Chapter 8:
Creekside talk

Leaves rustled in the warm summer breeze of the grand trees surrounding the acres of unused farm land. Splinter sat silently in a spot of the large clearing, meditating. His furry ears twitched, his narrow eyes staying closed. His tail flicked slightly, a gentle jingle sounding as the bell he had tied to it rang.

Miki was perched in a tree about fifteen feet away. Her hair was tied back into her usual ponytail; she was back in her training clothes- a spring green ninja tunic with white under armor underneath, long stockings and sandals. She breathed steadily, watching her target closely. The wind blew again, she moved quickly and flawlessly through the branches as fast as she could before it vanished again. She was close enough now to where she could see the bell, its silver sheen flashing in the midmorning sun. Again, she moved when the wind blew, coming within jumping distance from her sensei. She silently took a deep breath before leaping out, reaching for the bell. Splinter smiled and spun around, blocking her with his staff. Miki jumped up and pushed off her sensei’s outstretched walking stick. She flipped over the humanoid rat, her grey eyes watching the tethered bell. Quickly she reached out, the metal cold against her skin as she grabbed it. The loose knot slid off Splinter’s pink tail, causing him no harm.

“Well done Miki. You’re skills have sharpened.” Splinter stated with a bow.

Miki put her left fist into the palm of her right hand as she bowed. “Thank you Sensei.”

“Something bothers you. What is it?”

“Sensei…I know about my parents…” Splinter was silent. Miki nudged a pebble with her sandal. “Can you tell me more about them? Please?”

“My past is one thing that I do not like to visit.” He said simply. “But I will tell you.” He sat down, crossing his legs. Miki did the same. “I’ll start with your father, Yoshi Hamato, and tell you what I know.” Miki nodded. “Your father came to America from Japan just a few years before your birth. Here he joined the Foot. Surprising, yes. But soon he fell in love with your mother, Tang Shen, as did Oroku Saki- now the Shredder. Tang Shen was only in love with Yoshi and he left the Foot to be with her. They lived peacefully for a few years before getting married.” He painfully chuckled; it hurt to relive the past. “I remember the day when Tang Shen told him the news of her pregnancy with you… And when they brought you home…” Miki was silently shocked as she saw tears fall from his eyes and into his grey fur. “The night Shredder…I thought you died with them…Your parents protected you with their lives…It seems that even beyond the grave they protect you, Miki. I think that they, along with fate, guided you to us.” He tightened his grip on his wooden stick, his claws piercing the surface of it. “For many years I have trained your brothers in the art of ninjutsu in order to avenge Yoshi’s death, but I think it is only right for you to do so now. That is why I hesitate to allow you on the surface and I overreacted when you came home that night from the mall.” By this time Miki was also crying. “I already lost you once, the first time I could not help, but I will not lose you again.”

“Do you know why Shredder spared me?” Miki asked, even though it pained her to.

Splinter was silent for a few moments before he spoke. “I only have a vague idea, Miki. I think that he plans to use you for something. You have great potential be a great master of the arts like your late father. Shredder saw this and spared you, to use you has a tool later on. I hope that whatever he plans to use you for will never happen.” He looked at her. “If it makes you feel better, on Halloween we’ll visit your parents’ graves.” Miki looked at him questioningly. “It’s the only time we can all go to the surface without fear of being caught.”

Miki nodded. “I understand Sensei.” She bowed as she stood up. Splinter nodded, dismissing her for the day. Miki smiled and ran off into the woods. Soon she arrived back at the farm house where she changed out of her ninja clothes and into a pair of cargo shorts and a light blue T-shirt with a white tidal wave screen-printed on the front of it. She fastened on a pair of sandals and headed outside once again. She went to the empty barn, finding Raph going at a makeshift punching bag- a potato sack tightly stuffed with hay. She stood in the doorway, watching him as his fists rapidly jabbed and he swung his legs for a round-about kick. She got closer as he removed one of his sai from his sash, slashing the bag with a swift motion that sent hay flying through the air.

When will I get a weapon? Miki asked herself, jealous of Raphael’s blades. “You look hot, Raph.” She said as the turtle panted.

“What?” Raphael said, looking over his shell.

That totally came out wrong. Miki looked at the banisters. “I meant the heat must be getting to you.”

Raph grunted. “The heat doesn’t bother me. I’m used to the heat and humidity of the lair.” Miki nodded, glancing over as he mopped his forehead with a towel. She looked at the floor. “There any reason why you’re here?”

“Not really, just looking for a cool place to be other than the house.” It was partially true, she was looking for a place to cool off she just didn’t know why she choose the barn.

“Ever try the creek? This place is as warm as the house.”

“There’s a creek?”

“Yeah.” He walked by her, stopping at the door. “You comin’?” Miki looked at him and began to follow. They walked to the large shed where Raph took out a four-wheeler. He put on his helmet and handed a spare one to Miki. She put it on, her ponytail flowing out from underneath it. Raph got onto the motor vehicle. “Hold on.” He said as Miki got on. She nodded and wrapped her arms around him, intertwining her fingers. Raph revved the motor and took off across the grass. She looked out at the passing flora, pollen flying into the air. Ten minutes later they reached the creek, taking an old trail. Raph stopped a few feet away from the creek’s bank. Miki got off the bike first, taking off her helmet and setting it on the leather seat. Raph smiled and got off as Miki headed to the creek.

“Cold!” She shouted as the freezing water touched her naked feet. She hopped onto a rock only to slip on the sludge, falling completely into the creek.

What a klutz. Raphael thought, setting his helmet on the four-wheeler’s seat.

Miki sat in the slow moving water, enjoying the brisk temperature. She smiled and looked up at the trees. She then looked at Raph with her grey eyes. “Come on in, the water’s great.” Raph just walked in and stood there, he couldn’t help but notice Miki’s wet clothes sticking to her slender body. Miki stretched, holding her arms other her head. “Hey Raph.” she said, looking at him.

“What?”

“I know I’ve said this once before, but thanks a lot, for the other night.”

“It’s no big-”

“It is a big deal. Well at least it is to me.” She poked a leaf as it sailed by. “I’d probably still be like I was if you didn’t knock any sense into me.” She sighed.  “It just sucks, being alone. It somewhat ticks me off.”

Raphael sat down on a nearby boulder. “My brothers and only a few others are the only ones in the world like us, mutants that we know of. We can’t go to the surface without being in disguise unless we’re out at night.” He dug is toe into the coarse sand. “It’s aggravating. At least you get to go to the surface without having anybody call the cops on ya or scream in terror at the sight of ya.”

“I guess, but I can’t leave to the surface without looking over my shoulder at every sound I hear. After what happened at the mall…”

Raphael nodded, not sure what else to say. They sat in silence for a while longer; the only sound was of the birds chirping and the trickle of the water. “We should head back.”

“I guess so.” Miki said, getting out of the water. Her soaked cargo shorts stuck to her legs, her light blue shirt did the same to her torso. Her bra’s outline could be seen clearly. She shivered. “I stayed in too long.” She said with a sheepish grin.

“You’ll dry off on the ride back.” Raph stated, holding out Miki’s helmet as she walked over to the four-wheeler. Miki’s foot slipped as she made her way up the bank. Her face hit the sand. “You klut- You’re bleeding!” Raph knelt beside her as Miki sat up on her knees. She held a hand to her forehead as blood slowly streamed down her face and between her fingers. Her right eye was closed to prevent the crimson stream from getting in it. “Move your hand.”

“It hurts.”

“Just move your hand.” Raphael grunted. Miki nodded and moved her blood painted hand, revealing a large gash on her forehead. “There must have been some glass in the sand.” I should wrap it with something. He scanned the area and did not see anything he could use. The wind blew, moving one of the tails to his bandanna in front of his eye. He reached to the back of his head and untied the knot that held it in place. Then he gently, yet firmly wrapped it around the brunette’s forehead. “That should hold until we get back.” He stood up, holding out his hand. Miki took it with a shaking hand, feeling suddenly sick. Raphael helped her to her feet only to have her collapse into his chest. It took him a while until he had them situated on the vehicle to where he could both drive and hold Miki in front of him. He revved the motor and took off down the forest path.

“Ow!” Miki shouted as Donatello stuck the hydrogen peroxide infused pad to her forehead as he cleaned up the blood.

“Don’t squirm, it won’t hurt as much.” The purple masked reptile stated blankly as he worked. “Do you want it to get infected?”

Miki grunted and winced as her skin bubbled and burned for what seemed the hundredth time. She gripped the edge of the counter tightly with her hands, her knuckles turning white. Another few minutes passed before she felt Don lightly put some ointment on her tender wound, followed by a gauze pad and a large bandage being wrapped around her head.

“There we go.” He said, tying off the white strip. “We’ll have to change it in a few days and you can’t get it wet.” He held Raphael’s blood covered bandanna with two of his three fingers. “I’ll get rid of this.” He got up and left the bathroom, taking the mask with him. Miki slid off the porcelain surface and headed downstairs to the living room.

Raph was sitting in one of the chairs; he looked odd without his mask. Naked, even. He looked at her, having heard the old wooden stairs creek. “Don threw it out huh?” Miki nodded. “Don’t worry about it,” Raph stated as she opened her mouth to apologize, “I can always make another.”

“Yeah, you have no idea how many of those we’ve gone through.” Mikey said with a grin, looking over the back of the couch.

Miki smiled a bit, her head still throbbing, and sat down on the couch.