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Chapter 5

New Mutants

Desdemona didn't want to lose sight of either of her children, even though they were no longer human.

Tristan wasn't saying much, Chloe was hyperactive, and as Donatello walked in, followed by his brothers and the three new mutants, Chloe paused.

The three girls also stopped short.

"O…" Chloe gasped.

"M…" Tana stared.

"F…" Alex groaned.

"G!!!!" Charis fainted.

Mikey caught her and sighed," I guess every girl can't be expected to be as cool as Chloe."

Desdemona moaned," I can't believe this…if I had known…"

Splinter had already been introduced to her, and he told her," It was not your fault, Mrs. Lashonde. You did not know…and it was our fault for not being honest with you."

Desdemona responded," No, if I had trusted Chloe, this would not have happened."

Chloe's eyes filled with tears," Mom, you proved to me just how much you loved me by coming here…you love me, mom, and I can hardly believe it," She added, tears sparkling in her eyes.

Desdemona sighed," Now what? What do we tell your parents, Alex? Charis? Tana?"

Alex looked down at herself and sighed," Well, could be worse. I could be a mutant tarantula!"

Tristan yelped, "Tarantula?! Where?!"

Chloe giggled," No, Tris, don't worry, there's no tarantulas in the sewers…that's I've seen, anyways." Chloe added with an evil grin.

Tristan glared," Not funny!"

Mikey grinned," Raph's scared of spiders too!"

Raphael growled," You have a death-wish, Mikey? I ain't scared a' nuthin, I just don't like bugs!"

Tana slyly giggled," Like that one on your shell?"

Raphael stiffened," Where?! Get it off!"

Charis groaned," That was cruel, Tana."

Tana burst into an evil laugh.

Splinter was thinking about the situation, it was pretty sad. whatever career these young women had, it was gone…gone until the world could accept mutants.

"Mrs. Lashonde, now that you are here, I can request that you allow Chloe to stay…and if you wish, Tristan can stay as well, if he wishes."

Tristan looked up," I'm cool with it."

Desdemona trembled inwardly. No, no, she was supposed to PROTECT her children. These were her babies…her little girl, her little boy…

Chloe went to her mom and squeezed her shoulder," Mom, it's okay…didn't you get my letter? I told you I was better off here… and I am. I have brothers…a best friend…and a mentor who is like a father to me." Chloe told her," I'm learning how to defend others…and I'm living a life that's not half bad. I'm not moping around the house anymore, I'm living. I don't have to hide here."

Charis was beginning to cry slightly, as she heard Chloe's soothing voice recount her blessings, and Alex sighed," The two years we didn't contact her…the year she needed us most…"

Chloe looked at the three girls and swallowed," I'm so sorry…our loss of contact wasn't ya'll's fault…it was mine. I didn't reach out, I retracted."

Tristan took a breath," Mom, let me stay here, with Chloe. Please?"

Alex decided," I want to stay, too! If…that's okay with everyone here."

Raphael grunted," Welcome to the freak-show, fox."

"Hey, shell-head, I have a NAME! It's Alex!" Alex snapped.

Raphael snapped," You just called me shell-head!"

"You called me fox!"

"You ARE a fox!"

"Really?" she suddenly grinned, fluttering her eyelashes.

Raphael blushed and sputtered," I didn't mean that!" as Mikey and Tana both burst into laughter.

Charis shyly added," Um…Yeah, I wouldn't mind staying here…at least until we find a better solution."

Tana grinned," I'm staying whether anyone likes it or not!"

Chloe giggled, "Same ol' Tana! Living on the wild side!"

Tana grinned like a Cheshire cat," yeah, you know it! Hey, Chloe, are you a ninja?"

Chloe blushed and nodded shyly," yeah… I'm still in training though."

"A ninja's training never ends." Splinter corrected her with a slight smile.

Tana twisted around to face Splinter and squealed," You do ninja training? Ooh! I want to be a ninja! Pick me!"

Desdemona looked at Splinter, who nodded.

Chloe's mother stood up," Well then…I guess we'll stay here until we can figure out who's going where."

Alex piped up," Mrs. Lashonde, Me and tana and Charis are eighteen. We can take care of ourselves. I'll call my mom and tell her I'm moving to New York."

"Me too! Me too!" Tana jumped up and down.

Charis shyly murmured," I'll do that too…I guess."

Raphael felt a slight twinge as he walked out of the room. He felt terrible about Chloe's friends…well, about Charis anyways.

It wasn't fair. They hadn't been in New York for a single day before being kidnapped and mutated! Who the heck did Shredder think he was?!

Raphael growled as he walked into the garage and jumped on his bike. He had some heavy thinking to do.

***

Desdemona, setting up some beds in Chloe's room, smiled as her daughter came in, asking," So…you're not mad at me, mom?"

"No, baby, I'm not mad at you…in fact, I think I'm happy for you." the hazel-eyed woman commented, smiling slightly.

Chloe cocked her head," Why? I mean, I AM happy here, but why are you happy for me?"

"because you are happy. And…safe. You're safe here." Desdemona murmured, adding louder and more mischeiviously," And, I think you've found someone."

Chloe blushed and swallowed," Um, who?"

"I think you know!" Desdemona giggled a little, adding," I would like to spend a little more time here, to get to know him a little better before I trust your heart in his hands…but so far, I have been impressed."

Chloe smiled in relief," So, you think Leo's okay?"

"Yes, I do." Desdemona smiled.

Chloe paused as she added," When I first met him, he offered to teach me self-defense, because April and I were attacked… and he rescued me…" Chloe trailed off dreamily and Desdemona asked sharply," Why do you like him?"

"Because…because…Well, for one thing, he rescued me…and he didn't expect anything in return. He offered to teach me something useful because he was concerned about me…and because he guided me home when I had amnesia."

Desdemona asked," So…everything April told me about you…is true?"

"yes." Chloe nodded," I was kidnapped by the Foot, mutated into a turtle, mind-wiped and then trained to hate the turtles. Scary, huh?"

"Sounds like an adventure." Desdemona chuckled.

Suddenly, A loud yell was heard and Tristan screamed," I'm going to kill you, MICHELANGELO!!!!"

Mikey raced into the room and hid behind Chloe.

Tristan stomped into the room, looking very angry as he held up a rubber tarantula.

Chloe looked over her shoulder at Mikey," You didn't."

Tristan growled," Move so I can kill him!"

Chloe looked over her shoulder, and Mikey gave her puppy-eyes.

She looked back at Tristan.

"Tristan, he's tickilish under the arms."

"CHLOE!!!" Mikey wailed as Chloe leapt out of the way, as Tristan jumped Mikey, tackling him down, he pinned him and started tickling.

Mikey screamed," RAA-HA-HA-APH!!!!!"

Raph looked in at the doorway.

Tristan growled, "Dude, he dropped a stupid plastic spider in my lap while I was drinking soda and I sprayed the stuff all over Splinter!! Don't stop me!"

Raphael nodded," Yeah, Mikey, you deserve it," as he walked away.

"No-HO-HO-HOOOO!!!" Mikey laughed and screamed all at once as both Desdemona and Chloe walked out of the room.

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