Knock-knock
"Jay-man, it's Flash." A series of locks jangled on the inside of the appartment door.
"Flash dude! S'up!" The door opened, the preteen on the otherside grinning.
"Hey dude." They exchanged a secret hand shake, bumping fists and whatnot. "How's it hangin'?"
"Oh." Jay shrugged. "Same ol' same ol'. Been kinda blowin' since ya left."
"Yeah."
"How's yer place workin' out?"
"Aw man, it's sweet. My sister has these three totally hot friends there. Major babe action." They both grinned.
"Tubular. Dude, you gotta get me over there sometime."
"Yeah, well… they're pretty strict about visitors."
"Oh."
"Yeah…so, just came to pick up some stuff left here."
"Aw yeah, come on in." Jay stood back. Flash went into the appartment, closing the door with a quick of his foot. "Mom's in the kitchen."
"Hey Mrs. Robinson!" Flash called.
"Hello Jimmy!" The lilting feminine voice responded.
"We're going up to my room." Jay called.
"Alrighty!" Flash followed Jay through the appartment and up the stair to the balcony. Their room was the second on the right, right next to Jay's brothers room. In there were the two beds on either side of the room. Comic posters hung up and a few model starwars ships hanging from the ceiling. There were shelves coming out from the wall above both of the beds. Flash's bed had been stripped down to the matress, his side of the room deserted except for a few piles of stuff he didn't take. Jay jumped onto his own bed and sat down.
"So whadja come for?" He asked. Flash started sifting through the loose piles, selecting certain comic books and skater magazines.
"Eh, stuff I forgot." He through the pile on the bed and jumped onto the matress.
"Dude, you still going to this school next year?"
"Yeah, course man."
"Oh. Cool."
"Hey… Tim been through here?" Flash looked over his shoulder.
"No way man, he's been in Cape Cod all month."
"Dude… that gold ball's missing." He turned back and rifled through the trash on his shelves.
"Really?" Jay came over to help look. "you sure you didn't take it with you?"
"Sure man! I remember leaving it here so it wouldn't fall out of the box when we were moving."
"Yer sure?"
"Sure I'm sure, man! Dude, my sister gave that to me so it wouldn't get stolen or nothin'!" The two of them inched their way over the shelves, looking for the globe. "Damn!"
"Uh oh."
"Erika's gunna kill me!" Flash jumped onto the floor and started looking through the piles down there.
"…Could you get another one?"
"Yeah, for like a hundred bucks 're somethin'."
"Crap." Flash set the pile of books down and sat back on his bed. "…What're you gunna do?"
"…man… I can't tell 'er."
"She'd be pissed?"
"Probly not… she'd probly just be sad."
"…oh."
"…damn."
"Mike, I don't think I can do anymore today." Erika laid down in the dojo, resting her head on Michelangelo's crossed legs. "Too weak."
"Hey, s'ok. Good workout." He looked down into her crystal blue eyes. "You should rest." She nodded and closed her eyes. Michelangelo set his elbows on his knees and touched his fingertops together. Erika's hair was soft against his legs. "Hey Erika?"
"Mmm?"
"What's it like… you know… bein' elemental."
"Mmm… I don't know… I can't really descibe it."
"Well, what's it like doin' all that stuff."
"…Don't know that either… you just have to kind of think about it… you know?"
"Hmmm."
"You should try it. It's very relaxing."
"I couldn't do anything like that."
"Just try it. I'll help you…"
"Ok, hand me that." Donatello pointed to a computer conduit on his table. Noriko retrieved it and gave it to him. He took it and hunched back over the computer. Noriko sat on the otherside of the table to watch him. "See, when you put these sheets in you have to keep them lined up so they don't hit the others."
"…People honestly pay for this?"
"Yup." He set the conduit in and sodered it in. "Give me one of the tCPi converters."
"Noriko, doushite naninani kikun shoi?" Mr. Tagahasi stepped into the lab. Noriko looked over her shoulder to him.
"Don-san's kyoudou ware hautsuu meeku densanki." Donatello looked up. He thought he heard his name.
"Doushite?"
"Kotonisuruto itsuka atashi could naru shokugyoo shoku to." Mr. Tagahasi furrowed his brow.
"Noriko, nani kore danwa no shokugyoo." Noriko swallowed. "Nani anata sore to naku iu?"
Donatello's eyes darted between the two. They had fallen back into using japanese, he couldn't understand. It made him nervous, he turned back to his computer parts and fiddled with them.
"Ojiisan, doozo. Watashi hon no soozoo suru sono hyotto suru to watashi yatte miru made-" Grandfather turned and stormed out. "Ojiisan!" She called after him.
"Um…" Donatello looked between her and the door.
"He's angry… I should go talk to him." Noriko jumped up and ran after her gradfather. Donatello shook his head and went back to his computer.
Peaches nibbled on Leonardo's toe, hugging his bared foot. Leonardo looked up from his book, lying on his bed. Peaches growled, wrestling his foot.
"Peaches, are you hungry?"
"Rowr!"
"Want me to get you something to eat?" Peaches tried to scramble up his foot. "Alright, alright." Leonardo chuckled and scooped Peaches up, putting his book down. Peaches walked around on his arms then jumped up to perch on his shoulder. Leonardo closed his door behind him and walked down the hall. He looked in on the dojo out of habit and stopped cold.
Michelangelo sat indian style on the floor, his eyes closed, touching fingertips. Erika levitated in mid-air, straight as a board, her hands set over her stomach. Leonardo watched them for a moment in amazement before walking away cautiously. Peaches mewed curiously. Tell me about it. He shook his head and passed by on the way to the kitchen.
"You have to crease it along here… like this…" Leonardo pushed open the door to the kitchen. Maddie and Raphael stood at the counter, a set of bowls and mixers messy with drippy dough and a whitish mixture. Raphael watched Maddie's hands irritatedly.
"What are you guys making?" Leonardo went to the refridgerator.
"Raph's helping me make cannolli's." Maddie pinched together one of the tubes. Leonardo set a saucer of milk down for Peaches. The kitten jumped off his shoulder and hopped over to it. Leonardo rubbed Peaches' head and stood back up.
"What's that then?" He looked at the pasty square of dough in front of Raphael.
"Shut up." Raphael growled.
"It just needs a little flour." Maddie sprinkled flour over it, soaking in the moistness. Raphael picked the dough back up and flopped it back in forth in his powdery hands. "You wanna help, Leo?"
"No… looks like you guys can handle it… sort of." He added as he left. Raphael grumbled, flattening out the pastry.
"You're doing fine for a beginner." He accidentally smeared the dough on his hand, then on the side of his beak.
"Gah." He wiped it off his face. Maddie laughed.
"Here, you mix the filling." She handed him the metal bowl and took the square of dough from him. Raphael took it grudgingly. "You're doing fine." She patted his shoulder.
"This stuff's gunna turn out crappy 'cause I'm 'helping'."
"It will not."
"Mmm." Maddie looked over her shoulder to make sure Leonardo had closed the door completely. She kissed Raphael's cheek quickly. He looked over as she set the cannolli tubes on the baking sheet and smiled to himself.
Hawaii
"I would like to see the time locked security file for Lita Kaowaii; New York ward number six ninety-eight O' five."
"Sorry sir. Those files are confedential." Nikira sighed and tipped his sunglasses down, looking into her eyes. She gasped at the cutting blue of his eyes.
"…Mabye you could make an exception…"
"Uhhh.….."
"…Get the file." She nodded and disapeared down a hallway behind her, taking a key chain off the hanger on the wall. Nikira leaned on the counter and turned back around, checking out the state welfare office. The beach was visible out the open windows, palm trees swaying in the breeze. He checked his watch and turned back to the desk. The girl came back with a tagged metal box. She set it on the counter and sat back down at her computer. Nikira flipped the latch off and opened the box.
The box was nearly bare. Nearly. Taped to the inside of the lid was a boiler plate letter from the state. In the box was an unopened letter titled 'Lita' underneath a gold globe, blue crystals sodered into the plating. Nikira smiled and took it out. He knocked the lid shut again and pushed it back on the counter.
"You can take it back now." He pocketed the crystal and left. The girl picked up the box and returned down the hallway. Mortals were so easy.
"This is so cool!" Lita declared. "I love costume parties."
"Yeah, April's station always holds one around this time. So we get in." Michelangelo grinned. The eight passed through the Hilton hotel corridors down to the entertaining hall. The turtles walked along undisguised. Maddie wore a red body suit with a red devil horns and a pointy tail, her long red hair trailing down her back. Lita had on a short white dress, puffy angel wings and a sparkly golden halo. Noriko had found an old cowgirl outfit, and somehow Michelangelo had talked Erika into going as a princess. Flash borrowed one of Michelangelo's masks and was an alien. He had been wearing it around the lair all week before hand "They have great food." Mike grinned. Donatello groaned.
"You better not camp out in front of the caterers again." Leonardo warned. Erika giggled.
The hall was bordered with tables, balloons anchored down to them. There was a wood tiled dance floor in the center next to the DJ table, and a balloon rainbow above them. The only lights were provided from moving strobe lights and a globe of colored lights. The party was already in full swing, most of the guests already there. Michelangelo pouted, a slow song was playing for the moment. Leonardo signaled to an empty table. Raphael waited for the others to pass by. He snaked his arm around Maddie's waist and drew her out onto the floor. She smiled as he took her into his arms.
The remaining six all sat down at one of the tables in the back. Michelangelo immediately began upsetting the balloons and scarfing down the candy left sprinkled over the table.
"Hey guys!" April arrived at the table. Michelangelo smirked and looked her over. She wore a tight shimmering green skirt with fins and a sea shell bra. Her hair was hidden under a long red wig, with a flowing purple flower tucked behind her ear. "I'm so glad you made it." She smiled.
"Why thank you, little mermaid!" Mike declared.
"Nice costume, April." Leonardo smiled.
"Wow, you look really good." Lita noted.
"Thank you." April smiled.
"Really good." Flash drooled. Erika pulled his mask down, misaligning the eyeholes. April laughed.
"Hey, where's Raph?" Donatello pointed out onto the dance floor. April smiled, seeing Raphael and Maddie with their arms around each other. "That's so sweet." April whispered. Leonardo chuckled.
"Where's your date, Ariel?" Mike asked.
"Oh," April looked over her shoulder. "He's around here somewhere." She laughed. "I better go find him. Ok, the bar's open, they card, I'll be back in a second. Bye guys." She disapeared back into the crowd.
"Donatello, why aren't you dancing?" Erika laughed and sat down next to Donatello, Noriko on his other side. "Even Leonardo's out there."
"I'm trying to prove a hypothesis."
"And what would that be." She picked up her glass of water.
"That large parties like these always make things blow up. Too many raging emotions… Which is why I'm staying over here."
"Blow up?" She smirked. He nodded.
"I've gotta be a control."
"Here ya go."
"Thanks." Lita smiled, taking the little drink. "So you're one of the station technicians?"
"Yeah," Sean swirled his glass around. He wore a long black cape, black pants and a bat man tee-shirt, a few gold chains around his neck. He had a short pony tail and a stubby goatee. His face was long and a bit gaunt. He had thin lips and thick wide glasses. He reminded her of Sandy. "I'm actually the supervising technician assistant."
"Cool." She sipped her drink.
"You know, you really do look like an angel." Her cheeks reddened. "Oh, you're blushing. That's cute."
"Cut it out." She laughed.
"So." He took another drink of his beer. "You have a boyfriend?"
"No."
"That's suprising. A pretty girl like you?" Lita smiled and looked into her drink.
"Hey Lita!" Michelangelo ran up. "There's a swing dance competition, you wanna dance?!"
"I can't swing. I think Maddie can though."
"Kay, later Lita Pita!" Mike ran off again. Sean watched him disaprovingly.
"Who was that."
"Oh," She looked after him. "That was Mike…He's my-uh… brother."
"Oh. And who's Maddie."
"Maddie? She's my bestest friends." Sean nodded.
"So you can't swing dance?"
"Nope." She smiled and took another drink. "Behind the loop."
"I could teach you, if ya like?"
"Really?"
"Yeah, come on." He downed the rest of the beer and set it on the bar top. Lita set her drink down as well as he took her hand and lead her to a side hallway away from the party.
Raphael leaned against the bar, mixing his drink around. Bigfoot stood next to him, watching the swing contest. Raphael turned around, his shell against the counter.
"They're pretty good." Bigfoot lifted his mask up to take a drink.
"Who."
"The turtle and the devil." He pulled his mask back into place.
" 'S my girlfriend."
"No way." Raphael nodded. "Why aren'tcha out there, then."
"Hell, man. I can't dance." He chuckled. "Hey Mads!" Raph called. Maddie smiled and blew him a kiss before Michelangelo spun her back. Raphael smiled and brought his drink up to his lips. He was thinking about finally announcing his intentions on Maddie to the others. It had taken him sometime to see that things could be cool with her. Now he was finally satisfied.
"Damn… she's hot."
"Yeah."
"Hey, who's she dancing with?" Bigfoot turned and looked Raphael over. "Looks just like you."
"My brother."
"Ah." He turned back. "Look pretty good together."
"Watch it."
"Hey, man. Take it easy." Raphael grumbled. "I use'ta date a red head. Pretty hot."
"Mm."
"You 'n she ever…" Raphael chuckled.
"No." He took another drink.
"Pshh. Don't wait long. Ass like that don't come by too often. And it looks like you better keep an eye on that one" Bigfoot took his drink and went off into the crowd. Raphael chuckled and turned back to the bar.
"WOOOOOO!!"
"
"Way to Go!" The crowd cheered. Raphael turned back around. Michelangelo was kissing Maddie, pressingher close to him. The crowd cheering him on. Bigfoot caught Raphael's eye and shook his head. Raphael turned back. Maddie had pulled back from Michelangelo. She turned quickly to Raphael. He walked off quickly, disapearing into the crowd.
"Raphael! Wait!" She ran off after him. Michelangelo grinned sheepishly and backed away towards the table.
"Wow! Way ta go Mike!" Flash cut in front of him. "Raph's gunna kill you, but that was great!"
"Heh heh, yeah… great." Mike laughed nervously. He put his hand on the back of Flashes neck and led him back to the table. "Hey," His voice broke. Donatello scratched his chin. Erika's mouth hung open. Noriko smiled sympathetically. Michelangelo sat down and hid his face in his hands.
"Well." Leonardo sat down as well.
"Mabye we should go." Flash offered, people giving them strange looks.
"I'll get Maddie and Raph." Noriko got up. Leonardo cleared his throat.
"I think Raphael will be back on his own time."
"Ok." Noriko left.
"Now where's Lita." Leonardo asked. Michelangelo perked up.
"Oh, she was talking to some guy at the bar." Leonardo furrowed his brow. "That guy Sean, or something. April knows him." Leonardo looked over his shoulder to the bar.
"They're not there." Mike shrugged. "I'll go find her." He sighed and pushed himself out of the chair.
"Here, put your hand here." Sean took Lita's hand and put it right below his armpit. They stood in a long hallway on another branch of the hotel, bright and obnoxious with florescent lights from the ceiling. "And the other right here." He took her other hand and put it around the back of his neck. "Then like this." He put his hand on the small of her back and the other against the base of her spine, pulling her against him. "See?" He smiled, flashing a gold molar.
"Um… is this swing dancing?" Lita asked as he began gyrating.
"Yeah, just get it goin'." She looked at him cautiously. "Just relax." He coaxed. She began to pull away as he moved his hand farther up her back. "Come on." He chuckled.
"Uh, yeah… mabye we should get back to the party." Lita suggested. His dancing seemed akward, she wanted him to stop.
"Don't worry 'bout it. Just relax, baby." He brought his face down to her neck and kissed her.
"Woah, okay!" She pushed him away. Sean pulled her closer, moving his other hand down lower. He moved his lips up her neck until she nearly shrieked. "He-" Sean pushed his lips over hers, forcing his tongue into her mouth. Lita squeaked, pushing her hands against his chest. He pushed her against the janitor closet door, fumbling with the knob. Lita grimaced, trying to pull away from him.
The door finally opened and they both fell in with a thud. Lita groaned, her back pressed against a broom handle. Sean quickly closed the door again and came down over her, the closet shrowded in darkness. Lita tried to grab the broom behind her. Sean pinned her against the floor, trapping her arm underneath her. He chuckled, trying clumsily to unzip the back of her dress.
"You know you like it-" Lita cringed as a container of paint fell from the shelves and dumped over her leg. She pushed back against Sean as his hands roved over her.
"Leave me-" He pushed his mouth back over hers, forcing his tongue back down her throat. Lita gagged. She felt like she was going to throw up. Sean grasped her thigh, pulling it over his back. Oh man… I don't want it to be like this… A few tears came up to the rim of her eyes.
Suddenly the door flew open. Sean was thrown off her and back into the hall. Lita grimaced at the sound of breaking bones. A weak cry whined out from Sean, then the sound of something heavy being dragged over the carpet. Leonardo reached into the closet and grabbed Lita's hand. She squeaked as he pulled her out of the tiny closet and onto her feet. The event was over in less than two minutes.
"Come on." Lita stumbled behind him as he pulled her down the hall. She looked over her shoulder, a stray foot sticking out from a tall fern. Leonardo pulled her down another hallway and sat her down on one of the benches against the wall, bay windows running the wall behind her, looking outside to the night. Leonardo knelt infront of her, placing his hands on the bench on either side of her, as if she would tip over and knock her head on the bench too.
The little wings had been bent out of shape and the back of her dress was unzipped partly. Cream colored paint dripped down her leg, and she had lost one of her little shoes. She looked into his eyes with fear, sitting timidly. "…Are you ok." She nodded slowly. Leonardo looked at her for a few more moments. He stood up quickly and began pacing the hallway. "What do you think you were doing? Do I have to tell you how much danger you were just putting yourself in?!" He went on the attack. "What do you think you were doing! Running off with a complete creep like that?!" He turned to her. "You could've been been seriously hurt, or raped." Lita's bottom lip began quivering. "This is definitely one of the most naïve, foolish, stupid things you have ever done!"
Lita burst into tears. Leonardo stopped and looked at her astoundedly. She wailed, holding the edge of the bench.
"Woah! Hey, hold on! Don't cry!" He knelt back down to her level, waving her hands in front of her. Tears poured down Lita's cheeks, the sprinklers went off in sympathy, which caused all the fire alarms to go off. Leonardo slapped his hand against his forehead. Screams of alarm sounded farther away in the complex. "Damn it." Leonardo whispered. "Come on." He took her hand and led her off down the hall.
Lita stumbled into the ladies room, Leonardo closing the door behind them quietly. She wiped her eyes with the side of her arm, still sobbing. Leonardo sat her down on the counter by the sinks and put his hands on her shoulders. "Shhhhhh…" He whispered into her hair. She just wouldn't stop. stupid girl Not quite knowing what he was doing he began pressing his lips against her head, stroking the back of her neck. I just felt kind of right. He felt her hand trail down his arm, landing back on the edge of the counter. "Snap out of it, Lita." He took her face in his hands and turned her to look at him. Lita opened her watery eyes, her cheeks streaked with tears. He waited expectantly, holding her shoulders. She wheezed for air, her breathing sporadic.
"You big stupid jerk!" She jumped off the counter and pushed him away, upstarting. "I can't believe you yelled at me! You're such a jerk!"
"Hey! I wasn't the one that ran off with a total wierdo!" Leonardo turned as she walked into the center of the room.
"I can do what ever I want!"
"You've got to be kidding me!" He nearly burst out laughing.
"Hey!"
"Who knows what would've happened if I hadn't found you!"
"I had everything under control!" She protested.
"Hah! That's why you broke out in tears."
"You were yelling at me!"
"I always yell at you!"
"Louder then usual you big fat jerk!"
"You deserve it! I can't believe you went off and did something stupid like that! That's stupid, even for you!"
"I am not stupid!"
"Yeah, you were just dropped on your head repeatedly as a child!"
"I was no-"
"Guys!" April came into the bathroom. They both stopped and turned to her. "What are you doing! There's a fire! Lita!… What happened!" Lita looked down at herself. She grinned sheepishly and zipped up the back of her dress.
"There's no fire." Leonardo sighed. "Lita sent off the sprinklers with her crying." April cooed.
"Lita, why were you crying?" Lita pointed to Leonardo.
"He yelled at me." Leonardo groaned and smacked his hand against his forehead. "And what do you think you're doing in the ladies room! You should be in the big dumb turtle room!" Leonardo crossed his arms.
"Yeah you're right. It is the ladies room. So why are you here?" Lita opened her mouth in disbelief.
"Oh dear." April shook her head. "Leo, go find the others. Lita, you stay here, let's get you cleaned up." She came over and took her arm.
"Thanks Ape." Leonardo passed by them both and returned to the now soaking hallway.
"Raphael… Raphael!" Maddie walked around the hotel rooftop. It was dark out and beginning to rain. She held her hand up to her eyes, sheilding the water dropletts. "Can we just talk?!" She turned around, trying to find a shadow or something to adress. "It didn't mean anything!… Raphael!" She called desperately. "I didn't know what I was doing, you've got to believe me!" She walked through one of the growing puddles, stumbling on her high heels. "It didn't mean anything! Please! Raphael!"
"…Maddie." Noriko stood by the door back into the hotel with an umbrella. "…We're going home now." Maddie looked back around the roof. "…You're going to catch cold if you stay here any longer."
"…I'm sorry!… We'll talk later!" She back up next to Noriko.
"Come on." Noriko put her hand on Maddie's shoulder. She turned around and headed back down stairs, hanging her head. Noriko gave one last look across the roof. She thought she was a shadow move, but it was probably just the rain…