Chapter 1 – Rōnin
There comes a time in everyone's life when they realize that they must grow up. In my case, the death of my sister initiated that time in my life. Elmira, my sister, was killed by the hands of one of our most hated enemies, Chaos. My sister and I were launched into battle against him, along with his partner, Death. Despite our training, hopes, and the help we had from our friends, Raphael and Michelangelo, the forces of evil were too strong. I had never given up in the two of us nor did I ever believe that we were unbeatable, but as all things came to an end, there was a dim light that shone onto a new beginning.
We had been living together, my sister and I since we both found one another in New York. We aren't blood related, but we were the only two we had and it never seemed like we were anything but sisters. We had both trained in the Japanese art of ninjitsu and quickly overtime, we became full-fledged Kunoichi. We spent our days training, strengthening our powers and most importantly, protecting New York from the various predators – the Purple Dragons and the Foot Ninja's. As we spent time keeping this city safe, we found out that there were others who, just like us in some ways, were saving this city as well. My sister Elmira was lucky enough to meet Raphael, a ninja who was also trained just as we. Despite our similarities, there was a major difference – he was a mutant turtle, while we, just mere human girls. As my sister fell in love with him, I was lucky to meet one of his brothers, who basically, is the male version of me – Michelangelo. The two of them brought Elmira and I into their world, introducing us to their two other siblings – Leonardo and Donatello as well as their father and sensei who was in fact not a turtle but, a mutated rat – Splinter. Despite their compassion and humility, it was obvious and unavoidable the differences and secrets we kept from one another.
That had all occurred a year ago, the death of my sister almost a month ago, and I still wonder if meeting the turtles would have changed the outcome of our lives, and Elmira's. Although the foes were destined to us from the early stages of earth's creation, could her death have been avoidable? Preventable? I'd never know and now, I refuse to give up searching for an answer to that question.
I had slowly become changed prior to her death, unable to properly bury her, unable to properly mourn. I would stay up for days and sleep for days on end. I cut school and lurked the alley ways at night, unmasked and uncaring to the consequences of my actions. I had become rouge, or as it's called in Japan – Rōnin. I was left without a sense of direction, without an older sister who taught me right from wrong, wise from foolish. I was falling into an empty world of revenge and pain, a world without bushido, a world without happiness.
Happiness however, only came in one form – Michelangelo. He had decided it would be best that he slept over at my apartment for four of the seven days a week. He was scared, even terrified that I'd end up doing something stupid, that I'd leave him in this dark and unforgiving world. We still did fun things together and we were still lighthearted but, after the laughing and fooling around stopped, I'd sink into dark periods of emotional terror.
Mikey had come over yesterday evening with pizza and a movie for us to watch. We were snuggling on the couch together, chowing down on pizza and enjoying the movie when he decided to give me a look with one of the most serious expressions I'd ever seen him emote.
"Vickie, I know that…this month has been hard on you and I know you can barely hang in there unless I'm watching over you. I guess what I wanna say is that like, it's been hard for me to come here all the time with Splinter being sick back home and all and I guess babe, it would be easier if like, you moved in me…with us, in the lair."
He wouldn't stop staring at me, even after I turned off the movie and cleaned up the pizza, Moving in with Mikey and his family would mean that I'd be under very close watch, which I knew would cut into my time blowing off steam. On the other hand, I'd never be away from Mikey who I'd come to accept as my cure.
Mikey helped me pack up last night, gathering up my belongings into boxes and bags. We left Elmira's things and her room untouched, hoping I'd come back to collect my mail and find her training in her room – one could only hope.
As I was welcomed into my new home last night from Leo, Donnie, and Raph – Mikey brought my things into his room. It wasn't questionable by his brothers anymore; Mikey and I were an item. Despite the excitement and happiness from Leo and Donnie on gaining a new housemate, Raphael was more distant than ever. If I thought that I was dealing with Elmira's death unhealthily and un-honorably, Raph had taken the cake. When we had regrouped the night she died, unable to retrieve her body from the roof, Raphael had gone into a state of shock. Although I was lost in endless tears and Mikey in utter silence, Raph had cracked.
The only thing I remember vividly from that night was Raphael's continuous chanting, "It was all my fault, my fault."
