TMNT: New Beginnings
Chapter Twentyone: The House
It's a dark night, and, having finally given-in to the ideas of his father and brothers, Raphael takes Nicolosa out on the Nightwatcher's bike, distracting her from the other's little secret surprise they're currently preparing for her. The only light is that of the moon, and the street lamps that actually worked, which was only about half of them.
Raphael had taken the opportunity to wear his Nightwatcher costume, and Nicolosa had been given a helmet too, as well as a long black jacket, that she's wrapped around her to hide her green skin as they were on street-level and would most likely be seen.
Nicolosa can hardly contain herself as excitement and wonder fill her. Excitement that she's actually riding the Nightwatcher's bike, and wonder as she thinks about the adventures he's had fighting crime. She feels overwhelmed at the fact she's met not just one, but a group of heroes all at once. Something she could've only ever dreamed of before. She considers herself to be the luckiest being in the universe right now.
"Amazing..." She thinks to herself.
Raphael, though he'd probably never admit it, is enjoying his time in the spotlight. As they whiz through the streets, his adrenalin starts pumping and he secretly hopes there'll be some action to get involved in tonight. Nicolosa has the same kind of hope as she'd love to see the Nightwatcher in action with her own eyes instead of via a news report on the television.
Just infront of them, Raphael spots a ramp that leads from the floor to a skip. Workers must've been using it during the day to push wheelbarrows up for emptying into the skip. Raphael can't resist. A grin grows on his face as he starts to speed-up, faster and faster, until...
"Wohoo!!" Nicolosa calls out as they shoot up and off the ramp into the air.
They land perfectly back onto the road before turning into another street. Raphael soon feels Nicolosa tugging on him from behind and he comes to a stop.
"You alright?" He asks as he gets off to check on her.
"There..." She says, pointing at a building across the road.
Raphael turns to take a look. It's a small house. It looks dark inside as there don't appear to be any lights on. All the curtains on the lower level are closed, and one of the windows looks like a brick or something has been thrown through it at some point as there's a break in it.
"What?" Raphael asks, turning back to Nicolosa.
"I know this place..." She says, trailing-off.
She gets off the bike and crosses the road, taking her helmet off as she gets closer to the house, wanting to get a clearer look.
"Don't take it off!!" Raphael scolds as he follows her.
But she ignores him and steps up to the front door. She leans against it for a moment, trying to listen to see if there is anyone inside. When she hears nothing, she steps back again and looks over the whole building again, from top to bottom. Her focus shifts around as she tries to figure out what it is her head is trying to remind her of.
Raphael steps ups to the door and prepares to attempt to knock it down, but Nicolosa suddenly slinks off.
"This way." She says, going round the side of the building.
Raphael follows her right around to the back of the house, where there's a small garden, and a damaged backdoor. There's another window beside the backdoor, it's curtains are also closed, and the most of the glass is gone. Smashed previously. Nicolosa studies the backdoor. It's window is also smashed, and the lower panel looks like it's unstable and has probably been removed or kick-in at some point. She kneels down and pushes on the panel. It doesn't take much to push it out of it position. With a way inside now, Nicolosa goes to crawl through, but Raphael stops her.
"Get behind me." He tells her, doing in first to check for any dangers.
It's very dark inside as the curtains are a dark colour and don't let in the light from the street lamps very much at all. Raphael listens carefully for any signs that someone else may be in the building. He switches on the small lights on each side of his helmet and steps further inside. He's in a kitchen. He listens some more, but the place seems to be empty, so he calls Nicolosa to come on in.
She crawls in and has to be careful where she walks as there's quite alot of glass on the floor. The light bulb in the kitchen, has been smashed. Cautiously, she follows Raphael through into the living room. The whole place is a mess, and the light bulb in this room has also been smashed.
"Looks like there was a struggle." He says as he looks at the damaged furniture and the marks, that seem to be blade slashes and stabs, on the sofa and wallpaper. "You said you knew this place. Anymore information you wanna share?" He asks, his old suspicions rising a little.
"I've been here before." She answers as she looks all around, hoping something more will come back to her. "I... don't think I lived here... but I have been here. I'm sure I have." She then wandered out of the room and towards the stairs.
Raphael once again urged her to get behind him, and he went-up first, lighting the way as he did so. All was quiet upstairs. No sign of anyone or anything. As they explored a little more, they found each bedroom to be completely empty. It was almost as if the top half of the house had never been used. Whilst there were carpets and wallpaper, there were no beds, no light bulbs, no curtains, no furniture what-so-ever.
Nicolosa began to lose hope. After recognising the house from outside, and remembering about the loose panel in the backdoor, her hopes had begun to rise at more coming back to her. But nothing more had come to mind. Not in the slightest. She let-out a depressing sigh as she looks out of the window of the larger of the two bedrooms. The sky is clouded-over, and the rain begins to fall.
Raphael walks back into the room and sees her standing. Though a part of him feels bad for her coming to a dead-end, he decides it's time to give-up on this place, at least for now, and head back to the others. But just as he's about to speak, noises are heard from downstairs. Nicolosa turns around to face Raphael, who silently signals for her to be quiet and follow him. They tread carefully out of the room and to the top of the stairs, where they wait, and listen.
Something's down there. But it's not making very much noise now. It's just shuffling around, as if it's looking for something. Nicolosa decides she can't wait any longer. She wants to know who's down there and if they can tell her anything about herself. She leaves Raphael's side in a hurry and heads down the staircase, almost falling-over in her rush. Raphael follows her, ordering her to come back as he chases after her. But it's too late. She's in the front room.
As he gets to the doorway, his focus is drawn to the floor, where Nicolosa kneels. There seems to be something in the corner, hidden from Raphael's sight by the sofa. As he walks around to try and get a better view, it becomes clear what was making the noise a few moments ago... a small vixen.
"I think she's hungry." Nicolosa says, then looking up at Raphael.
"Don't even look at me with those eyes!" He says, folding his arms.
"Please, Raph... can I keep her?" She asks.
"No." He answers sharply. "And just what the hell did you think you were doing anyway!?" He yells at her.
"Aw, but she's so cute!" She says, ignoring his yelling. "And she's friendly, see?" She says, stroking the little vixen.
"Nik." He says, for the first time using her name with that very familiar warning tone of his.
"But she might starve."
"She won't starve." Raphael points out that there are small holes in the wall, obviously mouse holes. "And don't change the subject!"
"But she might be homeless." She says.
"Nikki!" He warns again, even firmer this time.
There's a moment of silence...
"I don't know..." She answers quietly, still stroking the vixen. "I thought... I hoped someone might be here who I used to know... I want to know... if I... if I have a family... like you."
"Come on." Raphael says, easing-up. "Let's go." He then leaves the room and heads for the backdoor.
Nicolosa gets-up and starts to leave, but takes one last look back at the vixen.
"Don't even think about it!" Raphael calls back to her.
"Bye..." She says, sadly, but gives a smile to the vixen before finally leaving.
Outside, Nicolosa is reluctant to leave. A sadness fills her eyes as she stands back from the building, holding her bike helmet in her hands, and gazing at the empty house.
"Come on." Raphael says gently, reminding her it's time to go.
Nicolosa gives him a single nod before putting the helmet back on and getting onto the back of his bike. And as they ride away, she watches over her shoulder as the house shrinks out of sight...