• Chapter 4:
    Promise


    Miki wobbled a bit, water splashing out of the buckets and onto the brick floor below. Her arms and raised leg ached from the weight of the pales. She tried hard not to lose her balance for the past ten minutes and she wasn’t going to give in now. Splinter silently watched her so that he wouldn’t break her concentration. Another five minutes passed before the room was filled with the clamor of metal and splashing of water.

    “Ouch.” Miki grunted, lifting the pale that fell on her head slightly so that she could see her teacher. Splinter chuckled, taking the bucket off her head and handing her a towel. She didn’t say anything as she mopped up the water in her hair by moving the towel around.

    “You did well for your second day, Miki.” Splinter said. “That will be all for today.”

    Miki nodded, she wanted to continue but she knew Splinter wouldn’t allow it. The old rat left the room. She got up and tried to clean up the mess she made, despite the pain in her arms and legs. After a few minutes the water was soaked up and she headed for the main area of the lair. Donnie did notice her walk in; he was too busy with his computer stuff. Raph and Leo were off somewhere else. It was nearly two weeks since she had come to live with the turtles and the only one she really bonded with, that lived there, was Splinter. She sneezed.

    “You alright?” Michelangelo asked.

    Miki looked behind her. “Yes.”

    There was a silence between them for a while. “I just ordered some pizza. You want to come with me to wait for it to be delivered?” Miki smiled a bit and nodded. She followed the orange masked turtle to one of the storm drains, not far from the lair. They sat down. Miki looked up through the slotted grate at the night sky. “It kind of sucks.” Mikey said. Miki looked at him with questioning eyes. “You can’t see the stars from down here.” He stretched. “Casey’s aunt has a house out in the country, the stars shine so brightly. The best part of being there is that there’s nobody around for miles so we don’t have to hide.”

    “Why do you hide?” Miki wondered.

    “Humans are frightened of anybody or anything that’s different from them.” He said with a sigh. “There’s only a handful that accept us, but they keep us a secret. You’re the first human that Sensei has let stay with us, but then again April and Casey have a home on the surface.” He looked at her with his blue eyes. “I’ve been wondering, why were you being chased by the foot the night we all met?”

    “I don’t know. I was confused and something told me I had to run. I don’t even know why I was there or how I was able to fight them off.” She looked at the stream of passing sewage. She didn’t know what else to say, she closed her eyes. She felt alone even though she wasn’t.

    A motor was heard up ahead, followed by the opening and closing of a heavy door. “Pizza’s here.” Michelangelo said, standing up. Miki didn’t say anything. “Hey.” She opened her eyes peering up at Michelangelo, who had just finished bickering with the delivery boy and was holding out his hand. Miki took his hand and he helper her up. “I’m here for you Miki.” He said. “I don’t know what the Foot wants with you, but I’ll do my best to protect you.”

    “Why?”

    “Because you’re family now, that means we’re brother and sister. And family sticks together.”

    Miki smiled, happy to hear that. She touched her face as tear ran down her cheeks. “Water?”

    “Those are tears, Miki.”

    “Tears?”

    Mikey nodded. “They come from your eyes when you’re sad or really happy.” Miki only nodded, wiping them away with her wrist band as they started back to the lair. Everybody gathered at the table for the pizza, she smiled and happily ate it. Glad to finally feel like she had a home.