(I don't own TMNT or Hunger Games.)
Chapter 4
"Guys," he exclaimed, eyes widening in shock at the turtles. "I thought you guys were going to stay in 12?" he looked to 03Leo as he asked.
"No way, we weren't going to let you go through this on your own." He stated, sitting on the bed, "We will follow you to the Capitol and that's it. Besides, I don't think the entire world wouldn't want to see you talking to thin air." He smirked. Leonardo blushed.
"Okay, I didn't want to be the one to mention the elephant in the room but what is going on between you and your Don?" 07Mikey said, placing his hands on his hips, "You guys were extremely awkward with each other."
"You really don't know how to leave things alone, huh?" he teased, a small smile appearing.
03Mikey chuckled, "Nope, that's what were known for."
"Well," he thought for a moment. "After my mother died, my real mother, Mikey and I were on the streets. We hardly had any food, clothes and sometimes had to sleep under trees. I didn't know how to hunt then, so I had no way of feeding us."
"One day, we scavenged for food in the bakery's garbage cans. Soon, the owner's wife came out and threatened to beat us and call the peacekeepers. I quickly grabbed Mikey and ran to the end of the road. When I turned around, a little turtle was watching us."
"His mother yelled at him for burning the bread. He went outside to feed it to the pigs, but he threw it to us. The next day, Splinter and his wife found us. I thought that was a blessing in itself. And I don't think he remembers me?" Leonardo drew his knees close to himself.
"Hey, don't look so downhearted, dude," 87Mikey said, trying to cheer him up. "I'm sure he remembers ya! He's probably waiting for a thank you or something?" Leonardo looked at him, then shook his head.
"I tried to thank him one time," he grabbed the pillow and hugged it. "I shot a squirrel and traded it with the baker, and he was decorating a cake." Leonardo could still remember what happened.
Leonardo had shot down a fresh squirrel, he wanted to see if he could get a delicious pastry he would see in the display window. He talked a little with the baker and he agreed, but he only got a small cake. Big enough to cut only three pieces. While he waited, he saw a familiar turtle. It was the one who feed him and his brother! He was putting flowers on a cake.
The turtle stopped, because he felt like someone was watching him. He looked up and meet Leonardo's eyes. The air between them was tense. It was like electricity was in the air. The turtle dropped his eyes first and continued with his cake.
"I just couldn't find the words," Leonardo sighed. "I just…couldn't thank him. He saved our lives. I'm forever in his debt." Leonardo hugged the pillow tighter.
"Sure you can," 07Don comforted him, patting his shell. "Maybe you guys can train together?"
Leonardo shook his hand off and shot up off the bed. "No way. I don't trust him."
"Why not?" 03Raph asked, slightly ticked that he wouldn't trust Donatello.
"Who knows? Maybe he will use my trust in the games? He was always a bright turtle, he would create stuff and he's strong." Leonardo explained, his voice rising a little. Suddenly, a knock came at the door.
Leonardo opened it. "Everything alright?" April asked, her robe untied and showing a green nightgown underneath.
"Yes, everything's fine, why?" He asked.
"I thought you were yelling at someone?" She looked around the room, finding it empty. Leonardo looked over his shoulder, the turtles stood stunned, looking at the fox woman.
"No one is obviously here, so you can go back to bed now." He shooed her off. She flicked her tail and scoffed. "Well I just thought you might be interested to know, that the showing of this year's tributes is coming on in a minute. I figured you and Donatello should watch it to see who you are up against."
Leonardo nodded. She started walking down the hall. "Never in my life have I had such rude tributes. I hope I get a different district next year." She seethed under her breath. She walked down the cart and went back to her room. Leonardo sighed a breath of relief.
He turned back into his room and locked the door. "That was close," he fell onto his bed, the others moving so he can rest. "We should watch the video." He picked up the remote from the nightstand and turned on the TV hanging on the wall.
Everyone sat down and watched with him. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to the 74th Annual Hunger Games!" The robot on the screen said. "My name is Fugitoid-"the turtles gasped, Leonardo left confused-"and I'm here to tell you about the tributes selected for this year's Hunger Games!"
While the anthem was playing, Leonardo used this moment to ask the turtles, "Why'd you gasp? Do you know him?"
"Yeah, he helped us escape the annihilation of earth from the Triceratons." 12Don told him.
"He helped us escape Triceraton prison." 03Don told his counterpart. He paused. "Wait, did you say the annihilation of earth?" He asked. "That's for another time." 12Don said, turning his attention to the screen when the anthem was finished.
"From District 1; Tokkar-"a picture on the left side showed a mutant Dog, waving his arms and cheering. "-and Rahzar!" On the right, a picture of another turtle was cheering too.
"Why are they so happy?" 12Mikey asked.
"District 1 is always known for getting trained for the games, so if your picked you're a hero. The same way with District 2." Leonardo explained. The pictures disappeared.
"District 2; Slash and Karai!" Two pictures of another turtle showed and a mutant snake was cheering and waving to the crowd.
"Karai is a snake!" "Karai is a snake in this world!" The 03Leo and 12Leo looked at each other. "Your Karai is a mutated snake?"
"Yes and she's also our masters daughter. The shredder took her for revenge." 12Leo explained to his older counterpart.
"District 3-"The Fugitoid continued till he got to District 12.
"Now District 12, Leonardo and Donatello!" They showed Leonardo running to his brother and going onto the stage. Leonardo could see he didn't show much emotion.
"I'm very shocked as well as you, we never had a volunteer tribute in District 12. He is one to watch out for in the games. All I can say to the tributes is, good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor!" The program ended. Leonardo turned it off.
"Well, I guess we can go to sleep. I don't know where you guys will sleep?" Leonardo said, looking at the turtles.
"Don't worry about us," 07Leo said. "You need the sleep, we can sleep on the floor." The Mikey's complained and groaned. They stopped when the Raph's slapped their heads.
"OW!" They shouted simultaneously.
"Good night, guys." Leonardo chuckled softly. A few 'nights' and a grunt was all he heard before he fell asleep.
The next day, Leonardo woke up and saw he was alone. 'Maybe they returned to their world?' Leonardo rolled over and saw the trees go by.
"I also thought I dreamt about the games," he said aloud. He heard a knock on his door. He got off the bed, with a groan and went to answer it. When he opened it, he saw the Mikey's. Each gave a smile and waved. One had a biscuit in his hand.
"We were going to wake you up-"12Mikey started.
"But, you were asleep so we decided to eat before everyone else got up."03Mikey finished, stuffing the rest of the biscuit in his mouth.
Leonardo felt his stomach rumble. It was so hard to find food in District 12….he could get used to eating the food. He nodded and followed them to the dinning cart. The others already ate and sat at different tables. Each set was in a conversation with their counterparts.
The Leonardo's were talking about their training, Donatello's talking about inventions, and Raph's talking about their brothers. "Guess who finally woke up!" 07Mikey shouted. Everyone stopped their conversations and gave him 'good morning.'
"Good morning to you, too." Leonardo said. He picked up a plate and started pilling food upon food of eggs, bacon, biscuits, and weird blue things and a glass of orange juice. He sat down at the table near the door and scarfed down his food.
"Take it easy, there's more to go around." 03Raph told him, worried that he might choke.
"It's hard to get food, especially in 12. You saw the houses. We are also known as the poor district. After the mine explosion, no one is able to have food." He continued, using his biscuit to soak up the grease.
"Speaking of mine explosions, you never told us about your real parents. All we know is that you guys are adopted." 87Don said, sitting backwards in his chair.
"You guys…it's still a sore subject sometimes. Mikey has nightmares about it still." He finished his cup and wiped his hands.
"Oh come on, please, pretty please!" 03Mikey begged, clasping his hands together.
"No," he growled. He immediately apologized. "Sorry, but no. I still expect them to come get us, get Mikey away from Splinter, but not that's going to happen." He let his head hang. The cart was filled with silence, the air so thick you couldn't cut it with a knife.
The car door opened. April, Don and Casey, who was dressed normally, but wore sunglasses, gathered food and joined Leonardo at the table. The turtles moved out of the way. "You'd freeze to death."
"What if I light a fire?" Donatello asked, taking a bit of eggs.
"That's a good way to get yourself killed." Leonardo was already lost. "What's a good way to get yourself killed?" He asked, drawling Casey's attention to him.
"You're up early." Casey said, cutting up his sausage, then grabbed a glass and poured himself a cup of coffee. "I was just giving some lifesaving advice." He took a bite of sausage. Leonardo wanted to join in on the conversation. "Like what?" He asked while he fiddled around with his napkin.
"I was just asking about how to find shelter when I meet him in the hallway." Donatello told him, trying to ignore the look Leonardo gave him. He lowered his eyes, continuing to eat.
"Which would come in handy if you're still alive." Casey muttered, buttering his toast. Leonardo felt his patience growing thin with the mutant salamander. "How do you find shelter?" he asked.
"Pass the jam." he asked, not answering Leonardo's question.
"How DO you find shelter." He asked again, emphasizing his words. Casey clenched his silver ware and growled, "Give me a chance to wake up, sweetheart." He drawled out, Leonardo felt himself growing hot. He reached into his pocket and grabbed a flask and added alcohol to his coffee.
"This mentoring thing is taxing stuff." Donatello glanced nervously at Leonardo, seeing he ripped his napkin. When Casey reached for the jam, Leonardo grabbed the knife and stuck it into Casey's sleeve. They glared at each other. April gasped. "That was mahogany!"
The turtles were shocked. "Dude, did he wake up on the wrong side of bed this morning." They saw Leonardo's eyes flicker to glare in their direction quickly and back to Casey. "Well, we did ask him to talk about his parents." 87Don explained.
"Look at you, just killed my sleeve." He used his other hand to pull the knife out. "You really want to know how to stay alive? You get people to like you." He spat out, spreading jam on his toast with the knife that almost sliced him.
"When you're in the middle of the games, and you're starving or freezing, some water, a knife or even some matches can mean the difference between life and death. Those things only come from sponsors and to get sponsors, you have to get people to like you." He put down the knife. "And right now, you're not off to a good start." He took a bit of his toast.
Suddenly Donatello jumped up, "There it is."
The turtles turned and saw the train approaching a big city. It was surrounded by high mountains and the buildings were made of steel. They went through a tunnel and came out to see aliens and mutants dressed in extremely bright colors and extravagant clothes. They cheered as the train was slowly passing by.
"Leonardo was right,"03Leo whispered to the turtles. "They do treat them like celebrities." They turned and saw Donatello smiling and waving. Casey turned toward Leonardo.
"Better keep this knife," he handed the knife to Leonardo. "He knows what he's doing." He went back to finishing he toast. Leonardo looked at Donatello waving and sighed. 'What have I gotten myself into?' he asked himself.
(I hope you guys liked it! Please leave a review and tell me whose your favorite turtle.)