Chapter 3 – Partners
Within tha last six months, I've undergone more changes than I evah had done before. I remember when my brothers and I first started training to become ninja's; our bodies were weak and easy to undergo change. Tha four of us thought after a day of training we were expert ninja's. It took us a long time to become used to all tha changes and now, after being human for six months, I'm still not used ta all of this.
Elmira and I had decided ta move back into her apartment, we cleaned up tha place and she made me go grocery shoppin' which was no fun whatsoevah. But all tha changes I went through in tha beginning and even now, I'm doin it all for her. She needed me more than evah and I would put myself through hell and back for her if I had to.
Once we settled in and Elmira finally got ovah her night terrors, we soon realized that we were runnin' outta money. Elmira had dropped outta high school and there was no way I was gonna work as some rinky-dink coffee barista, it seemed as if the only possible choice was ta move back underground. Although it woulda been fine for me, I knew it would bring back a lifetime of confusing memories for Elmira that she couldn't label as real or not. Just when we thought there was no otha option, Donnie came in like some stupid fairy-tale prince with all tha answers and was willing ta save us two damsels in distress.
Somehow the brainiac figured how to make money without direct human contact and since Donnie really didn't need all that he was makin', he split it between Mikey and I.
Donnie came ovah last night ta drop off our share of his earning which was enough ta get Elmira and I through tha month. Elmira couldn't come out and thank Donnie as she was still hardwired ta attack anything green, mutant and turtle. Donnie promised that he would continue on tryin' ta find some cure for her but nothin' was set in stone just yet.
On tha otha hand, Mikey and I had become partners in crime. Mikey was still takin' care of the little girl Amelia but because of my current situation, Mikey dubbed me tha official picker-upper after school. I wasn't too enthusiastic at first but it made sense, Mikey couldn't go pickin' up tha kid, not as a five foot five inch mutant turtle. So, at three fifteen, I'd walk ovah to tha school, pick up tha kid and bring her ta Mikey's. Elmira thought it was 'cute' for some reason.
Through all this crazy shit Mikey and I have been through, I could see that Mikey was trying really hard ta give this little girl everything he could possible give. Tha dude learned ta cook and even tried helpin her with her homework but, he mostly called Donnie for help in that department.
So, when I picked up Amelia today, I asked her if anyone was teasin her as we walked ta Mikey's. I could see how much of Mikey's personality rubbed off onto this little girl. She was carefree and dreamy, as if lost in her own little world.
"Uncle Raph, there's this girl who makes fun of my eyes."
I reached for her little hand as we crossed tha street.
"Yea? Want me ta beat her up or…"
We crossed the street without any problems but she tugged on my hand, makin' me look down at her.
"Mikey told me not to fight her or with anyone…I give her my candy instead."
I looked at Amelia, shakin' my head.
"What tha hell is Mikey teachin ya? Ya gotta stand up for yourself…ya don't wanna be teased forever…"
She shrugged as we reached her and Mikey's new place, an abandoned apartment in a rundown part of NY.
I knocked on tha door four times, just like always. Within minutes Mikey opened tha door, bent down ta hug Amelia and then came back up ta his full height.
"Thanks Raph. But uh…hey?"
"Yea? What is it Mikey?"
He pointed at his face, crackin into a smile.
"I think you missed a spot while shaving dude!"
Before I could smack him upside tha head, he closed tha door and tha click of tha lock kept me out.