Time To Meet The Family
Racqel coming back to the Lair with him and his brother made Donatello fret. Everything was going to come out into the open, everything. Who she was, whom she may be related to, and that he actually been dating her for the last two months. The young turtle worried about how his family would take the news. Would they accept or reject her? What kind of trouble would he be in for hiding such secrets from them? The stress made him feel like he was gulping his heart down and butterflies were clog dancing in his stomach.
But as they rode, Don realized things were awfully quiet. It was understandable that Racqel would say nothing after the scare she just had, but what about Mike? It wasn't like his youngest brother not to give him any trouble whatsoever. Why wasn't the orange clad turtle continuing the teasing he had started earlier? It was like Mike no long seemed interested in the girl. Pondering why the sudden lack of curiosity got Don to forget his anxiousness, at least for a while.
It all came rushing back, though once the Slider was parked in the upstairs garage. The feeling then stayed during the whole ride down in the elevator. While the doors opened, Don braced for whatever he was going to need to brace himself for. But nothing happened when he stepped out with Racqel by his side.
Mike shot past them, heading straight for the kitchen without so much as a backwards glance. Raph looked up from his work out for a brief moment to acknowledge that someone entered the lair and then went right back to what he was doing.
'That's strange.' Donatello thought. 'For sure I thought he was going to continue the ragging he started earlier.' He gave his head a shake and beckoned Racqel to follow him. "Come on, I want you to meet my master."
"Alright." Racqel nodded as she followed.
Both Splinter and Leo were watching a movie over in the T.V. area. Neither rat nor turtle broke their gaze with the multiple televisions when Don and Racqel approached them. It was like they weren't even aware that anyone was there.
Donatello inhaled deeply before saying, "Sensei?"
"What is it Donatello?" Master Splinter answered.
"I want you to meet someone." Donatello pointed to Racqel, who was standing next to him. "This is my girlfriend and her name is Racqel." She bowed respectfully toward the rat ninja master.
Master Splinter gave a halfhearted wave. "That is nice my son." He said.
Donatello was taken back, because this was not the reaction he expected. Where was the surprised looks? The lengthy lectures? The anger? "Um…didn't you just hear what I said?" He asked. "I just told you that I have a girlfriend. I've been dating her for two months."
"Yeah, yeah. We heard you." Leonardo yawned. "And we would love to hear all about it after the movie is over, ok? We're in a very suspenseful part right now."
Seeing that they were taking such news lightly, Donatello felt himself become suddenly bold. "She's the granddaughter of the Shedder." The young turtle announced, hoping to get some kind of reaction out of his family. Surely there would be fireworks now and the purple bandana-wearing turtle braced himself for it. Unfortunately those fireworks came from another source, one that he did not anticipate.
"Donatello Turtle!" Racqel barked, her voice echoing throughout the lair. Don turned to look at her and found that she was barely an inch from his face. "Do you mean to tell me that you have not told your family about me?" She scolded while glaring at him.
The young girl's action took Donatello by surprise. "I…uh…that is…" He had never seen her this mad before, not at him at least.
"How could you do such a thing? How could you hide something like this from them?"
"But…but you said not tell anyone and so I…"
"I meant anyone you met on the streets, not your family." Racqel threw her hands up into the air as she turned her back on him. "Now this explains why April ushered me upstairs so suddenly when you little brother Michelangelo came over for her help on dressing up like some kind of super hero." She whipped back around to face him once more, her arms crossed. "I can't believe you put April and Casey in such a position."
"Casey?" Donatello questioned. "You met him?"
"Don't you go changing the subject." Racqel snapped. "Family is sacred and yet you told your friends about me before you told them." She gave a grunt of disappointment.
Now Donatello started to get a bit angry himself. He felt a little insulted by the way Racqel was talking to him about family. "Look, it's not like I really wanted to hide such a thing from them. I didn't like lying to them like I did, but I didn't know how they would take it."
Racqel uncrossed her arms and softened her expression. "Well you're not going to make it any easier for them to accept me after pulling a stunt like this." She said calmly.
Donatello was still heated a bit. "What do you mean?" He asked, somewhat rhetorically. "Nobody seems to register that you're even here."
"It's because of what I'm wearing." Racqel told him.
"Your cloak?" Donatello questioned, forgetting his anger.
"Yes." Racqel nodded. "It's called 'The Cloak of Indifference'. It makes people around the wearer take little to no notice of them. It's close to being invisible, but with more set backs."
"I find that hard to believe." Donatello answered skeptically. "How come it doesn't seem to affect me?"
"The cloak was made to make people not bother to look twice at the person who wears it." Racqel explained. "When you saw me on the train and acknowledge me, it dispelled the enchantment. The cloak no longer works on people who take notice of the one wearing it." She set Luna down on the couch to unhook the cloak's clasp. "It's like wearing one of those concealing device or an invisible cloak. They make it where people can't see you see, but they can feel you if they bump into. And if people can feel where you are than you're no longer totally invisible, right?"
"I suppose so." Donatello replied flatly. "I still don't believe that cloak of yours can do what you're saying it could do."
"Better brace yourself then." Racqel warned while she took the cloak off and places it lovingly on the couch.
With it off, everything became clear to everyone; the young girl being there, what Don said, even the fight that just happened.
Raphael was the first to do something. He raced over to the T.V. area with his Sais out. "Where do ya get off yellin' at my brother like dat?" The red clad turtle came to a screeching halt right in front of Racqel, a Sai pointed at her throat.
Racqel backed way from the shiny point of steel aimed at her jugular, only to feel the sharp tip of steel in her back. She whipped around to see Don's other brother up out of his seat and threateningly holding one of his Katanas at her.
"What this I hear about you being the Shredder's granddaughter?" Leonardo growled.
Michelangelo, with chipmunk cheeks full of snack food, came running out of the kitchen. By the time the young turtle reached where everyone was at, he had swallowed what was in his mouth. "I heard Donnie say he had a girlfriend." He began dancing round, singing, "Donnie has a girlfriend. Donnie has a girlfriend."
"Shuddup and focus Mikey!" Raphael snapped. "This isn't da time for teasin'!" The outstretched arm that held the Sai, aimed for the young girl's throat, shook with anticipation of wanting to do something.
"Right." Agreed Leonardo. "It's time for explaining things." He shot a hateful glare towards Racqel, while his own arm shook with the same anticipation. "What I wanna know is why the granddaughter of Shredder's is here in our home."
"Shredder's granddaughter?" Michelangelo exclaimed. "No way! Who would wanna…ya know…with him?"
"I am not his granddaughter!" Racqel screamed and it startled everyone so much that they jumped. "I refuse to believe it. I won't believe it." Suddenly the young girl just sunk to her knees, the weapons pointed at her followed. "I mean…I…I don't know." She sadly sighed while staring down at the twitching fists she had resting on her knees.
"What do ya mean ya don't know if ya da Shredder's granddaughter or not?" Raphael asked angrily.
"Just what I mean." Racqel replied quietly. "I don't know." She didn't look up to meet anyone's eyes.
"Aw, come on. Ya got ta know where ya came from." Raphael snapped.
"Come off it Raphie. Leave her alone." Donatello ordered.
"Don't call me dat in front of strangers." Raphael growled.
Throughout all of this, Splinter had remained quietly observing from his seat. Seeing this girl and catching a whiff of her smell brought back something to him, made him remember something from his past. His musing gets interrupted by Luna crawling all around his chair, sniffing him.
"You smell…(sniff sniff)…familiar." The black cat muttered. "I never forget a smell. But it's been so long since I smelt this smell that I…(sniff)…can't quite place who and where." She hopped down into the elder rat's lap and stared up at him.
A small smile appeared on Master Splinter lips. "It would seem to me, my feline friend, that we seem to share the same wonderment. For you see, your young human friend's scent reminds me of someone I met in my past." The elder rat picked Luna up and gave her head a quick whiff. "And so do you." He slowly got out of his chair, made his way over to where the turtles surround the young girl and kneeled down in front of her.
Racqel slowly, sadly, raised her head to look at the elder rat. "Sir?" She asked quietly.
"Such a face does not deserve to have such sadness." Master Splinter said as he gently set Luna down. He reached into the pocket of his kimono and pulled out a small square piece of paper. With care, the elder rat folded the paper into an origami butterfly and held it out to the young girl in the palm of his left hand.
Racqel look at the butterfly. "Oh…" She reached out to touch it, but Splinter held up his right hand to stop her. He waved that hand over the butterfly and its wings started to flap. "Ah…" Racqel's eyes grew wide with awe as she watched. When the elder rat raised his hand up, the origami butterfly flew off his left palm and fluttered right in front of the young girl's face. A wide smile that seemed to go from ear to ear appeared where the frowned once was. "Wow…" She giggled as she held out her palm for the butterfly to land on.
"Now that's the face I remember from so long ago." Master Splinter said with a satisfying tone.
"Sensei?" Leonardo asked.
"Put away your weapons." Master Splinter told Leo and Raph.
"Ya sure Sensei?" Raphael questioned.
"It's alright my sons." Master Splinter assured. "I know who she is now."
Racqel still cooed over the origami butterfly that rested on her hand. "I haven't seen such a trick since I was a little girl."
"You have grown up to be quite the young lady." Master Splinter said approvingly. "Master Hong Lee must be proud."
Upon hearing the name, Racqel's hands clenched into fists and she accidentally crushes the paper butterfly. "No." The young girl moaned when she opened her hands again. "I'm sorry." She timidly poked at the scrunched up figure like a young child hoping to make a dead animal come back to life just by touching it.
"Seems like I've touch a sensitive nerve." Master Splinter surmised.
"It is…alright. You did not know that Dye Goonya, I mean Master, had passed away." Racqel said quietly.
"Not to seem insensitive, but may I assume that he was killed by the same hands that killed my master?" Master Splinter asked.
"Yes." Racqel answered in a whisper that was so low, it was barely heard. "By his hand." Now totally ignoring the paper butterfly, the young girl clenched her hands into fists and rests them on her knees once more. "I'm sorry." She told the elder rat while looking down at those fists.
"What is there to be sorry about?" Master Splinter asked. "You can not blame yourself."
"How can I not?" Racqel questioned. "Your master would not have been found out if it had not been for mine. He came to Master Yoshi and a day later, Master Yoshi was murdered."
"You can not be certain of that." Master Splinter told her sternly.
"Why did you're master come to Master Yoshi?" Leonardo asked.
Racqel raised her head to look at the blue clad turtle. "I dunno." The young girl shrugged. "I…don't remember." She turned to look at Splinter. "Do you remember?"
"What has it been now? Ten years?" Master Splinter asked and Racqel nodded. "My memory isn't what it used to be." He told her. "Perhaps it will come to us in time."
"Well now dat da girl is here, what do we do with her?" Raphael rudely asked.
"She was staying with April." Donatello told everyone.
"Oh geez!" Racqel exclaimed. "April!"
"What about her? Is she in any danger?" Michelangelo asked.
"No, she's fine." Racqel replied. "But she doesn't know where I am. With all the excitement going on, I haven't had a chance to make any contact with her. She must be worried sick."
A voice called from the other lair entrance. "She was." April came over to everyone. On her right are was a leather glove and perched on it was Fury. "I was starting to get anxious when 3:30 came around and you weren't at the shop. When it hit four o'clock, I gave your cell a call, but you didn't answer. So I gave Don's cell a ring, but he didn't answer either."
"That must have been when I was calling Donnie." Racqel said.
"Well, then I sent Fury out to look for you at school and any of your usual spot." April continued. "When she came back with no idea of what could have happen, I decided to come down here."
Racqel expressed her regret. "I'm sorry that I made you worry." Both she and Splinter stood up.
"What's done is done." April replied casually. "Question is, what now?"
"Seein' as she was livin' with ya, she should go back with ya." Raphael said with a bit of a venomous undertone.
"But would that be wise?" Leonardo questioned. "The Foot and Purple Dragons are big enough to have eyes everywhere in the city.
"Well, I can't go back to school now that they found out where I go." Racqel answered. "So since I'll be homebound from now on, I don't think April would be in any danger."
"With all due respect to Ms. O'Neil, her place is quite small and there are many windows that can show your presences." Master Splinter pointed out. "To be confined to such a space cannot be healthy for such a young girl."
"I take no offense, because I understand where you're coming from Splinter." April agreed.
"Ya not suggestin' dat dis girl live here, are ya?" Raphael asked with disbelief. "I mean we don't even got da room."
"We do if Michelangelo releases one of his rooms to her." Master Splinter answered.
Michelangelo looked at the elder rat with shock. "Say what?"
"It's not like you really need two rooms Mikey." Donatello stated matter-of-factly.
"Yeah, well…but…" Michelangelo fumbled to counter, especially with the gaze Splinter gave him.
"I really don't want to put anyone out." Racqel said timidly.
A big smile came onto Michelangelo's face. "Well if she doesn't want to…to…" But when he saw Splinter's gaze darken to a glare, he reluctantly says, "Alright. She can have one of my rooms."
"Guess that means that Fury will be moving down here too." April let out a sigh.
"Elements forbid." Fury grunted. "I can't live down here in the sewers."
"And just what is wrong with livin' down here?" Raphael demanded.
"Duh. I'm a bird of the outdoors. I have to feel the sun on my wings or the night air through my feathers." Fury said with awe and wonder. "And I'm independent." She suddenly snapped. "I don't need to tell someone when I wanna go out and come in, ya get me."
Racqel flicked the back of the falcon's head. "With an attitude like that, I wouldn't let you stay down here." She then flashed Fury a smile. "Besides, I know how much you enjoy April's company and she yours. It would be in your best interest to stay up top with her."
Fury gave a small snort. "I know what's best for me, I don't need you to tell me."
"Can't stash it for minute, can you?" Racqel whispered harshly.
"I'm not supposed to be your best friend, I told you that." Fury whispered back.
Luna hopped onto Don's shoulder. "Can't say that I'll miss any of that." She said into his ear.
"I imagine not." Donatello replied.
A/N: Welp, now the family has met Racqel. But how do they really feel about her being there? That'll becoming up in the next chapter of our exciting story. Stay tuned.
Thanks for reading, until next time.