CHAPTER 2

Hmm… you know, I KNEW I forgot something! LOL I would like to give thanks, honor, and praise to Carrie, who helped make this book possible. She's helped me brainstorm and edit this book, and without her help, I probably would've ditched the entire concept. So thanks to Carrie; go read her stuff if you haven't already. ;) Trust me… it's good.

REI:

The taxicab driver spoke only in English and Yukio didn't understand him. I guess it was a good thing that I had studied English throughout school, and kept up with it through the movies and television shows I saw. Yukio had never seen the point in learning it. But then, we had never intended to wind up in America.

"Hey, you kids sure you wan' off here?" the driver asked. "This ain't the best neighborhood 'round."

"Yes, we're sure," I answered.

Yukio hit my arm and I turned to him. "{What does he say?}" he demanded.

"{He says this is a bad neighborhood. He asks if we're sure we want to be dropped off here.}"

"{Tell him we are certain.}"

I smiled. "{I don't need you to tell me everything, Yukio.}"

The pizza place was exactly where my father had said it would be. I paid the driver as Yukio exited the car and held the door for me. I stepped out onto the sidewalk, and took Yukio's hand to help steady myself on the high heels I was wearing. "{I do not understand why you insist on dressing that way.}"

I glared at him. Did we have to do this now? We'd fought about this the entire way here. "{We are not in Japan anymore,}" I reminded him. "{My attire is perfectly normal for this culture.}"

"{Your attire is bordering the point of indecent,}" he informed.

In his opinion, yes. In Father's opinion, too. He never did like the sound of the word "miniskirt".

"{You will change into something more modest at your first opportunity,}" Yukio commanded.

I looked away. "Sure," I mumbled in English. "After you peel this off of my cold, dead body."

Yukio knocked lightly on the back door, but there was no answer. I pushed it open. "Hello?"

"In here," came the reply. It was followed by a brief laugh.

"They're from Japan, stupid. Why the hell would they speak English?"

"{We're here, come in.}"

Three different voices. I tensed. We were supposed to be meeting Hamato Yoshi. Perhaps he'd sent his sons. Father had advised that Yoshi had four teenage boys living in his house. The warning had been to Yukio, for my sake. After all, I was totally incapable of taking care of myself. I sighed and diverted my thoughts away from that frustration. Yukio stepped inside the building, pulling me behind him.

Three shadowed figures sat in the dining area of the restaurant. A candle flickered on the table. I wondered why they did not turn on the lights. For that matter, I wondered why we had been ordered to meet them here in the first place. Why hadn't they met us at the airport? Or had us go to their house?

"Do you speak English?" one of them asked.

"I do," I replied. "But my brother does not."

"{Before you come closer, there's something you should know,}" one of the figures told us, adopting our language. Yukio and I both froze. "{There was a little... misunderstanding between our fathers.}"

"Misunderstanding my ass," one of them growled.

A crumpled up napkin flew across the table and hit the speaker. "Knock it off, Raph."

"{We're not... exactly what you think we are,}" the first continued. "{And we don't want you to panic. There's a logical explanation for it but... you'll have to give us a minute to explain.}"

I hardly heard him. I knew I should be listening, but the mini food fight was much more interesting at the moment. "Raph" ended it with a glass of ice water, and the other figure sprang out of the booth, arms raised. "Aah!"

The figure who'd been speaking turned and surveyed the scene. "Will you two just pretend like you're civilized?" he sighed. "Just for a few minutes?"

I hid a smile behind my hand and giggled slightly. Raph chuckled. "Hey, he started it," he defended.

"You realize I could hit you from all the way over here?" the standing figure questioned, pulling a bo staff off his back. I noted, as he moved, that his body was shaped strangely.

"Just try it."

"My weapon's a lot longer than yours, you know."

Raph burst out laughing, lowering his head to the table. "In what way?" he managed. I caught the innuendo and smiled.

"Enough!" the mediator cried.

I glanced at Yukio. He was clueless, as usual. The figure at the table sighed. "{I apologize for my brothers.}" He turned to glare at them with the final word, then looked back toward us. "{They often forget how old they are.}"

"Hey, I warned you," Raph reminded, though I wasn't sure what he meant. He was ignored.

"{My name is Leonardo,}" the speaker introduced. "{The man your father knew as Hamato Yoshi, we know as Splinter. He is our sensei.}"

Yukio nodded. "Hai. {He was one of Japan's finest.}"

"And years later, he can still kick all our asses," Raph observed, seemingly deep in thought.

"In what way?" I added, teasing.

He seemed startled. "Oh. Shit. Heh. I forgot. You speak English, don't you?"

Leonardo was getting annoyed, and Yukio shot me a warning look. I bowed my head in obedient silence and hid a smile. I already felt welcome here. "{I can see we are getting nowhere so I'll skip the explanation,}" he sighed. "{Our Master Splinter, and the four of us, are not human.}"

I looked up, shocked. "{What are you?}" Yukio asked after a moment's hesitation.

"{We all came into contact with powerful…}" He seemed to search for a word. "Mutagen," he finally finished. I cocked my head, confused. I didn't know that word. Neither did Yukio.

"{What is a 'mutagen'?}"

"{We think it was probably a colloidal gel exposed to massive doses of radioactivity.}" the unnamed figure answered.

That didn't explain much. Even in my native language, I only understood about half of that. "{It transformed us all,}" Leonardo informed. "{But we assure you, our sensei is the man you remember, even if he doesn't look the part.}"

Now, I was interested. I wished it was lighter in here. I wanted to see these radioactivated people. I smiled at the thought.

The one who still had not identified himself stood up, taking his staff with him. He moved across the room, careful to keep a safe distance from us. I couldn't see him. "{We're going to turn on the lights,}" Leonardo announced. "{Don't be afraid.}"

The florescent lights flashed on and I was momentarily blinded. I shielded my eyes for a moment, then looked up. We shared a room with three turtles. Except they were tall, and moved like they were human. The one at the door returned to the booth, but remained standing, leaning against his staff. I allowed myself a moment to reflect, before speaking. They weren't really scary, except that they all carried weapons. Leonardo had katanas on his back and Raph had a set of sais on the table, in addition to the bo the third was leaning on. I studied them carefully. Hamato Yoshi's students. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I wondered what he looked like.

A look of horror was etched in Yukio's face. It was obvious that he would not be the one to break the silence. I stepped forward and bowed. "{I am Tang Rei,}" I informed.

Leonardo smiled. "{You know my name. These are my brothers, Donatello,}" Donatello bowed politely, "{and Raphael.}"

Leonardo stepped out of the way so we could see Raphael, but there wasn't much to see. He was leaning back against the booth, eyes closed behind his red mask. He waved half-heartedly, but made no attempt at eye contact. Leonardo must have done something to him behind his back, because Raphael suddenly jerked awake. "Ow! What the hell was that for?"

I smiled and tried to approach them, but Yukio grabbed my arm. I turned and stared at him, shocked. What was his problem? "{I don't believe you,}" he shot, a look of cold fury on his face. "{Where is Yoshi? Where have you taken him?}"

Leonardo sighed. Donatello looked away. It was Raphael who opened his eyes to glare at my brother. "Hey, buddy…" It took him a moment to remember that my brother didn't understand that language. For a brief moment, I wondered if he spoke Japanese, like his brothers did. He answered my question quickly, with little hesitation. "{You got a problem with it, you can feel free to haul your sorry ass back to Japan.}"

"Raphael..." Leonardo warned.

"{But until you get a lift back there, you're stuck here in the good old U-S-A. And you won't live too long without help so you better reconsider.}"

Defiance flashed in my brother's eyes. Uh oh. This wasn't good. I could tell already that Raphael and Yukio were a deadly combination. I pulled away from Yukio's grasp. "{Yukio, please,}" I whispered. "{They're only trying to help.}"

"{I do not trust them, Rei,}" he informed coldly.

"{We have to trust somebody,}" I reminded him.

"{I'd much prefer that person be human!}"

"{Yukio, they are Yoshi's students.}"

"Iie. {I do not believe them.}"

"{If we aren't who we say we are}," Leonardo started, "{how did we know to meet you here?}"

Yukio had no answer. Leonardo sighed. "{If you don't trust us, at least trust your father.}"

I looked to Yukio, pleading silently. And finally, he relented.

DONATELLO:

"{My father said there were four of you,}" Rei began as we walked out the back door. "{Do you have another brother?}"

I nodded. "{Yes. He's at home.}"

"{Why did he not come with you?}"

I hesitated for a minute. "{He's... not really social.}"

Boy, it sounded strange to say that about Michaelangelo. He'd always been the social one, out of all of us. Well, him and Raph, but in totally different ways. Mike had been social on a more personal level, while it was Raphael who had visited the bars and clubs since he was fifteen. But Mike had changed so much in these past few months...

"{Where are we going?}" Yukio demanded.

"{Home,}" Raphael shot back.

A threatening glare passed between them and I sighed. I wasn't surprised. Raph had hated him before they even met. It didn't surprise me that he'd jumped at the first opportunity to get defensive. Rei looked to me. "{Where is home?}"

I sighed. "{We live… underground.}"

She stared at me, confused. "{Why?}"

"{It's less of a security risk,}" I informed. "{Safe, quiet, and rent-free.}"

She smiled, but Yukio was not pleased. "{You live in the sewer system?}"

In answer to his question, Leonardo lifted the manhole cover. "{Come on,}" he directed, looking over his shoulder for spectators.

I climbed down the ladder and stopped at the bottom to help Rei down. She nearly dropped her backpack with the last step. "Want me to carry that?" I offered.

"Oh, no, I'm okay," she assured me. "But thanks."

I looked back up toward the surface as Yukio appeared next to me. Raphael and Leonardo were talking, probably arguing, but I couldn't hear them. I sighed. "{Come with me,}" I offered. "{I'll take you back.}"

SPLINTER:

I had never met Tang Shiro's children. His wife was near her due date when I came to the states. But his son's facial features mirrored his own. I bowed respectfully as he entered. "Tang Yukio-san," I greeted. "{You are welcome in my home.}"

He bowed in return, but the tension in his eyes did not subside. He said nothing. I looked toward his sister. "{And Tang Rei. Welcome.}"

We bowed and she cocked her head slightly to the side. "{You are Hamato Yoshi?}" she questioned cautiously.

I nodded. "{I am.}"

She smiled and her eyes sparkled. The hesitation was gone from her voice. "{It is an honor to meet you.}"

I smiled in return. "{The pleasure is mine,}" I assured her.

I turned my attention to Yukio. "{You must be very tired. We have a room prepared for each of you. Leonardo?}"

He stepped forward and gestured toward the open door. "{It's this way,}" he guided.

The three of them disappeared. Donatello headed for his bedroom, leaving Raphael and myself in the living room. I watched him for a moment, knowing he wanted to say something. He sighed and turned away. "I'm going to bed."

"Raphael."

He stopped and turned around. "What?" he asked. "What do you want me to say? I don't like this, and I don't think it's a good idea, and I've already said that." He paused and sighed. "Can I go? Please? I just wanna go to bed."

I studied him for a moment, and nodded. He turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.

REI:

He was sitting at the kitchen table, playing cards with himself. I glanced at the clock. It was after two in the morning. "Hey."

He jumped, startled, and spun around, nearly knocking the chair over. His eyes met mine, then darted to the floor. "What're you playing?"

I glanced at the piles of cards. It looked like he was playing war. He quickly ran his hand over the table, pulling all the cards into a pile. "Nothing," he answered quietly.

I studied him for a moment. "You didn't have to do that," I informed. He didn't answer.

I sat down in the chair across from him. His eyes followed me, as if he were expecting an attack. "Michaelangelo, right?" I questioned. "Is that your name?"

His eyes moved over me. I got the uneasy feeling that he was sizing up an enemy. He nodded slightly in answer to my question. I forced a nervous smile and held out my hand to him. "I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Rei."

He stared at my hand for a moment, then shook it. "You, uh," he stammered. "You speak English pretty well. This your first time in the states?"

I nodded. "I saw a lot of American movies." I couldn't help but smile. "So I know all the slang and stuff like that. Stuff they don't teach you in school." He said nothing. His face was emotionless. "I like western culture," I continued after a moment of tense silence. "It fascinates me."

He looked down at the pile of cards. "Fascinates," he repeated.

There was something about him that immediately intregued me. "I noticed that you also speak my language fluently," I tried, wanting to keep him talking. It was an assumption, since I hadn't actually heard him say anything in Japanese. "Or at least your brothers do."

He nodded, but said nothing. "So which do you consider your first language?"

"Both," he answered quietly. "We were raised with both."

I swallowed hard. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. "Okay," I sighed. "Well... I'm gonna go. But uh..." I struggled for something to say. "Hey, if you ever need someone to play cards with..." I offered, smiling. It was a futile attempt. He didn't look up.

Feeling a slight hint of rejection, I backed out of the room. Sighing, I headed toward the room they had prepared for me.

"{What were you talking about?}"

The voice startled me. I looked up to see my brother standing a few feet away. I hated when he did that. "{Nothing of significance, Yukio,}" I assured him. "Not that it's any of your business."

"{Do not speak in English when you are conversing with me,}" he glared.

I smiled wickedly. "{Who says I was talking to you?}" I shot back.

"{There is no one else here.}"

I sighed, realizing he'd missed the point. "{What do you want?}"

"{Was he threatening you? Did he say anything questionable?}"

I was a little startled by the accusation. "{Yukio, I'm surprised at you,}" I started. "{They have opened their home to us and you...}"

"{This is not a home, it is a sewer,}" he interrupted loudly.

I tensed and looked around. "{Yukio, quiet,}" I pleaded. "{They might hear you!}"

"{And I do not like you talking to that freak. He's dangerous.}"

I stared at him, shocked. "{He is no more dangerous than you or I!}"

"{He is an animal,}" he growled. "{And I will not allow my sister to associate with such freaks.}"

Indignant anger rose inside of me, though I wasn't entirely sure why. It wasn't like he was insulting me. But I didn't like that he was talking like that about the people who had gone out of their way to help us. "{One of those 'freaks' you speak of is Hamato Yoshi, Yukio,}" I reminded him. "{How dare you speak that way about...}"

He slapped the side of my face. I turned my head, more out of reflexes than from the force of the blow. It wasn't really hard, it just stung. I fell silent. "{You will not speak to me in that tone,}" he snapped.

I bowed my head and said nothing. For a moment, it was silent. When he spoke again, his voice held a softer tone. "{You will not need to endure this for much longer, Rei,}" he assured. "{I will get us out of here. I swear it.}"

I stared at the floor so he could not see the fire blazing in my eyes. "{Yukio, I am content here,}" I answered. "{You need not rescue me.}" And for your information, I do not feel the slightest bit threatened by them, I added silently.

Michaelangelo appeared in the doorway and his eyes darted over us before they dropped. I cringed, hoping he had not heard my brother's ranting. "Konnichi wa, Yukio," he said quietly. He left without another word.

YUKIO:

It seemed to me that the walls themselves spawned these creatures. I did not even see him until I turned the corner and found him inches away. For a moment, we stared at each other. He twirled his weapon carelessly, his eyes locked on mine. "{Problem?}" he asked.

I was dumbstruck for a moment. "Iie," I finally managed. "{Only talking to my sister.}"

He glanced down at the sai in his three fingers. "Mmm," he acknowledged. "{Guess this must be really hard on her. Coming halfway around the world to a sewer and being locked up down here like a prisoner.}"

I stared at him, distrustful of this sudden sympathy. "{We will not be here long.}"

He nodded slowly, seemingly deep in thought. "{That's too bad,}" he mumbled. He looked up with a wicked gleam in his eye. "{I was kind of looking forward to getting to know her a little better.}"

The tone and inflection of his voice made his motives perfectly clear. Anger welled up inside of me. "{You will keep your filthy hands away from my sister,}" I threatened him.

"{And if I don't?}" he shot back. "{Better be careful, Yukio, we could be a very bad influence on her. She could actually start thinking for herself.}"

"{You have no business interfereing in my relationship with my sister.}"

"{And you have no business interfering in her relationship with my brother.}"

I glared at him. "{There will be no relationship between Rei and you mutants,}" I informed. "{I will not allow it. And you would be best to discourage such attempts, if you know what's best for you.}"

He shrugged. "{I'll keep it in mind.}"

I watched him closely as he turned away. "{Oh, and one other thing,}" he added, spinning back around to face me. His face hardened and he gripped his sais tightly. "{I ever hear you talk that way about my brother again and I'll show you just how dangerous I can be.}"