Dream Walker

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Dream Big and dare to fail. Norman D Vaughan

Chapter Six - Chance Meeting

Jennifer:

At first I just craved the chance to blend in and become one with a crowd, a non-entity if I could. I just wanted to feel safe, secure especially as I knew that such a feeling could be no more then an illusion with something as dangerous as Akuma loose, yet it was a craving that I needed to have and to cling to.

If I did what was normal, acted like things were normal, perhaps it would follow, there was safety in numbers and I doubted the creature Akuma would come into a busy mall. So I spent time poking in stores, browsing with no real intent to buy, just looking and admiring, watching people and listening to bits of conversation as they passed by, the sort of fun any one person could have when window shopping.

By the time the crowds got too much for me, and I was growing bored of the stores I headed for Central Park, entering near the South entrance I paused long enough to buy a couple of hotdogs, a bag of chips and a pop for lunch. Then I juggled my handful to a park bench near the lake that was unoccupied so I claimed it by plopping down rather ungracefully.

I glanced around noticing the people walking by either leaving or heading further into the park by means of bikes, roller blades, feet or horse drawn buggies. Some of the people were clearly business types coming to the park for lunch to get away from the office, others were parents or care takers strolling with children, or calling to the kids to hurry up.

I sat back on the bench and popped the top of my soda taking a long pull of my drink, then I let out a very unladylike belch, if my mother had heard me she would be admonishing me about it. I grinned with childish delight at getting away with something.

I knew I ought to be safe there were people around but somehow being this close to all the bushes and the trees in the park was rather unnerving. I felt isolated and cut off from the rest of the world, even though I knew it was a ridiculous notion. I cast my gaze in all directions as if to reassure myself that all was as it should be, as I started to munch on one of my hotdogs.

I noticed a few different types of ducks swimming out on the lake, some were swimming far off in the center, others stayed near land or came ashore to mooch food from the park visitors, as if the ducks were accepting admission into what they felt had to be their park.

There was a clump of willow trees near my bench it's thin branches hanging down into the water, the light yellowish green leaves of the tree cascading down and hiding what ever was under the branches.

A duck swam to the willows perhaps it had a nest on the bank under the trees, only suddenly it turned around sending up a loud raucous call as it half flew half swam out towards the center of the lake. All the ducks quickly took up its call and seemed to swim or take flight to safer places as they echoed the first ducks warning, until the sound of quacking could be heard all up and down the lake.

I had been so startled by the duck's hasty retreat I had dropped my hotdog onto the ground, it now lay in the dirt at my feet with greedy ants all ready coming to care for it. I stared hard at the grove of willows half expecting Akuma to be hiding in there.

I heard a huffing and then a woofing noise but it sounded far more playful to me then dangerous. I let out a shaky breath and gave a nervous little chuckle as I realized it had to be someone's dog.

After that I tried to relax and enjoy the park instead of jumping at shadows, for awhile it felt good to forget my fears.

Perhaps forget really wasn't the right word, as I doubted that I could fully forget, but it was nice to stroll the park enjoying the peace of the large sanctuary that had been built for the citizens of a large city to enjoy.

On the way home I stopped to buy an ice cream and took a short cut back to my Aunt's place by cutting down a back alley. I spotted a manhole cover about halfway down the trash strewn alley.

Out of curiosity I bent down to see if I could lift the metal cover upward but it was heavy and firmly in place.

I shook my head, of course it would be impossible to move. What were you thinking? I berated myself, that somewhere under the streets you would find a group of ninja fighting mutant turtles?

I knew in my heart the turtles couldn't be real they were simply a symbol but I guess with Akuma being real I wanted the turtles to be real too, because perhaps they could find a way to stop this thing. I guess I needed and wanted them to be real too.

I sighed with resignation, when I realized I was truly on my own. I stood up slowly to head on my way turning the corner onto the street and heading towards my Aunt's place, when suddenly I had the strongest urge to go back to the alley.

The impulse to return was so strong that I couldn't ignore it I turned back and peeked around the corner of the building looking towards the manhole cover.

I saw a figure dressed in a long over coat and a hat, a backpack strapped in place over the coat, the person stooped by the cover and I could see clearly he had lifted it somehow.

I took a step or two closer and he must have sensed me, or perhaps he saw me out of the corner of his eye for his head jerked up and I heard him mutter.

" Great, just great! Why can't you people get a life?"

Raphael:

Soon as I saw the kid tryin' in vain to lift the heavy sewer lid I knew she was another one of those, the foolish bakas who placed their lives into danger in hopes of finding their heroes. They never seemed to realize how they were jeopardizing both their lives and ours.

Plain and simple, they just didn't have a clue!

They couldn't content themselves with the fact that we were comic characters, no they had to hunt us down to squeal over us while jumpin' up and down " I knew you were real I just knew it!"

I maintained the world would be a much better place if we just let those poor saps meet their death, but Splinter and Leo never seemed to agree with that view.

Anyways she quickly gave up, that is when I made my move to return home, hopefully she would forget about us because right now with Akuma we didn't need any fans looking for us. Only just as I start to lift the lid the kid comes back and she sees me!

This day really wasn't getting any better. I swear I have gotten the rottenest luck of all living things.

" Take a picture it will last longer," I sneered at her.

" You …it" she began then paused shaking her head and blinking her eyes in amazement.

" Yeah, yeah whatever. Look I don't have all day" I remarked as I went to disappear in the sewer. I knew I just had to drop the sewer lid and she wouldn't get me.

" Wait I have to talk to you" she insisted, actually finding her voice.

" What to tell us you are our number one fan, that you'd do anything for us?" I laughed, " Fine do us all a favour and leave us the hell alone, while you're at it forget we even exist."

" Its about Akuma." She blurted out quickly.

I jerked my head up and narrowed my eyes " What do you know about Akuma?" I demanded, she didn't look old enough to be Baxter's assistant or associate for that matter.

" Akuma killed that scientist fellow and hurt Don."

I scowled, I had no idea where she had come up with this information, she knew far too much. Naturally this made me suspicious of her. The alley was not one I felt like standing around in while talking to her so I tossed her a challenge, " You want to talk come on down and we'll talk at the bottom of the ladder. I can't stay here."

She glanced nervously about, it had probably just occurred to her that I might be some sort of transient bum ready to do vile and unspeakable things to her. But still she moved towards me nodding her head.

I saw her look at my face and my hands and give a knowing smile as she passed by me to the sewer opening. I quickly headed down the ladder behind her.

" If you are some fan looking for adventure you picked the wrong time," I snarled at her.

" I'm not" She insisted quickly then gave a bit of a grin and a shrug, " Well I am a fan but I am not looking for adventure. I just thought that you know, it wasn't really real ya know." She stammered.

I rolled my eyes " You know the name Akuma but do you know what it means?" I wondered.

She shook her head no, " I know what Akuma is though it is a genetically altered hybrid. It is a monster. A living nightmare." She declared.

I snorted, " Can you tell me something we don't know?" I wondered.

" Look uh Raph. It is Raph right?"

" Naw, it is Picasso my brothers are Screwy, Bizarre and Tightwad." I teased.

She gave me a look like she didn't quite buy what I told her.

" What?" I demanded shrugging, " You believe in a turtle named Raphael why not?" I pointed out.

There was a sudden strange noise from somewhere in the tunnels and she jumped nervously.

" Akuma" She whispered looking frantically about as if expecting the beast to pop up behind us.

I shook my head " I doubt it" I muttered in reply.

" It is Akuma" she declared firmly as she licked her lips nervously.

Another sound echoed from somewhere making me wonder if maybe she was right, that it was Akuma. Still sounds have a way of echoing through these concrete tunnels and if you aren't use to them it is all too easy to mistake one thing for something else, heck down here it could be the wind from the subway cars passing through or running water or a number of other things as well.

Then I heard a loud angry roaring noise that was totally unlike any natural noise I was used to hearing.

Akuma.

I glanced at the girl and was about to tell her to hustle her butt up the ladder when almost out of nowhere I was swiped off my feet and pulled backward to a tunnel behind me.

The girl screamed her eyes growing wide in total fear, Akuma hearing her yell raised his head it snarled, and then before I could gain my feet the thing had jumped onto my carapace.

The weight of the beast pushed me hard into the grit and slime on the concrete floor, I had to strain to keep my head raised, I could feel Akuma's long front claws scratching my shoulders, it jumped a bit crushing me further into the sludge.

I managed to wedge a hand under my plastron to grab the hilt of my sai and as Akuma leaped for another jump on my back I pulled free my sai, I raised my arm up on the elbow and shot the sai behind me with as much force as I could manage.

Akuma gibbered backing up snuffling and snorting a bit as it did so. I stood up and noticed that Akuma wasn't even watching me. It was totally fixated on the girl.

There was blood around the creature's mouth and I had a feeling that blood belonged to some food source, perhaps it was feeding off sewer rats or pets that strayed down here. The girl had her back to the ladder eyeing Akuma with total fear and panic, her fear was palpable. She shivered and whimpered as she stared glassy eyed at the beast.

The beast hooted and snarled stalking towards her, intent on killing her. Then the kid locked eyes on Akuma's dark gaze and the beast faltered.

I could see she was mouthing the words " Go away. Go away. Leave us alone," repeating those words like it was some mantra to finding zen.

I didn't dare do anything for fear of riling the beast into attacking the girl where she stood.

Akuma raised its head and snarled chuffing a bit as it did so, then it bowed its head and slapped the ground with one massive hand before it backed away into the tunnels, turning now and again to watch us ever so warily.

Akuma was still weak from its battle with Baxter, it wasn't quite ready to fight us, it didn't want to go after the girl or I, while it was still weak.

I gripped my sais in my hands spinning them as I spun around to watch Akuma vanish into the darkness of the sewer tunnels. I wanted to attack it now, just bring it down and get it over with, only I realized that if I pushed my luck Akuma would most likely kill both of us.

For the moment it was willing to retreat until it was ready, but if Akuma became angry it might decide that retreat wasn't necessary. I tried to follow the beast, keeping my distance but not wanting to go too far from the kid either. Akuma might be trying to lead me away to come back to pick her off.

I just wanted to insure that it wouldn't wait to get the drop on us either, only Akuma seemed to disappear in an instant fading into the shadows and falling eerily silent.

I went back to where the girl was waiting, realizing just from the way that beast had acted that this girl had something, knew something that Akuma didn't care for. I knew then that her information about the beast and, this new found knowledge about her meant that I really had no other choice I had to take her back to the lair.

Course I wondered if I might only lead Akuma to our home.

" You're bleeding," She whispered, gesturing slightly to my leg and shoulders.

" Don't worry about it. What's yer name?" I asked.

" Jennifer Trask" she said, " Tell me what does Akuma mean Raph?"

" It is Japanese it means devil or demon" I replied.

We all knew that was what we were dealing with and that was why we named it Akuma. I saw Jennifer start to shake.

" I think the family needs to talk to you Jennifer." I stated casually.

The look she gave me seemed to say that it was the last thing she wanted to do.

TBC

Chibi Rose Angel: Encouragement is always greatly appreciated and well received I will accept it at any time. Hope this update was soon enough for you. A gratitude for your insight.

Lunar Ninja: Baxter in the new cartoon series is a brain in a jar. In the old cartoon series he became a fly mutant, and in the comics he was no more then an evil genius. I go more on the comics for this story. Great idea about packing all of our friends to the movie only problem is they might all plot to do evil and chaotic things. I hate to think what the toshe could learn from Rijinn or Rama from Iwsani. A gratitude for your insight.

Reinbeauchaser: Yes I must agree if Jen goes home I really won't have a story to tell, so she must stay and see it through. Raph is in a sour mood and he is not about to hang around the lair when he needs to blow off steam. If Leo and Splinter haven't been able to beat any sense in Raph's head what makes you feel as if a two by four would help? A gratitude for your insight.

Pacphys: I hopefully fixed up those awkward sentences you had pointed out. Yes Don is taking this very personally as can only be expected the poor pacifist ninja can only take so much abuse you know. Love that idea of Raph and Leo doing anything you can do…I can picture it so well. Oops there goes a plot bunny if one can work it around the sites rules. A gratitude for your insight.