TMNT The Glasses of Life

Book Two Chapter Ten

Raph knew he was awake. He knew even with his eyes closed, he was awake. The darkness was brighter than usual, naturally brighter, and the atmosphere was calm. Birds were singing, wind was whistling, and Mel was meditating. In the center of her floor. With her earbuds in. As usual. Needless to say she was dead to the world.

"Uhg…" Raph turned to his left to find Casey, sleeping like a bear. And snoring. Raph sighed. Mel had lent them her bed last night so they could have some alone time, which hadn't done any good; Casey hadn't been in the mood for anything. Raph sat up and Casey groaned. Once he was certain Casey was still asleep, Raph leaned over to place a gentle kiss on his temple, and noticed the plushy he clutched.

Mel had several plushies of him and his brothers, her biggest ones, Leo and Raph, she would sometimes use as pillows. She'd used her Leo as a pillow when she'd slept on the couch last night.

Casey nuzzled the stuffy and smiled. Raph blushed.

(***)

"Okay, let me get this straight," Mel said, "We need to get back to your guys' dimension and you need us and our crazy-ass powers to help you fight the Kraang?" Quinn stared intently while Wayne leaned against her banister, near the Christmas tree. Only a few more days…

"Precisely," said Donnie. Mel and Quinn looked at each other.

"How we gonna do that?" Quinn asked. Donnie shrugged.

"I was hoping… since this script," Donnie held up paper he claimed was written in 'Kraang' "doesn't make much sense, you three would have an idea…" Mel sighed.

"Did you land on your head when you fell?" Donnie growled under his breath. His wrist was healing funny, but, as Mel had stated several times; she wasn't a doctor. "Dude, we didn't even know you guys existed… which is-once again-awesome." Mel pointed to herself, "still in shock." Donnie couldn't help it; he smiled.

Despite her crude persona, Mel was cute. Not in a way that he liked her, but, in a way that she was still a kid in her head: a 19 year old ten year old. Quinn nodded at Mel.

"Mel… uh, you're not the only one still in shock," said Wayne. Mel glanced at her Sensei, soft worry in her eyes.

"You're not crazy and old, Sensei, I see them too." Wayne sighed.

"I'm only 38, Mel."

Mel smiled, "yeah, yeah, I know."

Splinter scowled at them. How could that man let this rude child talk to him like that? She was his student; she wouldn't know anything without him! What gave her the right?

Vrrt! Vrrt!

"Hmm?" Mel lifted her phone and skimmed the tiny screen. Her phone was the old flip type. "Aw, sweet!" Mel turned to the group. "There's a saaaaaaale!" everyone arched their brows, except Quinn.

"Ooo, where?!"

"The exclusive store for poor people!" Donnie blinked. Quinn gasped.

"Blue Notes!" Mel saw Karai flinch at the mention of 'blue', but decided not to call her out by "noticing".

"Correct! Now you other humans can stop wearing my clothes." Karai, Casey, and April looked at their garbs, which all belonged to Mel. "C'mon, the store is right next to my house, I just have to grab some cash…"

"Uh, Mel, aren't you forgetting something?" Wayne asked, motioning to a very annoyed Splinter. Mel didn't pay attention.

"Sensei, this is Christmas for the poor! If I must give these poor souls-" she motioned at Karai and the others- "something to wear, I want it to be "fashionable", as the kids are saying." Wayne smiled and shook his head, to the annoyance of Splinter.

"Okay, but you owe me 20 knuckle push-ups, sit ups, and squats when you get back."

"… will they be front kick squats?"

"Of course."

"Sweet!"

(***)

The trip had been awkward to say the least, considering what they'd needed to do in order for Karai, April, and Casey to try on the clothes… at least they'd all fit the first time. Mel had shown them the café in the book store, and they'd stopped for a bit, Mel ordering to-go.

Karai was tentatively sipping her hot chocolate as she walked around the cattail pit, enjoying the scenery now that she wasn't suffering of hypothermia (at least that was how Mel had put it). She'd never guessed hot chocolate could be so comforting… or wearing her own clothes. Mel was right; the store was exclusive for poor people, T-shirts costed $10.99 for god's sake.

But, Karai couldn't argue that the shirts were funny, as Mel's new "This is my Tea-Shirt" proved. Karai had always preferred sweaters, because they were the closest thing she'd had to a hug.

Mel was on the swing, swaying, casually sipping her tea and nodding to In This Moment's Blood. The song always reminded Mel of the first time she'd… done it, as crude and saddening as it was. Well, what can I do? I'm a dirty, dirty girl, Mel sang without sound. She sighed and let the tunes carry her…

Karai felt something tickle the back of her mind, then, she was in Mel's art room, the one with the painting of all her brothers on the wall. Life-sized paintings, on her wall. Karai only went down there at night, when no one could hear her cry. But she wasn't alone, there was Mel! She was… on her couch. In very little clothing. Karai gulped. Somehow, she knew where this was going.

Enter, Alec.

I love you for everything you ever took from me,

I love the way you dominate and you violate me,

I love you for every time you gave up on me,

I love you for the way you look when you lie to me,

Oh god. Karai knew this song:

Blood, blood, blood,

Pump mud through my veins,

I'm a dirty, dirty girl,

I want it filthy.

She shuttered and looked away from the duo, but no matter where she looked, even when she closed her eyes, they were all she could see, all she could hear. She wasn't disgusted so much as uncomfortable. Mel was nice about keeping this kind of thing to herself most of the time, but… well, when she did hint at it, it was short and crude. This was definitely crude, but it droned on and on. As the song climaxed, well…

Karai noted the dead look on Mel's face as the vision faded with the song.