Chapter 2
Up For A Challenge
The next evening, the entrance to the hidden sanctuary was opened, as the awaited guests had arrived. Carrying several bags of luggage, they were immediately greeted and helped by the Mutopians, especially the Chicago Knights, getting escorted to the guest rooms. Leonardo was carrying Kemeko, his adopted daughter, while Monalisa led Pandora by the hand, though when Sonia arrived, Pandora hurried over to her older cousin.
"Sonia!" she squealed in glee as she met the chameleon with a hug.
"Hey, Pandora! Did you miss me?"
"Uh-huh! I missed you lots!"
"And you know what? I missed you lots too! We're gonna have so much fun!"
"Yay!"
"Just look at her." Amber gushed over Pandora, and then Kemeko. "And this little princess too. They both just keep on getting bigger every time I see them."
"And we can say the same about the Geckolings." said Donatello, looking over to Sephie and Tyroth, who each held one of the twins.
"Yeah, I still remember when they were born." said Michelangelo. "They were so tiny, I bet you could have fitted them in a shoebox each. Or the same one if it was shoes that fit Big T."
"We've been here just over a minute, and already you're having those kinds of thought?" said Raphael. "That must be a new record."
"It was a long trip, bro. I've gotten restless and want to do something."
"Don't worry about that, Mikey." said Tyroth. "We'll make sure that we're all kept busy enough."
"That we will!" said Sephie. "But first, we have to think about our little ones."
A few minutes later, after everyone had gotten settled in, they gathered outside the twins' playroom, where Pandora, Kemeko, Freya and Loki began to play together with foam building blocks and their favourite stuffed animals, the adults all took a moment to just watch the children having fun together.
"You know, I may not be a parent…" Sharky said. "But this makes everything we do so much more worth it."
"I know what you mean, man." said Jack. "We'd still fight crime all the same, but knowing that we all got these little miracles to come home to, makes sure that we always have the motivation to keep going."
"Children can be a handful from time to time, but I wouldn't trade it for the world." said Monalisa.
"Same here." said Leonardo. "Though, sometimes I worry for Kemeko. Being the only human in a family of mutants, I fear that she might start to feel like an outsider one day, despite being greatly loved by us all."
"Not much we can do about that, I'm afraid." said Donatello. "We'll just have to be there and support her as best we can. And if she's anything like her mother, she'll be fine."
"And, hey, if it gets too bothersome being human for her, there's always the well." Percy said, but that earned him glares from everyone, aside from Leonardo and Tyroth.
"Can't you just shut up for once, vermin?" Kate growled, gripping the handle of the whip on her hip.
"Please, everyone, it's okay." Leonardo said, looking surprisingly calm about it all. "The possibility has been brought up before." he continued, sharing a knowing look with the dragon. "And while it is an option, it is a decision that she will have to make herself, if she wants to, once she's old enough. Until then, she'll remain as she is."
"I didn't mean anything bad with it, man." Percy explained. "Just speaking my mind is all. I mean, we all want the kids to be happy."
"I know, and I appreciate the thought, but such a thing is in the future. For now, I'm happy to let the children be just that, children, so that they can enjoy a good life."
"Well, there is no need to worry here." said Heather. "Here, we are all one big family, and what each of us is doesn't matter, it's who we are that is important. If she ever feels like she doesn't belong with you and us, we can always remind her about that fact."
"Well said, Heather." said Monalisa with a smile. "I honestly can't imagine life without you all. It's reassuring to know that there are fellow mutants, and good people like you, in the world."
"And we say the same." said Sarah. "But now that the kids are having fun, how about we have some fun too?"
"Sounds like a good idea to me." said Michelangelo, stretching a bit to rid himself of the stiffness from the ride from New York. "Master Splinter said we weren't going to do any training until tomorrow, because of the trip and all, so I'm up for whatever you got planed."
"Oh, I think we can figure something out." said Tyroth.
"Yeah, especially in a few days." said Sephie with a wide smile.
"Got something special in mind?" Donatello asked.
"In a way, yeah." Sephie responded with a nod. "You see, there will be a concert in a few days, over in Eckhart Park. Lot's of different bands will be performing."
"That sounds like fun." said Raphael, holding his chin while thinking about it. "But I hope you got a good plan on how we're going to do that, 'cause I doubt it will be a masquerade party as well."
"There are a few taller buildings near the park." Kate clarified. "We should be able to at the very least hear it without any trouble."
"I must say, you Mutopians sure now how to enjoy yourselves." Leonardo chuckled.
"We just take what opportunities we can." Sharky said with a wide smile.
"I don't blame you. But, if we're going to this concert, we should make sure that we have someone that can babysit the children."
"That won't be a problem, all of Mutopia will gladly help with that, and you can trust all of them, maybe save for one." said Jack, thinking of a certain rat, a thought that also crossed the minds of the others as well. "All you have to do is pick someone that will be responsible."
That's when Sonia got an idea. If she were to watch the younger children, that could show the adults that she was indeed ready to train to become a crime-fighter just like them, in fact, if enough of them were convinced, maybe they could convince Tyroth as well, so that she didn't have to deal with that test of his.
"Um… I can do that." Sonia said, gaining the attention of the adults. "I can babysit them."
"Listen, don't get me wrong, kid, but aren't you a little too young for that kind of work?" said Raphael, to which Sonia glared at him, turning red.
"I'm not a little kid any more, I'll be eleven in less than half a year! That's almost teenager level!"
"I believe you." Tyroth said, walking over and kneeling by the chameleon girl, placing a hand on her shoulder. "If you think that you're up for this, then I believe you, Sonia. But this is a big responsibility, so think carefully before you decide."
"It's no question, Uncle Tyroth. I know that I can do it."
"She's confident, I'll give her that." said Kate.
"And she is growing up as well." said Monalisa. "I say that we let her, and should anything happen, there are many that she could ask for help, so I feel confident that our children will be well looked after."
"I agree with you, Mona." said Sephie, to which Sonia turned orange, feeling that her plan was working. "What about you, Leo?"
"Hmm, well to be honest, I think she's old enough to take some responsibility around here, and if she wants to look after Kemeko and the others, I trust her to be able to. I just hope that all four of them won't be too much for her to start with."
"Don't worry, Uncle Leo, I can handle them. Besides, they all like me, so there won't be any problems."
"Then I guess it's settled." said Tyroth. "We'll just make sure that the children have been fed and changed before we leave, and then we leave them in Sonia's care."
The other parents all nodded in agreement, and Sonia couldn't fully hold back her cheer. She knew, she just knew, that this was the first step to become a Chicago Knight like the others, and she wouldn't give up until she reached that goal.
Besides, she had looked after the other children for shorter periods before, so how hard could this be?
A little shorter chapter, but I still think it delivered it's message.
Sonia sure thinks that babysitting all four will be a piece of cake, but we'll see about that. The question is, is she really ready for all that? Guess we'll see about that too.
The part about letting Kemeko drink from the well is a reference to a very simialr conversation back in Bloodrayne666's story 'A Father's Lament', in which Leonardo and Tyroth briefely discuss the very same thing.
Well, with that out of the way, see you next time.
