I don't own TMNT or UY.
Kekeke! Another update before I've even started Chapter 28! It seems I am now getting so anxious to update I'm merely uploading one chapter ahead of what I write! Besides, Chapter 27 was very long. I don't think any-one will mind. I promise after this things pick up again. I'm kinda getting the feeling people are losing interest, but it's probably just paranoia.
Xxxxx
I was feeling pretty damn good about myself that night when I went to bed. Sure the water had been friggen freezing, but actually finding a way into Bishop's base more than made up for getting a little wet. Besides it didn't take very long for me to warm up and dry off on the run home. Leo had led the way with Usagi, for once, slowing down to keep pace with him. Of course, being cold himself Leo was running pretty fast anyway. I just can't help but face a challenge when I see one, especially if it means trying to best Leo, so being in a good mood I sped up, trying to pass him. He quickly realised what I was doing and quickened his pace. We ended up sprinting home, trying to beat each other and get there first. Donny had complained, saying it wasn't fair for us to start a race when he still had his bag which slowed him down. I called him a sore loser and ran anyway. Mikey didn't join in though, keeping up with Donny instead. I was a little bothered by this but I pushed it aside. If he didn't wanna play he didn't wanna play.
Besides, in the end Usagi won the race anyway, no surprise. Damn long legs of his.
We were in pretty high spirits that night. Maybe we were just starting to crack under the constant pressure or something, but whatever the reason was it felt good to actually be optimistic for once about this whole mess and not feel like we were counting the days till doomsday or something like that. Finding an entrance to Bishop's base wasn't really that big of an accomplishment. I knew that. At most it just meant we weren't completely stuck in a corner and we could keep going just as we had been doing till now. But on the other hand, with all our bad luck lately getting a break felt real good. You gotta take your victories where you can find them. No matter how small.
I was worried I wouldn't sleep that night. I was feeling so pumped and hyped up on adrenaline, thinking about everything that would and could happen tomorrow night. Also, I was kinda annoyed that Mikey wasn't talking to me. I wasn't annoyed with him exactly. I just felt kinda irritated 'cause I was hating this cold shoulder he was giving me and I had no idea how to get on his good side again. I mean I know Mikey ain't the kind of guy to hold a grudge. He never was and I honestly can't picture him as the sort of guy who'd start to do that now. I was hoping he'd ease up on me soon. I mean heck, I got feelings too ya know! But hey, I can't do anything about it. Best just to give him space and hopefully he'll stop being angry and start talking to me again soon. Besides, I didn't wanna make him mad again.
As I said; way too much on my mind. However for some reason I found myself falling asleep pretty easily. Must've been the cold water or something. Or maybe I'd tired myself out during the run. Who knows. I didn't bother trying to figure it out. I just slept.
When I woke up the next morning I was kinda jolted to see I'd overlsept. It was almost 9 before I swung out my hammock, tied on my mask and pulled on my gear. I stumbled out my room, ready to pound any-one who tried to make a wisecrack about me sleeping in. But I didn't need to. Usagi and Leo were already awake but Donny and Mikey were still sleeping themselves. I was kinda confused 'till Master Splinter explained that he felt we needed the extra rest before we pulled the epic of a bonehead move we were planning. Ok so maybe that's not how he said it exactly.
Mikey was up next and after a while Donny got up too. Don was annoyed with us for letting him sleep in for as long as we did, but Leo told him that that's what he got for pulling too many late nights in a row.
As the day went by the tension in the lair slowly grew. We spent most of our time going over last details, refreshing ourselves with what we already knew as well as Donny's theories and thoughts on what we might find inside. We checked our weapons, making sure they were all in order, Donny stocked his bag, we made sure we had a full supply of shurikens, that our Shell-cells' batteries were all charged and Usagi gave some attention to his Daisho. Of course, Leo decided to copy him and sharpen his own katana. I was kinda half hoping Usagi would lecture him on how to do it properly but sadly the rabbit was too polite for that and let Leo do it his own way. Too bad. I would've liked to see Leo get a taste of his own medicine for once.
Morning became afternoon, and soon it was getting closer to evening. Master Splinter insisted we eat something before we go out, saying it wouldn't help any-one if our blood sugar dropped while we were trying to be active and on edge. I was so tense by this time I didn't think I would be able to hold anything down, but I didn't wanna tell him that. I'd probably get a tap with his cane if I did.
No-one seemed to want to cook anything though, not even Mikey which was kinda freaky. I'm not superstitious at all but I hoped it wasn't a bad sign. Anyway, with no-one being in the mood to make proper food we settled for take-out again.
Last time we'd ordered Pizza but Usagi had said, in his own overly polite samurai crap way, that he didn't like it. We decided to go for Chinese instead. Or rather what New Yorkers call 'Chinese food'. A better name for it would be 'Non-Specifically Asian Food'. There was no way some of the stuff on their menu was Chinese. I knew for a fact that some of the food they offered was, without a doubt, Japanese. The fact that most of the people working at our favourite joint were Korean didn't help either.
Anyway, we went through the menu and picked what we wanted, writing it down and pushing the list in Mikey's hands to make the phone call. We made sure to warn Usagi he was probably gonna hate the food, letting him know if he's expecting 'Sushi like Ma use to make it' he was in for some bad luck. He said he didn't mind but I wasn't sure how honest he was being or if he was just didn't wanna be rude.
When the perimeter alarm went off Leo went upstairs to fetch the food. We'd long ago made it a habit to only order from one Pizza place and one Chinese take-out place. Not because they were any better than any-one else or had better prices or anything, but because it was a lot easier to train the delivery boys on how we do things. We place the order, they show up at the doorstep where we'd leave them their cash, they take it and leave. No questions, no waiting to see who answers the door, nothing. It's tricky at first but after we'd done so for a few weeks the take-out places would catch on and just co-operate. Hell they better with the size of the tip we give them!
We waited in the Main room for Leo to get back. Usagi was sitting on the couch, his legs crossed and his arms folded. He had his eyes closed, like he was meditating or something. I left him alone. Whatever the guy has to do to prepare himself he'd better do it. Donny was sitting on the floor next to me, his duffle-bag on his lap as he checked and double checked the things inside it. Mikey was sitting sideways on the armchair, his legs dangling over the arm-rest as he waited impatiently for the food. Master Splinter was sitting on the couch next to Usagi, his hands hidden in his sleeves as he watched Don quietly.
We heard the service elevator come down and Leo stepped out of it, carrying two plastic bags. The smell of sweet and sour sauce, fried rice and what I hoped was fried pork came with him. We all looked up eagerly as he came over, placing the bags on the coffee table and opening them, digging around inside.
"Ok." He said, almost business like. "Who had the Honey and Garlic chicken with Steamed Vegetables?"
"Over here please." Donny said, pushing the duffle-bag out of his lap and crawling over before sitting again, holding out his hands. Leo passed him his paper box before going back into the packet.
"Black Mushroom Tofu. That's yours right Sensei?" He handed him the box. "Chicken with Snow peas. That's mine, and... what's this?"
He pulled something out of the plastic bag, frowning at it.
"I think they messed up our order." He turned to Master Splinter, holding out the bottle.
"Oh! No that is mine." Usagi said, uncrossing his legs and holding his hands out for it.
Leo blinked at him, handing it over. "What is it exactly?"
Usagi took it before giving Leo a very wide grin. "Nihonshu!"
Donny almost choked on his piece of broccoli.
"Sake?!" Leo said, boggling at him.
Usagi laughed at his expression. "Do not look so shocked!" He relaxed and smiled warmly. "I thought we could perhaps toast to a successful mission and that good fortune be with us tonight."
Leo blinked at him. I saw him turn to look at Master Splinter quizzically, clearly unsure of what to do; Either insult Usagi or have Sensei disapprove.
I gritted my teeth slightly and suppressed a growl at this, getting up and coming over to the rabbit.
"I'll drink with ya cotton-tail!" I said, putting on a wide-smile. "That is if choir boy over there don't mind too much."
Leo glowered at me darkly.
I glared back at him slightly, but before any more came of it Master Splinter gave a chuckle.
"Leonardo, go and fetch us some cups." he said, turning his eyes to my bro with a smile.
Leo looked kinda uneasy but nodded with a 'yes Sensei' and went to the kitchen.
Usagi blinked, watching him go with a slightly worried expression. "Does Leonardo not approve?"
Donny smiled and shook his head. "It's not that. It's just there's something called 'Underaged Drinking' in our dimension."
"Not that it has ever stopped any-one." I heard Master Splinter grumble, shooting me a glance.
I pretended not to see it.
Usagi however smiled. "I am not sure what that means, but as long as I have not offended him."
"Nah." Mikey said, climbing off the arm-chair to come closer. "Besides it's like one bottle. We're not that light-weighted."
I turned to him, giving a grin in agreement but he ignored me.
Leo came back carrying some cups and we each took one. I noticed him give Mikey a sideways look. Mikey had been the one to order the food, but whether he'd actually been in on this was any-one's guess. Secretly I kinda hoped he had been. We could do with a little Mikey mischief.
"Cheers!" I said before knocking back my cup.
"Kampai." Usagi echoed. "Oh, and before I forget;"
I felt a sudden, sharp tug on one of my Bandanna tails. I jumped so bad I nearly dropped the small cup I was holding.
"What the-?!" I spun around to glare at him.
"That is for calling me 'cotton-tail'" He said calmly before he took an overly dignified sip from his own drink.
---
The alcohol didn't last very long between the 6 of us. Yeah, Sensei had a shot himself which amused the hell out of me. The drink felt warm in my gut as I gulped down my Beef Teriyaki, suddenly feeling hungry.
We had a good supper, and I ain't talking about the food. Donny had tried to explain to Usagi the concept behind a submarine with no success. The rabbit just seemed unable to imagine a boat that travelled underwater and didn't drown you. Watching Donny try and come up with different ways to sell the idea only to have Usagi go from confused to nervous to outright horrified was one of the most entertaining things I'd seen all year! Donny got more and more frustrated until eventually he just gave up, telling Usagi to merely trust him that the thing works. Usagi smiled nervously but nodded, apologising for not knowing what the hell Donny was getting at. After that we merely jumped from topic to topic as we ate. I can't really remember exactly what we talked about but it wasn't that important. Just normal, every-day stuff. Before I knew it the food was gone.
Mikey dug around in the plastic bag until he found the fortune cookies. Maybe I was looking too deep into things, but when he found them he turned to me first, and tossed one over. First time in 2 days he'd openly said anything to me. Like I said it was probably nothing, but somehow it meant something to me anyway.
Evening came much too quickly.
We gathered up our gear and manned the shell-sub. Master Splinter saw us off, watching us go silently with his hands placed over his cane. I got in last, closing the hatch behind me and securing it before I took my seat in the dark, cramped sub, leaving the welcoming warmth of the lair outside.
Xxxxx
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