Chapter Seven
Alone in Chicago
After a few minutes, Mona soon arrived at the surface, no sooner did she do so than she felt the icy cold air on her cheeks and the breeze swept over her like a wave.
The sky was black and only a few stars could be seen through the light pollution and the snow fell lightly through the sky.
As the snow fell around her, Mona felt a sense of freedom being outside in the bitter cold. After feeling suffocated in the sanctuary she felt she could breathe and think clearly.
Looking back at the entrance of Mutopia, Mona made sure no-one was watching her, and she began to walk into the snowy city.
Back in Mutopia, Tyroth and Sephie had finished telling Amber the story of Mona's mutation.
"Oh god…" Amber said as tears fell from her eyes, "What…what monsters….fiends…."
Sephie and Tyroth nodded sadly.
"It's all true." Sephie said with a slight sniffle "She told me first thing when I met her…well…after we got to know each other first…"
"I know things were difficult at Christmas for some people less fortunate than the common man, and boy…the Christmases we spent without you Ray-Ray…" said Amber "They were just torture…we never felt like celebrating, all we could think about was you and Lizzie…mum was always crying…and dad…he never knew what to do…." she looked at Sephie who sighed sadly at the mention of her old name when she was human.
"But what Mona went through…after being attacked and raped…then spending two long lonely years alone." Amber continued "I never…I just…"
"It's okay sis." Tyroth soothed "You weren't to know…and Mona doesn't like to talk about it…and for good reason."
"You think she'll be okay?" asked Amber in a worried voice.
"I don't know…" said Tyroth swallowing hard "I've never seen her so upset like this before…"
"She was out of order though." Said Sephie, "The way she spoke to you and Amber like that, despite understanding how she feels, even if she doesn't see it." She flinched slightly, she hated saying such things about her best friend, her honoured sister almost, but she hated what Mona had said, and she knew Tyroth and Amber didn't deserve it.
Tyroth sighed, he was still feeling hurt by Mona's words, but he didn't feel angry, just worried and concerned, and he wanted to talk to the Lizard Lady.
"Tyroth, honey?" asked Sephie looking at her lover.
"What are you thinking brother?" asked Amber.
"I don't want to leave Mona alone with her dark thoughts girls." Said Tyroth "I feel I should do something…say something….talk to her, try and make her see sense."
"Maybe we should tell Master Splinter, or Leonardo?" asked Sephie "They might be able to get her to see clearly."
"No…" said Tyroth "This is something I should do, I upset her and I intend to make things right again."
"Tyroth, it wasn't your fault!" said Sephie "You didn't make Mona upset, you never intentionally hurt her!"
"I know." Said Tyroth "But I still feel I should try and make things better with her, then we can carry on and enjoy Christmas like we planned!"
Sephie and Amber looked at each other then at Tyroth, from the look in the red dragon's eyes, it seemed nothing was going to make him change his mind.
"Okay Tyroth…" said Sephie "But…if all else fails, we better get Master Splinter in on this…"
"Very well Sephie." Said Tyroth, he then began to head towards the residential areas to look for Mona.
Meanwhile, Mona made it to the main part of the city, the wind blew her hair about and the cold nipped at her scaly skin.
She could see the festive lights from the main street all lit up as well as the last minute Christmas shoppers rushing around.
Mona tightened her scarf and pulled some of her hair in front of her eyes so no-one could see her scaly forehead.
Then feeling bold, Mona walked into the busy city, keeping her head down and making sure her tail curled right under her long coat.
She knew she was taking a dangerous risk since the wind could blow up her coat and her tail would be exposed or her cowel would blow off exposing her face.
But as she walked, people just passed her, either carrying heavy bags, held up umbrellas against the falling snow or talked on their mobiles, all unaware of the mutant lizard walking among them.
Also as Mona passed some shops, she heard some people singing carols for charity and every so often, passers by would place quarters in their collection boxes and some children were having a snowball fight or building some snowmen.
Mona couldn't help but feel saddened; it had been so long since she walked amongst the humans. Sure she had worn clothes to walk in exposed parts of New York, but only when she and the turtles were infiltrating Purple Dragon nests.
Looking around at the city, she started to remember when she used to go Christmas shopping with her parents and brothers.
As a child, she used to stand by the shop windows and look at the decorations and the many gifts on display whilst her parents shopped.
She remembered the nights they would buy the Christmas tree and carry it home then she and her brothers would sort the decorations and start putting them on the tree, and then they would give her the honour as the eldest to put the star on top of the tree.
The falling snow reminded Mona of her old home in Winsconsin, how it was snow heavily most Winters, and she and her brothers would play for hours outside, having snowball fights and building snowmen until their parents called them inside to have tea and get warm by the fire.
She remembered taking her brothers when they were younger to see Santa, the way they would tug on her hands begging her to go faster so they could see Santa.
Mona smiled softly inside as she saw in her memory her brothers waiting in the grotto and as soon as they were called through by an elf, they would race in and glomp Santa before saying what they wanted for Christmas.
As Mona remembered that scene, she soon saw a mother walking with her two children, a boy and a girl.
Both young children were chatting happily and sounding very excited. Mona walked behind them and kept her head down as she listened to them talk, and she felt a twinge in her heart and stomach as memories of her family at Christmas returned to her.
"So we'll meet up with daddy in the restaurant in half an hour which gives us plenty of time to meet Father Christmas!"
"Horray!" squealed the little girl.
"Awesome!" cried the boy "I can ask him to get me that new Skateboard!"
"And I can ask for that new Doll's House!" added the little girl
"Of course sweetheart!" said the mother with a grin "You can ask him for whatever you wish! Because you two have been so good this year!"
The two children squealed again in happiness, and the mother laughed, but soon her laughter turned to alarm when a man suddenly cycled past on a bicycle and reached out for her handbag that was hanging on her side.
The two children screamed as the youth reached down and grabbed the bag, as he pulled; the woman was yanked forward into the oncoming traffic!
The children screamed in horror, and Mona looked up and saw the whole scene take place!
The bag thief was unable to get the bag but his actions were about to kill the woman as she fell into the traffic!
Quick as a flash, Mona dashed forward, grabbed the woman's coat and threw her back onto the pavement before a large truck appeared and almost knocked her down!
"Mummy!" the two children screamed in terror.
Mona looked at the woman who looked shocked but unhurt, and the boy and girl hugged her close sobbing.
Mona then looked up to see where the bag snatcher had run and her blood boiled, the perfect moment to unleash her anger and frustrations had arrived!
She looked back at the woman who nodded in thanks, to which Mona nodded back and raced off before the woman had a chance to say anything.
"Who was that?" the woman thought as she held her two children close.
Mona meanwhile ran down the pavement, she kept her eyes on the bag snatcher; she wasn't going to let him get away, not after what he tried to do.
"Those kids almost lost their mum!" she thought "Because of that bastard's selfish actions! Unforgivable!"
She barged passed people to get near the cyclist, and she soon saw him go down an alleyway.
"Big mistake pal!" she hissed, she ran down the alleyway and she saw the cyclist dismounting his bike and looking around.
"Hey!" Mona shouted over to him.
The cyclist turned to Mona and glared.
"The fuck?" he asked "What the hell do you want?"
"A few words!" Mona said walking over, "I saw what you tried to do to that woman and her kids!"
"So what?" asked the thief "I tried to grab her bag! Stupid cow had it strapped tightly!"
"You almost killed her!" Mona shouted "Her and her kids! And you'll pay for that!"
"Oh really?" said the thief as he took out some guns under his coat, and whose gonna make me?"
Mona narrowed her eyes and took off her own coat before taking out her fans.
"I shall!" she hissed as she flicked her fans open, as she did they made a swishing noise showing how sharp the blades were.
"Hmpph!" the thief said "I'm not scared of fans!"
"You will learn!" Mona hissed as she held up her weapons.
"Very well then…" said the thief; he then began to fire off several rounds at her.
But Mona moved quickly and began to run from side to side so the bullets would miss her, she then went for the thief and began to slash with her fans, she knew the thug would run out of bullets soon if he kept firing and hoping to hit the target. Her hunch proved right as he soon ran out of bullets.
As she got near him, the thug threw away his empty guns and drew a large knife to which he began to slice and dice at her.
As he did, Mona deflected and clashed her fans with his knife, as well as dodged any attacks he made at her.
"I'll cut you up bitch!" the thug shouted "Cut you up good!"
"Not before I slice your throat!" Mona hissed as she sliced his jacket with her fan and blood erupted from it making the thug scream.
As he paid attention to his wound, Mona did a kick and sent him flying into the wall.
The thug gasped as the breath was knocked out of him then looked up as Mona grabbed his throat and held her fan to his face.
"Any last words?" she asked.
The thug looked at her, and then he smirked, which made Mona uneasy.
"I have a few…" he said then looked upwards, Mona too looked up and what she saw made her blood run cold, up on the roof she saw several gangsters looking down at her, all with weapons drawn and soon some more thugs came out of the darkness of the alley.
"Shit…" she whispered softly.
"You see bitch…" said the thug, the smirk still on his face "You mess with the dog, you get the pack!" he then held up his mobile phone showing he must have alerted his gang and brought back up.
Mona in anger head butted the thug breaking his nose and knocking him out, then stood up with her fans drawn ready to take on the gang of thugs as they started to surround her.
Meanwhile, Tyroth made it to Mona and Raphael's room, the door was shut and the room was silent.
Tyroth gathered his courage as he got ready to face what could be a still furious Mona. He lifted his large paw and knocked softly but firmly.
Then he waited, but he heard nothing.
"Mona?" he called "Mona? It's me...Tyroth...can I come in?"
He waited again, but still...silence.
Frowning, Tyroth turned the knob and peeked inside expecting Mona to be crying on the bed or simply sitting in silence, yet he was greeted with an empty bedroom.
"Mona?" he called, he peeked in further and looked around, once again he saw the room was empty.
"Mona?" he called again, but realising the room was empty he stepped out again and looked into the hallway, he knew she wouldn't have gone in the other rooms since they belonged to others.
He then decided to check the dojo, knowing Mona, she was like Raphael and often went there to vent off steam.
As he went towards the dojo, Sephie and Amber joined him.
"You found Mona?" asked Sephie.
"No..." said Tyroth "She wasn't in her room, so I guessed she might be in the dojo."
Amber lead the way to the dojo and opened the door, but to their disappointment, she wasn't there.
"Damn!" said Tryoth "Where is she?"
"She's gotta be somewhere hun!" said Sephie "She can't have gone far."
"That's true." Said Amber "Come on, let's ask the others, someone's bound to have seen her!"
Tyroth agreed and followed them.
"I hope you haven't done anything stupid Mona..." he thought.
Oh dear! Looks like Mona's in serious trouble!
Meanwhile Tyroth and the girls have noticed Mona's missing, how long will it take them to realize she's not in Mutopia?
Find out next chapter!