Ninja Turtles 1. Chapter 1: Different from the Norm

Disclaimer: I wish they were mine but every time I try and take them home they freak out and I spend a month or two in traction.

Moon Chronicles: Ascension

Sanru

Chapter One: Different from the Norm

Ever since I was born I knew that there was something different about me. Something that set me apart from the other children I grew up around. It wasn't a deformity or something else as equally obvious. I looked and acted like everyone else. I was always a little small for my age and my honey brown hair was almost always pulled up into some way. I wore glass for a number of years, my green eyes finally outgrowing the near sightedness I had been plagued with. None of these are what made me different from everyone else.

I was different because I had Saigon.

When I was a toddler I felt like there was something in my mind. Something watching over me, acting as like a guardian angel. It never spoke to me but if something bad was about to happen to me I would feel a rush of emotion that would make me jump and stop whatever I was doing. The feeling would then calm down and I was left to stand there and wonder about what had just happened.

As I grew older and began to develop into a young child, the presence developed a voice. At first I didn't notice it unless I strained really hard but as I learned to listen to the voice in my head I found that I was sharing my mind with another. He said he didn't have a name and he didn't know where he had come from or why he was in my head. I started to call him Saigon and he became my best friend.

I guess I scared my mom when I stared to talk to myself and act like I was talking to an invisible friend. No matter what she did she could never make me forget Saigon. She even took me to therapy, trying to see if modern medicine would make me 'normal' again. As far as I was concerned I was normal, it was the rest of the world that was weird. The drugs made me feel sick and Saigon suggested talking to each other in our minds instead of speaking out loud. Thankfully that it worked. I could now carry on a conversation for hours with Saigon and no one would know.

As both Saigon and I grew older, we began to notice how restless Saigon was becoming. It seemed worst at night and there would be times that Saigon's restlessness would keep me awake all night long. There was more then one night where the two of us would stay up telling stories that we knew or made up off the top of our heads.

I remember the first time we had found out about our shifting ability like it was yesterday. I had been about thirteen when it happened. Saigon was having difficulty sleeping again so he was telling me a story about a princes slaying a dragon and saving the princess. He had been trying to explain how the dashing knight had entered the room when it almost felt like I was pushed out of the way and my body suddenly changed.

The first time it was painful, after that I knew what to expect and the pain slowly vanished until shifting became as easy as breathing. However, to a thirteen year old this was scary and if I had a human mouth any more then I would have been screaming. My bones crunched together and ground down. My muscles expanded and built up. My skin was stretched and a thick layering of fur covered my body. After the shift was done I was disoriented and very scared. Saigon had to asked if I was okay several times before I could even take a guess at what had happened.

_I think so_, I replied shakily. I had no control over my body now but Saigon did. It was like we had completely shifted rolls. He was now the one in charge and I was the 'standing' in the background watching what he did. He walked around my room, stretching muscles that he had never known. **I want to run**.

That was the beginning of our nightly escapades. Every night we would sneak out of the house so that he could run through the woods and occasionally hunt. I learned quickly not to be grossed out when caught something. He was a wolf and a wolf hunted to survive. Besides once I was over the sight of the managed body of a rabbit or some other woodland creature that he had brought down I realized how invigorating the actual hunt was. It was like an adrenaline rush with no equal.

Soon I was graduating from high school and on my way to New York City to attend school. My parents had frowned upon my choice of majors -and yes I had chosen two; History and Performing Arts. I wanted to work on Broadway either on the stage or behind the scenes. They had wanted me to go to school for engineering saying that I was wasting what brain power I had by going to school to dance about on stage.

It was then I decided to take a minor in Creative Writing too.

The only down side about NYCU is that I was unable to live in the school dorms. Since my parents were refusing to help me pay for college I ended up using my saving so that I could rent myself my own apartment. I found a small studio loft apartment on the top floor of a building right between the college and the park. The park would be the only place that Saigon would be able to run in the city without being seen and I wanted to do everything possible to help him. He was the one who helped courage me when my parents disowned me.

I got a job working as a waiter/cashier at a small music and café down the street from where I live. Many people from my classes and professors had a habit of hanging out there and doing their homework for hours on end. I could study my classes and get paid at the same time. I didn't make much but it was enough for me to survive.

Two years passed in a happy bliss and I have to admit that there was times where I regretted my educational experience –mostly around finals- but Saigon was always there to help me and remind my why we were there. I stepped out of work walking swiftly towards the park one night. It was time for Saigon's nightly run and then I had to study for a Shakespearian test when we got home. I didn't realize how different our nightly run was going to be or what we were going to find.


	2. Chapter 2: Non Human Encounter

_Sorry that the first chapter was so short, I should have called it a prologue. The chapters do get longer from here on out._

Disclaimer: I wish they were mine but every time I try and take them home they freak out and I spend a month or two in traction.

Moon Chronicles: Ascension

Sanru

**Saigon's thoughts are in bold**

_Allison's thoughts are in italics_

Remember they think back and forth to each other.

'Stepping' is another way of saying shifting

Chapter Two: Non-Human Encounter

The night was again calling. It was past time for Saigon's nightly run. I am so use to it now I find it hard to not go myself. It's an hour later then we usually go out and I feel as antsy about running as Saigon is. It's something I think we both have come to need. To crave. Even with my busy schedule I would and can never deny Saigon the freedom to run at night, especially with everything he has done for me.

I have thought about the reasons for these nightly switches and I believe that it is a must for us to switch bodies like this. I never took a science course in all my life -only the few I had to take and I nearly failed those- but I did know enough to know I shouldn't be sharing a body with a wolf. I think this would be classified as a psychological disorder of some kind.

It was past midnight when we entered the park and I went straight for the small clump of bushes I always went to when we entered the park. I stripped, neatly folding my clothes and setting them under a bush so they were out of sight. My things have never been bothered since I started coming here and for that I had always been grateful.

I 'stepped' backward so that Saigon could 'step' forward and our bodies shifted. Bones grew and altered, fur appeared and my hair vanished, becoming a coat of gray and black. Saigon shook his head, which ran all the way down to his tail, much like a domestic dog after they come out of the water and shake the excess off. He sniffed the air to make sure we were alone before heading off at a slow lope through the park.

The park was empty and clear, only the occasional cricket making a sound. The moon illuminated everything around us and the stars twinkled as its backdrop. There was a slight dew covering the grass and as we raced through it tiny droplets of light danced around us. The night was so beautiful –so intoxicating- I sometimes found myself wishing it was night in the middle of the day.

After about an hour of prowling around, Saigon turned back to my clothes so that we could continue on home. _Take your time_, I said to him._ I'm enjoying the view_.

He gave me a short bark -his way to laugh- but took the longer route back to my clothes. He looked every which way, letting me see as much as I could through his eyes. **Pay attention on your way home**. He said **I don't want you gawking and getting attacked**.

_Like anyone would dare to attack me_, I responded.

**To most you are just another pretty face. You are easy prey.**

_But I have you to protect me_.

**Even I have my limits. If they get a jump on you I wouldn't be able to protect you.**

I was about to respond to his last comment when there were a series of metal clangs and hollow wooden clunks from nearby. Saigon froze and I stayed silent as what sounded like a fight raged nearby. Why would there be anyone fighting in the park and what are they fighting with? Baseball bats and metal pipes?

I was about to ask Saigon what was happening when just as suddenly as the fight had started it vanished, leaving no sound behind. Saigon sniffed the air. **Humans**, he said before growling.** And something else**. He moved more into the shadows and quietly began picking his way forward again.

_What?_

**I don't know**.

I was about to ask him to describe what he had smelled only to have something come careening through the bush to land in front of us. It was a large bulky looking man who was resting on his hands and knees gasping in air. His hands clutched what looked like a pair of sticks each attached to a length of chain between them. It then dawned on me about the same time as Saigon that this thing in front of us was definitely not a man. Judging from the large shell on his back it was a large turtle.

_I think I can now safely say I have seen it all._

Saigon merely growled back as he watched the creature turn its head enough to look at us. It gave us a pained grin and then in a voice that remind me of a surfer boy that occasionally came to the shop, "Hey, boy. Wha'cha doing out here all alone. Are you lost?"

_He thinks we're just a regular dog_, I said in wonderment. This man… turtle… whatever obviously didn't know the difference between a dog and a wolf. That fact he probably couldn't see us with his eye half swollen shut and the shadows that the trees were casting about it was understandable why he couldn't.

**It's injured** Saigon said, directing my attention to the cuts and scrapes adoring his body. The worst injury looked like a five inch gash across his thigh that was steadily dripping blood onto the ground. The turtle tried to rise back onto his feet but his right knee buckled and he collapsed back down.

_Saigon,_ I pleaded._ We need to do something_.

**There isn't much we can do without shifting in front of him. We can not reveal our secret. There is no telling what would happen.**

I was about to respond, to try and have Saigon help this guy to a pay phone or something when a group of shadows danced over the hedge and pounced upon the turtle. The turtle must have sense the attack because he had rolled over onto his shell and held his strange weapons up in defense, blocking several swords with the chain in the middle.

_Oh my god_, I thought as the ninjas –there was just no other way to really describe them, they looked like a stereotypical ninjas- swarmed over the fallen turtle. I could just barely make out his failing body behind the rows of legs as he fought desperately to defend himself. _Saigon, help him_. I could feel his hesitation and I understood why. If one of these ninjas got away –or if the turtle himself told anyone- we could be between a rock and a very hard place.

The turtle gave out a pain cry as katanna tore through some of the flesh on his upper arm. I watched in horror as another ninja jumped up and angled his sword in such a way that he would pierce the turtle to the ground. _Saigon!!_

The wolf suddenly leapt into action, making me feel like I had been left behind in his wake. He knocked the ninja, who was much to startled to fight back, out of the air. **We leave behind no witnesses**, he stated as we landed. The ninja hadn't been able to right himself in the air and with the additional three hundred pounds on him even I knew that that resounding crack was from his neck breaking.

I felt sick but didn't have time from regrets as Saigon quickly turned to the other four ninjas who were staring at him startled. They obviously knew a wolf when they saw one.** Only a coward attacks his enemy from behind and only one without honor attacks a wound warrior when he is down.** Saigon again leapt forward, tearing out the throat of the nearest ninja before spring off the dead man's chest as he fell aiming for the next. This ninja raised his staff in a defensive stance but the wood was flimsy compared to Saigon's jaws and the ninja would have found himself holding two sticks if he had still been alive.

The other two ninjas seemed to realize that Saigon was a new and much more dangerous threat that had to be dealt with swiftly. They went in opposite directions, trying to out flank Saigon, but the wolf easily read them and bolted forward, vanishing into the bushes and shadows. Ninjas maybe stealthy and deadly assassins but even they pale in comparison to an actual predator in its habitat.

Saigon circled around to the back of the ninjas as they approached where he had vanished. He let out a low growl causing his victims to spin back around, just in time for one to have the side of his head trap in a pair of jaws that silenced him forever. Saigon's head was moving before the other ninja realized his companion was dead. With a quick snap of his jaws, Saigon tore the final ninja's stomach open and I heard the sickening plop as something that looked suspiciously like an internal organ fell out of the gaping wound.

**Do not be sick** Saigon soothed me.** I don't feel like seeing our dinner again**. He padded over to where the turtle was. At the beginning of the fight he had rolled backwards -out of our way- until his shell was against a tree trunk. His head was on his chest, his eyes lightly closed, and his breathing slow and uneven.

_Is he alright_? I asked as Saigon sniffed him.

**He needs help**. A noise down ear the turtle's three fingered hand drew Saigon's attention. It looked like a cell phone in the shape of a turtle shell, ironically. I could hear a frantic voice from the other end, "Mikey! Mikey! What's happening?! Mikey?! Where are you?!"

_Let me talk to them_ I asked.

Saigon was about to respond when a slight shuffle came from behind us. He turned, growling, only to see the disemboweled ninja drag himself away trailing what look like a belt. Judging from the length, it was something far more important then a belt. He took a step forward to go dispatch him when a pained moan came from the turtle. I could feel him weighing the pros and cons. The ninja wouldn't get far and deserved to suffer as far as I was concerned. It seemed that Saigon shared in the sentiment. **Quickly** he urged as he turned back to the turtle.

We shifted again and I quickly scooped up the phone to hear the voice on the other end yell at someone to get to the truck. "Hello?" I said timidly wondering how the person on the other end was going to react.

"Mikey! Are you alright!?" the voice exclaimed, relief evident in his voice.

"I'm not Mikey," I spoke up so that the man on the other end could clearly hear I was a female and not a male.

The voice responded in an icy, threatening tone causing Saigon to growl protectively in my mind. "Who are you and what have you done to Mikey?"

"My name is Allison Cadence and I didn't do anything to Mikey," I was a little angry and insulted that this guy thought I had attacked this turtle who I was assuming named Mikey. "If anything I helped to save his life."

"What?" the guy was definitely baffled.

"He was attacked by five men dressed in black and they hurt him. I stopped the fight and then noticed that he had dialed this number and it had rung through. I think he passed out." I gently put my hand to the turtle's neck, feeling for the pulse which soon was beating strongly under my fingertips.

There was a pause on the other end, "Where are you?"

"Central Park, near the north west side about midway down the fence in a clump of trees and bushes."

"We're on our way."

**We can not be seen** Saigon reminded me.** This turtle has already seen us, we can not be seen be any others**. "I'll make sure no other ninjas attack him until you get here."

"Alright, stay on thi-" I hung up on him, placing the phone back down near Mikey's hand even as it began ringing again. I had no intention of answering it. Saigon was right, we had been seen by one and one was enough. We didn't need anymore people seeing us. As it was, the evidence of our fight was strewn around this small area and I felt bad that the ninjas had died.

**It was either the turtle, us or them** Saigon reminded me sagely as we shifted once more. **I will not allow you to be harmed, Allison.** He moved away from the felled turtle quickly, positioning himself nearby incase the turtle was attacked again but far enough away that he could leave without being noticed. We sat still and silent waiting for the turtle's friends to come and get him.

About ten minutes later, an odd colored green and orange truck came to a screeching halt on the nearby street. Doors were slid open and three more turtle men came leaping out. The moved quickly and silently towards the trees. Two of them knelt down next to Mikey and the other stood guard clutching two three pointed weapons in his hands. He let out a low whistle at the sight of the mangled bodies lying around.

"What the hell happened here," he said in a very gruff Brooklin accent. "Looks like these foot goons were shredded."

One of the turtle kneeling next to Mikey moved over to kneel next to one of the bodies. "Shredded is an accurate description. It looks like these men were attacked by a wild animal." If only you knew turtle guy.

"Mikey's going to be okay," the third said as he shifted Mikey's dead weight around so he could lift him up over his shoulders in a fireman's carry. "We need to leave before the cops show up."

They turned to leave but right before he left, the turtle who had been kneeling down next to the bodies looked right up at us. Saigon remained perfectly still and after a moment he turned to leave but it felt like he knew where we were. **Because he did.**

Thanks Saigon that did nothing to ease my mind.

_Told you they were longer ;)_


	3. Chapter 3: Old Faces and New Enemies

_Thanks to everyone who has been reading this, I'm hoping to get another chapter of this story posted this week_.

_Special thanks to Zpiffing Zid for making me a favorite author._

Disclaimer: I wish they were mine but every time I try and take them home they freak out and I spend a month or two in traction.

Moon Chronicles: Ascension

Sanru

**Saigon's thoughts are in bold**

_Allison's thoughts are in italics_

Remember they think back and forth to each other.

'Stepping' is another way of saying shifting

Chapter Three: Old Faces and New Enemies

It had been several days since our encounter in the park and I found myself wondering if the turtle was alright. Saigon said the injuries it had sustained weren't bad but what if he had taken a turn for the worst? Did those other turtle know first aid? Was there such a thing as a turtle doctor? I didn't think they could just waltz into an emergency room and ask for help.

Work was going by slower then usual that night. Most of my class mates had gone out to see a movie rather then studying for the history test tomorrow. It wasn't until the afternoon so I guess they would have time in the morning. I knew I would probably end up sleeping until noon so it was study time for me.

I was standing behind the desk studying the French Revolution when the bell over the door chimed. A man wearing a trench coat and a large brimmed hat came in, heading immediately for the music and browsing over the Rap section. I marked my spot with a post-it note and headed over. "Can I help you?"

"Maybe," he said in a gruff voice that sounded oddly familiar and handed me a folded piece of paper. "Can you find this?"

Saigon started to growl at the costumer as I took the paper and unfolded it. _Relax, I don't think he'll attack me in the store_.

**That's not it,** Saigon replied still growling.** He's one of those turtles**.

The slip of paper turned out to be a note. "Come to the alley on Third and Main. We need to talk," was all that the note said. My head snapped up to look at the 'man' in front of me and I could see the shadow shape of the turtle's face as he watched me from under the brim of his hat. **We shouldn't go**.

_I don't think we have much of a choice_. I had a feeling that if I refused I would just be getting a visit from the turtles in the future. At least this time I was going to have an advanced warning. I gave the turtle a smile and said, "I'll see what I can do." I wave the note in my hand and winked at him. "See you later." I could barely make out a smile on his face before the turtle was turning and leaving the store.

As I returned to the counter and attempted to focus on my homework again, Saigon said, **This is going to be interesting**.

_I agree,_ I only hoped that these turtles were friendly.

**Don't worry,** Saigon said and I hear the smirk in his voice. **I can take them**.

A smile played across my face, _My hero_.

**They're following us**, Saigon said as we started down the street after work that night. I had planned on taking the most direct route to the meeting place which happened to be on the next street over but the tone in Saigon's voice put me instantly on guard.

_Who? And how many?_ I asked as I continued to walk normally towards the alley.

**All four of those turtle creatures**, Saigon replied after a moment.** And humans**.

_Humans? _I licked my lips and felt my step pick up a notch even as I tried to remain calm. No sense in warning them I knew where they were ahead of time.

A growl rose in the back of my mind**. They smell a lot like the ninjas I killed to save the turtle.**

Uh oh, I swallowed the lump that had suddenly clogged my throat. _They haven't noticed each other?_

**No, they are on opposite sides of the street.**

_So I'm being tailed by two groups one of which I know wants to cause me harm and the other is a complete wild card. Just my luck. I'm open to suggestions._

Saigon's suggestion was a simple word that prodded me into action against my better judgment. **Run**.

And so I did.

I was on both the cross country and outdoor track teams for a number of years. I wasn't in the shape I was back then but the little bit of training I remembered and pure adrenaline powered by fear caused me to burst forward in long strides. I ran as fast as I could for the end of the street, subconsciously asking Saigon to tell me where everyone was.

**Everyone is still on you tail. And no they haven't noticed each other.**

_Great_. I grumbled and headed across the empty road, ducking into an alley. I jumped the chain linked fence, having to pull myself over the last few inches and dropping into a less then graceful landing on the other side. I somehow stayed on my feet, even being over balanced by my back pack, and took off again.

I shot out of the alley and ran across another street dodging a car that blared it's horn at me. I headed up the sidewalk as Saigon growled in my head. **Those turtles aren't being very perceptive. **

_At least the ninjas aren't either. _Even if I was running for what I was assuming was my life, I couldn't stand the thought of someone else getting hurt. I'm just to kind for my own good. I felt Saigon snort in my head in amusement and knew he was agreeing with me._ We need to tell them about the ninjas, they probably think we're running from them._

**Allison, **Saigon said. **Head into the next alley and up the fire escape.**

_Good idea, if they're not looking down all the time then maybe they'll see those ninjas._ I ducked into the next alley, using a trash can and a dumpster to help get me up onto the fire escape. I went up it as fast as I could but as I neared the top I took the time to peeked over the roof ledge just to make sure that I wouldn't be running head first into a pack of angry ninjas.

I crept up the last few stairs and walked out onto the roof looking in every direction. _Talk to me Saigon._ The rooftop was eerily quiet and deserted. All I could think of was the scenes in so many horror movies where the girl was just about to die as she stood alone in some random location. It did nothing to calm me down.

**Head right.**

I glanced off to my right and noticed another rooftop slightly lower then the one I was on. _I don't think I can make that jump_.

**You better try. The ninjas are closer to us then the turtles.**

I turned right running as fast as I could to try and use the momentum to aid me in the jump to the other side. I made the jump but landed hard, rolling a few times to help absorb the impact. I was a little slow getting up, I honestly didn't think I would be able to make that jump. Saigon directed me to jump to the rooftop that was now behind me. It was much easier -only a few feet- and to keep heading in that direction. **This should put you right in the turtles' path.**

_Great just give me a quick_- "Whoa!" I said as a dark shape suddenly landed in front of me blocking off my escape route.

**They're right there**.

_Shut up._

"Alright cutie," the shadow said spinning something in its fingers as it glared at me. "Enough with the games. And here I thought ya were going to be good and do as yer were told too." The other three turtles had dropped down next to him as he talked.

I blinked and Saigon growled at the punk in front of us. Saigon recognized him as the one who had stood guard over the others when they had first arrived at the park. "Oh and I see that the center of the universe just revolves around you," I snapped at him, slightly out of breath and more then a little pissed they still hadn't noticed the ninjas who were almost on top of us according to Saigon. "I was running from them," I jerked my thumb of to my left and, sure enough, the leading ninjas just happened to jump over to land on the roof.

"Damn," said the turtle off to the center turtle's right. He was the one that stayed near Mikey.

"Stay here," the turtle on the left said. He drew a pair of swords for the scarabs on his back –or shell- and I recognized him as the one that had known where we were hiding in the bushes. "Mikey will protect you." With that the three turtles were past me, moving quietly as wraiths, and I spun to watch them go.

"So," came a sing song voice from behind me. I turned to find Mikey standing there, the only signs of his beating in the park was gauze around his thigh and upper left arm. "Are you available for parties?" I blinked confused only to have him suddenly bounce past me heading for an incoming ninja. "Hold that pose!" he yelled back.

**They're good**. Saigon said as we watched the fight. I recognized the turtles' weapons from my Japanese History class I had taken last spring. These giant amphibians were ninjas. I watched as they out shown the ninjas that had been chasing me. Saigon was right, they definitely knew their stuff. Even though he was injured Mikey was still easily able to knock three ninjas away with his nunchucks. His movements weren't half as fluid as the other turtles' moves but I attributed that to his injuries.

**Allison!** Saigon's voice caused me to jump. I had been engrossed watching the turtles fight I had failed to remember just how much danger we were in. Someone grabbed me from behind and yanked me backwards causing a small cry to escape my lips. I twisted around and slugged the ninja as hard as I could across his face. His head jerked back and he pulled on my backpack again causing me to spin away from him. I caught my balance reasonably fast but something hit the back of my knees and I was suddenly falling backwards-

Right off the edge of the building.

I screamed again as I reached back to try and catch hold of something on the building to stop my fall. "Allison!" someone screamed and suddenly something that felt like a wooden stick was hitting the palm of my hand. I was too scared to grab it and I felt Saigon's reactions sudden come into play. He grabbed the stick as we fell off the building to be suspended over a three story fall. "It's okay," Mikey said as he held onto the other end of the nunchuck I was holding onto. "I got you!"

I was about to reply when Saigon said, **Take your backpack off, make it easier to pull you up.** I could see the muscles on Mikey's arm trembling with the strain of holding me up. I slowly slipped off one strap and swapped hands on the nunchuck to do the same on the other. Before I could drop it I saw a ninja with a katanna come up behind Mikey. Mikey saw it too but in his present state he couldn't defend himself. Without really thinking about it I threw the backpack up and hit the ninja squarely in the face.

The sudden jerk on the nunchuck made me lose my grip and I suddenly felt myself falling. "ALLISON!!" I heard Mikey scream. I barely was able to pull in a gasp of air before I hit something hard and yet soft at the same time. I bounced slightly and could hear in my mind as Saigon began saying my name over and over again. If I die what happens to Saigon?

Blackness was steeling over my vision as I came to realize I had landed in a dumpster. A dumpster that just happened to have an old mattress lying in it. That was when a frantic voice followed by a worried face came to me in my stupor. A pair of gentle hands rolled me over and I found myself blearily looking at Mikey's face. "Allison?" he asked. 'Can you hear me?"

I nodded and my head sudden exploded in pain. Darkness sweep over me like a wave and I felt my head fall back into Mikey's hand. **I'm right here, you're safe** was the last thing I remembered hearing.

* * *

_Yes, falling off a three story building hurts and I don't recommend it to anyone. And don't worry. I don't plan on killing off anyone._


	4. Chapter 4: Amnesia?

_Yeah, I know I lied twice. Not only did I not get another chapter posted in a week but I also lied about people dieing._

_So, I'm sorry Foot Ninjas that your comrades died back in chapter 2. Now could you please take that knife away from my throat, I'm trying to type here!_

Disclaimer: I wish they were mine but every time I try and take them home they freak out and I spend a month or two in traction.

Moon Chronicles: Ascension

Sanru

**Saigon's thoughts are in bold**

_Allison's thoughts are in italics_

Remember:

They think back and forth to each other.

'Stepping' is another way of saying shifting

Chapter Four: Amnesia?

For a brief second as I began to come around I wished that I could just go back under where I didn't have to deal with the pain radiating from my head shoulders and back. Everything was stiff and sore and it took me a moment to remember exactly what had happened. Duh, I fell off a building, how could I forget.

The gentle presence that I associate with Saigon seemed to gently prod my consciousness as if he was a dog muzzling my face.** Allison? Are you awake?**

His voice seemed extraordinarily louder the usual and I moaned as it echoed through my skull cause a sharp spike in pain. _I wish I was still out._ I could almost feel him sigh as a gently breeze past my face. _I think I'm okay, where are we?_

**The turtles took us with them. I think we are below ground somewhere but I'm not sure. They've been waiting for you to wake up.**

Something brushed by my face again and this time I was able to think enough to realize that someone was definitely touching me. My eyes snapped open and I found myself laying on an old sofa with some form of stone or brick ceiling spanning above me. I had to close my eyes for a second because the room seemed insanely bright and when I opened them again I realize that the previous big green blur in front of me was actually one of the turtles.

When I'm looking through Saigon's eyes, I can see in the dark better but I lose the ability to distingue colors so this was the first time I was actually able to see a turtle in color. He was an olive green color and 'wearing' nothing more then elbow, wrist and knees pads with a belt knotted around his waist. A purple mask hid his eyes behind it but I could feel the calmness and safety that this turtle seemed to project just by sitting next to me. He gave me a soft smile and in an even softer voice said, "How are you feeling?"

How was I feeling? I felt like I fell off a building was what I really wanted to say but I figured sarcasm wouldn't get me very far. Instead I swallowed the lump in my throat and put a shaky hand to my head, "Do I really feel this god awful or am I dreaming? Please say I'm dreaming and didn't fall off a building."

A quite but relieved sounding laugh came from nearby and a voice I recognized as Mikey said, "Sorry, but you did decide to go base jumping without a harness."

"Luckily," the turtle crouching on the floor next to me said. "You landed in a dumpster that happened to have a very large mattress in it that cushioned your fall enough to avoid any serious injury. Your back is covered in bruises and your head will be ringing for the next few hours but other then that you should be fine."

There was a feeling of smugness and self satisfaction coming from Saigon. "I've always been unnaturally lucky." _You had something to do with that didn't you?_

**Do the fish swim in the sea?**

I would have laughed but, not only would the turtle next to me think I had a concussion or just plain insane, another voice suddenly spoke up. "Just like ya knew where those Foot ninjas were without even looking?" the voice had a heavy accent that made me think of a gangster from the Bronx. The harsh noise made me wince as my head hurt most unpleasantly. I saw the purple turtle frown and looked over his shoulder making it possible to see the speaker. It was another turtle that was 'dressed' similarly to the turtle next to me except for the bright red mask over his eyes and a pair of sais tucked into his belt.

"Keep you're voice down, Raph," the purple turtle said, coming to my aid. "She's going to be sensitive to loud noises." This caused Raph to snort and he crossed his arms over his chest in a very standoffish pose that cased Saigon to growl. **Insolent pup.**

_Down boy,_ I thought as I slowly sat up, keeping my eyes closed to prevent dizziness. I felt a hand on the back of my shoulders supporting me as I wavered when I finally sat up. The hand stayed there until I opened my eyes and blinked away the dizziness still lingering on the edges of my vision. I had a slight sense of vertigo as I glanced around the large room that made me glad that there was a solid hand supporting me. "Easy," the turtle said again as I swayed. "It would be better if you lied down."

"Yeah," Mikey said from where he was reclining in an old lounger beach chair. "Nuthin' ever happens down here so just kick back and relax."

I blinked as I looked over at Mikey trying to will myself to focus better. On the wall opposite me was literally a wall of televisions ranging in size from twelve inches to a couple of massive forty two or thirty six inch sets. Just in front of those there was an ancient and battered recliner with the red banded turtle standing to the left of it with his arms still crossed glaring at me. There was a blue banded turtle sitting on his knees to the right of the recliner and I didn't need Saigon to tell me this was the turtle that had known where I was in the park. He was calmly watching us and I felt the urge to twitch nervously under his intense gaze. Though the turtles were amazing to stare at I found my eyes wandering to the creature sitting in the recliner with a staff resting over its lap.

_Saigon?_ I had to ask as I continued to stare at it.

**Yes Allison that is a giant rat in a robe.**

_Good, I thought I was going insane,_ I thought back weakly. A tremor shot through my body and I had no doubt that my face went a couple of shades paler. The turtle next to me frowned, 'It's alright, he won't hurt you." His other hand came up and gently gripped my upper arm. I'm sure if I had fainted that I won't have fallen more then an inch before this turtle caught me. A sudden smile tugged at the corers of his mouth, "For someone who isn't afraid of a giant talking turtles there is no reason why you should be afraid of an oversized talking rat."

I sighed and brought my hand up to hold my head as I tried to calm down. I doubted it would hurt me. I had been unconscious and in their presences for who knows how long and none of them had hurt me yet. If any of them wanted to hurt me they had had plenty of time to do it already. **I wouldn't have let them**.

_I know_. I opened one eye and looked at the turtle holding me. "I don't suppose you guys brought my backpack?"

"Yep!" Mikey said causing me to wince slightly. Stupid, damned headache. He came over carrying the old battered canvas bag I had bought as a present for going to college for what I wanted to do and not my parents. He handed it over as I reached for it and I began to dig around in it looking for my home headache remedy. Mikey asked as I rooted through the bag, "You have some wicked aim. Were you a baseball pitcher in another life?"

"Nope," I said as my hand closed over the bottle that had hidden itself deep inside my bag. At least it hadn't broken open. "Basketball. That was my famous hook shot that you saw." Mikey stood there for a moment as if he was trying to understand what I was talking about before finally laughing out loud.

"I get it!" he said mimicking the move as if aiming for some invisible basket. "Damn if that's your shot we need to go one on one sometime."

"Once I get my nerves under control, hotshot." I pulled the bottle free, unscrewed the cap and threw my head back guzzling what was left in the twenty ounce bottle in about four chugs. The green liquid flooded my mouth and the caffeinated sugary goodness swirled down my throat. I don't know what it is about Mountain Dew but it always seemed to help me calm down. It was also the only soda I would drink.

With a sigh I threw the covers off my legs. "Thanks," I said to the turtle still holding me as if I could faint at any moment. "You can let go now, I'm fine." He gave me a slightly doubtful look but did as I asked. I twisted around so that I was sitting on the couch normally. Mikey perched on the couch's arm and the purple turtle sat down next to me, probably watching me out of the corner of his eye. I looked around at the turtles, "Thank you for helping me." I then looked directly to the rat and I could practically feel the turtle next to me shift slightly to catch me incase I fainted and took a gainer on the floor. "I'm sorry for my actions earlier. My name is Allison Cadence."

The rat spoke then in a deep, calming voice that reminded me of my grandfather who had passed away a few years ago. "My name is Splinter." He gave me a slight sitting bow. "It's good to know you are well. When my sons carried you in, I feared the worst."

His sons? Guess he must've adopted. "I have to admit I was feeling pretty worried too," I responded with a small smile. I looked around at the turtles again. "So why did you want to talk to me for anyways? I doubt it was for a date."

The turtle sitting next to me smiled and Mikey snickered at my little joke. The turtle sitting next to Splinter was the one who spoke up and said in a serious tone, "We need to warn you about the Foot."

"Yeah but you kinda found that out," Mikey said from his perch. "They're not the nicest people to meet in a dark alley."

"Which brings us back to the question of how you knew where those ninjas were without even lookin'?" Raph said removing his arms from his chest so that his fists could sit on his hips. He was clearly waiting for my answer especially when his foot began to tap on the floor.

"And what happened in the park," the blue turtle stood up. He walked over to stand before me and fell to one knee so that he could look me in the eye. "Mikey said he couldn't remember everything that happened but there were signs of a very quick and brutal fight. You talked to me over the phone so you have some knowledge of what happened that night."

Suddenly it made sense to how they had known where I had worked and my name. A quick internet search on my name and they could have found out everything about me including my Kindergarten report card. **That must have been how the ninjas found out about us.** I had a quick memory of a ninja dragging himself away from the fight trialing a good sized portion of his large intestine. **He must have sent word to his clan before succumbing. **

I guess that the blank look on my face made the turtle next to me think that I didn't know what was going on or that my head trauma was preventing me from remembering what had happened. "Whatever attacked those ninjas in the park was some kind of wild animal," the purple banded turtle shifted around to look at me better. He sounded like he was use to explaining things to other people because his tone of voice reminded me of the tutor that helped me just barely skim by math. "The teeth and claw marks on the bodies point towards a very large dog as the culprit of the attack."

"And I think I saw a really large dog right before I passed out," Mikey said thoughtfully. "At least I think it was a large dog," he shrugged. "It could have been a shadow."

_They're good,_ in less then a minute they had almost figured out what was going on. A 'big dog' did attack the ninjas but they were having trouble figuring out how I came into the fight. They knew I had to have some connection to whatever had attacked the ninjas and saved Mikey. Why else would I be in the park that late at night alone?

**Don't tell them anything**.

_They've pretty much guessed what happened. They're just missing a piece to the puzzle._

**Don't give them that piece.** I suddenly realized he was scared. This was the closest anyone had ever come to figuring out our secret. My parents and some of my friends had suspicions about me but no one knew as much as these turtles had just guessed. At least with humans we knew we would be carted off and studied, but these turtles were a wild card. For all we knew they might kill us thinking we were a danger to them or society.

_Then what can we do?_

"Are you okay?" the blue turtle frowned at me before looking at the turtle sitting next to me. "You sure she doesn't have a concussion, Donnie?"

Donnie turns my head towards him and looked into my eyes. "Keep them open, okay?" he asks and after I give him a slight nod he turns on a pen light and flashes it in both of my eyes. "Follow my finger, don't move your head." His skin was cool and I could feel the calluses that lined the palm of his hand as he held my jaw still. My eyes obediently followed his finger as it went off to the right then the left and finally up and down. He frowned as he let go of my face, "No concussion as far as I can tell." He blinked and then asked me, "Do you even no what we're talking about?"

"Huh?" I had to ask, know even more confused then ever and it seems like I wasn't the only one left in the dark.

"Watcha mean Donnie?" Mikey asked from behind me. "I though you said she's okay."

"Physically, yes" Donnie said glancing quick at Mikey before looking back at me. "Mentally I'm not to sure about now. What do you remember about that night?"

It then occurred to me what he was talking about, thank god for medical insight. The fall I had taken and the blow I had received to the head could've been enough to cause amnesia. I didn't actually have it but it would give me a good enough reason to not tell them about Saigon. Not that I ever would and I think that Saigon would have something to say about it if they ever found out. I blinked and frowned, trying to make it look like I was thinking hard and throwing in all the acting skills I could to make it seem like I was telling them the truth. "I remember being in the park, I think I was taking a walk or something." I looked behind myself at Mikey. "I remember you were there and there was a phone that looked like a small turtle." I shook my head and then looked back at Donnie with a slightly fearful face, "I don't remember anything else, what happened?"

"Calm down," he said as if he thought I was going to have a panic attack. "You have amnesia. It doesn't appear to be serious otherwise you wouldn't remember anything that happened that night."

"Great," Raph grumbled from where he had been standing guard next to the rat. "Now what, o'fearless leader?"

The blue banded turtle stood with a sigh. "We need answers," he said with a huff and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Whatever attacked those ninjas may strike again." He quickly glanced at me, "We also have to keep Allison away from the Foot."

"Yeah they wouldn't be half as nice as us," Raph grumbled crossing his arms. "They would probably kill her for not talking."

"Leo," Donnie said and the blue turtle looked at him. "We could try and trap it."

"Yeah but what would we use as bait?" Leo said before looking at me. "Do you remember any kind of large animal or anything out of the ordinary that night?"

I blinked up at him and pointed at Mikey, "That's a little out of the ordinary wouldn't you say?"

"Hey!" Mikey put a hand on his chest and sounded hurt. "I'm not out of the ordinary! I'm unique!"

"Yer something, all right," Raph said.

"My sons," Splinter finally spoke up. After being silent for so long I had forgotten that he was in the room. "It is late and our guest could use some rest. We can finish this in the morning."

"She can have my room," Mikey said as he jumped up off the arm of the couch like a loaded spring. "Then I guess I'll just have to sleep down here on the couch," he rubbed his hands together and looked way to eager. I doubted that he would be doing much sleeping.

"And she would break her neck tryin' to get to yer bed," Raph said smacking Mikey on the back of his head.

"She can have my room," Donnie said as he stood up. "I'll sleep in my lab."

"You just want to say you had a girl in your bed," Mikey accused Donnie. I started to laugh when Donnie's cheeks flamed up slightly in embarrassment and he tried to deny Mikey's claim. I have to admit I didn't know turtle's could blush.

There was a staircase on the far side of the darken room and I had to wonder if it was usually kept like that or if the turtles were doing it on purpose so I couldn't see everything around me. Even though I had a feeling he would be ridiculed and picked on for awhile to come, I had told the turtles that I would spend the night in Donnie's room even with the generous offer from Mikey. I really didn't want my neck broken just trying to get to the bed which was a high probability because as we walked past his room on the second level I could see piles of junk littering the floor.

Donnie seemed a little shy about his room when we got to it. "It's kinda messy but no where's near as bad as Mikey's room."

Total geek alert. His room was fairly large with large sheets of paper spread on the bare spots on the wall with drawings of what looked like various equipment ranging from trucks to some form of handheld computer. Bookshelves lined one whole wall off to my right and a quick glance at the titles told me that they were various spec and technical manuals. There was a table in the middle of the room covered in various parts and notebooks with calculations on them. Donnie's bed was actually on a raised platform with a very impressive computer system sitting underneath it on a desk. On the very back wall was a large drafting table holding several papers with various scribbling on it of more technical things that went right over my head. "Engineer?" I asked looking over my shoulder at the turtle sanding in the doorway where he had stayed as I inspected his room.

He smiled, "Yeah, my brothers are always calling me geek and brainiac." He walked into the room and picked up some of the loose papers laying next to the table sorting through them. "I'm so use to it now I almost never try to correct them."

"Some of this stuff would make Andy's head spin," I said looking at one hell of a calculation that looked like a calculus nightmare that would make me run screaming in the other direction. "I think I would call you genius instead." His cheeks redden again and I had to smile, "So why were you so insistence that I have your room?"

"It's the only room with an actual door," he said gesturing to the doorway behind us. "Mikey and Raph's room have a curtain in front of it and Leo doesn't have anything in his doorway. I figured since you're a girl you would want some privacy."

Wow, that was thoughtful. "Thanks Donnie."

"Don't mention it," he said over his shoulder as he headed for the door. "There's another light switch up near the head of the bed. Have a good night." With that he left, shutting the door behind him.

I sighed and looked at the floor before heading up the ladder to the bedding platform. His bed was soft and smelled faintly of oil, grease and a very faint metallic smell. I flopped onto it for a second just laying there and relaxing before rolling over and undoing my shoe laces. _You've been quite._

**I've been thinking.**

_About what?_ I tug off my shoes and left them at the small space at the foot of the bed with my socks. I pulled off my tee shirt and wondered where my jacket was. Probably still downstairs, I had brought my bag up with me but never thought to look for my jacket.

He sighed, **I still don't trust them. Raph is dangerous, do not tempt his temper. I don't think that the other three will hurt you but just be cautious around them. Their fighting prowess is great and they could have you downed before we could shift. Splinter will not hurt you unless you hurt him or his sons.**

_That's a lot of thinking. _I crawled under the covers and switched off the light. There was a faint light coming from the computer screen below the bed and a number of the electronics on the table had lights on them glowing like they were like eyes. _But I have to agree with you. I hope that I can keep up the charade of having amnesia_.

**You received the highest marks in that class for acting. Just use what you learned and play the senseless, confused damsel in distress. **

_I wish I had your optimism_, I thought as I closed my eyes and started to relax. _Good night, Saigon._

**Sleep tight,** I had that feeling that he had nuzzled my conscious again. **I'm watching over you.**

_At least the ninjas left so I could finish this up. As long as they stay away this time I should have the next chapter up sometime next week._


End file.
