Chapter 4: Bilbo's Birthday

It was now twilight as Bilbo and Splinter sat on the bench overlooking the party in the valley below.

"Old Tobey." Bilbo sighed, smoking his pipe, "The finest weed in the South Valley."

Bilbo took in a deep breath before blowing out a large grey smoke ring. The two watched it float into the sky as Splinter took a deep breath on his pipe. When he blew out the smoke, the smoke took the form of a small sailing ship as it sailed through the smoke ring.

"Splinter, my old friend," Bilbo said, "This will be a night to remember."

Later that night, a loud firework painted the night sky above the party with the picture of a great green tree with unfolding branches. Glowing flowers rained down for the branches, evaporating over up-turned faces of the delighted party-goers. Around one hundred and forty four turtles, tortoises, salamanders, and others in total. Carts of beer and wine were scattered about, and the tables were piled with steaming scones and savories as well as a giant cake for Bilbo.

Leonardo danced like a fool with the other people in the crowd. He looked at one of the tables and noticed his younger brother, Raphael, was staring at the beautiful salamander woman, Mona Lisa, with a dreamy smile on his face. Leo could see why his hot-headed brother had a crush on her, she had aqua colored skin with light blue spots that danced across it, bright amber eyes, a slender figure, and a nice turquoise dress to go with it.

Smiling knowingly, Leo plopped next to his brother. Raphael was slightly shorter than Leonardo as well as the second oldest of his brothers. He also had more muscles compared to his older brother due to all the work he had to do at his job as a gardener. He had a lightning bolt shaped chip on the left side of his plastron. He wore a red mask with slightly ragged tails around his bright green eyes and a brown leather belt around his waist.

"Well go on, Raph," Leo said, nudging him with his shoulder, "Ask Mona to dance with you."

Raph froze hearing that, his emerald eyes growing wide as if Leo had asked him to cockroach hunting.

Now Raphael was no expert on romance, nor had he ever wished to be. He had a heart, a very big one at that (though one should never make the mistake of bringing that up unless they wanted a broken face). But while he was normally hot-headed, stubborn, and sarcastic, that would always crumble away into overwhelming nervousness when it came to asking a girl out, and asking them to dance was no exception.

"Uh, I-I think I'll just get another ale." Raph stuttered nervously, his cheeks turning red.

Leo quickly grabbed Raph by the shoulders, "Oh no you don't." He said with a smirk before thrusting him into the middle of the dancing crowd. Raph looked back his brother in shock and embarrassment before he was swept away and practically shoved into Mona, who happily danced with him.

Meanwhile, Bilbo was telling several children about his adventure with the dwarves of erebor.

"So there I was," Bilbo said in a low, melodramatic voice, "At the mercy of three monstrous trolls. And they were all arguing amongst themselves about how they were going to cook us!" Several children gasped at that, "Whether we be turned on a spit or whether they should sit on us one by one and squish us into jelly! But they spent so much time arguing over the whether-to's and the why-for's that the sun's first light crept over the trees and poof! Turned them all to stone!" He finished dramatically.

Elsewhere, as Splinter was getting ready to launch some other fire works, two other turtles snuck past the rat wizard and went into his cart of fireworks. The first turtle was tall and lean, with a small gap in his teeth that showed whenever he smiled. He wore a brown leather belt around his waist and a purple bandana over his reddish-brownish eyes. His name was Donatello, and he was the third eldest/second youngest to his brothers Leonardo and Raphael.

The other turtle was short and slightly plump with freckles on his face. He had a leather brown belt around his waist and wore a short orange bandana around his baby blue eyes. His name was Michelangelo, he was the youngest out his older brothers.

Donatello and Michelangelo were extremely close to each other, even though they were polar opposites; Donatello was a genius, able to tinker and build amazing things by using simple things he found in the fields within mere hours. Michelangelo...well, he was a complete jokester, unable to focus due to his ADHD problem, but he never let that bother him.

Both brothers were so different, but both were inseparable.

Mikey rummaged through the cart before pulling out a small firework, "Is it this one?" He asked.

"No," Donnie replied, "The other one, the big one."

After a bit more rummaging, Mikey finally found a big dragon shaped firework.

"Is this it?"

Donnie nodded in excitement as the two rushed into a nearby tent.

Meanwhile, Bilbo looked around before he spotted the Sackfills. Not wanting to get caught by them, Bilbo rushed over to Leonardo.

"Sackfills!" He whispered to Leo. Leo nodded, understanding. The two hid behind some tarp as the Sackfills began looking for them.

As they hid behind the tarp, Bilbo glanced at his nephew, "Thank you, my boy."

"No problem, Uncle." Leo said.

"Your a good lad, Leonardo." Bilbo stated. He then turned to his nephew, "I'm very selfish." He said. Leonardo was surprised to hear that from his uncle.

"Yes, I am." Bilbo stated, knowing what Leo was going to say. "I don't know why I took you and your brothers in after your parents died, but it wasn't out of charity. I think it was because of all my numerous relations. You and your brothers were the only turtles who showed real spared."

"Bilbo," Leonardo said, "Are you okay? What's the point?"

"I'm getting to it." Bilbo replied, "The point is, Leonardo," He paused for a moment, "You'll be alright."

Leo was confused, pondering on what his uncle was trying to say.

Back with Donatello and Michelangelo...

Mikey took out a lighted match, lighting the fuse, "Done!" He said cheerfully.

Donnie looked down and his eyes widened. Nononononono! They weren't supposed to light the fuse yet! It wasn't even ready yet!

"You were supposed to stick it in the ground!" Donnie said, his nervousness rising.

"But it is in the ground!" Mikey replied.

"Outside, you moron!" Donnie said panicking.

"It was your idea!" Mikey retorted.

Before the two could keep arguing, the firework blasted off into the sky like a rocket, taking the tent with it. The other party-goers immediately stopped what they were doing as they saw the firework launch into the sky.

The firework then exploded in a shower of orange sparks, seeming to form the shape of a big gold dragon. Fire gushed from it's nostrils as it turned back flew low towards the crowd.

It was there that crowd stopped cheering and began panicking as they ran and screamed from the dragon. Leo and Raph stood up in alarm, turning to Bilbo who was oblivious of the panicking crowd and the impending danger.

"Bilbo! Look out! It's a dragon!" Leo shouted.

"Dragon?" Bilbo questioned, "Nonsense. there hasn't been a dragon here for thousand ye-"

"Just get down!" Raph yelled frustrated as he and Leo hurriedly pulled Bilbo to the ground just as the dragon roared a few feet over their heads like a flaming express train.

The people all dove to the ground for cover as tables were overturned, tents collapsed, and food flying everywhere. The dragon then suddenly did a somersault before exploding over the hills with a deafening bang, bright sprinkles raining down!

The crowd was silent for a moment before loudly cheering in joy and excitement.

Meanwhile back with Donatello and Michelangelo, they had gotten up just in time to see the big firework as the two grinned at each other.

"That was good." Donnie said, covered in soot.

"Lets get another one." Mikey said excitedly, also covered in soot.

But before they could, they felt a sharp pain in their necks. They looked up to see Splinter looking down at them with a less than amused look as he held them at pressure point.

"Donatello and Michelangelo," Splinter said, "I should have known."

The two turtles gulped. They were in serious trouble now.

For the rest of the evening, Splinter had Donnie and Mikey clean up all the dishes and cups as punishment.

"SPEECH! SPEECH!" The crowd chanted as Bilbo stepped onto a stool and bowed in gratitude at the applause.

"Speech!" Leo called out, joining in.

"My dear Hamatos and Boffins, Tooks and Brandybucks... Grubbs, Chubbs, Hornblowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles and Proudfoots..."

"Proudfeet!" Odo Proudfoot bellowed from the crowd but Bilbo ignored him.

"Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday!" Bilbo continued, "Yes, and alas, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable reptiles!" This caused a tremendous uproar from the crowd, "I don't know half of you as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you as well as you deserve."

"Was that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?" Raph whispered to Leo who shrugged in response.

A bead of sweat began to roll down Bilbo's face as he reached behind his shell as he pulled out something in the pocket of his belt, grasping it tightly and bringing his other hand behind his shell.

"I have...things to do and I have put this on for far too long," Bilbo said as he balled his fist.

Leo raised an eye ridge in confusion as he tried to see what his uncle was hiding.

"I regret to announce that this is the end. I am going now. I bid you a fond farewell!" He then looked at Leonardo who was still confused at what was happening. He then mouthed 'Goodbye' towards him and with that, he instantly vanished! The party exploded into gasps of confusion as they began looking around for Bilbo. Meanwhile, Splinter's eyes narrowed, his suspicions growing.

Okay. I hope your enjoying this so far! See ya!