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 TWELVE

On A First Name Basis

Nobody's P.O.V:

The two scientists cowered before the terrifying figure, clutching a hand to the three slashes across the side of each face. In the candlelight, the powerful man's silver armor gleamed, and there was a strange red glint in his eyes.

"[So, the one experiment that survived has escaped us…]" The man mused to himself in his native language, one that the scientists recognized as Japanese but couldn't understand the words. "[I am not surprised…even if it was a female, the formula would still have affected her in the same way…]." The man began pacing. "[She will be fast and strong, with an incredible talent for ninjitsu that she will be able to pick up quickly. The fact that she stole those vials of mutagen, however, does not do well to quell my doubts. Neither does the fact that she has been taken in by those freaks…]." He turned to a computer screen, where a shadowy figure sat behind a screen. "I need this girl found," He said, in English again. "I need anyone who has seen her to keep an eye out for her, and I will not tolerate failure."

"Which is why you'd make a lousy scientist." The man said diplomatically. "However, I will inform all parties involved what to look out for." The screen went black.

"You two," The man faced the two scientists. "Will go an assist Dr. Stockman. And tell him that I need this girl found alive, understand?"

"Yes, Master Shredder." Both men said. One stood up a little faster than the other, and practically ran from the room.

The other one followed at a slower pace.

The Shredder went over to the window, to where a second man was watching the two scientists run across the car park.

The Shredder watched them, noting the man who had followed more slowly. "[Tatsu, how many men does it take to deliver a message?]." He asked, smirking behind his face mask.

Tatsu's smirk was not so easily hidden. "Ichi." He replied, raising a bow and arrow.

THWOK!

Emma's P.O.V:

I watched as Raphael stabbed one of his sais into the table. We were back at the turtle's lair, and Raphael had waited until we'd gotten there to grill me.

"We tell you we're trying to protect you!" He fairly shouted. "We tell you to remain out of sight, and not get into any trouble! So what do you go and do! ? Chase down a bunch of criminals robbing April's store!"

"There were only three of them!" I yelled back, on the defensive yet again. "And they were no older than I am!" One of them I even know about, I added mentally.

"That's not the damn point!" Raphael argued, stabbing his other sai into the table.

"Then what is the point, fork-boy! ?" I shouted.

"What did you call me! ?"

"You heard me! Who goes around with a pair of novelty marshmallow toasters, anyway! ?"

"It's better than not being able to defend myself at all!" Raphael countered.

"I'd rather be helpless than an impatient, irrational hothead!" I replied.

"Damn you!" Raphael shouted, and then he actually raised his hand as if to slap me.

I gasped (it was more like a shriek) and took a quick step back. "No, Dad!" I cried, putting up my arms just like that time.

Raphael dropped his arm immediately, but it was too late.

"Raphael!" Master Splinter's voice was louder than I've ever heard it. He and the others had just come into the room, in time to see Raphael nearly lose his temper completely. "What do you think you are doing! ?"

I took another step back, before turning and running toward my new room, where I slammed the door shut. I hurried over to my bed and sat down quickly. Hato and Karasu were asleep, perched on the bed head with their heads tucked under their wings. But Klunk, who was wide awake, crawled off of my pillow and into my lap, mewing plaintively. I didn't know what he was doing in here, but I was glad nonetheless.

"Oh, Klunky," I said to Mikey's cat, immediately putting my arm around him and letting him crawl up to rest his head on my good shoulder. "I've been here less than a day, and Raphael and I are already arguing. I don't think he likes me very much – I wonder if the others are just pretending to like me because they have to." I sighed. "They wouldn't be the first ones…"

Klunk meowed, and licked away the tears that had started to fall.

I sniffled. "Thanks Klunk, you're sweet…just like Mikey, really. I've always thought he and Donnie were the sweetest turtles, you know? Like, Mikey would try really hard to please you, and Donnie is just so kind and caring. Leo's really protective, and Raphael…" I sighed again. "Well, I know he just lost his temper with me, I shouldn't have over-reacted like that. But…it reminded me…" I shuddered, and was glad that I was holding onto such a warm little kittie. Cuddling a cat is very comforting, you know?

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"C-come in?" I said cautiously, wondering who it was.

The door opened slowly, and a turtle wearing a purple bandana stepped in. "Mind if I come in?"

"No, it's fine." I replied, and watched as Don stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He walked cautiously over to me, and sat down at the end of the bed.

"Are you okay?" He asked me, almost bluntly.

I didn't look at him. "Do you think I overreacted?" I answered a question with a question.

Donnie paused, before answering. "Well, as I'm sure you know, Raph sometimes…over-reacts as well. He's a hot-head, like you said,"(I groaned). "But you have to understand that he's a good guy, and that he'd never really hurt you."

"Oh, I know that!" I said quickly, looking right at Donnie (his eyes remind me of liquid chocolate). "Raphael may be temperamental at times, but he's so passionate about his life, and cares a lot, even though he doesn't always show it." I then looked away, embarrassed. "I know he once…risked the safety of you all, when Leo was away, and went around as the 'Night Watcher'." I'd seen the helmet in a room of the lair, the door had been open to that room as I'd sat there listening to Raphael yell at me.

Donatello nodded. "That's exactly it. I think, seeing you charge into a dangerous situation like that, reminded him of all the times he's done that – not to mention the trouble he's gotten into because of his reckless nature."

"You think I'm reckless?"

"I didn't say that."

"Oh…" I was silent for a moment, and then I said: "Raphael…cares about what happens to me?"

"I can't say," Donatello replied, looking at me carefully. "Just that he often gets into fights with the rest of us about those sorts of things."

I took that to mean yes, as Klunk jumped up onto my right shoulder. Then: "Hey, Donnie…"

"Mmm?"

"About what I said…"I began, not sure how to say this. "When I accidentally called Raphael 'Dad'…"

"Yeah, I was gonna ask you about that…" Donatello looked at me. "Emma…?"

"I don't want you to think that my family's abusive!" I said quickly, putting up my hands. "Because they're not, I love them and they love me, really. It's just that…" I looked down at my feet (I really needed to get a pair of shoes). "Sometimes…they lose their tempers too…Mum and Dad, that is, my sister doesn't do it anymore…I mean, I'm smaller than they are and it makes me feel so vulnerable…I wanted to take martial arts lessons for a number of reasons a few years back, but my parents said I just wanted to because of you guys…" I closed my eyes briefly, remembering the times Mum had lost her temper with me, the time Dad had slapped me across the face, and the times my sister had hit me because she was so frustrated at high school. All of those were horrible things I never wanted to face again. "They also don't understand me very well, they think that things like anime and video games and rollerblading are best left to little kids…but those are the things that make me who I am…" I glanced at Donnie, who was looking at me thoughtfully. "Does that sound…weird?"

"I don't think it's weird." Donatello told me.

I sighed. "I hated high school as well, everyone gave me a hard time because of what I was like…I wish I could just do it over again, in a place where nobody knows me…"

Raphael's P.O.V:

"I don't know, okay Leo?" I was hanging upside down by one leg – it was a new punishment thought up by Donnie The Genius, and I hated that Master Splinter had agreed to it. Whatever happened to good old flips? Worse yet, our fearless leader had come in to talk to me, no wait, he'd come in to have a go at me.

"No, Raph, it is not okay!" Leo had his arms crossed over his chest, in a sort of annoying way. "You almost hit her, I mean what were you thinking! ?"

"I told you, I don't know!" I cried, wishing I could be right-side up. I felt vulnerable this way. "It's just that…like, I thought of her this evening…like, what if those guys had been Foot Ninja or Purple Dragons or something? What if she'd gotten hurt? What if…" I closed my eyes, almost in pain. "I know she just got here and all, but we're responsible for her and all! We have to protect her!"

"Maybe she feels boxed in?" Leo suggested quietly. "Maybe she doesn't want to appear weak in front of us. She knows we're trying to do the best by her, but she's still a human and a girl after all."

"I know she's a girl!" I said quickly, and Leo glanced at me sideways. "Shut up." I said grumpily.

"Look, Raph, all I'm saying is that you need to be patient with her," Leo told me calmly. "Try not to lose your temper with her. She's fine in a verbal fight, but try to remember that she isn't us, okay? She's a long way from home, in a strange place where Foot Ninja are trying to capture her. She can't defend herself against them, and she knows it, so she has to rely on us – the heroes she admires from her own world. How would you feel?"

I sighed. Damn, why did Leo have to be so right? Still, I regretted losing my temper with Emma. Poor girl, I couldn't erase the terrified look she'd given me from my mind. She'd called me 'Dad' by mistake – it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why.

I glanced across the room, to where the stolen naginata was lying on a table. Emma hadn't had a chance to give it back to April after I'd dragged her out of the street. I wondered, briefly, how Emma would look using it, after she'd been trained up, of course. A naginata is a samurai weapon, predominantly used by female samurai. In my mind's eye, I saw an image of Emma, expertly laying waste to a bunch of Purple Dragons, her eyes flashing in the moonlight as she fought…

Damn, it's hot when a girl knows how to fight. I know some guys like a girl they can protect all the time but, for me, there's nothing better than a girl who knows how to dish out the punishment. That way, you can train with her, and mess around with her without having to worry about breaking her.

For a fraction of a second, I imagined Emma that way.

Then, Leo said: "Raph…what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing!" I snapped.

Just then, the door to Emma's room opened, and Donnie came out, followed by Emma with Klunk on her shoulder.

"Guys, we just had a great idea!" Donnie exclaimed. He hurried over to Leo and began whispering. I hate whispering.

Meanwhile, Emma stayed behind, not looking at any of us. "Hey, Raphael?" She called, using my name for the first time. Why did it make me feel so weird?

"Yes, Emma?" I returned the favor.

"I'm sorry, okay mate?" She was still looking anywhere but at me. I saw her gaze lock on the naginata. "For…over-reacting and all…"

"Nah, I'm the one who's sorry," I told her. "I shouldn't have lost my temper like that, you don't deserve that."

Her head snapped up, and her hazel eyes locked with my amber ones. Her eyes are the exact same shade as Leo's, and yet…they're different, somehow. "Raphael, thank you…umm…why are you…upside-down?" She wanted to know.

"What! ?" Leo cried suddenly. "School! ?"