Chapter Seven: -Red-
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I just gapped wide eyed and slack jawed at the pair of identical turtles standing before me.
This wasn't happening, was it? I'm dreaming, right? These guys aint real, are they?
"Dude, pinch me, I think I'm dreaming." The orange masked fellow raised an arm to his partner without turning to face him, but after a moment with no reply he faced his twin, "Leo?" he echoed with a concerned tone, and then touched his companion to make sure he was alright.
The other blue wearing guy didn't move at first. He just stood there with wide, cold, blank eyes and stared at us as if not believing what he was seeing, even if what he saw was right before him he found it hard to believe it; honestly I could say the same. But then he snapped out of his daze at the concerned touch, quickly he slapped the seemingly-offending hand away and glared, he gave the orange wearing guy a nasty scowl, as if scolding him for even daring to touch him.
The orange wearing guy coiled back with a sheepish grin, he didn't say anything to his partner and just looked at us nervously, rubbed and soothed his slapped hand then offered a small smile, "So, um… hi?" he addressed us, unsure.
"Uh… howdy?" Dee replied, then slowly pushed to his feet and gently helped me up.
My foot hurt cause I stubbed my toe on a rock when my brother shoved me, but looking at the now blocked entrance of where we were just a moment ago, I'm glad he did, cause I wouldn't have wanted to be buried under all that rubble.
After all, I want to reunite with pa, and I can't do that if I'm dead under a pile of rock.
Looking back at the pair I fixed my gaze on the blue masked guy. I don't know why, but the way he was looking at us rubbed me the wrong way, and the longer it lasted the more it started to grate on my nerves.
The awestruck look in his eyes told me he was anything but amused to see us, unlike his partner he didn't look amused and curious, he looked highly irritated and maybe even angry. I don't know why, but he looked royally pissed.
The orange masked turtle hesitantly stepped closer, but the blue masked one grabbed his wrist, yanked him back then hissed something. They whispered to each other and the hushed conversation felt heated; I think they were arguing and the blue guy got on the orange guy's nerves, too. Soon, the orange one forcefully pried his hand free and snapped something at the blue guy, who in turn flinched then scowled in distaste, before the orange wearing guy turned to us and smiled sheepishly, offering Dee a handshake.
"Hi, I'm Michelangelo," he introduced himself and then poked a thumb at the one scowling behind him, "And that's my grouchy brother, Leonardo. But don't mind him, he just woke up on the wrong side of the meditation mat this morning," He grinned wide and smothered a chuckle, "You can just call us Mike and Leo, though." He added in a friendly voice, ignorant to the looks his partner was drilling in the back of his skull.
Dee timidly glanced at me seeking approval so I shrugged, seeing no harm seeing they were being friendly enough, so with a childlike smile he reached out and accepted the handshake, maybe squeezing a little harder than intended, "Ah'm- Dee, and this is my brother, Red." He gestured towards me, a bit more confident. I didn't say anything so we just nodded to each other in silent greeting.
When Mike clearly saw I wasn't gonna say anything, he spoke again, "So, uh… where did you pop out from? Cause the last time I checked, there were only two mutant turtles in New York." He joked weakly.
Dee smiled a bit shyly, though a small frown told me he was confused at something, "Last ah checked, Red and I were the only turtles around, too." He admitted with a shrug.
Mike grinned wider and crossed his arm over his chest, that's when I noted there weird sticks tucked on either sides of his belt, along with the brown cushy things he had on his elbows and knees. I glanced at- Leo, and saw he wore the same getup, except he just didn't have the sticks and had two blue thingies behind his shell, as well as a belt running over one shoulder and across his front.
"Yeah, kinda figured as much," Mike grinned the glanced at me, a perhaps a bit unsure smile quirked the corner of his mouth, "So what are you two doing here? Obviously you aren't from around here, right?"
I shrugged, "Wes were lookin fer our pa," I replied. He arched a brow and blinked, as if not understanding what I was saying, "He was taken by some of them humans, ah think. Wes were told they were agnets, or sumthin."
"Agents, Red. Thar called agents." Dee corrected with a wry smile.
"Hillbillies, who'da thunk it." Mike murmured in a small chuckle, but the blue masked turtle smacked his shoulder and hissed something. Mike yelped and rubbed the sore spot before he straightened up, cleared his throat then spoke more seriously, "Well, uh… what kind of agents?"
Dee and I blinked at each other, realizing we really had no idea if there were more than one type of agent, so we shrugged.
"C'mon, you gotta have some idea who it could be, right?" Mike argued with a gentle smile. "Any significant signs? Noticeable Marks? Spiffy double-o-seven jive? Anything?"
"Well, they had this big black iron bird of sorts," Dee began, fidgeting a bit with his damp clothes starting to dry against his skin, "a chopper, ah think they call it, and it had this red mark on it-"
"Red mark?" Leo suddenly piped out, expression alarmed and maybe even a bit peeved, and though in the back of my mind I couldn't help but note the dry husky hiss in his voice; it was anything but friendly. "Your father was kidnapped by the Foot?" he growled.
I wrinkled my snout in confusion, "Not a foot, agents! Gob-mint agents or sumthin," I muttered, unable to pronounced the confounded word.
Leo huffed in frustration then shot me a snobby look, it annoyed me, "You mean Government agents?" he asked and I just gave a curt nod, so he huffed in annoyance, then continued, "Great, either way the Foot have their own agents, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a branch working for the government." He frowned and a trouble look washed over his features.
After a pause he looked back at us, his tone grew thick and warning, "The Foot isn't someone you should be messing with, and they're way beyond your league." He warned and stepped closer to stand besides his companion, "But at any case, we shouldn't be here any longer than necessary, you should come with us," he paused to glance around the empty sewer tunnel, "I think our master would like to have a word with you, regardless."
"And why should we go wit' you?" I growled, willing to fight my way out if they tried to force us.
"Because were obviously from the same specie?" Mike smiled weakly and shrugged. "Hey, we could be long lost brothers separated at birth or something," he laughed.
"Ah doubt it," I snorted, not even remotely tickled by the ridicules thought, and then sent Leo a sour glare. I really do not like the guy, and God forbid if we were at some point related. "And Ah dunno about you, but that reason aint good enough," I scowled and pulled Dee closer in spite his disagreeing expression, then pushed him behind me just a bit, "So why are you two here, anyway?"
"We saw you going into the sewers a while back, so we thought you were homeless looking for a place for the night." Mike explained calmly, "You were going around an area where a big albino gator lived." He paused for a moment, a strange friendly smile tugged his lips, "Naturally we didn't want you getting eaten so we followed, but as we followed you we were pretty confused how you seemed to know how to get to this place." He crossed his arms and gave the demolished wall a lopsided smirk, "Boy, were we in for a big surprise."
"That makes both of us," Dee agreed with a careful smile, and then glanced at me from over my shoulder and whispered, "We can trust them, Red; ah feel they're tellin' the truth." He rubbed my shoulder and flashed me a sure grin, but added the puppy eyes just to be sure I'd agree.
I hesitated for a moment and sent Leo a scowl, which he returned just as uneasily.
It might just be my unease mixing with the tension, but I really didn't really like him.
Mike was alright but Leo was really starting to edge on my nerves, just being next to him irritates me. Still, I nodded though not really happy with the situation but accepting it, if only for Dee's sake.
Soon, Leo took the lead while Dee and I followed, and Mike covered the back saying it was just to make sure we weren't being followed. But followed by whom and why, they wouldn't say.
Although Dee and I grew anxious when we realized it was already the early hours of the day, we knew we wouldn't be able to get back to Mrs. Jones' place on time. Our human friends were probably already in panic, discovered our little escape and are out on the streets looking for us. Although I don't think they'll find us, not unless Mr. Hanson manages to find this place without the map.
But one thing I'm sure of, Mr. Hanson is so gonna tan our hides when we get back, I just know it and it makes my skin tingle just thinking about it.
"A swamp? Really?" the orange guy piped up with a huge grin, and when Dee nodded with a mellow smile Mike's grin grew even bigger, "Cool! Bet it's a pretty nice place to be in the middle of nature, huh?"
Dee grinned wide, "It's even prettier at night, yeah. There's even a pretty brook just a distance off with a gorgeous waterfall, it's really great for swimmin' and it's always full of fish." He flashed a huge grin, but then perked as he remembered something else, "It's also very safe, the gators don't usually go there because it's on higher land, and it's just too rocky for them to climb." He then added with that happy, chatty voice of his.
I hid a smile, grateful my little brother wasn't scared or tense, at least he was enjoying his time.
Leo then abruptly hissed and ordered us to silence, then signaled with a hand, while his other hand reached up to the two long stick things strapped on his shell. Mike stiffened for a moment, and then his hands slowly folded back with his fingers touching the top of the sticks tucked in his belt, and only now I noticed the chains attached to them.
A moment passed and I glanced at Dee when he back stepped to press a little closer against me, fearing what suddenly came up.
Another thick moment of silence passed, only the scurrying of rats and the gurgling of water filled the empty void of near utter silence, before the blue masked guy motioned for us to keep quiet, then instantly and silently bolted from the side of the tunnel we were at to the other side in a flicker of motion, I don't think I even saw him move!
Inwardly I blinked and rubbed my eyes, did he just- suddenly vanish? How did he do that?
But anyway, Leo settled still with his shell pressed against the wall, as the orange masked turtle stood besides Dee and me, and we settled in utter silence waiting whatever it was to pass so we could move on again.
I listened to my heartbeats pound against my ears, before Leo's shrouded and shadowy figure, barely visible, peeked from his spot beyond the wall, and then signaled for us to quietly and quickly follow.
I don't really know how they did it, but when Dee and I walked through the muck and grime, those other two guys barely made a sound. I mean, it was almost as if they weren't even there, as if they were ghosts they simply floated over the masses that flowed through the murky stream.
"Let's go, before they come back," Mike muttered and quickly and gently nudged us to move a little faster.
I didn't know who they meant by they, but I really didn't want to stick around and find out, especially if it's someone they're trying to avoid. I mean, if they had to be this stealthy just to avoid bumping into someone, then I'm sure it's pretty much worth the effort; know what I mean?
Anyway, I took my brother's hand and gave it an assuring squeeze, which he returned with a nervous but relived smile, and then we followed after Leo. Although I really didn't like letting him lead us around, almost feeling like sheep led to the slaughter, I knew we couldn't stand a chance in these sewers alone, we needed him to help guide us out of this goshdarned maze.
After a while of taking multiple confounded twists and turns, making me feel confused and lost in the process, we arrived at a large open area with a hole in the floor. Mike grinned and said we were at the junction, whatever it meant, and then gestured to us to jump into the rabbit hole-like gap in the floor, but we shook our heads and said no, he shrugged and simply leapt down with a little excited whoop.
Leo then arrived and gestured for us to go ahead and he'll follow after, assuring it was safe. I turned to my bro and he shrugged, before he timidly stepped closer to peer into the bottomless pit. He gulped, gathered his resolve and then hoped into the hole, but with a startled cry and not an excited one, so gathering my uneven nerves I soon followed, not wanting to look like a chicken in front of Leo.
I mean- goshdarnit! If my little brother would jump into a bottomless pit, then so can I! I aint afraid!
The long rabbit-hole like tunnel thing had us in a mad loopy slide, before it finally threw us out in a heap. Dee didn't move in time and I crash landed right on his shell, unintentionally flattening him to the floor seeing I was heavier. Naturally he laughed at it and exclaimed how he'd like to do it again, saying it was actually kinda fun. I just sheepishly grinned and pushed off him, and then after dusting our clothes I helped him up.
Leo then appeared from behind us and blocked the hole, clearly he already knew how to stable his landing and not crash into anyone who's still at the bottom. Wordlessly, once the hole was blocked, he strode off and signaled for us to follow. And since Mike wasn't there, I guess he went ahead to wherever it was they were taking us.
I looked at my brother and he looked back, before we both shrugged and followed after Leo. A moment passed while we walked through that eerie and darkened tunnel, but slowly I could hear the hint of a conversation, and Mike's voice became clearer as we walked ahead.
"- and then, we bumped into these guys," Mike's voice trailed on as we entered a large room, and when we walked into the room, I saw he was gesturing towards us with the biggest grin you could see on a green face.
But golly, I barely paid him much attention after that cause I was busy gapping at their home. This place was freakin huge! It looked big enough for a whole circus to hide in!
The ceiling was so far above and looked like it just hung there. There were rooms placed on top of the bottom rooms- a second floor. There was a huge pool in the middle with rocks here and there, though it obviously looked like it could have used more attention, there was moss growing on the sides of the bridge poised at the middle. There were big pipes with cords and thingamajigs all over the walls and ceiling, they dangled like veins on trees.
Dee suddenly gave a strange sound and pressed himself against me. He ducked behind me and took my hand, so I knew he saw something that made him a bit uncomfortable.
I looked ahead and wondered what had startled him, only to lay eyes on something big, grey and furry.
For a moment I couldn't tell if what I was seeing was even real, so I blinked, rubbed my eyes and then blinked again, feeling my eyes widen so much my eyeballs would have popped out of their sockets. To be totally honest, I've seen lotsa ornery looking rats in my life, but none of them was as big as this critter, that I guarantee!
'City rats sure are big…' I thought to myself as the little guy walked closer, a strange glitter to his eyes.
Dee stared down at the little rat guy squeezed my hand tighter, but I held my pose, not daring to twitch a muscle when he came too close for comfort. There was just something in his eyes that told me- it told me something, something I can't really put in words. There was a sense of familiarity I couldn't pinpoint, and in the same time I could swear I never saw him in my entire life.
"My sons," he whispered, a frail and skinny hand reached up to my face.
I tensed when I noted the claws and quickly pushed Dee back to back away from the guy. My heart beat harder against my chest and Dee trembled a bit, but the crestfallen look in the rat's eyes stung, for some reason it made me feel bad.
Well, I need to confess in my own defense, I've never been fond of anything with long sharp claws. Had way too many encounters with them damn foxes and mongooses to leave a worthy amount of scars on my hands on legs, and I sure as hell don't want a new addition to the collection. Last time I got clawed by a bloody mongoose claw I got an infection so awful, pappy said I was lucky I hadn't died.
Dee gets nightmares whenever I get sick, too; it reminds him too much of that night.
"Uh, sensei?" Mike piped up and stepped behind the rat, put his hands on his shoulders and rubbed him gently, "You okay?"
He cleared his throat before he spoke, "Yes, I am fine, my son." He nodded once.
'Son?' I blinked, eyes widening at the title. I was just a little startled cause- well, lets face it, our father is a crocodile, and these guy's dad is a rat, not really a problem, right? I just didn't expect their dad to be a mammal.
Makes me wonder if their mom is here, too; if they have one, I mean.
I could tell the little furry guy was fighting tears, but for the life of it I couldn't tell why he looked so hurt. He drew in a deep breath and looked at me again, with a clear but sad smile, bowed his head lightly and straightened up with an apology for startling me, and then murmured something to Mike who in turn nodded, bowed and then exit the room almost hastily.
"You must be tired, please, do make yourselves at home." he ushered us towards a couch, perked at someone nearby and then gestured towards the direction Mike took, "Leonardo, please do go and aid your brother."
"Hai, sensei." The blue clad turtle bowed a little lower than Mike did, before he did a curt turn then left.
They were brothers, too? Gee, I know they look alike, and Dee and I look a lot alike, but I didn't think they looked at each other as brothers, cause they sure didn't act like it. Come to think of it, they looked like two guys who were just stuck together, with no desire to be anywhere near each other. Leo was mute and a bit mean looking, while Mike was nicer and a bit friendlier.
I did notice this rat guy talked kinda funny, though; it didn't sound like any accent I've heard of.
I glanced at Dee in hope to see his opinion about the matter, but he was busy being awestruck and gawked at every item decorating the huge room. Like some five year old, his eyes were wide with awe and his jaw slacked a bit. He blinked and took the shapes, colors and sizes of everything he saw, memorizing and tucking it all in the back of his mind.
I smirked slightly and relaxed, he can be so oblivious sometimes.
At least it was better than having him a trembling heap latched onto my shell, it means he's not scared of this rat guy anymore and found a good distraction. I just wonder how long the peace would last, before he'd bombard them with questions. Honestly, I wanna ask some questions too, but I don't know what to start with, cause I have so much in mind, yet don't know what I should ask from what I shouldn't.
I mean- I've always wondered where Dee and I had come from, and if Leo and Mike are indeed related to us somehow, does that mean there are more of us out there? If so, then where? Why were we separated and stranded so far away from each other? Why didn't they ever come looking? Who are our real parents, and where are they? Are they alive or dead? Do they even know we exist?
So many questions, so little to no answers, and I know some questions probably don't even have an answer, so I really need to pick my questions carefully, cause I know some questions are better not asked, cause the answer is never pretty.
Ignorance is bliss, after all.
The rat guy introduced himself as Splinter, Hamato Splinter, originally from Japan, but he and his sons Leonardo and Michelangelo lived here in New York City for the past fifteen years. We quietly settled on the recliners until Mike and Leo returned with a tray with colorful looking cookies- or something that looked like cookies, and a flowery-decorated white kettle of funny smelling tea.
My attention was fixed on the kettle, though; it looked kinda familiar.
"Now, I do hope my sons did not startle you, Michelangelo had told me of your encounter in the sewers earlier." Splinter began in that raspy but friendly sounding accent, "So I do hope you would not mind telling this old rat, what were two young boys such as yourselves, foreign to this city, doing in the unfamiliar territory of the sewers?" he asked, not a demand, but a concerned and gentle inquire from an elder.
I eased a bit on the chair to answer his question, "Wes lookin' for our pappy, some humans here took 'em and we came here tryin' ta find him," I began, not bothering to look at Mike who sat on the remaining free space next to Dee, "We read in his journal he used ta live here in the sewers, so after he was taken we figured if we could find his home, we could figure out how ta find him."
The rat blinked, confusion clear on his face. "I do not see how locating his home would tell you where to find him." He confessed, and then added, "If what my sons say is true and he had truly been kidnapped by the Foot, then locating his home seems- and please forgive me for the lacking choice of words; pointless." His ears flattened for only a second before they perked back up, a clear sign he wasn't happy with the choice of words, fearing it would offend us.
I admit, it did sting a little but if you really think about it, maybe it does feel pointless, in some sense.
"It's kinda complicated," Dee joined in, probably wanting to prove our search wasn't entirely pointless, "In pappy's journal he said he used to live with them aliens and they were bein' chased, and whoever was chasin' them was chasin' 'em too." He argued with that cute, pouty look of his, "He had to run away from the city cause it wasn't safe, and he took us along cause he couldn't leave us behind." He told, but at the rat's even more quizzical reaction, he rubbed the back of his neck and looked at me for help.
"So, your dad was an alien?" Mike piped up, a pale and really shocked look on his face.
"No!" I whined, annoyed they got it all wrong, "He's a crocodile who was raised by aliens, or so he says in the journal," I argued.
To tell ya the truth I hadn't read all of pappy's journal, mainly cause I suck at reading and Dee was hogging the book most of the time. I didn't have the heart to take it from him or ask for it, cause I felt I wouldn't be able to make much of use if I did, anyway.
Also, I only tried to read the last entry when I got the chance, cause it had more- what did Mrs. Jones call it, prime-a-nishen or something; the feeling ya get when you know something is gonna happen. In the last journal entry, pappy talked about them you-trom creatures more, saying how they were a peaceful race and how he had a dream about them, but other that that we really didn't get anything useful.
"And- where is this journal?" Leo then muttered, standing besides Splinter's chair with a non-too-caring look.
I snorted at the question cause he didn't look like he even cared, "As if ah'd tell you." I growled.
He scowled, as if offended by the answer -and frankly I think it suits him right!-, so I scowled back more nastily, but he didn't get to do anything cause his dad told him to calm down.
I don't know what we're up against, Dee and I, but I do hope we won't have to stay here for long. I don't like Leo, he rubs me the wrong way and I think he feels the same about me, so I know it's only a matter of time before one of us breaks the other's bones.
God help me he'd better stay out of my face, or else someone is gonna get hurt.
And I mean it!
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A/N: um… I think I'm gonna have to step back for a moment and do a little more character exploring, before the actual rescue scene takes place, cause this chapter felt a little forces to me.
