Liz: A TMNT Story

Chapter 14

"You want me to teach you how to fight?"

I nodded, leaning on my crutch and trying not to cower under the harsh glare of Raphael.

"Yeah, not happenin', Princess." He returned his attention to the non-existent opponent he'd been shadow-sparring with.

"What? Why not?"

"So many reasons," He replied with an aggravating chuckle, "One, you're injured, so can't do much anyways. Two, you've already got everyone waiting on you hand and foot. I'm not about to join in. And three, I'm not the greatest teacher. Why don't you go ask Leo or something?"

My eyes narrowed in dismay, while I watched the red clad turtle return to his solo training.

"First of all, Raphael," I drew out his name like it was an insult, "The sooner I can learn to fight, the better. I don't care about pain - I've been through enough of it that I'm pretty sure I could handle sore muscles. Second, I don't want people waiting on me. It's kinda the reason I wanna learn to fend for myself. And third, I already asked Leo. He refused, so I'm here, talking to you. I'm not asking you to go easy on me - I need training. And I want it as soon as possible."

Raph paused, one sai suspended in midair, embedded in what would be his imaginary enemy's chest.

"Why would you wanna learn how to fight?" He asked, sheathing his weapons in his belt, "You don't seem like the type of girl to want unnecessary violence..."

"My motivation isn't unnecessary," I argued, gritting my teeth in irritation, "I want to take down the Kraang. I'm getting my old self back."

"I also didn't peg you as the stupid type," Raph added, unfazed by my declaration, "Take down an entire alien race? On your own? You must have a death wish or something, Princess."

I glared at the hothead, my usually submissive temper flaring. "I'm not joking around here! Soon as I'm healed, I'm out of here."

"Good riddance. You're a nuisance anyways."

"You son of a....!"

I no longer cared about Donatello's warning not to strain myself, winding up my arm and throwing my clenched fist at Raph, waiting for either the satisfying thud of my punch hitting its target, or the sickening crack of my knuckles against his mountain of muscle.

Instead, I felt his palm engulf my own, effectively stopping my momentum without injuring my hand.

Raph snorted condescendingly, remolding my hand. "Keep punching like that and you'll break your thumb. Curl your fingers in first. And don't just use your arm's strength - if you're as weak as you look, you're gonna need to put a lot more of your body weight into it if you wanna cause any damage."

I blinked, looking down at my reformed fist and nodding. "Okay..."

"You want a forgiving trainer that's gonna congratulate you for trying your best, you came to the wrong place."

"I don't want that."

"Good. We start before the rest of the team begins training. 4 AM until you're completely healed. Then we'll see what happens from there."

He released my hand without another word, returning to his shadow sparring. I was left speechless for a moment, until I finally hobbled out of the dojo, smiling to myself and figuring I might as well turn in now, if I wanted to be refreshed for tomorrow...

"What was that all about?"

I shrieked, stumbling back and losing my balance. A strong green hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me upright before I could fall.

"Leo," I breathed, relieved when I saw his dark blue eyes.

"Please tell me you didn't fall down the stairs," Raph called from inside in a piqued tone. 

"No, I'm fine," I shouted back, my tail flicking as I shifted back from the leader in front of me, "Hello, Leo."

"You are not training."

"And you are mistaken. You don't own me."

"I already told you, you're still recovering--"

"I'm meeting with Raphael tomorrow morning to begin building up my strength. No matter what it takes, I'm getting my revenge on the freaks who did this to me."

Leo ran a hand down his face. "Liz, I understand you're upset--"

"Upset? That's the understatement of the century--"

"-- but revenge is never the answer. Trust me, I've seen how it can tear people apart from the inside out."

I tore my gaze away furiously. "They made me like this. I can't even sleep at night without..."

Pictures in my head came into a piercing clarity of the nightmares and horrors I was forced to relive every single evening. Memories of pain and agony beyond the physical wounds came rushing up inside me, making me forcefully swallow down the forming lump in my throat.

"This isn't me," I held up my hands to show my scaly skin and webbed fingers, "I know you all have made a life for yourselves, as mutants. But this isn't my life. I want my life back, Leo. And I'm going to fight for it, with or without your help."

Leonardo peered at me, searching my expression for something he obviously didn't find. He said nothing, only stared at me with a look of inveterate worry. He finally turned away, walking past me into the dojo.

"I'll help you. But you have to promise me you'll be careful," He murmured as he shut the Japanese screen behind him, cutting off the conversation then and there.

I sighed to myself, gazing out over the wide expanse that was the living room. 

A lair beneath New York City.

Completely hidden from the outside world. Unexposed to the everyday life of a human.

I never thought I would be wishing to be normal. All my life, I'd strived against the mainstream, peer-pressured flow many others were forced into. But now... now I was just wishing I could walk back into the high school - heck, back out into the sunlight - without sending everyone else  screaming in the other direction.

Mutants aren't monsters. I didn't think the Turtles were freaks. They'd been kind to me when I thought no one else was (with the exception of Raph). But this world wasn't for me. I missed my mom. I missed my old life. I was going to get it back, no matter how hard I had to fight.

"Hey, Liz!"

The volume of Mikey's shout was nearly enough to send me into panic. I forced down the hysteria threatening to bubble out of me. 

"Yes?" I called softly back, my scales no longer prickling with fear.

"I'm making cookies!" The exuberant turtle explained, his green head popping out of the kitchen archway, a droopy chef's hat and the flour dusting his face and plastron making him look slightly disheveled.

I forced a smile onto my lips, struggling down the stairs. "Great. I'll help you."

His cheeky grin faded, eyes flicking to my injuries individually, not trying to hide his traveling gaze as he gave me a concerned once-over.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'm not completely useless," I replied quietly, and somehow, despite my hideous appearance and jumbled thoughts and degrading PTSD nagging at me in the back of my mind, I believed that.

I hobbled toward him, keeping my smile unwavering and glancing around at the kitchen. 

I was getting my revenge. I was going to get my life back. But that didn't mean I shouldn't get to being happy with the people helping me to accomplish that.