The following entry takes pace between the episodes The Croaking and In Dreams. As always, TMNT does not belong to me and all right go to their respective owners.
April O'Neil - "Journal of our Journey"
Today marks four months since we've arrived at the farmhouse, mentally it feels like four years. Physically though, we're still getting stronger as a team. Sure, we've had some major bumps in the road internally, but we worked through them so far. The last couple days have been...interesting to say the least.
Our long and winding road continues.
Leonardo - Recovering
Leonardo has been off the crutches for three days now, and although he told us that he felt something twinge in his knee during our latest battle in the woods, he's able to move around unassisted.
Thank goodness.
The physical battle is over with Leo now, Donnie has said in a couple more days all of Leo's nagging injuries from what occurred back in the city will finally be fully healed. This now allows Leo and the rest of us to focus on him heal to mentally and spiritually. His journey will be difficult, I know it will. Leo has told me about night's where he still wakes up in a cold sweat, reliving that moment in his dreams along with other pain inducing nightmares. It makes me feel helpless knowing that Leo himself feels that way, I just don't know how to help him. All I can do is continue in moral support.
This is a journey that we won't be able to fight along side him though, only to help and guide him through.
I just hope that will be enough...
Raphael - No Title...
Raphael has been doing a lot of apologizing lately...as he should be. He was a complete jerk to Michelangelo, as everyone has told him since our return. Even Casey has made his stance known about Raph's mishandling of his brother's feelings. Sometimes I just fear he's never going to learn from any of his past mistakes. He's lived this life for too long, it's obviously not easy to just snap a finger and be a different person. But, at the same time, it can't be hard not be a jerk to someone. I wish I could have slapped him when he said what was said to poor Mikey. It just makes me so upset...
I better stop talking about him before I say something I truly regret.
Come on Raph... :(
Donatello - A Day in the Norm
Donnie has been working his shell off the last three days, so basically...yeah, just another typical day in Donnie's mind. He's gone all out to try and fix the damage to the farmhouse that our little Frog Invasion caused. Donnie worked dawn til dusk to take apart the damaged wall panels on the second level of the house that couldn't be salvaged, then had to rebrick the interior in order to remake new panels on the outside and inside before the cold weather hit again. Donnie didn't want any help for he stated it was "too dangerous and hazardous for additional bodies to assist.".
...Yeah Donnie, not like we haven't been protecting the entire city of New York over the past year have we? Too dangerous my butt. :P
I can understand his reasoning, he didn't want to risk any miscalculation possibly taking down the remainder of the house. The house is very old and it's better days are long gone, he knew he needed to be very careful with it. So he told everyone not to fret and that he would get it all taken care of.
He did it! And even before that, Donnie went through with what I asked him about making Casey some new hockey sticks. He didn't even hesitate about doing so, he was more than happy to do it. He got everything in detail, all the way down to the "Eastman" logos. They look as authentic as Casey's originals.
Donnie after all that work said he wanted to "rest his eyes" upstairs. He's been "resting his eyes" for five hours now... The gang has "agreed" Donatello to get as much rest as possible, much to Mikey and Raph's displeasure, I'm sure they feel like waking him up just to annoy him. But they can wait. Donnie's worked himself to death since we've been here, asking for nothing in return...well, maybe not "nothing".
Rest well Donnie, you've deserved it. ;)
Casey - Sight for Sore Eyes
I can't lie, when Donatello gave Casey the sticks he handmade for him, I don't think I had ever seen Casey as happy as I saw him that moment. He actually hugged Donnie for a brief moment, something I never thought I'd see in a million years between the two of them. Casey's not one to wear his emotions on his sleeve, he usually stays a constant demeanor. So it's a joy to see him bring out a little exuberance for a change.
Giving the trying times of the situation, Casey has without a doubt made the best of all of this. He's started to grow in his friendships with everyone. Yeah, even Donnie. It was once in a blue moon that he would chat with Leonardo or Michelangelo about anything, now he doesn't waste a second to hang out with them. His friendship with Raph continues in it's own unique, macho way. And his "friendship" with Donnie...it's almost like they're just trying to play a couple of characters in front of me; they banter constantly, but it often ends with a back and forth series of nuggies and headlocks. They're all getting along much better.
What a sight for sore eyes. :)
Michelangelo - Never Run Away
Well journal, while you might think that I am very happy for Michelangelo that he showed his brothers the error of their demeanor towards him...
I'm really not...
I'm very disappointed in you Michelangelo. *Look at me using a full name in a scolding, I feel like a mother to her child*
You should have known better than to run away, you should never run away from your problems with someone or something, you should confront them. Heck, that's what we do every time we try to fight for good, confront the forces of evil. This situation was no different, and you should have known that. I know you feel your brothers don't treat you right, and a lot of the times you are right, but again...you can't run away from those problems, that doesn't solve anything. All it does is make all of us even more unhappy.
You just have to keep proving your brothers wrong...Trust me, you do it a lot more than you may think. ;)
April - Am I Alone?: Part II
All these encounters with these different forms of life has really put my own life in perspective. Over the past year after learning about what...who I really am, I've often wondered if I truly belong here or if my whole purpose of existence was just to ultimately bring the end of my people, whether that be humans or whatever else I learn about myself...
But seeing these different forms of life before me really opens my eyes about how we can all really live as one.
Yeah, maybe my relationship with the turtles may have started this, but seeing these clan of frogs act and react the same way as humans would about the threatening of their world, set off the light in my head. That we all belong here, no matter how different we look.
Yeah, I know. Donnie has been telling me this for some time with our..."feelings" for another, but sometimes you just need to see the view from the other side of the mountain sort to speak before you really know for sure. Now I really know for sure.
Of course I belong here, we all do.
Well it's time to turn in for the night, I've spent nearly an hour putting my thoughts together here and now it's time to recharge the body, mind, and spirit.
Sweet dreams everyone.
