It's late, but not too late. The city is wet and cold. Streets are covered in a slight moisture. Not to worry. I travel through the rooftops. They're also wet, but it feels more stable to me. I know where to jump, and how to bounce through with elegance. All I've ever done since I was a kid was to train. With my brothers. Alone. Together. I feel like there's a duality in me. My master chose me as the leader, yet, sometimes, I think about his decision. I'm in awe and feel honored, but I also doubt. What did he see in me? I'm not sure if I recognize the traits of a leader in me. Nonetheless, I trust my master. That's why I commit to his vision and the responsibility that has been laid upon me.
Even though I think about all of this, my vigilance remains unbothered. It's automatized within me. It's carved in my mind with precision. My eyes focus on what's going on down there. Maybe someone needs my help. I'm not here to think (even though it's unavoidable) but, surely, I'm here to protect. To help my city. To help my brothers and my master.
I can't deny that we want to be accepted. Are we fighting to do so? To show everyone that we are not just scary looking freaks? Anyways. If something is true is that it's encoded in us: we want to help. We want to fight the darkness that disrupts peace.
It's funny, actually. Would we disrupt peace by just coming out of the sewers and walk around? Eat some street pizza? Shop for new bandanas? For some cool tech for Donnie? He would love it.
We can't. Not yet. There's humans that trust us, yes, but they got to know us. They're good. At the end of the day, normality is the only thing that links good and evil. They reside in the same spectrum of reality because they've learned how to recognize common ground. We're definitely not common and we don't usually move on ground level.
The most complex thing about all is that the more I grow up and learn about the world... the more I see with clarity certain concepts that are immortal. They repeat themselves. Hate. Ignorance. Fear. They seem to pop into existence like it's embodied in natures code.
Ok. Wait a sec. I'll continue with this thoughts later. Shouts. I hear them from two blocks away. Oh, I know. Mutant stuff. And a lot of training and connecting with the city. It's sounds. Patterns. It's easy for me.
I'm not with my brothers right now. I'll just check. If it's achievable, I'll act. At the end of the day... I'm the leader. I should be capable of facing trouble alone. Right? I know that a leader is such because it has people to protect and guide. Yeah, but if he's on top; watching, he is partially alone. I sometimes feel like that. Just a bit.
I arrive. Huh. A couple. They're scared. Not to blame them; there's a bunch of goons obviously bullying them. They've already been robbed but those pieces of crap still want to suck all the fear out of those poor folk.
Thank god I'm here. Two jumps downwards are enough for me to reach the ground. Obviously: they haven't noticed. They're 6. 2 fall easily as my fist crushes the first guys jaw, instantly followed by the other one, that receives my kick with all its power. My skin is tough. Their skin is considerably soft. I know it hurts, and that they deserve it, but that's not something for me to delight upon. No. It's not supposed to be pleasant. Master Splinter told us: "do not succumb to the pleasures of power". It's a responsibility. We are strong because we don't succumb.
As I was thinking this (can't help it) my swords have already cut in half the thirds goon metal bat. Followed by a knee to the guts. He is surely handling the pain with courage, but he's not going anywhere else, can't let him come back later unexpectedly while I'm handling the others. So I hit him in the head with a round kick. Fast. There's 3 left and... oh, a gun. Really? Anyways. I sweep in between two of them. They tried to land a hit on me but once they charged their punches I was already jump kicking the one with the pistol. Directly to the hand with the weapon. Take that ugly part out of the equation. No lost shots to worry about now. Of course, I guillotine kick the guy in the head. He's out.
Oh, so the other two are freezing in terror. I see. They're brave fools. Cowards. Sure. But, hell, also brave. You don't run around with a gun in the pants if you're not ready for a brawl. Right? Hum... maybe they're just extremely dumb and that's it. That's kinda terrifying. Dumbness can be really evil. It's very frustrating to realize that.
They're in shock. A weird green monster capable of fighting with superhuman speed and strength. They feel worthless right now. Poor fools. I can't be in every unjust situations. I can't save everyone. I can't punish all evil men. But, right now, I'm doing it. I'm teaching them a lesson.
I don't want to develop some kind of god complex. Not gonna happen. We have a wise father. We've been taught well.
By the way, I've already gut punched both of the last of them. I disappear vertically in between windows, fire emergency stairs, ledges and chimneys. I wait, no one noticing me, as I check that the couple run away into safety.
I look at my katanas.
No. I'm no god.
This weapons... I barely use them. I'm happy about that. But it reminds of the fact that I sometimes have to. Scary guys. Rotten souls. Sometimes protecting others means hurting yourself. I don't want to slice through flesh. Usually... it ends bad. But I'm a leader. I'm a protector. If I doubt... darkness acts. Evil strikes. We can't be too naive about that.
It's getting late. It's been a while since I've been gone. I get back home. Detect a sewer (I have their locations practically memorized), rush into it when no one's watching. Sometimes you have to just be really quick. maybe someone notices but let them see a shadow. A motion. They're really not "seeing" me, just a subtle presence that fades into oblivion once they go back to thinking about whatever they were thinking. About the movie they're going to watch at the cinema. About high school, or skating, or about the cute girl in class that talked to them the other day.
Meanwhile, I arrive home. I laugh with my brothers. Eat some pizza. Rest. I'm at peace. This is my place. My people. My family. Let them be themselves. We are also ourselves, it's just that we are pretty different. We have our own routine. Our own objectives. Our own reason to be. That's all we need. I know that we will never be able to live certain experiences. We will never blend into human existence like we would like to. It's sad, in a way, but, on the other hand... man, we are cool. We're special. We're happy. I'm not gonna complain about what I don't have and will never have. I'll smile about what I have. Who I am. The love I receive. I kinda feel like a bunch of humans, those I envy so much, may not have this. I begin to understand what's truly important.
... Actually ... I think I already knew. I'm just realizing it for sure right now.
I go to sleep. The silence of rest. I'm happy. My katanas lay on the ground. I gently smile while I finally fall asleep.
