No Longer So Young

Chapter Two:
The Color Amethyst

Donny sat on top of the building over looking the city. His face was buried in a scarf so that only his eyes where showing, the wide brimmed hat catching the snow and shadowing his eyes. Before he took off on Raph's cycle he had grabbed some clothes and pulled them on. The shirt was a little thin but he had on the trench coat so it wasn't as cold. Too bad he hadn't grabbed some gloves…

Donny looked around the rooftop at the scars it bore. Why did he come here?

Slash marks where embed in the walls from katana blades and deep, small holes coved the walls. Only Sai's could have made those marks. Dents that had been made by his Bo Staff and Mikey's Nunchucks littered the same space that the blade marks covered. Almost every rooftop in NY probably had some sort of marks from their fights.

He smiled. Those were the good 'ol days. When they were all still a family…

The masked mutant looked down at his hands. Scars littered his pale brown green flesh, the ones he had gotten protecting someone important to him. A white scar was carved on the top of his hand in a pattern. It curved around in a circle then moved out to form a point like a V then sharply connected to a smaller circle bellow the first.

A cold wind blew, causing him to shiver. Don sighed. Too bad the good 'ol days where long passed. He turned from the memories and climbed down the fire escape to the bike below. He had just swung his leg over the seat when a scream erupted from the alley over. His head shot up and his body became ridged.

He should help…

He should, but he didn't want too.

They had all given up the life of a vigilantly long ago. He wasn't obligated to help anyone anymore. They no longer were the ones who fought for humanity… He didn't have too—

Another scream erupted this time with a whine at the end. Don turned his head away and climbed all the way onto the old bike. He didn't have too...

Whimpering along with males laughing floated to his ears.

He sighed. It seemed that the instincts where still inside his soul and they wouldn't allow him to walk away. Don vaulted off the bike and over the wall almost effortlessly, landing in the shadows.

Three guys had a young girl about twelve pinned to wall. Her clothes had been ripped off of her, for some reason she still had her gloves, exposing her body and white training bra that was being pulled at by one of the thugs. Before they could get any further, the turtle jumped out and smashed a fist into the back of the guy's head sending him forward. The thug smashed into the girl who screamed loudly.

He delivered a Dragon Split Kick to the back of the others two's heads. They smashed into the ground and looked up at him dizzily. The ninja crossed his arms and spread his feet apart so that he was impersonating Raph's famous stance, then leaned into their faces.

"I don't think you want to mess with me," he growled. They turned pale and raced out of the alley, screaming like terrified children. Don wrinkled his beak as the smell of urine hit his senses. Oh yes, they where brave. Brave enough to wet themselves. After the third had run after his buddy's he looked over at the girl, who was trying to cover herself with what was left of her shirt.

"Here."

She glanced at the trench coat that was being held out to her.

"Why should I take it," she asked with venom in her voice.

"Because you're almost nude and you going to catch a cold like that," Don answered smoothly.

She eyed it suspiciously then snatched it and placed it over her with lightning speed. Once she had the buttons fashioned, she looked up at him. Her eyes scanned his figure, studying it. It looked like he was a hunchback but he stood too straight for such a DNA miss function and his forearm was slightly bigger then the upper arm.

"Who are you," she asked. He looked a little startled.

"Don't you mean 'what are you'?"

She laughed. "You heard me right. Who are you?"

"…I'm Donatello."

"I'm Amethyst."

Amethyst? A shade of purple. Why would one name their child purple? Violet he could understand but Amethyst?

"Interesting name," he commented with a nod.

"My mom loves the color purple," Amethyst said with a sigh.

"It's a good color."

She stared at the man with a small smile. "Yeah. It's a beautiful color. It's calm and relaxing a lot of the time but if you add some red you have a stunning brighter, bolder color. It's like it's own color wheel all together."

After some silence Don suddenly asked, "Where do you live?" She stood up and clasped the trench coat around her.

"Only a little ways from here. I'm staying at the 24/7 Hotel down the road," she answered.

"Good. I'll take you."

Amethyst looked at him with questioning eyes. The hidden turtle met them and gave a small smile, clearly understanding.

"You're almost completely undressed and it's freezing." As if to affirm his statement, Amethyst shivered violently. Don chuckled. "See?"

The young girl sniffled. "You're right. I've always been sensitive to the cold."

"Then we better get going. Is it too far for you to walk," he asked. If they went on the cycle she would definitely freeze.

She shook her head. "No. It's about a block."

"Good. C'mon."

He walked out of the alleyway and beckoned Amethyst to follow. It was a good thing it was late and almost twenty degrees. Not many humans were out.

"Hey, Amethyst," he called. The girl sped up until she was walking beside him.

"Yes Mister Donatello?"

The Shinobi chuckled. "Just Don. Kay?"

"Okay then. Yes Don?"

"What were you doing out right now? Its late and freezing."

So was silent for a while then spoke, "My mom asked me to get something for her. She's been busy helping my Grandpa who's sick. That's why we're in New York. She needed me to get something for our dinner."

Donny looked down and did saw a small bag in her hand. It was from the Jewel not to far from the hotel. "Ah…"

They continued in silence the rest of the walk to the hotel. Amethyst offered no more information about who she was or anything else about her and Don did the same. Neither really felt like talking. Although Don did have to wonder why she didn't seem to be afraid of him.

They reached the hotel doors and Donny opened it for the young female. Amethyst looked at him with a warm smile and bowed.

"Thank you for walking me here Donatello." Don smiled.

"You're welcome. Just be more careful. New York's not the safest place." She grinned. For some reason it reminded him of Mikey's goofy grin.

"I will," she promised.

Amethyst's eyes landed on his hand, which was exposed. They widened. His hand was a dark greenish brown! And that scar… She would know that pattern anywhere.

"Don," she whispered, "Your hand."

Don glanced down at his hand holding the door and sucked in a breath. He had made a grave mistake. He jerked his hand back and pulled it inside his shirt.

"Skin defect," he muttered.

"Oh. Sorry to make a big deal," Amethyst apologized.

"It's fine. I need to go."

Don turned away and started to walk back down the sidewalk. Amethyst stared after him, still comprehending.

"Donny!"

He turned around and faced the small human.

"I- I, I mean, well," she stumbled over her words and sighed. Then something her mom said came back to her and she smiled. "The tallest tree's aren't the strongest. They break when the wind blows. But it's the tree that can bend with the wind that survives the storm."

Don stared at her with a blank expression. Amethyst smiled warmly. "My mom said that to me once. I hope you know what it means. I could never really figure it out." She grinned then waved. "Bye Donatello! Merry Christmas!"

With that she scampered inside the building and disappeared around the corner.

Don stared at the door for a long while. He remembered that phrase well. Someone once said it to him long ago. Someone he missed. He finally walked away from the human building and back to the alley he had left Raph's bike. How did that girl know the same phrase that they had said to him? Don climbed onto the cycle and took off; trying to forget about a past he had been forced to leave behind.