Disclaimer: Don't own them.
A/N: So I went on vacation. Sue me. No wait! Please don't! I don't have enough money to be sued! Lol so I went on a job shadow in NY then NJ after my boot camp. The boot camp sucked but the job shadows were a blast! I'm back with another chapter for you guys though! One more after this I think then we're done. Thanks all for the support!
Tbreader: I love listening to music with the bass turned up. The drums and the back round beat really make up the whole song. You're leaving me? Well I hope you have fun on your trip and I'll try to get this last chapter up before you leave although it's doubtful because it still needs to be written. Sorry to leave you with a cliffy! Thanks for reviewing!
Lunar-ninja: Aw yes the wonderful science of evolution. Creator or creation is the question. Personally I don't see why they can't believe in both. Like that whole big bang theory with the universe being one big ball that exploded. If I were God I'd put everything in a ball just to watch it explode too… I mean you gotta have some fun. Don seems to love his evolution theories. Poor poor Don. Thanks for reviewing!
Isis-Lament: Yeah the green men are basically the TMNT version of big foot. They are big green over grown monkeys… without the tails. You won't see Cokey for much more of the story so it's really not pertinent to know who she is. Yeah root bear…. Oh wait.. it's root bear flavoring! Lo siento! I was thinking vanilla extract and just wrote extract instead of flavoring. Thanks for reviewing!
Pacphys: Raph's pool game came after my best friend teaching me how to play pool. I totally sucked at it and my friends got a kick out of watching me try doing somthign I was actually bad at. Anyways it got me thinking that the boys would have fun with that and out it came. Kifed… I didn't know how to spell it and I forgot to change it. It means steal. I fill my water bottles by sound too. Purely cuz I think it's fun but…Thanks for the review!
Chibi Rose Angel: Yes you'll see in this chapter that Mikey does get a bit of a punishment for letting his pet ruin the house. Alas though he loves Cokey. I learned the kata to music thing in World Cult class. That's why the little history lesson about the Spartans was in there. Thanks for the compliments and review. Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up.
LenniluvsBrian: Lol thanks for the compliments. It means a lot to me that you stayed up to read my fic. (Although seeing as it's summer most teenagers do stay up till three in the morning. Myself excluded.) Thanks for the review!
Jessiy Landroz: If you love how I did Raph in this story wait for the sequel! He's gonna be more Raphy than ever. Thanks bunches for the compliments and review. As for Raph helping Casey with cars… that's gonna be in the sequel too.
RAPHAEL POV:
It's been a week since we came up here and I've been working my tail off. Being blind definitely isn't as easy as I thought it was before. It's been what, two three weeks? One thing is for sure, I'm definitely not the same turtle I was before. The over whelming darkness isn't so bad anymore. If I stop and think about it it is, but as long as my mind is occupied somewhere else I'm okay. I have to concentrate constantly now. I have to remember which was I'm facing in a room and what furniture is there. I have to listen like nobody's business and that darned Braille isn't getting any easier. I don't think I've done anything but concentrate this whole week. Meditation is almost relaxing. Yeah you never thought you'd hear those words out of my mouth. Between all the concentration and practice I've been doing you'd think I was the love baby of Don and Leo. There was one day when I spent three hours filling different glasses of water just to see if I could tell just by hearing when they were full.
Master Splinter must have seen how hard I've been working myself because he told me to take it easy tomorrow. April and Casey are coming back up for the weekend. Mike has taken to sleeping outside with Cokey. Master Splinter flipped when he saw the mess she made and stated quite clearly that she obviously wasn't an inside pet. He banished her outside and Mike just seemed to go along with her. It's funny really that an animal like Cokey would see Mike as her mother. If it were me she was attached to I think I would have gone crazy in like a day. She clings to him night and day and would follow him around till the end of eternity. Still though she's a good companion to have when you need a friend.
I was trying to read my Braille one night out on the porch and she came up and slipped her head under my hand. I almost have to wonder how she does that. Since we first met she did that, putting her head under my hand. Anyways, despite my frustration at my Braille I gave her a few good pats. She stayed with me until Mike called her and I think it helped to ease my anger.
I don't think I've really had the time to get angry all week. Every time I get angry I lost my concentration and wind up either on the floor or with a bruise, so needless to say this blindness this is really keeping my anger in check.
The rest of the guys have been ordered to go the outside house work now that it's getting warmer. I've been exempt but I might end up doing something anyways. Ever since I went walking in the woods that day I've been anxious to see what other things I can still do even though I'm blind.
Apparently Mike had been working at getting me a guide dog. Shell knows why. Kevin was looking into it and Don got an answer back from him the other day that it would be nearly impossible. I meet all the requirements except for the two facts that I haven't been blind for a year and there's that whole not being a human thing. I guess you have to go to this school for three weeks to be trained how to use the guide dogs. It might not faze the students but I think I'd freak the teachers out.
Ah well. I didn't really know about it ahead of time and I didn't really have a chance to get my hopes up so I feel no real loss. I'm just going to have to do this the old fashion way.
Cobart jiggled the loose doorknob and growled softly. Broken.
"Piece of junk."
He stepped back and kicked the door open with the heel of his combat boots. He entered the warehouse he was staying in and set his M-16 on a pile of boxes.
He hated hotels, too much of a paper trail and the beds were too soft. Strolling over to his cot, he removed his army jacket and rolled it up to be used as a pillow that night. He removed his thigh holster and slipped the gun under the jacket. He kept his shoulder holster on though and after removing his once white, now yellow sweat stained crew neck T-shirt.
Cobart moved over to his pile of things in the corner. He opened his ruck sack and pulled out a small green pocket notebook. He had one of them for every big job he ever did. It really wasn't a good idea but it was a quirk he had. After each mission he'd put them in a safebox he had. Every once in awhile he would go and pull a few out and look at himself and some of the stupid things he did in his early years.
Cobart scrounged up a pencil and began to write.
March 20I've sent my soldiers out to look for the targets. They've searched all throughout Manhattan and have found nothing. Meanwhile the other men I have hired are growing weary of their cramped confines with one another. It's never good to have too many men of those type together for very long, but I can't risk them being seen by anyone around here. Most of their faces are memorable enough and they aren't going to be the reason this mission is botched.
Cobart stopped writing as he heard something scurrying along the back wall of the warehouse. Without a second's hesitation he unsheathed his large broad bladed hunting knife and let it fly. A squeal pierced the eerie silence of the warehouse and Cobart grinned. With sigh he heaved himself off his cot to go find what fell prey to his knife.
He found the blade along the far wall stuck to a few boxes. Holding it up he smiled at the rat skewered upon it and licked his lips.
"Dinner is served."
Mikey frowned he was surrounded by foes with no hope of getting out unscathed. There had to be a million of them, a sea of unending evil, yet he kept hacking away at them. Some, in a last valiant effort of justice, jumped at him and bit at his legs. He was sure they were bleeding from a million miniscule wounds. Yet Michaelangelo was bound and determined to win. His enemies fell before him one by one and the battle was clearly starting to lean his way. He was in the hone stretch when he heard his name being called through the noise of the battle.
"Mike, Mikey, Michaelangelo!"
Mikey turned off the weed whacker and turned to glare at Donny.
"What?" He whined. "I was almost done."
Don glanced at the field. All the weeds that once covered the area had been chopped down to small ankle high stubs of vegetation. Spots of dirt where Mikey hadn't kept steady enough with the machine and managed to also till some soil up. His legs were covered with plant gook and Don thought he could see a little blood where maybe a pebble or two had hit him.
"Mikey we sent you to weed whack the field not get in a battle with it. Though by the looks of it the field's winning."
"'s not my fault. They fight dirty. Outnumber you and go for the eyes those buggers do. I chopped down a weed he size of a sapling, it came back and hit me in the face!" Mikey took off his gloves and used them as a broom, swiping the blended plants off his legs. "So what'd you need Bro?"
"Aw I got the chipper jammed and need an extra pair of hands to fix it."
"Right behind ya Dude. Lead the way."
Don led the way towards the back of the property where a pile of branches were lying waiting to be chipped. Mike strolled over to the jammed machine and inspected it.
"The Shedder?" He questioned as he cocked an eye ridge at the name of the machine written in big letters across the front. "Who'd be better for the job?"
"k Mike I need you to hold this up at an angel so I can get to the bolts underneath. Don't let go unless you fancy seeing crushed turtle head."
Mike gave an evil grin before straddling the chipper and rocking it back so Don could reach the bolts closest to the ground.
"Why do you need to take that off anyways? I mean couldn't you tug on the stick that's stuck until it comes out?"
"Tried it." Don answered from under the chipper. "It's jammed in there good. If I take the chute off though I'll have more room to move about."
Mike's mouth moved in an of as Don explained. Seconds later there was a 'clunk' and an 'ow'! from Don. He slid out rubbing his cheek and holding up the bolt he had needed to get off. Together they eased the stick chute off the machine to reveal the blades. Don grabbed hold of the offending stick and yanked until it popped free, but to his surprise there was a sputtering from the machine and then a roar.
"Take cover!" He screamed as he turned and ducked just before the wood chips started flying towards them. Splinters of wood flew at the two of them, some bouncing off the shells others getting caught painfully in their shoulders and legs. When most of the wood splinters had been ejected Don crawled over to the machine and turned it off.
He turned and shrugged to Mike. "Forgot to disconnect the spark plug."
"Don zero chipper one!" Mike joked.
He tried to brush off the splinters still stuck in his legs but it only caused pain.
"Uh. How about you say we take a break and let April get these out. I feel like a porcupine!"
Donny nodded his agreement and the two fo them walked slowly towards the house, trying not to shove any of the splinters deeper into their skin. They went in the kitchen door and found April fixing lunch.
"Hey Ape whatchya doin?"
Mikey asked once she had noticed them. She continued to chop vegetables with only a quick glance their way. This time Don spoke up.
"Do you think you could maybe put that aside for a minute?"
April put down her knife and grabbed a dishcloth to wipe off her hands.
"Yeah what do you need?"
Both turtles shared guilty looks and slowly turned around.
There was a gasp heard from April.
"Boys! What did you do?"
"Don got the chipper mad."
She turned the two of them around and ushered them towards the front door with her dishtowel.
"Get outside where the light is better while I get a few things."
Outside Raph sat in a chair sanding down a branch of wood.
"Whatchya doing Raph?" Mikey asked as he stepped out onto the porch.
"Leo found this black cherry wood for me and I though I'd make a new Bo Staff."
"You know where he got it from? I could use another Bo."
"Out back someplace when he was taking a walk this morning. You'll have to ask him."
"Alright boys who's first?" April stepped outside with tweezers and peroxide in hand.
"First for what?" Raph put down his half finished Bo and cocked an eye ridge.
"We got attacked by the chipper. Let's just say splinter's galore."
Raph chuckled and picked up his old Bo.
"I'm getting something to drink. All this sanding's makin me thirsty. You guys want anything?"
Both boys nodded yes then almost simultaneously realized their mistakes and verbally told Raph yes.
Raphnodded and made his way into the kitchen and smiled as he quickly found the fridge. He really had worked a lot this last week, even going as far as to memorize the whole house by steps. He pulled a container of tea from the fridge and found three glasses without incident and allowed himself another pat on the back.
Balancing two glasses in the crook of his arm he held the other one and grabbed up his Bo to make his way out to the porch.
A hilarious scene met his ears.
"Ow! April! Stop it!"
"Well I need to get those deep ones out or else they'll get infected."
"Ow Ow Ow! But do you have to pinch so hard?"
"Well do you want to do it yourself Mr. Crybaby? Well then sit still and stop complaining."
Raph chuckled as he sat two of the glasses down on the table and went back to his chair.
"Don't laugh Raphael or we'll sic the chipper on you."
"Raph chuckled again."
" While what? You two run away like babies?"
Mike could be heard making a humph sound but another 'ow!' soon broke him of his snobbish attitude.
"Michaelangelo, if that foot comes up and tries to kick me again I'm leaving you to do this yourself.
"OK ok! Duct tape my mouth shut and strap me down and I won't make another peep."
"Mike, not speaking? Never!" Raph joked. "But I'd be more than happy to duct tape him anyway just for the heck of it."
Raph picked up his half finished Bo and sandpaper and set to work again. "So the chipper attacked you." The tone of his voice implored them to continued but the grin on his face clearly stated they shouldn't.
Mikey, never one to listen to stuble clues continued.
"Yeah and believe it or not the weed whacker makes a great weapon against terrible odds."
"Mike turned the whole field into a clearing of ankle high stubble and plant pulp."
"But it was fun!" Mike interjected.
"So Mike was playing with dangerous machinery. Don was waging war with the chipper. Where'd Leo disappear to?"
"He was cutting the grass but the mower broke down on him. Casey is trying to fix it and Leo went for a quick walk to scout out the land or something. He really didn't get much of a chance to explore the last few times we were here."
"Leo skipping out on yard work to go for a walk?"
"No, Leo taking a quick break to go check on some stuff so we can have some fun later on tonight."
Leo spoke as he climbed up the stairs and took a seat next to Raph.
"What kind of fun, because your kind of fun is sparring till next kingdom come."
"Nah, it's something even you could enjoy Raph, I think."
"So are you going to tell us what it is?"
"I'll take you there after dinner."
It seemed that just then he noticed Mikey's odd position on the outdoor table and Don's refusal to lean anywhere. He gave them a quizzical look.
"What the heck did you guys do?"
"Don called the chipper some bad names and it got kinda mad at him. They got in a fight and the chipper won. Possessions were thrown and Don was kicked out of the house. Needless to say they're getting a divorce."
"Oh dear goodness." Leo put his head in his hands. "This is what we live with."
Raph went back to his sanding.
"Raph that looks so cool!"
"Well it should. I worked all day on it."
Mike snatched Raph's new bo as soon as he sat down. Raph had stained the wood black with a light varnish that allowed the grain of the wood to show through. He had found some old leather in the basement and had stained that red. He wrapped it around the top of the bo for a grip. Around the middle he wrapped the same cord for another grip.
"I think that's the second coolest white cane in the world."
"It ain't a cane." Raph snapped. "It's a bo."
"Well either way Daredevil only has you beaten by a little bit."
"Daredevil?" Food was passed around as Mike explained.
"Only one of the best comic book super heroes in all history. He was so great they made him his own cinema movie. You guys have gotta know the story, you know teenage kid, hit by radioactive material, is now blind but has super senses." They all started at him blankly. "He can see when it rains."
"Oh yeah, yeah right!" The table exploded in recognition and head nods.
"He's got the coolest weapon in the world!" Mike continued to rant. "It's a stick but one press of a button and shing! It's a cane." Mikey motioned with his hand as if he had the weapon right there. "Then you turn the head and it becomes a grappling hook or it could be a bo or a nunchaku or billy clubs."
"Or a beating stick." Raph interrupted as he popped Mike over the head with his own bo.
"I can't believe you guys have never seen the movie." Mike continued, not taking the cue to shut up. "I've gotta rent it some time."
"Can we trade him for a dog?" Raph asked to no one in particular.
"Nah he came with the house." Don admitted.
"You need to get a life Mike, a real one."
Mike pouted and made some whiney noises.
"Well when you guys are in trouble up to your shell that only a super hero can get you out of don't some running to me for phone numbers and addresses."
Leo rummaged around behind the boxes in the basement searching for one last thing. He had found the bobbers, hooks, bait, the whole nine yards. He had even found a fishing vest. Now all he needed were the rods.
"There they are." Leo made his way over to the corner and was lucky enough to find four rods there. Grabbing them he tripped and stumbled out of the mess of boxes. As he passed the pool table they had uncovered he couldn't help but to pause and stare. Placed on the green felt of the pool table were two sticks and a small bottle of root beer extract. He cracked a smile, the hurried up the stairs to his brothers who were waiting on the porch. Their lives had definitely changed.
"Leo, I don't think fishing rods are supposed to be this flexible." Raph took the tip of his rod and bent it until the entire rod formed a semi circle. "And isn't the fishing line just a little thick?"
Raph rubbed the neon yellow line between his fingers.
"Well there were only four down there. A rod is a rod. I'd imagine it works the same way."
Raph shrugged his shoulders and put a worm on the hook he had tied on. He tried to cast but instead of letting the line go he could feel the rod bend. Frustrated, he pulled some of the lie out of the stiff reel and cast again. This time all the line he had pulled out of the reel was taken up and put into his cast. The line made it about halfway out onto the pond before it stopped short and fell with a plop.
"Way to scare the fishes Raph." Mike teased.
"With your face around here they're probably putting in for a transfer to another pond anyway.
"You just watch Raph. I'm gonna get the first fish!"
"Mike, if we were eating these fish for dinner you would starve. I'm gonna whoop your shell, AND catch the first fish."
"You're all wrong guys," Don stated. "Cuz I caught the first fish." Don held up his prize, a medium sized blue gill, for all to see."
His fish and smirk were both greeted by 'aww's' and 'showoff's'
Raph was in the process of making a rude remark to Don when he felt a tug on his line. He tugged up, but all the rod did was bend. He started to reel in but the odd shape of the reel kept on causing his fingers to slip.
"Aw screw it."
Raph grabbed hold of the line and began to strip it in making a pile at his feet. As he stripped it in the reel made a clicking sound.
"Remind me again how I ended up with this rod." Raph asked as he pulled his thrashing fish in.
FLASHBACK 30 YEARS AGO:
"Bang Bang Boom! Ha you're dead!"
Corey played with his army figurines, poking them at one another and banging their heads together.
"Corey! Get your arse in here!" Roared a deep throated voice from somewhere else in the house.
Corey's head snapped to the right and he immediately dropped his action figures. He jumped to his feet and raced in the direction of the voice.
"Yes Dad?"
The man's eyes immediately widened and his face grew red with anger.
"What was that boy?" He screamed in his son's face.
Corey stood to attention with a tiny shiver.
"Sorry sir."
"You ain't two anymore boy. You're six, now start actin' like it! That was no way to square your corners!" His voice rose an octave with each sentence. "And what did I tell you to call me?"
"Sir Captain Sir."
The man slapped the boy across the face. "That's for not squaring you're corners." He kicked Corey's feet out from under him and made him land hard on his knees. "And that's for calling me by the wrong title! Now go back and do it again."
Anger flashed in Corey's eyes but he stood taller and flashed a salute.
"Sir yes Captain Cobart Sir."
He did an about face and marched back into the living room.
"Some day you'll be a Captain Cobart too boy."
The boy marched back into the room stiff legged. He threw another salute."
"Sir you called for me Sir."
Captain Cobart growled and back handed him cross the face.
"When will you ever learn you maggot faced sniveling baby?"
Corey's eyes flashed with anger as he looked up at his father. The right side of his face was covered with an angry red hand print.
"That's it. Anger is the only way to get through boot camp. Follow orders but think for yerself. It's the only way you'll climb up through the ranks. Now get down into the front leaning rest position and give me forty push ups."
Cobart jerked awake and grabbed for the gun under his pillow. It took him a few second to realize that the sound that woke him was his cell phone. He didn't use it very often and people who had his number were privileged. Cell phones left paper tails and Cobart didn't like paper trails.
"What?" He growled as he answered the phone.
"It's John. I found your birth mom."
Cobart sat up staright. That was one of his favorites phrases, cod for 'the targets have been sighted.' He sat up and moved around the warehouse, packing his meager belongings.
"Where at?"
"North Hampton."
"Good I'll be there."
He hung up the phone and pulled on his jacket. He armored up, strapping on all his guns, and was out of the warehouse heading towards the Foot Tower in a matter of minutes.
He was going to go kill him some turtle.