Mei grunted in pain as she shifted into her wheelchair.
"Are you sure you don't want those painkillers?" April said.
Mei sighed. April did not understand what it was like to have narcotics in one's system. Certainly they helped the physical pain, but they also dulled Mei's concentration and made it too easy for unwanted memories to surface in her mind. "Yes, I am sure."
April ran a few brushstrokes through Mei's hair to smooth it out after her nap. "Do you want to put on makeup?"
"No, thank you."
"Come on, it'll be fun."
"Fine. Nothing excessive."
April lightly applied some foundation and eyeshadow.
At least my bruises will not be as noticeable, Mei thought, wincing as the cosmetic sponge covered the aging green-purple bruises along her jaw line. The thought made her glad, since it would diminish Splinter's and her nephew's reaction to her appearance. Every time they saw her, she could see the flash of dismay in their eyes. It ranged from a light reaction in Michelangelo to outright, barely stifled rage in Raphael .
The better I look, the better Miwa will feel about this. The better everyone will feel.
She wouldn't have to be reminded of the devastation that Shredder had wreaked on her body.
On her spirit.
"…by the time I am through with you, I will scatter the shattered fragments of your spirit to the ends of the universe!"
Mei shuddered involuntarily.
"Sorry, did that hurt?" April asked, clearly unaware of what was inside Mei's head.
"Only a little," Mei said, her throat feeling dry. "Would you apply a little extra concealer and foundation over the bruises?"
"Sure."
After April had put Mei through a significant amount of preening, she turned around the wheelchair so that Mei could look at herself in the mirror.
All things considered, she actually looked quite decent. The clothes that April had picked out for her flattered her figure, even sitting down. The makeup was applied quite expertly, considering that April hardly wore makeup herself. Between the makeup and two weeks of healing, the bruises were barely visible. April had even pinned up Mei's hair.
Despite the wheelchair, despite her pain, she actually felt attractive. Desirable, even. She allowed herself a childish moment of wondering whether Splinter would think the same thing.
"You look gorgeous," April declared.
"I do. Thank you so much. I am so lucky to have a friend like you."
"Yes, you are." April grinned widely. "But not because of this. Because I'm going to save you from the sushi smoothie that Mikey's planning on making for you."
Mei laughed. Happiness was already starting to seep through her. "What was it that I heard Leonardo say once? 'Oy'?"
"That sounds about right."
"Well, then. 'Oy.'"
April laughed too. "Are you ready?"
Mei nodded, and April wheeled her out of the room and down the short hall.
Michelangelo peeked out of the kitchen. "Hi, Auntie M." He hurried over to her and hugged her a little too tightly for comfort. "Wow, you look really pretty! Sorry I didn't bring you any flowers or anything – the florists hadn't tossed any of the day-old bouquets yet. Oh, check it out!" He spilled out all of the words as if in one breath, bouncing on his heels with excitement. He held out the small roll for her to examine. "Pizza chumaki!"
Mei couldn't contain a smile at Michelangelo's exuberance. "Pizza chumaki? Really?"
"They're actually pretty good," Kirby said. He stood near the window, peeking out through the blinds. "How are you feeling, Mei?"
"Delightful, thanks to your daughter," Mei said.
April beamed.
There was a tap at the window and Kirby flinched. "Seriously, how do they do that? I was just watching and didn't see them…" He opened the window and Raphael and Leonardo climbed in, followed by Splinter.
"Karai's not here yet?" Leonardo said.
April put her hands on her hips. "Hello to you too, Leo."
Leonardo stuck his tongue out at her and then gave her a big hug. He looked at Mei, a smile on his face instead of the usual expression of pained concern. "Hey, Obasan." He hugged her gently.
Somebody's in a good mood, Mei thought, thinking she had a fairly good idea about what was fueling Leonardo's excitement.
"Konban wa," Splinter said, bowing his head slightly. "You look well tonight, Mei."
Mei felt her face get hot, but she was not sure if it was the compliment or the greeting in Japanese. Something about the way he wished her 'good evening' made her think of Kenshin.
Or perhaps it was simply the way she felt now reminded her of how she used to feel around Kenshin.
She tried to push the thought from her mind. "Thank you. So do you."
"Mm, yes. I even brushed my fur for the occasion." Splinter smiled wryly.
Mei laughed, perhaps more loudly than she should have. For heaven's sake, she thought, I sound like a stupid teenager. Her face grew even hotter. She hoped that the makeup would help conceal the fact that she was blushing.
Splinter's expression, however, indicated that he was thoroughly pleased with her reaction.
April raised an eyebrow. "You actually…brush your fur?"
"Duh, April," Michelangelo said.
"Yeah, you lived with us for how long and never noticed the brush in the bathroom?" Raphael said. "What'd you think, that it was just there for decoration?"
"I guess…I just never thought about it." April looked like she wanted to ask another question, but then shook her head. "Well, then. Let's see, we've got Mikey's pizza rolls, some actual pizza will be arriving shortly, and there's soda in the fridge. I guess we're just waiting for Karai."
"I'm worried that she isn't here," Leonardo said. He scratched the back of his neck. "She said around nine."
"It's only five past," growled Raphael. "Seriously."
"What's your problem, Raph?" Within seconds, the two were engaged in a glaring contest.
"Enough," Splinter said, an edge of danger to his voice. The boys immediately settled down, but Raphael crossed his arms and scowled silently.
Mei sighed. She suspected that Leonardo's good mood and Raphael's bad attitude had the same source. She had not known her nephews for a full year, even, but from the short time she had known them, she had decided that Raphael seemed like the type to hold onto things. It was likely that he still distrusted Karai, if not actually blaming her for Mei's capture. She considered saying something to him, but decided that maybe she should let that particular sleeping dog lie. He seemed on edge already, and she had learned that he had a rather short fuse.
The intercom buzzed.
"That'll be the pizza," Kirby said. "I'll go get it."
"So Auntie M, are you hungry?" Michelangelo said, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"I suppose." Mei was not hungry in the slightest, but Michelangelo seemed so excited that she did not want to disappoint him. "I'll take one of the strawberry nutritional shakes that are in the fridge."
"If you want sushi –"
"Don't you think that half the fun of sushi is the texture? Blending it would spoil that. I will just have to wait until they unwire my jaw to try your new culinary creation."
Michelangeo's expression drooped. "I bet Donnie woulda been able to make somethin' so you could heal faster."
There was a moment of silence. Mei was suddenly acutely aware of Donatello's absence. She had almost trained herself to anticipate it. Now it felt like it was a scab that had been scratched open again.
"Michelangelo," Splinter said, "we should focus on the present. I would like to sample one of the pizza rolls, if you do not mind."
As if a switch had been hit, Michelangelo lit up again. "Sure thing!"
With that, the moment passed. Life seemed to resume in the room.
Leonardo and Raphael worked up the courage to try the pizza rolls, too. Leonardo had just finished eating his when there was a tap at the window. "It's Karai!" His voice was just a little too high-pitched. He ran over to the window.
Mei could not contain a smile.
Of course, her over-the-top reaction to Splinter's moderately amusing statement was not much better than the leap of an octave in Leonardo's voice.
She glanced up at Splinter, wondering if he had taken notice of Leonardo's behavior. However, he looked at the window with an expression of anxiety on his face – anxiety mixed with longing and sadness.
Being reunited with his daughter under such extreme circumstances was clearly weighing on him. She could understand some of it – after all, being reunited with her niece had come at a huge price to her. She knew the pain, the never-ending ache that came from losing children.
However, he had coped with it through acceptance. She had turned to denial and forced her past into a tiny locked box.
Now that the box had been opened again, however, she did not care how high the price was to free Miwa from Oroku Saki's clutches. She had lost her sons to that monster - if there was any chance that she could save her niece from him, no price was too high. Despite all the trauma and pain she was suffering now, she knew that the beautiful young woman about to come in through the window was worth it.
She did not regret her choice to let herself be captured. No matter how horrible the nightmares were, or how bad the pain had been – Miwa was free.
That was all that mattered, and that was what soothed her pain.