Mutant Freaks

Chapter 3: Lessons

It was bed time and everyone, including Cassandra felt taken aback from Splinters reaction.

"All right, we'll start the... um... lessons tomorrow," Leo comments.

"Oh! I call teach her how to have fun!" Mikey chimes in, putting a hand on Cassandras back. "Well have the best time!"

"Mikey, I don't think she needs to know..."

"Lesson one! Pillow fight!" Mikey picks up a soft, plushy pillow and hurls it at Cassandra. She dodges it easily, not sure what to do.

"Now, you throw one at me!" Mikey directs.

Cassandra thinks on it, then picks up another on of the pillows and tosses it at Mikey. The force of her throw hit Mikey hard and sent him flying across the room, slamming into the wall with a loud bang.

Everyone looks at Mikey, then to Cassandra in surprise.

"On second thought...." Leo gulps, "...maybe she does."

Cassandra rubs her arms, feeling the awkwardness in the room, and embarrassed at her ignorance.

"Don't worry, you're a fast learner, so you'll get it!" Mikey stands up, grunting, but smiling at her.

"We'll discuss how will teach what," Leo yawns.

"Don't forget about April!" Donnie chimes in.

"She'll teach her what the real worlds like," Leo says matter-a-factly.

"How do you know she'll say yes?" Ralph breaks in, glaring at Cassandra.

"Of course she will," Donnie says, crossing his arms.

"All right, can we discuss this tomorrow?" Leo asks, annoyed and looking tired.

Everyone looks at one another, then moves and grabs blankets and pillows. Leo grabs an extra pillow and blanket, handing it to Cassandra, who looked around in confusion. Where was the metal tables? Didn't everyone sleep on them?

"You can have the couch," Leo points to the long curved cushions.

Cassandra hesitates, but Leo moves to a spot on the floor, lays down his pillow, then lays don and covers himself with the blanket. She examines all the turtles and sees that they are doing the same.  She copies them, moving to the couch and placing her pillow on it, then laying down and covering herself. Another new thing for her. A soft warm thing to sleep on. No more metal hardness. She liked the softness of it. It reminded her of... something log forgotten. She couldn't remember.

As she slept, she dreamt. Another first. She was floating in white, and for a second she freaked out. She didn't want to be in the white rooms anymore! She had fallen in love with color. Love? Her mind goes back to the roof top. mommy? Daddy? She wanted to say she loved them two. She wanted to hold there hands.

She wanted to talk. To ask questions. To answer. To describe. To interact with others. She was tired of just listening and giving different expressions and hoping people can understand what she can't say. Another new thing for her. Want.

She never wanted something, much less wanted something so bad that it hurt her physically.

Her thoughts shifted to the turtles. She liked them. They weren't like the people in white, nor the people she met after she escaped.

April. Who or what was April? She was sure she would like whatever it was.

***********

She didn't know when nor how she was suddenly in black nothingness. She couldn't remember much. But when she felt the softness that supported her body, she sighed in relief. She was still in the world of color.

She sat up, and saw that none of the turtles were where she had left them. The stands up, then something funny happens with her noise. She sniffs, changing the internal structure of her noise so as to catch a better whiff.

She feels her body expand with the effort, and she felt light. It smelled as good and color looked.

She walks towards the area the smell was coming from. It lead to the kitchen.

"Oh, good morning!" Donnie was the one at the stove, his back covering what ever goodness he was working on.

"Ww-ah-t" She starts, then tries again, "Wha-t"

"That's it! you got it Cassandra!" Leo chimes in.

"Wha-t ih-z th-ah-t?" She asks, feeling happiness bloom in her chest. Her first three real words!

"Breakfast," A girl walks in. Her hair was orange and her eyes where blue, "Hi, I'm April, and I'm supposed to be your 'real life' teacher" She holds out her hand.

Cassandra stares blankly.

"You're supposed to shake it. Its a way to introduce yourself to a stranger." She explains. Cassandra grabs her hand and shakes it. "Good! Lesson 1.00000001 is done!"

A plate is handed to her. A plate of the yummy smelling something.

She hears a loud growl come form somewhere near her. She jumps back, looking around terrified. What was that noise.

Her stomach starts to twist in painful knots, "What is...?" She starts.

"You just hungry!" April answers, grabbing a fork full of food and hovering it in front of her mouth. "Here, eat this," she demonstrates opening her mouth and Cassandra copies. April puts the food into her mouth, and steps back, showing her chewing.

When Cassandra bites down on the food, flavor explodes in her mouth, quieting the loud groans from her stomach and the ach subsides.

All knew. Smelling food, hunger and food its self. Her meals where always set at a certain time, and it was only a glass of water and a white nutrience pill.

she finishes the rest of the breakfast. After she finishes, she goes into the living room with everyone and sits on the couch next to Ralph, who glares at her angrily.

"alright everyone, I'll tell you what your jobs are," He starts, looking at each face. "April, you'll teacher normal life," April nods, smiling. "Donnie, you'll teach her science things, I'll teach her leadership skills, Ralph'll teach her ninja things...

"She probably already knows how to fight," Ralph puts in, sounding carefree, but looking annoyed.

"Teach her our ninja ways," Leo replies, Ralph just shrugs. "And Mikey," she stops, "I can't believe I'm saying this but," He rubs his forehead, "You'll teach her how to have fun."

Mikey jumps up, getting in front of Leo, "Alright, I would like to thank my dear brothers: Donnie, Ralph, and Leo. I would also like to thank April. you all believed in me and told me I could do anything..."

"Who told you that lie?" Ralph laughs. Cassandra couldn't help smiling. So he did have a heart. Now if only he could be genuine and trusting towards her.

"All of us, together, will teach her to speak," Leo finishes.  Cassandra really did love it here.

***************

"You lost her to the turtles?" Shredder said calmly, but the clam demeanor was a facet. He was outraged. They had lost a project... a weapon he had worked years on. Everything was supposed to be perfect. But it was ruined by two buffoons. "Leave me," He commands. He needed time to think of how he could get his weapon back. If she went with the turtles, then Splinter must know....

He bangs his fist angrily on the chair.

"Father, is everything alright?" A teen girl walks out of the shadows.

"No, they lost the girl... and the turtles have her know...."

"I can go get her back. I have yet to meet these... acquaintances of yours." She smiles.

"Perhaps you can, Karai. Just don't fail me.

"Alright, but it'll take some time," she says.

"Fine... I need to contact old... friends anyway....

~