"No." She insisted, stopping in front of the terracing. "I can take care of myself." She grasped the rungs and pulled herself up.
"Mm hmm." He leaned against the wall. Lita ignored him and climbed her way up. The window to her room was a few feet to the right on the second floor. She stopped at the top of the terrace, balancing herself slowly on the second rung to the end. Leonardo uncrossed his arms and stepped below her as she reached out for the window ledge. She waved her hand around a bit before she slapped the window sill, then jumped off the terrace. Leaves tumbled down with the agitation and fluttered to the ground.
"Aaaa! I'm gunna fall!" She kicked her feet around. Leonardo climbed onto the fence. Lita broke up laughing and he stopped. "I can't believe you fell for that." With a jump she managed to hoist herself onto the open sill.
"That wasn't funny." Leonardo got off the terrace and glared up at her. Lita looked down from the inside of her room.
"What're you talking about, that was hilarious."
"Someone could've gotten hurt." She scoffed.
"Mabye when you get that bat out of you ass you could learn to have a little fun." He reached down and grabbed a rooty dirt clod on the edge of the garden. He brought his arm back and fired it off. The dirt clod hit Lita straight in the chest. She shrieked as it exploded into a puff of dust and made her fall over into the room.
"Your right. That was fun." She scrambled back up to the window.
"You big fat jerk! You could've killed me!"
"I'm sure it would be a huge lose." She growled.
"…Well, I'm fine now. So go home." Leonardo smirked to himself and sunk deeper into the shadows. Sheesh. She turned back and climbed into her room. Thinks he's so special.
Early afternoon, the quiet time for food and rest. After practice. Raphael looked in on the kitchen, making sure Splinter wasn't inside waiting to order more katas. Mike had gone straight for the candy bowl in his room. Don was fixing Erikas refrigerator while he waited for the shower. Except for Maddie, the cost clear. And she wouldn't rat on him for hording food anyway. Raph went to the refridgerator, letting the door swing freely.
"Whatcha doin'." He pulled out a left over slice of pizza, hiding behind the lettuce crisper.
"Making a list."
"Of what." He turned on the stove. Don had borrowed the microwave for one of his experiments and hadn't returned it.
"Things we need for dinner." The pizza landed on a skillet and was set on the stove grill.
"Great." He rolled his eyes. "Guess you'll be making dinner every night now." Maddie turned to him and gave a disaproving stare.
"Splinter said you'd been having too much pizza anyway. To greasy. Not healthy enough for growing boys. And I'm very sorry you don't like my cooking but it wasn't my idea so you don't have to be a jerk about it." She added quickly. Raphael looked at her and she walked out, taking her paper with her.
"So that's what they call PMSing." He stuck in before she got out the door. She turned back to give him a searing glare. He tried not to shiver and gave her one back, not quite knowing why. She brought her hand up and flicked her wrist. The burner flared up around the pan, quickly turning the contents to a chunk of black smelly ash. He looked into the pan as the flames died back.
"Fuck!"
"Shut up and deal." She said on her way out. "Big fat jerk." He heard her mutter afterwards.
Donatello snapped up from his experiments, hearing Norikos shriek. He dropped the plant back on his desktop and dashed from the room, nearly tripping over her shoe on the ground. Once in the hall he froze and clapped a hand over his mouth. Noriko hung helplessly from the ceiling, a cord wrapped around her ankle. She turned around slowly, her short braids hanging down in her face. She reached down, her fingers outstretched, trying to reach the ground. Don strained the muscles in his neck, taking his hand away.
"Don-san." She turned his way. He burst out laughing. "That's not helping." He leaned against the wall. Mike emmerged from his room.
"Hey!" He leaned over to be at Noriko's level. "You ruined my trap!"
"Your trap?"
"Yeah," He grinned. "Erika showed me how to make a trap for mice and stuff. So I just made it bigger. I was gunna catch Raph in it." Donatello finally caught his breath.
"Mike, go get something to cut her down with."
"But that'll ruin it." Mike pouted. "And it took me forever to put this together." Noriko pressed her fingers together.
"Hitokui Tsumu Soukougeki." Her hands glowed, light green currents swirling around them. From the ladder behind her a long vine wrapped itself down the rungs and across the floor with astonishing speed. It wrapped itself around Mike's ankle before he had a chance to retreat and stuck him repeatedly with a deep red stigma.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!" He grabbed his ankle. The vine unwound itself and returned up to Noriko's room. "That stings!" He scratched the fine rash. "Itchy." Noriko brought her hands back. "Don' have to be so pushy." He muttered, hopping off to the kitchen. Donatello laughed.
"I'm sorry about that." She said. Don sat down on his haunches to be at her level.
"He deserved it. Don't worry about him. What kind of plants do you have up there, anyway." He held her shoulders straight.
"Just some seedlings grandfather brought from Japan."
"Startled Mike well enough." He smiled.
"Here." Mike hopped back to the hall and handed Donatello the knife, scratching his red ankle. He pouted and hopped back into his room. Don stood back up and cut the cord carefuly, holding the knot around her ankle. He lowered her to the ground slowly. Noriko walked her hands along the ground till she could finally sit. Don knelt down and cut the rope around her foot.
"Thanks." She rubbed her ankle. He handed her her shoe.
Leonardo paced below Lita's window, watching the shadows lengthen. It was almost 5. He had waited in the sewer for 2 hours before going topside. How long does it take to sneak out of one house? He rolled a few of the pebbles around in his hand and chucked them up at her window. They skittled over the pane and fell back down. He got ready to throw another few when the window opened.
"Who is it?" Lita peeked over the sill.
"Leonardo. What the hell are you doing! You should've been out 2 hours ago!"
"Look, I'm sorry. I can't go out today. Sandy grounded me for staying over the other night"
"Did you try a phone." He crossed his arms.
"There's no phone in the room."
"So go where there is a phone." He said through gritted teeth.
"Because I can't leave my room, stupid."
"Look," He pointed his finger at her. "I'm supposed to be looking out for you, and it's not too easy to do that when you don't show up to begin with."
"Hey, I said I'm sorry." He sighed.
"Alright. Come on, Splinter wants to talk with you."
"I can't leave my room."
"What are you talking about? I already looked in, nobody's home."
"I just can't, ok. Leave it at that." He crossed his arms.
"Will you get down here …or do I have to come up here and get you."
"Look, I-can't-go-out-to-day." She pronunciated. "How many times do I have to tell you."
"Why not." She didn't respond. "Lita…" He warned.
"Fine, alright! My feet are chained to the bed." He started to smile. She glared at him and disapeared from the window.
"No, really." He called.
"Fuck off." He chuckled.
"Lita…" She didn't show up again. He sighed and started to scale the terrace. A few remaining dried leaves fluttered to the ground. There were empty spaces on the rungs where noticable hand holds and foot holds had been forged. He climbed up and pulled himself onto the window sill. The side of Litas bed was flush against the wall, he had to stop himself before he tripped over it. The rest of the room was unusually sparse. There was a beareau, but a visibly frequented suitcase full of clothes was opened beside it. Lita sat on the bed with her knees up. She didn't look up when he showed up . Leonardo pushed the window open the rest of the way then froze. There were old shackles around Lita's bare ankles that locked her to the foot of the bed. He stopped smiling. Lita crossed her arms over her knees, looking at her beauru.
"What."
"I thought you were kidding." He mumbled. She didn't say anything. He climbed out over the bed and took out his swords he had sense enough to bring. "Hold on." She looked up as he brought his sword back.
"Hey," She grabbed the hilt of the katana. "Don't... Just go." He brought the sword down. She looked back forward again, crossing her arms back over her knees. He waited a few moments then sheathed his swords. She set her chin on her arms. Leonardo looked at her for a few more moments then climbed back out to the window. He scaled back down the terrace to the garden below and disapeared into the shadows.
"Leo, where's Lita?" Mike asked, looking up from his work with Erika.
"She can't come today." Leonardo went to the refridgerator and pulled out a carton of milk.
"Aw man." He sighed as Leonardo poured himself a glass of milk. "Hey, Joey got some paper work for Lita 'n stuff. Pretty cool, eh?" He chirped.
"Yeah."
"Maddie and Noriko went out to get things for dinner." Erika reported. "They'll be back soon and said not to eat anything."
"Maddie's gunna teach me ta cook." Mike grinned.
"Mmm." Leonardo put the milk away. Mike returned to making glass trinkets as his brother slipped away. In the hallway to his room was a rope hanging down from the ceiling. Leonardo raised an eyebrow at it and passed by to his room, tthe last of the four doors. Across from it was conveniently placed the dojo, which decided to visit later. He went into his room and set the glass on his desk. Rumpling the neat sheets as he flopped down, the matress gave way under his shell. He pulled out one of his books and flipped it open.
"Meowr." Leonardo looked up. A stray calico kitten leapt up on his bed and trotted over to him.
"Hey peaches." Leonardo ruffled his head. He purred and crawled into his lap. Peaches was one of a handful of cats that had ever wandered into the lair looking for food. Ever since Leonardo had painstakingly washed and cleaned his fur of an oil spill he had taken him as his 'person'. The attention didn't go unnoticed, and it wasn't soon after after that he was pegged as Leonardos' 'cat'. "Haven't seen you for sometime." Leonardo scratched his belly.
"Mowr." He nuzzled his nose into Leonardo's leg. He smiled.
"Hungry?" Peaches turned over and looked up at him with his big orange eyes.
"Here we go." Leonardo reached over and brought the glass of milk. Peaches jumped up, setting his front paws on Leo's knee. He looked down into the glass and began lipping it up, purring contently. "We have some girls around here now. You have to be nice to them." Leonardo shifted the cold glass in his hand. Peaches promptly nipped his thumb and went back to drinking. "Ow, alright, alright." Peaches purred. "Pushy little kitten." He smiled.
"Yeah?" The door opened. Noriko looked in and smiled.
"Hello."
"Hey ...you can come in, ya know." She nodded and entered, closing the door behind her. "So... come to finish off the job." He smirked.
"No, I didn't." She sat down on the edge of his bed as he moved his leg aside. "...Here." She handed him a glass vile of greenish goo. Jelly bits floated around inside.
"What the?" He brought it up to eye level and swished it around.
"It's for your ankle." He grinned.
"Oh, a peace offering." She smiled.
"Yeah." He pulled the cork out.
"Well then." He smelled it. "Smells good. What're the magical ingredients?" He swirled it around again. Noriko reached out quickly and steadied his hand. She laughed a little nervously.
"You should be careful. It stains terribly."
"Oh, right." He brought it back to him and corked it.
"I added some perfume so it doesn't smell as bad."
"Why would it smell bad?" He asked, pursing his lips.
"...You probably don't want to know." He grinned.
"Oh really? ...Well, you know, I am a little thirsty..." He turned his head to the side and pretended to drink. "Glug, glug, glug. Ahhhhh, really hits the spot." He rubbed his stomach. Noriko smiled.
"It's pickled jellyfish brine and octopus lard." Mike froze.
"GROSSSSSS! Ewwwwww. You want me to put this on my skin? Bla-a-a-ha." He shuddered and she giggled. "Nasty." He put the vile on his night stand away from his comic books.
"It'll heal the rash."
"Bla. I'd rather have an itchy ankle then put octopus lard on me." She smiled.
"Well you should make up your mind before it spreads." She got off the bed and walked around to the door. "Then you might want to change your mind." Mike looked at the vile again. "Sayonara, Mikey." She bowed slightly before closing the door behind her.
"...Aw man."
Lita climbed down into the sewers beside the club. Her class had hardly finished, her hair was still wet. Not that she minded. It was almost June, everything was hot and humid. Leonardo was waiting at the bottom for her, leaning against the cement block wall, trying not to sweat.
"See, I'm on time." She got to the bottom of the ladder. "Sorry to disappoint you." He checked to see that the cover was back in place. "...Well?" She turned to him. "Let's go."
"Lita..."
"Aw jeez. You're not going to go off on yesterday, are you?"
"Lita, I can help you."
"Here we go."
"Lita-"
"Look, Mr. Rogers." She poked his beak. "I don't give a damn about being stuck up in my room, and you playing social worker is just retarded. So how 'bout, 'You stop being retarded.' And that'll seem to solve all out problems." She threw her arms up. He narrowed his eyes. "Now let's go!" He waited a few minutes then pushed himself away from the wall. "Jeez." She shook her head and after followed him.
Leonardo walked ahead of Lita, keeping ahead just enough she could follow him but not close enough to talk to her at regular volume. She seemed fine with that too. Splinter was right. Leonardo shifted his eyes over his shoulder to see Lita kicking her feet in the water. She's such a pain in the ass. He looked back ahead.
Lita followed Leonardo into the lair, ruffling water out of her hair. Mike was playing cards with the other girls and Raphael. Donatello lay in the hammock reading. Master Splinter was in his chair watching over the youngsters, his hands folded over his lap. "What smells so good?" Lita asked, unzipping her jacket. Mike hid his face behind his cards. Noriko smiled slyly. "Four kings." Maddie laid his cards down. "Damn." Mike laid his cards down. The girls followed suit. "Ah- Royal flush." Raphael put his cards down. Maddie pouted. Raph grinned and collected the cards back up. "Lita. You have arrived." Splinter took up his cane and stood up. "Please join me in the dojo." He started off around the den and to the hall way in the back. Lita followed after him, leaving Leonardo to sit and sharpen his swords.
"Leo, you in?" Raphael started dealing out the cards again.
"No." He said bluntly.
"Kay." Raph said just as bluntly. Mike smirked and picked his cards up again. "Deuces wild." Raph set the stack of cards back down.
"Of all the slimy gross crab monsters on this planet you are apparently the hottest." Mike said, flipping his cards out. The others looked up at him.
"What?" Erika laughed. Mike looked up startledly.
"Oh, must be that octopus stuff." He grinned. "Raph's a fat stupid robot. See, there I go again." He shrugged. Raphael glared at him.
"Michelangelo..." Noriko watched him bite his lip and grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, ya fat stupid liar." Raph thumbed his cards out, being wise not to punch him in mixed company.
"Hee hee." Mike squinted.
"Well. I guess I'm your new roomate." Maddie sat on her bed, watching Lita look over the room.
"Yeah." She turned back around, checking out the dimensions of the quarters. It was bigger than her old room. Strange to think she would be living here soon. "I should warn you, I'm kind of an insomniac."
"Hey me too, we can bore each other to sleep." Maddie smiled. Lita laughed.
"Cool." She jumped on her bed and crossed her legs.
"Mowr." They both looked down. A little calico kitten jumped up onto Lita's bed and trotted over to her.
"Hello," Lita smiled and rubbed his head. "Who are you, little cutie?"
"Prrrrrrrrrrrrr." He rubbed up against her knee.
"That's Peaches I think." Lita picked up the little kitten.
"What a sweetie. Are you hungry? Why don't we get him some food." Lita looked up at Maddie.
"Yeah. I think Erika might have some stuff in her freezer she'd let us borrow." Maddie rolled off the bed. Lita cradled the kitten and got off the bed. "Come on."
Erika and Noriko's room was definitely the more eccentric of the two. On Noriko's side there were plants and vines beginning to grow up the pipes and japaneese scrolls unrolled on the walls. Erika's side was hung with wind chimes, crystals, little trinkets and things that were hung up by string and wire. Donatello had hooked up Erika's mini fridge to the cities power lines so it ran. They had begun plastering it with pictures of flowers and clouds already. Erika directed them to the bowl of tuna fish in the refrigerator and smiled as the kitten began to scarf it up.
"What're you makin'." Raphael looked into the kitchen. Michelangelo watched Maddie working on a cutting board, trying to immitate her. Leonardo had taken Lita back to her house.
"Meatballs." Maddie dropped some parsley into the bowl. Raphael came into the kitchen to look over her shoulder. "If you're going to complain about my cooking you can just leave."
"I like your cooking." He mumbled. She looked up to him as he moved around to her other side.
"...Really?"
"Yeah."
"...oh." He nodded. "Kay..." She smiled slightly. He began to smile, then saw Mike looking at him. His face quickly fell and he stalked out of the kitchen. Mike giggled and tiptoed after him. Maddie glanced over her shoulder briefly, then back to the bowl of cold meat.
"Raphy and Maddie, sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Mike chanted through the den. "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes- OW!" Don laughed in the background.
"So. Guess you're movin' out." Sandy crossed her arms, standing at the end of the hall. The light from her room silhouetted her lanky frame. Lita looked at her as she emmerged from the bathroom. She wished she had worn a long shirt and shorts to bed.
"Yeah." She scratched her head, becoming aware she was standing at the top of the stairs.
"Well Lita," Sandy walked up to her. Lita stepped back when she was approached. Sandy seemed insulted, her eyes flickered with anger. "What."
You pull her down by her arm and twist her elbow around like this.
Cut it out, I don't need this stupid lesson.
Lita, this could save your life.
Jeez, I'm leaving in a few days. She's not going to try anything.
You shouldn't take chances like that.
I'll take a chance and say you're an idiot.
You're being reckless.
You're being a jerk! I can take care of myself!
Lita-
Sandy's eyes flared. Lita swallowed. "...You're afraid of me?"
"Uh..." Harming others without provocation is unhonorable. Lita started to smile, thinking of Leonardo.
"What's so funny." You have disregarded my warning. Prepare to die. Lita stifled a laugh, putting a hand over her mouth. The laughed got caught in her throat, backing up her nose. "I said! What's so funny, whore!" Lita broke out laughing and ran off to her room, slamming the door shut.
"Hey Lita! Over here!" Maddie called, waving her arm. She stood outside the courthouse with Uncle Joey. Mike had dug out an old dress shirt lost in the bowels of his room for her to wear, since she had been wearing the same clothes for many days. She had spent most of the night tailoring it and washing out the soaked in grim.
The turtles hung back by the alley, talking amungst themselves. Mr. Tagahasi stayed at the lair with Splinter. Therefore Noriko stayed with him. Erika stayed with her so she wouldn't be alone. Lita jogged over to Maddie on court house steps. She had came straight from the pool, wearing long skirt and a tank top over her bathing suit.
"Hey Maddie." Lita chirped. Joey scurried down the steps.
"Come on gals, we're already late." He waved his hands around impatiently. Lita looked over to the turtles, standing around in their trench coats and fedora hat. They all waved. Except for Leonardo, who stood with his arms crossed. Lita waved back, then made a face at Leonardo before running up the steps after Maddie and Joey. Leonardo uncrossed his arms upstartingly and stepped forward.
To Lita, the proceedings were a blur. Accustomed to long waits on uncomfortable benches, she was surprised to be admitted immediately. There was relatively no questioning of Joeys credentials. And in her extensive understanding of family services court, she grasped that the adoption was otherwise as good as final. There was no trial period to speak of, no visits from SRS.
To the state of New York she was as good as Joey Carlinos own daughter. That was fine with her. Ten minutes later they walked right out with a sheaf of papers. That was that. Sandy hadn't shown up. But she did see a couple suspicious characters in her opinion, hanging around in back. Maddie made her fingers smoke and the fidgited. It appeared to amuse her.
"Yayyy." Maddie clapped. "Come on, let's go before the guys high tail it for some pizza." She nodded toward the door. Lita shrugged and followed the two out.
Outside the turtles were standing about still, Mike stuffing two hot dogs into his mouth. Lita twisted away as Joey put his arm over her shoulders. "May I introduce, my new daughter, Lita Carlino." He grinned. Mike laughed out loud, then coughed on the hot dog. Lita took his arm off her.
"I think I'll stick with Kaowaii. Thanks."
"Kay-o-wha-ha?" Mike asked. Don snickered.
"Shut up, Mike."
"We didn't see Sandy go in, did she show up." Leonardo asked.
"Nope." Lita shrugged.
"I'm sorry."
"why?" He scratched his head and looked off. Mike finished cramming the hotdogs in his mouth.
"Let's go grab some pizza, or somethin', I'm starving." He said after he swallowed. Joey took his sport coat off and slung in over his good shoulder, following after Mike and Raph. Don and Maddie started talking, leaving Leonardo and Lita drifting around.
Eventually Leonardo ended up back with Lita at the end. "So... did Sandy try anything."
"Kinda." She shrugged.
"Did you remember what I showed you."
"Sorta." She started to smirk. He raised an eyebrow, mildly impressed. More at himself though.
"So you took her down."
"Not exactly." He turned to her. "So, she started getting creepy. Then I starting thinking of all the bonehead things you'd say..." She burst out laughing before she could finish. Leonardo furrowed his brow in agitation and looked forward. She put her hand on his shoulder, trying to regain her train of thought. He tensed his arm but she didn't stop laughing at him.
"Grow up." He walked ahead of her to walk with Don and Maddie.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"This is all your stuff?" Donatello asked, lifting up a suitcase that was set on Lita's bed.
"Ju-u-u-u-u-u-st about." Lita carefully poured her goldfish into a plastic bag of water. Don shrugged and looked around. There were tack holes from where her posters had been hung up and some holes in the shelves form where her books had been removed. Most of the things there were Sandy's... including the fish tank. Lita tied the plastic bag at the top and took some of the toys out of the bottom of the tank. "Let's see..." She looked around the room. "Oh yeah!" She brought her foot up and karate kicked the wall, breaking through the plaster. She brought her white ashy foot back and grinned sheepishly at Don. "I always wanted to do that."
"Not bad."
"Yeah? Bet I could kick your ass." She climbed over to the bed and opened the window.
"Don't count on it." She stuck her tongue out at him. He chuckled and pushed her leg with the side of his foot. "Get goin'."
"Yeah yeah." She held onto the plastic bag with her mouth and crawled out the window.
"Should we leave the window open?" He asked, peering over at her before she climbed onto the terrace. Lita held onto the edge of the window sill with both hands and looked back up at him. She took the bag out of her mouth.
"Yeah. They don't care."
"Kay." Lita shifted the bag around in her hand, the water around the knot slipping.
"Uh oh." She twisted her fingers around, trying to get a better grasp. Donatello climbed onto the window sill and looked down at her.
"Let the bag go."
"No way! I'm not gunna kill my fishy!" Her fingers slipped. She tried to reach up to slid the bag onto the window sill, but it hung too far for her to push it up. Her fingers on the window sill slid farther. Donatello dropped the suitcase and she shrieked. "Leonardo!" Leonardo emerged from the shadows and crossed his arms.
"Oh no, I'm not falling for that one again." Lita managed to throw the bag onto the window sill quickly before her fingers lost their grip. She screamed, Donatello reached down to grab her, just touching her finger tips as she fell.
Leonardo jumped forward and caught her deftly before she hit the ground. Lita shrieked, her eyes shut tightly. She cracked an eye open and looked up at Leonardo. "...Did you ever hear of the boy who cried wolf." Her mouth hung open.
"You're such an insensitive jerk! Put me down!" Donatello smirked and picked up the bagged fish, swimming around innocently. Leonardo set Lita down and was promptly swatted on the shoulder. "I coulda been killed and you make a stupid joke!" Donatello started down the fence.
"Your welcome." Leonardo said.
"Oh, 'thank you.'" Donatello reached the garden. Lita took the bag from him. "Thanks Don."
"Don't mention it. You ok?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Good thing someone around here cares." She shot over her shoulder at Leonardo as they walked off.
"What's that?" Noriko asked, looking in on Donatello's lab. Don sat at his desk before his computer. He looked over his shoulder.
"Oh, hey... that's my computer." She came up and stood behind him. "Kind of a pet project actually."
"Wow." She said in awe. He smiled.
"Thanks."
"What does it do?"
"Well... anything I program."
"Really?"
"Yup. You can play games, go on the internet, tons of stuff."
"Mmm... You know how to program it to do all that?" She cocked her head.
"Yeah... I could teach you, you know."
"Hmm? Why?" He turned half way to talk to her.
"You know... just to know. There's a big boom in electronics. Just learning a bit here and there you might end up with a pretty sweet job later on. That kinda stuff." She laughed, making him turn the rest of the way.
"What would I need a job for?"
"Um... why exactly wouldn't you? What are you planning on doing when you grow up?"
"You know. Find a husband, children, buy a house." Donatello looked mildly shocked. "...Why?" She cocked her head. Don cleared his throat, trying not to roll his eyes.
"Noriko... have you ever heard of womens rights?"
"Womens...rights."
"Uh, yeah... here, I'll show you some stuff." He swivled his chair back around.
"Meowr!" Leonardo cracked an eye. "MOWR!" Aw jeez. Four tiny feet lept upon his shell and walked up to his neck. Leonardo turned his head to the side and squinted his eyes in the darkness. Peaches trotted down and licked his face with a little sandpaper tongue.
"Peaches, what are you doing." He yawned. Peaches cried out again and bared his nails into Leonardo's skin. "Ow, shit."
"Rowr!" Peaches tromped over his shell. Leonardo groaned and rolled over, making him jump down to the emtpy part of the bed and marched around, his short tail held high.
"Peaches..." Leonardo rubbed the sore spot on his shoulder.
"Meowr!" Peaches jumped off the bed and trotted out of his room. Leonardo sighed and fell back onto his pillow. "RREEEEEOOOOOOWWRRR!!!" He grimaced and tightened his shoulders.
"Damn it, someone shut that cat up!" He heard Raphael call. Leonardo moaned and rolled out of bed. Peaches was outside in the hall waiting. He reached down to pick him up when the kitten skittered away. Peaches ran down the hall and zipped up the special ramp Don and Mike had made for him leading up to the maintenance hall. Leonardo muttered to himself and climbed up the ladder.
"Meeeeeoooooooowwrrr!!" His eyes adjusted to the light slowly, he narrowed his eyes to help and made a grab for the kitten. Peaches ducked his hands and lept victoriously into Maddie and Lita's room. Leonardo stopped short and looked back into their room. He saw a litle shadow tromp onto Litas' bed in the dark, and perch itself upon her back.
"Peaches, come here, you're going to wake Lita." Leonardo whispered , reaching out to for him. Peaches backed away from his hand. "Peaches, come on." He jogged around his hand and over Lita's back, popping away. "I don't have time for this."
"REEEOOOOOWWWRRR!!" Leonardo grimaced. Lita groaned and turned over. Peaches walked over her as she turned and sat on her stomach.
"Peaches,"
"MEEEOOOOWWRRR!!" Lita opened her eyes and looked around. Peaches trotted up to her and licked her face.
"Hello, kitty." She smiled and stroked his back. Peaches purred and walked down to her stomach again. He flopped over to his side and looked up at Leonardo.
"Rowr." Lita looked over at Leonardo.
"What do you want." Leonardo straightened his back.
"That's my cat." Lita closed her eyes indignantly.
"Do you insist on having him by your side every second of the day?" Leonardo narrowed his eyes.
"Mowr!" Peaches turned over onto his back.
"Can't see what a kitty like this would want to be with a dork like you."
"I was thinking the same thing." Leonardo muttered.
"Hey." Lita sat up quickly. Peaches fell into her lap and looked up at her.
"Clumsy too." Leonardo crossed his arms.
"Hey, I have a crazy idea." Maddie sat up. "Why doesn't everyone go to sleep, eh?"
"Fine with me." Leonardo turned to go.
"REEOOOOOWWRRRR!!" Peaches bellowed. Leonardo grimaced, Maddie and Lita clapped their hands to their ears. "MEEOOOOWWRRR!!" Leonardo turned back. Peaches stopped and sat down in Lita's lap again.
"Ow?" Lita opened her eyes.
"That is one loud cat." Maddie took her hands away from her ears.
"Here," Lita held Peaches out to him. "You take him then." Leonardo picked Peaches up from her outstretch hands.
"Fine." He turned to leave again.
"PRRRREEEEOOOWWRR!!" They all stopped again. "GRREEEOOOWW!" Leonardo turned back. Peaches sat back down in his arm again.
"Well then..." Maddie leaned back on her elbows.
"Aw man." Lita fell back on the bed. Peaches licked his paw placidly.