Chapter 25 A Turtle in High School
"Raph, you can't come to school with me!" Yes, we really are having this conversation. "But if I don't go with you who will protect you from the Shredder?" His determination challenged my own. It wasn't that I didn't want to be with him, but if he came ta school with me the Shredder could easily find us... The Shredder could follow us home, without doubt about where we're going. "I can protect myself."
"Oh yeah, sure, because that went so well before. It's not like you were kidnapped or anythin'." Before me stood Hamato Yuudai Raphael, dark muscular green arms crossed over his golden plastron, standing defiantly, and his golden eyes narrowed in sheer determination. He was clad in a pair of black skinny jeans, a red muscle shirt, his leather jacket and a black fedora as well as his usual red mask.
At those words memories of my times imprisoned flooded my mind. Tears burned my eyes and I ran into our room, slamming the door behind me and falling into my hammock. Tears fell freely, and sobs filled the room. Behind me the door opened softly then closed again and I was pulled into the embrace of dark green arms and my face was buried in a familiar gold plastron.
"Shh... Babe, I can't let you get hurt. If I let you go without protection that'd be as bad as hurting you myself and I can't do that. Do ya rememba' that one episode of One Piece after the War of Best with Jinbei and Luffy. What'd Jinbei say?" Sniffling, I looked up at him. Amber eyes red with tears stared into strong gold. "Don't just count everything you've lost, What's gone is gone, But ask yourself this what remains?"
Large green hands wiped away my tears as he said "and what remains?" "My nakama... My family, my friends, and you." A small smile came to his face and I heard a voice speak, but it was not his. This voice was older, wiser, and it didn't have a Brooklyn accent. T'was the voice of Master Splinter. "My children, if you wish to arrive at school on time you'd best leave soon." Raph's lips met mine for a moment but then he got up pulling me up with him. "I'm goin' ta school wit' ya whetha' ya like it er not. I can't let'cha get hurt."
The thick leather of Raph's jacket was where my cheek rested as my short hair flew wildly behind me. The cool breeze brought a red tint to my cheeks. The familiar purr of Raphael's motorcycle and the vibration of it's engine were a comforting change from the past week of laying in bed.
Weaving in and out of traffic Raph drove, speeding towards the school I hadn't seen in over a month. The loud purr soon slowed, it's volume no longer augmenting the sounds of the city, and we came to a stop in front of the school.
Standing outside the office of Autumn's school it took every thing I had not to turn and run for it. As a ninja... As a mutant, all ma' life I'd been taught to hide from people. Years of hiding in the shadows had made hiding instinctual, and although I'd been to the Halloween party and people had thought we were in costumes... I... I had been scared. Scared that people wouldn't accept us... scared that if we were found out we'd be permanently outcast from society, but even after Leo told everyone, there were people who didn't accept it ta be true... But even though I'm scared I have ta protect Autumn... I just have ta. I can't handle da pain of losin' 'er.
As though sensing my uneasiness, Autumn squeezed my hand gently, giving me enough confidence to swallow my fear and grab the door handle. Our hands met and we turned the knob together. The door opened to reveal a young caucasian woman with straight black hair pulled back into a ponytail wearing a plain purple long sleeved t-shirt, a black pencil skirt, and black heels.
When she saw us her seemin'ly permanent smile dropped for a nano-second before being plastered on her face again. "Hello... Um... What can I do for you?" As she spoke her smile neva' left her face... It was kinda creepy in a way, and that's coming from a mutant turtle who's almost 6 feet tall and has faced hundreds of foot nin an' purple dragon goons. Her eyes flicka'ed between Autumn and I nervously.
"Ms. Norris, I'm Autumn Fox, the student who has been absent for the past 6 weeks I think it was..." The slightly confused look on my babe's face was enough ta make da woman snap outta 'er fearful stupor, but dat didn't mean her fear was gone as was evident when she stuttered, "Y-yes around s-something l-like that... Can the green... The green thing step out into the hall..."
At this I scowled. I'd tried not to look angry, my face had been calm for once, I'd actually been smiling because of Autumn's return, but I just can't stand it when people judge people before getting ta know 'em, ya know. Ma fatha' always said neva' judge a book by it's cova', hell I'd even said it, so why da hell is it so damn hard fer humans ta get ta know someone before judging them.
When Raph suddenly started growling, Ms. Norris, the lady who's always in the office jumped. Turning toward my red clad boyfriend I wrapped scarred black arms around his muscular green neck and kissed him. The reaction was instantaneous. His fiery amber eyes dimmed to a soft, passionate, flickering flame before sliding shut, muscular green arms wrapped around my waist gently, and all the muscles in the dark green turtle relaxed, as he kissed me back. Raphael may be hard to calm down for the average joe, but for me it only costed a kiss.
After a minute or two the softly flickering flame known as Raphael's eyes fluttered open and he turned toward the secretary, his softest growl rumbling as the only sound in the office. "Be glad Autumn was here 'cause if she wasn't you would'a had trouble. If dere's one t'ing dat annoy's me it's people who judge otha's before gettin' ta know 'em." Her response was short but appropriate considering the situation. "S-sorry."
Seeing as this was her first time seeing my mutations as well as the first time she'd met Raph her fear was understandable, and Raphael himself is, even though he hides it behind anger and sarcasm, sensitive about being a mutant. I was the one to break the ice. "Ms. Norris... After being kidnapped for the second time in two years, Hamato Raphael has decided to join me in my classes as a bodyguard of sorts. His father, Hamato Sakuhen has agreed to this plan and if necessary you can call him."
Behind me I sensed the presence of someone, and it wasn't my hothead. Turning I saw an average height, bald man with stern grayish green eyes. He was slim but slightly muscular. This man was Mr. Porter, the principal. "That's actually a good idea, Autumn. Welcome to New York High, Raphael." Raph took the offered hand shaking it firmly, mouth slightly agape in surprise.
After years of living in the sewers, hiding from humans, he hadn't expected to be accepted so quickly, so... Abruptly. I once read being alone is more painful than being hurt and for Raphael that couldn't be more true... I've also read that the only difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits and that's also true. It don't know whether the idea of a mutant turtle in school is a stroke of genius or a stroke of stupidity but we're gonna find out. "But no wearing hats in class." "Yes, Mista' Porta'."