'Hello Mikey! It is I, Arimi Kirisawa. I am soooo happy you have found me on the Facespace. I would love to be your friend! We can share everything here! We are thirteen hours apart but we can meet here anytime! I would like to live-chat with you. I carry my phone everywhere. I can't wait to hear back from you! Until next time, good morning and good evening XD From- Your new Japanese Friend'
Mikey awakens with a very happy face. He responds back to her before leaving the bed. He gets up and goes to the bathroom to perform his normal hygiene rituals. He sees another message from Arimi and responds. He goes to the kitchen and cooks a light brunch of fruit, eggs and toast. After watching a movie with Raphael he gets another message and responds. He fits Arimi into every part of his day and she fits him into hers. It was refreshing having another person to talk to other than his brothers. Amber is cool and Master Splinter is…dad, but Arimi is his own little secret. He sees why Raphael waited so long before introducing her to the family. It wasn't just for safety; it was also exclusivity. In a way, she belonged only to him. While waiting for Arimi to respond Mikey browses through her many pictures. She looks so cute in her tour guide uniform. She looks so young graduating from college. Her parents look very proud. Her close ups are soft and innocent. He absolutely adores her baby picture. He kind of wishes she posted a swimsuit picture. He blushes when her greeting suddenly pops up. He starts typing again.
Raphael is sitting next to him trying to find another flick to watch . Mikey giggles and chuckles and 'oh mys' and 'wows' and chuckles some more. It's pissing Raph off.
"Mikey what are ya laughin' at now? It's getting' frickin' annoyin'!"
"Huh? I'm just looking up new recipes." Mikey says as he quickly pulls up a window to block the one he was chatting on.
Raph looks over his shoulder at the laptop screen. He wrinkles his brows. "What's so damn funny about gorditas?"
"Well, gorditas means 'fat girl' in Spanish…"
"Hmph… it ain't that funny. Now shut up and help me find somethin' ta watch."
"Ok Raph." Mikey sends one more message to Arimi before signing off. "Gotta go Mimi. Big Jerk Bro is wanting some quality time with me. I'm sooo popular! LOL TTYS Good morning/ good evening!
…
Mikey hadn't heard from Arimi in two days and is feeling a little blue because of it. Being able to speak to her everyday on Facespace insta-chat over the past month has been a blast. Last weekend was especially fun; they had watched a live-stream rock concert together. The performance began at eight AM his time and she didn't mind starting her day rocking out. She had sent a voice memo to his page of her singing off-key to one of the ballads that made his heart skip. They had such a great time. He wonders what may have happened to her today. Did she have to go to work? Did she lose her computer? Is she sick? He hated worrying for someone who was so far away. He can once again identify with his red-masked brother.
His brothers. It seemed they hadn't noticed his sunny disposition to be anything out of the ordinary. And his expanded time on Amber's laptop hadn't heighten anyone's curiosity. Mikey takes over the shop as Amber locks up for the day. He decides to be her stock boy and janitor to help pay for her increased cell phone bill. It was hardly forty dollars more but he didn't want Amber to think he could take advantage of anything she gives. She shuts of the storefront lights and heads upstairs to grab some dinner with Raph. Mikey pushes the metal cart of discarded books and slowly re-shelves them in their proper places. While humming one of the songs from the concert, he hears a knock at the front door. He calls out. "Sorry, we're closed!" without thinking twice. Who ever it is they can come back tomorrow and get the new number one thriller then. He reaches for the broom and the knocking persists. He sighs and cautiously looks through the peephole in the door. His heart almost stops. "Oh. My. God." He whispers.
He sprints to the bottom of the apartment steps and shouts as soft as possible. "Amber! Amber! It's Arimi! Arimi Kirisawa! She's here! She's here!"
"What?!" Amber yells aloud.
"Shh! What the hell, Amber!" He waves her downstairs and she comes.
"It's Arimi!"
"Arimi?"
"Shh! She's at the door?"
"She's here!"
Knock Knock Knock
"What do we do?" He asks.
"What did you do?" Amber accuses.
"Huh?"
"Did you invite her here? Why would you do that?"
"I did NOT invite here! She just showed up!"
"Oh really? Really Mikey? You didn't 'mistakenly' invite her to New York?"
"No! No! As a matter of fact I told her NOT to come!"
Knock Knock Knock
"Is she crazy? She just gonna show up like a Crazy from Japan?" Amber whispers with mild hysteria.
"I don't know! I guess so! What do we do?" He mimics her.
"Maybe she'll go away…"
Knock Knock Knock
Mikey looks at Amber, scared shelless.
"Ok Mikey, you go and tell everyone to stay up in Splinter's apartment. Don't make a sound. Communicate through the family chat on our cells only. I'll contact you as soon as I can."
"Ok." Mikey dashes upstairs and opens up the family chat. His worry was transferred off of Arimi's safety to his family's mortality.
…
Raphael sets a bowl of fresh salad on the dining room table. He starts to light a candle when Mikey bursts through the door. He sees Raph and immediately takes the bowl of salad and puts it in fridge.
"Jeez, Spaz! If ya didn't want salad ya just shoulda said so!"
"Shhh!" Mikey hushes Raph.
"Don't shush me, Ass…" Mikey covers his mouth and holds up his cell phone. Raphael pushes Mikey off of him and opens up his cell to the family chat entitled 'Hamato Crew':
McNuggetBrain: Amber Alert! UNNANOUNCED GUEST! Amber says to hold up in Splinter's Apt. til further notice! This is NOT a drill!
Raphael rolls his eyes as he looks at Mikey who holds a finger to his lips. Raphael types in the chat. Mikey's phone buzzes and he looks to see what he says. He nods his head:
Ralph: Fuck!
…
"Fuck!" Amber shoots under her breath. She opens the door and there before her is Arimi, her five-foot tall, twenty-two year old house-crasher from Japan.
They greet each other with high-pitched squeaks and an ecstatic embrace.
"Arimi! You're here! What a surprise! What are you doing here?" Amber asks.
" Ohayou Amber-chan! I am here to visit you! I have missed you. I am in much need of a holiday and have decided to spend it with you!"
"I've missed you too, Arimi." Amber says. Arimi looks so innocent to her. Not much life experience and she's only three years younger than Amber. Arimi's weird too. She has one, large, green rolling suitcase, a small gray carry-on, and a bright pink laptop bag strung around her. She is wearing a shiny, white raincoat with black, rubber galoshes decorated with frogs. Her long, ebony hair is pinned up with a clip shaped like a rainbow.
"I like your hair. How did you get it so curly? May I come in?" Arimi asks.
"Uh, it's naturally like this. And yes, please come in, welcome."
Arimi pulls her bags into the bookstore and Amber locks the door behind them. She turns on the counter light and Arimi can see the length and width of the shop. "Oh Amber-chan! Your store is magnificent! All of these books! All of these authors! I love this!" She does a twirl then looks at Amber. "I love Bubba's Bookstore!"
"Thank you Arimi." Amber checks her phone. She sees silent alerts popping up like crazy. "Please have a seat and rest a moment. Tell me about your trip…"
…
Raphael quietly trots up the flight of stairs into Master Splinter's apartment. He steps inside drops the box of his belongings and kicks it into a corner. Everyone shushes him and he immediately pushes his palms down a couple of times to show that he is calm. He then tosses himself deep into the cushions of the couch next to Leo and opens up the 'Hamato Crew' family chat on his cell, impatiently waiting for Amber to respond:
Dorkonaut: She's here? R U serious?"
StikNmyASS: Arimi? From Japan?
Dorkonaut: Is she crazy?
Raphael: Totally fukin Cray cray! Now we gotta hide like Ann Frank in our own home!
Dorkonaut: Nice reference, Raph.
Raphael: Shut up Donnie.
StikNmyASS: R U sure she wasn't invite?
McNuggetBrain: 100% Amber wouldn't do that Leo.
Raphael: Amber wouldn't do that!
StikNmyASS: I wasn't talking about Amber…
Everyone looks up at Leo nodding his head toward Mikey who is suddenly blushing. He looks down. Mikey starts typing into his phone:
Mikey: Where would U get that idea?!
SirLeonard: Mikey has bn spending 2 much time online to just be looking up recipes. He found Arimi & talks to her everyday on Facespace.
Ralph: What the hell Mikey? I would throw somethin ya if I knew u wouldn't scream like lil a grl!
Mikey: How did U know? AND I DIDN'T INVITE HER!
Donald: It was pretty obvious you found a new friend. I just never thought you would have such an impression on her 4 her 2 hop a plane!
SirLeonard: There is nothing THAT funny about preparing food. U would be staring at the computer screen all day. & U never cooked anything new! LOL Donnie
Ralph: This is stupid! What did u say 2 her 2 think it was ok 2 come here? How n the hell is Amber gonna handle this?
Mikey: Leave me alone Raph! I didn't say anything to her about EVER coming here. She just can't get enough of me! *Smiley face emoticon*
Donald: LOL Leo. That's true! Where's my gordita? Amber can handle this. Give her some time. Raph
…
I can't handle this! I'm running out of time! Amber thinks to herself. She hopes the guys can hold tight a little longer. "So Arimi, how long do I get to have you on your holiday? You're not planning on wasting it all here with me are you?"
"I do not need to get back home anytime soon. My visa is good for three months so I can stay for a long while! This way we will not be lonely." Arimi's smile could melt an iceberg. "Amber is there someone here?"
"Why? Did you hear something?" Amber whips her head around.
"No. I heard someone in here earlier before you opened the door. Are they still here?"
"No. They went home. Out the back, through the alley."
"Oh, will they be coming tomorrow?"
Amber's brows lift a little. Ah, I see now. Arimi was trying to see Mikey. Oh my God! This is either the sweetest or the creepiest gesture I've have ever witnessed. "No, 'they' are on vacation too. Traveling out of the country. Missionary work. No telling when they will return." Amber can almost hear Arimi's hopes crush. She thought her next question would be 'what country?' but she wasn't that crazy. "Arimi, would you like to help me in the bookstore while you're here?"
"Oh I would love to help you! I could speak with real customers and practice my English… could I help put the books away at the end of the day?"
"Sure. I guess so."
"Thank you, Amber-chan." She sounds so sincere.
"Are you tired or hungry we can go out to eat or…."
"I am feeling very tired. I hope it is no trouble if I rest. "
"Not at all. Here let me help you take your bags upstairs."
"Upstairs?"
"Yes. My apartment is upstairs, remember? I own the whole building."
"Oh, how wonderful!"
"But I have to warn you. I only live on the second floor. The upper two floors are off limits. They are not finished, still under construction and very dangerous." She emphasizes 'dangerous' and turns to grab Arimi's roller suitcase. "Promise me you won't go up there and get yourself hurt."
"I understand Amber-chan. I promise." She grabs her things and follows Amber up the steps.
"Also, my spare bedroom is very small and not furnished well. I'm very sorry I can't accommodate you to your needs. I suppose it will do for you tonight. Tomorrow we will find you a proper hotel to stay in."
"I would not think of it Amber-chan!" She stops on the steps and Amber turns and looks down to her. "You have been most gracious about me showing up. I am you humble guest and any place you allow me to lay my head is more than enough. Your kindness is a sufficient luxury." She bows her head.
"Well, ok if you say so Arimi." Those damn, polite Japanese!
…
Donatello unlocks his phone again, chuckling silently at the conversation there on:
01101101: Dude! Leo how did u know I was on Facespace?
01101100: I'm on Facespace too. I'm friends with April.
0110110: Really? I looked 4 U everywhere! What's ur screen name?
01101100: It's James Lee.
Donnie: LOL *Three laughing faces with tears emoticons*
01110010: Where the hell u come up wit that goofy name?
01101101: If I send u a request will you friend me, Mr. Lee? LOL
01101100: I needed something neutral. I don't do anything on Facespace except join n on book club discussions. Shut up Raph. No Mikey.
01101101: Awe! Y not?
01110010: Jeez! I thot Donnie was the only pondexter in the family.
Donnie: Spell-check is free Raph.
01110010: Eat it!
01110011: Do not worry my sons everything will be fine. Please do not speak to your brother that way. Amber would not do that. Do not pick on your. Brother. This is true? What is a gordita? Raphael your language please. Maybe Arimi will not be here for long. I am sure Amber has everything under Leo what books do you like to read? What is Face space!?
The turtles look to their father with confusion. Splinter is sitting on his futon in the corner of the room. He nods after he sees his message go through. He looks up at them and taps on his screen, very proud of himself. Mikey tries to stick his head down in his shell as far as he can to hide his tears. Donnie slams his face in a pillow, stifling his laugh. Raphael puts his hands over his face, unable to stop his shoulders from jerking up and down. Leo just closes his eyes and fights to hide his smile. Leo pulls up his phone and is the first one to get a hold of himself:
Leo: Sensei, try to just type and submit one line at a time to stay with the flow of conversation.
Father: *thumbs up emoticon*
Mike: LOL Splinter in the fam chat is awesome!
Don: LOL yes, we should talk like this more often. It's very fun.
Leo: Yes I agree! LOL
Father: What is lol?
Mike: It means Laugh Out Loud
Father: O. LOL
Mikey *Thumbs up emoticon, smiley face emoticon*
Don: LOL *winking face emoticon*
Leo: LOL *OK hand emoticon*
Raph: STOP lol-ing NO ONE can ACTUALLY L-Fu#$%-ing-OL right now! Where the Hell-o is Amber!
Everyone looks over at Raphael. He lifts up his hands and shrugs. Mikey looks down and types a message. Raph's phone buzzes and he awakens his phone again.
McNuggetBrain: *four raincloud emoticons* Here ya go Gloomy Ralph. Go sit in the rain while the rest of us make the best of this bad situation.
Dorkonaut: Yeah Raph. No reason to be upset just yet. We're just havin some fun. Here, I got you something *Ice-cream cone emoticon*
StikNmyASS: I got something better 4 U *Baby bottle emoticon*
Dad: Lol, I mean L not OL.
Every one chuckles a bit even Raph. His phone buzzes again:
MrsAmberHOTmato: Guys How R U?
Raphael points to himself, signaling he would respond:
Raphael: We all good here up at Splinter's, tell us the plan.
MrsAmberHOTmato: Arimi is staying. She is in the guest bedroom on my floor sleeping. Don't know how long she's staying. She's workin' with a three-month visa! I'm so sorry. I had no idea she was so spontaneous! Ideas?
They look around the room and start typing:
StikNmyASS: We could bring up all of our essentials here to Splinter's apartment and live here and on the rooftop patio until she leaves.
Dorkonaut: We could work out a schedule. When ever Amber and Arimi are out or in the bookstore we could still use our apartments. Then go back up in the evening, making sure we are always two floors apart.
Raphael: No way am I tryin to share 1 bathroom with 4 other people! & what about my apartment? Arimi's gonna stick 2 Amber like glue. How r we gonna b able to NOT see Amber for 3MONTHS?
StikNmyASS: We grew up with ONE bathroom n the lair for years. O how soon we forget.
Dorkonaut: We r trying to come up with ideas. Not just rebuttals. What have u got Raph? Mikey?
Raph: I got a idea! Let's make like the place is haunted and scare her a$$ back on the next plane to Japan!
McNuggetBrain: I say Amber does with Arimi what Raph did with her.
StikNmyASS: Ur just thinking of yourself Raph. We have to come up with something that will accommodate everyone.
MrsAmberHOTmato: Raphael! Not happening! I want to keep my friend!
Dorkonaut: *fed-up face emoticon* Raphael be serious!
StikNmyASS: MIKEY! We will not do that! Amber and Arimi are two different people. No more unnecessary risks!
Dorkonaut: Bad idea Mikey.
Raphael: It's not my job to think about this freeloader! She ain't no friend if she can't call u B4 barging in on our lives! Mikey u might have a point if she wasn't CRAZY. And FUCK U LEO! Amber is far from Unessesary!
"That's not what I was saying and you know it!" Leo says.
"Oh, look who broke the vow of silence first? Talk about takin' risks, you blow hard!
"Guys cool it. Just because we're not immediately above them doesn't mean your baritone registers can't reverb…"
"Then zip it Donnie!" Raphael spits. He turns to Leo. "You got somethin' to say? After all this time you still feelin' some type of way about Amber?"
"You sound ridiculous. And I'm not going to argue with you. I know the only reason you're so 'up in arms' is because you don't know when you'll be able to be near Amber again."
Are you jealous? You been jealous this whole time of me and Amber? Now Mikey can't be happy? Is that too much of a risk too?"
"I don't know about anyone else, Raphael, but whenever I talk about risk to our family, I'm never speaking of the humans you befriend. You are the biggest risk to this family. You're so angry that you can't be one of them, yet you risk our lives to be close to them.
"You just got me all figured out huh, Fearless?"
"Yes. I do. I'm your brother. Everyone knows and cares about how you are feeling right now, Raph. We may not want to do this, but we may have to if we are to survive."
Raphael can't speak. He doesn't want to speak, he wants to throw is brother through a wall. He's burning up inside but he has to calm down. Damn it. Leo is right about him.
Leo continues. "Now lets pretend we fought it out and get to end of the conversation where you finally had the sense knocked into you and come to a decision." He turns to the sound of Splinter flapping his tail on the floor. He taps a frail finger on his cell phone screen and everyone, including Raphael, looks at the new messages in their chat:
MrsAmberHOTmato: Raph cool it! What the heck!
MrsAmberHOTmato: Where is everyone? What's going on up there?
McNuggetBrain: Raph blew a gasket BRB
MrsAmberHOTmato: O God! I can't go up there yet! Raph please!
MrsAmberHOTmato: Hello!
Dad: We will go back to the sewer lair at the most opportune time. Amber set an outing for you and your guest tomorrow to give us time to pack and leave.
MrsAmberHOTmato: NO! That is not an option! Guys?
McNuggetBrain: We are all saying no.
McNuggetBrain: Sensei has silently spoken. We're going back to the lair tomorrow.
…
Arimi has been napping in the guest bedroom a few hours now. Amber has no idea when she will awaken. Jet lag can knock you out or keep you up. Who knows how long she'd be staying? Amber is lying in her bed trying to sleep away her blues. She feels so bad for her family. This is nuts. How long would they have to live in the sewer lair? It's probably stale and moldy down there. The only one who goes there anymore is Donnie. He still keeps the power on to work in his lab. Since they moved he only goes a few times a month. She moans, throwing her hand over her face thinking about her poor Uncle Splinter. She hates that this is the safest solution; it better than being discovered. As she reaches to shut off the nightstand lamp her phone buzzes. She activates it and sees and message from Raphael in their personal chat:
Raphie: This really sucks!
Amber: I know.
Raphie: What r we gonna do?
Amber: Tmrw aftr work Arimi & I will meet my friends 4 dinner. Then u guys gather up ur things & head 2 the lair. We'll stay out at as long as possible 2 give u enuff time.
Raphie: Ok. But what r WE gonna do?
Amber: I don't know.
Raphie: This is WORSE than u being N another country! Ur right downstairs & I cnt even c u.
Amber: I miss u 2… u want me 2 send u a pic 2 help u sleep?
Raphie: … What kinda pic? *Smiling devil emoticon*
Amber: What part of me do u want to see first?
Raphie: U know what? nvermind! DON'T send me nuthin! Seein' u won't make me 'sleepy'.
Amber: R U sure? *Red heart emoticon*
Raphie: Yes!
Raphie: Ambi?
Amber: Uploaded pic of herself lying in bed immodestly clothed
Raphie: U R torturing me Dammit! I'm surrounded by dudes!
Amber: LOL
Raphie: Unlock ur bedroom window. I'm comin down!
Amber: u can't
Raphue: Y!
Amber: Arimi's awake and hungry. Gotta go, Red! Love love love!
Raphie: O God wait!
Raphie: Amber!
Raphie: Send me another pic!
…
…
…
…
AN: In this chapter there is lots of texting and going back in forth in different phones. Donnie's contact list is in 'binary code' using the first letter of everyone's names. I love him! I had fun making up different names for each person's contact list. I think my favorite is from Raph's phone: Dorkonaut for Donnie! ALSO: If Arimi IS crazy at least she's cute about it! XD
PLEASE POST A RRRREEEEEVVVIIIEEWWW! And thank you!