21. Within the City; Casey

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As the meal comes to a close, the group begins to spread throughout the house. Leonardo and Karai head to the study to do a few more speech lessons, while Michelangelo starts on the dishes. Donatello and April disappear as well, probably to work on some more serum experiments. As Raphael and Lucy go for the living room, I decide that they are the most interesting pair to be around and I follow.

    I take a seat on the side of Raphael that Lucy isn't occupying. The moment I arrive, I am smacked in the face with the truth of the nearly-awkward Thanksgiving meal as my red-clad friend points it out.

    "I wish Mikey would quit moping already," Raphael complains, though he sounds slightly sympathetic towards his brother. "Yeah, the serum didn't work. Lizzy is still a monster. But Donnie did the best he could."

    "Don is still trying to fix it, too," I agree as I settle into the couch cushions. "It's not like he's given up. Mikey just needs to chill."

    To my surprise, Lucy butts into the conversation. "Mikey is grieving. It's not easy to get over losing someone."

    I glare at her. "You think I don't know grief? I lost my father and my sister only a few weeks apart," I remind her as a flash of Charlotte passes through my memory.

    Lucy flinches, but surprisingly doesn't back down. "I wasn't belittling you. We've all been through a lot. I just mean that Mikey deserves some time recover, and he shouldn't be insulted in the process."

    I feel my insides clench up with frustration. It's true that Lucy lost both of her best friends at once, and her mother doesn't respect her as much as she used to. But even so, that doesn't give her the right to assume things about my friends. She's only been around for a few months; I've been around for years.

    Still, one of the reasons I came over was to be friendlier to Lucy, so I hold my tongue. If Raphael likes her, then I need to learn to treat her just as kindly- however much acid reflux it causes me.

    I quickly search my mind for a way to change the subject. The first idea that floats upward is one that will get Raphael and I far away from Lucy, with any luck.

    "Hey, Raph, buddy. Let's go patrol the city and see if we can find any cool stuff," I suggest as I rise out of my seat.

    Raphael doesn't respond as enthusiastically as I expect. In fact, most of his attention is focused on Lucy. "Are you fine with me leavin'?" he questions in an almost-gentle voice.

    Lucy looks up at him with her big, round eyes. She looks worried about the idea, but she simply shrugs. "I won't stop you from doing what you love," she answers.

    I have to admit that I'm shocked. Usually girls are protective and annoying when it comes to dangerous matters. Maybe she's not as uptight as she seems. I mentally promise myself to give Lucy a real chance this time- though I seem to "do" that every time.

    Raphael gives Lucy a tiny smile and then jumps onto his feet. He rushes for the door yelling, "Try and keep up, Slow Jones!"

    I smirk and bolt after my best friend. I pursue him out the door and onto the rooftops, never losing sight of him. I dodge gap after gap, clearing them with ease as I land on the next rooftop. As my weight shifts from one foot to the next, I gradually begin to gain on the turtle. Within a matter of seconds, I am soaring beside him like the partners-in-crime that we should be.

    "Wanna go to the docks?" Raphael asks with a hint of mockery in his voice. "Maybe your best friend Tiger Claw is there. He probably made you some cupcakes with pink frosting!"

    Ignoring his jibe, my mind jolts back to the last time I saw Tiger Claw. He would have killed me if it hadn't been for some mysterious force that scared him off. My skin still crawls at the thought of what could have protected me... And why it did so.

    "I actually ran into that furball last night," I announce as my feet touch another rooftop and leap off again.

    I can practically hear Raphael roll his eyes. "Oh really? Wait, lemme guess. You beat him bare-handed," he jokes.

    "No," I respond with a shrug. "Some weird, invisible force did."

    Raphael skids to a stop and sharply turns toward me. His emerald eyes glow with pure disbelief, as if I am trying to feed him a fairytale. "What did you just say?"

    "It's true!" I insist, willing him to believe me for once. "I don't know what it was or why it helped me, but I'd be dead meat if it wasn't for that force... Or whatever it was."

    I'm aware of how ridiculous I sound. But compared to all the strange things my friend and I have come across in the past, this is one of the most reasonable circumstances. Unfortunately, Raphael doesn't seem to think that.

    The red-clad turtle bursts into laughter and slaps my back. "Nice try, Jones. I ain't falling for that shell-brained story. If you're tryin' to prank me, come up with something more practical," he cackles.

    "I'm not pranking you!" I say persuasively, but my friend is caught up in his denial.

    "Whatever, man," Raphael snorts as he shakes his head in amusement.

    "But since you asked," I shift the gears back to the original subject. "We should go scout out the docks just to make sure those creeps aren't lurking around in the shadows. I'd bet my baseball glove that they're up to something evil."

    "You've gotta be kidding me," Raphael snorts, a regretful gleam flickering across his face. Clearly, he wishes he hadn't suggested the idea in the first place.

    I flip my mask down and start in the direction of the docks. "No way, man. I'm dead serious. More emphasis on the 'dead' if we can't find out what Tiger Claw is planning soon enough," I call over my shoulder as I leap away.

    Reluctantly, my friend follows in my tracks. He doesn't look convinced, but he doesn't complain anymore.

    The night sky offers a chilling hand that even the wind can't give. With a waning moon and twinkling stars like shards of ice, the darkness blankets me like a cold sheet. Tall, looming buildings only make matters less inviting. Their creepy shadows and alarming quietness add to the feeling of doom that infects the city. However, it's the only home I have.

    As the scent of clean water washes over my senses, the docks appear. The area looks secure at first-glance, with nothing unusual lingering around. Several crates and boats hang out near the surface. Waves softly lap the wooden boards.

    Then I see it. A big cat-shaped shadow sticking out from behind a stack of boxes. Two more blob-like shadows accompany it, sending chills up my spine.

    Instinctively, I grab Raphael's arm and shove him behind a chimney. I dive after him, just barely peeking around the corner to watch the shifting shapes.

    "Ow!" Raphael grunts as he rubs his scraped elbow. "What was that for?!"

    "They're here!" I whisper loudly as I point towards the docks.

    As Raphael follows my gesture, the shadows form into real figures. There stands Tiger Claw, his yellow eyes glaring and his stumpy tail twitching irritably. Rahzar and Fishface accompany the ugly mutant with less-than-pleasant appearances.

    I feel Raphael tense up beside me. "Well, Jones. Maybe you're not that crazy after all."

---

I apologize for the long wait between chapters.  Recently, I've shifted my focus to school and work.  However, I am still doing my best to bring you all good content!

Thank you for those of you who have stick with me this far!  It really means a lot.

I love you guys! <3

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