Casey arrives with April around an hour after training. April, after a quick hello to Donatello, heads in the direction of the dojo, determined to catch up with the amount of training she’s missed in the morning.
I wait for the perfect moment to talk to Casey in secret-although, Raphael has dragged him into conversation, so it might take a while. So I am relieved when I hear Michelangelo heading over and asking, “Hey, Raph! Wanna play a game… I bet you’re looking for revenge from yesterday!”
I shake my head, smiling, as Raphael retorts, “In case you don’t remember, I kicked your butt. How about I drill it into your brain?” He smirks, standing, about to head to the two set up controllers by the TV. He turns to Casey and mutters , “I’ll be back when I hand his shell to him,” before walking away.
Casey shrugs and replies, “Casey Jones will just do something else himself,” before standing up.
He looks around before noticing me. I beckon him over and he walks to me, making sure we’re in a shadow large enough to hide both of us.
“So, what did we need to talk about,” he says in a hushed voice, glancing to the lab door, the dojo and to Michelangelo and Raphael’s game.
They’re yelling and laughing at each other, not taking any notice in what we’re talking about. Even so, we remain cautious.
I’m glad Casey’s being cautious. I’m also actually surprised he’s being cautious.
To answer his question, I say, “We need to think of some plans. The others are bound to become suspicious that we’re hiding something sooner or later. If we think of some plans, when this happens we can reduce the risk of the dragon side being discovered.”
“What about Splinter?” Casey asks. “He knows too.”
I raise a non-existent eyebrow. “You really think Splinter doesn’t know how to keep a secret?”
“Well… no…”
“Exactly…” I sigh. “Casey, you have to promise that no matter what, if they capture me in my dragon form, you don’t interfere unless we both agree… or you’ll probably get yourself in trouble,” I tell him.
Casey nods.
“And don’t drop any hints, big or small,” I continue. “It risks us both being found out.”
Casey nods again, pointing at himself and announcing, “Casey Jones won’t tell a soul.”
A sighed, “Good,” is my only reply for the time being.
“Leo?” Casey asks. “What do you think we should do if the others find out your secret?”
“When,” I correct. “When… I wish it wasn’t going to happen, but now, sooner or later, they’re going to find out. I don’t know what their reactions will be, what they’ll think, anything. I just don’t know, Casey.”
Casey nods. Again.
“And now they’re going on patrols to hunt me down…” I started speaking again. “I’m going to need to give excuses if I’m with anyone else and shift so I can get in a few of the guy’s sight… I’m worried I’ll raise suspicions otherwise. But, of course, there are risks… I could be darted. If that happens, we go back to number one-don’t intervene unless I can’t figure a way out of the situation.”
“They’d take you to Donnie’s lab once they catch you in your dragon form, right?” Casey thinks out loud.
I shrug. “Probably. If that happens… sooner or later I should be able to escape.”
“Awwww man! Sub-Zero never fails me! Never!” Michelangelo’s wail turns the two teen’s attention back to where the youngest and second eldest are battling it out on a screen.
“He’s failed you for the past three days,” Raphael retorts.
“Burn,” Casey whispers, smirking.
Still in the shadows, I start shifting. I keep the transformation nice and slow so I don’t fully go halfway-just enough so there’s a few bumps on my shell and head where my wings and ears are, and tiny, hardly noticeable claws on my fingers and toes. Still in this situation, I breathe out a tiny flame-the maximum amount I’m able to breath out while in this stange of transformation-before going back to normal.
I think it is funny.
“Now I can rub it in ya face,” Raphael smirks, crossing his arms. “Remember the bet? When we go looking for the dragon tonight, you have to go with me.”
While I am still a little amused at their antics, his second sentence wipes the smile from my face completely.
Casey notices and grins, trying his best to be encouraging. “Come on dude-we have some plans… unless things are really serious, it’ll all be fine.” He steps out of the shadows. “Now I better get back.”
He heads back over to Raphael. A small smile tries to tug the corners of my mouth, however my mouth stays in a set line as I look to the lair’s entrance.
YOU ARE READING
Look for the Dragon (A TMNT fanfiction)
Fanfiction"There's a new creature in the city. A dragon." "What should we do Donnie?" "I think the Kraang made this... we need to bring it down and find out what its purpose is." They turn to their leader... little do the three younger brothers know that they...
