. 'Scenery? What scenery? This is fuckin' New York. Ain't no damn scenery here.'

As he continued to watch, he saw that she stopped looking around. 'Could she be sensing that I am watching her? No. She could just be waiting for somebody.' But not anybody she was waiting for. She was snatched from the alley shadows by two burly men and she screaming her lungs off.

'Always a busy night in the Big Apple...' He jumped down from the rooftop to save this woman. Of course, he could always see what she would be able to do...

~~~Alleyway~~~

She was let go by the two men.

"What the hell do you want?" She shouted at them, getting in a defensive stance. Yes. She was experienced in the martial arts. Although, she had not used it since she was at least 14 years old. Been years since she had actually used it, but she was still able to kick some serious ass if she wanted to.

The men just laughed at her. One of them took out a knife. "Empty the purse. Let's see what you got."

Zaru raised an eyebrow. 'Are they stupid or something?' "Can you guys see or are you blind? Because as you should be able to tell, I don't carry purses. I don't carry anything. Just wear a jacket." She showed them the jacket and pockets. Nothing was in them.

"You have nothing? No money? Jewelry? Credit cards?" The other guy asked, which was kind of stupid if you think about it.

Zaru rolled her eyes. 'Verbally mugged by idiots. This definitely should go to World's Dumbest Criminals.'

"No, fellas. I don't carry anything, all right? So you can just get out of my way and I'll be off."

Of course, they were not that stupid.

"I don't think so, lady. You ain't leaving until you give us something."

"I don't have anything to give you." She was beginning to take her steps away from the men and out of the alley.

The other man just shook his head and waved the knife. "Nah, uh uh. You ain't goin anywhere, my lil pretty girl. You're gonna give us something even better."

Her eyes went wide knowing and hoping it was not what they were wanting. 'They're gonna try to rape me! I just know it! Somebody help me!' She shouted in her mind knowing nobody would show up. After all, it was New York City? Why would they? Not like it was not common for this kind of thing to happen to women.

The two men were walking toward her when the guy with the knife was kicked in the solar plexus by a blur. A blurred green foot that is. Zaru blinked. Green? She seriously needed to get her eyes checked if it was green she saw. She watched as the guy doubled over and dropped the knife to the ground. The second guy quickly picked it up, charging into the shadows where the kick had emerged from.

"Hey, Dopey, over here." A rough voice stated, Brooklyn accent definitely there. Kind of sexy, Zaru thought to herself. She watched as the guy once again emerged from the shadows and ran to the other side of the alley where all she could hear were punches and kicks and the guy screaming for mercy. Whoever helped her had suddenly thrown the guy from the shadows and into the brick wall of the alley. He stood up quickly in very much pain she guessed and grabbed his friend running out of there.

Zaru could not believe the action that had just taken place in front of her. She was attacked. Verbally mugged possibly by New York's biggest idiots and just got saved by a mysterious savior.

"You okay?" The voice asked from the shadows.

Zaru turned to look where the voice came from. She nodded. "Yeah I'm fine. Thanks."

"You're welcome. I better get out of here." He was beginning to turn away from her.

In the shadows, Raphael turned away from the woman, wanting to get out of there quickly before she asked to see him.

"Can I see you, please?" The woman asked.

He groaned inwardly. This close to freedom. Dammit. "Lady, it's not a good idea."

She took a step forward. "Why would you say that?"

"Because I ain't the prettiest peach in town, lady." He replied to her hoping she would just leave him alone.

She shrugged. "I don't care. I wanna see my saviour."

"Trust me. You'll regret it. Believe me. Many have regretted wanting to see me."

The young woman seemed to smile at him. "I don't care what you look like. I just wanna see my knight."

"Your knight?"

"Yeah, my knight in shining armor. My savior."

Raphael seemed to blush a little. "I wouldn't really go with knight in shining armor, babe. Not really. I ain't nothing to look at and I sure as hell ain't no knight wearing shiny armor."

She laughed. "I'm Zaru."

"Raphael."

"It's really a pleasure to meet you, Raphael. Please, let me see you."

He had to think it over. If he did, she might scream. And if she screamed it would bring attention. He could not afford that. But she seemed absolutely lovely and delicate and might actually not be freaked out by his appearance.

"You have to swear that you will not scream whatsoever because if you do, I might have to hurt 'cha."

Zaru blinked. "Sure no problem." She was going to take the risk. If it was that bad, she would still have to keep herself from screaming.

Raphael stepped out of the shadows. Zaru could not believe her eyes. Green. It was true. She had seen green moving earlier from out of the shadows. Okay. He was green. Big whoop. She could live with that. Naked. Two toes on each foot. Three fingers on each hand. Plastron and a shell on his back and a really cute face. And a red bandana. She gulped just a little.

"I knew this was a bad idea. " He was beginning to walk backwards back into the shadows.

"No." She stopped him. "Don't worry about it. Actually, I kind of like this. It's...different from what I'm used to which is a good thing."

"A good thing?" He asked, one brow up.

Zaru just smiled. "It's no big deal. Besides I love turtles. You are a turtle right?"

"The mutated variety."

She nodded. "That's, uh, it's pretty cool."

He shrugged. "I guess."

"So, uh, well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Raphael."

"You, too." He was keeping the conversation as short and simple as possible. "Do you live far from here?"

"Actually I think I live like a block or two down."

"I can take ya home. From the rooftops I mean. I kind of travel that way if you want a lift."

She shrugged and nodded. "Okay. That would be rather helpful to me."

So, Raphael picked up Zaru bridal style, her dyed green hair draping itself over her shoulder, and began jumping up the fire escape to the rooftops where he continued to leap through until she spotted her apartment building. He jumped down the fire escape with her and let her down from his grasp.

"Uh, thanks. It's really much appreciated."

"No problem." He turned to leave.

"Wait."

"Yeah?"

"Can I see you again?" She was hoping that this would happen. This was actually her first real friend here and she hoped that he would say yes to it.

He nodded. "Sure." He kind of smirked at her. "Which apartment ya live in?"

She smiled and chuckled slightly. "Apartment 319. That window up there." She pointed up to the third floor fire escape and he nodded. He'd remember because he was definitely planning on coming back to visit.

Zaru waved as Raphael leapt back up and across the rooftops once again. She could not wait to tell her friends about him. They would just die.

TBC...

A/n: Holy shinola! I got my story revamped a little! Thank goodness! So, I hope you will continue to enjoy the revamp of True Colors :D

Sexy Turtles in a Half-shell,

Zaru