You guys are amazing, you know that? Thank you sooo much for all of the feedback! It's really, really appreciated and I love reading each and every review. Hah, this chapter was fun. I was so hungry after writing one of the scenes that I had to go eat my pantry out.
I would like to know why I always end up writing these chapters in the late of night, where I'm bound to make every mistake possible. Oh well.
"So… where are we going?"
"To our home." Mikey answered, grinning in her direction. "Don't worry, it's not nearly as smelly."
Not exactly sure how to answer, she instead turned to look at the tunnels around her. Quite frankly, there wasn't much to look at, but it still spiked her mind, due to the fact that this was something that wasn't chrome or purple.
Smelly as it may be, it was intriguing. Different. And at some point, the scenery around them had become more orderly, cleaner (though still a sore scent to the nose), and easier on the eye. At first, she had wondered why the four wouldn't let her run and keep up with them on foot. Her legs were perfectly functional, as was the rest of her. Looking back at the walls, however, it took her several moments to realize how fast they were actually going. Leo was carrying her for her own good.
Stubbornness almost caused her to demand that she be put down. But the very thought of being on her own two feet was hard to even think about. In his muscular arms, she felt safe and secure. While the feeling should have been much different for such a stranger, she found herself welcoming the difference. She could almost fall asleep.
Turns out, she had at one point. She remembered a hand sweeping her bangs from her face, and her eyes blinking groggily open at the sight of the purple-masked one peering over her. "You alright?" He asked in a kind tone.
"M'fine." She muttered, the beginnings of a headache pressing into her temple. "Just tired."
"Well, we're home now. Would you like us to show you around?" Leo asked above her, his arms still holding her up. "Or would you like it to wait until morning?"
Fighting a yawn, she shrugged her way out of the turtle's arms and got to her feet. The world around her, much to her dismay, tipped and swayed and she nearly fell onto her side, had Mikey not been right at her shoulder. She found herself leaning a hand against him until her brain fought for balance, and the orange clad ninja did nothing but put a hand under her elbow to support her. "Thanks." She muttered heartily under her breath, to which she spotted him nod out of the corner of her eye. Once she could stand without the urge to puke, she straightened up and opened her eyes.
Wherever she was, it was much less smelly, much more organized, and very welcoming. The area was large, a series of different levels, and though it was a little cold, she didn't feel intimidated or afraid. "Oh, wow…" She murmered, words escaping her for a moment. Was this what they talked about in her books? A house? Where were the windows? Where was the fireplace? There wasn't even a front door, she noticed as she turned around.
"You like?" Mikey had asked excitedly, peering over at her with sparkling eyes.
Frowning at him was almost an impossible task. "Yeah, it's really cool." She answered, only then realizing that Mikey's hand had still been on her arm. He took it away as she seemed to get herself under control, and the others had moved away a bit to mill into their home.
"It's late, and I'll bet you're tired, but if you want us to show you around real quick, that'd be fine." Leo offered from behind her, drawing her attention as she realized he had not moved.
Not like I could sleep in a strange place anyway. "That would be great, if you don't mind." She answered, fatigue and anxiety battling away.
The entire home wasn't as large as she had first imagined. The common area in itself was pretty big, but there wasn't much other than it. A kitchen for meals, bathroom, their rooms, the purple one's lab (Mikey had called him Donnie, which meant all she had to do was figure out Red's name), and a smaller carpeted area they had referred to as the dojo.
Upon entry, the starburst of colors had been a slap in the face. Bright orange and red lined the very walls and floors. However, those attributions were not what her full attention found so intriguing. Instead, at the very end where a door opened like a screen, a gigantic furry creature stood erect with a tense posture. At the very sight, she felt the other four around her stiffen.
The four's tense postures mirrored the tall creature's, and they stood at attention as he spoke. "My sons, you have returned from your mission." The man's voice was deep. He called the green creatures his sons, though he looked nothing like them. Confused already, her eyes shifted to the others as she awkwardly began to step away. He was intimidating. "Who is this?"
Leo had shouldered his way in front of her, and the others had almost completed a square around her. "Ah, sensei, erm…" He chuckled nervously, and April felt her stomach knot. "W-Well, do you remember the ah, Kraang project we talked about?"
"Yes." He didn't move.
"Well… this is it- um- her." Leo nodded in her direction behind his shoulder, remaining in his stance in front.
At this, the strange creature's eyebrow had arched upwards. April's eyes strayed in hopes that his gaze wouldn't catch her, and she spotted the others staring off in different directions as well. Several seconds of silence passed, and her face glowed red with embarrassment. "Leonardo," He finally spoke at last, "perhaps now is a suitable time for you to debrief your mission." The tall creature suggested, his tail flicking towards the room he had emerged from.
Leo, with a slump of his shoulders, stepped forward willingly. "Hai, sensei." He muttered half-heartedly, walking the short distance until he had disappeared into the adjoining room. The tall brown creature glanced up, his hand on the doorway. He lingered one moment too long, creating an awkward atmosphere, before he stepped foot into the room and shut the screen behind him.
All around her, the remaining three creatures let out tense breaths. "Alright, let's get her a pillow and blanket so she can sleep on the couch." The one in red offered as he turned towards the commons.
"You want her to sleep on the couch?" Donnie put a hand on Red's shoulder, turning him face-front. "She spent sixteen years sleeping in a small room, do you really think she'll be able to sleep in the livingroom?"
"Well what do you suggest we do then?" Red crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes with a snarl.
"Erm, she can sleep in my room! I'll take the couch." Donnie suggested with a half-smile.
Great, now they were arguing about her right in front of her. "Umm, guys? Still here." She raised her hand a bit and waved, drawing their attention. She wondered if Donnie had a point. "I can take the couch, no problem." April replied, intending not to mess up their own arrangements. There was no point in making herself a burden to their life.
"Wait- are you sure?" Donnie turned to her with a look of sincerity. She nodded.
"I'll get her a blanket and stuff!" Mikey exclaimed excitedly, accidentally shouldering Red on his way out. As April peered outside of the dojo, she spotted him leaping across the common area with his fists raised, and his voice uplifted as he cried out "This is going to be the best sleepover ever!"
"This isn't a sleepover, Mikey." Donatello pointed out, though the orange-masked turtle seemed to disregard him. "We'll be in our own rooms, and she'll-"
"We have a guest, Donnie, and she's staying the night! Official sleepover. It's official. Officially." He crossed his arms to create his point, his shell facing his brother as he pranced across the pit. His gaze hadn't turned, nor had his head, and he instead spoke to empty air with confidence that he was heard.
Seconds passed, and April began to move towards the square-shaped couch. Before she could get far, Donatello put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, umm…" He turned her so that she faced him, and he frowned down at her apologetically. "I just wanted to say… I'm sorry we can't do more. I wish… there were things we could do to help you… I wish we didn't have to take you out of your home like that."
Frowning, she turned her gaze upwards to meet his. "Well… thanks. I appreciate that." She replied, his frown mirroring her own. Seconds passed, and she realized he was waiting for her to say more. When she didn't, he patted her shoulder and turned away with a side-smile.
"If you need anything, we'll be in our rooms." He offered kindly. "Fridge is open if you're hungry. We've got pizza, and um… well." He stopped. "We're kind of low on stuff right now. Pizza's probably your best bet."
Her eyes, which had been low, suddenly snapped upwards at the word. She had never heard it aloud before. Only in her books, where she had been certain that such a thing didn't exist. "W… wait." She murmured, receiving his curious gaze from the edge of the hall. "Pizza… pizza's real? Uh- I mean- you have pizza?" Her throat clenched anxiously, excitement pounding in her veins. Her books were true…
His expression was the definition of confusion. With one eye raised and the other lowered, he looked around before pitching a thumb in the kitchen's direction. "Eh, yeah. It's in the fridge…" He replied quietly. It took all of two seconds before she spun on her feet, half-jogging towards the kitchen. "Um- Do you know how to heat it up?" He added, chasing after her as she entered the kitchen with a face of pure concern.
"Ummmm…" She hummed, stopping short as she looked around. Now which thing was a fridge? Her questionable sound was answer enough for the green turtle, as he seemed to take charge.
Stepping in front of her, Donnie reached forward and pulled the large white box open. A gust of cold air spilled out, skidded across the hard floor, and sent a shiver up her spine. From it, a flat-shaped box was removed and placed on the table. The purple-masked turtle used his foot to kick the door shut.
"Have you really never had pizza before?" Donatello asked incredulously, and April shook her head. "What do you normally eat?"
"I…" April shrugged, "I don't know to be honest. It's the same thing every day. And it's disgusting."
"You don't know how much I can understand that." He replied with a hearty laugh, catching her off guard. But the expression on his face was gone as he lifted the lid, revealing a few triangle-shaped items, each a golden-yellow color. "Let me just heat it up for you."
Stepping away so that he could take care of it, she watched with interest as he stuck two slices on a plate and slid it into another box. Buttons on the side (key code?) worked magic, and the small window on the front displayed a bright light and a deep hum from inside. There seemed to be a plate beneath the plate, and both were spinning slowly in the center. A number on the top right was counting down.
"This is making it heated?" She asked, leaning her hands on the table and looking through the window with wide, curious eyes.
"Yeah. It tastes better that way. Mikey eats it cold a lot, but I can't stand it if it's not at least room temperature." Donnie leaned against the counter, his eyes blinking between the box and April. A few seconds passed, filled with only the humming of the machine, until a loud beeping filled the room and he pressed the open-door button. From inside, he removed the place with two heated triangles of pizza.
"Hold it by the crust." He pointed at the bottom of the triangle shape. "Bite off the end there."
Doing as she was told, she gingerly reached forward and touched it, only to withdraw her hand with a squeal. "It's hot." She pointed out.
"We can let it cool for a minute then." Donnie assured.
A few seconds passed before she gingerly reached out again. "It's still going to be hot." He warned her, though she ignored him this time. It actually wasn't as hot as she assumed, she had just been caught off guard, she soon came to realize. Picking up the pizza and holding it from beneath, she gingerly reached her head forward. She held her breath. From the very end, she sunk her teeth into it and felt it's warmth tickle her teeth. The piece of food slid onto her tongue, and she closed her lips.
Before she had even swallowed, her eyes had flickered open and her posture had tensed. "What? What is it?" Donatello asked, his eyes blinking with concern.
But there was no reason to be worried, for her eyes were sparkling with wonder. "This… this is fantastic! I never thought food would taste so good!" She exclaimed, catching him by surprise. She took another bite. And then another. "This is amazing! I can't believe it, I've never tasted anything like it before!"
Donnie was laughing. She wasn't sure why, but at the moment, she didn't really care. She was scarfing down each bite as an explosion of taste filled her mouth. He was smiling, grabbing his own plate and sticking a slice on it for himself. "I take it you like it?"
"I love it!" She responded with her mouth full, struggling to swallow the amount she had bitten off.
"Hey, I got the blankets!" Mikey exclaimed from outside the kitchen, and April stepped towards the curtain. She pushed away a portion and stuck her head out, smiling despite the pizza in her mouth.
She tried to tell him thank you, but her mouth was so stuffed that she had nearly started to choke. The very action had created a burst of laughter, and she nearly spit out what was in her mouth. "Hey, you're taking the last of the pizza!" Mikey exclaimed, tossing the bed gear onto the couch and racing into the kitchen. Swiping the last slice from the box, he joined the two for a round of midnight pizza, watching excitedly as April swallowed her mouthful of delicious food.
I should have taken Donnie up on his offer.
The pillow was draped over her head with her arms flat over it, her feet sticking out of the blanket due to a mixture of warmth and coldness. She couldn't decide which she was. The couch wasn't stiff enough when compared to her usual bed, and the main room was intimidatingly large. Donatello was right. She couldn't do this.
Now that everyone had gone to bed and the entire lair was silent, she could hear the creepy noises. The leaking pipes, the rushing of faraway sewer waters. And above it all, there was a loud rumbling noise every few minutes coming from the roof. In the Kraang facility, she had slept in complete and utter silence.
Sleeping in here felt near impossible.
She tossed this way and that, attempting to find comfort in an unfamiliar bedplace, and eventually surrendered. She sat up, pulling the blanket over her lap, and held her arms in her hands. The eerie atmosphere wasn't helping much, either.
"Hey April." A whisper startled her half to death, and she jumped. Though it was only Michelangelo, walking through the main area with his own blanket and his pillow tucked under his arm. It was weird seeing him maskless, though it was easy to recognize him from his distinct voice. As soon as he caught sight of her sitting upright and quietly, he slowed his pace and his gaze lowered. "Are you having trouble sleeping?"
Instead of trying to deny it to save her pride, she merely nodded. He threw his own stuff onto the couch and plopped down, frowning. "Does it feel weird sleeping away from there?"
She heaved a heavy sigh, drawing her blanketed knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "Yes." She answered, blinking downwards. "I appreciate what you guys are doing to make me feel at home, I really do, but it's not the same. I really want to go home. To my actual home"
Frowning really didn't suit him, it seemed. His gaze was low, his eyes tired but still full of life. "I'm sorry." He said simply, looking up at her. "If things were different..." He trailed off.
"I don't even know what's going to happen from here." She suddenly felt like venting and shivered angrily, drawing the blanket up some. "What do I do? Live here the rest of my life? On the couch? This is your home, not mine. I don't belong here. I just… I don't know what's going on anymore. I don't know where I'm supposed to be. And it's the most frustrating thing in my life because I've always known my place. I've always gone by strict rules and I was always taken care of, and now... it's all a lie? What, I'm supposed to leave it all behind? That's where I grew up. That's where I've always belonged!" She curled her hands into fists, fighting anger in a losing battle.
Mikey didn't have anything to say to that, apparently. He had pulled the blanket over his lap and was sitting criss-cross on the couch. Tears were springing in her eyes and she was resisting the urge to wipe them away, but they were threatening to spill. "The Kraang are the bad guys." Mikey suddenly said, drawing her attention away from the floor. "You were their prisoner this entire time, and they were using you. That may have been the place you lived, but it wasn't your home. You need a real home, and a real family. A family that will care about you and love you. And maybe… maybe we can be that family." His gaze finally lifted, his expression serious and loving all in one.
Her eyes, which were full of watery tears, swayed a bit at his words. And then the floodgates opened. Holding the blanket close to her chest, she choked on tears and sobs and hid her head in her pillow, unable to stop. Michelangelo had moved. His arm was suddenly slung over her shoulders, a strong, sturdy grip, and she leaned into him at his welcome. Michelangelo said nothing as she shook and shivered through her tears, trembling beneath his touch. For minutes, they sat in silence filled only by the subway noises and the sounds of April's sniffling. He was keeping her close, feeling her shivers beneath his own skin, and sadly holding on tight in attempt to console her.
Minutes later, she had eventually fallen asleep, her head leaned against his plastron and her arms wrapped around her pillow. His arm remained over her shoulder, and he reached over to pull the blanket up to her waist. Once he was convinced she was as comfortable as could be, he leaned his head against the back of the couch and closed his eyes. Mikey didn't move from that spot for the rest of the night.