Dimensional Adventure
(6 MONTHS LATER)
Waves splashed against the sharp rocks below Kida's feet, lightly spraying her face with cold, fresh water. Sunlight shone down on the blue water, reflecting its shadows and sparkles. Kida breathed in the summer air, holding her breath as she dived over the rocks and into the cool water.
In the dimensional world, the water felt different, warmer even. As if it was designed to the right temperature that the swimmer liked it. That was, of course, until Theo did a belly flop next to her and the water suddenly turned freezing cold.
"Jesus, Theo!!" Kida gasped, swimming up to him. "It's freezing!"
"I like it cold!" Theo grinned, splashing her face.
"Well, I want it warm!" Kida argued, kicking her feet to stay up.
"Cold!"
"Warm!"
"Cold!"
"No!" Kida protested, pressing her hands into the water. "Warm!" A red orb glowed in her hands, and she let it go. Seconds later the water was at a hotter temperature.
Theo frowned. "That's not fair", he said. "You used your power!"
Kida smiled evilly. "So? You're lucky I didn't blast you outta the water!" Kida frowned, then added, "And I hope you're wearing something!!"
"I've got long trunks on, stupid!" he said, shocked.
"Fine, I'm out anyway", Kida said deadpan, swimming over to the shore.
"But you've only just come in!" Theo protested. "And you've changed the water temperature! Can't you change it back?"
But Kida was already out of the water and disappearing before his eyes. Theo frowned. This wasn't the Kida he was used to. What happened to the fun- loving girl he knew? The one who didn't normally care that the water was cold? Theo had tried over the past months to get closer to his friend, but his efforts seemed to be blocked out. Kida was blocking everything out, and Theo knew precisely why.
()()()()()()()()
As the sun lowered itself below the New York buildings, Mikey sighed. He watched the last streak of yellow sink, leaving behind oranges, purples, pinks, red and just the slightest hint of blue.
Blue, Mikey thought. Such a natural colour of peace and calmness
Mikey always knew that Leo was a calm person, and that was why he got the blue bandanna. But one thing nagged him, and that was why Kida wasn't like his brother in blue. For some reason Mikey tried to connect Kida's eyes with Leo's bandanna colour. Crazy, he knew, but he was always determined to figure out why Kida didn't want to see them any more.
Splinter had always explained to him. What she had been through, her physical scars and emotional ones, her past being brought up again. But it wasn't as though that was Mikey's fault.
6 months on and Mikey still felt the need to see Kida again. To see her when she had smiled that small smile at him, or looked determined instead of angry. Instead of Leo, she was more like Raph in her own way. But surely she couldn't forget about the guys just like that? Those first few months were hard for Mikey and his brothers, shouldn't Kida had gone through the same phase?
A distance behind Mikey, Raph shook his head. His brother was always sitting on the same rooftop, no doubt thinking about Kida. Raph's eye ridges tilted downwards. If he could get over not seeing Kida then so could Mikey. So what, Raph always told himself. She was the one who didn't want to see us, not the other way around, why should we feel guilty?
But in a way, it was their fault. If they hadn't had accepted her help in the first place, she wouldn't have been injured, bruised, emotionally hurt, and worse of all, Tiran wouldn't have been dead.
Raph growled quietly. It wasn't like Kida was thinking about them, so why should he think about her? They never saw eye to eye, and he had never liked her anyway.
()()()()()()()()
"Stupid Theo", Kida said quietly, as she changed into her navy jeans and green t-shirt. He always got to her, and she hated it. Kida roughly plaited her hair, pulled on some trainers and ran back outside, hopping onto a train and getting off when it reached her favourite spot.
The ocean was now below her, and Kida sat on the grassy cliff and watched the rest of the sun settle into its bed, and the water go from its clear blue to dark. A few stars rested above her, and Kida focused her eyes straight ahead, watching the last strip of orange settle.
"Thought I'd find you here", a voice said behind her.
"Sod off, Theo, I'm not in the mood", Kida snapped.
Theo sat down beside her, resting his arms on his knees and looking in the direction of the ocean. Kida turned her head and saw that he had changed out of his trunks and into a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. His green bandanna remained on his head. Kida shook her head. Not that he ever took it off.
"You miss them, don't you?" he asked, turning to face her.
Kida opened her mouth to protest, but then she just closed it and looked back at him. Her eyes dared him to go on, as if saying, "You say anything else and I WILL blast you into the ocean".
"Fine, don't talk to your best friend about it!" he snapped, narrowing his eyes.
"You don't have to snap at me!" Kida yelled.
"Arguing seems the only way to get you to listen to me!" Theo shouted, and Kida moved her head back in shock. "I mean it, Kida! These past months have been torture; I've about given up. It's as if you hate me. And I can't say that I like you lately, since you've been so aggressive with me".
"But I –"
"You have", Theo said, his eyes softening. "You know you have. It's because of the guys. Donnie, Leo, Mikey, and Raph – you want to see them all. So you're taking your frustration out on me. I do have a brain. I can tell, ya know".
"Look!" Kida snapped, raising her hand. "That is not true!" A small orb started to glow in her hand, but Theo stood his ground.
"You can get rid of that!" he yelled, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. "We're sorting this out once and for all. Keja still has your parents apartment under cover in New York, and that's where we're going!"
()()()()()()()()
The apartment was just as Kida and Keja had left it when they were last there. But this time Kida wasn't stuck with a grown-up; she was stuck with Theo. Her heart was pounding in her chest, from being back in her parent's home and the excitement and nerves of seeing the turtles again.
"Theo, I said I didn't want to see them again!" Kida protested, pulling her suitcase inside the door. "And talking Keja into letting us stay here for 3 weeks is ridiculous!"
"Put it this way", Theo said, dragging his suitcase inside. "You get to see the guys again, and you know we both want to. 3 weeks doing nothing like exercises and practice lessons with Keja to control your power. And now that we're here, maybe you'll start being a bit more nicer towards me".
Kida paused in the living room as Theo closed the apartment door and locked it. "I – er – I know I haven't been exactly nice towards you", she said quietly, and Theo looked up at her. "And, well – I – I guess I'm trying to say . . . sorry . . ."
"Excuse me?" Theo said, grinning. "Can I hear that again? Did Mrs Raphael- sound-alike just apologise to me? After the pain and suffering I have been dragged through? For 6 months, I might add".
"Don't joke", Kida said seriously, blinking back the guilt that wanted to escape her body in tears. "I'm being serious. It's hard enough with you thinking this is a game".
Theo smiled and grabbed Kida in a hug. Sobs escaped her throat and she buried her face in his shoulder, her arms wrapped around his waist.
"They'll never forgive me for what I did", she whispered.
Theo pulled away from her and held her shoulders. "They will", he promised. "The guys understood what you went through. If I can forgive you for your snappiness then they can forgive you for your words, ok?"
Kida nodded, not entirely assured. "I'm going for a shower", she said, letting go of Theo's waist. "I'm sorry for everything".
Theo shook his head and pushed her lightly towards the bathroom door. "Clear off", he ordered, smiling. "I'll clear away the stuff and set up the sofa".
"Don't be stupid", Kida yelled from inside the bathroom. "You can sleep in my parents' room. That's where Keja always slept".
"Oh, the sofa's not for me!" Theo shouted back. "I'm the guest. I'm sleeping in your room! YOU'RE the one who's on the SOFA!"
"WHAT?!?"
()()()()()()()()
When Kida emerged from the shower, Theo was in the kitchen, cooking a fry- up.
"You do know it's midnight, right?" she asked, sitting on a stool that was near the counter.
Theo smiled. "You do know that what you're wearing aren't really pyjamas, right?" he mimicked, poking her grey t-shirt and shorts with a fork. "Besides, it's not as though we have to wake up early tomorrow, and I'm hungry".
"Firstly, I always wear these for bed", Kida replied. "Secondly, you're always hungry, and thirdly, I am NOT sleeping on the sofa!"
"Head to tail it is then", Theo grinned, topping up a plate with bacon, egg, tomato, mushrooms and fried bread. "Want some?"
Kida shook her head. "I'm not hungry".
"Nerves, huh?" Theo asked, plonking down on a stool next to her.
Kida nodded, watching him dig into his very early breakfast. "Yeah, kinda"
"Don't worry", Theo grinned, showing her a mouth full of food. "I'll be with you".
"Ewww", Kida shook her head in disgust. "You are not the gentleman you used to be. I'm going to bed . . . see ya in the morning". She stood up, smiled, and walked into her bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Theo frowned, shrugged, and carried on eating.
()()()()()()()()
"Michelangelo", Splinter said firmly. "Are you taking part in this training?"
"No", Mikey said softly. "I mean –yes – I mean . . . sorry, sensei".
Splinter sighed. "Have a break, my sons", he said to Raph, Donnie and Leo, who were still practicing their fighting. "Michelangelo – you cannot let these emotions interfere with your training, or your thoughts".
"What emotions?" Mikey asked, lazily flicking through the TV channels with the remote. "I haven't got any".
Splinter smiled. "You have plenty, my son. 6 months is a long time".
Mikey nodded. "You'd think Kida would be easy to forget – but she's not".
"I don't know why you're whining, Mikey", Raph said, plonking himself down next to his brother. "Kida wanted us to leave. She said so herself. Why should we remember her when she didn't want to remember us?"
"She didn't mean what she said, Raph!" Mikey argued. "That was the hurt talking".
"She sounded positive to me", Raph said, stealing the remote off Mikey.
"Of course she did", Mikey said sarcastically. "Everyone sounds positive to you!"
"My sons", Splinter said, standing in front of them. "Please, now is not the time to be fighting. It was Kida's choice to remain distance from us, we cannot object to her choices".
"She always objected to ours", Raph mumbled, folding his arms.
()()()()()()()()
"Ready?" Theo asked, grabbing hold of Kida's arm.
"No", she said.
Theo sighed and shook his head. They were both still in Kida's living room, standing smack in the middle, just in front of the fire. It was now 12.00, not long since they had gotten up and changed. Kida was now dressed in blue cut-off jeans and a purple t-shirt, complete with sneakers. Her hair was loosely plaited back, blowing in the invisible breeze coming from her fingers. Theo had pulled on a pair of black jeans and green t-shirt, and was eager to get going.
After 5 more minutes, Theo asked again.
"Ready?"
"Erm . . . no", she replied, sighing.
"Come on!" Theo protested. "I am NOT standing here all day! Teleport us to the guys . . . NOW!"
"Pushy, pushy", Kida smiled, taking a deep breath. "Ok, ok . . . here we go".
()()()()()()()()
"What the -?!" Raph began.
"Aliens!!" Mikey shouted, jumping up onto the couch as a small glowing ball of light floated in front of the turtles and Splinter.
"What?" Leo and Donnie said together, stepping forward a little.
As the ball got brighter and bigger, Raph started to realise the familiarity. It can't be, he thought, it just can't be.
But it was.
The light slowly faded, disappearing into the hearts of Kida and Theo, who were standing right in front of Splinter.
Time stood still as the turtles froze, their mouths partly open. Theo smiled at them, happiness filling his heart as he saw his old friends. Kida heart had stopped still, and she went to grab Theo's hand, but he was already moving out of the way so that Splinter could stand near her.
"Erm . . . hi", she said nervously.
"Hello", Splinter replied softly, smiling.
"I wanted to say –," she began.
Splinter nodded. "I know".
Kida grinned, giving him a grateful hug. Mikey was the first to stand, coming over to her and touching her shoulder, as if checking that she was real. He grinned wildly, grabbing Kida in a rib-crushing hug.
Tears filled Kida's eyes as Leo and Donnie followed, giving Theo hugs as well as her. She knew, could tell, that they had forgiven her.
"I'm sorry", she managed finally, wiping her eyes.
"Cry all you want", Mikey grinned. "You've come back!"
"I meant I'm sorry for the distance, the time, my horrible attitude – everything", Kida said.
Theo nodded. "Don't I know that attitude", he said, smiling at Kida.
"What changed your mind?" Leo asked, giving her another hug.
"He did", Kida said, nodding at Theo.
"We've missed you", Donnie said.
Kida nodded and looked at Raph, the only one who had remained quiet and still throughout the last 5 minutes.
Raph stood up, his eyes cold and hard as he stared at Kida. She frowned.
"I guess now that you're back you'll leave for another 6 months", he said in a voice so low, that Kida shuddered inside. Without another word, he stomped into his room, slamming the door behind him.
"Raph –," Leo called.
"It's ok, Leo", Kida said, walking over to his bedroom. "We need to sort this out ourselves".
()()()()()()()()
When Kida walked into Raph's bedroom, he was spread out on his bed, looking at the ceiling, his hands nested by his sides. He spoke just as Kida closed the door.
"Go away", he said, his face unreadable.
Kida stood against the door, her face half hidden by shadows. "I need to talk to you first", she said, her eyes glinting in the darkness.
"Well I don't want to talk to you", Raph said.
"Can I come over?" Kida asked, taking a step forward. "Or will you cut me in half with your sais?"
"You'd just blast me with balls of light anyway", Raph replied coldly.
"I'd trade anything, even swap with you, just to be rid of these powers", Kida said, sitting on the edge of his bed, tracing an invisible pattern on the sheets.
"Yeah right", Raph said, his eyes still fixed on the ceiling.
"It's true", Kida said, looking at her hands. "These powers have done nothing but cause trouble since I've discovered them. I don't want to become lazy with all of this ability. I want to be normal".
"Well you can't swap with me, because I'm not normal", Raph said.
"Compared to me", Kida said back, "you are".
"Please", Raph snapped. "You don't look like this!"
"Like what?!" Kida snapped back, turning her body to face him. "There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with you! Just because other people think looks add up to everything, it doesn't mean I'm like that. It's kinda corny saying that it's what on the inside that counts, but it's true. One day, you'll be thankful for what you have".
"Just make your point and go", Raph said, pushing at her arm with his hand.
Kida grabbed his hand, and Raph was halfway through a, "HEY!" when she pressed her fingers against his. A small blue glow came from her fingers, and into his. Raph frowned, feeling a pins-and-needles reaction in his hand. When she pulled away, Raph felt a happy surge of power go through his fingers to his heart.
"That's my point", Kida said. "You don't have to look good to feel happy. Look at me, I don't care what I look like, I still even bare scars on my body, but I still don't care". She lifted up her t-shirt slightly to show him the scar that went across her waist, where she took a bullet to the stomach.
"So?" Raph said, one eye-ridge raised.
"So, we can get along", she replied. "Even if we are both very different. To be honest Raph, I don't think we'll ever be able get along. We're the same in emotion, sure, but we're very different in mind, soul and body. But we can at least be nice to one another, because I don't plan to leave you for 6 months, ever again".
"Great", Raph grumbled sarcastically.
Kida laughed. "It's not the start I wanted, but . . . it'll do", she said, standing up. Staring at the candle on his only piece of furniture, Kida smiled, and a flame sparked from the wick. The fire glowed all different colours of blue, aqua and purples, and Kida nodded.
"Don't forget about me", she said softly, walking out of his room.
Raph smiled slightly and shook his head. "Pft, like I could", he said quietly.
()()()()()()()()
"How did it go with Raph?" Theo asked when they got back to the apartment, just as the clock in the living room struck 7.00.
Kida followed him, closing the door and locking it. "As well as any conversation with Raph could possibly go", she replied, turning on the lights.
"You two are cool with each other though, right?" Theo asked, smiling. "I mean, you're not gonna rip out each others' throats whenever we go back down there, are you?"
Kida smiled. "Would you tell me off if I did?"
"Yes", Theo replied, grinning. "But I'd admire your bravery too".
"Yeah", Kida nodded. "I don't think having 3 turtles and a rat after me would help if I killed a relative. Maybe when they aren't looking . . ."
Theo laughed. "Raph's cool, he's just misguided . . . like you . . ."
"I'm not misguided!" Kida argued. "I'm just –"
"Miss Grumpy?" Theo asked.
Kida smiled and laughed. "Fine . . . but you love me anyway!" She gave his arm a playful thump, and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
"More than you know", Theo whispered seriously, his piercing green eyes locked onto the bathroom door.
()()()()()()()()
(Done! ^_^ done it, done it – yeah, yeah, yeah! No writing here tonight, whoo! No writing here tonight – no, no, no writing here t night – I'm on a br-eak! Lol, ok – I have now begun author fic – cos I've got all the info I needed. I won't have the Internet for a weekend, so the first chapter should be posted soon (you'll all get emails saying when). Thanks for the comments, and sorry for the not-so-good ending!)
(6 MONTHS LATER)
Waves splashed against the sharp rocks below Kida's feet, lightly spraying her face with cold, fresh water. Sunlight shone down on the blue water, reflecting its shadows and sparkles. Kida breathed in the summer air, holding her breath as she dived over the rocks and into the cool water.
In the dimensional world, the water felt different, warmer even. As if it was designed to the right temperature that the swimmer liked it. That was, of course, until Theo did a belly flop next to her and the water suddenly turned freezing cold.
"Jesus, Theo!!" Kida gasped, swimming up to him. "It's freezing!"
"I like it cold!" Theo grinned, splashing her face.
"Well, I want it warm!" Kida argued, kicking her feet to stay up.
"Cold!"
"Warm!"
"Cold!"
"No!" Kida protested, pressing her hands into the water. "Warm!" A red orb glowed in her hands, and she let it go. Seconds later the water was at a hotter temperature.
Theo frowned. "That's not fair", he said. "You used your power!"
Kida smiled evilly. "So? You're lucky I didn't blast you outta the water!" Kida frowned, then added, "And I hope you're wearing something!!"
"I've got long trunks on, stupid!" he said, shocked.
"Fine, I'm out anyway", Kida said deadpan, swimming over to the shore.
"But you've only just come in!" Theo protested. "And you've changed the water temperature! Can't you change it back?"
But Kida was already out of the water and disappearing before his eyes. Theo frowned. This wasn't the Kida he was used to. What happened to the fun- loving girl he knew? The one who didn't normally care that the water was cold? Theo had tried over the past months to get closer to his friend, but his efforts seemed to be blocked out. Kida was blocking everything out, and Theo knew precisely why.
()()()()()()()()
As the sun lowered itself below the New York buildings, Mikey sighed. He watched the last streak of yellow sink, leaving behind oranges, purples, pinks, red and just the slightest hint of blue.
Blue, Mikey thought. Such a natural colour of peace and calmness
Mikey always knew that Leo was a calm person, and that was why he got the blue bandanna. But one thing nagged him, and that was why Kida wasn't like his brother in blue. For some reason Mikey tried to connect Kida's eyes with Leo's bandanna colour. Crazy, he knew, but he was always determined to figure out why Kida didn't want to see them any more.
Splinter had always explained to him. What she had been through, her physical scars and emotional ones, her past being brought up again. But it wasn't as though that was Mikey's fault.
6 months on and Mikey still felt the need to see Kida again. To see her when she had smiled that small smile at him, or looked determined instead of angry. Instead of Leo, she was more like Raph in her own way. But surely she couldn't forget about the guys just like that? Those first few months were hard for Mikey and his brothers, shouldn't Kida had gone through the same phase?
A distance behind Mikey, Raph shook his head. His brother was always sitting on the same rooftop, no doubt thinking about Kida. Raph's eye ridges tilted downwards. If he could get over not seeing Kida then so could Mikey. So what, Raph always told himself. She was the one who didn't want to see us, not the other way around, why should we feel guilty?
But in a way, it was their fault. If they hadn't had accepted her help in the first place, she wouldn't have been injured, bruised, emotionally hurt, and worse of all, Tiran wouldn't have been dead.
Raph growled quietly. It wasn't like Kida was thinking about them, so why should he think about her? They never saw eye to eye, and he had never liked her anyway.
()()()()()()()()
"Stupid Theo", Kida said quietly, as she changed into her navy jeans and green t-shirt. He always got to her, and she hated it. Kida roughly plaited her hair, pulled on some trainers and ran back outside, hopping onto a train and getting off when it reached her favourite spot.
The ocean was now below her, and Kida sat on the grassy cliff and watched the rest of the sun settle into its bed, and the water go from its clear blue to dark. A few stars rested above her, and Kida focused her eyes straight ahead, watching the last strip of orange settle.
"Thought I'd find you here", a voice said behind her.
"Sod off, Theo, I'm not in the mood", Kida snapped.
Theo sat down beside her, resting his arms on his knees and looking in the direction of the ocean. Kida turned her head and saw that he had changed out of his trunks and into a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. His green bandanna remained on his head. Kida shook her head. Not that he ever took it off.
"You miss them, don't you?" he asked, turning to face her.
Kida opened her mouth to protest, but then she just closed it and looked back at him. Her eyes dared him to go on, as if saying, "You say anything else and I WILL blast you into the ocean".
"Fine, don't talk to your best friend about it!" he snapped, narrowing his eyes.
"You don't have to snap at me!" Kida yelled.
"Arguing seems the only way to get you to listen to me!" Theo shouted, and Kida moved her head back in shock. "I mean it, Kida! These past months have been torture; I've about given up. It's as if you hate me. And I can't say that I like you lately, since you've been so aggressive with me".
"But I –"
"You have", Theo said, his eyes softening. "You know you have. It's because of the guys. Donnie, Leo, Mikey, and Raph – you want to see them all. So you're taking your frustration out on me. I do have a brain. I can tell, ya know".
"Look!" Kida snapped, raising her hand. "That is not true!" A small orb started to glow in her hand, but Theo stood his ground.
"You can get rid of that!" he yelled, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. "We're sorting this out once and for all. Keja still has your parents apartment under cover in New York, and that's where we're going!"
()()()()()()()()
The apartment was just as Kida and Keja had left it when they were last there. But this time Kida wasn't stuck with a grown-up; she was stuck with Theo. Her heart was pounding in her chest, from being back in her parent's home and the excitement and nerves of seeing the turtles again.
"Theo, I said I didn't want to see them again!" Kida protested, pulling her suitcase inside the door. "And talking Keja into letting us stay here for 3 weeks is ridiculous!"
"Put it this way", Theo said, dragging his suitcase inside. "You get to see the guys again, and you know we both want to. 3 weeks doing nothing like exercises and practice lessons with Keja to control your power. And now that we're here, maybe you'll start being a bit more nicer towards me".
Kida paused in the living room as Theo closed the apartment door and locked it. "I – er – I know I haven't been exactly nice towards you", she said quietly, and Theo looked up at her. "And, well – I – I guess I'm trying to say . . . sorry . . ."
"Excuse me?" Theo said, grinning. "Can I hear that again? Did Mrs Raphael- sound-alike just apologise to me? After the pain and suffering I have been dragged through? For 6 months, I might add".
"Don't joke", Kida said seriously, blinking back the guilt that wanted to escape her body in tears. "I'm being serious. It's hard enough with you thinking this is a game".
Theo smiled and grabbed Kida in a hug. Sobs escaped her throat and she buried her face in his shoulder, her arms wrapped around his waist.
"They'll never forgive me for what I did", she whispered.
Theo pulled away from her and held her shoulders. "They will", he promised. "The guys understood what you went through. If I can forgive you for your snappiness then they can forgive you for your words, ok?"
Kida nodded, not entirely assured. "I'm going for a shower", she said, letting go of Theo's waist. "I'm sorry for everything".
Theo shook his head and pushed her lightly towards the bathroom door. "Clear off", he ordered, smiling. "I'll clear away the stuff and set up the sofa".
"Don't be stupid", Kida yelled from inside the bathroom. "You can sleep in my parents' room. That's where Keja always slept".
"Oh, the sofa's not for me!" Theo shouted back. "I'm the guest. I'm sleeping in your room! YOU'RE the one who's on the SOFA!"
"WHAT?!?"
()()()()()()()()
When Kida emerged from the shower, Theo was in the kitchen, cooking a fry- up.
"You do know it's midnight, right?" she asked, sitting on a stool that was near the counter.
Theo smiled. "You do know that what you're wearing aren't really pyjamas, right?" he mimicked, poking her grey t-shirt and shorts with a fork. "Besides, it's not as though we have to wake up early tomorrow, and I'm hungry".
"Firstly, I always wear these for bed", Kida replied. "Secondly, you're always hungry, and thirdly, I am NOT sleeping on the sofa!"
"Head to tail it is then", Theo grinned, topping up a plate with bacon, egg, tomato, mushrooms and fried bread. "Want some?"
Kida shook her head. "I'm not hungry".
"Nerves, huh?" Theo asked, plonking down on a stool next to her.
Kida nodded, watching him dig into his very early breakfast. "Yeah, kinda"
"Don't worry", Theo grinned, showing her a mouth full of food. "I'll be with you".
"Ewww", Kida shook her head in disgust. "You are not the gentleman you used to be. I'm going to bed . . . see ya in the morning". She stood up, smiled, and walked into her bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Theo frowned, shrugged, and carried on eating.
()()()()()()()()
"Michelangelo", Splinter said firmly. "Are you taking part in this training?"
"No", Mikey said softly. "I mean –yes – I mean . . . sorry, sensei".
Splinter sighed. "Have a break, my sons", he said to Raph, Donnie and Leo, who were still practicing their fighting. "Michelangelo – you cannot let these emotions interfere with your training, or your thoughts".
"What emotions?" Mikey asked, lazily flicking through the TV channels with the remote. "I haven't got any".
Splinter smiled. "You have plenty, my son. 6 months is a long time".
Mikey nodded. "You'd think Kida would be easy to forget – but she's not".
"I don't know why you're whining, Mikey", Raph said, plonking himself down next to his brother. "Kida wanted us to leave. She said so herself. Why should we remember her when she didn't want to remember us?"
"She didn't mean what she said, Raph!" Mikey argued. "That was the hurt talking".
"She sounded positive to me", Raph said, stealing the remote off Mikey.
"Of course she did", Mikey said sarcastically. "Everyone sounds positive to you!"
"My sons", Splinter said, standing in front of them. "Please, now is not the time to be fighting. It was Kida's choice to remain distance from us, we cannot object to her choices".
"She always objected to ours", Raph mumbled, folding his arms.
()()()()()()()()
"Ready?" Theo asked, grabbing hold of Kida's arm.
"No", she said.
Theo sighed and shook his head. They were both still in Kida's living room, standing smack in the middle, just in front of the fire. It was now 12.00, not long since they had gotten up and changed. Kida was now dressed in blue cut-off jeans and a purple t-shirt, complete with sneakers. Her hair was loosely plaited back, blowing in the invisible breeze coming from her fingers. Theo had pulled on a pair of black jeans and green t-shirt, and was eager to get going.
After 5 more minutes, Theo asked again.
"Ready?"
"Erm . . . no", she replied, sighing.
"Come on!" Theo protested. "I am NOT standing here all day! Teleport us to the guys . . . NOW!"
"Pushy, pushy", Kida smiled, taking a deep breath. "Ok, ok . . . here we go".
()()()()()()()()
"What the -?!" Raph began.
"Aliens!!" Mikey shouted, jumping up onto the couch as a small glowing ball of light floated in front of the turtles and Splinter.
"What?" Leo and Donnie said together, stepping forward a little.
As the ball got brighter and bigger, Raph started to realise the familiarity. It can't be, he thought, it just can't be.
But it was.
The light slowly faded, disappearing into the hearts of Kida and Theo, who were standing right in front of Splinter.
Time stood still as the turtles froze, their mouths partly open. Theo smiled at them, happiness filling his heart as he saw his old friends. Kida heart had stopped still, and she went to grab Theo's hand, but he was already moving out of the way so that Splinter could stand near her.
"Erm . . . hi", she said nervously.
"Hello", Splinter replied softly, smiling.
"I wanted to say –," she began.
Splinter nodded. "I know".
Kida grinned, giving him a grateful hug. Mikey was the first to stand, coming over to her and touching her shoulder, as if checking that she was real. He grinned wildly, grabbing Kida in a rib-crushing hug.
Tears filled Kida's eyes as Leo and Donnie followed, giving Theo hugs as well as her. She knew, could tell, that they had forgiven her.
"I'm sorry", she managed finally, wiping her eyes.
"Cry all you want", Mikey grinned. "You've come back!"
"I meant I'm sorry for the distance, the time, my horrible attitude – everything", Kida said.
Theo nodded. "Don't I know that attitude", he said, smiling at Kida.
"What changed your mind?" Leo asked, giving her another hug.
"He did", Kida said, nodding at Theo.
"We've missed you", Donnie said.
Kida nodded and looked at Raph, the only one who had remained quiet and still throughout the last 5 minutes.
Raph stood up, his eyes cold and hard as he stared at Kida. She frowned.
"I guess now that you're back you'll leave for another 6 months", he said in a voice so low, that Kida shuddered inside. Without another word, he stomped into his room, slamming the door behind him.
"Raph –," Leo called.
"It's ok, Leo", Kida said, walking over to his bedroom. "We need to sort this out ourselves".
()()()()()()()()
When Kida walked into Raph's bedroom, he was spread out on his bed, looking at the ceiling, his hands nested by his sides. He spoke just as Kida closed the door.
"Go away", he said, his face unreadable.
Kida stood against the door, her face half hidden by shadows. "I need to talk to you first", she said, her eyes glinting in the darkness.
"Well I don't want to talk to you", Raph said.
"Can I come over?" Kida asked, taking a step forward. "Or will you cut me in half with your sais?"
"You'd just blast me with balls of light anyway", Raph replied coldly.
"I'd trade anything, even swap with you, just to be rid of these powers", Kida said, sitting on the edge of his bed, tracing an invisible pattern on the sheets.
"Yeah right", Raph said, his eyes still fixed on the ceiling.
"It's true", Kida said, looking at her hands. "These powers have done nothing but cause trouble since I've discovered them. I don't want to become lazy with all of this ability. I want to be normal".
"Well you can't swap with me, because I'm not normal", Raph said.
"Compared to me", Kida said back, "you are".
"Please", Raph snapped. "You don't look like this!"
"Like what?!" Kida snapped back, turning her body to face him. "There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with you! Just because other people think looks add up to everything, it doesn't mean I'm like that. It's kinda corny saying that it's what on the inside that counts, but it's true. One day, you'll be thankful for what you have".
"Just make your point and go", Raph said, pushing at her arm with his hand.
Kida grabbed his hand, and Raph was halfway through a, "HEY!" when she pressed her fingers against his. A small blue glow came from her fingers, and into his. Raph frowned, feeling a pins-and-needles reaction in his hand. When she pulled away, Raph felt a happy surge of power go through his fingers to his heart.
"That's my point", Kida said. "You don't have to look good to feel happy. Look at me, I don't care what I look like, I still even bare scars on my body, but I still don't care". She lifted up her t-shirt slightly to show him the scar that went across her waist, where she took a bullet to the stomach.
"So?" Raph said, one eye-ridge raised.
"So, we can get along", she replied. "Even if we are both very different. To be honest Raph, I don't think we'll ever be able get along. We're the same in emotion, sure, but we're very different in mind, soul and body. But we can at least be nice to one another, because I don't plan to leave you for 6 months, ever again".
"Great", Raph grumbled sarcastically.
Kida laughed. "It's not the start I wanted, but . . . it'll do", she said, standing up. Staring at the candle on his only piece of furniture, Kida smiled, and a flame sparked from the wick. The fire glowed all different colours of blue, aqua and purples, and Kida nodded.
"Don't forget about me", she said softly, walking out of his room.
Raph smiled slightly and shook his head. "Pft, like I could", he said quietly.
()()()()()()()()
"How did it go with Raph?" Theo asked when they got back to the apartment, just as the clock in the living room struck 7.00.
Kida followed him, closing the door and locking it. "As well as any conversation with Raph could possibly go", she replied, turning on the lights.
"You two are cool with each other though, right?" Theo asked, smiling. "I mean, you're not gonna rip out each others' throats whenever we go back down there, are you?"
Kida smiled. "Would you tell me off if I did?"
"Yes", Theo replied, grinning. "But I'd admire your bravery too".
"Yeah", Kida nodded. "I don't think having 3 turtles and a rat after me would help if I killed a relative. Maybe when they aren't looking . . ."
Theo laughed. "Raph's cool, he's just misguided . . . like you . . ."
"I'm not misguided!" Kida argued. "I'm just –"
"Miss Grumpy?" Theo asked.
Kida smiled and laughed. "Fine . . . but you love me anyway!" She gave his arm a playful thump, and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
"More than you know", Theo whispered seriously, his piercing green eyes locked onto the bathroom door.
()()()()()()()()
(Done! ^_^ done it, done it – yeah, yeah, yeah! No writing here tonight, whoo! No writing here tonight – no, no, no writing here t night – I'm on a br-eak! Lol, ok – I have now begun author fic – cos I've got all the info I needed. I won't have the Internet for a weekend, so the first chapter should be posted soon (you'll all get emails saying when). Thanks for the comments, and sorry for the not-so-good ending!)
