Therefore I am

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adult or adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Rated T: for some swearing and some violence.

Chapter One - She's a girl!

JESSIE:

A lot had changed since I first met Rama as a seven year old. We were both thirteen now and our friendship had remained strong. I guess for me the biggest changes was I had started making a few other friends once I started getting my stuttering under control, I still stuttered now and again but far less then when I was young.

I had grown a bit taller, and stronger. I could hold my own against any bullies, though I wasn't picked on all that much any more. Of course a lot of the skills I had learned to defeat the bullies of my youth were thanks to Rama and her family.

They didn't teach me ninjitsu not the way Rama had to learn it at any rate just taught me how to fight if I had to though they also taught me to avoid confrontations where I could.

Avoiding confrontations were one of the earliest things Leo had taught me, sometimes it was better to hide, get away and use the shadows or your surroundings to hide in, until it was safe to come out. Or so Leo had told me, on more then one occassion.

" There is no shame in hiding, especially when the odds are against you. We have hid numerous times to save our own lives. Ninja have always been known as the warrior who can fight or flee, but when he strikes he does so quickly and fades like a spirit. Fighting should always be a last resort."

While I wasn't allowed to use weapons Rama would often teach me a little on the sly. Training with Rama and sparring with her over the last few years, had given me an added edge, as well as helped me feel more sure of myself. Though I had to admit that Rama was hard to beat, in sparring she always seemed to get the better of me, no matter how hard I tried. Of course, she'd been training for longer, and her training was more extensive then what I was learning.

Rama and her family had always made me feel accepted and now that I was getting older and making some of my own friends I could have ended the friendship between us, but I didn't want to.

Rama had been there for me right from the start, accepting me for who I was and sticking by me through the rough times, as far as I was concerned it was because of Rama and her family that I was finally able to make other friends, so I was going stay her friend.

It was often harder now because my other friends wanted me to get together and play with them and I often told them I had plans with a childhood friend. I had to try my best to balance my new friendships, and the friendship I had with Rama.

Rama the last time we had gotten together asked me for a chance to meet a few of my friends that I felt might not get too suspicious about who she was and most importantly not give out her secret.

I had three friends I felt could be trusted to that extent. They had been the first human friends I had made in a long time; they started hanging out with me when they realized the school bullies didn't pick on me anymore.

Ken was small for his age only four foot five, he was scrawny with blonde hair and brown eyes. Mark was heavy and slightly on the obese side he had a mop of dark brown hair on his head, and bright blue eyes. Stephen was a loner, not really fitting in anywhere.

He wasn't part of the in crowd that wore the name brands, he played sports but wasn't like totally into them or that great at them to be a jock type, he wasn't much of one to spend his time at after school clubs or activities and I knew he wasn't a brainy geek either. He could blend easily into the background and was pretty quiet, his hair was dark brownish and hung to his shoulders, he had one pierced ear, and a tattoo of a tiger on one arm, he had brown eyes that held something deep and dark. He preferred loose baggy type clothing.

All of us were misfits in our own way, we started hanging out together and looking out for one another, and I showed them a few moves to use against bullies that might decide to pick on them, well at least on Mark and Ken. No one really bothered Stephen much.

Stephen now slouched against the side of the building " So Jessie we gonna be staying here all day?" he grumbled a bit.

" Waiting on one more Stephen" man, I loved the fact I now could talk almost normally. Oh ,I knew it wouldn't last forever, sooner or later, I'd sound like porky pig again. But I'd only stumble on a word now and again as if to remind me not to get too cocky. I guess, my ability to talk better was probably the biggest change.

" My friend Rama is going to join us today. We've been friends along time and I think you ought to mmm…meet" I explained.

" Rama? Don't know any Rama from school," Ken blurted out.

" She doesn't go to our school" I replied.

" Ugh! Jess a GIRL?" Mark shot me a dirty look and the others looked right pissed about it.

" Kkkk…Cool it guys," I snapped, " Rama isn't like that. Her family taught me how to fight. She was my first friend even long before you guys. She accepted me when no one else woo…would. Like all of us she doesn't fit in with most people. A lot of people might hurt her if they got a chance to." I explained more fully why I was willing to bring a girl into our sacred circle of males.

" So what's her problem?" Ken wanted to know.

" She has a strange skin condition, it runs in her family. Her skin is kind of scaly looking and a bit green. She also has a bit of a hum…hum..humpback." I said. The humpback bit had been Rama's bright idea of explaining the hump on her back caused by her carapace when it was under clothes.

" Yeah but a GIRL Jess?" Stephen gave me a quizzical look. " I got it you like her don't you Jess?"

" Just wait till you meet her then tell me that she's a girl," I retorted, " Same rules for her kay guys?"

We had an agreement between one another that we didn't tease each other for being different from others, and we also didn't badger one another for details about why we were the way we were.

" Oh and one more thing don't talk ab…abou..about Rama around others."

Mark muttered that he would give it a chance and the other two slowly agreed.

Ken nodded " This once Jess, she slow us down or do something stupid then no more."

I knew he meant Rama acting too much like a girl.

Soon as I heard their agreement I heard Rama's voice coming from the shadows of the alley " What's a matter fraid a little girl might want to play tea party, or give you makeovers?" she mocked.

I figured she was around close getting a feel of them for herself before revealing that she was there. She stepped from the shadows, a pair of dark grey sweatpants on over her legs, sneakers on over her feet, a blue hooded sweatshirt the hood pulled up and tied so it concealed most of her face.

"Hi Jess."

The others backed up shocked at her sudden silent appearance, they at least looked a little embarrassed as well and I saw Mark glance towards her back.

I introduced them all to one another.

I saw a smile flash under her hood " You guys want to go play some football, or is soccer more your style, or basketball?"

" I'd like to see you play football. It's not exactly a girl's sport" Stephen sneered.

Rama turned her head to look at him " You'll see it and you will see me whipping your butt, while I'm at it" she remarked undaunted.

" I'll get the football." I offered.

" Touch or tackle?" Ken asked in a challenging tone.

" Football isn't football unless you tackle" she responded, telling them she wasn't afraid to get hurt.

I returned with the football and we headed towards Central Park, Rama walking with her hands in her pockets to avoid attention. She fell into step at my side.

" So uh Jess, will it be guys against girls or us two against them?"

" Mark is a good tackler and Ken because he is small can run fast and he throws good too. We might as well go against them. Bbbb..be …besides they'll be expecting you to have help" I snickered.

I also knew who would win this match and I was determined to be on the winning team.

Rama nodded her head and she raised her head looking at me with a big smile on her face. I could tell by the sparkle in her eyes that she was excited about this.

Rama was allowed to come topside and play with me now as long as she wore a disguise and kept a low profile at all times, so as not to attract attention to herself.

Of course her dad would probably have a fit, if he knew Rama was trying to make more human friends, but Rama was willing to risk it, and was trying to appease him by playing it as safe as possible, while seeing about broadening her friendship.

We found a quiet spot in the park and broke up into teams. Stephen laughed, " Rama will need all the help she can get. Why not take Mark too?"

" I can't leave you totally helpless, I don't want you crying foul later" Rama shrugged.

I knew what my friends didn't being a ninja Rama was incredibly fast and agile, she could out jump or side step most tackles and score a touchdown in no time at all. Her talent with throwing weapons meant she rarely missed her mark, and then there was the fact she was raised by her dad and three uncles, which meant she was really into sports and wasn't going worry about breaking a nail, smudging her makeup or wrecking her clothes.

These guys were going to learn the hard way that Rama's boast of whipping their butts was more fact then big talk.

A couple hours later with Rama and I the clear victors of the match we all flopped onto the grass to rest.

Stephen glared at her " Where did you ever learn to tackle like that? Hell, your body is as hard as a rock."

" My Uncle Raphael taught me and I work out a lot which helps a bit."

Stephen drew a cigarette out of a case and lit it up.

" You want to smoke do it far away from me and down wind. I don't need any help polluting my lungs. Hell, you want to do that just breath in the air around us," Rama growled at him.

Stephen took a deep drag and then blew the mouthful in her face.

Rama coughed sputtering a bit but she grabbed the cigarette and smashed it into the dirt " I said not around ME!" she insisted.

" Yeah well whose gonna stop me? You?" He arched an eyebrow and chuckled a bit.

" I am. I'll kick your sorry butt all around Central Park if I have to." Rama declared.

I knew she would do it too.

In a few moments the two were scuffling of course Rama quickly got Stephen in a hold he couldn't break free of.

" No smoking near me. Got it? You want to do it go away from where I am."

" All right all ready. Geesh!" he grumbled.

" Stephen I told you I learned to fff..fi..fight from her family. You won't beat her." I shrugged indifferently.

" I'm thirsty lets go buy a drink" Mark suggested.

We got up and headed towards the nearest drink stand in the park.

" So Rama where do you go to school?" Ken asked her

" I'm home schooled my family figures the school system isn't ready for someone like me yet. I learn most my lessons from an Uncle and an Aunt but I do a lot of computer lessons too. I wish I could go to normal school might be a lot more fun for me" Rama admitted.

I saw my friends looking at one another and I could tell they figured Rama had it sweet staying at home and learning instead of facing the stuff we dealt with in school.

We then talked about favourite and worst subjects in school.

As we neared the drink stand we saw the usual line up and Rama shook her head and handed me a small bill " Get me a root beer will you Jess?"

" Why can't you get it yourself?" Stephen demanded sharply.

" I'm not much of a crowd person" Rama replied innocently.

I knew that wasn't entirely true. It wasn't crowds that bothered Rama it was line-ups. In a line up someone might be shoved against her and get too curious when they hit up against her shell. Meaning she would have to leave, possible, before getting what she wanted. In large crowds Rama could move away fast enough that there wouldn't be time for any one to get suspicious or hassle her.

So where line-ups were concerned Rama would get me to get her stuff instead to avoid detection.

She kept the football with her kicking and tossing it around by herself until we returned.

We sat down drinking our pops and discussing what to do for the afternoon.

" I got to be home by three but we could take in an early matinee" Rama suggested.

That lead to a discussion of what movie might be worth seeing.

Ken belched a bit and Rama stared in his direction.

" Expecting an apology Rama?" Ken teased.

" Not in the least. I was just trying to figure out why guys are so amused by perfectly normal body functions, that they have to make a big production of doing it. I mean, I always thought only a three year old could be amused by such antics, but I've known enough guys who act like they have told the best joke in the world after doing it." She remarked dryly.

" Yeah and girls always act like it ought to be a mortal sin when we do it" Stephen shot back, " If it is so natural, nothing wrong in it is there?"

Rama smiled and in a dainty lilting voice, which wasn't anything like Rama said, " A lady must be prim, proper and mannerly at all times, such uncouth behaviour is beneath a lady of my standards you ruffians." All the time she was talking she was waving one hand about then she stopped the act and let out a loud belch " Luckily I'm not a lady" she finished in her normal voice.

That got a laugh from all of us.

" You're all right Rama for a girl" Stephen allowed.

" Yeah Jessie you got a great girlfriend" Mark agreed teasing me.

" I am not his girlfriend!" Rama protested punching Mark in the arm.

" So Rama, you going come out of hiding, and let us see your face?" Ken wondered.

Rama gave a negative shake of her head " I don't think you are ready to see me as I am Ken. I have to be really careful about who I let see me. Look at my hands closely the skin on my face is a lot like that. Um how can I put this, you guys ever hear of the traveling carnivals or circuses with the freak shows in them." She paused and looked expectantly at them, " You know pay so much money to see all these human oddities like the dog faced boy, the rubber man, the half man-half lady, and the alligator man or things like that?"

All of them nodded.

" Well over time it became a little politically incorrect and people learned the reasons for a lot of why the freaks were the way they were it became wrong to exploit people in that way. Anyway my skin condition is similar to what the alligator man might have had. A lot of people would be scared and I can't go to school or play team sports or things like that because of it. I have to make people think I'm normal whatever that is." Rama explained, with a hint of exasperation in her voice.

"When I think you are ready to see me and when I've known you a bit longer then I will but not yet. Jessie has seen me and my family he accepts them. His mom didn't accept us at first it took her awhile. Come on are we going to the movies or not?" She inquired rising fluidly to her feet.

Rama and I went to a lot of movies together, she was very adept at sneaking into the theatres without paying admission price.

Rama took it as a test of her ninja skills to see if she could get us in to see the movie without being caught.

She glanced at me as if reading my thoughts, and I've heard ninja can sometimes do that. She sidled up to me and whispered, " I guess we won't be sneaking in today huh Jess? Unless of course I can sneak us all in. You think I could do it?" A hint of daring edged her tone.

" As long as they go along with how it wo..www…works" I replied " might be better if you just got yourself in RRR..Rama."

" Come on Jessie what kind of test is that of my abilities. I know I can get myself in and not get caught. This could be a challenge" She gave a wicked little laugh before announcing, " Hey, guys, you want me to get you into the movies just do as I say and you're in."

" What you going pay for us?" Stephen asked.

" Not exactly! But something like that. Listen, I do this though, and you guys cause any trouble to get caught you are on your own. I won't hang around and I won't be caught if trouble of that type comes around. I will not be sticking around for any grief from people who work there got it?"

I watched them all nod their heads in agreement not even questioning her.

" Oh, and one more thing you three have to pitch in together and buy me a pop and popcorn."

" Deal!" they agreed quickly.

They soon found out what Rama meant by getting them in. She snuck us through an emergency exit without triggering the alarm.

She had told them the main thing was to act natural because as long as you acted like you belonged no one would question it too much.

Soon we were seated in the theatre in the dim lighting no one could see Rama but she kept her hood up.

We sat all of us talking and joking a bit until Ken poked me " Jess we're going grab some munchies before the show starts you coming with us?"

" Naw, I'll wait here until you get back."

A few minutes later I had to go to the washroom and left Rama alone.

I walked into the men's room and paused as I heard voices on the other side of the wall from the door.

" What do you think of Rama?"

It was Mark's voice.

" She's all right for a girl but what right has she got, to tell me I can't smoke?"

I peeked around the corner saw Stephen lighting up. Damn him! If anyone came in and decided to squeal it would be trouble for all of us. I immediately backed out and rushed to the theatre to warn Rama.

" Rama, Stephen was smoking in the bathroom might be nothing or it could mean trouble."

" That the last time I sneak him in the baka" She muttered " I better go then Jess just to be on the safe side. You want to come with me?"

" No I'll st…stay and cover for you if I have to."

Rama nodded " Later Jess."

She got up and strolled casually away her hands in her pockets she would probably leave by the main doors this time and head for the roof tops.

Rama had laid it out from the start she wasn't going get caught or take grief here. Course if her dad ever found out she would end up with grief.

TBC