(runs around like crazy) Yikes! I have so much to catch up on! This hasn't been updated for nearly two months! So sorry! At least it wasn't four, like two of my other stories.
Well, I suppose I should just get to it now, shouldn't I?
Disclaimer: The TMNT were never mine, okay? This story is just a product of obsessive-compulsive behavior and insomnia! But it's funs to read, so I don't think anybody minds.
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Day 1The sun was rising in the sky, sending fingers of orange and pink tearing through the darkness, but it was still pretty cold. Leo awoke with teeth chattering in the fetal position, his blanket wrapped tightly around his body. He suddenly felt really stupid for doing this.
You're going to freeze to death before you even get the chance to be on your own for a day. Way to go.
Picking himself up, the young turtle stretched, his muscles aching. Slowly, he crawled over to the side of the building. On the street below, there were a handful of cars and taxicabs making their way to work or other places where they needed to be. A coffee shop was just opening for business. A few people walked in, ready to get a quick drink to perk them up for work, some even treating themselves to a donut, perhaps.
The thought of food made Leo realize that he was hungry. He hadn't eaten anything last night; he and Raph had been too busy fighting to even take a bite of a sandwich.
Getting food was going to be hard. He couldn't simply walk into that coffee shop. If Leo had been listening at all to Splinter's lectures, and he had, he knew that humans wouldn't think too highly of a ten-year-old walking, talking giant turtle. He'd have to look for food like some of the other people of New York did, in alleyways and dumpsters. It couldn't be any harder than looking for it in the sewers, as he'd occasionally done with his sensei.
Making sure nobody was watching him; Leo slowly climbed down the fire escape that had brought him to this roof last night, gracefully landing on his feet in the shadowed alley.
He wondered what he might find for breakfast.
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As usual, Master Splinter was up before any of his sons; two of whom he was positive wouldn't be joining him for breakfast. Such a meal today would consist of toast and bacon, which he'd amazingly been able to get.
The old rat made breakfast for five, as he always did, even when his sons were upset. Their anger had yet to stop them from eating at least once a day, even if it was alone in their rooms.
By the time the meal was prepared, Michaelangelo and Donatello were up and at the table. They didn't look as happy as they usually were. His youngest son, if only, was a morning person… and a night person, typically cheerful throughout the day.
Splinter knew what was bothering them. They too knew the routine of these types of situations. For the next few days, they would most likely only have each other for company. The two got along well, but things could get quite boring after awhile with only one playmate.
After a few exchanges of brief hellos, the three of them ate their breakfast in silence. Master Splinter looked sadly at the other two plates, cold and untouched. He rose, picking them up in his hands, and went to take them to Leonardo and Raphael's rooms.
But before he could even take a step out of the kitchen, Michaelangelo suddenly popped up in front of him. "I'll take their plates, Sensei!"
Splinter paused, confused, before trying to go around him. Something did not feel right… "That is not necessary, Michaelangelo. I shall-"
But the little turtle wouldn't allow him to go past him. "Please, Master Splinter? I'm big; I can do it!"
"Well…" He was initially going to tell him no, but then the orange-clad turtle looked up at him with that innocent face that he had mastered so well. And that was that. Splinter was an accomplished ninja, having fought against several well-trained warriors and won, but of all things, it was nearly impossible to deny the pleas of his sons when they wore that expression. "I suppose you could."
Michaelangelo grinned, said thank-you, took the plates, and headed for his brothers' rooms.
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Okay, this turned out to be harder than I thought. After passing several buildings, being careful to remember which ones so he could find his way back, Leo had yet to find something decent to eat, with the exception of a slice of an apple. That wasn't very filling though. Most of the food was molding or being consumed by flies.
This is ridiculous. If Master Splinter can find food in the sewers, I should definitely be able to find some up here. He eyed a half-eaten sandwich that was partially sitting in a puddle of water. Maybe I shouldn't be so picky…
He ate the part that wasn't soggy. It wasn't that good, and it didn't help his hunger.
From where the sun was in the sky, Leo could tell it was nearing noon. He'd been looking for food for awhile now and was beginning to wonder if he should stop and rest when he turned a corner and entered a different alleyway. This one sheltered a large group of homeless people, at least twenty. All sorts of dirty blankets covered sleeping bodies, some lucky enough to have a box over their heads.
Quickly, Leonardo turned back, preventing anyone from seeing a young turtle walking towards him or her. There was a bit of trash a couple feet away with tons of clothes. Rummaging through it again, Leo did not find any food, much to his disappointment, but did find a brown baseball cap and a men's jacket, long enough to cover his feet but not trip him.
With this disguise, the blue-banded turtle turned back, cautiously walking through the alley, his arms crossed over each other. As Leo walked, he noticed some people had stolen shopping carts that they would fill with items. One or two of them had what seemed to be good food in them.
It was their owners who were rotten. Seeing him eyeing the morsels, one glared at him and pushed the cart out of sight. The other stood in front of hers and actually hissed at him, baring her yellow teeth in the process.
Leo walked faster.
Not all of these people were bad though. Most of them had hollow, sad-looking eyes. Some watched him walk by with slight sympathy. But no matter, he preferred his rooftop better.
After making his way past the group, he made it to the end of the alley. And there, sitting on the ground, still mostly wrapped, was the remnants of a chocolate bar, still intact. Leo took the item up quickly, grateful to have finally found something that looked edible.
He took a bite, enjoying the rich taste it left on his tongue. That was, until he felt a hard tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw the man with the shopping cart he'd seen earlier. He had gnarled, brown hair and cold, green eyes.
"That's mine." The man said. Leo looked at the candy bar sadly. The man took a threatening step forward. "Hand it over." Before the turtle could say no, he took a switchblade from his pocket and placed it against the collar of his jacket, putting pressure on his neck. "Now."
Slowly, Leo did as he was told. The candy bar placed in the man's hands, he lowered the knife. He turned his head, as if walking away, then faced him again. "No, all of it."
Leo's eyes widened. You gotta be kidding-
Apparently he wasn't. The guy grabbed his chin, either not noticing the strange coloring or not caring. "Open up."
Once again, he obeyed. Leo opened his mouth, where some of the chocolate still rested.
"Spit it out."
Never breaking eye contact, Leo used his teeth to get the candy out of his mouth, dropping it into the hand the man had outstretched under his mouth.
That done, the man let loose his grip on Leo's jaw and took a step back. Then he stuck his fist into the ten-year-old turtle's stomach. Leo fell to his knees, clutching his stomach.
Without saying a word, the man walked away.
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Nothing was on TV. That was partially because, being bored, Donny had decided to take it apart and put it back together again. He was good at that kind of stuff. The television was almost fixed again.
But Mikey wasn't. He had nothing to do. It was only five in the afternoon, though. He'd run out of stuff to do four hours ago. The youngest turtle was tired of board games and coloring books. To make matters worse, they were out of batteries; no GameGuy; no CD player.
Donny was fun, but they could only keep each other entertained for so long before growing tired of each other's games and antics.
He wanted to play with Raph and Leo. Even if they'd be fighting most of the time, they usually had time to play with him for an hour a day. That was better than sitting around the lair with nothing to do.
But unfortunately, Mikey knew it'd be some time before he'd be able to play with them again.
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Donny looked up from his work for a second to see his little brother bored on the couch. He'd find something play with him once he was done. It wouldn't be good for Splinter to come home to see the television in pieces on the floor with wires strewn in all directions.
Even worse would be if he tried to put it together instead of letting Donatello finish. Master Splinter was as bad with electronics as Leo tended to be in the kitchen.
Thinking of his elder brother made the purple-clad turtle's heart ache. He wished Raph and Leo would just get over their problems and come out. He missed them. When any of his brothers were missing, things weren't much fun.
He wondered how long it'd be before he'd see them again. Another day? Two?
Quickly, Don turned his sad thoughts into productive thoughts. Placing a blue wire in on spot and a yellow one in another; a screwdriver here and another there.
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Cursing softly to himself as the ball hit the wall but failed to come back to him, Raph leapt out of his hammock to get it. Through the door, he could hear soft cheers and greeting from his two younger brothers, signifying that Splinter was home with whatever he'd found today.
He hadn't heard a thing from Leo. Not a word, no training, nor a sound of feet hitting the floor. There wasn't even the sound of a bedspring creaking with shifting weight. It was strange. Leo wasn't a noisy person by any means, but he wasn't as silent as the dead either.
Raph vaguely wondered if he was okay, but redirected his thoughts to throwing the small bouncy ball against the wall again, catching it this time.
He didn't hate his brother. Again, Raph found himself thinking of the dream he'd had the night before. Walking around the lair, with everybody there.
Everyone but Leo.
Splinter had looked so tired in the dream and Mikey had seemed really sad. Donny was lonely and Raph was exhausted, for reasons he didn't know.
But the young, temperamental turtle reminded himself that it was just a dream. Leo was in the room right across the hall and everything was okay. The two of them would come out in a few days calmed down, would be forced to apologize, and then everything would be okay again.
Climbing back up into his hammock, Raph threw the ball again, catching it once more.
Then, of course, his dinner had to be slipped right under his door at that moment. Raph cursed again, being called from his comfortable hammock once more. But the smell of pizza quickly smoothed over all anger.
He was hungry.
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He was hungry. More ravenous then he'd ever felt before.
Back on top of his temporary residence, Leo let his body rest on the cool concrete, even though he too was cold. His feet hurt, but his stomach hurt more. The place where he'd been punched ached while inside, it reminded him that he'd spent the entire day doing nothing but looking for food.
First day: wasted.
Clutching the only thing he'd been able to find the rest of the day, a stale bag of chips. He ate them slowly, but it seemed like they were gone before he knew it. They weren't bad and were certainly better than the sandwich he'd eaten earlier today that had given him an intense stomachache.
A cold wind started up so Leo grabbed his blanket, which he'd pinned down with rocks, and wrapped it around him.
That was when the door that led to the trashy restaurant below him opened. A young man, probably mid-twenties, with blond hair stepped onto the roof and looked out over the city, lighting a cigarette. He was dressed in a waiter's uniform.
Slowly, the wind carried the smoke back to where Leo sat. He tried to hold his breath, but the smoke got in anyway, making him cough.
The waiter turned sharply, scanning the rooftop. He saw nothing, however, for Leo was hidden under his blanket in the dark. Or, at least, that was what Leo hoped. He counted the seconds, breathing softly, fearing that in any second, he'd be found and taken to some laboratory like the ones Mikey saw on cheesy science fiction/horror movies.
After about five minutes, he heard a grunt and a door closed. Nervously, Leo poked his head out from under the blankets, scanning the rooftop for the man. Nothing. He was gone.
Leo let out a sigh of relief. He was safe. But the danger had made itself evident. Perhaps this wasn't a good place to stay. Sure, he still had the cap and jacket, but someone could come closer and get a better look if they wanted.
A yawn escaped the young turtle's mouth. Besides still being hungry, he was very tired. Tomorrow. He promised himself. Tomorrow, I'll find somewhere else to stay.
He placed his head down, looking up at the stars for a moment. He didn't get to see them everyday. Leo was beginning to think that they were the only good thing he'd seen during his little adventure. He'd be better off with his brothers.
Again, guilt swept through him. But it didn't last long.
Exhausted, he was asleep before he could make himself feel any worse than he already was.
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Not too bad, I hope!
Well, I better go now. I'm suppose to present a speech tomorrow (which is now today) and I haven't practiced! Hopefully, I'll be ready by the time I update (which I have if you're reading this). Wish me luck!
I made this chapter as long as I could, so I hope you enjoyed!
Please review!