Chapter 6: Collecting the Remains


Foutler Residence, Nighttime…

Leonardo...


Deciding who was going to be the first to try to collect their stuff didn't go as you'd think. You'd think everyone would be chomping at the bit to go first, but in reality, we all wanted to put off confronting our old homes as much as we could, for… obvious reasons. So out of options, we all had a rousing game of elimination rock paper scissors, and I lost. So my house was sadly our first stop.

Seeing my old house again was bittersweet, knowing I couldn't just flop into my bed and resume my normal life. I was hesitant to get out of the van, just seeing the house was sending my heart going a mile a minute with anxiety. I didn't want mom seeing me like this, I wouldn't be able to take it, and neither would she really. But I had to, there was definitely stuff I wanted to get.

I put my hand on the door handle, clicking the car door open, "Remember dude, just grab your stuff and go," Raphael instructed me, "Trust me, it'll be easier on you that way," he added. He was right, just grab and go, no need to linger.

I got out of the van, sneaking up to my house, I don't know why I felt the need to do this, mom was always asleep at this hour, and I saw there were no lights on in the house. I guess I just wanted to play it safe was all.

Now the issue of getting in, I knew the front door was locked, mom was always paranoid that someone would break in if we left it unlocked. So even if I was bold enough to try the front door, I couldn't. So… I guess I'm trying the window.

I leaped at the awning just over the front porch, being an athlete certainly helped sometimes, but I wasn't used to climbing like this, even without this stupid turtle body. So my movements were clumsy to say the least, but with some effort, I managed to scale the stupid awning. Man… if Splinter is serious about us training to be ninjas, he's probably looking at me, questioning his life choices as I humorously try to hoist my turtle ass onto the awning.

The window to my room wasn't too hard to open, I knew the stupid thing was slightly warped at the bottom, something we had planned on fixing this summer actually, but… obviously… would never get around to now. With some effort, I managed to open the window and climbed through.

Everything seemed to be in place, exactly as I'd left it, save for one small thing. My football jersey and helmet were on the bed for some reason, alongside a photo of… what used to be me. My helmet had been one of the things I wanted to collect, but it was obvious mom did this as some sort of memorial, I didn't have the heart to mess with it, so I left it alone.

I went to my closet, grabbing my spare blanket, an old pillow which I decided to use the case of to store other stuff, and more things I knew mom wouldn't notice were missing. If I could help it, I didn't want to leave any trace I was here. I also found my old middle school football helmet, it was pure white with a green stripe running down it's length, and a green number six sticker on it's side. Number six being my number when I played football. I remember I picked number six because I thought it was an unconventional number for a quarterback. Despite the fact that Mark Sanchez and Jay Cutler both used it at the time I picked it. I was thirteen, what do you want from me? I grabbed it by it's green face mask and stuffed it in the pillowcase.

There was one last thing I wanted to grab, it was the whole reason I even agreed to do this in the first place. Right in the back of the closet, was an ancient picture of me and my dad taken when I was five, I had stuffed it there because looking at it used to make me depressed. My dad had passed away when I was only six, I didn't have many memories of him, but I cherished the few I did. I wanted it now because… if I could at least have one last thing to remember my family by… I wanted it to be this. I took it and stuffed it in the now full pillowcase.

I decided to take one last good look at my room, I'd probably never see it again so I just wanted to take it in one last time. Once I had decided I'd seen enough I slipped back out the window, shutting it behind me and hopping off the awning and onto the lawn. My arms were full of course, and apparently someone in the van noticed as the back doors flew open. I climbed inside with help from Donatello and Michelangelo.

"So," Michelangelo began, "How'd it go?" he asked me.

"About as well as you'd think Michelangelo," I said dryly before remembering something and getting a little somber, "I also saw my jersey, helmet, and picture put on my bed… mom must have been trying to memorialize me," I said.

I felt Donatello put his hand on my shoulder, seeing how sad this made me, I hated making mom think I was dead, especially given what happened to dad, that poor woman had lost so much… but it couldn't be helped… and that sucked.

The van began to move, I took one last look as my house drew farther away… as if literally leaving the life I had behind… and shed a single tear as if finally vanished from sight.


Later…

Shavall Residence…

Donatello…


I hated that I was next, Leonardo hadn't handled his visit to his room too well, he just sat in the van, huddled into the fetal position, probably trying to get the image of the memorial he saw out of his mind.

I didn't know if my parents would do similar, my parents weren't the kind that liked to linger on things. This whole situation… it was so messed up… I still hated Baxter for doing this to us, those stupid Purple Dragons for causing us to crash in the first place, but there was nothing that could be done now.

Raphael pulled up to my house, "Alright Donnie, you're up," he said. God I still hated that name, Baxter's stupid punny naming conventions were nuclear levels of cringe. But Splinter insisted we stick to them, god knows why.

I hopped out of the back of the van, the lights were thankfully off. I approached the house with the lightest footsteps I could muster, years of trying to slip by the football team payed off I guess. However when I got to the door, I noticed a note on it.

"Dave,

Going away for a month to visit family, need time away after what happened to Scott, finished work on your mower, it's in the garage, help yourself.

-John"

Dave was a neighbor and friend of my dad's, a different neighbor from Raphael's folks, they used to work together in broadcasting once before dad got fired and reduced to commentating high school football games. I had almost forgotten my dad was fixing his lawn mower, I remember offering to help but dad insisting I wasn't allowed to try to fix appliances after the mishap with the blender.

I laughed a little in spite of myself at the memory, mom spent so long cleaning up that mess. But this note also told me the garage was accessible, and through it the house and of course, my room.

I guess I should consider it a blessing that mom and dad decided to go out of town to recover from my "death", as upsetting as the image was to me. It meant I wouldn't risk an encounter with my now former family.

I entered the old garage, the aforementioned lawn mower sat neatly in the center, the car long since vacated due to them leaving. I entered the house through the front door, for once thankful my dad forgot to lock the door again.

The house was eerily quiet, like a scene from a horror movie trying to set up a jump scare. But the only sounds that would be heard tonight were the soft creaks of the floorboards under my feet as I walked. I still hadn't gotten used to this stupid turtle shell yet, it limited my back movements and felt awkward and clunky on my back.

Eventually I found my way to the kitchen, I had thought to grab trash bags for our stuff, but since Raphael lived next door and was probably already searching through his own house, I grabbed two, one for me, and one for Michelangelo.

I then made my way to my room, thankfully there was no depressing memorial waiting for me on the other side of the door, everything had been exactly as I left it that night. I knew it was smart to just grab the essentials, nothing too big, my dad may be absent minded sometimes but even he would notice if I took anything too noticeable. I grabbed a few of my books, my tools, my laptop, my spare pillow and blanket, and a flashlight.

My collection now sufficient enough for my needs, I turned to leave, I didn't want to linger here any longer than I had to, just being here made me feel depressed about how quickly it was all taken from me. I could only hope that life with my friends and Splinter would at least be tolerable…


Meanwhile…

Naton Residence…

Raphael…


I just opened the front door, I knew my old man wasn't home, he never was. He was probably at the bar getting drunk off his ass again, bastard probably didn't even know I was "dead" yet. How the hell that drunken bastard got custody of me over mom I'd never know. The place was the same mess it had always been since mom left. Bits of trash and empty beer cans littered the wooden floors that had long since lost their shine.

I opened the door to my room, grabbing a backpack, I began to cram everything I could into it, my cd's, some comics, the old man probably wouldn't even care my stuff was gone, he hasn't cared about anything since mom left him. I was probably the only one of the group who wasn't broken up about leaving their family behind, honestly mom was the only one I'd really miss.

The last thing I decided to grab was my guitar, I doubted I could still play the thing with only three fingers, but I still wanted to have it. I stopped when I noticed Slash's old tank, I was never one to show my sensitive side, but seeing Slash as that mutated monster was heartbreaking… I loved the little guy, I just hope wherever he is now he's doin' okay.

With everything I needed in tow, I left this dump behind, a dump that hadn't been a home for five years… I don't know what kind of dad Splinter was, but I knew he'd be a hell of a lot better than that drunken asshole I was forced by the courts to live with for those five years. Thanks for nothin' you drunk piece of garbage…

As I left that dung heap I saw Donnie exit his own home, he was probably feeling a lot worse about leaving his house behind than I was. Donnie was the only friend of mine who knew about how bad my dad had gotten, and that was only because his dad was so put off by his drunken ass that he stopped seeing him.

Donnie then approached me, "I take it your dad wasn't home?" he asked me.

I shook my head, "No, I basically took everything I could and left, he'll probably just think he got robbed and go drink that away too," I said.

Donnie sighed, placing a hand on my shoulder, "It's probably for the best, come on, the others are waiting," he said. You know, maybe this whole turtle thing wasn't so bad after all. The time I spent with my friends used to be my escape from my messed up home life, now… it was my home life, the only downside was that I looked like a rejected sports team mascot and would probably be sleepin' on dirt for a while, but hey, at least I had my friends right?

Donnie and I both got into the van, the only good thing I ever got from my old man, even though he only had it because he used to use it when he did carpenter work. But it was certainly coming in handy now, although I really need to find a way to replace the windshield…


Later…

Hill Residence…

Michelangelo…


Dude I got so lucky when I won our little rock paper scissors thing, to be honest I was still a bit upset I'd never get to see my folks again, but the idea of becoming a super mutant ninja dude kinda helped make me feel a bit better.

Raph pulled us up to my old house, "Remember Mikey, just grab your stuff and go, I don't want to have to fend off your stupid dog again!" warned Raph.

I just rolled my eyes, "Not my fault Toby doesn't like you," I said as I got out, Donnie had hooked me up with a trash bag for my stuff, so all I had to worry about was getting in, grabbing my things, and bailing without being seen. My first true ninja test!

I tried the front door, locked. Dang, well, when in doubt, try the doggie door! I tried to squirm myself through, but my shell was too big and I couldn't fit. "Aw man, bummer," I said to myself before giving up and deciding to try something else.

I walked around the house, looking for the window to my room, after some looking I found it. With a bit of pulling I eventually get it open. I was officially in! I started to hum the theme to Mission Impossible as I began to snake some of my stuff, just the essential stuff, my board, some comics, my Xbox, my 3DS, games for both, ya know… all the really important stuff.

Ruff!

I stopped and turned to see a big yellow lab had found me, "Aw… hey Toby," I whispered, the dog just sort of stood there, wagging his tail, "I'm gonna miss you big guy, you be good for my mom and dad okay?" I said, Toby then jumped up and started licking my face, causing me to laugh, "I'll miss you too boy," I said before standing up.

I took one last good look around my room, I was gonna miss this place, my parents, and Toby, but Splinter was right, we needed to move on and stuff… at least… that's what I think he said… I dunno… I kinda tuned out after a while.

I went back out the window, shutting it behind me. I hope mom and dad will be okay, I didn't want to leave them, but I doubt seeing me as a giant turtle would do them any favors, and at least they had each other, maybe someday we'll be able to become humans again, but until then, Michelangelo has ninja stuff to do.

I ran back to the van, getting in the back, "Totally got in and out without a trace, I so have this ninja thing on lock dude," I said, pleased with myself.

Leo, Donnie, and Raph all gave me funny looks for some reason, Raph just shook his head and groaned before starting the van and driving off. "So my ninja bros, what's next on the agenda?" I asked.

"We still have one last home to visit Michelangelo," said Splinter, I sometimes forget the dude's there, I guess it was a ninja thing or something. "There are some things I wish to gather from my apartment," he explained.

I sat up, "Cool ninja stuff?" I asked, man I hope he has nunchucks, I've always wanted to try nunchucks!

Splinter just sorta gave me this weird look, "Something like that," he said.


Later…

Apartment Complex…

Splinter…


Giving Raphael directions was a trying effort, apparently he was used to using the GPS on his phone, which obviously, he did not have anymore. But eventually, we found my old apartment complex. Hopefully the land lord hasn't thrown out my stuff yet… I can't remember the last time I actually payed rent.

"This is the place, pull over," I told Raphael. Raphael did so, "Thank you, I won't be long," I said before exiting through the back.

Getting in would be a simple task, my new anatomy had taken a lot of time to get used to, especially the legs, but I think I have actually become even more nimble with my rat form than as a human. I leaped up to the fire escape, ascending it until I came across my apartment. A quick look through the window told me that my stuff was still there thankfully, I didn't know how long I'd been locked in StockGen, so it was a wonder that I hadn't gotten evicted yet.

I opened the window and climbed inside. I didn't need much, as I didn't have much to take. Oroku Saki had left me with very little, and I hadn't been in America long before my mutation. But what little I did possess would come with me to my new life. A part of me debated if I was doing the right thing, encouraging the turtles to leave their old lives behind and come together as a family. But I knew they, like myself, had little choice. We were freaks, genetic mutations, we'd never be accepted into society, and I couldn't leave such young boys to fend for themselves on the streets… I know Tang Shen would want me to take them under my wing, protect them from the world that wished to harm them.

I grabbed the same sack I had used to transport my stuff when I came to this country, ready to grab everything I either needed or couldn't bring myself to part with.

I opened the door to my bedroom, a simple futon and blanket was all it contained along with a framed picture of my lost family sitting next to it, the first item I would grab. I then opened the closet, where my old kimono hung from a hook on the door. I quickly threw off the hospital gown the lab had given me and put the kimono on, despite my new anatomy, it still fit quite well. It felt nice to have real clothes again after spending so long in that damn gown. But time was short, I couldn't leave the turtles out in the open too long.

In the back of the closet sat a pile of weapons I had managed to collect over my short time in America from pawn shops and antique stores. However a pair of fans caught my eye… I felt my lip tremble and my eyes begin to dampen as I reached for them, remembering I had intended on giving them to my daughter when she came of age. "Miwa," I said under my breath before stuffing them in the sack.

I had everything I cared to acquire, I took a moment to collect myself, my eyes were still wet with tears from seeing Miwa's fans, I didn't want to burden the turtles with my own sorrows, they had enough of their own to deal with.

I left the apartment behind with my sack slung over my shoulder, I could see Raphael's van from where I was, the turtles inside that I would be tasked with training and caring for. I had never entertained the idea of starting a new family when I first moved to America, out of loyalty to my late wife Tang Shen. But fate seemed to have forced me to do just that, these turtles were still young, still in need of guidance, I was the only one who could offer them that guidance.

Perhaps it was fated to happen? Another chance at a family after failing to protect my first? Or perhaps misfortune had simply landed me in the right place at the right time? Whatever the case, I had purpose again, to help four lost souls find peace in a world that had forsaken them as it had myself. The journey would be treacherous, difficult, but hopefully, with a little faith, a little grace, we would find happiness in a sea of despair?

Whatever the case, as I rejoined the turtles in the van, "Hey man, nice new threads," Michelangelo greeted me, I laughed in spite of myself. I had grown to appreciate Michelangelo's upbeat nature over the short time I've gotten to know him, I envied his ability to overcome the despair I knew lived within him, there was something to be said of being optimistic in the face of tragedy.

"So, now that we've got our stuff, what's next?" asked Raphael.

"Now Raphael," I began, "Now we find our new home,"


A/N: You say filler, I say "character development", I wanted to use this chapter to help set up some character stuff and expand on the other turtle's pasts a little and help explain Splinter's motivation a little bit.

And I get to establish that no, we aren't just doing this from Leonardo's perspective.