Remember [Book 1]

6 - Naomi

My new T- phone buzzed and dinged. I looked at it. A new number appeared. I Didn't know who it was from but it read, oddly enough, Help! Im being attacked by an older lady at the school!

"Hey," Donnie asked as he looked at his T-Phone. "Did you guys just receive a mass text message from April?" So that's who it was. I saved her under a new contact while everyone else hummed a yes. "Does it also say she's being attacked by an old lady?" Another yes throughout the group. "Does that count as an emergency?" He looked at Leo. Again, a unanimous yes.

Then they got up so fast it made me jump a little. "Let's go!" Leo called out. Without another word, the four turtles fled the kitchen and the lair. I watched them go without a word.

It was quiet for a while until Mikito came up to me. "It's Naomi, right?" She asked. I looked at her and nodded. "Awesome. So, uhm... I'm still hungry. Do you... cook?" She smiled hopefully at me.

Her question made me pause and grit my teeth. I didn't. I smiled in an apoplectic manner and Mikito's face dropped. She got the memo. She looked down and sighed. "All right... I'm sorry for asking..."

"What is it you two need?" A deeper voice behind me asked. Turning my head, I saw Splinter. He appeared from no where it seemed like. Both of his hands were on his staff in the front of his body.

Mikito pushed past me a little and smiled hopeful. "I was wondering if Naomi can cook but she can't. Could you, sir?"

I was generally surprised Mikito got used to a rat mutant so quickly. But I wasn't entirely sure where Mikey took her, either. Maybe she did meet Splinter. Then why did she call him "sir"? Polite gesture? Oh well...

Splinter gave a warm smile and nodded. "Of course I can, Mikito." I guess that answered my question. I stepped aside for Splinter to take his place in the kitchen.

Mikito and I took our places at the island, watching Splinter work effortlessly. Soon enough the smell of bacon and eggs wafted through the air. Near the end of him cooking, Splinter put toast in the toaster, setting the settings to a nice crispy, yet soft enough to eat, finish. My mouth was watering by the end of the show. Somehow my skull drifted toward the table as well because when he set the plates in front of us, I straightened up.

It didn't take long for the two of us to start eating eating away at the meal in front of us. My tail swished behind me in a slow wagging manner. The food was delicious. Warm and it practically exploded in my mouth with flavor. Splinter should cook more often. I looked up at the rat as he continued to make more food. Probably for the boys. Mikito was too engulfed in her food to even look up. How was she breathing with all that food in her mouth? I couldn't help but chuckle.

As soon as we started eating, we were done just as fast. Of course, Mikito and I stayed at the island, enjoying the last tastes of the meal while Splinter put away the extra food. Soon he turned to us and looked at us with his hands behind his back. Why did I feel like something was about to happen?

"Would you two care to join me in the dojo?" Splinter asked us. He looked between us and gave a small smile. I nodded, starting to wonder when the four boys would come back.

Mikito got up immediately, leaving the kitchen. Getting up after her, I followed the energetic turtle. Behind me Splinter followed. Mikito was a few bounds away, seemingly full of energy. She was the first to reach the dojo. Splinter and I entered about the same time.

The mutant rat gestured to us to stand by one another. I realized that this was how the boys started whatever training set. It didn't take long for the two of us to stand side by side. Being this close to Mikito I could feel the energy practically pooling around her in giant puddles. Lots of energy. Then again, she did sleep for a few days.

Clearing his throat, Splinter looked at us individually. "Now... I know Naomi here has already been asked this question." Was it the masks? "But my sons were wondering if you were interested in a mask like they have?"

"Mask?" Mikito repeated. She raised her arms and made a motion around her face, similar to where the boys had their masks. "The ones they wear?" Splinter nodded. "Sure!" She chirped happily. "What choices are there?"

Stepping to the side, Splinter showed Mikito the options of masks and bandanas that were hanging from a lower hanging branch on the tree. It almost looked like they had been washed recently with them being up there. Or there wasn't a place to put them. Mikito quickly moved to the hanging masks and bandanas. I followed, looking at each of them.

None of them really peeked my interest. There were many colors and varieties between mask and bandana. A dark red mask, a black mask, a yellow bandana with some white markings, a pink bandana with darker fading and white marks, a navy blue mask, a white and black bandana, and even a lavender mask that seemed to have extra long ends. Mikito picked out the pink bandana. Splinter used his emerald staff to get it for her.

She put it over her eyes at first, thinking it was a mask. "Uh," she giggled. Her hands reached out in front of her like a zombie. "I think it's missing some eye holes."

I smirked as I watched her near Splinter. The older mutant chuckled and stopped her before she ran into him. "It is not a mask, child." He helped her take it off. Opening it in it's square form, he folded it in half to where a single triangle piece was showing. "It is a bandana." With a smooth motion, he placed it on the top of her head and tied it skillfully. "There."

Reaching up, Mikito placed her hands on the fabric. I shook my head a little as I turned my attention back to the selection above my head. Behind me, Splinter and Mikito laughed and spoke softly. My focus was which one did I want. Did I even want one? My tail flicked in thought as I sighed softly. Why was I the different one? The only lizard? The only one that seemed to know a little of us, even if it was only a name and letter.

"Naomi?" Splinter's voice dragged me out of my thoughts. My eyes widened a little as I looked at him. How many times did he say my name? "Are you having trouble, my child?" My jaw clenched at the title but I chose to ignore it. Nonetheless, I nodded. Nodding back, Splinter stood by me and looked at the selection as well. "A mask or bandana is your identity. The colors represent you in a way. It is a tough choice."

Hiss staff rose as it touched the lavender one first. "Lavender is a soft color. You are soft in your voice as you don't speak often. Yet you do observe when you don't speak. You know you store it to use it later, which makes you wise." I looked at the mask. He moved on to the next one which was the navy blue. "You are also a mystery. Not much is known about you and you enjoy the shadows. However, blue is also sometimes used for leadership, something one learns as time passes." My tail flicked as he moved to the next one, almost as if it offended me to move to the next color.

Next was yellow. "A bright color, such as pink. One is usually energetic and truthful. But it can also give away positions easily in combat so the wearer is aware of the threat and is smart enough to hide more than others, making them a deadly opponent." This was about the time Mikito joined us was when Splinter moved to the dark red mask. "Again a dark color, which helps with your mysterious past. Red is a color of strength and power, something you hold in your mind as I said before." That explains Raph's red mask. Nothing but strength and stubbornness from him because of his so-called power.

I looked at the tree branch. The last two were the black mask and the black and white bandana. Grey-scaled colors. Great. The rat's staff first touched the mask. "Black. The color of the ninja. It is the color of shadows and secret. Black is a patient color for it can go well with many others, such as pink." He paused and smiled at Mikito. "But so can white." His staff moved to the bandana. The tip of his staff caught the end of the bandana, making it fall from the branch a little. The fall revealed not a plain black and white bandana but a yin and yang symboled bandana. "White is the color of truth and knowledge. It is a vibrant color for those smart enough to wear it." Splinter's eyes bore into me at that moment. "And the yin and yang are a powerful symbol for good and evil, light and dark."

I nodded. Of course I knew that. Between the masks and bandanas that were there, the last one spoke to me. It was always the last one. Then again, Splinter must have known that as well and used it to his advantage. I looked at him finally and saw he was still looking at me.

Turning back to the mask, I nodded. "Truth and mystery."