Book 2: HomeFront

Search of the Promised Land

"I can't believe you took my horse!" Mona exclaimed heartily, trying to keep the stick of kâo ròu from falling into her mouth from which it hang from. It had been a while since they've all gotten back. Miwa had already prepared an easy dinner for the additional four, large teens she was to receive. The boys showed up first after Mona "insisted" she rode her horse back and not Leonardo. This, they've been properly entertained by the older man who used every insulting word to come by to show his disgust of them all showing up. No one really took it to heart and played it off as the old man who's just a little "coo coo in the head". They gathered around the table, either standing or sitting (giving Miwa and the Ancient One first priority, of course) as they came together, loud in reverie.

"What do you guys feed him? He's a bucket full of crazy!" Leo spoke, clearly remembering his experiences with the little cyclone she called a horse.

"I prefer free spirited." She defended with a smile, knowing to the fullest extent how Nan could be a handful. A gathered laugh from the table emerged.

"You can fix him to calm him down, right?" The blue banded terrapin took a bite after asking.

"He is." The room quieted. "Yujin is the one not castrated." A look of shock took over the leader's face. Nan's rambunctious cords; cut but don't stop. Then Yujin, intact and gentle.

"Whoa." Was the only response Leo could give them. His priceless expressions created another wave of laughter.

"I can't believe you guys drove the plane over here." Venus exclaimed, chewing as she spoke. The voice she created was too much for Donatello not to mimic back comedically. The turtle girl closed her mouth and smiled but not before giving him a playful shove. He did not retaliate for she was sitting in one of the chairs amongst the older people. She still hurt some and it was best for her to chill out and rest up. It's not everyday you get hit by a stinging, magical mass meant to kill you.

"Wasn't easy either." Vern chimed in on his behalf. His head rose from the two arms placed on the table so he may briefly rest his head there. "I had to dodge either mountain or tree, then avoid crop fields." He gave himself a little 'whoo' for his efforts. With no quicker way to get over in time, they resorted to driving the plane over. Could you imagine? Just watching a plane drive slowly, not at all in the sky, around your village to some unknown destination? "That was an art in itself, especially since I did it with 0 sleep." A hand of his pushed up against his right eye. Miwa, removed her tea cup from her lips and set it down with both hands.

"You are all welcome here for as long as you like." She offered.

"Speak for yourself!" The Ancient One spoke out loud in utter disgust. The heads turned to the little old man who was stuffing his face as he continued talking. "Too many green monkey boys to feed! I needed more food than what we started with!" His sneer was followed by a scowl when he pulled up hit hat that he instead to wear even when he was at the dinner table. Based on the brushed off reactions the native family bore, the rest paid no mind to the grouchy, greedy old man.

"Thank you, Miwa, but we promised our father we'd be home as soon as possible." Explained Donatello. He gripped the top of Venus' chair tight.

"If you are regarding about tomorrow, surely you would like the morning in the village?" She suggested, voice growing higher in pitch along with her sentence. "From what I know, this is the rare chance to walk above ground and interact with people." Finished with her own meal, the woman rose to collect her trash and offered any others. Raphael and Donatello were the firsts and thanked her when she turned away.