Heya y'all!
Deepest applogies for making you wait so long for another chapter! I had been working on my Halloween Special Fic 'Mutopian Halloween Fun' and I had been busy with other stuff as well, life, work, social life, it's all a little crazy! But I managed to put something together for you to enjoy!
Last place we left off, Jake had written his final letter to his father explaining in the best way he could why he and Callum were not going home, and had made his decison to stay in Mutopia.
How will Callum react to the news? Well read below to find out!
Chapter Nineteen
Start of a New Chapter
A couple of hours had past and Mona was sitting on a bench near the canal, she was stroking one of her bladed fans and looking at her reflection in the metal.
After talking in the canteen, Jake had gone to send his letter in an email to his father, and he agreed to meet with her afterwards to talk of his future.
Mona couldn't deny that she was worried for him after he had expressed his interest to join the Chicago Knights.
He had shown he was strong, but he had been lucky the past few occasions, and had only gotten a taster of how dangerous the foes she and the Turtles had crossed on a daily basis.
She ran her finger along the sharp edge of her fan, feeling the razor sharp blade that had tasted the blood of many foes.
She had been fighting such dangerous foes for over ten years, and she had faced all the horrors and evils such enemies had dabbled in.
For years she had gone it alone, well if not counting the Turtles and their friends, but now her real family were involved in her life again and what she encountered, she wondered if Jake and Callum would be able to handle their new life, since it was a huge change from their old some what normal life in Wisconsin.
She wanted to support Jake, but that doubt was still niggling in her soul.
"Sis?" Jake's voice soon broke into her thoughts, and Mona looked across to see her brother walking towards her.
"Jake." she said softly as her brother sat down on the bench next to her.
"I sent the email." Jake said his eyes tearful as he looked at the ground, "I can't tell you the pain I felt as I sent it, but I did, I don't know how dad will react, but I'll just have to play it by ear."
"One day he will want to know the truth." Mona said "But the real question is, what can be told to him?"
Jake shook his head.
"I don't know." he said "That futures not written, but I will find a way around it, I swear."
Mona said nothing but looked back at the shining metal on her fan. Jake could sense the feelings she had about his decision to stay in Mutopia and he sighed.
"I know what you're thinking Mona." Jake said.
Mona looked at her younger brother.
"I know you're worried," Jake continued "About me and Callum, but I feel positive about this, I have learnt how to defend myself for a long time, even before Callum went off the rails, and I have you to thank for that, you inspired me!"
Mona felt a faint blush come to her cheeks.
"It's true!" Jake said "You inspired me, and I've looked up to you."
"I honoured to hear you say that." Mona smiled "But I still fear for you, The Foot, The Venomous Five and the Purple Dragons were dangerous enough, and there are others out there who are just as bad, if not worse."
Jake nodded.
"I understand sis!" he said "But believe me when I say I will learn more from the Chicago Knights, and I will take it all they teach so I will survive here, and be around for you! We lost each other once, and I will not allow it to happen again, I swear on my honour!"
Mona smiled softly and wrapped her arms around Jake.
"And I trust you little brother!" she said "And I trust the Chicago Knights and the other residents of Mutopia will look after you!"
"They will sis!" Jake replied as he hugged her back.
As the siblings embraced, Sephie watched with Amber and smiled.
"Such a touching moment hmm?" Amber commented to which Sephie nodded.
"I can see Mona's still worried, but she trusts use with her life and on our honour and our very lives we will look after both Jake and Callum."
"I wonder how the Raven's doing with his flying lesson with Tyroth?" Amber asked as Sephie mentioned Callum.
"I hope he's doing okay." Sephie said "And more to the point I wonder if he's thought any more about building his relationship again with Mona and Jake?"
Amber sighed sadly.
"I don't know." she said "But I guess only time will tell."
Meanwhile, Tyroth was still watching Callum in the deeper areas of the caves as the Raven used his wings. He was flying in circles over the deep cavern and learning how to turn in the air.
Tyroth sat on the edge of the cavern edge and smiled proudly.
Callum was picking up the ways of flying very quickly.
"You're doing so well Callum." he said "You seem to have found your wings more quickly than I did! Seems like you have naturally got it!"
Callum looked to Tyroth and hovered in the air, letting the wind that rose from the caverns below billow up under his wings.
"Thanks." he said "Well, since I have become this, I need to learn how to use these extra limbs." he then flew over and landed on the cavern edge, using his talons to dig into the rocks so he wouldn't fall backwards.
Tyroth kept the smile on his face yet he flinched a little at the resentment in Callum's voice so he decided to change the subject.
"Well, again well done today! I think we'll go back and have a rest then if you're up for it, shall we head back here later for some more practice?"
"Yes Tyroth, I'd like that a lot, thanks." Callum replied.
"Okay then!" Tyroth said in a cheerful voice "Let's head back shall we?"
Callum nodded and followed the dragon back to Mutopia.
"I wonder how your brother and sister are?" Tyroth asked.
Callum growled slightly and looked down to which Tyroth sighed.
"They'll be pleased to know of your progress." Tyroth offered but Callum kept his head down and glowered.
"Look Callum." Tyroth spoke again "I know you're still upset and all, but you can't keep feeling bitter towards them, they only did that they could to help..."
Callum glared again and didn't look at Tyroth, obviously he didn't want to talk about it.
"Don't speak of them please." he said "I can't even think of them without feeling such hurt and sickness."
Tyroth swallowed hard at those words and he chewed his lip.
"You still need time to heal Callum." he said "This will get easier, but don't throw away what you had, you'll never get another family like them again."
Callum just glared and kept looking at the ground as they walked.
Tyroth sighed again and looked up to see the entrance of Mutopia ahead.
"Here we are!" he said putting on his cheerful demeanour "Sure feels quickly getting back here than leaving it."
"I suppose." Callum replied quietly.
Tyroth was about to speak again when he saw Amber walking over.
"Hey sis!" Tyroth smiled seeing the marine iguana walk over.
"Hey big brother!" Amber said "I'm glad you're both back! I got news!"
"What is it?" asked Tyroth.
"It's Jake." Amber said "He's decided after a few hours of deliberation he wishes to stay in Mutopia!"
Tyroth and Callum stared at Amber.
Tyroth was surprised but pleased they were going to have another resident, but Callum had the look of total shock on his face.
"What?" he asked, his eyes blazing.
"Jake wishes to stay!" Amber repeated looking at Callum, she felt a little worried at the look on his face but she decided to not confront the issue.
"Why?" Callum asked.
"I suppose to make sure you'll be alright." Tyroth said "And he doesn't want to leave you."
"He did express to me why he didn't wish to return to Wisconsin." Amber continued "He said there were too many bad memories back home, and he felt here he and Callum could make a fresh start, he says his descion is final because like Sarah, he's written to the family back home to explain why he's not returning."
Tyroth gave a sympathetic smile then turned to Callum who looked to the ground again, the same glare on his face.
"You alright Callum?" Amber asked.
Callum just glared at Amber then opened his wings before flying into the air and up to towards the residential areas of Mutopia.
Amber watched his go then looked at Tyroth.
"Was it something I said?" she asked.
Tyroth shook his head.
"He's still hurting." he said "He still feels anger and resentment at his Mutation and towards Mona and Jake."
Amber sighed.
"He can't stay mad forever." she said "He's got to get used to his new life sooner or later."
Tyroth nodded in agreement.
"We've had residents here who have taken a while to get used to their lives here, and of course there are some who say being Mutated is the best thing that ever happened to them, and Callum is one of the former, he will get used to his life here soon enough, it just might take a lot longer than others, and maybe in time he and Jake will rebuild what they once had."
"I hope so." Amber replied "For their sake anyway."
"Best leave him to gather his thoughts and let him come to us when he wants to talk." Tyroth advised as he watched where Callum had flown off.
"I have to say, he has shown skill in flying, he's picked it up quicker than I thought, and quicker than me when I first mutated."
"That's amazing!" Amber said "His wings are indeed powerful."
"Yeah." Tyroth said "Come on, let's go and find the others and make arrangements for welcoming our newest resident."
"Sounds good to me!" Amber said as she walked with her brother back to the main area.
Meanwhile Callum had flown up to his allocated room, he opened the door and strode over to the bed before kicking the side cabinet in frustration before sitting down on the bed heavily.
He felt angry that Jake had decided to stay in Mutopia, he wasn't sure if he was going to mutate as well or stay as a human but whatever he had decided he was angered about it.
He had hoped that Jake would return to New York with Mona and not bother him again, he couldn't look at his older siblings without feeling resentment and he hoped that they would leave him alone once they went home.
But now he was made aware that Jake would not leave him be now he had decided to stay in Mutopia.
"Why?" he asked with a growl "Why must you decide to stay and torment me more? Will you stay so you can constantly remind me of my follies? And how you decided to make me a mutant instead of letting me die? Will you torture me with your presence?"
He put his head in his taloned hands and took a few deep breaths.
"I will not be under your thumb Jake." he thought as his eyes blazed and he clenched his beak "I won't allow it! You can be sure of that big brother!"
So Jake and Mona have spoken again about Jake's decison to stay in Mutopia, and Callum has shown progress in his flying under Tyroth's tutoring.
But now he's heard the news about Jake's decision to stay in Mutopia and he's not happy about it! Oh dear!