Chapter 13
The trio made their way back to the lair in silence save for the water sloshing beneath their feet. Pieh Chi took the time to look around their surroundings; the sewer tunnel was dark and damp, an odd smell wafting through. It wasn't very pleasant but she guessed she could get used to it. Living underground would be very different from living in the middle of nowhere back in China, though.
It didn't take them long before they came across a wiry network of smaller tunnels, like tributaries stemming from a river. The rat and turtle seemed to just turn into one instinctively, and then another, and another. She was amazed at how they knew where to go within this labyrinth. Everything looked exactly the same to her and she was lost already.
As if sensing her thoughts, Leonardo turned round and smiled.
"Don't worry, you get used to the tunnels."
"This place is just so big. How on earth do you find your way around?"
"It just kinda becomes second nature. You recognise a dented pipe here, a cracked wall there. Then your brain just seems to know the direction in which to travel." Mei Pieh Chi's face must have looked unconvinced as he hastily added: "Maybe for the first few weeks it would be better if someone came with you in the tunnels. It can be pretty easy to get lost down here and a lot harder to be found."
Pieh Chi smiled back, a little relieved, when they came a across a dead end. Maybe they didn't know the tunnels as well as they thought. She soon pushed the thought aside when Leonardo pulled a lever disguised as a pipe, which caused the brick wall to flip upwards, acting as a door. Warm lights and the sound of people chatting greeted her as the group stepped inside, Pieh Chi behind the others, the wall coming down again behind them. The group in the living room heard the door shutting and promptly stood up, Mikey peering around the corner before grinning.
"You're back!" Mikey cried out, running towards his brother. "Where's Meipy?"
"She's right here." Master Splinter replied, stepping aside to reveal the girl turtle. She frowned at Michelangelo.
"Who is Meipy?"
"Oh, sorry," Mikey blushed with embarrassment. "I find it hard to say your name. Hey, what's with the head?"
Leo turned round to see Pieh Chi still holding the statue head.
"She found it in the park. A token of victory against the Foot."
"So you stole a statue head?" Donny asked, frowning.
"I didn't steal it," Pieh Chi defended. "Your enemies destroyed this piece of art work. Well, I suppose I did, but I didn't mean to." She lifted it up to look at. "I'm not really sure why I took it. I think I recognize it for some reason. From a book or something."
"Yeah, it's Venus de Milo, the roman goddess."
"I have heard of it!"Pieh Chi smiled, earning bemused grins from her companions. "My master had a book on western sculpture and artwork. You are all named after renaissance artists, no?"
"Yes Mei Pieh Chi. I too had a similar book which I used to name my sons." Splinter confirmed.
"Yeah, but Sensei insists on calling us our full name." Don shrugged, leading the group to the couch as Casey grabbed some extra chairs. "'Donatello' can be a bit of a mouthful sometimes." They all sat down.
"Not as much as 'Mei Pee Chy', or whatever it is. Meipy is much easier." Mikey smiled, oblivious to the group's head shaking.
"Michelangelo." Master Splinter smacked his son on the arm. "You will learn to pronounce our guest's name properly."
Mei Pieh Chi felt sorry for Michelangelo but also reflected on his words. Maybe a change would be good.
"I'm not sure I like 'Meipy', but maybe another name would be better."
"What?" The group asked simultaneously.
"Are you sure? You don't have to change it just because Mikey can't pronounce. Raph can always hit him when he gets it wrong," Leo asked, grinning. She smiled sadly at his concern.
"Yes Leonardo. 'Mei Pieh Chi' doesn't sound the same now that my mast... father will never say it again. And your brother is right, it can be a little bit of a mouthful. Besides, I have left China behind."
"Well, you are welcome to stay here with us, kame," Splinter assured. "You are family, and your father was a very close friend of mine. Promise or not, I would have you live here."
"Thank you Master Splinter." She smiled gratefully. Mikey suddenly jumped up and grabbed something behind the couch.
"Oh, we almost forgot! Here's a little house warming present." Mikey grinned, handing Pieh Chi her bag. She gasped in shock, rifling through it. All the scrolls were in there, along with her herb medicine box and shinobi crest. She then pulled out perhaps the most precious item; a photo of her and Chung I on her 12th birthday. She smiled at it, a lone tear escaping onto her cheek. She tried to disguise it but Master Splinter smiled at her, understanding her pain, and he looked fondly upon his smiling old friend. He would miss him too.
"Thank you." She whispered, her voice catching at the back of her throat.
"Don't mention it, Shinobi. We got your back!" Mikey smiled, earning a slight frown from Pieh Chi. She wasn't completely sure what he'd just said. "So, names," Mikey spoke up. "You need something err, something simple. Yet punchy."
"Sally?" Donny offered. This earned harsh looks from the others. "Sandra? Roberta?"
"Donatello, remind me never to let you name anyone's children." Splinter commented, seeing the dislike on Pieh Chi's face.
"Electra! No, wait. Storm! Catwoman?"
"Mikey, you can't just use superhero names." Leo chided.
"What about Betsy?" Casey offered. Everyone frowned at him. "What? It was my grandma's name."
"The key word here being 'grandma'." April joked.
"Super girl? Wonder woman?"
"MIKEY!" Everyone shouted.
Raph shook his head at the continued suggestions of 'Tiffany', 'Cindy-loo' and 'Lucile', laughing a little at the disgust on Pieh Chi's face at every one. And Leo's suggested Japanese names were met with scorn too:
"We're trying to find something easier to pronounce, not harder." Mikey whined.
They were all trying to think of names, Donny even going on the internet, when Raph noticed that Pieh Chi was still holding on to the statue head, which gave him an idea.
"What about 'Venus de Milo'?" he suggested. The room went silent, Pieh Chi thinking it over, before Mikey erupted in laughter.
"What? What's so funny?" Raph growled at his brother. "Why are you laughing?"
"Dude, it's not exactly subtle, is it?"
"And 'Wonder Woman' is?"
"I like it," Don offered. Pieh Chi looked up at him. "And it kind of goes with our names."
"We could use just 'Venus' for short too." April agreed.
"What do you think Mei Pieh Chi?" Leo asked. Pieh Chi looked down at the picture of her and her father. She wondered what he would think of this. Of everything that had happened. She would like to think that he would understand her wanting a new name, to go with a new life. And she quite liked the name 'Venus'. In the precious photo she clutched in her hands, his smile seemed to agree.
"'Venus de Milo.' I like it." She smiled, earning relieved smiles from the others.
"Great, then it's settled. Everybody, please meet Venus de Milo, the fifth turtle!" Donny shouted, the others laughing.
"Well, I think if Venus is staying then she needs to try the true taste of New York. And you know what that means?" Mikey paused, bating his brothers. "Pizza delivery! Woop!"
Mikey rushed over to the phone, everyone shaking their heads.
"Pizza? I know of it. Isn't it effectively bread and cheese?" Venus earned a gasp of horror from all the males in the room. She raised her brow quizzically, earning a smile from April.
"You'll have to get used to that I'm afraid. Pizza is sanctified food in this household."
"Bread and cheese." Donny muttered, moving into the kitchen grab some plates whilst Mikey walked back over from the phone.
"They'll be at the top of the grate in half an hour."
"And the flavour?" Venus asked April, who muttered in her ear:
"Probably best not to ask. Just go with whatever Mikey orders, it's just easier. You'll probably like it though. It's hard not to like pizza really."
Venus smiled, sensing an ally in her new friend. As the only two girls in the group, they'd need to stick together.
As the group were settling down and chatting, Raphael grinned, an idea forming .
"So, got any frogs in that bag of yours, witchy?"
"Witchy?" Venus asked, a little confused as the laughter died down, not sure if she'd heard the turtle right. But seeing the smirk on his face made her realise he was trying to joke.
"Yeah, witchy. With all your magic and stuff, toots."
Venus felt the sudden tension in the group. She saw Leo glare at his brother but everyone else looked a little scared. Their leader had said Raph had a temper; she'd seen it earlier. But she guessed he was baiting her, so she would play along.
"It depends, Raphael. When did you jump out?" she smirked, before frowning right in his face. "And don't call me toots."
There was silence, as everyone waited for Raphael's reaction. He simply looked at Venus, who didn't relent her eyes although she could see a look of awe on Mikey' s face. She'd obviously impressed him with her comeback. She kept staring, waiting him to flinch or explode but he surprised her with a bow of his head in defeat. A relieved (and slightly awkward) laugh rippled through the group, the tension melting away.
"I think Venus discovering her fire has brought a new, zealous side to her." Master Splinter chuckled.
"You mean a Raphael side?" Leo asked.
"Oh great, that's all we need." Mikey moaned, causing more laughter.
Venus smiled, feeling a great sense of warmth from the group around her. They had accepted her, even Raphael it seemed. But they also provided her with a sense of security. They weren't there to protect her (and she wouldn't want them to), just like Master Splinter wasn't there to be her father. They would let her grow and develop into her own character. She would continue to learn the shinobi arts, as the turtles would continue to learn ninjitsu. And in return, they would teach each other their skills. Venus felt at home, with people that 'had her back' as Michelangelo had put it, and although she missed her father greatly, she quite liked the 'larger' family atmosphere. She looked fondly at her new friends; yes, she could get used to this.
A/N- Okay guys, that is the end of 'A New Feature' :'( This has been really fun to write and thank you so much for all the follows, favs and reviews! I just wanted to try and get some positive feels for Venus de Milo and I wasn't expecting such a reaction at all! But this isn't the end, my friends: The sequel 'Let's Begin' should be up in a few weeks, the second story in a nice little series I have planned for our turtles and turtlelette. Thanks again for reading xxxxx
