Remember. [TMNT 2012]

Chapter 16; Elizabetta

Song: Break Me Down - Red

The second training session with Leonardo is less deadly than the last. The ninja turtle teaches me some defensive moves. So far, that is all he seems to want me to learn. But I'm fine with it. Temporarily, at least.

"Nice," Leonardo praises as I maintain my balance against one of his attacks. "Just try to lean to the side more. Protect your face before the rest of you. Once you're blinded from a blow, it's almost impossible to win a fight."

I nod as he repeats his attack. His katanas whiz at my face. I inwardly arch my back and lean my head back to dodge them. Once his weapons have passed, I use my dagger to push them off-target. While Leonardo recovers from his loss of balance, I gently jab him in his plastron a few times.

Leonardo shoves me away lightly by pressing his katanas to my weapon. He smiles.

"Excellent counterattack," he compliments. I feel my face grow hot and I grin.

"Right, now show-" He suddenly stop talking and his eyes widened. He puts his twin katanas away and pulls me down. He lays down on his back and looks at me. "Get down and put your dagger away!"

"What- I-"

"Just do it!" he orders.

I obey, wondering what has suddenly possessed him. I lay opposite of him, our heads a few centimeters apart and my feet facing away from him. I look up at the sky, but I'm not actually taking anything in. What is going on?

Suddenly, I hear what freaked Leonardo out. Voices.

"I thought I saw something over here!"

"You said that a few minutes ago and it was just a stupid cat!"

"But what I saw over here looked big and dangerous!"

"It's probably nothing to worry about. Shadows can play tricks on your eyes and make you see things that aren't really there."

"But dudes, I totally saw something evil!"

Just then, Michelangelo lands beside me. Raphael and Donatello follow him. All three turtles look from Leonardo and back to me.

"Oh, hi," I greet them casually. I'm not one hundred percent sure why Leonardo doesn't want his brothers knowing about our training, but it's not the time to question it. Therefore, I do my best in acting natural.

"Ha!" Michelangelo squeaks happily. "I told you I saw something!"

Raphael snorts. "Last time I checked, these guys weren't evil, Mikey." Though the mistrustful look he casts me suggests otherwise.

"But I-" Michelangelo tries to protest.

"What are you guys doing here?" Donatello breaks up their disagreement. "Leo, I thought you said you were going to catch up on sleep. That was your reason for not patrolling tonight, anyway."

Leonardo sits up to face them. "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to go for a walk," he begins, looking at me for help.

"And I begged him to take me along," I finish quickly. I don't want it to sound like he invited me. It could raise a lot of unanswerable questions. By the grateful look Leonardo flashes me, we're on the same page.

Donatello doesn't look convinced. He's too intelligent to fall for a silly lie like that. Even so, he doesn't bother the subject anymore. "Well, you haven't missed much," the purple-clad turtle reports to Leonardo. "Nothing is happening. It's like New York is suddenly... safe."