Mona ended up blowing into town, another member of the Hamato clan Koda got to meet. As with everyone else Koda's met here, her and Mona hit it off quite well. However, the new friend didn't have any effect on the emotionally drained woman. Much to everyone's dismay, they had hoped for something- anything to bring her out of her slump.
Raph truly mellowed out upon her visiting. Like a whole different turtle. And in a way it lifted the whole family. Raph hadn't touched a drop of alcohol since she'd been here and every day seemed to be better than the last.
The battle ready salamandrian stayed for about two weeks and that of course didn't end without a bang:
"Are you fu... a-are you kidding me?!" Raphs voice echoes down the tunnel into the lair.
"You're acting like a child!" Mona's voice fires back.
Leo turns the volume up on the TV.
"Are they always like that?" Koda asks, leaning back to see if she can see into the subway tunnel from the couch.
"Everytime she comes back and goes to leave." Leo huffs.
"Sheesh."
"You're telling me."
The yelling continues for a couple minutes more before angry shouts of "I love you" are exchnaged and the noise subsides.
Raph slams the metal door down at the entrance and storms into the lair muttering all kinds of profanities.
Koda and Leo ignore the angry Raph as he passes by and makes his way to his room where his own door rocks against its frame.
Leo finally turns the obnoxiously loud TV back down.
"He'll be an asshole for the next few days." He comments, letting the tv take his mind again.
Koda just nods doing the same.
Lately, Koda has been sticking close to Leo despite his annoying attempts to put some life back into her. More than anything he just wants to hold her, make her feel understood, let her know she's not alone. But he doesn't want to make it seem like he's pushing anything.
So silently and platonically they sit, absent-mindedly watching that damn tv.
Raph hides in his room all day. No one dares to put a knock to his door to check in on him and suffer whatever fury he has left.
Koda dwells on it as she cooks next to Mikey. It can't be easy on the hothead, to have someone so close always be so far. A dilemma that certainly drains the red banded turtle. At least he has the family to fall on; now that they aren't in shambles.
Yet, she's seen no one go talk to him. Or him seek comfort in their company. It just feels odd to her.
Finally, Koda racks up the dumb courage to check on Raph. She sets her laddle down silently and makes way around the corner to Raph's room. Ever so lightly she wraps on the beat up door.
"What?" Raph's voice is a broken one, of some one who has definitely been crying most of the afternoon.
"It's me." Koda says.
"Yeah... Yeah come in."
Koda opens the door and steps in as Raph sits up on his hammock bed, wiping his eyes. She leaves the door open and sits on the stool in the corner of his room. It's neat and orderly, he must've been cleaning it to distract himself.
"Figured you'd check on me eventually." He tries at a soft chuckle.
"Well someone ought to."
"I guess." His sniffles lightly.
"Are you and Mona alright?"
"Yeah. Of course... It's just rough. Ya'know?"
Koda nods. Raph is sorely down-hearted. Not sure there is much she can do for him. Despite her own emotional discord as of late, she can't stand to see one of the Hamatos hide away in a dark hole of turmoil.
She glances to her side where two guitars sit next to a drumset: one electric and one acoustic. She plucks the acoustic off its stand with curiosity.
"Whats with these? You only got two fingers and a thumb." Koda chuckles, bringing it to tune.
"I just like music. And you can do a lot with just two strings." Raph states.
"True." Koda picks a few strings, she can tell her tune is off a little bit but as always can never get it exact without a tuner.
"Come up on the fourth a little bit." Raph states.
"Ah I knew those ears of yours had some talent." She boasts.
Raph gives her a soft smile. "Second is a little high."
Koda nods taking that one down a notch. She strums the open strings.
"Good?"
"Perfect." Raph answers.
Koda rips through a couple of chords. It's been a long time and her damaged left hand doesn't make it any easier. But she still has it.
There may be no order to any of the sound she's producing, but it's like making light from your hands in a dark room. Every chord has a feeling and each strum its strength. Koda comes to realize she hasn't listened to music in some time... at least not in the way she used to. She tapers off the pleasant noise.
"Well I don't know what that was, but, it sounded nice."
She chuckles, "It'd sound better if I actually play somethin'."
"Then play something." Raph states with a tinge of curiousity.
Koda ponders for a moment, letting her finger tips lightly graze a few strings as she stares at the floor. The memories around campfires with her brothers come flooding in. The light of the flames dancing along faces as they sang and tapped along. Opened cans and burnt marshmallows. Smoke smell lingering for hours after it was over.
A little smile sits on her lips through her sad eyes.
"I got one."
Koda hits the first three notes and Raph leans forward to watch as Koda plucks away to the opening of "Wish You Were Here."
...
Leo is snatched out of his meditation. He could swear he just heard the faint strumming of a guitar. For lack of better explanation he blames it on his mind playing tricks or Mikey playing with the radio.
Just as soon as he lets bizarre auditory input go- it starts to return a familiar melody. Puzzled, Leo gets to his feet to investigate the song coming from across the lair.
Once near the source he finds he isn't the only one drawn to the sound as he stands amongst Donnie and Mikey outside Raph's door.
He smiles, Koda plays through the song, singing along with a beautifully flowing voice he'd never expect out of her. Raph joins in for the last chorus. The two of them completely unaware they are being enchantingly observed.
Koda finishes off the song, the sudden clapping at the door has her and Raph jumping out of their skins. Raph's cheeks deepen red at the idea he got caught singing. Even with her sense Koda had no idea she was being watched. Music can be a magical distraction.
"You never told us you could play!" Mikey beams, stepping into the room.
"It never really came up." She replies, her eyes shyly cast at the floor.
"What else do you know?" Donnie asks.
"Quite a few other songs."
"Play some more for us." Leo requests softly.
Koda's face is bright for the first time in a while when she looks back up.
"Alright." She chuckles falling into another song.
Dinner had long been eaten and the remainders packed away. For the first time in a few weeks, Koda was buoyant and smiling at the table. No one dared to stop her.
Leo felt great relief feeling the warmth of her gaze and the chipper in her voice. He'd been missing it greatly.
But his own joy is soon slacked off. A group text between him and his brothers led him to the cold steel doors of Donnie's lab later in the night after Koda had long gone to bed.
"So what is this "bro" meeting about?" Leo asks as he steps into the lab and shuts the door behind him.
Donnie waits with the others at his desk for Leo to finish his approach before answering.
"I think it's time... we discuss alternative plans for Koda." Donnie states with a slight sigh.
"What exactly does that mean?" Raph pokes.
The purple banded turtle gives an exasperated look. Leo can read that face well, having mulled over the possibility himself.
"Her stay here could be permanent." Leo states, looking to the floor.
The other two turtles are silent, taken aback by the idea.
Donnie clears his throat in the silence.
"W-we haven't heard from Bishop in months now. I can't get any contact. My orb isn't picking up anything... It's like- like there's nothing." Donnie huffs in the quiet room.
"What could've happened? Is there a reason?" Mikey asks with a worry that usually doesn't show itself.
"I don't know... It could've just gotten really intense over there in her dimension. But I really don't have anything- any idea. My best is that... Its over." Donnie almost seems broken to say it.
"So the plan?" Raph asks aggravatingly, angry at the world.
"If she's going to have to stay here... we should probably get a hold of some paperwork. Get some background fabricated: like a birth certificate, social security, highschool diploma, a license... things she would need to make a life here considering she doesn't exist to this dimension." Donnie answers.
The boys all look down, the upsetting reality finally hitting them.
"What are we gonna tell her?" Mikey says downtrodden.
"That's why I wanted us all here... Should we get a whole background made up for her yet? What do we tell her?" Donnie asks.
Leo shakes his head, eyes still cast down. "We're not going to tell her. Atleast not right away. Nothing is set in stone. The situation could change." Leo sucks in a deep breath, he doesn't want to be the one choosing what to do right now, especially since it involves someone else's life with which they have no control over.
But he's the decision maker in the family. It didn't take long for him re-assume that role once Koda came into their lives. And now here he is with everyone staring at him, waiting for word on what to do.
"I know that paperwork could take some time. Best to have it sooner rather than later should we know for sure that she can't go home."
Donnie nods and slides his laptop over to open it. He starts typing away in the silent room. No doubt getting in contact with some of the higher up friends they've made over the course of their adventures.
"We can't just do this without saying anything. We should ask her if this is what she wants us to do." Raph says, still with a twinge of anger in his voice.
"For now, we don't. Give it more time. We could hear from Bishop, we don't know for sure whats going on... And we all know now is not exactly the best time to bring this up."
"Today's the first time I've seen her really smile in like two weeks." Mikey states.
"Exactly." Leo says rather defensively. "We can't bring her back down with this."
Raph and Mikey nod.
The very idea pains Leo, more-so for the fact that it will devastate Koda to even suggest the thought of her having to stay here. Of her home not even existing anymore. Of her entire life gone. But it's an apparent reality they need to face. Because in the end it may be true and they'll need to tell her eventually.