Raphael stomped back and forth in his room. What had happened today was really bothering him. He stopped pacing for a moment and turned to spike, his pet turtle. "I don't know about her spike. She gives me a funny feeling in my gut." He returned to pacing. Spike just chewed on the lettuce leaf that was in front of him. Raph couldn't figure out what is was that was bothering him. It wasn't that she had hit Donnie in the head, that was just funny, and it wasn't that she had freaked out as that was to be expected. So what was it?
He mulled it over as he watched his pet finish his dinner. It was probably getting early by now, and he should hit the hay, especially if April and Holly were going to be coming over. He wanted to be fully rejuvenated if he was going to figure out why this girl was on his mind so much. There had to be something. He didn't think she was going to tell the secret, from what little they had talked, she seemed cool, just as April had. But what was different?
Raph groaned and threw himself on his bed. He'd figure it out tomorrow. This was too much thinking for his liking, which was normally Donatello's field of expertise. With one final glance at his beloved spike, Raphael rolled over and drifted off to sleep.
The following day Donatello was up early, he was anxious to see April, as always. But he was also somewhat excited to see Holly again. See seemed really nice, and really smart. She had instantly come to the conclusion that someone had manufactured the mutagen. He didn't get the opportunity to talk to others that astute very often, look at what he had for brothers for goodness sake! Regardless it would be nice to have someone else on the surface to keep an eye on things while they were stuck underground during the days.
As he made his way to the kitchen for some breakfast, Donnie was surprised to see Raph already sitting at their small table with a cup of coffee in front of him.
"You shouldn't drink that stuff, it will stunt your growth." Donnie snickered, Raph always was a bit sensitive at the fact that he was the shortest of the four of them. Even Mikey had an inch on him.
Raph just glared at him, he was too tired to really give a damn today.
"What's up? You look awful." Donnie asked.
"Didn't get much sleep. Why are you up so early?" Donnie just grinned and scratched the back of his head. "Oh, never mind."
"So, why couldn't you sleep? Something on your mind?"
Raph debated whether or not to talk to Donatello, he was the smartest guy he knew so surely he had some kind of idea what was going on. "What do you think of Holly?" He had to ask, he couldn't take it anymore.
"She seems nice. I'd like to get to know her better just to make sure we really can trust her, but I'm pretty certain everything will be fine. Why, don't you think she's trustworthy?" Donnie was a little concerned. He hadn't known Raphael to ever really worry about their safety with in the city.
"It's not that, there's just something else about her, I can't put my finger on it." Raph scrunched up his face trying to think. But Donatello was smart, and he had a feeling he might know what was up. But he knew Raph would figure it out eventually, so he kept his thoughts to himself and just asked some questions to steer conversation in the right direction.
"Well, what do you think of her?"
"She seems nice enough, and I do think she will be trustworthy. She's also got some useful skills since she nearly too your head off," Raph shot Donnie a smug look before he continued, "She's smart too. I think she'll fit in just fine around here."
"Anything else?" Donnie urged, letting the snarky comment slide this one time.
Raph shrugged. Donatello just sighed, this was going to take a while. Donnie took a breath to continue his interrogation but was interrupted by a bleary looking Mikey shuffling into the kitchen.
"What's for breakfast? Oh, is there any pizza left?" he smiled brightly at his brothers before bolting to the fridge.
"No, because you at it all yesterday!" Yelled Donatello. "You ate my slices too, remember?"
"Not really, all I remember is you getting beat up by a girl!" Mikey laughed at his own joke, Donnie huffed but remained silent while Raph just drank his coffee.
"Urgh. Hey Donnie could you have the girls pick up some cream for us, I hate this stuff black." Raph said before standing to leave. He drained the rest of his mug and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" asked Mikey.
"To practice, might as well do it now before everyone else shows up." and with that, he was gone.
"Is he ok? He seems out of it." Mikey asked Donnie, voice full of concern.
"Don't worry, he's fine. He just doesn't know it yet. I'll text April quick, then we should probably train too. Master Splinter won't go easy on us just because we're having company over."
The two youngest turtle brothers sat eating breakfast talking about the girls. They were eager to see them, and let their Master give his approval of their new friend. Donnie texted April a list of a few things they needed and asked if they wouldn't mind bringing them to the lair. It was difficult grocery shopping when you're a five foot tall mutant turtle.
April and Holly had woken up ridiculously early that day. They were both too wound up to sleep and both wanted to go and see the turtle boys as soon as possible. They dressed and went down stairs to eat breakfast with April's aunt, who was surprised to see them up at this time of day. They dashed back upstairs to get their belongings and practically ran out the door when April had received a message from Donnie.
The walked the streets of New York until they reached a small convenience store, where they bought some milk, sugar, eggs, bread and some other bits and pieces their awaiting friends required. Lastly, they went to Mikey's favorite pizza place and ordered six large pizzas, all with different toppings on them.
As they walked to the entrance to the sewers, Holly had to ask something. "Do you think they like me? I mean, I know that meeting me was unexpected, but I don't want them to think they can't trust me."
"Of course, they'll be a little reserved at first, well except Mikey, but they'll warm up to you." April beamed at her human friend. It was so nice to have another girl around. "I will warn you about Master Splinter though."
Holly looked worried, April had already warned her that he was a giant rat, but that's all she had said.
"Don't worry, he will come across very serious for about a second, then he'll be fine. Unless he doesn't like you, then we're in trouble."
All the color drained from Hollys' face, it was bad enough that April was taking her into the sewers but to be faced with a giant rat that would decide whether or not she would be allowed to continue hanging out with April and the turtles was almost too much to bear. She really wanted him to like her. She had so many questions and so few answers. Now that she was a part of this she couldn't just walk away, she was so fascinated that she was just dying to know more.
April and Holly had made it to the entrance to the turtles home, they stood with their arms loaded with goodies, both looking nervous and excited all at once.
April looked at her friend and have her a reassuring smile, "Everything will be fine." she whispered and walked into the turtles home. "You guys, we're here, and we have goodies!"
Holly saw a blur of green and a streak of orange come flying at them from the kitchen. "APRIL!" Mikey yelled as he almost collided with the April. "What did you bring us?"
April grinned and handed the six pizza boxes over to the drooling turtle. He beamed up at her and raced back into the kitchen to start chowing down.
"Save some for the rest of us Mikey!" Leo yelled as he walked towards the girls, he took the bags from Holly with a small smile. "Welcome to our home."
He walked after Mikey to put their groceries away, and that's when holly noticed the elderly looking rat walking out of another room.
"So, you are the one who bested one of my sons." Splinter kept walking closer until he was about a foot in front of the nervous brunette. "If you would be so kind, could you tell me what happened?"
Holly swallowed hard, this rat looked strong and capable even if he did have gray streaks of fur. "Well, sir." she was sure to add the sir to show her respect, "I was brushing my teeth and when I came out of the bathroom I saw Donatello," she looked at April to make sure she had the right name, "standing in Aprils room. I didn't know what he wanted so I grabbed a floor lamp. When he stepped toward me I swung." She paused for a moment, looking for some kind of reaction. Was he angry at her? Or angry at Donnie for letting himself be caught?
"Continue, if you please."
"Ok, well he got the lamp from me when I swung and when he heard footsteps he bolted for the window. So, just for good measure I threw a stapler at his head. You know, to make sure he didn't come back." Holly grimaced slightly now that she had finished her story. All the turtles had made their way to where the rat and the girl were talking as they knew if their master was not happy, she would have to go.
Splinter stroked his chin thoughtfully, and then chuckled to himself. He looked over at his son who wore purple and smiled at him. "You're lucky she is not fully trained or I feel you would have been beaten quite badly."
Mikey laughed as Donatello blushed hard. Leo was smirking behind him too, but was at least trying to hide the fact that he found his brothers misfortune funny. Raphael stood in the corner arms folded, spike on his shoulder, with a frown on his face.
"Don't worry my sons, I think this young lady is not a threat to us. However I would like to learn more about you, since you now know so much about us."
Holly let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding and happily followed the aged rat to the sofa. April sat next to Holly and Mikey, Donnie and Leo all sat around on various chairs or the floor as the little group got better acquainted.
Raphael hovered just outside the sunken seating area, not quite ready to drop his defenses just yet. He listened to every word Holly said, about how her mother had moved them to New York for a job. Her father lived in the upper mid-west and had taught her how to bow hunt and how to take apart and rebuild an engine. Since learning about cars she had developed a love for science and figuring out how things worked. She and April had met in gym class, Holly hadn't had any friends and no one wanted to be her partner. They had then realized they had a few classes together and had been friends ever since.
Splinter listened to this girl who had stumbled onto their secret, and knew his boys were right. She was not going to reveal them to the world and would probably be a fresh addition to their family. Besides April seemed much happier too, she finally had someone more like herself that she could talk to and their friendship would grow now that they had a secret to share. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Raphael watching with some intensity, he hadn't said a single word in the last couple of hours which was very unlike him. April had seemed to notice this too as she was watching him, not even really listening anymore.
"My son, why don't you sit with the rest of us and join the conversation? Don't you have any questions for our guest?" Splinter motioned for him to sit with them.
Everyone's eyes were now on the red clad teen turtle. He started a little as he realized that they were watching him, waiting for him to do or say something. He looked them over individually, Mikey and April just looked confused. Leonardo had his eyes narrowed like his brain was thinking rather intently. Donatello and Splinter were hiding their emotions quite well, both looked smug about something, Raph didn't like that. Lastly he looked at Holly, she was sat right in the middle of everyone. Her hair was up in a pony still, and her black half-framed glasses were perched on her small nose. She looked right into his eyes, her head cocked slightly to one side asking a silent question that he didn't understand. Her eyes were the most unusual color, from where he was they were almost gray, but they had a hint of hazel in them too.
Raph was staring blankly at the little group. A few looks we're exchanged between the brothers, their sensei and the red head girl on the couch. What was he doing? He had never been this quite before.
"Dude, your freaking me out bro!" Mikey broke the silence, and something seemed to shatter in the air. Some spell had been broken when everyone's head swiveled around to Michelangelo who sat cross legged on the floor.
"Whatever." Raph turned and walked with spike into the kitchen, he retrieved another lettuce leaf for his little buddy and stalked back to his room.
Everyone looked at each other, then they all turned to Holly.
"Did I say something?" She asked the room.
"No my dear, Raphael is just stubborn." Splinter rested his wrinkled had on the young girls forearm. "Now if you will excuse me, I must retire to my room and meditate. It has been an enlightening day."
A chorus of good nights echoed around the room form the remaining occupants. There was a slight pause in the conversation before Mikey had to open his big mouth once more.
"I wonder what's bugging him."
"It's probably nothing, we all know he likes to pretend to be the tough guy. Anyway, who's hungry? April? Holly? Need anything to drink?" Leo hopped up and started heading toward the kitchen.
The rest of the night was enjoyable enough, they ate junk food and played video games for a while longer before April announced that she and Holly needed to get home and do some homework. They bid each other fair well, and even Raph poked his head out long enough to nod at the girls as they walked out of the door.
Later that night, April and Holly were back in Aprils bedroom. They sat with their notebooks and text books all over the room open to various pages, all covered with sticky notes and scribbles highlighting the important information.
Holly tried, she really did. But her mind kept wandering back to the turtles, one turtle in particular.
"Do you think that Raphael hates me?" She finally voiced the thought aloud.
"What? No, he's just stubborn, like Master Splinter said." April dropped her head back to her work, she knew that wasn't going to be the end of this discussion.
"I know. But he seemed so mad about something." she bit her lip slightly. "I don't want to make life uncomfortable for him."
April sighed. "I'll tell you what, I'll ask the others what's up and if it's something you can fix, I'll let you know."
Holly didn't look convinced, but decided not to push the topic any further. She put her nose back in her books and started copying down complex equations into her notes.
April glanced up at her friend, there was something going on here, and she was damn well going to find out what.