TMNT

Mutant Kunoichi

A girl from our world is somehow transported to the TMNT world, where she is subjected to becoming a mutant not in body, but in spirit. Protected by the turtles, and hunted by Foot Clan, will she find protection or even love?

CHAPTER TEN

A Matter Of Understanding

Michelangelo's P.O.V:

The most frustrating thing about someone else picking up the phone is that only they can hear what the caller is saying, while everyone else is left in the dark unless you happen to be, like, Superman.

However, for once, I wasn't too upset that Donnie had picked up the phone before I could because, for once, there was something more interesting going on, that being our newest houseguest, Emma. She was sitting there, looking around our lair, and I thought I heard her mutter the words: "2007 movie-verse…" But, maybe I misheard her. Or, maybe I was too busy listening to the awesome sound of her voice to worry too much about what she was saying. It was seriously the most amazing voice I'd ever heard, and she didn't even seem to be aware of it. I wondered if she was a good singer…

"Hey, Michelangelo," Yikes, she was talking to me! I looked across the table at her – she was gazing at the area where we watch TV's. "How come you guys have so many TV's over there, as well as six different video game consoles, two VCR's, three DVD players and a VCR-DVD?"

I grinned. "Because – you can never have too many video games and movies, dudette."

She looked a little embarrassed, but smiled nonetheless and said: "Well…we'll have to verse each other – I love video games."

My eyes lit up. "Really? Awesome! We're gonna get along great, Em!"

She blushed. "Yeah, sure Mikey." Man, she was cute when she blushed like that!

That was about the time Donnie got off the phone. We all looked at him, questions in our eyes. "That was April," He said, by way of explanation. "She says she's got some stuff for Emma (including her nightgown) and, also," He glanced at me. "The pizza you ordered will be there soon, Mikey."

"So, what are we waiting for!" I cried, jumping up. "My pizza's calling, dudes!"

"And dudettes." I heard Emma mutter, as she stood up as well.

"Ah, Emma?" Leo would've raised an eyebrow if he'd had one. "You…can't come."

"Tell me why not." She said quietly. She looked like she was about to get angry again, and start yelling.

Perhaps Leonoticed this too, because he held up his hands in a peaceful sort of way. "Our mission is to keep you safe from the Foot Ninja who are hunting you down," He explained, just as quietly. He reached out and placed a hand gently on her injured shoulder. It was like they were the only two in the room. "And, despite what you might tell Raph, you do need our help. You can't just go up to the surface – the Foot already knows your face."

She looked down, not meeting Leo's gaze. "I really do appreciate the concern. You guys are strong – you can handle the Foot…but you still don't like to take chances. I'm not a ninja, whether I like it or not, and I can't defend myself. But," She suddenly looked up, right at Leo. "I'm also a teenage girl – I need to do things other girls do, and living with a bunch of non-girls will probably kill me if I'm not careful." She suddenly seemed embarrassed. "Sorry…I only meant…I need…human girl stuff…and…" She glanced desperately at Splinter. "Master Splinter, please back me up here, you're wise and all…you know I need certain things…" Her face was beet red by now.

Master Splinter stood up slowly, not taking his eyes off of Emma. "Emma," He said, calmly. "Our mission is to protect you now however…I agree, that you will take some time to adjust to the changes. You will still wish to do things you have done before, therefore…I see no harm in you accompanying my sons to the surface…"

"Master Splinter…" Leo began, a strange expression on his face.

"As long as," Our father held up a paw. "Certain precautions are taken."

"Eh?" Emma blinked.

Ooh, I thought. It's trench coat-wearing time!

Emma's P.O.V:

I could hear Mikey and Don arguing behind me, as we trekked through the sewers toward a spot where we could surface to get to April's apartment. Behind them was Mr. Moody himself, and Leo was leading the way, because he's Leo the Leader (King of the Concrete Jungle that is New York).

I couldn't hear what Mikey and Don were arguing about, and it didn't matter, because just then I tripped – for the fourth time.

"Ow…" I murmured. This was not my fault.

"Halt!" Mikey ordered, and the congregation stopped as I climbed to my feet.

"Okay Leo," I said quietly. "I know I promised to stay out of sight, and that this is standard Turtle-incognito-gear…but this trench coat is making me clumsy!" I finished in a sort of yell.

"It's for your own good," Leo explained patiently, while helping me up. "If you can't get used to wearing it down here, how will you ever survive up there?"

"I don't think the ground up there is quite so uneven, Leo." I replied, dusting myself off. "I need something more…feminine! And…well, graceful. But no high-heel shoes." I added quickly, thinking of my cousin's twenty-first – shudder! Thinking about that made me wonder about my family – did they miss me? Were they wondering where I had gone? Probably…

"Are you okay, Em?" Mikey asked me, and I jumped. I'd been so lost in my own thoughts that I hadn't been paying attention to anything (which is dangerous – I could've tripped again).

I sighed. "Yeah…I was just…thinking about my family…they might be missing me right now, and…" I trailed off, as we reached a ladder and everyone had stopped.

Leo climbed up first (because he's the leader) and we watched as he slid the manhole cover tentatively off, before checking the surroundings and then climbing out of the sewers, presumably to make sure it was safe for us to come out.

While he checked, Don said to me: "Hey, Emma…before, when you were asleep…"

"Ye-es?" I asked, not liking where this was going.

"You were talking in your sleep," Don said quietly. Even though I'm sure Raph and Mikey (and probably Leo too) could hear him, I was glad he was making some effort just to keep this between the two of us. "And, well, you sounded really upset…are you okay?"

I sighed again. "Well, yeah…I was just dreaming about the time after my Nanna died, and I promised Mum I'd do better in school, but…" I looked down at my bare feet (I want shoes!). "Then I didn't keep my promise…" I suddenly remembered who I was talking to, and gasped. "Oh, hey, but I shouldn't be telling you that!" My face must've been the colour of a stop sign by then I was so embarrassed and, luckily, I was saved by the leader.

"Okay guys, the coast is clear!" Leo called down to us, and his face appeared in the space high above us. "Don, give Emma the hat and sunglasses, then let her come up first!"

"Here," Don handed me a hat that looked like something out of the Blues Bros. movie, as well as a pair of sunglasses that fit me, which is more than could be said for the trench coat.

Let me tell you, climbing up a somewhat slippery and yet rusty ladder in a trench coat that's too big for you is no piece of cake, and I was grateful I was wearing jeans.

Also, I was grateful when Leo extended his hand for me to take, and said: "Here, let me help you." He took my right hand.

"Arigatou." I thanked him, as he pulled me up into the diminishing sunlight with surprising strength (well, he is a ninja).

"Doitashimashita." Leo replied, smiling a little as we stood back to let the others join us. They had all put on their trench coats and hats as well. Imagine how we looked…

By the way, they all jumped up and landed with ninja skillfulness on the ground around us, and I really wished I could do that.

Perhaps I was wearing a wistful expression on my face, as we made our way over to a corner shop that had a sign reading: The Second Time Around. April's newly refurbished shop. Mikey stopped me just before we entered, and said to me: "Hey, don't worry little dudette, once your injuries heal you'll be able to learn ninjitsu as well."

I was startled, and began shaking my head frantically. "No, no no no, I can't, I'm not – sport was always…except for…"

"Except for what?" Mikey and I were the only two standing out there by now – the other three had gone in.

"I like horseback riding," I said quietly, ticking it off on my hand. "And archery and…well, rollerblading…"

"Awesome!" Mikey grinned from beneath his fedora. "Em, we have gotta go shred up the sewer pipes some time!"

"Maybe…" I said thoughtfully.

"But, seriously," Mikey pressed. "You don't want to become a ninja, like us? You're not interested at all?"

"No, that isn't it…" I began.

"Hey!" Raph's voice called to us from inside the shop. "You two just gonna stand there all day or what!"

Mikey and I hurried into the shop, where I immediately saw a woman I only recognized from a movie.

April O'Neil was the same April O'Neil from the old live-action movies. Her hairstyle made me wonder what year it was here, but her expression was warm and welcoming as she greeted me.

"Come on upstairs, guys," She said, before putting an arm around my shoulder. "And Emma, we'll get you something better to wear, as well."

I winced slightly at the pressure on my shoulder, and April immediately withdrew her arm. "I'm sorry…what happened to you, anyway?" She wanted to know, as we made our way upstairs. We passed by a display where sat a pole weapon with a wooden shaft and a curved blade at the end. A little plaque told me that it was a naginata. It was pretty cool; it reminded me of samurai.

"Didn't they tell you?" I asked April, surprised that the turtles hadn't told her what had happened on the rooftop.

April shook her head as we ascended a flight of stairs. "No, I had to get back to work after I'd helped Donatello with your bandages." She glanced curiously at me, as we came into her apartment (which looks the way it does in the second movie, by the way). "So, what did happen to you?"

As we made our way into April's apartment, the turtles and I shed our trench coats and head gear.

"It's a long story April," Mikey told her, flopping down onto the couch. "See, for starters…"

"Ah, Mikey?" Leo said quietly. "Let's let Emma tell her story – if she wants to, that is?" He glanced at me.

I nodded, and sat down at the table with Donnie. "Well, you see April, for starters…I'm not from this world, I was transported here by the Shredder and injected with mutagen and Donnie-knows-what-else, but I managed to escape, only they tracked me down and, in the fight, I got a little bit beaten up." I said, all in one sentence.

"That's the short version!" Mikey said helpfully, because April was wearing an expression that was both shocked and confused, as she stood there in the doorway.

Just then, a voice from behind her said: "I knew it!"

"Aurgh!" Mikey, Don and I all yelled, as Keno appeared in the doorway, holding three pizza boxes and looking slightly sheepish, yet triumphant, as he made his way into the apartment.

"I knew there was something more about you!" Keno exclaimed, placing the pizza boxes down on the table. "Oh, and that'll be twenty bucks, Mikey."

"April will pay for it." Mikey assured him, zipping over to the pizza boxes straight away. "And, anyway, how do you know our Emma?"

(Our Emma?).

"Well, you see…" Keno and I said in unison, and then we stopped, and laughed. Leo, Don and Mikey joined in, as April got us some napkins, and even Mr. Sociable (aka Raphael) edged over to the pizza, drawn in by its awesome presence.

"Emma's the first customer we've had in days," Keno explained, helping himself to a slice. "And, I had a feeling she wasn't from Japan, like she said she was."

"Why not?" I asked, somewhat defensively, before taking a small bite of stringy cheese and bacon (I don't like eating in front of others for some reason).

"Because your were barefoot." Keno explained, and Leo laughed, understanding completely what Keno meant.

I blushed. "Yeah, well, I had to say something…I mean, 'I come from another world' isn't exactly the best thing to say, am I right?"

"So, you're from another world?" Keno looked interested. "What's it like there?"

"Exactly the same as here." I replied. "Really." I added, seeing the look of disbelief on his face. "Same countries, kinds of people, customs and beliefs. Oh, and these guys and everyone related to them are characters in a TV show." I added quickly.

"Even me?" Keno gaped.

I nodded. "Well, you're from the movie, but anyway…"

"Wow." Keno seemed impressed.

"You can say that again." Raphael muttered.

"Wow." Keno repeated.