WE'RE BACK BABY!
I'm going to TRY for an "every other week" upload schedule. I do have some events coming up in May & June that I won't be able to upload for. But if this writing/ upload schedule holds true... the final chapter SHOULD be uploaded Thanksgiving Day (11/23).
Enjoy!
May 7, 2013
Throughout New York City, every TV in every home was tuned to Mayor Bloomberg's press conference. No one wanted to miss it.
A mother shushed her child as the Channel 6 news anchors were speculating about the contents of the mayor's speech.
"Hate to cut you off there, Joan," Carlos Cheng O'Brian Gambe pressed a finger to his ear. "But I'm getting word that the Mayor is approaching the podium. Have no fear, folks. We'll discuss Mayor Bloomberg's speech in detail in the coming hours. Let's turn it over to our camera in City Hall's Rotunda."
The little girl huddled closer to her mother as two people appeared on screen: an older white man with a distinguished cut of gray hair and women with sweeping white hair, a kind smile and… purple skin?
"Mama, I'm scared." She whispered, clinging to her mother's leg from her seat on the floor.
"I know, Maddie." Her mother stroked her daughter's hair with a shaking hand. "I'm scared too."
The flashes of photographers' cameras bounced off various reflective surfaces within the Rotunda. Mayor Bloomberg raised his hands for silence and the growing chatter of the crowd died down.
"Good morning, New York. I hope that everyone managed to get some sleep. Sleeping after learning we are not alone in the universe, let alone our own planet can be disconcerting. Hopefully, today's press conference can ease some of those worries and answer the questions we all have.
"Today, I'd like to introduce to the world someone I met only yesterday, but has quickly become an ally. New York and the world, may I introduce Big Mama!"
The chatter grew once more as Mayor Bloomberg switched positions with the purple woman - Big Mama. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.
"People of New York. As Mayor Bloomberg so eloquently introduced, I am Big Mama. Over the past 48 hours, you have borne witness to a new age. There is life beyond our little blue and green world. Many of you have discovered that there is also other life here on Earth." She paused. "We are yokai. Mutants. Refugees."
As Big Mama continued, several humanoid creatures stepped forward into frame; a large tiger, a blue goat-man; four turtles; a tall distinguished rat, and a lizard lady. The gasps of Maddie and her family mingled with the gasps of the crowd on TV.
The girl crept towards the TV, focusing on the tall lizard. Maddie cooed as the lights danced off the lizard lady's large, round eyes. Maddie turned back to her mother, pointing at the screen.
"Look, Mama! Her eyes shine like stars!" She shrank down as her mother shushed her.
Big Mama continued. "We yokai have lived within magical hidden pockets around the globe that have existed for eons. I am the mayor of one such hidden pocket city far below the streets of NYC. We call it the Hidden City" She gestured to a hologram that appeared next to her on the stage. "Many of the myths and legends humans possess stem from sightings of yokai." The hologram cycled through images of Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Jersey Devil.
"Mutants, however, are a different story."
The hologram shifted to show an image of a squishy pink creature with a maw full of teeth.
"Since at least the 1920s, aliens known as the Kraang have kept sleeper cells here on Earth. Experimenting. Perverting life. Thanks to Bishop and the Utrom, the Kraang are on their way to becoming a fleeting memory."
The hologram once again shifted to a horn-helmed man decked out in silver armor.
"More recently, the Kraang have partnered with a human called Oraku Saki, commonly known as the Shredder. The Kraang have been kidnapping humans throughout the city for the better part of a year to create a mutant army for this gang leader." Big Mama's focus shifted to look directly at the camera. "Many of your children have been taken beneath your very noses for this purpose!"
The screen split in half as a video began to play. A man and a woman stood before a grouping of microphones holding a picture of a boy wearing a beanie and riding a skateboard.
"The last words I said to my son were in anger." The man sniffed, clutching a broken skateboard to his chest. "If there's any chance our son is a part of these disappearances, please… help us find him… help us find our boy!"
The mom shoved the photo closer to the camera. "We're so sorry, Jason! Please come home, sweetheart!"
The screen reverted to just showing Big Mama.
"Some of the humans that have been kidnapped, experimented on, and kept prisoner within the Shredder's compound have escaped. We in the Hidden City have offered them refuge; asylum." The screen began scrolling images of yokai handing out blankets to mutants, children playing together as adults talked.
"Those who have been taken from loved ones have asked when they may return home. For many of them, the answer has yet to be determined."
The crowd began to murmur.
"Is she saying that they're keeping those poor mutants from their families?" Maddie's father crossed his arms. "That's not right…"
Big Mama raised her hand once more to call for quiet.
"The yokai are not keeping your loved ones from you. It is humanity that was not ready for their return. As society stands now, these poor souls would never be welcomed back." Big Mama gripped the podium before her even tighter. "You have barely learned to tolerate your fellow man. Are you quite prepared to live down the hall from someone who no longer looks like the neighbor or family member you once knew?" She paused. The only sound that could be heard was the occasional shutterclick of a camera. Big Mama leaned back from the podium.
"However, humanity's eyes have begun to open. In time, we will all learn to live in harmony. Here is the first step to that brighter future," A bar with a web address popped up over Big Mama's image on the screen. "If you have had a loved one disappear within the last year, there will be an application through the Mayor's Office website to collect your information. The address should be appearing on your screens now. We have compiled data from the refugees we have sheltered thus far. Through cross referencing the two sets of data, we can attempt to reunite you with your loved one if there is a match."
The screen once again shifted to show a clip of a gecko boy hugging the man and woman from the earlier video.
Big Mama adjusted her glasses before continuing. "There are many mutants still held captive by the Shredder and many who are not in our system. What we are proposing could very well be classified as a miracle. Realistically, not everyone will receive one; but we hope to reunite as many as possible."
Mayor Bloomberg returned to Big Mama's side as the Heroes of New York stepped forward. Big Mama gestured to those around her.
"Yokai. Mutants. Aliens. We are here! Today marks a new dawn for Planet Earth. We look forward to our future together. Thank you."
A security guard came up behind Big Mama to help usher her and the others off the stage. Mayor Bloomberg's press secretary took their place as reporters screamed their questions.
xXx
Within the Foot Clan's headquarters, a TV clicked off. Shredder lowered the remote. Rahzar growled from his place beside his master.
"With the Kraang neutralized, Splinter and the humans will be coming for us."
Fish Face nervously twirled his switchblade. "They won't leave us alone now; not with how Big Mamacita shoved the Kraang and their failings onto us."
The lieutenants winced as Shredder scratched the sides of his metal gauntlets into the arm of his throne.
"Hamato Yoshi will be the one to come for me. Karai as well. Their 'justice' will be their downfall."
This was a fun expositional chapter. Hope y'all enjoyed it!
