Raising Michako [DISCONTIUNED]

LGBTQ+?

Age: 11

Michako was still eleven and her hair was still growing back. It was a normal day in June, and Splinter had taken her out so they could go get ice cream and medicine for Mikey and Leo who had gotten sick. They walked through the street, but it was unnaturally busy. The streets were lined with people, and many colored flags hung everywhere. Splinter pulled his hood up further so he wouldn't be seen.

"Why are there so many people? This is not helpful with our situation." Splinter muttered.

Michako was just amazed, she held onto her father's hand as they walked through the crowd, with a huge smile. The sight was lovely, all the colors, the parade in the street, the happy people, and there were booths all over the place. However she didn't realize in the moment her hand had slipped from her father's and she was wandering in the street. Then reality snapped back to her and she realized she was no longer near her dad. Michako started to panic. She had never been left alone in the city, at least not without her brothers. Whenever Leo, Mikey, and her would sneak out to go do something fun, or Donnie and her would sneak out to visit their human friend April they had met when they were nine, eventually Splinter or Raph would come looking for them. 

"Dad! DAD!" She shouted as she ran through the crowds of people. 

Then she ran into someone at a booth.

"Oof!"

"Woah! Watch where you're going kiddo!" The woman she ran into said.

"Sorry!" Michako apologized.

The woman she had bumped into was quite tall, her hair was bright pink fading into orange, and she wore a dark pink leather jacket with colorful pins all over it. She had acid washed jeans with a shirt that looked like one of the flags hanging. It was two shades of pink with white in center and two shades or orange on the bottom.

"It's okay!" The woman said, crouching down to Michako's level of height. "Say why are you looking glum? No one should be sad during the pride festival!"

"Pride festival?"

"What! You don't know what this is?

Michako shook her head.

"You don't know what LGBTQ+ is?"

"No."

"Well today's your lucky day kid, but first, what's wrong?"

"I lost my dad! I can't find him! We were going shopping for medicine for my brothers and I was looking at the pretty colors, but then he was gone! And then I was searching for him and I ran into-"

"Okay chill kid. What's your name?"

"Michako."

"Why don't I help you find your Dad? Then I can explain what this whole festival is, okay? Michako?"

"Yes! Thank you!"

"Okay, what does he look like?"

"He's wearing an yellow hoodie, he has kinda grey and black hair, and blue jeans."

"Got it, let's look for him!" She said as she picked the small eleven year old up and put her on her shoulders. "By the way, my name's Emily."

As they walked through the crowd, Emily explained the festival, and the concept of the LGBTQ+ community. 

"So the LGBTQ+ community is for people who aren't like others."

"Like disabilities?"

"Not really. Like people who feel like they like the same gender as them or people who don't feel like they're the right gender."

"What?"

"Take me for example. I'm a lesbian. I like girls, not boys. I do have friends who are boys, but if I were in a romantic relationship with someone I would date a girl. Like my girlfriend May, but she's bisexual, so she likes boys or girls, she doesn't have much of a preference."

"So a girl who likes girls is a lesbian? And a person who likes girls and boys is a bisexual?"

"Yep, and a boy who like boys is gay, and a person who likes anyone and that includes Non-binary people, genderfluid, and demi girls and demi boys. Now there's also trans people, they are people who are born as a boy or girl, but they feel like they aren't the right gender, so they change it, they basically swap gender. Like my friend Alex. He used to be a girl, then he didn't feel right so he became a boy. Then there's non binary people like my besties Willow and David. They feel like they have no gender so they change themselves into someone with no gender so they go by the pronouns they/them. Then there's genderfluid people, who go by any pronouns. They don't know what gender they are so they want all of them! There's a lot more to the LGBTQ community, but those are the basics of someone who new to this."

"That's so interesting..." Michako said, deep in thought about one of the sexualities. 

"You see your pops anywhere?"

"No, he should be looking for me or at the pharmacy."

"Hmm, well the pharmacy is the next block down, so let's check there."

"Hey, Emily?"

"Yeah kiddo?"

"How do you know you're lesbian?"

Emily chuckled and said "You, really don't know until you realize. You thinking about it kid? You think you're a lesbian?"

"Maybe..."

"Let's see, since I'm a les, Imma just test you. Question one, have you watched Disney?"

"Yeah, I like Mulan and Sleeping Beauty."

"Okay, when you saw Prince Philip kiss Aroura, how did you react?"

"Honestly I kinda cringed a little, she could have done better, considering how weak he was when Maleficent captured him."

"Heh, good answer, now when you see a cute boy, what do you think of him?"

"Nothing, I don't really care too much about what boys look like."

"Okay, now how do you hold cups?"

"What does that have to do with this?"

"Something, now what's your answer?"

"Hold it from the top rim, like not the normal way, until I like, have to drink from it."

"Hmmm, okay. Well considering your answers, you my darling might be a fellow lesbian, but you're still a kid, so we don't know, yet."

"MICHAKO!"

Michako's head sprung up to see the pharmacy, and a very worried Splinter running towards them. 

"Thank you so much!" He said, as Emily set her down on the ground.

"No prob, just make sure you keep an eye on your kid during the festival, but I did enjoy your daughter's company." Emily chuckled.

"Yes! Thank you miss, now if you'll excuse us, we need to get medicine for her brothers."

"Got it! Toodles, oh and Michako, good luck!" 

Emily ran away and disappeared into the crowd. Splinter sighed in relief and hugged his daughter.

"I'm so sorry I left you alone! I will make sure not to lose you next time."

"It's okay Dad! Let's just get the meds for Mike and Leo."

"Yes, yes! Let's go." 

They walked into the pharmacy, but the medicine was the last thing on Michako's mind.