Frost
危険は井戸のように深まる。
This fiction is dedicated to all of my reviewers.
(Especially you devoted readers out there.....)
Shout out to Rhoda and Mikell. Thanks for always awesomesauce reviewing. ^^
And I decided to rename the last chapter to Melting the Frost, by the by.
P.S, I disagree with more then 90% of what Kanone says. It's his opinion-not mine.
Quote:
"As soon as there is life, there is danger."
Chapter 10-Delphinium: Fun, big hearts.....and Androymedon: The game begins
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It was snowing outside. Delighted children were peering out of windows in New York, and exclaiming merrily while others groaned at the though
of wiping off all that heavy, icy material off cars and drives....
Below the city streets, as snow began to stack itself upon the hard earth, it was just as cold.
An open manhole nearby had snow fall into the sewers, glittering softly in the streetlight above as it slowly met the cement, making a little pile of
greying white.
Mice paused at the unusual sight (snow was not oft seen here), they turned their heads and froze.
As they scuttled away in distress of the young man's shadow in the cold, dim moonlight, Kanone smiled once more, absentmindedly as he reached
for a small, porcelain cup of tea by his side on the grimy sewer stone.
Taking a sip, he checked his watch.
He pouted just a bit.
Hmmm....still too early. Ah, well. Kanone let out an exasperated, slightly childish sigh.
Well...what fun was there without the wait?
With a smile, he ran a hand through his oak bangs and grinned.
The best things in life came to those who wanted.
No...was the saying Waited, or Wanted?
Kanone was a Foot Solider, now in the ranks.
His actions at Yoshi's apartment-he'd had a little too much "fun"- had shocked even Shredder enough that he had been moved from the elite.....
As if no one had betrayed a neighbor before.
What a pity.
He was going to have to slaughter at least one of them to regain his place.
Well, he was perfectly justified! That was just MEAN of them....
But, anyhoo, they would most likely guess Kanone's involvement.
He sighed, kicking his legs back and forth....back and forth.
The Elite soliders were enchanted by the Foot Elementals themselves....that position came with a perk or two.
Certain invulnerability, teleportation, increased speed......more adeptitude with a blade, explosive reflexes....
They were nice qualities.....one of the only blowbacks was the teensy fact your eyes went a fiery crimson, you lost the ability to feel anything but
bloodlust....and you were only summoned once in a great while, when Master needed you.
.....but on the plus side, Kanone thought gladly, you got an ADORABLE straw hat!
Kanone smirked.
He got bored, being in the ranks. So, if you had to go to the stinking sewers to get your kicks, that was good and golden with Kanone.
So....being in the sewers....on "Special Vacation..." you heard...and saw...
A lot, lurking in the shadows.
Nobody would ever believe that some common rat-THE common rat who had slashed up Hun's face-Kanone had a lovely laugh about that-had
gotten away from the premises when they'd killed Yoshi.
Well....maybe When HE had killed Yoshi, in a way....
After all, he had given away Yoshi's position and home to the Shredder in the first place.
Oh, had he been well rewarded for that....
It had to be the same one. The same tattered ear, same face, same way he attempted martial arts....
Wasn't that just too cute?
But, in events too dull for him to list, a RAT had taken in a bunch of TURTLES.
Cute to some people.
Sickening to others.
Now....they were humanlike mutants. The turtles would not stop whimpering the livelong day....
It disturbed his contemplation.
And people who did THAT, well.....
With no one to ask funny questions should they suddenly disappear...
Kanone paused, then abruptly stood as his ticking watch began to beep.
The fun was ready to start.
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Fur prickling, mind racing, and heart pounding, Splinter sensed a prescence not far from their home.
And....a malevolent one at that.
It was an...odd one. It seemed to know of its own wickedness and atrocity.
And enjoyed it all the same....
Less then that of the Shredder, but spinetingling all the same.
Splinter sighed, resisting the urge to pull the turtle in his arms closer with great difficulty.
Turtle four had begun to whimper....so he reluctantly pulled the child onto his lap that evening.
He would prefer standing guard without putting the children at risk...but better one then all four.
Turtle Four was still unhappily squaking. An idea suddenly struck the rat.
What was that old trick Yoshi had taught him with his hands...?
Yoshi had taught Splinter that by making a circle with your hands and coating it with soap, it acted like one of those bubblesticks children used...
Turtle Four giggled as a bubble popped on his nose.
Smiling, Splinter wiped his hands. These bubbles would pop soon enough....
Glimmering, silver, and reflecting rainbow swirls, they floated idly, some rising and silently disappearing or gently floating down.
One however, did not.
Drifting, the little bubble did not seem to know whether to go up or down, so it settled for bobbing in the air.
Turtle Four watched it unblinklingly. Splinter however, blinked.
Surely, it would pop any moment now.
......any moment....
....pretty soon....
.....any ti-oh, forget it. This thing simply would not pop.
After a few minutes, the bubble drifted down...
...and popped on a very surprised Turtle's nose.
Splinter paused...
Then began laughing at the astonished expression on Turtle Four's face.
And laughed....
And laughed.
It had been a while since he had done so.
Splinter abruptly stopped laughing, however, when the child's chubby, flailing little hands came dangerously close to his needles and
thread....beside the rat...
"Little One! Take Care !"
He abruptly pulled them out of the child's vicinity. Four blinked again, looking even more confused.
Splinter closed his eyes and sighed.
Had he hit rock bottom already?
He was reprimanding a child....
What was wrong with him? The rat bit his lip, staring at the old, worn ceiling.
It was as if the wounded soul was slowly falling to a dilapadated wreck....if he had a soul left.
What was left of him other then two steel girders? One which was comforting and promised hope, if he would only accept it....
....but would only shatter his last frame.
And then, what would he have left to live for, in the end?
Splinter could not give the infants the affection they needed. And that tormented him immensely.
A book he had fished out of the rain drain by Mary....something or another had been about child care and the love between infant and parent.
He could never count as that to the children.
Only...temporary guardian, only they grew older and wanted to move on and away.
The burning in his eyes came full force. Splinter closed his eyes.
Then, something hot splashed onto his palm.
Starting a bit, he looked down....
And, jumping up he managed a faint outcry as darkness took him.
The last thing he heard was a faint shrieking.....as something was ripped from his tightly bound arms....
&&^%E&R%(*&_*YTWB HJV(*&&)&__????
Oh......Splinter winced, and put a trembling hand to his cranium.
His head.....and chest....
Agh....
The rat staggered to his feet, gasping.
Had he fainted?
Why was....the room....slightly misty? Was he dreaming.
No.....Splinter put a hand to his trembling stomach.
This was too real.
Splinter slowly turned to face the couch.
Nothing.
Splinter went cold, heart accelerating as he backtracked, then raced to the small crate he had been using as their crib....
And stopped dead.
Nothing.
Nothing but empty pillows and quilts.
And a plush cat with a large smile on its face. a note pinned to its front.
Splinter snatched it up with shaking fingers....
Kanone groaned.
Waiting AGAIN....and he'd already polished his sniper.
Not that it wasn't already perfectly shiny, dark, and elegantly appropiate....
Alone with the urchins. They were sleeping in a smile pile near his feet.
Kanone resisted the lovely urge to squash them.
They had been affected by KO gas as well.....good thing the gas was non toxic.
What fun would it be otherwise?
Kanone thoughtfully put a finger to his lips for a moment, thoughtful.
Which would be more entertaining....?
Pretending that the KOed turtles were already dead? That would make the rat...interesting.
And Kanone enjoyed...interesting toys.
And you might as well play with toys before you break them, aye?
Kanone's lips curled into a small smile again.
Then again....it might be best to give Splinter the false hope that he could save them.
The young man swung his legs back and forth, beautific smile on his face.
Either his bombs would take care of it....or he would.
Best that HE do it. Watching any sparkle or quirk in the old fool's eyes vanish...
.....Hope and desperation turning to despair as he lay limp, the light fade from the dark eyes....
Kanone couldn't help giggling.
It had been such a while since he had such jolly good fun.
His gold eyes began dilated and contorted in the darkness, smile streching like the Chesire Cat's.
Kanone began to laugh.
A laugh that was not a laugh at all-
....just a twisted, empty mockery of one.
Kanone raised his exurberant face to the darkness above him and staggered slightly.
"Ah....ahah....."
More like a shriek of despair, eyes turning to catlike slits, Kanone
Happy, happy days.
And afterwards, he would quite happily....and literally....wring the brats' necks....
This Foot solider would enjoy a game indeed....
"Let the games begin, Splinter.....
.....and when you least expect it, I will declare a Checkmate."