Hope you enjoy. I don't own TMNT just my characters and themes. Thank you and enjoy!
I hammered my fists into the leather punching bag. The loud thud was the only sound in the gym this early in the morning. I hit the bag as hard as I could, my knuckles getting scraped from its ruff surface. My breathing raged as the stress from these past weeks fuelled my punches I ignored the pain in my injured shoulder. Suddenly my blades shot out and sliced open bag spilling sand.
I'd figured out that the blades had some sort of override system and my adrenalin must have activated them. Outside the sky was silver and the air crisp. I unwrapped my hands and headed home.
"Carrie what are you doing here?" I asked my blond and purple haired friend sitting on my bed blaring Last Friday Night.
"Where were you?" I sighed hard.
"I was at the gym."
"No I meant last night. You knew the guys were coming over. Where did you go?" She turned off the radio.
"I had other things to do."
"Other things?" It was a stupid thing to try and lie to her. "Why are you avoiding the guy's? They just want to help?"
"I don't need or want their help Carrie. How many time do I have to tell you that?"
"Until I believe you, because I don't think that's the full reason. You are so scared of letting anyone close your even pushing me away!"
"You saw what happened to Mackenzie! Do you think I want that to happen to you!? No of course not! I don't what that to happen to the guys either. So ya I'm pushing them away."
"But they want to help you though!"
"It's not their place!" I hissed trying to keep my anger under control.
"So it's not my place either to help my best friend? Shadow you can't do this on your own!"
"Watch me!" I spun on my heels and walked out of my own home. She called my name behind me, but she let me leave. I walked down the random streets letting my feet take me where they may. I climbed the step to my old music school I was enrolled in a long time ago. My footsteps echoed through the empty building. I sat down at the grand piano and let my fingers fly over the black and white keys.
"I haven't seen you here for a long time Shadow." I stopped playing and looked to my old music teacher. "You could have been so great."
"It's good to see you again Jillian." Her shiny gray hair was pulled back in a tight bun just like I remember. "Why are you here its Saturday?"
"This is my school."
"Of course."
"Shadow would play one more time? I know it's hard for you, but my students would love to actually meet you." I smiled softly running my fingers over the smooth cool keys.
"Why not. When is it?"
"To night." I nodded.
"I'll be there." I let my fingers run over the keys one last time as I stood. Jillian smiled at me before turning and walking back down the hall. Her heel clicked as she went.
I didn't go back home I wandered the streets. I found myself walking through central park and stopping in front of Bethesda Fountain. Many people walked around me, but I felt alone. I remembered the first day my mother had brought me here.
"Shadow?" she had asked "Do you see that pretty angel?"
"Yes."
"She is very important and one day you will be too."
At the time I hadn't understood her, I still didn't know what her job was only that it meant she had to be away a lot. She had been doing great things, saving people, helping the world and she knew that I would too one day even at the age of five when she first brought me here. My phone started buzzing.
"Hello?"
"Where are you?"
"Right now I'm at Central Park." I told Carrie.
"What are you doing tonight?"
"I'm busy."
"Doing what?"
"Jillian wants me to play at this concert thing she's having."
"We'll come with you."
"Fine, I'm heading home now."
"See you then." I ended the phone and turned away from the fountain with the angel looking down on me.
Jillian introduced me and I took my place at the grand piano on the stage. Hundreds of people watching me. I had been expecting something classical like Beethoven but the sheet music was Tears of the East by Phillip Wesley. Another girl about my age played the cello with me. I closed my eyes so that I could focus on the music. I opened my eyes, but I was not there, not completely.
'Mom said she'd be here. Where is she?' I smiled at the crowed as I played. 'Where is she?' worry freckled in my fingers 'something's wrong'
"Shadow." I stopped playing and looked to the large man that had walked on stage "You need to come with us right now."
"What is the meaning of this?"
"Mrs. Wellington please step back." He turned to me.
"Mom?" tears blurred my vison. He nodded sadly.
I realized the song was over. I took several deep breaths. The crowed stood clapping and cheering. Still not completely sane again we took our bow and walked off the stage I was trying to shove the memory down and away.
"That was amazing!" Carrie hugged me.
"I am impressed." Makenzie said nodding. Carrie started wringing her fingers,
"Ok so I may or may not have invited some guests." She smiled apologetically.
"I figured you would." I smiled at her. The guys stood behind her wearing baggy clothes to hide their appearance.
"Carrie it is so nice to see you again." Jillian hugged her. "And who is this lovely young lady." Mackenzie smiled brightly.
"Mackenzie Carnage."
"Ah yes I thought you looked familiar. My condolences to your family. Who are these young men hiding in the shadows?"
"They don't get out much." Carrie teased.
"We really should be going Jillian. It was nice to see you again."
"Very well. I'll see you again Shadow." I smiled and led everybody back outside. The guy's took off their hoods when we were a safe distance away from the large crowd.
"I had no idea you were such a good musician Shadow." Mackenzie said after a while of silence.
"She doesn't just play the piano either. She plays the violin, the cello, the guitar, and something else." She tapped her chin thinking. "OH ya the trumpet. There was one day I think I had made her mad, so in the morning she marched up and down the halls playing the song they do in the army to get them up." Mikey busted up laughing.
"The only reason I was able to get into that school was a scholarship."
"Why did you quit?" I turned to Donnie.
"I got busy."
"So that's why there are so many instruments in the closet. Who knew?" Mackenzie laughed a little. I unlocked the front door.
"I'll order some pizza."
"Hey dudette, what happened to your hands?"
"Oh I was at the gym this morning." I said looking at my scabbed knuckles.
"The pizza will be here in about 20 minutes." Carrie smiled cheerfully. I went to my room to change into something more comfortable. Just as I was about to takeoff my shirt I heard someone enter the room.
"I want to talk to you." Leo said closing the door behind him.
"You could have knocked or something!"
"While you were playing something happened. You paused for a split second and after that you played a different song then kept looking around for someone, but you weren't there you were somewhere else. Weren't you? You were having another flashback." He said completely ignoring what I'd just said. He was right and I hated to admit it.
"I-I do not know what you are talking about." He leaned up against the wall crossing his arms over his chest.
"You're lying." His brown eyes narrowed. "Why did you stop playing?" the words tumbled from my mouth without much thought.
"It was my tenth birthday and I had a residual. My mom was on a mission, but she promised she'd be back in time. A couple of agents came and picked me up half way through my song. She came back on a stretcher barely alive and the rest of her team dead. After that I just couldn't play. I got enrolled in training. I got busy." I couldn't look at him, mad that I had told him everything and how easily I had let the words go. He didn't say anything, but his expression was softer.
"I would have thought you'd have taken that down by now." I looked over to the cork board where me and Carrie had first started our investigation.
"Never got around to it."
"I still don't know if I trust you, but..." he didn't finish. He let the sentence drop.
Sorry for the shortness. It's kinda a filler, but you got to learn more about Shadow's past. I have been crazy busy these last weeks of school. Hard to believe I'll be a junior next year. Review please and thank you.
