The Shadow's Secret│TMNT

14 || The Turtle Lair

Basically every room connected to one another in some way.

One of the archways from the octagonal room led to a room filled with instruments, they called it the jam room. Another arch brought us to the turtle's bedroom. Four curved, square mattresses were supported on short pillars of metal bolted to the floor, a shelf holding a million boxes painted with spots of purple, orange, blue and red stood against a wall with a few small woodcarvings displayed on the top. Through another arch, there was a living area with furniture made up of Pizza Hut boxes. On the other side of the living room, the wall was covered in computer screens showing live videos from all over the city and the sewers. Behind the monitor wall, a cluttered desk with a bunch of computers and microphones sat. The last arch from the octagonal room led to their Sensei, Splinter's, room.

I asked Leo if their Master was like them.

"Well, sort of, he's a rat." 

A rat!? "Uhm okay, wow." I laughed and shook my head. "I really can't wait to hear your guys' story."

"Yeah, me too."

I frowned. "You've never heard it either?"

How can they not know how they became what they are?

I sat on the couch in front of the table in the living room with him. Leo placed a box of pizza on the table in front of me. I grabbed a triangle of five cheese pizza hungrily. I could really get used to this place.

"No, Sensei never told us."

"So...what do you know?" I asked, taking a bite of the microwaved pizza.

"All he ever told us what that we were injected with a serum when we were really young. Sensei was a lot older than us so he raised us and taught himself Ninjutsu through an old book he found in the sewers, then he taught us. He always believed that when we grew up we would be heroes and keep the city safe. Even though he still doesn't trust us to go up there and fight."

I arched an eyebrow in surprise. "But you go up there anyway?"

He scrambled for an excuse. "Only for the benefit of field experience."

"Right. So, he doesn't know about me at all?"

"Nope."

I cringed. "He won't like, turn me into an exotic pizza topping, will he?"

Leo grinned. "Nah, don't worry. He'll like you."

"Unlike your brother," I mumbled and he sighed.

"Don't mind Raphael. Like Donnie said earlier, he's not good around other people. And if he decides to talk to you, just don't let him get to you."

"What, is he even more of an asshole than he seems?"

Leo seemed to consider his words carefully before saying them. "Raph is...well, he gets angry easily. And when he's angry he tends to lash out at whoever's near him, and it's usually not very pleasant."

I nodded. "Sounds like a ray of sunshine."

"Well you know he's not always like that. Raph's a hothead, but once you earn his trust there's nothing he won't do to protect you." I tilted my head in interest and Leo smiled, "I know, it sounds crazy. And none of us have been able to bring out of him so far, but I think he's a big softie on the inside."

Mikey walked in and jumped onto the couch beside me. "Who are we talking about?" He asked, slinging and arm across my shoulders, but caught sight of the food before I could answer. "Girl, have you been eating all my pizza?" He accused.

I shook my head, mouth full. Donnie appeared from behind the monitors, his mouth open to say something. He raised a brow at Mikey who removed his arm and placed it on the backrest instead. Satisfied, he continued.

"Leo, Sensei should be on his way back soon, take Route C and seventh at E."

Leo nodded and stood. "Come on, we need to get you out of here before he gets back."

I got up, confused. "But aren't I supposed to meet him?"

"Yeah, but not tonight."

"Oh okay." I followed him out of the living room,

"It was nice meeting you, Raiya!" Donnie called.

"See ya later beautiful!" Mikey yelled, "oh wait! Wait wait wait!"

I turned around to see him basically falling off the back of the couch, his arms outstretched towards me.

"I have a very serious question!"

I grinned. "Okay?"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Say yes," Leo hissed.

I shook my head. "Nope."

The young turtle pumped his fist, then yelled as he rolled over the backrest of the couch and onto the concrete. I stifled a laugh and Leo groaned.

"Now he's never gonna leave you alone."

"Sensei should be back in half an hour!" Donnie reminded us.

"Right." Leo led me back to the entrance. As we passed through the turtles' room I saw Raphael laying in a bed out of the corner of my eye. I would've stopped to talk to him but Leo seemed to be in a hurry. He hoisted me into the round door sitting high in the wall and jumped inside after me before closing it. He took my hand and quickly led me through the tunnels, somehow making sense of Donatello's directions.

We stopped below a manhole cover eventually, he climbed up and pushed it aside for me,

"It's clear. Will you be able to find your way from here? Donnie got us as close to your apartment as he could."

I nodded and stepped toward the ladder. "I'll be fine."

He spoke again before I could put a foot up. "I know I didn't give you a good enough reason for you to not tell Olivia, but Splinter will. So wait until you talk with him before telling her anything."

I nodded again and climbed out into the brisk night air. The turtle slid the cover back into place behind me and I walked away into the bustling city of New York.

AN: Okay so I made the map ahaha it literally took forever so give me break if it's a bit inaccurate, I made it as accurate as I could. The fan room's location was purely an educated guess. Also, it's not to scale, so I'm sorry about that.

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