Utsukushī Shikaku
Summary: April O'Neil thought all surprises were over when she met the turtles, after all what could be crazier than teenage mutant ninja turtles? Well, how about a group of teens called the Scarlet Carsons, vigilantes with pasts drenched in blood, who are not they seem. Surprised? TurtlesxOC's.
A/N: So, New Years is coming and hopefully I'll have this posted by then. This story seems to have peeked eyebrows so I aim to please- here's chapter 3!
Disclaimer: TMNT belongs to Nickelodeon and it's fantastic.
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Chapter 3: Two households, both alike in dignity
Leonardo knew his bounds. When Splinter had taught them the ways of ninjitsu as young turtles, he felt this weighing sense of responsibility not just to his brothers but to himself. He wasn't one to abuse his knowledge, to pick on those who were helpless, until they were asking for a fight. He felt slightly proud of his ability, heck he could take a few punches and dish plenty out, he wasn't just a fifteen year old mutated turtle- he was a ninja.
Yet, as the silence pierced the atmosphere of their home he suddenly regretted all the lessons he had learned; they didn't seem to help here, only hurt the one's closet to him. Mikey was centimeters from a bleeding throat and now April was in the line of fire. The thought crossed his mind to attack the threatening redhead, to try and catch her off guard enough to disarm her. His sapphire eyes narrowed, it might get him killed but it would be worth it to save April. He was about to dash when that ominous cry stopped everything.
He was surprised to see the unconscious girl emerge from Splinter's room- considering her condition earlier. She had this presence that nearly rivaled their father only possessed; this stature of honor and strictness. Her long brown hair was still up, with some strains loosely curling from her head and her eyes were open now so he could see the sky blue color that filled them clearly. While her face looked a mixture of concern and anger, the drape of white sheets around her shoulders fell to her arms, revealed her fully bandaged chest and waist, essentially silhouetting her breast and hips. The brother couldn't understand why his body seemed to heat up at the simple sight.
The girl then noticed the chill and quickly covered back up; light pink blush highlighted the apples of her cheeks. Just as her expression changed to a shy look down, she toughened and returned her stern glare.
Leo only swallowed as the heat dulled slightly but didn't fade. He knew girls emotions were... subjective, as April had hinted earlier, but he had seen two different sides of the scale: anger and modesty, mere seconds apart. He didn't really know what to think of her now.
"Cass, what the devil are you doing?" She stormed toward the redhead and pulled April away with a firm tug, much to their surprise the other girl let her go relatively easily. "Are you trying to kill someone?!"
"Hey, you know me-" The redhead called Cass responded coolly, putting the blade away, "My ways of negotiation are strict, I'm not the U.N."
"Are you ok though?" The blonde who had been mostly quiet spoke up, "We heard you got messed up."
"It's only mere scratches, I've been through worse." When her attention noted the piled of weapons on the floor, her calmness turned to stern questioning. "Whose do those belong to?" Her finger motioned to the collection, with an unrelenting stare.
Mikey's high pitched whistle directed the answer with a spread arm gesture.
The sky-blue eyed girl rubbed the bridge of her nose, sighing, "…Give them back, please."
The blonde nodded and picked up the ninja weapons and gave them to the orange banded turtle, mouthing a quiet 'sorry' with a small smile on her lips. The freckled brother only shrugged as his kin found it safe to get off the floor, the sense of danger fading until it was non-existent.
April, thoroughly confused began asking all kinds of questions, "Ophelia… what's going on? Who are these girls? Why were they trying to kill us?"
"If I was actually trying to kill you, you'd be dead already." Cass narrowed her eyes as her hands went to her hips.
Ophelia touched the redheads shoulder, silencing her threat, "I'm sorry April, this was never meant to involve anyone… this wasn't supposed to have happened." The last part of the sentence was more directed to the dagger wielder than O'Neil.
"Well since it has involved others, I believe you all owe us some answers." Leonardo noted as the female group was joined by the ninjas.
The wounded girl nodded, "Very well... I suppose introductions are in order first. My name is Ophelia Saīto." Her hands flicked to each side indicating the redhead and blonde, "This is Cassandra Monroe and Annabelle Lee." The redhead rolled her ruby eyes, while the green eyed girl gave a playful salute.
"Our pasts are exactly the easiest to understand." Ophelia told the listening group, "We were soldiers in the strengthened Foot clan overseas in Japan." She paused as she caught the red masked turtle slowly reaching for his sai, "The key word of the statement being 'were'."
"So you used to work for the foot clan!?" Mikey asked incredulously.
"It's not like we had a choice." Cassandra's voice was cold with venom; "They kidnapped us when we were children… after they killed our parents…"Her voice died as Annabelle looked away uncomfortably for a moment.
"We were trained to join the basic levels of the clan but unfortunately we excelled above our set expectations. We were separated from all other trainees and raised under… cruel conditions." April bit back her tongue at what cruel meant seeing the pained look on Ophelia's face as she went on, "When Cass and I reached out 16th year, Anna her 15th, we were experimented on with this glowing substance-"
"Mutagen," Leonardo called, "The Foot had access to Kraang Mutagen?"
"Obviously." Raphael deadpanned.
"May I continue?" The voice silenced the two as they each allowed her to go on. "Thank you. They injected the gel into our bodies and it somehow affected our composition."
The purple banded turtle looked as if he actually comprehended her words, "How?"
"We don't know… I think it mutated our cellular DNA to change us." Ophelia snuggled into her sheet tighter as April rubbed her shoulder, "You all encountered it as well I assume?"
Splinter spoke up, much to the girls' inner surprise as they didn't notice the figure at first, "Yes, It was the gel that altered me from my human form and mutated the turtles."
April swore she heard Cass mumble something about officially seeing everything, "SO what did the gel do to you guys?"
"Well, the serum affected us differently…" Ophelia turned to the blonde, "Anna gained super speed and agility."
"No way!" Michelangelo gushed as the girl smiled, took a running pose and bolted all around the area of the sewer, leaving a faint gold trail in her wake. She continued this for a moment before skidding to a stop, folding her arms triumphantly, with a "So way."
Ophelia then motioned to Cassandra, "Cass gained metamorphous powers."
"Meaning-?" Raph rudely asked as he rolled his eyes. When he looked back in the direction where the redhead stood, he was surprised to see himself there instead. All the detail were perfect- his bandaged hands, the chip in his plastron, heck even the shade of red in his mask was identical. When the mirror image opened its eyes though, his bright green color was a dark ruby red.
"It means I'm a shape-shifter." … It sounded just like him too… Shell…
Leonardo was definitely impressed by the girls' attributes but one was left, "What's your ability Ophelia?"
The fair girl looked up to meet his dark blue eyes, before looking back down, "I gained his limited sense of telepathy- I can predict the attacks of my opponent as well as weak spots by sight alone."
April recalled the monkey they had saved just a time ago, "Really?"
Ophelia nodded, "Although I don't prefer to use my skill unless necessary."
"And that's why we're in this scenario now." The Raphael-image shifted back to the red-haired girl, "If you had shown up at the rendezvous when we planned then none of this would have happened."
"Yes, I realize this, but-" She was cut off by the sound of the TV cutting to a news report.
"This is breaking news! Police have discovered recently acquitted CEO Lance Johnson dead in his New York office." April caught the familiar name and rushed to turn up the volume, "The report tells that Police responded to the scene after one security guard noted the building's doors were unlocked. Officers found Johnsons secretary bound and gagged in a janitor's closet and Mr. Johnson dead on the floor of his head office. Medics report that his body was lax with a crashed skull; bodily fluids around the body are being analyzed to reveal heavy levels of arsenic and cyanide."
"This style of crime has been reported at least twelve times before on the west coast. During a three month period, reports have been documented of murders in California. Detectives believe the crimes were committed by a group of three participators, named 'The Scarlet Carsons' by the public. However the striking similarities, officials cannot rule out that this was not an act committed by the same group."
"These 'Scarlet Carsons' are in New York?" Mikey chewed on his fingernails, sight fear edging into his voice.
"Like we need more of those…" Leo grumbled under his breath while still focusing on the report.
"Then we'll handle them like the rest." Raphael punched his fist to emphasize his point. April felt Ophelia cringe beside her and begin to fidget nervously.
"While there is yet to be an arrest, speculators have named this incident a homicide. One resident told police that they spotted several people leaving the building a few hours before." The screen flashed up a suspect sketch that looked identical to the wounded girl, Annabelle and Cassandra, "These are the sketches of the suspects, anyone that sees these women are asked to contact the authorities. A $500,000 reward has been offered by the company itself for the arrest of the criminals at large. This is Carlos Chiang O'Brien Gambe reporting at-"
The reporter was viscously cut off by a silver knife hitting the power button. Everyone turned to look at Cass, who cracked her knuckles wordlessly. The younger blonde girl looked ready to explode as she rubbed the back of her neck nervously.
April was the first to speak, "Those sketches looked awfully similar to you three."
"Yeah so?" Cassandra acknowledged the girl's statement, but remained vague on the actual answer.
Michelangelo practically jumped at the girls to get a better view of them, silently investigating their appearances. Moments later, he made to speak but then thought more pacing back and forth.
"Wait for it…" Donatello responded to April's odd look. With a snap of his fingers he finally put the pieces together.
"IT WAS YOU GUYS!" He pointed dramatically as Donatello only sighed.
Anna was the first to defend, "Now, let's not jump to conclusions! Just cuz we may look like the suspects, were found in the same general area and come off rather suspiciously doesn't mean we're guilty!" She turned back a bit naively, "…Does it?"
Cass sucked her teeth and face-palmed her forehead, "Why don't you stop running your mouth, Anna?" The blonde looked a bit put-down and promptly stopped talking.
Ophelia hadn't said anything since the report cut out, and Splinter could see the wheels in her mind turning, trying to form some answer. He figured now was the time to step in. "We are not one to judge those we do not know simply based on the situation. Whether or not these women were involved is not our concern."
"But Sensei- we could be harboring criminals!" Donatello was mainly worried about what would happen if the investigation led to their front door.
"Yeah, blue and green do not go well together," Mikey paused as he felt his leader's eyes drill a hole into his back, "Heh sorry about that Leo."
Before Leo could jump him for the comment, Ophelia opened her eyes, looking directly at the tall rat, "My friend and I need to speak privately, may we have a moment alone… please?"
Splinter was about to speak when he actually met the girl's blue eyes. They were mixed with emotions he had known once… fear, anxiousness, pain. When he had lost everything and was forced to make the choice of leaving his homeland for a new one across the sea. Decided, he stepped aside and extended his long hand toward his room, nodding in assurance.
Her eyes filled with thankful sincerity as she grabbed the arms of her comrades and ushered them inside the quarters. "Thank you, we won't be long." She closed the door behind her, leaving the rest of the crowd in silence, the white sheet that once covered her lay forgotten on the floor where she once stood.
Immediately questioned flooded Splinter's sensitive ears-
"Why?"
"How could you show them sympathy?"
"What's gotten into you?"
"Are you insane?!"
With a wave of his hand, he silences his pupils calmly stating, "Even a dying man is allowed a final request." No one had a decent comeback to that.
"I wish we knew what they were talking about in there…" April mumbled to herself. Donnie happened to be close enough to hear which gave him an idea. He disappeared for this lab then quickly returned.
"Where's the fire, Don?" Leo asked.
"I thought of a way to spy in on them." He showed off the small device shaped like a small bug, "I've been working on this listening device for a while and I've been meaning to test it."
Mikey eyes the thing with slight curiosity, "Donnie… you mad a BUG! Get it? Like a listening bug? Please tell me I'm not the only one who finds this funny."
"Whatever lets you sleep easier at night…-" Raph remarked under his breath as Leo nudged his torso.
"Ok, so how do we get it in there?" The leader asked as Donatello drew a blank, obviously not thinking that far ahead. April noted the sheet on the ground and got an idea.
"I got this." She picked up the sheet, holding out her hand as the mechanic handed the device over uneasily, "Can you guys stand back- I can't have you blowing my cover." She jokingly asked as the orange banded turtle removed a smoke bomb, erupting in a puff of dramatic purple smoke. April rolled her eyes, pretending to ignore the four ninja's hiding behind the nearby columns.
The teen wrapped the device in the sheet and knocked on the door. Prying it open, she noted each girl, Ophelia sitting on the floor with Annabelle in mid-pace and Cassandra standing there.
"I thought people knew what 'being alone' meant." The curly redhead sighed in an exasperated manner.
"Sorry, you dropped this outside." April apologized and handed the brunette her sheet. With a nod, the spy left quietly, walking past Cassandra accidently bumping into her in the process. Muttering a quick 'sorry', she left promptly, shutting the door behind her.
Outside, the band of turtles had gathered around Donatello's makeshift laptop.
"Did you plant it?"
"Yep." April crouched beside the laptop as the mechanical turtle took a breath of faith.
"Alright, cross your fingers." He tapped in a few commands and suddenly the speakers flooded with sparks of life. "Oh yeah, WHO'S DA TURTLE!"
A simultaneous "SHHH!" silenced the inventors celebration s female voices began to flood the machine, out to their ears.
"We're dead women." April recognized the sound of the blonde's voice.
"Annabelle!"
"Well it's true! The minute we walk back into society we'll be spotted-"
"Not every citizen is a police officer."
"No, but everyone watches the news Fela, especially if there's talk of serial killing maniacs." Cassandra now- "I hate to admit it- but Anna is right."
"Then what do you suggest?" Ophelia sounded breathless, "Because the last time we listened to your idea, eleven criminals were killed!"
"Look- these guys wiggled out of the justice system. Murderers, Assaulters, Scammers- they thought they could beat the system and get away clean. WE made them pay for their sins- for the safety of all!"
"Cassandra, we also came here in an attempt to flee from all the blood WE'VE been forced to spill!"
There was a silence before Ophelia's sound returned morosely.
"Who were we to judge those with bloodied hands when our own ledgers are stained?"
There was ruffling noises in the background, before a degenerative sigh-
"So… now what? We give up? Turn ourselves in? New York doesn't have the death penalty but we will definitely get life in prison."
"Maybe we should have stayed in Japan…" Anna sadly added.
"No… this is my fault." Ophelia sounded like she was in a confessional, "I'm the one who drove us to flee the Clan; I got us on that plane that brought us here… I ultimately let us commit these heinous acts- It is me who is to blame. I'll turn myself in- say I killed my two accomplices and burned their remains, that way you two will be free again."
April felt herself gasp, heat burning her eyes with forming tears, "She wouldn't- she can't!"
Leonardo placed a hand on her shoulder to silently comfort her, before Cass voiced her opinion back, with a mix of firm compassion-
"And deal our entire lives knowing you gave up your life for ours? That is not gonna happen."
"Like you said, what choice do we have? I'd give my life any day to see that you guys have some chance to redeem yourselves… It's the only way I can repay you for all you've done for me."
"We're in this together, Ophelia! We swore that we'd never split- we're a family!" Anna's voice was breaking while Cass responded dully, "Some family…"
"Look we can't run and I could never expect them to take us in- especially after the way we've treated them. This is our fight- we'll fight it alone."
April stood up, "We can't let them do that."
"There isn't much we can do April." The purple masked turtle said with an unfortunate tone.
"Yeah, it's not like we can keep them down here." Mikey added.
Splinter remained silent, his eyes closed as he meditated on what he had just heard.
That wasn't sufficient for the human girl, "I know they feel this feeling of responsibility for what they've done but- but their teenagers, like me! They're not adults- they can make mistakes, mistakes they really regret! If I did something horrible would you guys let me take the fall?" Her question was answers with sincere looks she knew by heart now, "Then why are they any different. They'll be judged by their actions instead of who they really are- just like they judge you guys on your looks; I'm sorry but I can't let them give up so easily."
Her attention turned to her teacher, the tall rat nearby, "I don't know why but I sense good in them- something I can't explain but just feel."
His amber eyes opened to see the young girl, the adopted member of the family, pleading with her eyes for some support. He gripped his staff harder, eyeing his sons-
"Do you agree with Ms. O'Neil?" At first there was silence before a chorus responded positively, fully agreeing with April's idea, "Then it is settled- we offer our home to be shared, however it is fully up to them if they accept."
At that moment the door to the master's room was slid open and the girls fell out, dog pilling on the floor. Obviously they had been listening through the thin paper doorway, and in turn, it back fired highly. After quickly standing and brushing themselves off, Annabelle spoke.
"You guys are willing to take us in?"
April nodded, everyone backing her up as Ophelia, clutching the folded up sheet to her chest, exchanged looks with Cassandra, who gave her a knowing smile. "…Beats being homeless."
"So… you're staying?" April's pale blue eyes met Ophelia's sky blue orbs, who nodded in return.
"If you are so gracious to have us, how could we refuse such a heartfelt offer?"
The red masked turtle began to protest; "Now I wouldn't say 'heartfelt'-"
Before the blue banded one cut him off, "What he's trying to say is welcome to your new home."
He couldn't help but watch Ms. Saīto's eyes light up, a warm smile cascading across her fine pink lips. Something about her smile sent the warm feeling through his skin again, more plushed than the burn of before.
"I forgot introductions of my own." The yellow-dressed teen addressed each character,
"This is Master Splinter," She gestured to the tall rat that nodded in recognition, then moved on to the multi-colored turtles, "And the guys- Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo."
Ophelia lowered her tone to whisper in April's ear, "You realize they're named after famous renaissance men, correct?"
"Yeah, Splinter loved the renaissance age and named the turtles after them." April explained.
"That's so cool- GROUP HUG GUYS!" Before they could realize, they found themselves in a headlock, all entrapped in Annabelle's rather strong grip.
The three remaining girls giggled and rolled their eyes, "I believe this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship- I just don't get how you know what we were going to do."
April O'Neil motioned to the neatly folded sheet, "We bugged the sheet."
Ophelia let the white bed sheet unravel until the small bug shaped device fall on the stone floor. When Cass first saw the bug, she jumped back a bit a small scream passed through her mouth, then in a furry tromped the device until it was in millions of tiny, sparking pieces.
Seeing his only listening agent being smashed, motivated him to wiggle out of the blonde's grip, "Hey," Donatello motioned to the now crushed device, "it was only mechanical."
"Why would you make it in the shape of a bug? It's weird- and I DON'T LIKE THEM!" Her voice wavered toward the end, "Sorry."
He only sighed, "Well, back to the drawing board…"
"Preferably something that isn't shaped like a creepy-crawly." Anna giggled as she released the rest, rubbing their sore necks.
Splinter sighed, ever shaking his head, "I sense the days of peace slowly ending…"
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Chapter 3 is done, my first work of the New Year! Hope all goes well for 2013, love you all.
-Phoenix