Thanks to Mikell for reminding me that I had forgotten to post this.
Disclaimer: I don't own any turtles or rats no matter how often I asked Santa.
They were hiding out at the farmhouse for the summer.
Leonardo and Master Splinter thought it was necessary.
Raph didn't like hiding out. He liked poundin' his fist into the face of whatever scumbag was messin' with his family. But Leo was leader and Master Splinter was Master Splinter. He'd be a good turtle and keep his shell hidden in the woods for a couple months.
They didn't want him out walking in the daytime. He'd be risking exposure. But he had no intention of being caught unless it meant poundin' in those scumbags that had them on the run. And he had no intention of staying in that farmhouse any longer. Mikey was driving him nuts.
I love that chucklehead, but I swear if he doesn't shut that mouth of his…. His thoughts trailed off into a low grumble as his fists clenched.
"Hey mister, are you a real turtle?" the tiny voice shocked him right out of his thoughts.
He was armed and positioned before he even saw who had spoken. Inside he was kicking himself for getting caught; outside he was scowling like he so often did.
In front of him on the path was a small girl who suddenly looked very frightened. Her blue eyes had grown wide at the sight of Raphael's attack stance and tears were starting to form. Her brown hair and pink shirt were blowing in the slight breeze.
"Uh… yeah. I'm a real turtle." Raphael quickly put his weapons away and bent down, "Uhh, I ain't gonna hurt ya. Ya scared me, that's all." Thank shell Mikey ain't here to hear me say I was scared by this tiny kid in pink.
"You're a li'l young to be out here by yourself. Where's your mom an' dad at?"
She pointed a shaky hand at the house down the street.
"Say kid, what's yer name?" he asked. What am I sposda do with this thing? I don't want it to cry. I almost wish Mikey was here after all. He'd prolly wanna keep her but at least he'd know what to do. Now that's a scary thought, Mikey knowin' what's best...
"Ella." She whispered.
"'K, Ella, my name's Raphael."
"Raphiellel, Raphelel, Raphie-el." She frowned as she tried to get the word out.
"Uh- how's about ya just call me Raphie?"
"Raphie." She smiled a huge Mikey-style smile at him showing a missing front tooth.
Hey, this things almost kinda cute.
Raph was walking her home when he felt something brush against his hand. He glanced down and saw the little girl nervously reaching up to hold his hand. With a slight groan he let her and she grinned another Mikey-style grin up at him. Dang it kid, stop being so, he shuddered, cute.
"So uh, how old are ya?" he asked.
"Seven."
I would've guessed younger with the way ya talk. "So what's a kid like you doin' out here all by yourself?"
"I'm sposda be with my brother. But he's mean an' he keeps ditchin' me!" Ella scowled a dimpled scowl. "Thinks he's all cool cause he's older and stuff. He's just… mean."
"Really?" Raph rolled his eyes.
"Yeah. He calls me names and hits me in the head and tells me I'm adopted and stuff." Her eyes got all watery. "an' he goes off all by hisself and won' let me come with him."
"Geez kid. Don't get all worked up. Isn't that just what brothers are sposda do?"
She shrugged.
"I got three brothers. That's a lot of what we do to each other."
"Three!" her eyes went wide.
"Yep. My big brother Leo is kinda in charge. He gets on my nerves sometimes but usually he's just tryin' to keep me from doin' somethin' stupid. Then there's Donny. He's this gizmo genius. I don't understand half the things that come outta his mouth. And Mikey's the baby. I wish he didn't say half the things that come outta his mouth. We fight a lot but we're still brothers. We watch out for each other too."
"I only have one brother, Ray, and he's mean. This one time, he filled my bed with fake spiders. While I was still in it sleepin! And he keeps breakin' my crayons."
Raph shuddered. That creep.
When they got to the house Raph was on guard. I gotta be invisible on a moment's notice here.
Through the windowpane in the back door the kitchen looked empty so he shrugged and slipped in with the little girl as silently as he could manage. The kitchen was a green color that reminded him of Leonardo and made him feel a little guilty about the many rules and precautions that he was disregarding that afternoon.
He peeked into the living room to ensure the coast was clear before entering. The living room had a very peaceful theme to it in shades of purple that made him think of Donatello.
It took a lot of effort to detect when her family was nearing the room and be hidden before they could spot him. Ella may not have been upset by a giant talking turtle ninja but her parents might be.
Somehow it took more effort to get away from the kid to go home than to avoid her family. He finally managed to escape when she fell asleep. After he pried his arm out from under her curled up body.
He knew he shouldn't go back but he somehow he couldn't resist.
He cautiously listened and peeked through the leaves of the tall trees to ensure that she was there. Alone.
In the middle of the small garden was the tiny girl in a yellow dress. Her dark hair pulled back behind a bright red ribbon. He climbed down.
"Raphie!" she squeaked.
"Yeah kid, I'm back." Stupid, stupid, stupid.
She pointed at the brilliant red ribbon in her hair and beamed up at him, like a nervous little human girl version of Mikey, "Do ya like it?"
"Yeah kid, it's real… pretty." Thank shell Mikey ain't here to hear me sayin' that! I'd never hear the end of it.
Ella took his hand and pulled him over to the side of the yard. He was relieved by its near proximity to the woods, if he needed to hide quickly- well it was safer that way.
"Momma says you're not real."
"Is that right?"
"Yep. She says it's perfectly natural that I made up an imagindary friend." She had a mock matter-of-fact tone of professionalism to her voice that Raph suspected was her mimicking her mother's voice. "She says turtle-people cain't be real."
"Uh- yeah. Yeah, I'm your new imagindary friend." Imagindary? Shell, you're even talking like tha thing now.
Ella pulled a basket out from behind a tree and Raph began to wonder if she'd been expecting him. From inside the basket she dug out a blanket and spread it on the ground. She then pulled out some chipped dishes. Tiny plates, tea cups, and a small tea kettle all made of porcelain and decorated with flowers.
"Here" she said, stuffing a cup into his hand. The dishes were small enough in her hands but in his three fingers they looked almost microscopic.
She then dug out a bottle of water and filled the small tea kettle and placed it in the center of the blanket. She sat down at one end and looked expectantly at him. It took him a second to realize she wanted him to sit down on the other side. When he sat down she began to pour him tea and introduced him to a couple of imaginary people sitting next to them.
I get caught one time and I have ta sit through a pretend tea party. Next time I'm payin' way more attention to Master Splinter's lessons on invisibility.
Splinter had commented on an improvement in his hiding skills and had asked if he had been practicing during his excursions.
"Uh… yeah. Practicin' an' stuff out there. Beats sittin' in here all day listenin' to Leo's preachin.'" He said. He hated lying to his sensei. But it wasn't really a lie. He was practicing. Every time a grown-up came to check on the girl he hid. He had to be constantly alert to any noise in or out of the house. Thankfully the people kept their windows open a lot and he could hear them coming to peak out at Ella. And it was better than hanging around the farmhouse listening to his brothers all day