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 THIRTEEN

The Favor

"It's supposed to snow again tomorrow, Emma," April told me, as we walked through the shopping centre (I mean, shopping mall – if I'm going to be living here in America, I needed to speak the language, right?). "So, we'll have to buy you some more jackets."

"It's been pretty warm though, hasn't it?" I asked, looking at all the shops we passed – they had such different shops here, like a Pro Shop.

"Yes, it's quite abnormal for February to be so warm," April agreed, as we walked into a bookstore.

"Is this where we'll get my school stuff?" I asked, suddenly wondering if I'd live to regret the decision I'd made to go back to school.

"Yes, let's see, you'll need books, stationary, pencils, paper…" April pulled out a list. "Emma, I'll handle this, you go and pick out the things on this list." She handed me another piece of paper.

"Oh, April, are you sure this is all okay?" I asked for the umpteenth time – I'd already asked the same thing in the clothing store, the fashion jewelry store (not real jewelry, but that pretend stuff everyone wears) and the bag store, and each time April had said it was fine, which is what she said now.

"I owe the guys my life," She told me, because she'd told me the story of the first time they'd met on the train here – before she'd become a reporter, she worked for Baxter Stockman, but she'd found out he'd been building killer robot mousers, and he'd turned the robots on her. The guys had saved her. "I'm doing this as a favor for them, and also I don't mind helping you out – it's like having a daughter." The brunette had told me.

This was after a big, long discussion with the guys and Master Splinter. Leo and Raphael and had been against me going to school here in New York. Mikey, Don and I had been all for it (what was I thinking!). In the end, Master Splinter had cast the deciding vote – he was for it, as long as I wore glasses and a hat, and the guys took it in turns to watch over me. April had even said she'd help me buy all my school stuff – she was being so good about all this.

Now, however, as I wandered through the aisles, trying to see past my sunglasses, I wondered if I'd made the night choice.

School had been somewhat of a burden for me – I hadn't fit in very well, I'd had no friends. This is high school, mind you, primary school had been fine, I'd had the best friends on earth. But, we'd all gone to different high schools, and I'd been bullied and ridiculed – not only by the students – so much that I'd withdrawn into my shell…a lot. I guess part of my problem was that I'd forgotten how to make new friends – my primary school ones had always been all I needed. And, they were all girls too. No guys.

Still, I'd spoken to Donnie about it. He was researching human psychology for some odd reason, and had said that going to school and socializing with other people my own (new) age would be good for me.

I'd taken a few days to decide, and then gone ahead with it.

I looked down at April's list. "Day planner, writing book of A4 paper, pencil case, stationary." I read out. "Okay then…" I headed down the aisles, and eventually found what I was looking for. I got a cute pink day planner with black 'graffiti' on it, a pencil case with little baby turtles swimming on it (the guys would get a kick out of that), a packet of assorted pencils, coloured pencils, two erasers, a ruler, a protractor and a pointy compass for drawing circles.

With my arms loaded with these things, I looked up at the pencil case I wanted. The perfect pencil case was just out of reach – it had an Australian flag print on it. I missed Australia, no matter how much I liked it here, and that pencil case would've been perfect.

I was staring up at it, when a soft voice from beside me said: "Need some help?"

I glanced to my right, and saw a tall brown-haired girl with blue-eyes behind glasses smiling at me. She reached up, and got the pencil case for me, setting it down on the pile of stuff in my arms.

"Hey, thanks." I said, gratefully.

"That's okay." She smiled shyly.

"Mary!" A voice called, and I saw a woman in a blue angora sweater and jeans (she looked remarkably like the girl standing next to me) waiting at the head of the aisle. "Come on, time to go!"

"Coming, Aunty Irma!" Mary called, smiling once more at me and then hurrying to leave.

I watched her and her Aunty go, wondering why the name Irma sounded so familiar.

Back at April's, I was in the bathroom changing the bandages around my torso. There is a radio in April's bathroom, and they were playing one of my favourite songs – City Lights, by The Smart. It was nice to know that the music I loved in my own dimension was appreciated here, as well.

As the song finished, and then Just Stop by Disturbed came on.

I LOVE heavy metal, and I LOVE Disturbed. They are literally my favourite band of all time, but you never hear them on the radio in Australia. But here in America, I guess you do.

I turned the volume up a bit.

I opened the door to the bathroom, and that's when I realized that April had guests.

Oh. My. God.

"Yes, that's my niece Emma Jones," April was saying, using the name we'd put on the papers Donnie had forged (he was like Jasper from Twilight when it came to that). We couldn't use my real last name, since we didn't know if the Shredder knew it or not. Hamato was out as well, just in case, and O'Neil was too likely to be linked back to April. So, we used Casey's last name. I was yet to meet my so-called relative. "Uh, Emma…?"

Just stop with all of your little deliberate problems with my life
Enough of all the crippling, terrible pain we feel inside .

"Gomenasai!" I cried, closing the door to the bathroom quickly to muffle the sound. "I'm sorry!"

April was talking to a tall man with a receding hairline, glasses and a business suit, and I recognized him instantly as her boss Charles. Oh dear, I hoped I wouldn't get April in trouble with her boss. At least I didn't look like a metal head – I was wearing a simple white dress, since April had the heater turned on to about five hundred in her apartment. I guess she doesn't like the cold.

Then, Charles shifted to the side, and I was startled – but not surprised – to see someone standing in the doorway behind him.

Danny and I saw each other at the same time.

"You!" We exclaimed in unison.

We were both remembering that night a few days ago.

"How's the shoulder?" Danny asked suddenly, not meeting my gaze in an 'I don't care' sort of way.

"Fine," I said, though I gripped my shoulder suddenly. "How's the ego?" My voice shimmered and rang in triumph.

Danny gave me a Look. "Fine." He replied, sullenly, remembering how I'd grabbed his arm and gotten the better of him.

"Danny, what's she talking about?" His Father asked him.

Danny turned his head away and didn't answer.

"Danny." Charles sounded exasperated, like this wasn't the first time his son had flat-out ignored him.

All that you want is to criticize
Something for nothing

And all that I want is forgiveness one more time.

April, meanwhile, was looking at me. "Emma?" She asked me quietly.

I glanced at Danny out of the corner of my eyes – he was looking at me. I could've just told April that it was Danny who had broken into her shop but, for some reason, I didn't want to. Maybe it was because I knew Danny from the movie. "My lips are sealed, April." I said calmly, pretending to zip my lips. "Danny and mine first meeting was purely coincidental."

Charles sighed. "Well, whatever the reason, if you're going to the same school as Danny…" Danny gave his Dad an icy look, which Charles returned. "Don't glare at me, Danny – I've had it up to here with you skipping school just because you don't feel like going! I won't be able to drive you there for the next month, so I had to take desperate steps!"

It was my turn to be suspicious. "April," I turned to the older woman. "What does he mean? Did you promise I'd do something?"

All I ever wanted was to be a real source of compassion
From the moment that we found ourselves drowning in.

"We're doing a huge story on the recent developments a science lab is taking to clean up it's old warehouse," April told me. She whispered: "Charles usually drives Danny to school – you know how it is."

I glanced at Danny. He was wearing a Slipknot t-shirt (I love the song Before I Forget). Oh, yeah, that'd do it. "So, you want me to walk to school with him?" I guessed.

April nodded. "Could you? It'd be a huge favor to both me and my boss, plus you'd have someone to talk to."

I glanced at Danny again. Something about his expression reminded me of Raphael. Me, talk to Mr. Sunshine over there! ? About what?

Charles, unwittingly, answered my question for me. "How can you teenagers stand this kind of music?" He asked out loud. He sounded just like my Mum!

"Hey, I like my music! I love heavy metal!" I exclaimed, just as the song ended and Animals, by Nickelback, came on. "Oh shell!" I gasped, and hurried into the bathroom to change the station, calling over my shoulder: "Okay, April, whatever you say!"

At least I'd be going into school knowing somebody, even if he was a sullen, possible Foot Ninja.