Myths Become Reality - A TMNT Fanfic

Chapter 17: Introduction

"Hey guys, April called! She said she's coming over, and she's bringing the guys!" Donnie turned back to his computers after passing on the message. Mikey's eyes grew wide in happiness and excitement. He began to run around the lair, cleaning up discarded pizza boxes and such. He was done in record time.

I had to jump out of the way several times as he swept the dojo around Leo and I, and I ended up perched on Leo's shell. The leader merely laughed at his youngest brother. "The one time you can get Mikey to clean up properly," he chuckled. We continued to practice with our weapons, my bladed tonfa against his katanas. Raph watched us, waiting for his turn.

Two hours later...

"Hey guys! We're here!" A female voice echoes through the lair. I immediately scramble to find a pipe in which to hide myself. Not one of the turtles noticed my sudden disappearance. Donnie told me earlier that April, Casey and Vern were some human friends of theirs, and the story of how they met. They may be used to the turtles, but I wasn't risking it. My too bright, vividly green eyes with their deep, endlessly black, slitted pupils were rather disturbing to look at. I should know, I've scared myself in the mirror countless times.

As I hear the turtles exchange pleasantries with their human friends, I struggled to find a deeper position in the cut-off pipe I had found, high off the floor. "So where's this guest of yours? I wanna meet her," I heard the female voice, April, ask. There was silence for a few seconds, before Mikey gave up and yelled my name. The volume hurt my ears, and the echoes gave me a headache. I didn't answer his call. I picked up a sudden change in scent. Nervousness? Worry? I then realised both were coming from Leo and Donnie. Mikey and Raphael were only nervous.
"I guess she's not here," A male voice grunted. I wasn't quite sure which one would be Casey, but Donnie told me Vern was somewhat cowardly, so that helped a little. But I wasn't ready to meet them yet.

"Hello? It's okay! We're friends of the turtles!" April called out. I still didn't respond. I was too busy focusing on keeping my body in the pipe. So focused, I didn't hear Donnie's question. Suddenly, something grabbed my tail and dragged me out. I let out a screech of surprise, my vocal cords producing one of my more animalistic cries. I fell to the ground, thrashing. The grip on my tail disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. I leapt up, and instantaneously tried to get to my hiding place again. The grip appeared again, this time on my shoulder. A gruff, yet gentle voice reached my ears.
"Hey, hey. It's okay. They're not gonna judge how you look. Vern may get creeped out, but that guy's always creeped out," I smirked a little at Raph's comment. He was at least blocking me from their view, for now.

I let out a heavy sigh. My tail, I noticed, had wrapped itself around my legs, its usual position when I'm scared or nervous. Thankfully I could still balance with it in that position. I nodded slightly. Raph's hand on my shoulder squeezed gently with reassurance. Slowly, I turned around.

I took a breath to steel myself, and held my head high. I unravelled my tail and flared my wings slightly. I put on a mask of confidence. Raph smiled encouragingly. He was being so kind, and it made me feel a lot better. I stepped out from behind him, and stared down the humans in front of me.

April wore a black t-shirt and blue denim jeans. Her yellow jacket sleeves were rolled up at the cuffs. A young male wore black tracksuit pants and a grey t-shirt. An older male had a simple dark blue tee with black jeans. His eyes widened when he saw me. He took a step back and slightly behind the younger male, who wielded a hockey stick. The stick lifted a little, ready to defend if necessary.

"Wow... Hi there," April was breathless with awe. She made me feel a little better about meeting them. But that good feeling was completely obliterated after the older male's mouth opened.
"What the hell?!" My head whipped around to glare at him, ears pinned against my head. He cowered further behind the other male upon meeting my gaze.
"Hey, don't be rude Fenwick," the younger male said over his shoulder. He walked away from the older man. I assumed the younger one was Casey.

I returned his nod of greeting, then returned my gaze to Vern. "Don't be rude?! Are you even sure that... thing can communicate?" A sudden urge to kill him made me inhale sharply in surprise. I clenched my fists, trying to keep control of my animal side. "Aww, did I hurt your wittle feewings?" Fenwick jibed, obviously mistaking my reaction. A low growl built deep in my throat.
"Uh, Vern, I very strongly suggest you don't do that," Raph warned. The other brothers agreed, eyeing me as if I was about to explode.
"Why? Because she'll get that green paint all over me?" Wait, he thought I was a fake? "Your parents-" Leo started to make a frantic 'don't do it' signal, but the human didn't notice. "-would be very disappointed in you,"
That's it, I thought. I felt my instincts take over. They told me he needed to be punished.

I pounced on the man from my position ten feet away. He screamed with fear as he landed on his back, my feet pinning his arms to the ground. My tail lashed furiously, before clamping down on his legs, immobilising him.
"You don't know anything, about my parents," I growled lowly, one hand on his throat, the other with claws to his chest. He looked up at me in absolute terror. The other humans and the turtles were frozen with shock. Before they could try to pull me off of the human, I grabbed one of his arms and sank my sharp teeth into it. The male beneath me screamed again. Lifting my fangs from his flesh, I grinned. Blood ran from my mouth and his arm.

"Skollña!" The voice immediately banished the instinct that controlled my mind.
"Wha?" My head suddenly felt like lead. I looked down at the male. I leapt off and started running. Strong arms grabbed me from behind.
"No! Lemme go!" I hissed. I struggled in the grip.
"Hush, it's okay. We know you didn't do it on purpose," Raphael mumbled to me.

My body was surprisingly tired after attacking Vern. I decided to just go limp in Raph's arms. He carried me over to the couch. I curled up, tail wrapping around me to cover my face.
"Uh guys? I can't move," Vern called out shakily.