TMNT
Mutant Kunoichi
A girl from our world is somehow transported to the TMNT world, where she is subjected to becoming a mutant not in body, but in spirit. Protected by the turtles, and hunted by Foot Clan, will she find protection or even love?
CHAPTER SIX
Song Of Birds
If I hadn't been so hungry, then I might've bolted right out of Roy's Pizza place. As it was, I was feeling very nervous, as I sat down at the counter and waited for my order to be made. I distracted myself by thinking how exciting this all was, to be in America and about to eat real American pizza. I'd never been to the states before, so this was a whole new experience for me…even if I wasn't in the same dimension as 'my' America.
The problem was when Roy had mentioned Keno's name…and, all of a sudden, I'd realized that he was the Keno – as in, the one who befriends the turtles in the second movie (which rocks, by the way). Trouble was, last night, I'd been more than positive that I'd been speaking to the Leonardo from the TMNT movie – his voice, his eyes, it all pointed to it. Then again…the voice I'd heard in my head (the voice I now feared) was that of the live-action movie-verse…
"You ordered the Meaty Madness, right?" A voice said from directly in front of me, and I jumped about four feet into the air, before looking up at the teenage boy standing behind the counter.
My mouth went dry, because I still wasn't used to seeing fictional characters come to life – and this Keno looked exactly like that Keno! Which meant that he was the Keno, who is the friend of the turtles…
Oh, damn, he's waiting for an answer! Say something! I nodded. I said SAY something! "Uh…yeah, I did…" I nearly whispered and, because the shop was so empty, he heard me.
He grinned. "Well, it'll just be ready soon, you won't have to wait much longer. I'm also letting you know that you get a free bottle of water with it."
Again I nodded, wishing I was wearing something other than my nightgown and also wishing that I wasn't quite so shy. Maybe if I was more confident, I could've said more to Leo last night, rather than running off into the night. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts, that I didn't realize that Keno was saying something to me until he'd finished speaking. "Pardon?" I blinked.
"I said, would you mind telling all your friends and family about this place?" Keno asked me, with more patience than he should've had considering I'd just spaced out.
I cast my eyes downward, swinging my feet back and forth. "Umm…I don't really know anyone here…I've just arrived…"
Right away I wished I hadn't said that, because Keno leaned across the counter, a look of interest on his face, and asked me: "Really? Where abouts are you from?"
I was so startled by the question, and by the lack of space between us (I don't do the whole people thing, usually, I'm about as sociable as a polar bear – an animal that spends most time by itself), that I said the first thing that came into my mind. "Japan!"
"Really?" Was it just me, or did he sound a bit suspicious? "You don't look…"
"I'm from Australia," I said, a touch defensively. "But I study abroad."
"What do you study?" Keno wanted to know.
Oh, what a terrific question. What the shell should I say? "Language and arts." Why did I say that?
"Wait…how old did you say you were?"
"I didn't."
"Well…?"
I sighed. "I'm fifteen." But I used to be twenty-one until they reversed my age, thanks for asking.
"Same here." Keno nodded, and we both lapsed into silence, before I dared to ask a question.
"Umm…so…how come you wanted me to tell people about this place? Don't…?"
It was Keno's turn to be embarrassed. "I guess you wouldn't know, if you just arrived here…but this place used to be the number one place to get pizza, until…" He trailed off, and glanced out the window, across the street.
I turned to look, and saw a building across the road, with a huge crowd of people lining up outside. A fancy-looking sign said Guido's Pizzeria, and at once I understood. The competition factor. I turned back to Keno, and said: "Don't worry – I'll tell people that this place serves better pizza."
The grin returned to Keno's face. "You haven't even tried it yet." He pointed out.
I smiled slightly. "I have a good feeling…especially about the extra-stringy cheese…"
"Yeah," Keno agreed, as Roy came out of the kitchen, holding a pizza box containing my pizza. "Mike's a big fan of that, too…"
Mike? As in…Michelangelo! Alarm bells began ringing in my head, as I stood up quickly, extending my hands for the pizza box, which was handed to me. "Arigatoo." I said, before wondering why did I say it? They're not Japanese! "I mean, thank you…gomenasai…uh…" I began inching my way to the door, because Keno, Roy and even the fat pizza chef at the back of the shop were looking at me strangely. "Umm…anyway, Keno, I'll be sure to…yeah, tell people to come here…umm…sayonara!" I beat a hasty retreat out onto the street, intending to find the nearest back alley and sit down and eat. I'd even share some with the crow and the dove, who I recognized flying overhead.
Keno's P.O.V:
"Oi, Keno!" Roy smacked me upside the head.
"Ow!" I complained.
Roy thrust a bottle of water and two pizza boxes into my hands. "The girl forgot her drink – go and find her and give it to her. Then deliver these pizzas to that O'Neil woman."
I had to grin, as I headed out the door. 'That O'Neil woman' actually happened to be April O'Neil, the channel three news lady and also a good friend. It had been at her apartment that I'd discovered the secret of the four mutant ninja turtles who had beaten up a bunch of guys robbing a store (I'd sort of stumbled into it by mistake). Since then, I'd become good friends with all of the turtles (Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo), as well as their mutant rat teacher, Splinter. I would have to ask him what 'gomenasai' meant, since he'd mentioned he came from Japan (long story).
I was on my way down the street, heading in the direction the girl had gone, when I heard the most amazing singing voice, and it was coming from a back alley nearby. As if I was a magnet, I found myself pulled in that direction, and peeked around the corner. I was even more amazed by what I saw than by what I heard.
The girl who had come into our shop was sitting on a pile of old rugs, the pizza box open and empty in front of her, and dozens of birds in all shapes and sizes perched all around her, some even right next to her. She was also the one doing the singing, singing for the birds and, even as I watched, more birds joined in the audience.
"Mada minu sekaisoko de nani ga matte-ite momoshimo risou to chigatte moosore wa shinaitori-tachi wa kaze ni nori tabi wo shite yukukyou kara ashita e to..."
I don't have a clue how to speak that much Japanese, so I had no idea what she was singing, but it sounded good just the same. She sounded a little cautious, though, maybe even nervous, and I wondered why.
Then, as I watched, a big black crow swooped down out of the sky, landing right there beside her. The girl stopped singing, reached for a slice of pizza, and held it up for the crow, which closed its beak around the extra stringy cheese, and pulled.
"There you go Karasu," The girl said quietly, before offering up the rest of the pizza to the other birds. A small white dove with a pink chest flew down and landed on her shoulder, cooing softly. "What's that Hato...? There's someone coming?"
I was startled, thinking she meant me but, just then, most of the birds took flight, almost in a panic, and that was when I heard the voices…
First Person's P.O.V:
I stood up quickly, somewhat frightened by the urgency in which Hato (I had decided to five both her and the crow Japanese names that fit) had delivered the news that we were being approached by a group of men, maybe six of them, and that their intentions seemed a little…less than look at the men, who were coming at me fast from the other end of the alley, and I knew I was in big trouble.