After our little run-in Stockman's unexpected Maze of Doom, the next night, we went to spy on TCRI and what those alien bastards were up to thistime. Needless to say that Donnie forced us to do it as he insisted that something bad would happen here. Point was that we were sitting on a roof, viewing the building for almost an hour and nothing was happening here. Nothing.
An irritated sigh flew from my lips as my legs dangled from the edge of the roof, the heels of my shoes lightly hitting the coarse brick wall of the building. Blue and Donnie were looking at the dig building with impatience, both checking Don's T-Phone just in case something happened. The other two stood behind us and minded their own personal business, mostly Raph 'cause Mikey was playing a game on his T-Phone. One of those stupid app games he'd convinced Donnie to download into our T-Phones. But that doesn't mean that I was completely focused on our mission. Not at all, to be accurate.
You see, ever since I saw that weird vision, I couldn't stop thinking of it. Nor replaying it more than twice in my head like it was a video on YouTube. My instinct always told me to be careful from now on 'cause, if this vision comes true in the near future, I'm doomed. The point was this though: I didn't know what happened earlier and why I got electro-shocked by the two vampires. I just saw myself running away and ending up electro-shocked and passed out. Nothing more, nothing else. And I was baffled. Clueless. The important 'message' that vision yelled from miles away was that I had to watch out for everything. I didn't know how or why but I had to do it. For my security and my own good.
"Nothing happening at TCRI."
"Yet." Donnie's voice pulled me out of my thoughts and somehow I focused on our spy. He and Blue gazed down on his T-Phone and then jumped back to TCRI, as if waiting for an abrupt explosion to bring the building down in flames. I followed their gaze and started to the skyscraper, the edges of my vision earning a black, almost visible color. Probably from the fatigue and the fact that I couldn't sleep as much since my thoughts were spinning out of control like a crazy man on an empty street and the stupid vision stuck in there.
A pair of strong and muscled arms wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me into a hug from behind and a soft-like wish kiss planted on my head. "Hey there, pretty." Blue's characteristic but so cute and sexy voice whispered in my ears with his hot breath fanning my neck. "Hey there, handsome," I replied with a smirk but my eyes kept focusing on TCRI.
"Having fun?" he asked, much to my boredom. "Nope. I prefer my bed and you ready to fuck me." I whispered suavely, smile widening as my turtle boyfriend coughed awkwardly. I laughed and turned to him with a smile brighter than Mikey's and saw him with a cute for me, awkward for him, look and a soft pink blush rising on his forest green cheeks. Sweat ran down his forehead and I laughed more. "Ya know, I wasn't being that serious. I just have a really kinky imagination." I teased and he just looked away, even more embarrassed.
This turtle has a lot of things to learn.
"This game is awesome! The combat is so realistic!" Mikey exclaimed electronic fighting sounds followed next. With a simple eyeroll I glanced at Blue who had his blush on his cheeks but he didn't dare look at me again. "You want me to make it more realistic?" Raph asked, annoyed enough with our little brother as his fists clenched and his glare showed completely what he wanted to do. A morph of my own annoyance spread on my face, replaced with a shake of my whole head. Please, Raph. Don't play the tough guy again. This is so fucking boring. "Guys, stop messing around," Blue ordered, rising off the floor but never sparing me another glance. Just because I used to talk about sex doesn't mean it has to be so weird for him or the others. Besides, we'll all do it someday. Anyway, Mikey ignored Blue completely and Raph just scoffed, walking away from the two.
"According to the Kraang storage device that I decrypted, some kind of scouting ship is coming through the Kraang portal tonight." Donnie said, glancing for one more time at his T-Phone like it would change something. "Yeah, sure. Like ghosts will come out tonight and spook us from under the bed." I replied, sarcasm thick in my tone. "So we all have to stay alert," Blue concluded, eyeing only Mikey who once again, ignored him. I scoffed and folded my arms on my chest and looked at my baby bro with a blank glare. I knew that he wasn't always in those patrols and missions Blue put us in but, he had to understand that if he wanted to prevent a stupid alien invasion, he must obey to what the Leader in Blue ordered and help the best he can.
"Yeah, you never know what could sneak up on you."
What the fuck she wants now? Karai landed on her feet, opposite to us and her amber eyes looked at us with tease, likewise. "She had to come here, hadn't she?" I muttered to myself as Blue drew out his katanas, warning Karai that he wasn't in the best mood. Then, they started to fight, leaving the rest of us watching them with a blank look. "I hate when she does that." Donnie said out of blue. "We all do." I replied and stood up.
"Guys!"
A coy smirk played on the edges of my lips as I unsheathed my tanto from my hip and sprinted to my ex-best friend. Mikey yelled his usual phrase, confusing Karai a lot. She raised an eyebrow and threw her head back as she laughed. "Booyakasha? What does that even mean?" she asked, reminding me of how Jewel would react whenever she heard anything like...well, like that.
"I don't know. But it's fun to yell!" Mikey replied with a shrug before he threw his kusarigama chain towards her. Karai stabbed her foot on the black metallic chain, dragging Mikes with it. She landed a powerful kick on his shell and that sent him away from us but not off the roof. With a leap, I locked my tanto with Karai's, both locking our eyes to each other. "I missed this, sis." she said, a soft and rare smile, earning a powerful kick to the gut.
"And I've missed beating your weak ass. I'm not your sister anymore." I snapped and she swept-kicked me. I did a handstand backward, managing to kick her right on her face before her own sweep-kick reached my legs. "C'mon Rowan, you seriously hate me that much?" she asked, an eyeroll evident in her tone, and my fangs popped out, sharper than ever. My vision filled with those red spots again so as my thoughts with venom and hate for her.
"I do, bitch."
Before I could attack her though, Blue prevented me and once again, he started fighting with that...bullshit creature of community. I peered closer at her pretty but so hated face and realized that she was smirking and blushing at myboyfriend. My vision became red and my claws unsheathed, ready to claw out anything I found in front of me. A gasp from Donnie, a confused "What the shell?" from Raph and a gulp from Mikey was so close to me but so far away from my hearing and thoughts.
And this was the first time the "True Face" of my vampire side appeared.
"You really know how to make a girl feel welcome." her voice rang in my ears, exploding my anger and fury but also, caused the total loss of control of myself.
No One's POV
As Karai remained locked into combat with Leo, Rowan stalked as she crept closer to the fighting pair, the turtles' shouts and pleas in the background ignored. Her eyes were red instead of her normal icy blue color, while her fangs became razor-sharp. Karai flipped away from Leo, unaware of the unexpected hit of Rowan's who came even closer to her. "I heard the scrawny one mention the Kraang. What's going on?" her question wasn't full of curiosity like always, more than gossipy just because she wanted to distract her enemies and complete the mission her father, Shredder, gave her.
"None of your fuckin' business, whore."
Her head turned to the source of the cold voice and in an instant moment, her amber eyes widened at Rowan's threatening and dark figure. Leo turned his head too at Rowan, and his jaw slacked in shock. "Rowny? What the—?" she shot him a murderous glare, red blood-like eyes piercing his sapphire blues. It pierced his soul and almost gave him a heart attack. Her voice, cold, threatening, dark echoed in his head like a loud and clear ring of a bell, hopefully not his last; Shut up or I'll drink all of your sweet blood. Her head snapped back to Karai. The kunoichi couldn't believe what was happening that moment. How her best friend just became a...monster in seconds. "Rowan...What the—? What's wrong with you?" came the slew of shocked questions. But the answer never came as Rowan attacked her and knocked her away. Blood gushed down from Karai's mouth as a surprised expression marred her face, eyes locked on her blood red eyes. The turtles gasped in fright and Leo sprinted over to his girlfriend and managed to hold her back.
Rowan struggled in her effort of escaping from Leo's grasp, grunts and moans hearing all over. "Let me go! Let me go right now!" she demanded in a shrill, foreboding tone, landing weak elbow hits on his shell. Leo pulled her back and his brothers helped him to hold her back. Karai stood up, still reeling in shock by what happened. How, why the hell did this have to happen? To Rowan? Karai gave a glance at Rowan, millions of questions flying in her mind and thoughts but all of them answered by this;
Rowan is a vampire.
Thunder boomed around them and their heads turned to TCRI as purple clouds weaved around the skyscraper. "This can't be good." Leo gulped as he struggled to hold Rowan back. Karai let her eyes widened for one more time that night as a gasp escaped from her red lips. "Uhm, guys...I think I need to change my shell." Mikey said in shock.
An alien scouting ship came out from a double opened door.
Rowan's POV
Several stinging slaps from Raph, water balloons from Mikey, and Blue's desperate pleads, I finally gained my self-control and got rid of my True Face. Donnie just stayed in his lab, analyzing and brewing another mixture of varied chemicals while we stayed in the living room. Outwardly, Blue looked relatively calm, but I knew him better; I could see something akin to anxiousness behind his sapphire eyes, and as a result, he was pacing back and forth from behind me. Raph seemed unbothered as he pummeled the punching dummy, while Mikey watched him with interest. Well, that was weird.
So far none of them said anything about...it. They hardly showed any emotion of the sudden"transformation" and they didn't even look like they cared. Not at all. It only upped my anxieties about the fact that all of them were afraid of me. But we were family, and I knew they wouldn't show it outwardly so they wouldn't hurt my feelings. care about this. They didn't understand though that nowmy feelings were shrouded by sadness, worry, and fear of what would happen next. They would never understand.
"That Kraang ship is incredibly dangerous. We've gotta figure out what it's doing here." Blue said and I rolled my eyes. Of course, we had to figure out why the fuck this stupid ship was in New York! What the hell was he even thinking?
"Or we could just skip to the part where we destroy it." Raph piped up as he punched down the dummy with Mikey draggin' it to his side.
"Ladies and gentlemen, behold the pure genius of Raphael's oh-so brilliant plan," I quipped, sarcasm thick as I sighed and slid out my T-Phone. I didn't need to turn around as I could feel the burning holes Raph was no doubt shooting me, a promise of death but I didn't find myself being body-slammed into a very bulky, very heavy turtle. I automatically assumed that he was a little afraid of my True Face.
"Yeah? And what's your clever idea, huh?" he demanded, earning a scoff of mine. "Something that doesn't involve you mindlessly banging your fists on a metal panel," I fired back, scrolling through my messages. My sensitive ears caught a growl of his and a quiet laugh of Mikey's who commented sarcastically to his brother; "You're pretty tough when they can't hit you back." A yelp of fear came next, telling me that Raph warned him to shut up with a punch. How obvious.
My finger touched a banner of messages between me and Jewel, with the last messages showed up so as the keyboard, awaiting my fingers to type in another message.
"So what are we waiting for? Let's load up the Shellraiser and challenge that thing to a rematch!" Raph retorted and a skyward eyeroll was my own reply. First, that scouting ship flew, second the Shellraiser couldn't fly and the third but not least, our weapons couldn't defeat that ship. And Donnie couldn't even build a weapon so fast in order to demolish that thing. It needed a lot of research and planning just to construct it and I wasn't gonna up and call Jewel for her own weapons. "First we need a way to find a ship that's invisible." Blue replied, taking a seat next to me. Finishing the message, I pressed the button "sent" and shut down my phone, looking at Blue with clear worry in my eyes.
He didn't even spare me one glance.
"I know, how about we shoot into the air until we hit it?" Raph suggested and I groaned in disbelief. "Do you not have an off-switch?" I asked in disbelief, hearing another growl of his. "That doesn't sound too smart." Blue pointed out and I caught another quiet laugh of Mikey's. "Yeah, Raph. Not too smart, buddy." he teased but he yelled once again. Again, I rolled my eyes skyward and shook my head. Sometimes, Raph's so tough in a stupid way.
"Actually, Raph's got something there."
I turned to Donnie, arching a curious eyebrow. He was smiling at us but I knew that smile was full of promises. "Yeah, Leo, Raph's got something there." Mikey teased Blue and he shot him a warning glare. Seriously? Mikey's acting weird all the time but today, he acted weirder than ever before. Maybe because he decided to confuse us more. "But instead of shooting objects, we'll shoot waves of electromagnetic radiation. In other words, radar. I've built some radar beacons we can set up around town. If the ship gets near us, I'll get an alarm on my T-phone." Donnie explained, showing us his radar. It really looked like an actual radar but only in a smaller edition, like a pocket edition. Blue smiled brightly and he somehow forgot his current problems, so as we. "Good work, Donnie. Come on, guys. Let's split up and place those beacons." he ordered and walked away with both Mikey and Raph following him.
Only Donnie and I stayed behind.
"Rowan, I experimented on several theories and after some re—" he started to say but I interrupted him with a "Get to the point, Don." He looked at me confused but didn't stop sayin' what he was telling me. "Well, I want you to know that you're close to blooming and finally become a full-fledged svetocha but...please, be careful 'cause there will be more...episodes like that." he said and walked away with me gawking at him sort of shocked. Close to bloom?! Oh, great. That moment, I was sure that I was close to becoming what I was avoiding to think:
A monster.
My T-Phone vibrated in my pocket, shoving away all of my thoughts. I pulled it out and tapped twice on the screen, seeing that Jewel answered my text. This should help lift my mood. Sliding my finger on the right, the screen showed me the full text which seemed to be filled with loathing, anger, and some sort of boredom.
Look, I know that all of this supernatural shit happens to you while I'm traveling 'round, whether it's a big competition or fashion shoot, but I can't do anything about it because your True Face or whatever the hell you call it, is something that I ignore completely. It ain't my shit to deal with. And, please, don't ever bring up the issue of "Karai and her road for forgiveness" 'cause I swear, I'll never talk to you again. Am I clear?
After ending reading the text, a frown of anger along with a sigh of frustration became my answer to the whole message. Great, I thought bitterly, even Fire Queen can't help me.
I shut down my phone and followed the turtles, muttering under my breath curses to Jewel. I know she's not the best in comforting but I knew how bitter and honest she can be over something that matters to her. And for that certain theme, she just tried to avoid it. 'Cause she didn't know her exact feelings about it. But still, she had to find them sooner or later.
Or something else will happen to both of us.
"A little more..."
With a pout, I turned to him and shot him a glare. "I know how to place a radar, okay?" I snapped, earning an embarrassing blush and a curt nod of his. "Sorry. And heck if you didn't." he replied but I simply ignored him, continuing placing the radar on an air vent. Blue placed a hand around my shoulders, eyes watching my hands doin' their work in total silent.
Minutes later, when my work was done, Blue gave me a thumbs up and called Donnie who answered his call fast. "Tribeca beacon installed," he announced, a light kiss planted on my cheekbone. "That's the last of them. Raph and Mikey are finished too." our genius brother replied through the speaker. "Kk. See ya back at the lair!" I said and Blue hung up. Before we could even make a single move, my jiggling rang in my head loud and clear, yelling—no—screaming in my ears that somebody was behind us. With an unsheathe of my claws, I turned back and locked my white but sharp nails to Karai's tanto, eyeing her with hate and venom. "Seriously, this is just annoying," I said, bothered, earning a saddened look of hers. "I'm just trying to—"
Blue knocked her away from me and they started to fight with me watching them in anger. She had again that blush on her cheeks and her amber eyes shone with such adore for my boyfriend that...ugh, deep breaths Rowan. Deep fucking breaths. I couldn't let the True Face take full control of me again. No way.
"This is getting old, Karai," Blue deadpanned as Karai flipped away, slapping on one of her famous teasing smirks. "I want to help you fight the Kraang," she said. "Yeah right. You helping us—fight the Kraang? Well, that—" I replied before an unstoppable laugh erupted like an explosive volcano, confusing a lot Karai but not Blue who seemed to enjoy somehow that.
"Ya made my night Karai! More than Jewel does!" I hooted as I wiped a stray year from my eye. Karai's eyes widened at the reminder of her former 'deceased' friend, but Blue raised a curious eye-ridge, eyes holding a question pointed towards me. "Jewel? Who's Jewel?" he asked, cutting my laugh in half. My eyes widened to saucers so as Karai's and we glanced at each other. His impatience couldn't let him hanging from a tightrope though so, he crossed his hands and tapped rhythmically a three-fingered foot on the concrete ground. "Rowny, who's Jewel?" he repeated, adding conviction to her name and I looked around, my mind spinning in order to find a possible answer so that it wouldn't reveal anything.
I couldn't let him know about her and my past, yet.
"Oh, you're talking about Jewel Peterson! A famous Youtuber! She's an awesome comedian by the way." I lied, plastering on a what I hoped was a convincing enough smile for him, convincing him at last. "Oh, sorry," he said and looked back at Karai with annoyance. Phew! One more stupid move of mine and he would have learned about my realpast and not the one I was saying to people here and there. That was a relief.
"Really? No, of course not," he said much to her disappointment. "We're enemies. You want to destroy us. You're loyal to Shredder...Should I keep going?" he added, raising three fingers, countering the reasons why we shouldn't trust her. Her eyes turned from shocked into slits, anger dancing around them. "Look, if the Kraang win, we don't have a planet anymore," she replied, taking a step closer to us. "That makes our little fight seem pretty pointless, doesn't it?" she added, glancing over to my side for a while. "I doubt Shredder would agree." my boyfriend simply said and Karai frowned. "Shredder is stubborn and short-sighted," she snapped, taking another step closer to us, eyes burning with anger. I scoffed.
You're telling me.
"He drives me crazy. His stupid vendetta is gonna take us all down. He may not be able to see that, but I know you two do."—highly doubt about that—"What do you say? Work together for now?" she asked, her hand outstretched for either Blue or me to shake it. My turtle boyfriend glanced at it and then back at Karai, eyes telling her clearly that he didn't trust her anymore. "Sorry, sister," he replied and leaped off the roof leaving Karai staring after his retreating form in surprise and me, flying on the ninth cloud. But as I prepared myself to follow him, Karai called my name, and ice struck me, and I stood still and taut on the roof. With a sharp turn, I glared at the girl who destroyed my whole life, as her father did.
"What the hell do you want now, you fucking slut?" I demanded, using my cold and threatening voice, catching Karai by surprise. Her eyes hardened, a snarl curling her ruby red lips, her eyes watering at the corners but it didn't deter me in the slightest bit. "Why can't you just trust me?" she stressed through gritted teeth. A tear fell down her cheek, sliding down to her jaw and falling on her armor. My nails turned to claws which scratched my folded arms as my eyes narrowed in venomous, murderous slits.
"I think you of all people would know," I replied coldly. "After all these years, you seriously expect me to forgive you?" I added with much more anger. More and unstoppable tears flowed down Karai's cheeks and she moved closer to me, her glare still intact. "How many times do I have to apologize?" she snapped, "How many?" Her hands extended to my side, more and more tears flowing down with her makeup destroying slowly. "You want me to shout it from the rooftops?! Fine! I'm sorry, Rowan, I'm sorry!" she shouted at an unspeakable volume, angering me more and more each sec.
In the end, I slapped her.
Her glare was instantly replaced with a shocked face, giving me the opportunity to say this; "You and I are over, you tell anyone about Julie, you are dead, hear me? Stick with that." Then, I super-sped away, leaving her behind, as she let out a disgruntled, chocked scream. I knew that I acted like a total bitch and all you gotta say about me but...I wanted this to happen. I wanted her to feel the pain like I did all these years. I wanted her heart to ache, break and never become the same, as mine did so many years ago.
I want her to suffer.
Blue was waiting for me in the sewers where we took our way back to the lair. The others waited for us to come, teasing us like always 'till Splinter said it was time for training. That night, Tania and April were with us, as they badly wanted to train after centuries as they so eloquently put it. So, yeah, I decided to keep practicing some katas 'cause I sensed April having a small problem with their performance. Tania did them better but she needed some time to be a master of 'em. Not that she didn't try to.
The turtles were sitting on the mats with Sensei standing in front of them. Blue finally revealed the real reason why we were late. Mostly what he did up there since I denied to expose anything. But I knew that Splinter understood what happened between me and Karai, considering my mood and my fangs were still razor-sharp and they hadn't retracted back into my gums yet. Plus, the fact that my True Face appeared when she was there in first place. It's nice to know that somebody understands you even if he hates something to be spoken.
"I know we shouldn't trust Karai. But still, I got the sense she really is fed up with Shredder." Blue said to the others, who stared at him with a look between disbelief and amusement. Point was that he couldn't stop talking about that slut's offer of companionship, something he shouldn't even be talking about let alone thinking about it. He trusted her. He believed her words. He still had that crush on her.
I just wished he could hear the sharp 'SHRRIP!' of my heart.
"That's probably just what she wants you to think." Raph interjected firmly and a smirk played at the edges of my lips. Well would you look at that. There is a brain underneath all that bulk and muscle.
Apes was giving me a weird look as she punched a wall facing her. She squealed in pain with Tania grinning and me shaking my head in disappointment. "You weren't paying attention. You gotta keep her spine erect if you wanna make so much of a dent in the wall. Here, lemme show you." I instructed and demonstrated to her the kata, straining my ears in listening to the boys' conversation.
"I know, but...Sensei, is there any chance she's for real?" Blue asked, curiosity filling his tone and my eyes narrowed. Of course, she wasn't for real! What the hell was he thinking?
"It is possible. Loyalties have been known to shift. But the kunoichi is trained to use deception to her advantage." Sensei replied and cold sweat ran down my spine as I could feel his eye flickering over to me for the shortest second. I ignored him just because I didn't want to give something that the others might find suspicious. And I kept showing April the kata.
"So she either will or won't betray us?" Blue asked. "Correct." Sensei replied, "You must trust your instincts. But beware the trap of believing something to be true simply because you wish it to be so." Yeah, sure. Like this would have helped us with our case. Karai's a snake. A lethal snake that was high on the thirst for bloodlust and the need to destroy everything in its path. Like father, like daughter. Deception? Ha! She's a master! But Julie and I are the best. My dad taught me the best techniques of deception, along with Jewel's father, reminding both of us to trust nobody. My dad always told me to be careful with Shredder, even if I'm in his clan. And now, I know better. And even Karai can't defeat me.
"So I should trust my instincts unless my instincts are wrong?" Blue asked uncertainly and I scoffed. I preferred him not to trust his instinct in that. Everything will go wrong. I'm sure. "Correct." Sensei replied and his soft footsteps retreated back into his room. April did right the kata, earning a smile of mine as a praise. "Uh...Thanks, Sensei." Blue replied, clearly not satisfied with Sensei's words. "Whoa! You know it's good advice when you're still confused afterward." Mikey exclaimed in awe. Tania giggled and I saw her cheeks dusted a hot red color, and it couldn't be any clearer that she head-over-heels for the turtle in orange. I rolled my eyes, my thoughts yelling unstoppably in my head:
Be a fucking couple already!
"Guys, seriously. An alliance with Karai? No way! Why are we even talking about this?" Raph barked irritably and my face brightened up after hours. But I said nothing 'cause I didn't want to cause any more trouble between the two of us.
"It's too bad we can't trust her," Donnie replied and I narrowed my eyes at him, and my skin burned with rage, my blood boiling like water on a hot stove and I could feel it bubble up to the surface. Red slithered into the corner of my vision and I tried to stop myself from it happening again, but the rage was stronger. A silent "uh-oh" by Tania was the only thing my ears caught before my fist—when did I clench it?—socked the tree hard. I didn't feel the pain, only blood trickling down my fingers from when my sharp claws pierced into the skin. My hand turned into a curled shape and a deep scar on the tree followed next with my vision slowly turning red as Donnie said; "It would be nice to have a kunoichi on our side." Fortunately, the guys didn't watch the whole show. With a scowl, I scratched once again the tree, deeper this time and walked out, frustrated.
Enough was enough.
I fumed as I slammed open my bedroom door, stomping with fury into my room. I heard the sharp click of the door shut and my rage flickered off for the briefest second, replaced by confusion. But then I remembered from what my books on vampires wrote; that we have some kind of telepathy and we can move objects whenever we want. Uh...well, that meant for the full vampires and damphirs, not for a svetocha who's not bloomed yet.
With a roll of my eyes, I plopped on my bed, a small, animalistic growl bubbling in my throat. What sin have I committed anyway? I was a naïve and mindless child who wanted to protect her family from evil and sacrificed herself by diving into the Foot Clan. Shredder gained the upper hand in my life, turning me into what I hate the most: A dangerous, murderous soldier who's loyal to her master but she doesn't even know what happiness means.
This is what that bastard made me. And now...I can't get rid of it. That bad side of mine is revealed and included in my routine. And I...I'm just goin' with the flow. Without a parental guidance, without even remembering what parental protection means. I'm just following an endless route in my life, unknown of what will possibly happen. I'm so busted. I'm so confused. Once again, my thoughts flowed back to my deceased parents. The good memories I had of them. How much I missed them and how much I needed them at that moment. I wanted their hug, their comforting hug, those "Its okay sweetie, we're here.", our usual picnics with Jewel and Akio.
Everything.
But life was never easy, wasn't it? I have to learn to survive all alone under those circumstances our fucking community forced us into. I have to learn to trust, fight and judge the bad from the good people into this "concrete jungle" like I call it. 'Cause, yeah, our nowadays cities are like jungles with concrete buildings as huge trees. And I have to do all of these because my parents are dead.
"They're dead," I whispered to myself, looking at my red with black and white drawings closet facing opposite to me. Why don't ya say it a little louder? a voice echoed in my head and ears. Say it. They're dead.
"They're dead."
Is that all you have?
"They're dead!"
Girl, you're so—
"THEY'RE DEAD!"
With a scream, the tears burst like a pipe and poured down my cheeks, jaw, and neck, unstoppable sobs coming ripping out from my mouth. My eyes closed, my hands flew up to my mouth and I kept crying and crying. Somebody swung open the door, feet sprinting to me and my bed. "Rowny, honey, I'm here. Everything's okay, I promise." Blue's voice was close to me and his powerful, protective wrapped around my back and head, light kisses planted on my head. He sat on my bed and I rested on his shell. "I'm here. You're safe," he whispered to me, and I just kept crying. I couldn't find my voice, not even the strength of opening my mouth and forming words. My body was numb, trembling into his strong arms and I just cried.
I just cried.
"Guys, I think I've got something."
Glancing behind me, I saw Donnie looking with curiosity his T-Phone, causing us to await what he wanted to say with much more curiosity and impatience. Blue wrapped his large sized hand around my small wrist, fingers rubbing my hand with gentleness of a feather. Ever since my outburst, we haven't talked about it, nor he asked anything about it. Something that I got used to him all these years I know him but also, a small freedom for me to think over again the past events without anybody else pressuring me.
We stayed in my room for a lot of time until he was sure I was alright. He hugged me tightly, telling me over again that everything was alright and he was there...everything a parent would say to their child whenever they had a nightmare. No questions, just him and I staying sort of quiet and hugging each other. Still, I could sense his worry all over his aura. His eyes shining with much more concern than any other time.
"Doesn't match any authorized flight patterns. It's gotta be the Kraang ship!" Don kept saying, his face morphing in shock. I felt Blue's hand tighten around my wrist but I just ignored him and kept driving, looking the road from the screens in front of me. I had to focus on driving and our current mission. Not to my problems. "Or Santa!" Mikey exclaimed happily and my eyes rolled skyward. Seriously? Santa's not coming during summer, Mikey! Ugh, I give up. Mikey's in his own world.
Spotting the Kraang ship, I pressed the pedal and stopped the Shellraiser. I guess that the Kraang knew where to find us, at last… What a pleasure. "Nope, it's the Kraang ship...Ugh, that's a bummer." Mikey said as the ship fired a laser on us. I looked at it with a huge pout and tapped my fingers on the wheel. "I just love our lucky side." I droned and started to drive away when Raph screamed to move fast like hell. The ship followed us, laser shots firing here and there with me trying to avoid them. "Hang on to your shells boys! Cause this will be extreme!" I yelled to the turtles, taking a shortcut. Man, if this didn't happen to us, I would gladly enjoy it with my heart. But, anyway, why a stupid scouting ship is following us and wants to destroy us? Are we some kind of guinea?
"I think I've figured out its mission. Us!"
My eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and my mouth dropped open and if I was a cartoon, my tongue would have slid down to the floor. Why haven't I thought it earlier? Those stupid robots want to demolish us because we know about them and their plan. They want to prevent us from what we want to to do. "Mikey, we need an escape route!" Blue yelled to the said turtle while I turned the Shellraiser left and right, doing zigzags, avoiding all the shots. "Take the alley on the right!" Mikes yelled and I did what he said.
But it was a dead end.
"It's a dead end, Mikey!" I yelled in anger and he shrugged sheepishly. "Don't take the alley on the right!" he replied and I just laid on my chair. "Thanks for your help." I retorted as the Shellraiser started to shake under a laser shot. The turtles screamed in total fear while I tried to think of something that it would help us to survive. But nothing came up. "Any ideas?" I asked all of them but none said something. Raph wordlessly walked over to Mikey and banged his fists against the turtles' shell, Mikey protesting with shouts of pain. Well, that was stupid. And pointless since there was no way for us to go back in time. My ears caught a female grunt, metal against metal and something flying away, taking with it all the other sounds. Who would have done something so...dangerous? Oh, yeah. Only one. Since the other one was in Russia or something.
"That was Karai!"
I whipped my head at Blue, fury boiling inside me once again when I saw his eyes shining with worry and...friendly love?! He—what?! "We've gotta go back and help her!" he added, eyes now looking at me with impatience. "Rowny, drive please." he pleaded but I did nothing. "That bitch can take care of herself. Alone. Without your help." I snidely sneered, narrowing my eyes so as Blue. "Yeah, Leo! Let's put some distance between that thing and us." Raph agreed. There was no fucking way, I was gonna follow a stupid flying object just because the "leader" told me to. Nuh-ah. When I said I wanted Karai to suffer, and I meant it. "She deserves to die after all." I said with Blue looking at me in shock.
"Hell, no."
My eyes widened at him and he just kept glaring me. What the—? Did he just say what I think he just said? What you all read? An awkward silence spread in the Shellraiser, all of us hiding something. Shock, impress or even...nothing. Donnie tried to say something, anything to stop my boyfriend from doing what he was thinking but...his mouth shut again, turning into a thin line. Blue stood up, reaching the hatch of the stealth bike, us being silent. Untying my seatbelt, I walked up to him, a hand tightening on his shoulder. "Don't" you even dare—"
"Shut. Up."
The look he gave me wasn't of anger or...hate, like I thought so but, full of disappointment directed towards me. My heart cracked, the cracking sound echoing in my ears and my jaw slacked, tears welled up into my eyes and my bottom lip wobbled.
"Drive and don't talk," he ordered and got in the opened—when did he do that?—hatch, seating on the stealth bike. "I'll meet you back underground!" he added, sharing somehow his energy and pressure for that moment. "Hey! The stealth bike's my thing!" Raph argued and Blue narrowed his eyes. "Now your thing is sucking it up." he retorted closing the hatch. "Hey, that's my thing!" Donnie argued but, he was already gone. My hands clenched into fists, head lowered and eyes closed shut as I tried to hold back the upcoming tears, my mouth filling with their salty taste. I didn't mean to make Blue feel so...disappointed with me. I just tried to protect him from Karai's spell. Her magic spell which dove him in and...he fell in love with her.
And I couldn't do anything but watch.
"So...what are we gonna do now?" Mikey broke the tension, the question mostly directed at me. Three pairs of eyes stared at me, waiting for me to say anything. Silently, I walked back to my seat, leaving a tear to slide down to my cheek while I started over the Shellraiser. "We're going back underground," I ordered and drove away. That silence we had when Blue left, brought up again to us and the only sounds heard were the engine of the Shellraiser and our breaths. I could sense the air around us thick, full of curiosity, surprise, and unspoken words. That was a small relief for me because I wanted to relax and clear my head from all those hurtful thoughts. I needed it. Minutes later, we got in the underground and I stopped the Shellraiser. My back laid on the chair and my eyes closed, finally feeling relaxed. But that relax didn't last for long as Mikey asked...
"Dudette, are you jealous of Karai?"
My eyes snapped open and I made a full turn back, almost glaring Mikey. "What makes you say that?" I asked, an obvious edge to the bite of my tone, raising an eyebrow. His baby blue eyes widened and his muscles stiffened.
"Well, according to your current emotion and the fact that you're always angry whenever she's with us." Donnie replied with me giving him a death glare. "Just because of I don't like her, that doesn't mean that I have to be okay with her." I replied and turned back to the pitch black screens in front of me. And yes, I was somehow jealous of Karai. Blue seemed so...obsessed with her. Whenever she showed up, he just forgot about me and fought her, both sharing a couple of "friendly" words. It broke my heart! Not to mention that multiple thoughts popped up in my mind, of those two getting together or us breaking up. I just...I just wanted him to forget her, forever. I love him so much that I can't think him and I breaking up.
"We're back!"
We?!
After our little debate with Karai about destroying the Kraang ship, with a shoulder-fired missile launcher, we turned back to the lair. Mikey and Raph were playing on the pinball machine, with Mikey being super excited about the weapon Karai promised us to bring at the docs.
Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention that we'll meet at the docs while Shredder will receive lots of weapons from an old friend of his. And the fact that she will steal a weapon. I just can't understand what's her target. What the fuck does she want to accomplish? Our trust? Say she does that, what will happen next? She'll capture us and take us to Shred-head? I already know she's just gonna have us captured the first chance she gets. Karai was a manipulative snake, ready to chew out her next
"Stoked! I can't believe we're getting a missile launcher. What should we blow up first?" Mikey gushed and I gave him a look. "Uh…the Kraang ship?" I said, sarcasm thick in my voice as I popped a bright red berry into my mouth. Another habit of Jewel's I picked: an unhealthy obsession with fruits such as berries. Every kind of berry. While I never understood the point of her going vegan, I will admit, these are pretty tasty.
"Oh, right." Mikey replied, "What should we blow up second?"
I rolled my eyes as a reply and popped in another berry. Damn I hate it when that girl is right. These are friggin delicious!
"If Karai can pull it off." Blue retorted, punching the dummy. He was angry for reasons I couldn't even understand but something deep inside me whispered that he was angry with both me and Karai. Why? No idea.
"Are you worried about your girlfriiiiiend? I see why you guys do that now. It's kind of fun!" Donnie teased before I turned my bowl upside down on his head. Berries fell on his lap, couch, and floor and his smile vanished.
Giving him one last glare, I walked away, desiring nothing more than the silence of my bedroom. Kicking my door shut, I sat on the chair my desk had, eyeing the items the wooden surface of my desk had on it. Books, pencils, pens, some frames with photos, my T-Phone charging on my right…Nothing unusual in general. And, it was clear. My eyes stared at a picture with pink, red and black hearts on the frame where a colorful photo showed three girls smiling devilishly at the camera.
The three of us.
Unconsciously, I brought the frame closer and stared. A small smirk appeared on my lips as I gazed at our 8-year-old and 9 selves, carrying our first ever tanto blades. We seemed so happy together and so innocent, without the murderous grin on Jewel, dangerous flash of teeth on me, and the lethal gleam in Karai's eyes as we were more accustomed to using those on missions or training sessions. I took out the photo from the frame, turning it on its white paper. A small text was written on it in black, red and pink.
11/ 09/ 2010
Our friendship is strong. We are strong, together. All for one and one for all!
Jewel, Rowan, Karai
The photo was then sliced in half. The text was cut and when I turned it forward, I saw myself in half. The one half with Jewel and the other one with Karai. My teeth grinded hard and I crinkled the piece of paper with Karai, throwing it across the desk. The other half of the picture put in a drawer and my eyes stared at the crinkled piece of paper, a flash of memory popping up.
Five years earlier
"Jewel! Rowan! What are you still doing here? You should be on patrol!" a younger Karai scolded at the two girls standing several feet away from her. Jewel's eyes narrowed and she gave the older a dark glare, taking a threatening step towards her. Something akin to murder flashed in midnight blue orbs as she crossed her arms and a dark scowl marred her pretty features, "What, you sayin' you can't handle it all on your own? The girl who claims to be the highest ranking than the both of us." she spat, beautiful dark blue eyes murderously dark. Amber eyes widened and Karai's ruby red lips dropped open as if she were just slapped. But then, those eyes narrowed in slits, anger shot right at Jewel. "Watch your tongue, Julia. I expect nothing but respect from the both of—"
"Or else what, you friggin' snake? It's not like you can suspend two of your best fighters." Rowan spat viciously, her own eyes now looking at her so-called best friend lethally. She couldn't believe her. Her parents and brother died two days ago, their funeral took place only a couple of hours ago and Karai just...ignored everything. Her best friend's pain, the loss of the two most important people in her life, aside from her father. How could she? Why?
Karai, on the other hand, shook her head, baffled by the girls' behavior. What the hell happened to them? Both seemed ready to attack and despair her like two hungry lions! It wasn't the first time Karai saw her best friends being so angry with something but...she had a feeling that they were angry with her. Why? She had no idea.
It was right in front of her!
A frown crossed her beautiful features as she eyed the girls with some kind of curiosity mixed with suspiciousness and hidden worry. "What's going on girls? What happened?" she asked, calmly as ever from clear interest for her friends. But both girls shot her with a murderous look, a look that she never saw from them as Jewel's hands unfolded from her chest, falling on her sides, hands becoming tight fists. "Ha! What, you care about us now? Why don't you go 'head and ask yourself the same question, you ignorant slut." she spat, venom filling each word. Millions of thoughts fulfilled with hate spun in the young model's mind all of them flowing down to her tongue but she didn't say anything. She holds herself back before the real argument started.
Karai looked at Jewel with shock and sort of surprise, zillions of thoughts coming one after another. But she couldn't even pull them in a row. "Julie, what the hell? What do you mean?" she asked again, more confused. Jewel didn't reply to her; she just kept glaring her murderously. Rowan took some steps forward until she was inches away from Karai. Her eyes burned with hate, lethal and sweet will of revenge but her features were emotionless, lips set in a thin line—the thinnest Karai ever saw on a person—and one of her clenched fists raised above her head, ready to deliver the first punch. Moments later, Rowan's mouth opened, a single phrase spat on Karai, freezing her brain and body;
"I hope you and that thing you call a soul burn in hell"
Thunder rolled across the sky.
Light from the hall seeped through the cracks of my door, spreading into the dark bedroom as I my head snapped and I caught Blue standing there, arms crossed on his chest, face set in a serious expression.
"You gonna come in or what?" I snapped as he entered the room. I looked back at my desk, the events of that night popping up back to my head and my mood changing in the worst I've ever had. With a serious "We need to talk", an unstoppable heat took the total control of my body, my eyes stared at the wooden desk.
"Okay." I replied with a gulp but never looking at his side. "Yeah, but I need you to look at me." he ordered, sounding close to irritated with me.
"I can hear you just fine, thank you." I replied, eyes still staring at the desk. My ears caught a sigh of his before he moved closer to me. "I've forgiven you for what happened earlier. Can you please look at me?" he begged. Having no other choice, I turned my head again to his side, seeing that he truly accepted the fact that I hated Karai.
"Talk."
"Aim for his armor. The electro-grenade will use the metal as a conductor to amplify the shock."
Mikey looked up and tilted his head at Donnie, raising a confused brow, clearly not understanding what the hell Donnie just said. "How much of that did I need to understand?" he asked, arching a curious eye-ridge.
Donnie pouted and shook the bomb a bit. "Aim for his armor." he replied, clipped, earning a thumbs up and smile from our little brother. "Got it!"
My eyes focused on Blue. He wasn't in the best mood since he was against the idea of hitting Shredder and finishing with that story once and for all. He seemed sad and total out of space when Raph asked but he somehow managed to give a proper answer. Our conversation back at the lair was playing all over again, like a record on repeat and I just scolded myself for being so stupid believing something that wasn't true.
"Do you still have feelings for her?"
His eyes widened and his eyebrows raised high as he took my hands and brought them up to his face. "No, of course not! Why would I?" he asked, "You know how much I love you! Just trust me, please."
"Booyakasha, ShredHead."
Mikey slung the bomb towards Shredder but, before it could hit him, Karai pushed him away with the bomb electrocuting the others.
"Are you kidding me?!" Raph snapped and I rolled my eyes in reply. What the hell did he expect? Even if he's a cruel asshole and bastard, Karai wants to protect him. "I do not understand that woman." Mikey said, shaking his head. "Who does?" I asked before Blue cried out: "Incoming!" Screaming in terror, we all jumped away as a big rocket blew up the box we were on. Standing up, my gaze met with Shredder's full of a hate one. My eyes narrowed as my hands reached for my tanto, sinking my body in a fighting position.
"Well, this can't get much worse."
Something beeped loud and clear in my sensitive ears, causing me to turn to the source of that terrible sound; Donnie and his T-Phone. "The radar! The Kraang ship is nearby!' he exclaimed as the terrible whistling sound of the scouting ship of the Kraang came close to us. Lifting my head up to the sky, I saw it flying above us and firing us laser. "Fall back, guys!" Blue ordered and we followed him without a second thought. But as I was about to reach the team, a hand grabbed my jacket and pushed me back. A yelp of surprise escaped from my lips as I fell on the concrete floor and a katana sword raised above my head, my face mirrored on the metal, surprised drew on it. I looked at Danny with anger and pressed my lips together. "Hey there, princess." he greeted with me narrowing my eyes at him. "Hey there asshole." I fired back before kicking his face and flipping myself up. I unsheathed my tanto, attacking Danny.
"What the fuck you and your turtle friends want here?" he asked while I swept-kicked him. "None of your business, Dan." I retorted flipping away. Out of my corner of eye, I saw Blue and Karai fighting again, staying close to the missile launcher.
"I thought you were better than this! I thought you were my friend!"
I ran up to my boyfriend's side, glaring Karai with hate again. But her own look was of disappointment and sadness while Danny stood beside her. "You're just as short-sighted and obsessed as Shredder!" she yelled at Blue who frowned, confused at her. "You said yourself how bad Shredder is! Why are you protecting him? You said he's driving you crazy!" he spat back with me rolling my eyes skywards. If he knew the real reason...
"He drives me crazy because he's my father!"
His eyes widened to the size of space saucers, jaw slacked open with questions coming out fast and confused. "Y-Your father?! Shredder is your father?!You're Shredder's daughter?!" Heh, no doubt hon. But how did he have sex with a woman since he's oversized? And how did that woman even fall in love with him? Ugh, that man is weird.
The terrible whistle of the Kraang ship was again close to us and automatically, I crouched, avoiding another laser shot. After I confirmed that it was gone, I lifted my head on the sky and searched for that stupid ship, showing clearly my worry. "We've gotta stop that thing!" Blue said and Karai narrowed her eyes, pointing her tanto to him. "Our deal's off! You want a feud? You've got one!" she snarled and attacked my boyfriend again. He pushed me away from the fight, ordering; "Get the missile launcher!"
And with that, he turned back to fight.
But as I sprinted over to the launcher, a sidekick on my limbs knocked me away. I hit something hard and stars surrounded my vision. "Ouch. Feels like I got out from a crazy rollercoaster ride." I muttered under my breath before I heard a pair of swords unsheathing. Lifting my head, I saw Shredder ready to give me a blow but instead, he snatched my neck and lifted me in the air, close to his half burned, hated face. "What a surprise." I droned as his grip tightened around my neck, stopping the air on my lungs.
"Rowan!"
My mouth opened; a small yelp came out with Shredder laughing darkly at me. "I finally have you in my hands, Rowan." he said jumping up to a box. He hanged me above the sea as I tried to take breaths. My hands raised on his own gloved hand, nails scratching fruitlessly his armor and he laughed again. "Pathetic." he just said, tightening, even more, his grip on my neck. Black and white absorbed the colorful world around me as his laugh mixed with the terrified yells of Raph, Mikey, and Donnie. My hands fell motionless to my sides and suddenly, everything became black.
This is my end.
No One's POV
Leo climbed up on a box, holding tight the shoulder launcher, eyes scanning the sky for the Kraang scouting ship. His ears somehow caught some yells from his brothers and a meaningful laugh of Shredder's but he ignored them as his target finally showed up. Pulling the trigger of the launcher, the rocket fired towards the ship, exploding a part of it. Smiling in satisfaction, he let the launcher to fall. A sense of his made the leader turn back and clash his katana sword with Karai's tanto blade. The kunoichi had an angry frown all over her Asian features, her amber eyes shining with hate for the turtle she fell in love with. Without saying any word, the two ninjas kept fighting fiercely while the broken down Kraang ship flew towards the other three turtles, Shredder, and unconscious Rowan. "Look out!" Raph yelled to his brothers and they all filled away with Shredder and Rowan staying behind. The Kraang ship tried to fly again but it fell in the sea, taking with it both Rowan and Shredder.
"Rowan!"
"Father!"
With a leap, Karai dived in the cold sea with Leo watching her sort of confused. He then realized that his brothers were yelling in fear Rowan's name and his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. Yelling now too, "Rowny!" he jumped in the water, the cold liquid hitting and piercing his body as he swam and swam to Rowan's dived figure. Seconds later, he grabbed her by her hand and dragged her to the top, where his brothers helped him to take her out.
"We gotta take her back to the lair!" Donnie nodded earning a murmur from the others. Leo lifted his girlfriend in bride style and they ran away from the docs, all the turtles hoping that the red-haired was still alive.