Chapter Twenty-Five

Conflicted Thoughts

After about twenty minutes, Pandora soon arrived back at the sewer she had climbed out of then jumped back in before finding her way back through the tunnels to get back to Mutopia.

As she walked, she saw a small stream of clear water in the tunnel, she knew it was from Lake Michigan under which Mutopia was located and many waterfalls and streams were found underground.

Looking at her right hand, her claws were bloodied from when she had slashed the thug's leg and she quickly put her hand in the stream to wash it.

If by chance she was spotted, she had to make sure no-one got suspicious.

As Pandora crouched by the water, she watched as the evidence was washed off her fingers and the blood flowed away with the water.

She knew she would have to give them a proper clean later for hygiene reasons, but she would deal with that later.

After making sure her hand was clean, she stood up and ran down the tunnel to get to the entrance of Mutopia, yet as she did, she heard voices ahead and her heart leapt to her throat.

"Yo Horn head? You got the map?"

"Got it Barry!"

"And the list?"

"Yes!"

"Great! Now where did I put my torch?"

"Shit! It's Cam and Barry!" the hybrid panicked then she looked around to find somewhere to hide.

The tunnel was large, almost five times the size of Tyroth's body mass, but there was no other tunnel or groove deep enough to hide in and Pandora could see the light of a torch heading her way!

As the mutant Rhino Cam and the Warthog Barry came around the corner, both flashed their torches into the dark tunnel.

"Mind how you step Cam!" Barry said as he walked ahead "I know we've walked these tunnels for years, but we still got to be careful."

"I hear you Mohawk!" Cam said as he looked around.

The two mutants walked up the tunnel pushing two large wheelbarrows as well as carried a couple of rucksacks.

"The sun should have fully set by now!" Barry said as he looked at his watch, "But we must still be careful."

"No sweat Barry." Cam replied, "We've been doing this for so long, we're practically pros at this, we just need to keep doing what we do best as well as keep to the shadows!"

Barry chuckled.

"Did you get that from Leo?" he asked.

Cam shrugged.

"Might have!" he laughed.

It was then Barry sighed.

"I was so worried about our New York friends." He said, "Unlike us, they can't use the well to heal, so it was by some miracle that they survived that battle in New York."

Cam nodded.

"Yeah! How Mona and Donnie survived the deadly venom was beyond me! And Raphael…man! He's a trooper, anyone would be dead in seconds from a wound to the throat!"

Barry agreed.

"Shows just how strong those mutants are, despite not being Mutopians."

"And Kemeko…oh the poor child!" Cam brought a finger to his eye "I can't imagine what that lovely girl has been through, learning the truth about her origins, being the granddaughter of the Shredder…"

"Hey man." Barry said affectionately placing a hand on his friend's wrist "Don't get emotional."

He gave a small sympathetic smile seeing his tall muscular friend get teared up, and it made him feel a little emotional.

"I'm sorry mate." Cam sniffed "It's just…she's learnt so much about her dark roots and she's only thirteen! She should be enjoying being a teenager and not thinking about such things!"

"I know mate!" Barry agreed "But the truth needed to be told and Leonardo thought it was the right time to tell her, and right now, she needs all of us to support her during this time of healing, and not just her, but Pandora too!"

"Oh yeah, the poor kid, seeing her parents injured, and her father unable to speak!" Cam said "Man, she must be feeling terrible."

"Well from what I heard and observed, she's angrier and more violent, even for her." Barry said.

Cam agreed, knowing how aggressive and easily angered the hybrid could be, it was no surprise as her parents, especially Raphael had that trait, and she was his daughter.

"It's no surprise, after what she's gone through." Barry continued "But I just hope it doesn't consume her."

Cam gulped.

"You don't think she'll do anything rash?" the Rhino asked.

"I hope not!" Barry said, "But it depends what rash you might be thinking."

"I don't know." Cam replied, "But if she's mature enough, hopefully she won't do anything dumb."

"We can only hope mate!" Barry said, "We can only hope!"

As the two Mutopians walked down the tunnel, what they didn't know was that Pandora had been above them clinging to the rocks in the roof area of the tunnel.

As the torches had shone in her direction, she had leapt up and held onto the rocks with her hands and feet as she had been taught in her ninja training, and luckily because of the black clothes she wore, she blended in perfectly with the darkness and the rocks.

She had listened to the conversation, and she felt touched by their words, but after what they had expressed with concern about her behaviour of late, it began to play on her conscience.

The Hybrid waited a little longer until the voices of Cam and Barry faded down the tunnel, and she dropped to the floor and hurried to the entrance, once again dodging the cameras, and typed in the password to let herself back inside.

She then made her way to the residential area, which was still thankfully quiet thanks to how it was still early in the evening and a Sunday.

She soon made it to her room and shut the door before stripping off her clothes and weapons and hiding them under the bed then climbed in and lay down, her heart beating hard in her chest.

It had been a rather exciting night and one she hadn't expected to happen, she had only wanted to go for a run topside but ended up ending a hostage crisis and saving some innocent lives, including one that hadn't even arrived on Earth!

Pandora lay on her back and stared at the ceiling, there was no chance of her falling asleep now, the adrenaline pumping through her veins.

Yet as she lay there, Pandora started to wonder if what she was doing was right?

She knew she had taken a risk leaving the sanctuary, after the events involving the traitor Diablo, many new rules had been set to keep Mutopia safe, yet she had done everything to make sure nothing was exposed.

"Oh Gods, was I right to leave and go topside?" she wondered "What if I fucked up? Did I risk what my dear friends hold precious? Their lives, their home?"

She curled up on the bed and bit her lip.

Memories of Diablo's actions and betrayal returned to her, even though she was only seven years old when it happened, she knew how it affected everyone.

"I might have done a good deed to the humans, but I put my friends in danger, or I could have!"

"But you did a good deed!"

Pandora's eyes widened as she heard those words in her mind.

"I know I did a good deed, and I saved lives, but I broke the rules of Mutopia, if Uncle T knew what I did…. he would be mad…"

"How cares what he thinks, the humans should be grateful for what you did! You saved someone's daughter, granddaughter, niece, best friend, sister even, and grandchild!"

"What?"

"Be proud of yourself! You did a favour! You stopped a selfish stupid thug from ruining the lives of loved ones! You shouldn't be ashamed!"

"But still, I…."

"But still nothing! You did a good deed! Even if you did break the rules! Rules are meant to be broken sometimes, and there are things bigger than rules, that being life and death!"

Pandora blinked and continued to stare at the ceiling.

"Think about it! You saved innocent lives! And one who hasn't reached this world yet! You saved an unborn life!"

"I guess I did."

"Do you really have to guess?"

"No…I guess I don't…"

"Then you did a good job! Don't be ashamed of that!"

Pandora stared up at the ceiling and as she was contemplating, a knock at the door made her jump.

"Pandora?"

The hybrid quickly turned over and pulled the cover over her head pretending to be asleep.

After a couple of knocks the doors opened and Sephie appeared.

"Pandora? Are you awake?"

Pandora turned around.

"Aunt Sephie?" she yawned.

"Ah Little Geisha!" Sephie said with a smile "You ready for some breakfast?"

"I think so!" Pandora said as she rolled over, "I just need to get up and dressed, thank you for the wake-up call!"

Sephie smiled.

"For sure honey!" Sephie said "And if you want to see your mother, you can, James says visiting hours are open!"

"Thanks Aunt Sephie!" Pandora replied.

Sephie then left and Pandora stood up and started to get ready for the day.

She wasn't sure if the news of the Hostage situation would make news or if Hugh reported back to Mutopia with what he had been informed.

But there was no way in knowing until she entered the mess hall, or if Hugh came or the event was heard on the news.

"Whatever happens." She thought "I must be careful how I react…otherwise one will smell a rat! And I don't mean Rattletrap or Grandpa Splinter!"

Opps! Pandora was almost caught by Cam and Barry, but she escaped their sight!

Despite the good deed she did, Pandora is feeling conflicted.

I have to admit I was inspired by the first Spiderman movie! I remember seeing that at the cinema in 2002 and I was still a college student! Good memories!