Radical Transformation
Leo sat up soundlessly as his two brothers slept silently to the side of him. Donnie was in the middle this time, but Leo hadn't lent on his brother as he had done to him the previous night, and Raph had rolled off the sheets onto his stomach far from Donnie, except that Donnie had obviously moved and now lay on Raph's outstretched arm. That was going to be numb when he woke.
Leo smiled. It was early in the morning, judging from how tired he felt. He wasn't THAT tired, but more so that when he usually got up. He didn't know why he had awoken so early, but now that he was awake, he wanted to use this time to think. To think about the path he and his brothers were now walking down at this minute in their life.
Leo stretched, and got up, changing only his shorts that he slept in. He left his grey shirt on, and pulled on a pair of trainers, though whose they were he didn't know. They had all come upstairs yesterday with their sneakers on. Except Mikey, who was still sleeping on the couch. He said it was more comfortable than the floor, but they all knew that Mikey rolled around too much in his sleep, and wanted to sleep by himself. His brothers didn't argue; they had all been crushed by Mikey some time before.
Tiptoeing to the door, Leo opened it quietly, glanced back at his brothers sleeping (Donnie had now rolled over completely, burring Raph's arm), and slipped out the room, shutting it gently behind him. He made his way down the stairs, and into the room, where Mikey was half on the floor. His top half was on the floor, while his legs were on the couch. He seemed comfortable, so Leo left him, and walked over to the kitchen window where he climbed out. It was easier this way, he wouldn't have to unlock the front door, lock it again and take a key with him. He just hoped no one would get up before he gets back and close the window.
As he climbed out onto the roof, a gust of cool, fresh wind blew around him, ruffling his already messy hair, and making his bandanna tails flick over his shoulder. Leo walked out, past a set of thin, metal stairs running to the root's fire exit, and to the open bit of the roof. He sat down at the edge, letting his feet dangle. Most people would find this dangerous or too nerving to be this close; but Leo found it relaxing. He could now watch the sun rise higher, as it was only just peaking above the buildings of New York, creating a beautiful amber glow around it. Leo sighed, and let the thoughts he had kept until now let loose in his head. He had kept them back because he had been having too much fun and been busy with school. But they were distractions now. Putting him and his brothers off when they were meant to be searching for this man. Leo knew he was out there. It was a feeling. This, and some other thoughts floated through his head, each one being thought about for a few minutes, then pushed aside for the others to be heard.
He stayed there for a long while, not realising what time it was. But it couldn't be late because he was still keeping an eye on the position of the sun, and it wasn't high enough. Splinter may be getting up soon, but his brothers would still be asleep for another hour. Leo took a break from his thoughts, and looked down at the streets and roads miles ahead of him. He watched a few early people walking to work, or going to the shops. Leo's eyes fell on a manhole in the alley just before him. It was a manhole that he and his brothers used to use frequently. But he noticed that there was no more blocks around it, signalling work being done. He looked back up to the buildings in front of him. He supposed after two weeks they should have finished whatever pipeline work they were doing. But that didn't mean their home had been left alone as well.
Leo sighed. We will have to find another home, yet again, he thought. But just how long will they have to keep running to protect themselves? What if that home was discovered, and the one after that? But being human, they didn't have to hide from humans. And they couldn't stay here with April, if they never changed back. They were too much for her. Four teenage boys, Ninjas at that in one apartment. It was amazing they hadn't already torn up the place be accident. Leo smiled. His brothers could get carried away and not realise.
His thoughts drifted off to his new school, one that they should be leaving soon, telling the lie that they would be returning to LA. Leo suddenly felt something, and realised it was guilt. Guilty that he, and his brothers had befriended people at school, and would be leaving them with only a lie. And a pang of loneliness when he realised he would no longer see any of them again. Prida popped into his mind, and his eyebrows turned down slightly. They had become really good friends to her, and she to them. She had been kind, considerate, but had done one bad thing: Gotten too far into Leo's heart, and his brothers'. The pang inside him was now sadness. He knew this would happen, he was angry for letting it happen, even though he was the voice who said no to himself and his brother about making friends. Prida seemed to have adopted them, and was, what Leo could now call, best friends with Raph. She would be devastated when they finally had to leave. Leo had seen the look in her eyes at that day with the fire incident. She knew they had to leave, and she had looked so sad. Leo knew, however much she was like Mikey, that when they leave, it would be the hardest thing for her to accept and recover from . . .
Glancing at the sun one last time, Leo got up, and just stood and stared at the city for a few seconds. It was a shame they hadn't been allowed this freedom before now. Hadn't been allowed to check out the city – their own home. Leo turned away and walked back to the window, feeling somewhat better since he had been able think about a few things that had been on his mind. But he would not feel completely better until all of this was cleared, and if possible, have their old home back.
The window was still open, and Leo slipped through it and onto the kitchen tiles. He noticed Mikey had completely fallen off the couch, but had not woken up. Leo smiled at his brother, and tucked the sheets back over him. Mikey moaned, but still did not wake. He could sleep all day and night if allowed.
It was about this time that Splinter wakes, and sure enough, as soon as these thoughts entered Leo's head, his Master appeared suddenly in front of him, smiling. Leo bowed respectfully, and smiled back.
"Good morning, Master Splinter."
"Morning, Leonardo."
Leo walked into the kitchen as Splinter was sitting down, and started to boil the kettle. He knew Splinter would have one, as he does every morning. He realised that Splinter had known it was him, and not one of his brothers. He looked down. Yes, he still had his grey shirt on, which meant he was indistinguishable from his brothers. Leo smiled. His Master could tell them apart not just by the aid of colours. Just like Prida, who had grown to recognise them instantly apart from each other. Leo still found that pretty amazing for her to learn so quickly.
At eight O'clock, everyone was up and sitting in the room, either on the couch, the floor, or the kitchen counter. All supplied with a cup of tea, thanks to Leo. It was one of those rare mornings were Leo's brothers actually got out of bed earlier than usual, and congregated peacefully downstairs. At the minute, Leo had raised one of the topics he was thinking about for them to discuss: Friends.
"So, whose got how many so far?" April asked, smiling. She, at least, was making a game out of this. Who could get the most friends first.
"Well, I think Mikey and Donnie have without realising it," Leo smiled as his brothers frowned. "Well, I've heard quite a few people talking about the smart quadruplet, and if he would teach them how to understand this and that."
Donnie went red, and mumbled something.
"And Mikey, who everyone laughs at around school because he's the joker." Leo no longer felt angry at them for making a show. He realised how much making friends was to them, and how proud they felt to be fitting in and HAVE friends. His brothers felt genuinely happy, and that made Leo happy.
"What about yourself?" April asked putting her mug down on the kitchen counter and folding her arms. She was still in her white, bathrobe, as were Leo's brothers still in their nightclothes.
Leo didn't answer straight away. Truth was, he had made no separate friends, but Prida. His thoughts rested on Roxanne, but he only spoke with her once or twice . . . though she did smile at him in the corridor whenever they walk by.
"Just Prida, who seems to have adopted us," Leo said softly, chuckling.
"She's a nice girl," April nodded. "I fell bad to have left so quickly that day. Didn't get to know her that well."
Leo looked guiltily at Splinter, who was sat in his armchair, smiling. He still felt bad about shutting Splinter away.
Splinter seemed to know what his son was thinking when his eyes shifted to himself.
"It is quite alright, my son." He smiled knowingly.
At these words, the other three relaxed too. They had all felt bad about it. Mikey smiled, looking comfortable in his position on the couch. His legs were crossed over Donnie and Raph, who was rubbing and flexing a numb arm, just as Leo predicted.
Their little chit-chat had carried on for a while, and now April looked at the clock and straightened up from leaning on the counter.
"Ok guys, you should get ready for school," she smiled, and they looked at her. "I always wanted to say that, sounds so . . . normal."
Yes, it did, Leo thought as he (only half dressed) walked upstairs to dress fully.
()()()()
All through school, Leo was quieter than he usually was. He watched his brothers bond, laugh, share jokes and stories with their friends. All the time, Leo felt happy for them, and happy himself that his brothers were. Mikey DID seem popular, probably the most out of his brothers. Unknown people came up to him, and within a few minutes he had them laughing or smiling. Donnie was attracting his own crowd as people talked to him. One girl who had had once talked to before, seemed to bond with him immediately after both first classes of the day. Her name was Amba Jasins, and, although Donnie was somewhat shy around some people, he was making conversation as happy as Mikey was. Leo noticed that Raph did not attract fans, but kept to himself, only allowing Prida to hang with him, who seemed to lighten his spirit and make him laugh just as much as Mikey could. Prida, in Leo's mind, was some sort of super-girl for doing this. Never had he seen Raph bond with a girl and a human at that. She made him happy, with was odd to see. Every class Raph had with Prida, they were together. At lunchtime, at break, they would be seen in the company of each other. Leo noticed how Raph seemed to need Prida's good nature and happy attitude to be a normal, happy guy. Just as Prida seem to know she HAD to make him happy. Leo could neither say he was glad about all this, or he was regretting being human. So many good things came with it, also accompanied by bad things that just might tear his brothers up. And the hope of these friends seeing and accepting them in turtle form was very dim. This being one reason Leo was not happy. His brothers would be just as upset as their friends . . . But how many times had he been through all of this in his head? Too many . . . he needed to chill, and perhaps take Mikey's advice and make the most of the friends there was to offer.
First class of the day was Maths. And in Maths, Leo was with Prida, who, for the first time, had asked to sit with him. She usually sat with another friends, though Leo could tell they didn't talk much and only spoke out of politeness.
So, throughout this class, Leo either spoke to, or listened to Prida, and there was a long silence when their teacher explained something on the board.
He didn't know how he got into it, but he was discussing his brothers with Prida, and found out, by the way she talked, that she really did see them all as her best friends. Though she didn't SAY that, Leo could tell. But what really interested Leo, was-
"How did you come to make such good friends with Raph?" Leo asked scribbling down some notes the teacher had just put on the board and sat back down at the desk. "I mean, he's so surly and doesn't make good friends with anyone. The only one to make him laugh more than twice a month is Mikey."
Prida chuckled softly, looking at what she was writing. Leo glanced at her.
"I dunno . . ." she said, smiling, her eyes slightly unfocussed. "I guess he just saw in me what others didn't, and me the same . . . along with the rest of you . . ." She looked at Leo, in the eyes. "There just seems to be something important and remarkable about you all . . ."
Leo hid his sudden nervousness, by looking away. But before he did, he gazed deep into her purple eyes for a split second. Something in them made Leo feel . . . different. Like she could strip away his human form with those eyes and see what he really is like underneath. She was a smart girl, and there had been too many slip-ups in front of her. But, what would she react like if she did know. She was understanding . . . she would understand . . . but Splinter would not approve if they just came out with it to her . . . and face it, she wouldn't believe them anyway . . . or would she? No. Leo was firm, no he would not tell her, no matter how close she was to their hearts. It could cause damage to her and to them. Why did he even ask himself that anyway? He knew their rules about letting humans know about them. No, it was just the way it had to be . . .
After that class, they both had PE Theory and walked there together, meeting Raph on the way, who was walking Mikey to his class. Raph had just been in to see this picture Mikey was so proud of, and out again. Leo was slightly surprised to see him smiling about it, and to hear him speaking so fondly of his artist of a brother. He never actually realised how happy his brothers seemed in school, no matter how much Mikey and Raph complained about homework.
Today in PE Theory they were writing down all the muscle names in the upper arms and the legs. Leo kept his head down most of the time and listened to teacher talk. He was sat next to Raph, who was next to Prida, who was next to Roxanne, who smiled to Leo and put her head down. Boys and girls were always mixed in PE Theory. Occasionally Prida would point out a mistake on one of Raph's papers, or note how neat Leo's work was. Leo smiled, and only spoke once in the entire class.
That class ended half an hour later, much quicker than Leo realised. The time went as quick as it did when he was on the rooftop this morning. Before he knew it, break had ended, what seemed like only a few minutes after he had met his other two brothers, Donnie, who had been in the company of Tyson and Amba, both seemed to have been introduced by Donnie; and Mikey was with TJ, who had been off ill for a few days, and Matt hill, with his brother Owen. They were all crowded around the lockers, which seemed to be their official meeting place now.
Third class was English, and they had started to read something called –
"MacBeth?" Mikey picked up the playbook as someone handed them out.
Donnie rubbed his hands together, smiling. "Oh cool!"
His brothers, Prida, and some other people turned to look at him, frowning. He shrugged.
MacBeth turned out to be something a little difficult to followed if not paid enough attention. So of course Raph and Mikey were frowning by the end of the class, talking to themselves about what the hell it all meant.
Chemistry was next, and before Prida disappeared into her class, they told her jokingly, not to go to the library. She walked din laughing, finding Tyson watching her. She smiled at him, and deliberately turned and sat with her back facing him. She liked him, but she was sure he kept looking at her for a reason. She hadn't really been aware how much half the guys in the year, and a few in different years looked at her. Maybe it was the red hair? Surely people couldn't see her purple eyes at a distance. She shrugged these off, and chatted to Bonnie Sukes, who she had gotten to know a bit more this year. She thought about this . . . ever since the guys had come to this school, she had seemed better off . . . she had made friends with not just them but with quite a few people, who she met, through them. They attracted quite a bit, and she made friends with some. Yet, that is what they would leave her when they left . . . friends in place of friends . . . but she knew no one could replace them . . .
Lunchtime seemed to zoom by, Leo noticed. And even Mikey kept saying how fast everything was going. He kept going on about this dance, disco, thing that was coming up, and was even talking about it while they were all eating in the canteen to TJ. Donnie was taking to Tyson also, about the disco. Leo watched as Prida discussed it with Matt, and he and Raph were the only ones listening and not talking.
Lunch ended very quickly, and in what seemed like seconds, afternoon registration was over. Leo and his brothers were walking to RE when they saw two policemen up ahead in the corridor. They frowned at each other, and were about to ask what they were doing here when Tyson pulled Donnie to the side to introduce him to this girl. Being the shy type, Donnie looked to Leo for help, but he was too busy trying to keep out of eye of the cops. He had a feeling they were here for a reason, and the reason was them. One of the cops looked familiar.
Luckily Mikey saw Donnie, and quickly helped him out while Leo and Raph, aware of their brothers behind them, were still walking with their eyes on the cops. They looked sidelong to each other, and whirled around as they heard a shout behind them.
It was Tooks. He had shouted, "Dad!"
Leo and Raph frowned at him, but Tooks was smiling. Leo and Raph turned to get to their class, but they found the two cops right in front of them.
"These?" One of the cops said to the other, who had the familiar appearance.
"Nah," the other said, looking at the nervous Leo and Raph, who hadn't dared to move. They noticed the corridors were clearing. "The ones I saw were exactly the same . . . and there were four of them . . . These are just twins . . ."
The two cops moved on, not even saying sorry for the bother. Leo and Raph gulped and stared.
"Okay, we should . . . just move quickly," Raph said, eyeing the two cops. But he spotted Tooks, who had been distracted, the only reason why he hadn't jumped in when the cops had said they were twins. Tooks would have said they WERE four, but he was glad he didn't. Now, when he saw what the distraction was, he wasn't happy. Raph, with Leo wondering where he was going, stormed up to Tooks, who didn't see him. He was, obviously, harassing Prida. But before Raph got to them, Tooks' friends called him over for their next class, or not by the direction they were going, and Tooks said one last thing to his captive before trotting over to them. Prida was left rubbing her arm where he had grasped it.
"Hey, you okay?" Leo asked as they got to her.
She looked up quickly. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"C'mon, let's get to class quickly," Raph said, searching the crowd of people for the cops, who seemed to have disappeared.
They made it to next class, and found Mikey and Donnie already in there.
"What did the police want?" Donnie quickly asked as they sat down in RE. Prida listened but made it look like she was concentrating on the teacher.
Leo quickly told Mikey and Donnie what he had already guessed from that little experience.
"They were obviously looking for us," Leo explained. "Because I think they are looking for four identical boys. Tooks called his dad over because he thought that his dad would recognise us . . . but he thought me and Raph were just twins, and Tooks was busy with –" he glanced at Prida, who kept her eyes on her paper now. "- things and didn't say anything. But, I knew that cop was familiar; he was the one we had to knock out to get Splinter out of the sewers . . . remember? And now they're in this school looking for us . . ."
His brothers all wore the same worried expression.
"I bet they've already been through other schools," Donnie said. "Just skimming through the kids, and asking if they could look for a few suspects . . . they would have just asked the principle to search for us four without saying we're quadruplets."
Leo nodded. "This is getting too tricky, staying here . . . we're on the wanted list of too many people, and we've shown too many clues. We have to double our searches at night to find this man if we're gunna change back . . . I just hope he might be able to use his powers to give us our home back . . ."
Prida frowned ever so slightly. She didn't want them seeing her listening, so she kept her eyes on the board, on which the teacher was writing something. But she shifted her eyes to their faces, and saw . . . fear, was that? Definitely nervousness . . . What were they afraid of? And what did they mean, change back?
The last class of the day was Graphics for Leo and Donnie, cooking for Mikey, and Woodwork for Raph and Prida, who kept glancing at Raph's pensive and troubled face.
They were leaving the RE room, and before they did, they checked the corridors, and Leo said they should walk in pairs, one pair a few paces behind the other in case the cops see them, and they can have time to hide themselves. The reason Leo put them in pairs (with Prida wondering what the hell they were doing) was clear a few seconds later. Leo and Raph walked in front of Donnie and Mikey, and they were just rounding the corner to the tech rooms when the cops walked up behind Donnie and Mikey.
"S'cuse me sons," one of them said, walking in front of the two bros and blocking their path.
"Oh, oops, sorry, got you two again didn't we?" The other said, looking at their slightly nervous faces.
Leo and Raph had pressed their backs against the wall just around from them, trying to listen while hoping that the cops didn't come round and see them.
The two cops walked back where they came from down the corridor, muttering," keep bumping into those twins, coulda sworn their shirt and bandanna colours were slightly different . . . musta bin the light . ."
Donnie and Mikey looked at each other, then dashed around the corner right into Leo and Raph who were doing the same. They ended up on the floor, Prida giggling.
"Ouch – what did they say?" Leo asked, picking himself up, and helping Mikey who had landed funny.
"They thought they'd seen us somewhere else," Mikey said.
Leo smiled. "I hoped it would work. They saw me and Raph, and police are meant to pick up little details quickly, or so they say, and since you and Donnie were together, it looked like me and Raph, purple and blue, red and orange, look the same in some lights . . . So they thought they were seeing me and Raph again . . ." Leo finished smiling proudly.
Donnie smiled. That was pretty good thinking.
"Are you guys in trouble with the police?"
They all turned to face Prida, who didn't quite look as bothered as she should have been if her friends were criminals.
"Well . . ." Leo said, glancing at his brothers.
"It's a wrong accusation," Donnie said slowly.
"We're not really the bad guys," Mikey said just as slow.
"They think we did something we didn't do," Raph lied, making it a bit easier for her.
Prida tilted her head slightly, studying their faces. She didn't believe that, but she knew that they hadn't done anything bad . . . maybe just got accused more seriously than they should have. But she didn't like them lying to her . . . but maybe it was because she might not understand, they thought. Prida shrugged.
"Oh . . . Okay," she said, slowly. She glanced about the empty corridors. "Um, we're late."
They glanced about too, and, all at once, legged it down the corridor. Mikey's room was closest, and they could hear him saying sorry as he went in. Next Raph and Prida, who both tried to run through the door at the same time and crushed themselves in the doorway. They pulled back, waiting for the other to go first, embarrassed. Leo and Donnie grinned as they heard the teacher calling for them to get in the room, and a few seconds later rounded the corner and bust into their own room, taking their seat and sighing, relieved, as the teacher came into the room from another door a second after they sat down. They smiled at each other.
()()()()
"Man, it's cold," Mikey said, hugging his arms and watching his breath rise in front of him and disappear into the dark night air.
"Stop complaining," Raph said. "If it's not pizza you're complaining about it's something else."
It was late at night, after school, which had finished hours ago. The guys were on their late night patrol, and it wasn't a nice night. The cool air was harsh against their cheeks, and it was damp. They had taken to patrolling an alleyway, one that they had fought many punk kids down.
"I have to complain about pizza!" Mikey said, as though it was a very important thing to do. "I mean, I can only eat school pizza 'cause you guys wont lemme order out."
"Will you guys quit arguing," Leo said, frowning a little in irritation. "We're meant to be on patrol, and the whole idea is to keep quiet and see what comes our way, without it being driven off by you two yapping."
Raph and Mikey looked at each other and shrugged. Donnie just smiled, and readjusted his belt strap. It kept loosening because of his thin waist. Though the only meat there was his muscle.
They heeded Leo's nagging to be quiet, and sure enough, the absence of the chitchat enticed some welcome fighting. It was the Foot. Only a few members, but enough to let the guys take out their built up energy that had been begging to be let loose.
"Ah, some Foot butt to kick!" Raph said, sounding very happy. He rested a hand on his Sais, but didn't think he'd need them. "The last time we saw the likes of you, we weren't like this!"
Leo readied himself, and ran his brother's word through his head. They did not at all sound angry, which surprised Leo. He didn't have time to think anymore, because the four Foot members ran to meet them, and they were all locked in battle a few seconds later.
A few seconds after the few seconds, the guys realised that these Foot soldiers were not the weak, inexperienced young men that they were used to; but were strong, skilled (almost as they were) fighters, and were putting up a good fight. However surprised the guys were, this was better as it was a good challenge, until Donnie was thrown painfully hard into a dumpster, hitting it on the corner edge.
"These guys're –" Raph tried to call out, but he was whacked in the face as another Foot member joined the two he had gathered. One of them was Donnie's fighter, and another appeared out of nowhere, now making it five Foot altogether. Raph was mad now. He tasted blood, which meant he had been sliced on the cheek. But because of his rage, he won over two of them, and they fell to the ground, barely conscious. He turned to the last one.
Leo whirled as he sensed another right behind him. He ducked as the Foot member swung a Katana, slicing the other Leo had been battling, over the chest. That Ninja stumbled back, hand on the wound, as Leo downed the other. Then he turned to face the recovering Ninja, and knocked him out. He then rushed to Donnie's aid, who was having a slightly harder time keeping the enemy at bay because of the pain that shot through his side every time he put weight on his left foot. Leo noticed Mikey and Raph together clearing their two enemies together.
Donnie's opponent was soon downed, and had cleared off, along with a few others that were smart enough to disappear. Leo noticed that the Ninja he knocked unconscious was gone as well.
Mikey and Raph joined Leo and Donnie, who was leaning on Leo for support.
"You okay?" Mikey asked him. He nodded and winced.
"Those guys were . . . a lot more skilled," Raph said, breathing heavy. Looks like he had needed his Sais after all.
"Good job we didn't encounter the whole clan, innit?" Donnie smiled.
Mikey went to pick up one of his Nunchucks that he had dropped in battle. He shoved it in his belt after adjusting it.
"Who do you think gives the orders for that lot?" He asked, walking back to his brothers, looking about the alleyway.
"I don't know," Leo said. "Tatsu? Another Foot member who made himself leader?"
"Shredder's dead, why are they still fighting?" Mikey asked, frowning. "I mean, the whole reason they were against us was because we are Master Splinter's students . . . and . . ."
"The Foot are obviously reprisal," Leo said. "Their Master is dead, and they want us, who are responsible, also dead."
Mikey said nothing, but kept his eyes on his brother.
"C'mon, let's get Donnie home," Leo said, and they all began to make their way slowly home, where, once they were settled in nicely, they let Donnie take the couch for the night, and Leo, Raph and Mikey retreated upstairs where they collapsed without changing their clothes, not realising how much that battled had taken out of them.
The last thoughts ran though Leo's head before his body shut down. It was a good job there were no more of those Foot members. Though me and my brothers are better, and always will be, than the Foot, we've still had forgotten injuries that could threaten our success in battles like that. Mikey's foot, which I noticed was playing up; Raph's leg, which I know he still limps on; Donnie's arm, now I know why he hasn't been lifting or playing with any new contraptions . . . Me . . . ? I only had a hit on the head two weeks ago . . . but there is a wound that might stop me . . . that is, if we don't find that man, and recover our turtle bodies . . . With these thoughts, Leo fell asleep.
Thanks for the reviews, SFAM and mure coming soon! (just for a note: I know I should have put this in way before now, but you pronounce Prida's name Pree-da. Just in case ;) lol, but I bet ur smart enough to know anyway)