Hello, everyone! I'm on Christmas break! Now I can write more! WOO!
So, here's the chapter you've been waiting for. You finally get to meet the girls! Hopefully it won't disappoint.
Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT. I also don't own Cherry, Desy, or Kellie, cuz that'd be creepy.
Before going to the bathroom to shower, J slipped into his room to lay out a set of clothes: a simple ensemble of a solid yellow T-shirt and jean shorts, plus socks and underpants. After doing so, he took off his glasses and set them at his bedside. Finally, he headed to the bathroom.
J shut the door behind him as he entered the bathroom. Before stripping completely, he quickly used the toilet. When he was finished, J took off his sweatpants, stepped behind the shower curtain, and turned the water on. He threw his head back as cool water cascaded down onto him. He was amazed at how just two weeks of deprivation could make one forget how good it felt. The boy basked in the cool flow for a few more seconds before starting the process of washing himself. While doing this, J let his thoughts turn to the family of mutants in the other room.
My family of mutants, he reminded himself. My new family. I still gotta get used to that.
J sighed. They're all worried. They're going to wanna know. I can't blame them. I mean, there's no way I can hide it forever. It wouldn't be fair. Or healthy. For any of us. But… I'm not ready. He snorted. I don't think I'll ever be ready.
The boy balanced on one foot in order to scrub the other, then switched and repeated the action. I'd better get ready soon. They might try some sort of intervention thing if I wait for too long.
He could see several scenarios unfold in his head.
Leo would try to guilt the info out of me.
J saw himself sitting on the couch in the living room, with Leonardo seated next to him.
"J," imaginary-Leo said in a gentle, yet pleading tone, "you know you can tell us anything. Remember, we're family. We care about you."
Raph would just lock me in my room until I spilled.
J wore a knowing smirk as he pictured the hothead guarding his door.
"Raph!" he imagined himself whine. "I have to go to the bathroom!"
J saw his door open and an emerald-green hand sliding a bucket inside, along with some toilet paper.
"Seriously?"
Imaginary-Raph was very serious. "When you're done, say so, and I'll take care of dumping it. Then I'll get Donnie to clean it."
Imaginary-J growled in exasperation.
J stuck his tongue out in disgust, quickly moved on from that grody scene to the next turtle.
Donnie… He'd probably try to analyze my behavior and stay up till ungodly hours, attempting to form theories as to what might have happened to me, and then connect those theories. He'd forget to eat and sleep. That'll force the others to go on "Donnie-duty" overtime to keep him from killing himself. Eventually that'll lead to Raph locking Don is his room. J chuckled at the irony. Until he realized… and then Raph would get pissed at me for causing Don's all-nighters and lock me in my room.
Oops.
The blond shook his head to move his train of thought along. On to Mikey… I can just hear him now. "Please? Please? Please-please-pleeease?" J shook his head. Okay, so Mikey would probably have more tact in this situation than that. That moment was just to get Don to build the Battle Shell. And he'd pull it on me only if he wanted me to do something mediocre, like play a new video game. But that's off-topic.
Anyway, I should tell them. I have to tell them. J turned off the water. But first I have to get ready to relive it. And that is not going to happen right away. I still need time.
He peeked out from behind the curtain to make sure that no one else was in the bathroom before stepping out to grab a towel. The teen dried himself off and wrapped it securely around his waist, taking extra care to ensure that it was, in fact, secure. Don't want it falling down out in the open. That'd be awkward.
After reassuring himself that that wouldn't happen, J stepped toward the bathroom door. He stopped momentarily to run a hand through his still semi-wet hair. "Clean" is the greatest feeling in the world.
J opened the door and made his way to his room.
*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*
After Cherry hung up, Leo walked to Donnie's lab, knowing he'd find his brothers taking refuge there. Sure enough, all three of the younger turtles were hanging out, chatting idly. Annoyingly, they were chatting about Leo's imminent demise at the hands of one of the girls.
Before his brothers could start making bets on which of their friends would hunt him down, the swordsman said irritatedly, "I hate you guys so much right now."
Immediately the three turned their heads, mildly surprised at their leader's sudden entrance.
Raph, however, was quick to recover. Smirking, he quipped, "So how was yer talk with Cherry?"
Leo stared a hole in the wall instead of dignifying the turtle in red with a response.
Michelangelo grinned cheekily. "It was Cherry, right? I mean, you don't look scared out of your shell, so it couldn't have been Desy."
"I dunno, Mikey," Donnie said, "Cherry could make Hun cry if she put her mind to it."
Raph laughed out loud, "Oh man, I would pay to see that happen."
Leo failed to stifle a chuckle.That would be pretty funny, he admitted with a sigh of defeat. The blue-banded turtle found a seat and answered Mikey's question. "Yes, Mikey, it was Cherry."
Mikey's grin broadened. "Didja flirt with her?"
Raphael and Donatello grew grins to match their little brother's, setting their full attention on the eldest.
To his credit, their leader managed to maintain his usual stoicism. Underneath the surface, however, he was praying to whatever existing deities that he wasn't blushing. "No," he said. "I just told her that we saved J and he's here with us." As an afterthought, he added, "No flirting."
Leo's response deflated the orange-banded turtle slightly.
"Dude, what's wrong with you?" Mikey's energy came back in no time. "You should have at least said something smooth. I would have." The orange ninja leaned back in his chair, rubbing his knuckles against his plastron suavely. "Ladies just can't resist the Mikey charm."
His bubble was quickly burst by Donatello. "Right, Mikey," he teased. "Because you have quite the silver tongue."
The energetic turtle pouted, but he wasn't about to let Donnie get this victory. "You're one to talk," he retorted, "Mister I-still-blush-around-April."
Mikey beamed triumphantly at the sound of the two oldest turtles snickering.
The now-defeated genius looked at his only backup incredulously, words failing him.
Raph did nothing to hide his mirth. "There ain't nothing more to say, Mr. Smooth."
Leo barked out a laugh before he could try stifling it. He coughed in a vain attempt to save face and Donnie's pride, but it was too late.
The second-youngest gaped at him. "Leo!" In defeat, he slumped over on his desk, sulking.
The others shamelessly laughed at the ninja in purple's expense. The scene remained that way for a small while as their laughter died down.
Donnie himself finally had to crack a smile of his own. "At least the girls weren't here for that," he admitted with a shrug.
Leo's humor immediately turned to horror. "Shell, I forgot. Cherry is calling Kellie and they're all coming here."
Mikey screamed, "I'm too young to die!"
Raphael gave the orange-banded turtle another love tap to the head. "Ya ain't dead yet, numbskull. We still got time to ditch and-"
"No you don't, meepers."
All four heads snapped to the lab door, one of them letting out another high-pitched scream. Standing in the doorway were three indignant female forms. The one in front walked toward them with conviction.
Donnie found part of his voice, "Hi, Cherry," he greeted unsteadily.
The blonde looked over each of them with great scrutiny, her gaze coming to a stop at Donnie.
"None of y'all got hurt, right?"
All four turtles smiled at her concern, their nervousness washing away.
Leonardo answered for his genius brother, "Yes,we're all fine. Don't worry. It was actually a simple in-and-out." His brothers voiced affirmation.
Don continued where Leo left off, "I don't think Shredder was prepared for us at all. The level of security he had was mediocre, at best."
Cherry shook her head in amazement. How did they even know where to find him?
The dark-haired girl in back spoke up, "That's weird. Wouldn't he have a whole army of ninjas?"
"Yeah!" Mikey agreed. "You'd think so!" The orange-banded turtle stood up from his chair. "We were expecting a HUGE fight!"
"We didn't exactly trust our… informant," Raph interrupted, spitting out the last word.
"But like Leo said, it was really quick," Mikey finished.
Cherry stopped anyone from continuing. "Informant?"
The room went silent as the boys looked at each other.
Leonardo cleared his throat. "Well…" he began.
"WHERE'S J?" the third girl blurted out. "Tell us already!"
Cherry gave her sister a disapproving look.
Mikey, looking ready to bolt, answered carefully, "He's still in the lair, Desy. He's just in the shower. And he has that 'closed-door, open-door' bathroom policy, remember? So he's gonna want his privacy. You can see him after he's done, okay? Don't hurt the nice turtles."
Cherry sighed in relief. "So he's not too hurt?"
Donatello shook his head. "No. He doesn't appear to have any injuries." He looked away, adding, "Aside from a scar on his left arm and a burn on his back."
Destiny looked ready to explode. "WHAT!?"
Michelangelo screamed and hid behind Raph. "Don't hurt the nice turtles!" he repeated.
"His personality is intact, though," Leo announced. "He just has to tell us what happened to him in order to completely recover."
Kellie cocked her head. "How do we get him to do that?"
Mikey peaked out from behind Raphael, grinning. "Leo has a plan for that."
Destiny walked up to the leader. "What are we doing?"
Cherry sighed and dragged her sister away from him. "Desy."
The blue-banded turtle smiled gratefully at her before beginning, "Well, I decided that each of us would spend one day with J. Just the two of us. By doing this, we can let J know that he doesn't have to hide this, without even telling him outright."
Donnie cleared his throat. "Wait, I'm not sure it'd be easy to keep what we're doing a secret, given the obvious."
"Damn fanboy," Raph muttered.
Leonardo groaned and sat down, rubbing his temples furiously. "Shell, you're right. He'll see right through us."
Silence loomed in Don's lab heavily.
"So what do we do now?"
"I don't know. We just have to trust J to come out on his own."
"And soon. This kind of hiding isn't healthy for any of us."
Well, Leo's plan just went out the window. So now what? How long will it for me to open up?
My favorite part of this chapter was Desy's opening line. Now, if you don't mind, I gotta run. Meep-meep!