The Travelers Wish (The Wattys 2016)

Chapter 36

Master Splinter listened to me explain what had happened silently.

Stroking his beard when Donatello explained to him about the effects of this parallel to my family.

That I died here, but they didn't.

But when I told him how me and my "troupe" were supposed to perform on the flying trapeze tomorrow.

He didn't yell, or act displeased like I knew he would, but much to my surprise, he burst out laughing!

"Master I'm not joking, I'm dead serious."

I explained sullenly.

This only made him laugh even harder.

"I hope so,"

His laughter resonated within the entire lair.

"It so much funnier if its true!"

Then he contained himself.

"Whatever you decide to do, my unfortunate Traveler, I wish you and unfortunate troupe the best of luck."

He started heading towards his room to go to sleep.

"Your gonna need it!"

He laughed as he walked away.

I practically fell down into the faded EZ Boy chair and started rubbing the back of my neck, something I do when I'm worried or anxious.

"We could always just not show up."

Suggested Raphael as he plopped quite loudly onto the couch.

"Yeah and ruin my family's job, he's probably already told the boss that he's found replacements. If nobody's on that trap tomorrow, my brothers word would be ruined and my family wouldn't get hired back next year."

I will not do that to them.

Even though they aren't "my" family, they are still family.

But how the shell am I going to pull this off?

"Oh, and I thought it would be something bad."

Commented Michelangelo with rhetorical sarcasm.

"Well that settles it then."

Affirmed Leonardo.

"It's time to break out the tights!"

_________________________

Things had settled down and it was nearing midnight.

I'd been at Donnie's computer for more then an hour and half now, trying to figure out exactly how this would work.

It would be a long shot but it just might work.

Thankfully my 4 compadres have had a good decades worth of stealth and acrobatics training, though now that they were human it was considerably weaker, but hopefully mixed with my 13 years of circus training, it will all come together somehow.

Or we die trying.

Literally not figuratively, unfortunately.

Michelangelo and Donatello had gone to sleep, and Raphael was starting to doze off on the couch watching some Clint Eastwood Western.

I looked over to the table and saw Leonardo sulking there.

Not a mad sulking, I know that look, that's a confused teenage angst look.

And I'm willing to bet a certain Japanese ninja chick has something to do with this.

I reached into my pocket, pulling out an broken apple iPod knockoff.