(Disclaimer: I don't own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I only claim to own my OC, the plot, and anything origina!)
Chapter 10
My head felt like a drum, my side was aching, and I hadn't moved from my couch since last night… or the night before. I pressed some ice against my head, frowning deeply. I hadn't called in sick from work, I kept mainly quiet. I didn't want to attract attention at the moment, from anyone, human, mutant, ninja…. Whatever. Except for the couple of trips for painkillers, I hadn't left the apartment. I winced, sitting up slowly, breath only slightly laboured, better than it had been when I had stumbled back home. I was near hyperventilation at that point, now it's just a little more effort behind my normal breathing.
I pressed my hand against my bandages side, gently probing the area. A nasty bruise was under the wrappings, which caused me to wince if I moved too quickly. 'Which means,' I thought bitterly. 'Shadow is going to have to take an unwanted vacation… hooray.' I grumbled, standing and shuffling over to the 'kitchen', if you could call it that. Opening the browning, decades old fridge, I pulled out the ice tray to refill my ice bag, pressing it again my head as I thought quietly. While it's not ideal, nor fun to simply lay low, it was the best decision at the moment. With those insane three-pronged symbolized ninjas running around, and those mutant turtle guys (if the latter was real, and not just a product of my head injury, or my growing teenage insanity), staying off the streets and rooftops could prevent any more nasty fights in the near future.
A knock startled me, and I looked at the door suspiciously. No one knows who lives here, except me and my landlord. I paid extra to keep my name off the list, and I scraped off my name of the name board. So why would anyone be knocking? Silently, I grabbed the katana I had brought home, propping up in reach, but out of sight near the door. Taking a deep breath, I wrapped my hand around the door handle, before calling out, "Who is it?" My landlord grumbled back, "Miss, it's only me, don't give me that rude tone!" I sighed, cracking open the door to glare up at Ricardo. "What? Rent isn't do for another week." I grumbled at the greasy haired Italian. Ricardo glared right back, "Lady wants to know if you live here." I paused,"... Redhead?" He nodded, and I cursed. "Tell her no, I don't live here." He held out a hand, waiting patiently. I grumbled, walking away from the door and coming back with a twenty, shoving it in his hand. "You don't live here," He confirmed, walking away and whistling.
I shut and locked the door, eyes rolling. While he was annoying, rent here was less than a hundred a month, despite the border-line sketchiness of the apartment. It was cheaper than other places I had seen, so keeping on his good side was beneficial. I paused as I heard something from down the hall, then leaned against the door listening in. "Miss, this is private property, I could have you escorted out!" Ricardo shouted, and I narrowed my eyes as I heard my boss's voice, "Please, who's going to escort me out? The crackheads around back?" April scoffed, then I heard some rustling. "Now, which apartment?" She asked, then I swore when I realised she must of just paid him off. I moved away from the door, grabbing the katana and kicking it under the couch, just as April knocked.
"Victoria, are you here?" She asked, and I grumbled. 'Finally, using my full name.' I thought, before silencing. I heard a sigh on the other side of the door. "Victoria… I'm the only one here," She said, a bit more quiet. "No one followed me, and no one knows I'm here… so can you please open the door?" I thought quietly, calculating my options. I couldn't detect any dishonesty from her, but just because she was alone didn't mean she wasn't dangerous. I pondered over my options, before giving in, and unlocking the door. I opened it enough to look out at her, but I kept my hand against it, ready to slam it close. "Yes?" I asked, glancing over her, trying to determined if she was armed. April sighed, lowering her voice more, "Vicky, we need to talk. And a hallway isn't an ideal place to do so." She insisted. I shrugged."There's nothing to talk about." I said, "And if there is, you can bring it up at work." I want to close the door, but April placed her foot in the crack, giving me a look. I stayed silent, then I muttered quietly, "Fifteen minutes." Before opening the door a bit wider. I shut and locked the door after she slipped in.
I could practically hear her internally judgement comments about my apartment, and though I agreed with her, I got defensive. "This is the best I can afford. What's you expect?" I snapped, and April winced. "Sorry, it's just… well I expected…" She paused, then gave me a confused look. "Victoria… where are your parents?" She asked, and I shrugged, leaning against the door. "You tell me. I've never met them." I walked towards the kitchen, grabbing my ice tray and refilling it with water. "I live alone, there's nobody here, but me." I called over my shoulder. "But… you told me you're only seventeen." I nodded, pushing the tray into the back of the fridge. "That's correct." I walked out, and April have me a worried look. I crossed my arms, giving her a cool look. "Five minutes have past. What do you want?" I asked. April took a moment, obviously trying to decide how to begin the conversation, before blurring out, "Your Shadow, right?" I chose not to outwardly show my reaction, instead shrugging.
"... So?" I muttered, and April winced at my confirmation. "What's the problem?" I asked, leaning against the couch nonchalantly. "What's the matter?" Echoed April. "Victoria, You were almost killed the other night, and multiple nights before that!" She insisted. I shrugged as she ranted, "For God's sake, you're a kid, you shouldn't be getting shot at…" "Kids have the problem all over the place, what makes me special?" I challenged, but April ignored it. "Have you been to a doctor?" She demanded, "At least for this week injuries alone, you should still be resting!" my hands tightened into fists, eyes narrowing. "April. Are you going to turn me in?" I asked, voice practically void of emotion. She paused, then looked at me, frowning, "What?... No, no of course not!" She said, and I nodded, walking past her to the door. "Good," I said, opening the door for her. "Then that's all. Go back home."
April stopped, and looked at me. "Vicky…" She started, but I cut her off quickly. "Victoria. And no. Unless you have something important to say, then I want you to leave." My voice lowered, "I don't have to explain crap to you about THAT part of my life. So just stay out of it." April looked hurt, obviously struggling to find a good response while I waited impatiently. She sighed, "Alright… but Vick-, I mean… Victoria?" I waited, and she continued after a moment, voice low. "Those… guys you saw yesterday… they aren't enemies, believe me. They're just, uh… paranoid." She gave me a weak smile, and I have her a cool look, gesturing towards the door. She paused, then walked past me into the hall. I was quiet for a moment, then called out to her. "April?" She turned, a flicker of hope I'm her eyes, and I watched it fade with my next words, "Don't come back here again." I paused, then continued. "And I quit. Goodbye, Ms. Jones." And with that, I shut the door harshly on April's hurt expression.
Walking over to the couch, I fell face forward into it with a groan of a thousand emotions. 'That was lovely, Vic,' I mocked myself internally. 'No way that'll backfire in the incoming events.' I reached down under the couch, grabbing my first aid box and pulling out the painkillers. Popping a few in, I closed my eyes for a second, glad that the drama for the day was over…
Then I heard my window opening.
In a split second, adrenaline made my injuries forgotten, and I had rolled off the couch and into a defensive crouch, the katana poised and ready for an attack. Silence rang throughout the room, and I could hear my own, fast beating heart. I slowly added over towards the window, katana held tight in my hands. I ducked my head out and glanced out the window, scanning the surrounding area quickly. Eyes narrowed, I ducked back in, closing the window and latching it tightly.
Katana still in my hand, I turned to look at my apartment, eyes narrowed. I looked towards the only closed door in the room. I paused, then stalked over to the bathroom, listening for any movements beyond the door. I leaned against it, listening for another moment...before slamming my heel into the door, knocking the door open. I swing the blade around, placing it at the base of my intruder's throat, clicking the lights on.
The intruder yelps, backing up to the wall as my eyes widened at his appearance. "w-Wait! W-wait wait wait!" The sea-green turtle gasped, hands up defensively. I narrowed my eyes, forcing my shock down. "Wait? WAIT?" I growled, "Get out of my house, you freak!" I slashed at him, and he ducked with a yelp, before darting towards me. My eyes widened, and I dropped, smirking as he tripped over me and...onto the ground went the turtle. I shot back up, blade ready at the scrambling turtle. "S-shadow!" He cried, standing, "Or, whatever your name is-" I charged, smacking his shoulder with the flat side of the blade. "Shut up and get out!" I demanded, "And don't come here ever again!" I saw his green eyes flash behind his orange mask, before suddenly he wrapped his hand around my blade, amazingly avoiding cuts. He tried to yank it away from me, and I gritted my teeth, trying to keep it in my grasp.
"I know we got off on the wrong foot!" He insisted, eyes wide. "But I'm not here to hunt you down or anything, I swear!" I glared, "Then what are you here for?" I grunted, my plan forming in my head. Orange paused, then have me a sheepish smile. "Well… Leos been moody since you took this baby." A nod to the blade between us. "So I wanted to see if I can get it back." I raised my brow. "That's the weakest excuse I've ever heard." I said, before slamming him into the wall with a adrenaline powered double kick. He cried out, before his head slammed into the wall, and he slumped. I took an extra moment to glance at his breathing, before falling to one knee, holding myself up by the katana as I panted. I blew a strand of my hair away from my face, before looking at the unconscious turtle. Wincing at the large dent now inhabiting the wall from his shell, I glanced to see if I had injured him too terribly. 'A bruise from that blade-slap, no doubt a bump on the back of his head.' I determined, shifting over towards him.
I scolded at him, standing up and grabbing the rim of his shell, dragging him from the wall. "C'mon you." I panted as I dragged him toward the window. "Time for you to go home!" I propped him against the wall before turning to the window. I started to open it, then paused, glancing outside. The sky was starting to turn a dark purple, the eastern skyline gaining a reddish tint, signaling oncoming sunrise. I glanced at the turtle, suddenly wondering. 'Is… he even supposed to be outside during the day?' I drummed my fingers against the still as I pondered. "If I leave you out there, you could be spotted," I muttered. "Don't want to meet your buddies again, and honestly, don't really care enough to waste that time searching." I grumbled, trying to come up with a plan. I glanced at the window, at the mutant, then back outside. "...Oh for gods sake." I muttered, grabbing the turtle and dragging him over to my couch.
With a grunt, I pushed him up onto the couch, before walking away, returning with a stool. Grabbing the katana, I say down, watching the turtle warily. "This is NOT," I muttered, "how I wanted to spend my peaceful, me-time evening."
(Sorry for the late update, school starts next week! I plan on updating at least once a week/two weeks, and the ULTIMATE plan is to finish this by Thanksgiving. Now, a couple of notes:
1: Those of you who have read the original Shadow story, be ready: This version is going to be VERY different. I've made a lot of choices for future chapters, and while some parts will remain the same, and only extended, there will be some major and minor changes to the plot, which are made to extend, enhance, and push along the plot! Hopefully you enjoy them!
2: Senior year is starting for me. Yes, I will be EXTREMELY busy, but please, don't give up on this story. I DO intend to finish this story, and to continue it in future sequels. Please just be patient, I will do everything I can to update ASAP.
Now, with those notes out of the way, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Reviews of all type are warmly welcomed, feel free to check out other stories, and I'll see you all soon!
JE2)