A/N: Hello everyone, thank you for the continued support. It has been a while. I had this chapter written for awhile. In fact I have up to chapter nine. But I take a while to revise them. Thank you Techno Dawn for the follow.
-Awareness Bringer- Thank you for your regular reviews. They mean so much to me. And yes, Splinter has finally arrived. I quite enjoy Splinter as a character though my favorite iteration of him is 2k12, 2k3 is also good.
-Techno Dawn- Aww, thank you. I am glad you think it is really good. I try my best.
Before getting to the actual chapter, I have a couple of notes to make. One, all relationships are platonic except for April and Casey. At least in this fic. Two, I have taken creative liberties with some canon characters in order to make each added mutant character stand out from each other.
Raph was going to kill his youngest brother. He knew he had said it multiple times, but he was serious this time. His heart was pumping loudly through his head as his blood burned. The hot-headed turtle stomped through the Lair in search of his quarry. He could barely see as all he saw was red. He stomped to Mikey's room first.
Trash littered the ground. Food containers were strewn throughout the floor. His bed was unmade with an open comic book on it. But the one thing missing was the turtle himself. With a huff, Raph turned on his heel to continue his search. In the old lair, it was simple, but this new Lair gave Mikey too many places to hide.
The next place he looked was Don's lab. It wouldn't be the first time the prankster would have hidden behind their brainy brother. Hiding amongst the sensitive equipment and a stressed genius was probably the smartest thing Mikey has thought of. Without a knock, Raph wedged his sai into the edge of the metal door. It opened with a creak. The metal door being pried open caused Donatello to jump from his hunched position over the microscope. Brown eyes blinked as they tried to focus on the intrusion. A knowing smile graced the younger's beak. "Mikey?" he asked, turning his attention back to the microscope.
Raph answered with an affirmative as he searched the room. He looked under the tables with gadgets on them. No sign of the orange-masked turtle. He flinched, backing away from a sudden movement in the corner of his eyes. He held up his fist until he saw the cause.
The goop monster that the brothers had brought home had slammed against the glass containment that they had transferred it to a couple of weeks ago. It left green residue with each strike. "Careful with Tim. He is a little aggressive today," Donny said as he stepped away from the microscope to pick up a beaker with a pink liquid. The brainiac frowned at the liquid as he poured it into his waste container. It sounded nearly full. The purple-masked turtle poured a clear liquid into a new beaker. Tim struck at the glass again, drawing Raph's half attention.
"Yeah, I noticed. I take it no luck with the retromutagen," Raph said, motioning to the liquid that Don just dumped. "Maybe we should just let Bishop have him. It's his problem. His scientist made him like that." Raph poked the glass container, tapping it. The monster's eyes flinched at the sound. He shrunk into the corner of the containment unit. A smirk graced his beak.
"How can you think that? Just give him to Bishop? After what his lab did to Lita and Vincent and who knows how many others," Donatello's voice was passionate, almost angry at his older brother. Grabbing his hand, the purple-masked turtle stopped his older brother's tapping. Fierce brown eyes made the older turtle divert his own amber ones.
"Me and Mikey don't even know what he did. You haven't been exactly having story time with us," Raph retorted, taking back his hand. He crossed his arms, leaning against the container. The hot-head didn't want to admit that the silence was aggravating.
Don stole a glance at the laptop in the corner. "I haven't told Leo much either. I wished I didn't know." The purple-masked turtle rubbed the spot between his eyes. Raph sighed, feeling a little guilty. Whatever was on those files was dark enough to make both his brother and father silent.
"Look, Donny. Bishop is a messed up dude and as soon as we find him I am going to shove my sai into his face. But he also is the one who cured your second mutation," Raph pushed off the container as the monster inside slammed against it again. Donatello looked a little despondent. His mind whirling behind his brown eyes. Raph sighed, he must have said something wrong. The older brother put a hand on his younger brother's shoulder. He forced Don to look at him. "But ya know. If anyone can help Tim here, ya can," Raph said with confidence. Don nodded distractedly. He looked over at the flasks and beakers laid out on the table. "Ya also need to take a break and I need help tracking down Mikey," he insisted, turning his brother away from the chemicals and Tim. This earned Raph a laugh. Raph was brushed off gently. Don turned off the microscope's light.
"What did he do this time?" Don asked as the brothers left the room. The light was left on for the mutated human. Raph growled as he recalled the story. Halfway through Don started to laugh. Raph had to slap his younger brother's arm as he laughed at his plight. "Okay, I have to tell him not to waste the cling-wrap and I thought we got rid of all his fake bugs," Don said, rubbing his arm. Raph rolled his eyes; he didn't hit his brother that hard.
"Well, we didn't," Raph grumbled, "I am going to look in the kitchen. Can you look in the dojo? He might be hiding behind Leo." With one last chuckle, Don walked away.
As Raph made his way to the kitchen, he kept an eye out for Mikey's telltale orange. The youngest brother was nowhere to be seen. Silently, Raph entered the kitchen. He had to get the jump on him or the slippery turtle could out dodge him.
He blinked at the scene before him. Leo sat across from Lita both with a teacup in front of them. They weren't the old plain set that Splinter used. It was a pale pink with flowers along the rim. There were four more places set out for their 'guests'. A stuffed Lion, an owl, bear, and turtle sat on each chair. A loud laugh escaped Raph's beak as he was met with a glare. The eldest looked unamused. "Nice tea party, Leo," Raph said, struggling to take a breath.
"I am teaching Lita about the Japanese tea ceremony," Leo explained, his voice calm. The eldest's dark eyes were narrowed at the second oldest. Raph motioned to the stuffed animals around them with a smirk. "We needed guests," Leo added, tone challenging. It was just begging Raph to keep teasing him.
"I'm s-s-sorry," Lita said, "I m-m-made him play with m-m-me." She looked down at her tea cup. Raph tried to ignore the feeling of guilt that rose from his stomach. She spun the cup in her hands slowly. Her pink eyes were blinking too hard. The brothers looked at each other, unsure what to do. They were waiting on edge to see if she would cry. If so, they would have to retreat before Splinter came to see what caused it. Raph didn't know why he worried. He hadn't seen her actually cry yet, but he didn't want to be the first to do so.
"Hey it's okay, Raph is just being mean," Leo said, "After all there is nothing embarrassing about tea ceremony, is there Raph?" The red-masked brother flinched at the tone of his older brother. They were on the same page. If they made the girl cry, they probably would get grounded again.
"Yup, nothing wrong with tea ceremonies. But you know what is wrong? Little brothers who pull pranks on their older brothers," Raph said with a growl. Lita smiled a little into her teacup that she hid with a sip. He gave her a half hearted amber glare. "Any ideas where he is hiding?" he asked. She shook her head a little too fast. Raph narrowed his eyes with suspicion.
"I haven't seen him since lunch," Leo answered, honesty clear in his voice. "He might be swimming." He poured more tea into Lita's cup.
"Thanks," Raph grumbled, turning to leave.
"Just don't hurt him too much, Raph. We get to go topside tonight," Leo said. He took a sip from his cup. Lita mimicked him. With his leader's blessing, Raph stomped out of the kitchen on the hunt for his brother.
"No, Don. You can't do this to me," Mikey's loud voice echoed through the Lair. Amber eyes zeroed in on the younger brothers. They were just leaving the stairs. Both were soaking wet, leaving drops of water on the floor. Don held Mikey's arm. A small smirk on his beak. His hold was a loose grip that the youngest could easily escape. There were half-hearted attempts to wiggle loose. "No, Leo. You got to help me," Mikey called out, swinging his head looking for the eldest. Baby blue eyes were wide as fake tears built up along their edges.
"Alright, come here and take your licks, Mike," Raph gloated, punching his palm with his own hand. He took long strides toward the pair.
"Not the face, Raph," Mikey cried as the pair stopped in front of the red-masked brother. He turned away in preparation for the blow. Raph lifted his fist.
"What seems to be the issue, my sons?" Splinter's wisen voice asked. The trio startled at the intrusion. Raph froze and Mikey smirked. His blue eyes challenged the hot-head. The brat made a scene on purpose, calling the only person in the Lair that wasn't on the receiving end of a prank this month.
"Nothin', Masta Splinter,' ' Raph answered, hiding his fist behind his back. He turned to face the ninja master. Don released Mikey's arm quickly. Their father stood with his paws on his walking stick, tail thumping slowly on the ground. It was a warning sign the brothers learned young. The rat looked over the three turtles. His brown eyes looked distrusting. Raph was sure that his father knew exactly what was going on. "I hope I do not have to extend your punishment," he warned.
"No, Sensei. We have all been on our best behavior. No pranks or fights," Don replied too quickly. It was an obvious lie, but the brothers stuck together. Mikey and Raph nodded their heads, trying to look innocent. Splinter chuckled, shaking his head.
"You may retrieve Leonardo and then you may leave," Splinter consented. The brothers cheered and gave each other high-threes. A low chuckle rumbled from the old rat.
"I'll get Leo. You two get ready," Raph ordered as he hurried to the kitchen. Mikey and Don shoved each other playfully as they separated to gather their things. Don ran to his lab and Mikey to his room.
Splinter sighed wearily as he asked, "Raphael, could you retrieve your sister for her training?"
"Yes, Master Splinter. I can get Lita for ya," Raph answered. He jogged quickly back into the kitchen excited to get out of the Lair.
The tea party looked the same as before. There was one glaring difference though. Both turtles were looking down into their teacups. Leo's hands were clasped so tightly around his cup that his knuckles were as white as Lita's. His brow was furrowed as he grit his teeth. The albino turtle looked as though she was trying to disappear in her hoodie. Raph cleared his throat which broke the heavy atmosphere. Both looked up at the intruder, relaxing a little. "Splinter said we can go topside now, Leo. He also said it is time for your training, Lita," Raph informed the two. His voice sounded odd in the tense air.
"Let me clean up and I will join you at the Battle Shell," Leo said, his voice tense. Accepting the answer, Raph left the kitchen. Curious, though he stayed by the doorway. He watched as Leo gathered the teacups, balancing them easily in one hand. He stopped by Lita who still held onto her cup.
"I'm s-s-sorry. I m-m-made you m-mad," Lita's shaky voice whispered. She looked up at the blue-masked turtle. She handed the dish carefully.
A sigh responded, "I'm not mad at you. You did nothing wrong. I am furious at Bishop and all those in that lab." Dishes clattered as the leader set the pile down on the table quickly. The girl flinched a little. Leo looked at her apologetically. He squatted so he was at her eye level. "Don't be afraid to talk with any of us," he pulled the little turtle into a hug. She clung to him as well, hiding her face into his neck. Deciding that the conversation was a little too personal, Raphael backed away. Splinter's small form was right behind him.
Raph had to stop himself from accidently stepping on Splinter's feet. Ninja skills kept the hot-head from toppling over. His father's face looked drawn and old. There wasn't any doubt in Raph's mind that his father heard the same conversation. The rat put a hand on Raph's shoulders. "Go, my son. We still have family out there, searching for a home." Raph couldn't agree any more. He may not be able to punch Bishop any time soon, but finding another mutant would be just as good.
Mikey hummed to himself as he leapt to the next rooftop. The summer wind felt nice on his face. He did a front handspring as he landed. "It's great to finally get out of the Lair. Just smell that fresh New York air." The youngest brother filled his lungs to their fullest capacity. He ignored the fish stench.
"Yup, who doesn't love the smell of fish first thing in the evening," Raph replied sarcastically. He wrinkled his nose. His amber eyes looked over toward the bay. The dark water reflected the city skyline. A few ships floated lazily out to sea. "Ya think that one mutant is here?"
"We saw her here last," Leo answered, his gaze completely focused. The leader looked so serious, it made the youngest want to make him laugh. A growl from his stomach deterred that thought... for the moment. Mikey pulled out a granola bar from his belt. He opened the wrapper and started munching on it. He could feel his older brothers disapproving looks. He just had to chew even louder.
"At least it isn't in my bag this time," Don said with a relieved sigh. He pulled his bag closer to his shell.
"Nah, I got a couple chocolate bars in there," Mikey said with his mouth full, waving his empty hand. Crumbs falling around him from his mouth. Don glared at him with no heat. "Ya never know. She may be hungry." He shrugged as he took another bite of his own snack.
"Hey, you two need to be quiet. Case told me that this new group called the Savate have taken these streets from the Purple Dragons," Raph said with narrowed eyes. He scanned the docks looking for any sign of said criminals. "He said that they might still be fighting for the streets here. They have even been seen in Foot territory." Worry creased the red-masked turtle's brow. Mikey stuck his half eaten granola bar in his face. The older brother growled and pushed the item away. "Get that thing away from me."
Before the two devolved into an argument, Leo spoke up, "Okay, team. We are going to split into two teams. Mikey and I will take the docks south of here. Raph, you and Don take the north." Raph and Don fist-bumped.
"Aw, here I was hoping to go with Don," Mikey said, "he has my chocolate bars." He gave a fake pout. It didn't matter to him, but the youngest wanted to hang out with his genius brother.
"Ha, well next time don't put them in my bag," Don replied cheekily, "Raph and I will just have to eat them." The purple-masked turtle grinned at the youngest's betrayed expression.
Leo cleared his throat to silence the two youngest. "Our objective is to find the mutant that got away last time. If the EPF shows up, call and we will regroup."
"And if we run into the Savate? Or Mr. Touch and Mr. Go?" Raph asked, "Are we free to bust some heads?" He crossed his arms across his plastron. In Mikey's opinion, the red-masked turtle was a little too eager. The youngest would prefer not to get into a fight.
Leo grinned slightly, "If the trouble twins show up, give us a call, but I imagine you can take on a few thugs by yourself." While the two eldest were speaking, Mikey slipped his used wrapper into Don's duffle. The genius was none the wiser which was unsurprising; Mikey was a ninja.
"Alright, let's go, Donny," Raph said with a sharp grin. He patted the purple-masked turtle's shell. With a wave, the pair jumped over the rooftops away from Mikey. The youngest waved back, grinning to himself. Leo watched for a moment before facing Mikey.
"Let's go, Mikey," Leo said as he made his way to the ground. Mikey followed, letting gravity do the work. Still warm concrete met his feet as he landed without a sound. That was a good landing if Mikey could say so himself. The alley was fairly clean, the dumpsters must have just been emptied. The orange-masked turtle admired the tags along the walls. The normal purple dragons were gone, replaced with a rose with thorns. Distracted as he was, Mikey didn't see Leo pad silently to the edge of the building they were hiding beside.
Sensing he was by himself, Mikey pulled his attention away from the graffiti. Scanning the alleyway quickly, he saw his older brother. He sauntered up beside his brother who looked around the corner. Mikey rested his arms behind his head, watching his eldest sibling scan the empty docks. Leo's dark eyes were sharp as they scanned the empty docks.A sigh passed Mikey's beak, stakeouts were the worst. He already ate his snack and forgot his Gameboy at home. Leo gave him a long suffering look. The leader received a bright grin back.
"Remember, Mikey. Stealth," Leo whispered. "We can't afford to mess this up again." The blue-masked turtle leaned once again around the edge of the building. The youngest could feel his stomach turn as he thought of the mutant they lost. He pushed the thought aside, trying to remain positive. He had to find a way to make the leader relax a little.
Mikey rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mom," he groaned. He perked up at an idea, "I bet I can beat you to that warehouse." He pointed to the warehouse at the end of the docks. Like the little cheat that he was, Mikey started to run before Leo could answer. A quick complaint from the eldest was ignored as Mikey pushed ahead. The concrete flew under his racing feet. An echo of footsteps sounded behind him. A competitive fire burned as Mikey sped faster.
Rough fingers grabbed his arm. A sharp tug and Mikey was back stepping. His shell collided with the wall of the warehouse. A low thud vibrated behind his shell. Mikey opened his mouth to complain. A scaled hand pressed against his beak, silencing him. The orange-masked turtle gave his brother a glare. The hand wasn't pressed that hard against his mouth, but it was still annoying. Leo wasn't looking at him. Dark eyes looked past the hyperactive ninja. The leader was tense.
The leader's focus was on a parked car nestled between two buildings. In a fit of immaturity, Mikey licked the hand on his mouth. Leo flinched, giving his brother a look of indignation. "That's gross, Mikey," Leo complained as he tried to wipe his hand on his younger brother.
Mikey dodged easily, "You could have used your words, dude. Not your hand." He grinned even wider as Leo looked at his hand. His beak wrinkled in disgust. A soft sigh and a shake of a blue-masked head was the response Mikey got. He would count that as a win. Both brothers looked back to the parked car. "You think anyone is in there?" Mikey asked.
"I don't see any movement," Leo responded. "Maybe they are inside this warehouse."
The brothers now getting back to business pulled out their shuko spikes. Mikey jumped to give himself more height. The small spikes held as he climbed up the wall. Blue eyes focused on the small windows at the top of the wall. Mikey hummed to himself as the pair climbed. It was an easily recognizable tune. "Spiderman?" Leo guessed, sparing him a glance.
"Good job, bro. You win a brand new empty warehouse," Mikey joked as they peeked into the building. Both brothers scanned the boxes and boxes stacked along the walls. Some crates were opened. Straw covered the contents of the open crates.
"No one is here," Leo announced, eyes narrowed. "But they have to be close," he continued. His dark eyes scanned for any movement.
"Do you think it's those Savate gang dudes that Raph was talking about?" Mikey asked as he kept an eye for movement in the warehouse.
"Possibly, but our mission is to track down the mutant. We can deal with the Savate later," Leo answered. Pushing off the wall with his feet, the leader back flipped to the ground. Not one to be outshined, Mikey copied. He winced at the landing. He didn't have a moment to complain, his brother already was heading to the next warehouse. Green feet met pavement before they met the side of the warehouse.
The climb was just as easy as before. Leo reached the window first. He froze for a moment before reaching his belt. Hanging from one hand, Leo answered his shell cell. Mikey leaned closer to his brother to overhear the conversation. "We found her," Don's voice sounded tinny through the speaker.
"Wait for us to engage," Leo ordered, "We will block the south. Hopefully we can cut off her escape." He started to lower himself to the ground again.
"Yeah, cause nothing says we're here to help like trying to trap someone," Mikey said sarcastically. He followed his leader regardless. The pair slipped from shadow to shadow effortlessly. The cloudy night sky offered so many opportunities. Mikey had no idea which warehouse the mutant was hiding in, but he followed the blue tails of his brother's mask.
Said brother slowed and Mikey followed. A single finger pointed to the shadows of a warehouse. The orange-masked ninja melded with the dark. Leo held up his hand, all three fingers extended. Wait. He followed the silent command without question. Mikey kept his ear-slits perked. He shifted his weight to the balls of his feet ready for action. He kept his nunchucks on his belt, not wanting to start a fight.
The sound of running footsteps approached the pair. Leo clenched his fist and the brothers leapt into the path of the running steps. A rounded shape skidded to a stop. Her arms pinwheeled to stop her movement. Turning on a heel, the figure looked to escape. In a moment, a red-masked turtle tackled the shape to the ground. Mikey flinched as the two hit the ground. That probably hurt.
"You absolute boar," a feminine voice yelped, "Is this how you treat a lady?" The brothers froze for a moment. Raph jumped to his feet, but was sure to cut off any escape for the mutant. The clouds blocking the waxing moon drifted away, giving the brothers their first clear look of their quarry.
Mikey blinked twice at the turtle that stood in front of them. Maybe it was just because he was a teenager or maybe because it was the first female mutant turtle he had seen, but she was absolutely stunning. Her sharp green eyes glared at Raph from her smooth pale mint green face. Her three-fingered hands straightened the black beret on her bald head. She flipped the cyan ribbons that hung from the hat over her shell. She brushed off her black and white striped tunic like dress. Her hands missed a sword strapped to her hip. "Have your parents ever taught you that staring is bad manners?" she asked, putting a hand on her hips, leaning her weight to one leg. Green eyes pinned the four turtles down. The brothers broke eye contact quickly, each looking embarrassed.
"My apologies," Leonardo said as he cleared his throat. He gave a polite bow. "My name is Leonardo. These are my brothers, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael." Mikey waved as his name was said. She gave him a small nod as her eyes past over him to look at his brothers. Don gave a soft smile which was matched with a half-hearted smile. A huff from Raph earned him a glare.
"Ah, well met, Leonardo. I see that one of you has some semblance of manners. My name is Venus de Milo," she said, giving a curtsy. White teeth were exposed in a beautiful smile. Mikey gave her a wide smile in response while Don gave a sheepish one. Raph rolled his eyes, barely visible behind his third eyelid.
"Great. Now we all know each other," Raph interrupted. "Let's get outta here before the EPF show up or the Savate." He grabbed Venus's arm firmly. His emerald fingers closed around her slender arm, but didn't press into her pale green skin.
"Unhand me, you brute," she shrieked, trying to remove his grip. Her green eyes darted around as if searching for something. The red-masked turtle held on easily. Raph narrowed his eyes at the female turtle.
"Well, excuse me, princess," Raph growled. "Did you want the EPF rounding us all up?" He looked around quickly waiting for someone to pounce on them. Leo scanned the shadows quickly as well. "Be quiet," Raph said as no danger appeared immediately.
"You can't silence me, you curr," Venus continued to complain. She dug in her heels as Raph tried to walk away. Mikey looked at Leo and Don unsure what to do. The two brothers also looked a little uneasy.
"Ya can walk or I can carry ya," Raph threatened. Noises of protest sounded from the other three brothers. Now they stepped forward to stop their rough brother.
"You wouldn't dare," Venus said with a cocky grin. Raph gave a sharp smile back before pulling the female turtle across his shoulders. She shrieked again, loudly. Her feet kicked lightly.
"Uh, bro. I don't think kidnapping her is a good look," Mikey spoke up. He bounced to Raph's side. He gave Venus a sympathetic look. She gave him an unamused look. He gave her a bright smile, trying to calm her down.
"It's abducting, Mikey. Kidnapping means we intend to harm her. Abduction is forcibly taking her or using fraud to get her to come with us," Donny corrected helpfully. Mikey stuck his tongue out at his older brother.
"We are doing neither. Let her go, Raph," Leo ordered. Reluctantly, the hot head lowered her to the ground. She brushed herself off with more complaints. She took a couple of steps away from him. "Venus, we don't mean you harm," Leo calmly said, his eyes pointedly looking at Raph. The red-masked turtle crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "Raph can be a little rough."
"One would think you grew up in a barn," Venus said with a sniff. She lifted her nose in the air. Her eyes still looked past them, looking for something. Mikey was starting to feel uneasy.
"Please accept my apologies again," Leo said with a bow, "We are just trying to get you to safety. We are offering you a place to stay, a home," The blue-masked turtle held his hands up.
"We already brought H13 to our home," Don said helpfully. Venus narrowed her green eyes at the four. Her beak twisted in disgust. Disbelief was clear on her face. Mikey remembered the last time they ran into her. He could remember her calling them liars. They were going to lose her again if they couldn't think of anything to prove that they weren't lying. The youngest wished that they had brought a picture or something.
"Yeah, her name is Lita now. She's our little sis," Mikey added quickly. "She loves chocolate and plants." Venus looked at the orange-masked turtle curiously. It was the first time she seemed to focus on one of them. Mikey opened his third eyelid to show his blue eyes. They could convince anyone. "She jogs with Leo every morning. Raph uses her as a weight when he does pushups. Don, here, reads her bedtime stories. And I am her hero who beats all the hard video game bosses that dare pick on my imouto." A sudden smack caused the youngest brother to stop his tirade. Raph was shaking his head with a small smirk. Mikey rubbed his head where it smarted.
"You boar, you hit your own brother," Venus shrieked, stomping her foot on the ground. She stepped closer to Mikey. Soft fingers brushed against his face. He swallowed roughly as she nudged his head closer to hers. Her green eyes were looking over his head. Warmth grew on his cheeks at how close he was to her. He could see his brothers behind her.
Looking over her shoulder, he gave his brothers a wink. "Ow, Ow. It hurts," he crowed dramatically. Don shook his head in exasperation while Leo pressed his fingers on the sides of his beak. Raph punched his own hand with a promise for another strike.
Venus turned on Raph, cyan ribbons swinging at the sudden motion. She stepped up to him. She stood just shy of his height, but she squared her stance. The second oldest turtle looked unimpressed. "Apologize to your brother," she stated, pointing to Mikey who quickly gave his older brother a dramatic pained expression.
"What are ya, my mom? We don't have time for this," Raph said with a huff. Venus flared her nostrils at the red-masked turtle. Leo mouthed to 'do it', trying to keep the peace. Raph sighed, defeated. "Fine. Sorry, Mike," he said.
"Very good, there is still hope for you," Venus said with a flip of her head. She patted Raph's head as she walked past him out of the turtle circle. He growled at the patronizing motion. His emerald hands clenched into a fist. Mikey snickered, giving his older brother a cheeky grin. With her back to the red-masked ninja, she missed his threat to the younger. The youngest stuck out his tongue in retaliation.
"Venus, will you be coming with us?" Leonardo's clear, stern voice asked her retreating shape. She froze as if she was caught. The brothers didn't move yet to surround her, but shifted their weight ready to move. She turned slowly, green eyes looking past them. She met each of their eyes evenly. Mikey could see conflict in her eyes.
"I will have to decline the offer. My apologies, Leonardo," she looked at the brothers with a look full of regret. Her tone was stiff which contrasted her soft look. It made Mikey's skin prickle.
Mikey watched as Leo stiffened, suddenly on alert. A forceful shove knocked Mikey to the ground. He held out a hand turning a fall into a cartwheel. He heard Leo grunt and the sound of a shell hitting asphalt. Don and Raph's voices called to the leader. "Ah, Mr. Touch, you were correct. The turtle men are still men after all. Distracted by a turtle woman," Mr. Go's smug voice said. He stood posed with his hands on his cane.
"They are simple creatures, ," the taller man responded. His fist was dug into the concrete next to Leo. The large man pulled his large hand out of the ground,sending dust to the ground.
Mikey spun to face the two newcomers. His nunchucks were in his hands in a instant. The two suited men stood side-by side. They bumped fists. The energy built up between the two created static in the air. It sent prickles on Mikey's skin. Leo stood up quickly as the four brothers formed a wall between Venus and the two assassins. The mutant brothers readied their weapons. Blades flashed in the moonlight. "We don't want to fight you. You can continue your operation. We just want Venus," Leo said. "This is a one time offer."
"Leonardo, as tempting as that offer is. We know that you and your brothers are quite valuable to our rivals," Mr. Go replied "The brute, Hun, in particular." The white-suited man struck first. The short man was fast. Like lightning he appeared in front of Leo. A blur of white was sent in the leader's direction. The ninja jumped over a low kick easily. Mikey flipped over the man, striking downward with two nunchucks. Mister Go slipped past both wooden handles. Mikey landed as Don swung his bō. Mister Go danced around the attack. Mikey spun nunchucks spinning. The man kicked toward the advancing Mikey. A sharp pain sparked against his arm as it landed. The blow knocked him back a little.
"Just stay there," Raph's gruff voice told Venus as he ran to confront Mister Touch. The red-masked turtle punched the large man as Leo dodge an attack from him. The emerald green fist met flesh causing the large man to stumble.
"Good job, Raph," Leo complimented. Raph huffed in response. The brothers squared their stance as the man steadied himself. Like a rushing train, the Frenchman charged fist raised. Mister Touch swung his meaty fist toward the brothers. Both ninja jumped as they dodged out of the way of the attack. The fist crashed into the ground, sending rubble up into the air. Leo swung his katana toward the man. The blade skid across the man's upper arm as he pulled his fist out of the ground. Raph was there in an instant. The large man dodged his punches.
Raph's wrists were caught in the man's huge hands. The world spun as he was sent flying toward Leo. The leader leaned forward. Raph spun pushing off his brother's shell. Leo dodged a punch from the large man as Raph landed. The blows were starting to slow. Sweat beading on the large man's forehead.
"Make sure they don't get close to each other," Leo ordered in Japanese. "They are starting to tire." Three voices answering in affirmative called out. The leader placed himself to block Mister Touch from retreating to Mister Go. Steel katanas swung through empty air as Mister Touch backed away from the turtle. The large man tried to side step the leader.
Raph was there in an instant, blocking a kick from Mr. Go who slipped past the younger brothers with his superior speed. With a shove, the hot-head made the man stagger toward his younger brothers. Don's bō swung low, causing the man to lightly step further from his partner. Mikey joined his purple-masked brother to further block the pair of humans. Don ran to flank the human's left.
Mikey swung his nunchucks at the white-suited Mr. Go, herding him to Don. The purple-masked turtle spun his staff to block a speedy kick. Driving the human's foot down, Don leaned forward as Mikey leap-frogged over his shell. His sea-green fist slammed into the man's face. He could hear bones cracking. Mister Go staggered and leaned forward. His chest heaved heavy breaths.
"You're looking a little burned out there, buddy," Michelangelo boasted as he attacked the slowing Mister Go. The white suited man dodged the attacks. The swinging nunchucks made the other man dance and weave. His dress shoes were dragging slightly.
"I find your ability quite fascinating," Don said as he spun his bō staff, blocking kicks. They were sloppy and were becoming easier to deflect. "How does it work exactly? Is it mystical or scientific?"
"Now why would I tell you that, turtle man?" Mister Go huffed. He staggered slightly as the wooden staff hit his side.
Don shrugged, "It was worth a shot." He swung his bō staff toward the man's head to end the fight. The man's gaze moved from the turtle brothers to Don's left. Mikey followed his look.
"Don!" Mikey's startled shout called out. The youngest's white eyes were wide. The purple masked turtle turned to see Venus's saber baring at his unprotected side. Don turned, hoping the blade would catch his carapace. He moved his staff to redirect the attack. The movement wasn't enough: the stab cut across the sensitive skin between his plastron and carapace.
Don shouted at the pain. He stepped back, dropping one hand to press it against the bleeding wound. "Donny," Raph called out. "You're gonna get it now, princess." The red-masked turtle hurled himself toward Venus. The female turtle was frozen, staring at the red on her sword. The tip of the sword shook in the air.
"Raph, calm down," Leo called after his brother. Mister Touch punched the distracted turtle aside. Mister Go knocked Mikey off his feet. The two men's fist met with a spark of energy.
Raph caught Venus's bloody saber in his sais. Her green eyes looked at him frightened. With an easy twist, the sword clattered to the side. Venus looked at the weapon for a second before looking back at Raph. She looked unsure of herself. She didn't get into a fighting stance. She back pedaled away from the advancing ninja. " Valentin, Quentin, I require some assistance," she called out to the fighting men.
The pair didn't heed her call, choosing to fight the turtle brothers. "Look, I don't like hittin' girls, but ya stabbed my brother," Raph said. He held up his sais.
"And he was going to kill my friends," Venus said, "They have sheltered me. I can't have you hurt them." She dove toward her saber. Raph let her pick it up. It would be no fight to beat up an unarmed opponent, especially one as unskilled as she was.
"They sure look like they care now," Raph said sarcastically. Venus looked at the two pairs fighting. Mikey and Leo kept the humans away from Don who was doing his best to wrap his wound. The orange and blue masked turtles took blows meant for the wounded turtle.
Venus shook her head, "They care. They trust me to get rid of riff-raff like you." She sniffed, putting her nose in the air. She turned to her side, placing one foot in front of the other. Her stance was different from the other sword wielders that Raph fought, but little did she know that he had trained his whole life against a swordsman. One of the best, in fact; not that he would admit it to his brother.
The fight was short. A single thrust and the sword was once again clattering to the ground. "You're gonna take out the riff-raff? Ya can barely hold yer sword," Raph said. He hit her side with the pummel of his sai, knocking the wind out of her. She fell to her knees, trying to catch her breath. Frightened green eyes looked up at him. "Do us both a favor and stay down," Raph said, turning his back to her. He kicked the bloody saber away, sending it clattering away.
He ran back to his brothers. He caught Mister Go's wrist just as he was about to recharge. With gritted teeth, Raph pushed him aside. The man fell to the ground stunned before a wooden pole struck his head. Mister Go crumbled to the floor. "You okay?" Raph asked his brother.
Don leaned on his bo staff. "The wound isn't too bad," the purple-masked ninja replied. "I am going to need stitches though."
"Not it," Mikey said, putting a finger to his nose. Raph looked beyond Leo to see the large shape of Mister Touch on the ground. The blue-masked turtle sheathed his swords, looking far too calm.
"Ya don't want me to do the stitches, Don," Raph said as he put his finger on his nose.
Leo chuckled as he pulled Don's arm over his shoulder, "Don't worry, Don. I'll do them. My stitches are the neatest anyways." The leader looked over the two unconscious men with narrowed eyes. "Where's Venus de Milo?" he asked.
"I left her over there," Raph pointed over his shoulder. There was nothing but pavement.
"I don't see her, bro," Mikey said, "unless she is a ninja like us." Raph turned and growled. He started mumbling threats against the other turtle. Leo, ever vigilant, looked toward the warehouses.
"We need to disappear," Leo whispered. The leader pulled Don toward the warehouses. With Mikey and Raph on their tails, they four crouched between the buildings. In an instant, the four brothers blended into the shadows. They slowed their movements. The only sound was their breathing and approaching footsteps. A group of five men and the rounded silhouette of a mutant turtle approached the fallen Mr. Touch and Mr. Go. Three men struggled to pick up Mr. Touch while the last two men picked up Mr. Go. The humans carried their burdens away, leaving Venus behind.
"Should we get her?" Raph asked, "We can easily get her to the Lair. I can knock 'er out easily."
"We're not abducting her, Raph," Leo answered,slightly exasperated.
She stood in the open. Turning she searched for something. Mikey couldn't see her face; he couldn't tell what she was thinking. "Wait here," Leo ordered as he slunk forward.
"Whatcha doin', Fearless. It could be a trap," Raph said, stopping the eldest. He held onto the eldest's arm tightly.
"Then you can hop in and kick some shell," Leo responded, "Until then stand down." The leader disappeared into the shadows. Raph took a step forward to disobey, but settled with a grumble. Mikey patted his shell comfortingly.
Splinter watched as Lita completed the hands and feet sailing through the air in measured movements. With a furrowed brow, she was absolutely focused. It reminded him of his son, Donatello, at that age. His brown eyes narrowed in concentration as he struggled to keep up with the others. He watched with rapt attention. She froze as she finished. Her pink eyes looked at him expectantly. Much like a young Leonardo, waiting for feedback. Anxious for reinforcement. "You did very well, my daughter. You are progressing nicely."
She smiled brightly, tension leaving her body. She stood a little straighter and relaxed. "Th-thank you, Master Splinter," she replied shyly. She gave a deep bow. Splinter prepared himself a moment before small arms wrapped themselves around his waist. It was unconventional; his sons wouldn't have hugged him during training. He had rules about the dojo and when he was sensei and father. He kept those roles separate; it made teaching easier. However, the way that the girl looked up at him made him question whether or not to correct her. He would allow it and ignore the part of his mind that worried about the lack of discipline.
He rubbed her shell, pulling her close. "Otou-san," she started looking up at him. She said the word slowly, testing it out. Splinter smiled at hearing her use his first language, at hearing her calling him father. "W-w-when can I use o-o-one of the weapons?" she asked.
Splinter laughed. He could remember when his sons begged him constantly about the same question. They were about her age, but they had been training for two years by that point. Pink eyes were looking up at him as she tried to look as cute as possible. Suddenly the pleading in her eyes reminded him of Michelangelo. When young baby blue eyes had the ninja master caving much too easily. But he had learned much from when his sons were young and will not be so easily convinced. "You are not yet ready to work with the practice weapons. My sons had two years of training before I allowed them to touch the practice weapons," he answered.
"Please," she begged, "I-I-I'll be careful. I promise." Splinter started to guide her out of the dojo, removing the temptation away. She followed the motion without a fuss. They walked slowly to the living room.
"I do not doubt that you will try, but you are still untrained. Accidents can happen," Splinter answered. He could distinctly remember his sons and mending wounds.
The girl frowned, crossing her arms. A young Raphael crossed his mind and the rat waited to see if she would follow through with a tantrum. She pouted which made Splinter struggle to hold back a laugh. There was any screaming or hitting, just a pout. "B-b-but how can I help find J38 and 31, L1 and 5," she asked. "I have to f-f-find them before the bad guys do."
Splinter sighed. His joints ached as he kneeled to be at her level. "My daughter, you are a child. It is not your responsibility to find them. You do not possess the skills or strength to help your comrades." Her arms dropped so they wrapped around her stomach rather than her chest.
Her eyes started to water as her beak quivered. "B-b-but they'll die. The bad guys w-w-will find them and k-k-kill them," she whimpered. She hunched in on herself. She blinked rapidly as her eyes watered.
Splinter kept his face straight. "There are other ways you can help find the others," he offered. She didn't say anything, her breaths becoming more ragged and uneven as she held back tears. "We can leave the Lair together and search the sewers. Will that be acceptable?"
She sniffled, wiping her snout. She gave him a nod and a watery smile. Splinter held out his paw and let her squeeze his fingers tightly. As they walked to the entrance of the Lair, Splinter spoke. "When we leave the Lair, you must follow three rules," Splinter started, the old speech he once spoke with his sons returning easily.
"I w-w-will," Lita said, "I'm good at following the rules." The ninja master smiled; the albino turtle was more obedient than his sons were at that age. Perhaps daughters were just different from sons.
"The first rule is that we are not to be seen by the humans," Splinter continued, "We do not know how they will react to our appearance so it is better to err on the side of caution." There wasn't a response of 'why' from the albino. Unlike when he had spoken this rule to his sons. The only response from Lita was a shaky nod and her fingers tightening around his hand. He stopped at the door to the Lair.
"The second is that you must obey any and all commands that I give you. No matter how small. It is for your safety," Splinter continued. The small hand in his started to shake. He could hear Lita's breathing starting to pick up. He paused as the sharp smell of fear started to emanate from the small turtle. Sharp and poignant. "We can remain here if you are not ready to leave the Lair."
"Why wouldn't I be r-r-ready?" she asked. Her knees shook slightly. She shut her third eyelid, covering her pink eyes. It was a failed attempt to hide the fear in her pink eyes. "Wh-what's the last rule?"
Splinter continued though he could still feel her hand shake. "The third rule is to not play in the sewer water." The girl looked serious, not reacting to the last rule. She didn't back down though her knees still shook. With a sigh, he opened the door. It opened slowly; the fear scent grew stronger.
Splinter took the first step into the sewer. His hand tugged behind him. He looked over his shoulder. Lita stayed in place. Their hands hung in the still air. Her toes stayed right at the edge of the Lair's doorway. Her eyes were wide as her breathing was harsh and rapid. The white of her third eyelid was gone as her dark pupils darted around. "Lita?" he called out tentatively.
There was no response. She shook her head and took a step back. Scales slipped from his paw as she tripped. Concrete met her shell with a loud thud. The ninja flinched at the painful sound. He watched helplessly. Lita curled up, hiding her face behind her knees. Master Splinter padded slowly toward the trembling hooded turtle. Wincing slightly as he knelt beside her, he waited for his daughter to settle. "I'm s-s-sorry," a pitiful whimper came from the small turtle. It was muffled, but the elderly mutant understood.
"You do not need to apologize for being afraid. Fear is natural. It keeps us safe," Splinter comforted. Slowly he stroked the top of her head. On one stroke he tugged off the borrowed orange hoodie. Red-rimmed eyes looked up at him.
"B-b-but I'm scared of e-e-everything. I'm scared of April and Casey. I'm s-s-scared of the b-b-bad men and M-m-mikey's movies," she sniffled. An orange sleeve wiped across her nose. Splinter suppressed a cringe at the action.
"Yes, sometimes fear holds us back as well. You mustn't let your fear control your actions," Splinter mused. Lita wilted, not meeting his eyes anymore. "You may not be ready to leave the Lair, but that does not mean that you never will be. We can take small steps."
Lita looked up at him once again. She had absolute faith in him. "W-what's the first step?"
"We shall wait for your brothers by the open Lair door," Splinter suggested, "or until you are unable to." She nodded, looking a little assured. The rat master walked to the open lair door and sat in a lotus position. With no prompting, Lita mimicked the posture so close her scaled knees touched him. She held her shaking hands close to her plastron, but didn't back away. It was a small step, but Splinter was proud.
The ninja turtle was silent as a shadow as he slipped closer to where the female turtle paced. Leo watched as the mint green turtle searched the ground. His eyes quickly caught the gleam of Venus's saber. Quickly and unseen, the swordsmen slunk toward the weapon and picked it up. He tried not to look at the blood on the edge of the sword. Donny's blood. His hands tightened on its hilt. Focusing on the female turtle, he called out, "Are you looking for this?" As he asked his question, he stepped into the light.
Venus jumped, taking a step back. Her green eyes looked down at the blood on the weapon. It dripped onto the concrete, sounding deafening in the silence. "Is your brother well?" she asked shakingly.
"He'll live," Leo answered. He swung the sword, sending the blood off the blade and onto the ground. Venus looked even more green. She looked at the splatter on the ground.
"I should apologize. I reacted without a thought," Venus admitted, "I understand that you may not forgive me. I will understand if you st-st-strike me down." She wrapped her arms around her plastron.
"I'm not going to kill you," Leo interrupted. "I don't kill if I don't have to." The ninja turtle laid the saber flat across his palms and held it out to her. "Do I have to?" he asked.
Venus took the sword gingerly. Her snout wrinkled in disgust, but she slid it back into its place at her side. She shifted her weight from side to side. "No, I believe we can part ways peacefully," she answered. She turned to walk away, but paused. Seconds passed slowly.
"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Leo asked, "We have plenty of room and Lita would be glad to see you. She said something about missing your songs."
Venus smiled softly, her stance softening, "As tempting as that may be, I do not want to abandon the people who have sheltered me."
"They're thieves and killers." Leonardo stated, "If you go with them, you will never know peace."
The female turtle scoffed, "Can you promise peace?" She rose a single brow ridge.
Leo thought back over the last couple of years. "No. I guess I can't, but I can promise a family that will fight those battles together." Venus looked to the side. Her green eyes searching for the other brothers.
Venus hummed, "I will consider it. I should leave before they wonder where I disappeared to." She bowed slowly, mimicking Leo's bow from earlier. She rose slowly.
"If you change your mind, you can reach us through our friend April. She runs the Second Time Around antique shop," Leo said.
"Perhaps Lita can accompany you. I miss her as well," Venus said with a soft smile.
"I'm sure she'll be excited to see you," Leo said. With that, the other turtle turned on her heel and ran away. Leo watched her retreating shell. She looked back once, but continued. Disappointment curdled in his stomach, but at least she was safe for the moment. The blue-masked ninja turned away. He wouldn't lose hope; she said she wanted to see Lita. It was a start.
The leader walked silently to his brothers who still huddled where he left them. "I'm assuming she's staying with the Wonder Twins," Raph said, sensing Leo's approach. He relaxed his stance.
"For now," Leo agreed, "But I told her if she ever changed her mind to go to April's shop." The leader motioned for the brothers to start moving. The four were silent as they traveled back to the Lair. Leo checked Don's side, but was waved away.
"Well, that didn't go as planned," Mikey said at last breaking the silence, "so much for a big ninja turtle clan." Leo put an encouraging hand on his shoulder as he smiled knowingly.
"She'll come around," he said confidently.
"And what gave you that impression?" Don asked tiredly. He was starting to droop a little. Raph pulled one of the purple-masked turtle's arms over his shoulder. Don leaned a bit on him.
Leo shrugged, "She seemed as though she was almost convinced when Mike talked about Lita. She is looking for family, she just doesn't realize she hasn't found one yet."
"Well, that is sappy," Raph said, "Come on, we got to get Brainiac home 'fore he bleeds out."
Don rolled his eyes, "It's not that bad."
"Tell that to Master Splinter," Mikey replied. The brothers hummed in agreement and hoped that Splinter was asleep when they got home.
A/N: Chilly here once again. The Savate are a gang of French ninjas in the IDW comics. Seeing as Mr. Go has a French accent it made sense in my mind to have the two of them lead this group. And as far as Venus de Milo goes. Currently the actual statue is in the Lovue in France, so I thought it would be interesting. Another interesting tidbit. Fencing, which I tried to base, Venus's current fighting style on has both a French and Italian style. The Italian school of fencing dating back to approximately the Renaissance period.