TMNT: Anya's Mutation Ch. 2

I hugged Dani tightly as we sat on the ledge by April's window. I obviously couldn't return to somewhat of a normal life with her, so as far as April's aunt knew, I was missing along with our parents. Dani didn't want me to leave at first, but I told her that once things calmed down a bit, I'd come see her every chance I got. "I'll miss you," I said resting my chin on her head.

"I'll miss you, too," she sobbed quietly. "Anya, why did this happen to us?"

I pondered on her words. "I don't know...but don't you think for a minute that I'll ever stop trying to find mom and dad, alright?"

She nodded. I stoked her hair like mom use to when she was little and she had had a nightmare.

Donnie jumped down from the roof top, to let me know it was time to go. I hugged Dani one last time before she climbed inside the window.

"She'll be all right," Donnie tried to reassure me as he pulled me up to the roof.

"I hope so," I sighed. "So where are we going?"

"Just follow us," Mikey said walking up to my right. "roof jumping is so much fun!"

"What if I fall?" I wrapped my arms around my midsection in fear. "I'm afraid of heights!"

"Hey, Leo! Looks like you not the only one!" Raph teased lightly shoving Leo's shoulder.

Leo shook off Raph's comment and stood next to me pointing out at the city, "We'll take a route where the roofs are closer together. We're not letting anything else happen to you, not tonight."



We all jumped from roof top to roof top, and for the first time in hours, I felt free. I even raced Mikey a few times. The only one who didn't seem to be having fun was Leo. He'd smile every now and then or when I looked his way, but other than that, he seemed stone cold.

After we had gone a few blocks from April's, Leo lead us down the fire escapes into a dark, trash littered ally. Raph pulled the manhole cover off and Donnie and Mikey jumped in.

"You guys live in the sewers?" I asked raising an eye ridge. Then again where else would four giant turtles live, a penthouse? "Cool." I jumped in.

Donnie and Mikey caught me and lowered me onto my feet. Next came Leo then Raph, who was followed by the loud clang of the cover falling back over the opening.

Without the lights from outside, the tunnels were dark and I could barely see a thing. Eventually though, I saw light coming from what I could only assume to be the place that the guys were taking me.

"So this is like your home?" I asked looking around in awe.

"Yeah," Raph said. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Very cool."

"Yup. Our own egghead, Donatello, built half the stuff here," Raph knocked on Donnie's shell. Donnie just rolled his eyes.

I couldn't help but giggle at his remark. "Now what?"

"We have to talk to Splinter," Leo answered coming out through a rice paper door. I hadn't even noticed his departure.

"Who?"

"He's our Sensei and as much of a father as we've ever known, let alone had," he explained. "he raised us since the time we were mutated and trained us as ninjas."

This guy sounds bad ass! I thought. "All right." I followed Leo towards the room. "What about the others?"

"Splinter wants to speak to you alone."

"Then how come you get to be there?" Raph retorted.

"Because I'm the leader, Raph. I have to be there."

"Whatever, 'oh fearless one'."

Leo closed the door behind us once I was inside. The room was wide with old Japanese paintings covering the walls. There was also a large tree in the center of the room, with someone sitting under it. I suppose I can't say he was a 'person' but more of a half man half rat. I guessed this was Splinter. Leo motioned me to kneel as he had so I did and Splinter opened his eyes.

"Ah, this must be the girl you told me about, Leonardo." The Japanese accent was strong yet understandable.

"Sore wa anata no masuta supurinta o mitasu tame ni meiyona kotodesu," I only knew a little Japanese, but I knew enough to say that. I could have felt Leo's gaze on me from a mile away; he was impressed.

"It is very nice to meet you as well," he said with a ghost of a smile. "I understand you have been through much in the past few hours," Splinter got up from where he was and had walked over to us, placing a hand on my shell, then knelt next to me. "You have lost a great deal in so little time, but do not take this as something to pull you down. You must put yourself together again, and save your family from the clutches of the Kraang."

What? Why was he telling me this? I knew I had to do something, but what was I supposed to do?

"How is she going to do that, Sensei?" It was as if Leo had read my mind.

Splinter looked from me to Leo and back again. "I will train her."

"Say what?" I blurted out. "How am I supposed to even get close to being as good as them?" I had stared tearing up again, though more out of anger rather than sadness. "Not to mention—"

Splinter put up his hand and I silenced myself. I really needed to work on controlling my anger.

"You can first start by calming down, you sound like Raphael," he said in a joking sort of tone. "It will take some time, yes, but you will succeed. Now I suppose all you need is a place to stay..."



Our conversation went on for a little longer and I figured the other three had been listening in, because when Leo and I left the dojo (as I was told it was called) Donnie asked to show me something. Now, I was expecting something totally different when Donnie said 'another part of the lair', but not this.

Donnie led me into a room down a short tunnel near their rooms, and inside I found it had been set up with a bed, nightstand, desk and chair. "All your's," he said. "Don't tell Leo or Sensei, but Mikey, Raph and I were kinda listening through the door."

"I know," I smirked.

Donnie's neck and face reddened slightly. "R-really?"

I giggled. "Don't worry. I don't think they know," I hugged him. "Thank you."

"No problem."

We parted the hug (which meant nothing by the way!) and I turned to walk into my new room. There was something missing tough; it didn't quite feel like my room just yet.

"Hey, Don?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think you guys could take me to maybe," I paused for a minute."get some stuff from my old house?"

Donnie stared at me for a moment, obviously thinking of how to answer my question. "I guess we can ask." he smiled, revealing the gap in his teeth.

"Great," I smiled a little too.



After a late dinner of pizza, the guys and I made way for my house. I led them across the roofs towards my house. We weren't far from were I use to work, so I knew where I was going.

"Just a little further," I called as the others landed next to me.

“Where is it?” Mikey asked trying to regain his balance.

“Over there,” I pointed to my house down the street. I was a little surprised he didn’t notice; it was the only house with the door hanging from it hinges and four police cars in front. Apparently the neighbors heard (no doubt) and called the cops. “Great. How are we supposed to get in?”

Leo thought for a moment, then said, “Your first lesson can start now: Stealth.”

“Huh?”

“Just follow us, Anya, and be super quiet.” Leo took the lead and I followed behind him and Mikey while Raph and Donnie took the rear.

The others jumped onto the roof of my house, but I cowered behind. That jump wasn’t exactly as close as the others!

“It’s too far!” I whisper yelled.

Leo noticed my terror and jumped back over to help me. He picked me up again like he did earlier and jumped onto the roof. “We’re over,” he said as I poked my head out of my shell. It was such a weird feeling, but I really didn’t know what else to do, so I went on instinct. In other words: I got scared and reacted like a turtle.

Once I got up, I walked over to the top door that led into the hall way.

“Which room?” Raph asked as we continued down the hall.

I turned into the doorway at the end of the hall and stood in the middle of the floor, my old light blue rug tickling my feet.

“Nice,” Mikey said looking at a poster of Purple Dragons on my wall with multiple mini knives in it.

“Yeah,” I walked by it and grabbed some other posters from my walls. “Well, I can’t carry all this by myself, so…Mikey,” I turned towards the orange clad turtle. “I’m trusting you to carry my posters. Can you do that?”

“Can do!” he chirped and gave me a thumbs up just before I handed him the posters. I handed a few to Raph as well.

“Donnie,” I picked up my laptop and a small bag of electronics. “You’re really the only one I trust with electronics. No offence guys.”

“None taken,” Leo and Raph chimed together.

I grabbed my art books, drawing supplies, one of my favorite blankets, and my old teddy and stuffed them all into my backpack. Last was my guitar and violin.

“I’ll carry the violin, but Leo—“ I turned around only to see those dazzling deep blue eyes, directly in front of me, staring right into my own. “Um…c-could you carry my guitar?”

“Of course,” he said, still looking into my icy orbs as I handed him the case.

“That’s it then?” Raph asked, snapping me back to reality.

“Hm? Oh yeah,” I looked around my room one last time. “Lets get out of here guys. It’s a little too much just being here right now.” I walked out of the room and started for the top door when I remembered something. “Hold on!” I ran back and snuck down stairs so as not to be seen by the cops and made it back with a little frame in my hand.

“What’s that?” Mikey crept on the balls of his feet to see over Raph.

“It’s a picture of my family,” I showed them the photo with my parents, sister and I at a music competition. “My sister played her ukulele, I played my violin and my dad played his guitar. My mom cheered us on from the front row.” I smiled at the memory.

“Did you win?” Raph asked leaning in for a closer look.

“Well, considering we were the only act with a dancing violinist: yes.”

“You can dance and play at the same time?!” Mikey got a little too excited.

“Shh!” Came the voices of the others. Leo began to lead us up the stairs back outside.

I giggled. “Yes, I can.”

“Could you play for us when we get back?” Donnie asked, hope shining in his eyes.

I thought for a moment. Why not? I asked myself. “I’d love to!”