*~ AHH! Forgive me! Have mercy! So so sorry this took so long! I usually have to be in an angsty mood to write it, which is rather rare *nervous laugh* Okay, on with the story! Warning: even MORE tears coming your way!! Kleenex alert!
Splinter chuckled softly somewhere in the depths of his throat and scooted closer to the bars.
"Yes, the ability to talk is well, but using it correctly is a far greater talent."
Michelle slowly slid out of her chair as if numbness overwhelmed her gradually from bottom to top. She dropped to her knees on the hard floor and starred wide eyed at him, swirling dizzily with horror and curiosity. But which of the two emotions would conquer? Splinter sincerely hoped the latter, for both of their sakes. Amusement tugged the fine wrinkles bordering his winking chocolate eyes, and his cheeks plumped into a wide grin.
"I see I have rendered you incapable of your own talents," then his smile faded as a shadow seemed to pass over him," But while your ears and mind are open, hear this: you must help me escape. My sons will not be able to fend for themselves long. Although they are strong, a young mind limits them. Will you help me?"
Michelle Swanson swallowed hard and slowly gained control of herself. For a moment, her lips refused to move, but his seemingly genuine proposal urged her on.
"I-I could try."
"There is no try, my new friend, only do. Failure of one's trust in himself will betray him. But either way, we have little choice. We must make haste."
Michelle stood and searched her pockets for the keys. Finally, a reassuring jingle sounded as she brought them out.
"Then consider it done," she smiled and slid the key in with a jerk to the right. The lock snapped and clattered to the floor while Splinter eased the door open. He stepped out and extended his spine to its full length, amounting to a height barely to her waist.
"This will not soon be forgotten. You are very honorable, my friend."
He extended his light and bony hand. She glanced at it with a flicker of hesitation. Eventually, she did the same. He grasped her hand, but did not shake it. Instead, he gave a deep bow. The assistant erupted into a shy smile again and bowed as well, though awkwardly.
"A friend in need, is a friend indeed," she countered. That rat gave another raspy chuckle and released his surprisingly firm grip.
"I'm coming with you," she suddenly blurted. Splinter considered this for a moment as his tail curled around him, and he tapped his claws delicately on his chin.
"I'm afraid I can't allow it. You are already in danger for simply knowing I exist and that there are more of my kind."
"It's okay, really. This is," she stammered for the word," incredible. I'm actually have a conversation with a ra-..a uh..a-a miracle, actually."
He sensed her politeness to refrain from saying 'rat' as if it were an insult," One must learn to accept himself. I was not always in this form."
"Fascinating," the word escaped her lips like a light breeze. She leaned forward towards him, but he looked away.
"I must go."
"At least let me give you a lift. You'll also need help getting past the security cameras."
"If you are truly sincere, I will accept your proposal."
"Yes, I am," she nodded.
Not only did the rat astonish her with his outward appearance, but his very essence and being softly whispered to her curiosities. Was it possible that something fantastical had occurred and this rat had actually lived a conscious, human-like life with his sons? The invisible whispering affirmed her, but there was more to it. Something more complex and terrorizing lurked in the shadows of his revealings. After all, he hadn't always been in that form.
Splinter noticed her studying him, and he smiled warmly with understanding," Then let us take our leave."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Leo? Can we stop here?"
Leonardo stopped sloshing through the water and glanced backward at Mike. A checkered beam shined down and reflected off his small form as if he was some heavenly visitor. Michaelangelo returned the pleading gaze until he looked at the grate opening just above him.
"We can't stay long, Mikey. It's too drafty right here," Don said.
"Yeah, and what about Master Splinter? He might be in trouble!" Leo added.
"What if he's up there? In their world?" Mike looked up again. The bottom of some finely crafted shoes stepped across it, causing a shadow to slink over him. Fear cork-screwed down his spine.
"Nah, Splinter can take care of himself. I think we're doin' this for nothing," Raph leaned against the rusty wall and slid into sitting position.
"How can you say that?!"
"Don't you trust him?"
Leo shut his agape mouth and glared back.
"Fine. We'll split up. Common Donny."
Donatello gave them one last sorrowful look until he disappeared around a corner behind his older brother.
"Hmph. Some Christmas this turned out to be."
Mike kept his intense stare upward, as if he didn't hear Raph's mumbling.
"Maybe he left to find Santa for us."
"Mike, don't be-"
"What if he just wanted to make us happy, and now he's in trouble because of us?"
"Don't play 'what if' games with yourself."
"I thought I wanted crayons more than anything in the world, but now I just want him. He's my...father," the youngest turtle burst into tears at the last word and fell to his knees. There, he curled up and sobbed. Raph's 'tough guy' scowl faded and he looked on in concern.
"It'll be okay Mike. You'll see. He'll come back with Santa and your crayons," he helped Michaelangelo up and grasped him in a hug," and it'll go back to the way it was."
Mike uncurled his arms from Raphael and looked deeply into his eyes," Promise?"
"Hey, I've never let you down before!" Mike sniffled at this," Remember when you dared me to throw Leo's scarf in the drain? What happened?"
His brother grinned despite a few jerks from hiccups," You not only threw it, but flushed it!"
"Yeah, he almost when berserk on my a-...butt."
Mike didn't seem to notice his near slip of a naughty word. The kid had a remarkable memory when it came to tattle telling. His laughter was like music to his ears while also springing the weighty sorrow from his rarely crushed heart. Then, he suddenly stopped his fit of giggles.
"Raph, you're not going to leave me too, are you?"
"What? No! Why would you think that? Somebody's got to watch over the 'fraidy cat!" he returned to his spot against the wall. Mike followed him, as if craving the warmth.
"Please stay."
Within moments, his small head rested heavily on Raphael's shoulder, fast asleep.
*~Reviews are the only payment a fanfiction writer receives. Please make a donation! =0)
Splinter chuckled softly somewhere in the depths of his throat and scooted closer to the bars.
"Yes, the ability to talk is well, but using it correctly is a far greater talent."
Michelle slowly slid out of her chair as if numbness overwhelmed her gradually from bottom to top. She dropped to her knees on the hard floor and starred wide eyed at him, swirling dizzily with horror and curiosity. But which of the two emotions would conquer? Splinter sincerely hoped the latter, for both of their sakes. Amusement tugged the fine wrinkles bordering his winking chocolate eyes, and his cheeks plumped into a wide grin.
"I see I have rendered you incapable of your own talents," then his smile faded as a shadow seemed to pass over him," But while your ears and mind are open, hear this: you must help me escape. My sons will not be able to fend for themselves long. Although they are strong, a young mind limits them. Will you help me?"
Michelle Swanson swallowed hard and slowly gained control of herself. For a moment, her lips refused to move, but his seemingly genuine proposal urged her on.
"I-I could try."
"There is no try, my new friend, only do. Failure of one's trust in himself will betray him. But either way, we have little choice. We must make haste."
Michelle stood and searched her pockets for the keys. Finally, a reassuring jingle sounded as she brought them out.
"Then consider it done," she smiled and slid the key in with a jerk to the right. The lock snapped and clattered to the floor while Splinter eased the door open. He stepped out and extended his spine to its full length, amounting to a height barely to her waist.
"This will not soon be forgotten. You are very honorable, my friend."
He extended his light and bony hand. She glanced at it with a flicker of hesitation. Eventually, she did the same. He grasped her hand, but did not shake it. Instead, he gave a deep bow. The assistant erupted into a shy smile again and bowed as well, though awkwardly.
"A friend in need, is a friend indeed," she countered. That rat gave another raspy chuckle and released his surprisingly firm grip.
"I'm coming with you," she suddenly blurted. Splinter considered this for a moment as his tail curled around him, and he tapped his claws delicately on his chin.
"I'm afraid I can't allow it. You are already in danger for simply knowing I exist and that there are more of my kind."
"It's okay, really. This is," she stammered for the word," incredible. I'm actually have a conversation with a ra-..a uh..a-a miracle, actually."
He sensed her politeness to refrain from saying 'rat' as if it were an insult," One must learn to accept himself. I was not always in this form."
"Fascinating," the word escaped her lips like a light breeze. She leaned forward towards him, but he looked away.
"I must go."
"At least let me give you a lift. You'll also need help getting past the security cameras."
"If you are truly sincere, I will accept your proposal."
"Yes, I am," she nodded.
Not only did the rat astonish her with his outward appearance, but his very essence and being softly whispered to her curiosities. Was it possible that something fantastical had occurred and this rat had actually lived a conscious, human-like life with his sons? The invisible whispering affirmed her, but there was more to it. Something more complex and terrorizing lurked in the shadows of his revealings. After all, he hadn't always been in that form.
Splinter noticed her studying him, and he smiled warmly with understanding," Then let us take our leave."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Leo? Can we stop here?"
Leonardo stopped sloshing through the water and glanced backward at Mike. A checkered beam shined down and reflected off his small form as if he was some heavenly visitor. Michaelangelo returned the pleading gaze until he looked at the grate opening just above him.
"We can't stay long, Mikey. It's too drafty right here," Don said.
"Yeah, and what about Master Splinter? He might be in trouble!" Leo added.
"What if he's up there? In their world?" Mike looked up again. The bottom of some finely crafted shoes stepped across it, causing a shadow to slink over him. Fear cork-screwed down his spine.
"Nah, Splinter can take care of himself. I think we're doin' this for nothing," Raph leaned against the rusty wall and slid into sitting position.
"How can you say that?!"
"Don't you trust him?"
Leo shut his agape mouth and glared back.
"Fine. We'll split up. Common Donny."
Donatello gave them one last sorrowful look until he disappeared around a corner behind his older brother.
"Hmph. Some Christmas this turned out to be."
Mike kept his intense stare upward, as if he didn't hear Raph's mumbling.
"Maybe he left to find Santa for us."
"Mike, don't be-"
"What if he just wanted to make us happy, and now he's in trouble because of us?"
"Don't play 'what if' games with yourself."
"I thought I wanted crayons more than anything in the world, but now I just want him. He's my...father," the youngest turtle burst into tears at the last word and fell to his knees. There, he curled up and sobbed. Raph's 'tough guy' scowl faded and he looked on in concern.
"It'll be okay Mike. You'll see. He'll come back with Santa and your crayons," he helped Michaelangelo up and grasped him in a hug," and it'll go back to the way it was."
Mike uncurled his arms from Raphael and looked deeply into his eyes," Promise?"
"Hey, I've never let you down before!" Mike sniffled at this," Remember when you dared me to throw Leo's scarf in the drain? What happened?"
His brother grinned despite a few jerks from hiccups," You not only threw it, but flushed it!"
"Yeah, he almost when berserk on my a-...butt."
Mike didn't seem to notice his near slip of a naughty word. The kid had a remarkable memory when it came to tattle telling. His laughter was like music to his ears while also springing the weighty sorrow from his rarely crushed heart. Then, he suddenly stopped his fit of giggles.
"Raph, you're not going to leave me too, are you?"
"What? No! Why would you think that? Somebody's got to watch over the 'fraidy cat!" he returned to his spot against the wall. Mike followed him, as if craving the warmth.
"Please stay."
Within moments, his small head rested heavily on Raphael's shoulder, fast asleep.
*~Reviews are the only payment a fanfiction writer receives. Please make a donation! =0)