CHAPTER 23: In the land of the rising Sun.

This is it! Finally entering the actual meat and potatoes of this story I concocted many many MANY years ago! I mean we all know it's just good fun but if you want to leave feedback I more than welcome it! If not just sit back and enjoy the ride lol. This is from our lovely Frog-Woman Charlotte! I'll also be trying to make chapters a bit longer from here on out, just to bulk up some reading.

It felt nice to be embraced by the comfort of rest, although she truly was too exhausted to care if it was good rest or not. Typically, Charlotte was a lucid dreamer, something she had heard about one-day while watching daytime talk show television with her abuelita. Once she heard of the possibility to control your dreams, she was hooked on the idea and researched everything she could on it. Gaining the ability to control her mind even in sleep was the first time she really found a passion for medicine and information about health and the body. In a way that dumb talkshow was the reason her life became what it was in this moment.

However, this time for Charlotte there was no lucid dreaming for her. At first admittedly she assumed she was dead with the way she was just sitting in darkness, unable to move or do anything in the dreamlike space. It wasn't even like she could do much, her body felt like stone, so heavy and tired. It was a new sensation, to be aware of her body while resting, summing it up to a side effect to her tampered DNA. Taking a step back and looking at the situation, it was more akin to meditation than sleeping Charlotte found herself pondering. Having the ability to rest and think was a multitasking skill that brought her far in life, but now she couldn't help but find it obnoxious. It is far more difficult to stop thinking than people give it credit for.

In a state like this it was difficult to know how much time had passed, sometimes Charlotte swore she could hear things happening around her in the dark void that engulfed her, but nothing she could fully understand. Like a whisper of talking or a soft scratch of a chair along the ground. For brief periods of time her body would fully turn off for lack of better words, giving her short bursts of what felt like much needed REM sleep. It caught her off guard when after who knows how long, she felt the urge to move her eyelids, a much more difficult task than one would assume.

It took far longer than she would have ever wanted to admit to get her eyes to crack even slightly, even though her world always appeared as a Monet painting first thing after sleep. Even through the splotchy colors, she could tell she was no longer in that drain pipe she had previously called her bed, the yellow throw blanket sitting on top of her was enough credence to that. Charlotte sat up slowly, peering outward into the dark space around her, the lack of light making it somewhat difficult to distinguish between things. Taking her webbed fingers and rubbing her face, her head darting in the direction of a low rumbling, but kind voice.

Master Splinter: Ah…I see you have finally awoken

Charlotte squinted in the direction that literally called out to her, running her hand over her chest in an attempt to find the remains of her glasses and fumbling with them clumsily. Once vision had been returned to her, she could not contain the first gasp of awe at the space around her. Attempting to take it all in from her spot on this old cotton cot, peering at the tech and marvelous inventions around her.

Master Splinter: It is quite a spectacle isn't it? My son is very talented..

Her eyes jumped back to the voice speaking to her, this time her gasp seemed to make the figure before her tense and nervous. She couldn't help herself though, although she believed April's words about four mutant turtle ninjas and their rat sensei keeping the streets of NYC safe, seeing it first hand was still shocking. Looking at the tall, distinguished rat-man before her, she couldn't help but stare at him in disbelief, her voice escaping her throat just above a whisper, though from the twitch of his ear and intrigued look he had managed to hear her.

Charlotte: Oh Dios mío…you're real and…

Master Splinter: it is true, I am very much real…I do not mean you harm however I-

Charlotte: You're magnificent…magnificently real…tal como ella dijo

She couldn't contain the smile on her face which seemed to bring the man before her some level of ease. Charlotte looked down at her lap, blinking a few times as if to really confirm she was indeed awake. Although this was different from what she was seeing before, she needed to confirm with herself that she hadn't fallen into some delusional state. Returning her gaze up to the person who accompanied her in the room, it seemed to click in her groggy mind that she had a task at hand to complete, turning and looking around for the bag she had trudged all that distance with before, looking and finding it sitting up against the wall near the large metal door, another wave of relief washing over her.

Charlotte: Oh thank goodness…I don't know what I'd do if I lost that..

Master Splinter: Ah yes, your bag. I do apologize that we took a peek inside, although I do hope to hear about your journey up till now?

Charlotte nodded enthusiastically, moving the blanket off of herself to attempt to get up, and she would have been successful if it wasn't for the room starting to spin for her yet again. With a graceful glide across the concrete floor, a strong hand was placed on her good shoulder to assist in steadying her. She half expected to be returned to the bed but was happily surprised when he began to assist her in walking toward the door.

Master Splinter: Although I think a nice meal and a hot bath would be more welcoming to you first.

Charlotte offered him a kind smile which he reflected back to her, she could tell in a way he enjoyed her company, and it seemed to only grow from her reaction to the main room of his home. She stared with wide eyes at the mystical room that had been fondly described to her, her eyes darting to and from all of the things that made up the lair from the very abused punching bag to the air hockey table to the tire swing over the pools of water before the dojo. It looked like the kind of club house children only dreamed of, and it truly was more fantastic than April could have ever made it out to be. Feeling the support leave her shoulder as she stood before a very odd makeshift bathroom, similar to some of the tiled subway bathrooms she had seen at the beginning of her visit to the city, she turned and nodded kindly to the rat-man.

Master Splinter: I will make you some Okayu while you freshen up. Take your time, my child.

It was entirely possible that Charlotte took the instructions of the sensei too literally when he had told her to take her time, but she hadn't seen clean water like this in a long time. Compared to how she had been living, the makeshift shower in the old subway bathroom's handicap stall was like the Ritz. Knowing her hair would not return to its typical tiny tight coils she was used to, she couldn't care less that this secret home under the busy streets of NYC didn't have her shea moisture hair products. Having a real moment for herself, basking in the hot steam of the room after the water was off, Charlotte caught a real glimpse of herself in the large bathroom mirror.

It truly was surreal for her, looking back at herself, how much she had changed and hadn't changed. She still had that deep, rich colombian coffee brown hair, with a slight tint of red, and the small scar under her chin from middle school when she fell off the bus, not to mention the small nose and large lips that people mocked her for all her life. Many things about her body were new for her, but it was a solid reminder that she was still herself no matter what. If it wasn't for the neat little folded pile of clothes sitting by the door, Charlotte surely would have been sitting and looking over every inch of herself.

She was surprised at all that there were clothes available for her, thankful as well that she wouldn't need to put back on that horrible and strange labrat like outfit those alien creeps had enforced onto everyone. Looking at herself in her new outfit, she couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous she looked in the shirt that was easily a dress on her, peering down at the faded text on the shirt, so distorted she couldn't even make it out anymore. Charlotte quickly fixed up the bathroom to the best of her abilities, forever grateful that she could bathe at all, let alone with rather nice amenities. Taking her scraps of clothing and tossing them along with her old bandages into a trash bin under the sink and departing in search of food.

Finding the kitchen was less of a struggle than she had previously assumed it would be, a comforting aroma filling the lair which led her all the way to the concrete slab-table where her meal sat. She nodded her head in thanks to the man sitting across from her with a cup of tea, offering her own cup as well. Oh how long had it been since she had consumed a warm meal, it truly filled her up down to her very core. Under different circumstances, Charlotte would be far more skeptical of the meal before her, but beggars can't be choosers when they haven't eaten in almost over a week, let alone a warm meal. She really had to fight with all of her being to not scarf it all down as fast as she could, knowing the aftermath would not be in her best interest. Peeking up and seeing the rat-man before her simply watching with those same kind eyes, she had to offer some level of acknowledgment.

Charlotte: Thank you…for the food I mean. Well also for the shower, and the bed too..

Master Splinter: Please…I am glad we are able to help someone in need. May I ask though..your name?

Charlotte: Oh! Oh look at me..My name is Charlotte…Charlotte Valeria Castillo.

Master Splinter: Well Miss. Castillo, welcome to our home..

Charlotte: Thank you…I apologize if I sound rude but…your name is Hamato Yoshi isn't it?

Charlotte watched as he slowly recoiled at her question, his eyes growing wide with a soft surprise before moving to stroke his long whisker as if he was trying to think of something. Watching as he slowly rose up from his seat and walked around the table to stand before her. Never once had Charlotte felt intimidated or afraid of his presence, but she would be lying now if she said the silence and tension in the room didn't make her uncomfortable. Eventually he seemed to give her a soft smile, although his eyes reflected more of a sadness than that of comfort like before.

Master Splinter: Yes. My name is Hamato Yoshi, although I have not been called that with kindness in many many years. Most days now I am referred to as Master Splinter, or sensei.

Charlotte: And when you say most days…you mean about seventeen years ago when you accidently ran into the Kraang…right?

The way his eyes narrowed in a blend of caution and curiosity made Charlotte bite her lip in her own turmoil of anxiety, but the sounds of people approaching was enough for her to push all of that to the side, jumping up from her seat and running to hide behind the kind Master Splinter as if she was a shy child. She felt her cheek pouches inflate a little with embarrassment, putting her hands on them to quell them a bit, peeking out from behind his kimono sleeve ever so slightly to see them.

Master Splinter: My sons, welcome home.

Leonardo: Sensei, we have returned.

Michelangelo: Were you cookin' in here sensei? I am starvin'! Anything good?

Master Splinter: There is more Okayu if you would like some my son, although I was not cooking for me, but for our guest.

Charlotte looked up at Master Splinter as he raised his arm up to expose her to the group before her, attempting to stifle her gasp and failing, resorting to ducking behind the rat man again which rewarded her a chuckle. Her grand reveal to the group before her earned a gasp from all of them as well. From the sounds of it, they were fighting the urge to crowd her and ask questions as well as keep away from her. Finding the courage within her again, Charlotte peeked around the side of Master Splinter, sucking in a shocked breath to be face to face with a gruff, red masked turtle man. Charlotte scurried back, bumping into another one of the turtle men which made both of them exclaim in surprise. The overwhelming feeling really getting to Charlotte as instinct seemed to kick in, crouching down and hopping over the concrete table, now standing in the doorway, away from the excited teenage boys and their father figure attempting to wrangle them into some level of functionality.

Master Splinter: My sons! Now that we are all here…If you wouldn't mind Miss. Castillo…maybe you could share your journey with us?

Charlotte looked between all of the people before her, a wave of anxiety washing over her from the sheer excitement of a new individual in the space really getting to her. Were these guys really the saviors of NYC April told her about?