Chapter 11:
"That ride last night took more out of me than I thought," Michelangelo yawned as he walked into the dojo with Donatello right behind him. He raised his hands above his head for a stretch and tilted his neck from side to side earning a few loud pops.
"I thought for sure that thing was going to throw you into the wall," Donatello moved his bow staff over his head and then behind him to stretch out his arms, "Any new bruises to account for?"
"None that I really see, but I bet there are some under my shell," Michelangelo chuckled and pointed to his back.
"That doesn't account for the ones on your brain," Raphael said as he walked into the dojo with small towel over his shoulder for the work out.
"My brain isn't bruised!" Michelangelo pouted.
"Ah, that's right, just damaged," Raphael rubbed the top of his little brother's head warmly and chuckled as Michelangelo smiled.
"Let's not get this morning started with arguments," Leonardo reminded his brothers as they all began to sit around the middle of the dojo to wait for Splinter for the morning meditation.
Splinter soon was heard coming down the tunnels, but each of the turtles could hear his voice. He usually didn't vocalize in the mornings until he got to the dojo, and above that he never talked to himself- to spirits during mediation, sure- but never to himself. Each of the four brothers looked at one another and then Michelangelo quickly got up from his position and walked toward the dojo doors. He peeked his head out and then immediately back in. He ran over and sat back down with his brothers with an excited look on his face.
"What is it Mikey?" Donatello asked in a whisper, not knowing how far away Splinter was.
"We got some new students," Michelangelo said with a large smile.
"New students?" Raphael thought to himself and then looked to Leonardo, "You didn't."
"I only brought up the suggestion. It was Splinter's decision on whether or not to actually train them," Leonardo defended and looked at the doors of the dojo open and Splinter came in with both girls on either side of him.
"Good morning, my sons," Splinter greeted them and motioned the two girls forward, "May I introduce two new students into the circle. Both Analise and Deidra have decided to start training to becoming kunoichi."
Analise stood in her old high school gym shorts and a white tank top with a black sports bra underneath. Although she had thought about wearing her tennis shoes she decided against them in the end. Her hair was up in a high pony tail and she waved at the guys with a large smile. Michelangelo waved back eagerly and gave her two thumbs up.
Deidra wore two tanks tops over one another in black and red. Her shorts were some of the tight athletic kind that she had used during her training with the bureau. She too was bare foot and stretched out her feet on the new material of the woven mats in the dojo. She looked over the four shocked, yet happy looking turtles. Leonardo seemed a little proud in the fact that she accepted the training. While Raphael was surprised, he still gave her a supportive look.
'He has changed since last night,' she noted to herself, 'Maybe we just needed that common ground.'
"Make room for them, my sons," Splinter asked as he motioned the two girls forward.
Michelangelo quickly pushed Donatello further from him and patted the now empty space next to him for Analise. She smiled at the action, but patted Donatello on the shoulder once he situated himself. She thanked him for scooting over and he nodded back at her while he sent an annoyed glare at his brother. Deidra sat between Leonardo and Raphael as they both made a bit of room for her. Splinter settled himself on the other side of Leonardo and rested his hands on his knees.
"We will start with meditation all together," Splinter instructed, "And then we will move to training. I will take the girls to begin their training while you, my sons, will continue on perfecting your technique."
"Yes, master," the boys echoed and the group closed their eyes and began to meditate.
"There are five main principles in Ninjitsu," Splinter instructed the girls after the meditation and as the four turtles sparred with one another in the next room over, "Gradualism, continuity, moderateness, self restraint and courtesy."
The girls glanced at one another and then nodded toward Splinter to continue.
"Once we have set bases in all of these principles and you begin to master them we can focus on each of your specific abilities and disciplines," Splinter continued, "Eventually we will get to your 'animal style'."
"I like the sound of that," Deidra smirked.
"It will unlock your personal skills and abilities that may have been undiscovered until now," Splinter smiled at them both. He paused a moment as Analise looked a little confused, "Analise?"
"I was just wondering…" she struggled and little and played with her ponytail in nervousness, "Is animal style anything like animal spirit guides?"
Splinter tilted his head a little and nodded after a second of thought, "I suppose so. Why?"
"I just don't think a deer is a very vicious animal."
"All animals have their strong points," he reminded her, "You have good instinct to know when something is wrong, you have a motherly instinct and a balance that may be lost on others."
"Sans the claws and teeth," she reminded him.
"Not all animals need claws. Look at my sons," he looked back into the next room to check on their progress and then focused back on the girls, "I will pair you with my sons to help you in your training."
"Like a tutor?" Deidra asked.
"Something like it, yes. But before we can explore that option," Splinter stood and asked them to rise with him, "This may be your hardest day. I want you to each attack me one at a time to see where we should begin."
The girls looked at one another and played rock paper scissors to chose who would go first. Whoever it was would feel the pain first. Attacking a ninja master definitely didn't bode well.
"Definitely didn't bode well," Deidra popped out her back as she hobbled into the department. Lieutenant Seeper and Doctor Edmunds looked over at her as soon as she entered the room as they were the first ones in the briefing room that morning.
"Damn Jenson, you look awful," Seeper stood back from her and looked her over, "Fall off a bridge or something this morning?"
"Yeah, good morning to you too," she groaned and sat down in her chair to the side of the projector seeing as she will do a good portion of the presentation this time around, "Started a new exercise regiment with Analise. You should see her. She'll be walking a full two miles per hour slower from here on out. I cringe to think what her tours are going to be like today."
"Ouch, remind me never to go to the gym with you," Seeper shivered a little to think of what kind of regiment would bring her down. He turned from her and began to walk out of the room, "I need to grab a few things, but just go ahead and set up for your piece."
"Thanks, don't need any help or anything," she groaned and turned to the projector.
"Are you okay?" Edmunds asked and walked next to her to see if he could help.
"I'll be fine," she said in a flat tone, "Just got to work through the pain like always."
"Did you need someone to drive you home?" he asked and looked out the front window of the department, "You didn't bring your car again today."
"My friend dropped me off," she smiled at the memory of Leonardo dropping her off in the sewer glider and she climbed up through one of the service entrances, "He'll pick me up too more than likely."
"He?" Edmunds asked and lifted an eyebrow.
"Yup, I hope he's on time if I am going to be ready for my date with him tonight," she added. She didn't like this guy snooping into her personal life, but maybe if he believes that she's taken he will back off. She stopped a minute in her own mind, 'Am I considered taken?'
"How long have you known him?" Edmunds asked as she pulled up the file she needed on the laptop screen.
"What did I tell you about my personal life?" she asked, but didn't even look away from the screen, "Don't ask."
Before he could argue more, the rest of the team filed in and sat in their places. Deidra turned toward Edmunds who still stood next to her, "Would you mind taking your seat, Doctor? I would like to get started."
"Sure," he huffed and sat down in his seat at the other side of the room.
"Okay, team's here," Seeper clapped his hands and looked at Deidra at the front of the room, "What do you have for us?"
"More than what we probably bargained for," Deidra clicked and brought up the picture of the original Alfred Sinclair.
"Who's that?" Algut asked a little louder than necessary.
"This is the real Alfred Sinclair," Deidra then brought up the other picture of the Alfred suspect, "They have the same social, the same name, and even very similar physical characteristics. But… they are two very different men."
She changed the slides as she continued to the background on the original Alfred and the new one that had once dated her best friend, "I believe that he had killed the original Alfred for the identity and for the money that was there for schooling. He may have changed faces and identities once again now. He could be anyone out there on the streets. And we need to tear off the new mask he's hiding behind."
"And just how are we going to do that?" Edmunds asked, "There are millions of people in New York."
"By being the experts we are," she growled and looked at Algut, "Can your team look through the files for persons that were missing for only a few days and reappeared. Make sure to close in on those fitting the profile."
"Sounds like a place to start," Algut nodded.
"What can we do?" Darson asked from her seat looking at Edmunds and then to Deidra.
"If you can focus on the chemical composition of whatever made it possible to mutate Miss Delone," Deidra looked at them both, "Whatever that is, maybe we can track down the ingredients and find someone who has bought large quantities of it."
"That's a good idea," Seeper nodded and turned to the two doctors while pointing at them, "Get on that. It looks like you two will be in that examiner room for the next couple of days."
"What if he grabs another victim during that time?" Algut asked.
"It's our job to make sure that doesn't happen," Deidra said, "I have a few points that I would like to go over with you, Detective. If that's all right."
He nodded. Deidra and Algut left the room with another folder that Deidra grabbed from Donatello before she left the lair that morning. He had plotted out what pattern he had gathered from the other abductions. He was right about the area last night; maybe it would help to have more police action in those areas to ward off Purple dragons and a specific mutant.
Edmunds stood from his seat and went over to Seeper who was looking over the information that Deidra had collected. Seeper smiled at the ingenuity of his long time friend, "I wonder how she does it."
"I don't know how we didn't," Edmunds nodded and then tapped Seeper on the shoulder, "Do you know anything about her friend that dropped her off today?"
"No, but he is one lucky bastard," he chuckled and looked at the doorway where Darson now stood waiting for Edmunds to accompany her back to the lab.
"Why do you say that?" Edmunds asked.
"Did you see the look on her face?" he chuckled a little, "She's excited about something. And it's more than the break through she's made in the case. I think she's seeing someone."
"Hm," Edmunds looked at the doorway and eventually walked with Darson back to the lab to help identify the chemical composition.
Deidra shimmied into one of her little black dresses and put one a pair of her dangle earrings around six-forty. She had yet to tell anyone else about the date, but she was sure that they had heard about it by now. As she was putting on her necklace, Analise came into the room with a knock to the door and her iPod in hand.
"Hey Deidra, do you know how-" she stopped when she saw her best friend in her date attire. She put her hands on her hips and a smile grew on her face, "So where do you think you're going?"
"To dinner," she continued and began to reapply some of her eye shadow that had worn off throughout the day.
"With who…?" Analise asked in an elaborated tone and plopped herself on the bed.
"I thought you all would know by now," she smiled at her friend's playful mood, "Leonardo asked me to dinner, and I agreed."
"Wow, he's got balls," Analise chuckled and got off the bed, "Never mind then. I will ask Donnie about my iPod. You have fun."
"I plan to," she looked toward Analise before she left the room, "Hey Ana, question."
"What's up?" she popped her head back in through the doorway.
"Who did Splinter pair you up with?" she asked and put on her shoes.
"Mikey," she grinned, "He said that we have different, but compatible auras that will only promote the art."
"Ah," she quirked an eyebrow, "Alright, see you soon."
"Who did you get?" she asked before she left.
"Tell you later," Deidra shooed her out of the doorway and shut the door.
"Not cool," Analise play pouted and walked toward Donatello's lab.
Deidra looked herself over and nodded in some satisfaction. It would do for a dinner she would think. She walked out of her room and walked slowly toward the dojo. The memories from the scrimmage she and Analise had with Splinter still played fresh in her mind. He may be an old rat, but he had major skill. She will learn a lot from him.
She looked at the watch around her wrist and saw it just turn seven as she stepped next to the doors, "Seven p.m. on the dot."
"Right on time," Leonardo stepped out from the dojo with a smile. Deidra jumped a little bit from surprise as she didn't even think that he was going to be there yet. He took one of her hands and kissed the back of it, "Sorry for startling you."
"It's your ninja training. Hopefully I will be able to do that soon, too," she figured and looked up and down the hallway, "So where are we going for dinner?"
"Already here," he opened the door wider and ushered her in where there was a small table with three different candles were lit in the middle and two plates sat covered. The dojo looked the same except that the lights were lowered and she could hear some music drift from a small stereo system. He held out her chair for her to sit, "What do you think?"
"It's amazing, Leo," she smiled and took a seat. He sat across from her and she looked at her covered plate, "So what kind of pizza this time?"
"Not pizza," he shook his head and uncovered both of their plates. Deidra nearly laughed with delight as she looked down at Shrimp Alfredo pasta and a baked potato.
"You've out done yourself, sir," she said with a large smile, "How did you know?"
"Analise told me," he explained and took a bite.
"So she did know that you were planning a dinner for me," she sneered a little and made a mental note to get her back, "Little liar."
"She didn't know where or when if that helps her at all," Leonardo offered.
"Doesn't matter," Deidra shook her head and began to eat on the pasta dish.
She took a breath to ask a question when the dojo doors opened and Michelangelo and Analise took a step in. She had her workout clothes on and they looked like they were going to practice. Analise stopped in her tracks with Michelangelo as they both saw Leonardo and Deidra at a small table in what could be a romantic setting.
"Ah, mondo bad timing," Michelangelo chuckled and began to back away with Analise, "Sorry, Leo. We'll practice another time."
"A much later time," Analise added and then turned to her supposed tutor, "DDR?"
"Definitely!" Michelangelo nodded and they both raced each other out of the dojo and toward Donatello's huge game set up.
"They are a match made in heaven, aren't they?" Deidra laughed a little at her best friend and the orange fanatic turtle.
"A little much, don't you think?" he asked.
"I don't think so," she shook her head, "Ana may not seem like it, but she has a balance that I think may really help Michelangelo focus. I mean, that's what we all need, is something to focus on, right?"
"Focus does take determination to reach," Leonardo nodded, "It took me a few years to get enough focus to earn the right to train with my katanas."
"What kind of katanas do you use? -if you don't mind me asking," she asked with an excited smile.
"Well, I-"
"Excuse me," Raphael walked by the table with a sweat towel around his neck. He finished wrapping his knuckles in a thin material and began to warm up on a punching bag in the corner of the room. Leonardo and Deidra both looked at one another and then at the second turtle in the corner.
"Um, really?" Deidra gestured to Raphael and then back to the table and dinner that Leonardo set up for them, "Really?"
"It's not that hard to figure out," Raphael said and didn't even look away from the bag, "The dojo is for everyone and Leo knows it."
"I'm right here, Raph," Leonardo narrowed his eyes at him.
"Just try to ignore him," Deidra turned back around in her chair and toward the food, "You were saying about your katanas?"
"I-" Leonardo began, but then was cut off by the punching bag swinging back and forth rapidly on the chain. He clinched his jaw against screaming out at his brother in front of Deidra, but before he could tell him anything, Deidra beat him to the opportunity.
"I am trying to enjoy my evening here, do ya mind?" she asked as a bit of an Irish accent slipped out.
"Not at all, keep your date stuff on your side of the room and we'll be just fine," Raphael shrugged and leaned over to the wall where he turned on some of the lights above them, "That's better."
"Aye, ya bastart! Ye should really go fuck yerself!" she yelled at him in a deep accent that left both Leonardo and Raphael guessing what she actually said.
"I didn't understand half of that," he crossed his arms over his chest, "But did you just call me a 'bastard'?
"Dumbass," she coughed into her hand and then regained her normal speaking voice. She got out of her chair and right into his face, "True, the dojo is for everyone, but right now it's being used for a very special dinner. Just as I wouldn't intrude on your training time, don't intrude on the dinner."
"Or you'll what?" he challenged her.
"Raph…" Leonardo warned and was about to get out of his chair.
"You don't even know," she narrowed her eyes at him, "Don't try me or you'll regret it."
"Already do for meeting you," he narrowed his eyes back and then threw his sweat towel back around his neck, "Forget this, I don't need all this female drama. I'm going out for a run."
"Raph, be careful that thing is still out there," Leonardo warned.
"Thanks dad," Raphael snorted and finally left the room. As he stalked out of the lair he caught Michelangelo and Analise playing Dance Dance Revolution and keeping pretty much neck to neck.
"No one will defeat the Master Michelangelo!"
"There is always someone better," Analise said back as she finished her combo.
"Freaks," Raphael grumbled and flipped out of the room and down a tunnel to find some fresh city air.
"Sorry about Raph," Leonardo apologized as Deidra took her seat back, "He gets a little over the top sometimes."
"I've noticed," she sighed, "Forget about it. Let's just pretend that it never happened. Was the katana your first choice?"
"I know I ain't the catch of the day, but Leo?" Raphael asked as he jumped from one building to the next to try and outpace his temper, "I'm not a teenager any more. Why is this digging so deep under my shell?"
He took a flying leap and tuck rolled to the next building where he finally slowed down and walked a few steps before punching the side of a stairwell. He shook out his hand which now was a little bloody from the punch. He hissed a little and then went to the side of the building where he could look over the harbor.
"It's better, Raphie boy," he told himself, "What would you do with that kind of girl anyway? Remember what a pain in the shell she is? Talk about pain, imagine what kind of girlfriend she would be."
He smirked a little and chuckled to himself, "Yeah… just imagine."
"You shouldn't be all out on your lonesome."
Raphael turned around with his sais out. All around him on the building top was a group of purple dragons and Hun right in the middle.
"It really is a bad part of the city."
"My kind of place," Raphael looked at the large group around him. He knew he didn't stand a good chance by himself, but with his brothers otherwise occupied, he would have to work with what he had. He focused his eyes at Hun, "You seem a little short handed, Hun. Was I too much for your boys the last fight around?"
"Get him!" Hun shouted and the Dragons attacked.
A/N: So, apologies for the late coming update. I've been slammed. I just switched roles at work and finals are a mere week away. But here is the next chapter, I hope you guys liked!