CHAPTER 10: YOSHI 

The small child ran up to her father.  The young child was exactly four, and as her arms wrapped around her father’s strong neck, she smiled as he rocked her back and forth.  Jerry Smith was a man in his twenties. He had done alot with his life.  But the child he held in his arms was his greatest achievement.  Along so, was his wife. His family.  He smiled as he carried Veronica to the kitchen table.  Susan though, was going to be late for dinner. She had been late as of late though. 

Susan Smith’s job as a compute programmer as of late, kept her from her family, working many long hours at night.  Though the money was coming in, she feared her husband and child were growing distant almost from her. She often yearned that the chaos of the corporate takeover which was in the middle of commencing these last couple months would end soon.  She could go back to her normal hours.  Next year both Jerry and Susan knew school for young Veronica started.  Preschool went by fast, and though important, Kindergarten is when, for her, she wanted to get really, 100% involved with her child’s life.  that is where the basis and roots of family begin.  At least, to her anyways. 

Jerry was the exact opposite of his mate in terms of position. Jerry was a lawyer. Not a big one, small common-pleas, but good none the less.  Due to better schedule and his child, which was a blessing to him, so late in life, he declined an opening with the District Attorney. “Crap.” he thought to himself.  Tonight was Mac & Cheese night at the house.  his wife’s favorite, as well as his little daughter’s.  “Just like her mom.” he smiled as a proud father would, but soon it turned to a frown as he messed up the milk intake. “Oh well. Another box won’t hurt.  The more I make, the more it gives them.” 

As he reached into the cupboard, his thirty-eight year old musty hands wrapped around the Kraft “Cheese & Mac” thin box. As the door to the cupbard closed, another noise shot thru out the house.  

“Mommy!!!” Veronica jumped from her seat and ran to the door.   

“Hm. She’s home early.” escaped his lips.  Shocked, but he was happy.  He missed seeing his wife. But silence filled the house except the kitchen fan, sucking up the fumes from the boiling water and cheese mix in front of him.  Turning around, he chuckled.  “Kids. Games.  Here we go.”  As he wiped his hands with a towel nearby, he walked up the small flight of stairs, consisting of four steps, to the living room, he saw the door was open.   

An errie feeling consumed Jerry, and he didn’t like it.  He never felt so... insecure.  So... “Oh god... Veronica!” Jerry rushed outside, looking about.  The grasshoppers weren’t out.  Making the situation worse to him.  Snow was falling, but he’d do anything to hear those sounds. For it was a joke him and his wife played upon each other during silence.  But yet, no sounds.  The cold wind sent shivers up his spine, until he heard her voice. 

“Daddy!” 

It came from inside the house. 

He ran to the door, closing it behind him.  Locking it, he ran up to his child, which was standing at the top of the stairway, holding her teddy bear.  

“Yoshi, Daddy!” he said, as she held her bear, and her hips swung around.  Jerry paused.   

“Yoshi?”  the name didn’t make any sense.  But he saw the bear. 

“That’s the bear your mother got you for Christmas sweetie... did you finally name it..?” 

“Yoshi, Daddy... ToTo Yoshi.” escaped the child’s lips, she began to walk down the stairs playfully.  Jerry stood there, trying to make sense of it all.  And then, his daughter Veronica gasped and looked at him. 

“Yoshi!!!” and he felt the pain in the back of his chest.  He didn’t feel the floor hit his face, nor the warm blood gush from the back and front of his chest, around his body. 

The hand reached out grasping the katana and raised it.  

“Yes, Yoshi!!!” mocked the female’s voice. The child looked up, holding the bear up questioningly as the sword came down.

CHAPTER 11: LEONARDO 

The Night air soothed his nerves.  That is what he kept telling himself. He tried to anyways.  He, for once lost control.  He knew not of what came over him.  In a sense, he became what he most feared.   

Raphael. 

Raphael wasn’t a bad person.  But he acted irresponsible, like he didn’t care.  And as of late, with this whole Shredder business... one would think he’d give it up.  He lost control of the Foot.  But emotions were running high as of late.  Donatello fled the lair, which they had taken back a month or so, after abandoning the mausoleum. Things were different.  And so much was going wrong.   

Why the seclusion of your true emotions, you twit! he scolded himself silently, as he looked down from the corner of the rooftop.   

What purpose, do you really have? You have no hand.  An artificial hand only does so much.  I long to touch.  I long to feel in my hand.  What good is a true ninja master with only one hand?  I have been wounded, decapitated beyond further use. Why can’t I just... try to lighten up! Maybe Raph DIDN’T try to get Shadow killed-- wait... what am I saying? He wouldn’t! Would he? 

His mind was trying justify his anger and pain... the vengeance he felt towards his brother, for shaming him. 

You shamed yourself, by letting your anger control you.  And Splinter!? Oh god... what did he think? He must of thought of-- god no... I can’t bare to think of such thoughts. 

The end of the red bandera, catching the wind currents of the rooftops fluxed behind him, and the darkness outside concealed him, as he leapt to the roof across from him.  He slowly walked towards the right corner of the rooftop.   

What happened to us? What made all of us Change? It had to be something.  None of us were ourselves.  Were we?  Maybe, we were growing up.  Like when I lost my hand.  I truly lost any future as a true ninja.  My weapons were my hands, for my hands wielded my weapons of choice.  Damn it!  

Don... he grew so silent.  It’s my fault. I was leader. I should of opened up more to him.  Now he is gone.  And for months we have looked for him.  Yet no trace of my brother.  Splinter taught me some techniques of the astral plane, but I can’t absorb their meaning. Maybe... I am too stressed to determine their underlying message.  Do they even have one? 

The turtle sighed as he jumped down to the alley below. The dirt-ridden ground beneath his feet was comfortable. He felt the lair was in his mind again, by the texture under his feet. Looking around, the place was just as he imagined.  Around the city, his brothers placed around Trench coats.  things that they could use to walk among the humans of New York City.  Sometimes, bums and other homeless took the trench coats.  Which was fine.  Donatello’s plan long ago was wise.  Only in emergencies would we use them.  so much in fact was the plan well done, that it was taught up in one night, Donatello at the time, new to the internet, ordered a large stock of coats from a retailer which costed one large lump sum.  It was a profitable idea which before hand was considered, a mistake.  As he slipped the left arm sleeve on, he tried his right.  His arms in, he tried buttoning the coat up, and adjusting the hat atop his head.   

Heh.  They stole Mike’s stash.  Poor Mikey. 

Mike went to use his awhile back on a supposal lead on Donatello.  Further investigating on the coat, not Donatello, led Michaelangelo to a street corner where a homeless woman and her child were wrapped up in it.  Michaelangelo was a sucker with a heart.  That’s what Raph would say. 

Raphael... 

The air was cold.  It was supposed to snow tonight.  Maybe it was already snowing in the West.  The storm front last he heard was coming east.  Damn cold fronts.  The clouds were odd. 

Soon... you shall arrive.  Come snow. 

Leonardo walked out of the alley and began his trek down the street.  he felt the people stare at him from across the way. 

I shouldn’t be here. 

The turtle sighed, ignoring the people. 

I should be out looking for Shadow. Or Donatello even. 

The couple stops and stare at him further as he closes their proximity.  

And they think I’m odd. What was I thinking anyway?  It’s time to take to the shadows. 

And with that, the couple didn’t blink fast enough to witness the odd green figure in the trench coat vanish into oblivion.  As the couple crossed the street, they looked left and right. 

“Did you just see him here?” 

“Sure did! I swear he looked like a reptile.” 

His wife looked at him.  “Maybe, but maybe not.  You don’t think we’re going crazy do you?” 

“No hun, I don’t.  But... let’s go home.  It’s getting late out. the Freaks are beginning to come out.”

I hate people looking at me like that.   

Leonardo looks down from the small ledge, where he is perched like a gargoyle.  Looking up, smiling he jumps up, landing on the wall. Yet he does not slide down the wall.  He begins to climb upwards.  The climbing claws, though old still work well. 

Almost as bad as I hate robots. 

Now.  Leonardo breathed the night air. It was time to get in order.    To find Donatello! 

CHAPTER 12: COLORADO 

Jumping up from her nap, she looked around.  her surroundings were not what she last remembered. 

Everything was groggy. As if alcohol was something she last partook in.  She wasn’t the greatest person to have a large intake of booze in her body. 

“Trevor?” she mumbled. Her vision was that of a haze. Shadows. Distant Memories. Or a dream?  As her groggy state seemed to dissipate, the hotel room came more into focus.  The room was small, but luxurious. A small mini-fridge, filled with alcohol.   

“Oh god.. Trevor.. where are you honey?” Robyn O’ Neil sighed as she glanced around the room.  Only one bed was present, and it was the bed her feet departed from, hitting the blue carpeted floor.   

Then, the once distant memories hit her.  Where was she?  How did she get here?  No... she couldn’t of had another one night stand... could she?  How could she?   

Last she remembered, she was in... Colorado? Maybe?  And what of her son?  Wait... it was coming to her.   

Robyn O’Neil threw her hair back.  It was beautiful once more, now it was long.  She had it cut short long ago, before her and her sister--  

April? 

As her sister filled her head, the thought of her last known goal hit her; Write April!! She was going to the post office to write a letter to April!  She had finally got word back to her in New York. That was their way of relaying back and forth to each other!  But... how... Yes!  

I was going to the post office. Get a post card.  And a stamp.  Pick up the mail.  Went home. Haven’t yet picked Trevor up from the child care-- 

“Shit!” she grumbled.  Walking to the table, the breeze hitting her in the room, and she knew why: she was only wearing her cotton white panties, and a blue tee which read “ATARI” on the front.  Looking around at a bevy of papers on the table within the room, she glanced at one piece which had a small section of a map.  On it, the State of New York was circled.  And Ohio was then circled.  And then, there... was a post card and a stamp.  Neither, used.  And her memory was jolted again. 

I decided to travel?! Yes. I decided to travel. No reason really. To see the world. 

Her eyes gave of a daze of that of someone justifying their actions, tho their true intentions are not truly known; Like a drone, she began to pick up a pen and write on the card.  She smiled.  One of the papers also noted a slip from the Child Care company entitled “Snips and Snails” and at the bottom, date for child pick-up: was noted with the number of around three months later.   

It all makes sense.  I did the right thing. I am a good mother.  This is for my own good. 

Again she began to write as her eyes began to grow dark almost, as if she wasn’t herself.

:: Chapters 7-9
:: Chapters 13-15

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