#findingfebruary

Lydia was going through the letters in her husbands box that he kept under their bed. The kids were playing outside with the dogs in the fields. There were letters from Axel’s mother, cousins, and from myself that I wrote when I went away to sell our crop and livestock. 

After quite a while, one letter came about to be from the years that we had left far behind us. 

“My Dear Axel,

How’s our inside man? It is nearly time for us to strike Drapple Cove’s Harbor. There’ll be a bloody mess of it, so I hope you’re well prepared. With this letter, as you can see, is a parcel. You have a d§$# good eye, I may observe, so I’m gifting you with one f$£# of a riffle and three magazines. Have a h¥&$ of a time my friend!

— Ombré ”

Lydia looked at the letter with disgust and horror. She remembered that night vividly, though she hated it deeply. It had been years since either she or Axel had willingly discussed their time as part of Cadell’s crew. 

As Cadell had predicted, that night was bloody. Women and men and children were running and fighting and bleeding. Dying. Not just dying, being killed. At their hands, Lydia’s hands. She wanted to erase it, but she couldn’t. 

She used to have nightmares for nights on end after the plunder. She had come to terms that this was a part of her at some point, and then didn’t think about for a while, until it was forgotten. But she supposed nothing was truly forgotten forever. She knew those nightmares of the woman who looked like her dearest friend who had been shot by their Captain, and the little boy who looked like one of her children today, would come back now. She hated it she hated it she hated it she hated it she hated it all. 

She joined in the life of piracy for riches and adventure. Sure, she was rich then, but Lydia wished nothing but meeting Axel had come of it. 

As Lydia put the letters back in the box how she found them, she wished there was a spell that could wipe all of her horrible memories from her mind.

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@monthlywritingchallenges

Still getting a feel for the characters! This is super short for what I usually write, hahaaaa

Donnie rolled out the map of what had formerly been known as the United States of America, now known as the M.N.A.T., or the Mid-North American Territories. “Here’s the route you need to take in order to get to this junk-yard. Got it? The highlighted route on this map is the path to a post-apocalyptic treasure trove; this is the only dump left in the New England Coastal Territories, so you need to salvage as much as you all can, understood?”, Donnie asked his apprentice. 

His old enemy, now dear student, was Baxter Stockman. Baxter nodded. “Understood. You give me the list, I’ll return with the package delivered.”

“Takes you back to the stock and shop days, doesn’t it, Baxter?”, Donnie teased.

“Hardy-har-har. I’ve been stricken down with laughter,” he replied in good humor. Donnie could recognize the sarcasm that Baxter had gradually absorbed from being his apprentice.

Right as he was about to give Stockman further instructions, he heard a familiar ring-tone coming from his gauntlet. He raised his sharpied on eye-brow and raised a finger to his pupil. “I will return in a moment,” he informed before walking into the next room. 

Thankfully, it was empty. He answered the call. “Captain, you don’t usually call unless it’s an arranged meeting. Is something wrong? Is your base under attack?”, Donnie immediately questioned.

Then he saw the dark colors adorning her face. Colors in places that showed signs of little sleep, and an even smaller amount of food. “Sasha. What’s wrong?”

“Oh, um, sorry to worry you, Don. We’re not under attack…” Sasha replied, her voice sounding scratchy, on the verge of tears.

“What… happened?”

“I just thought I’d let you know, since you see him every other month because of his errands… um, Noah—“ she tried to explain, but she had obviously gotten choked up.

“Oh, no, Sasha, whatever happened to him, I’m so sorry. I can’t— I’m so sorry. I would offer further condolences if this weren’t a mere screen,” Donnie told her. 

“Thanks, Don. He’s— the people that were with him told me a couple days ago that he had been absorbed by— them,” Sasha explained, practically spitting the last word. “You wanna know what’s so ironic about that?”

“Only if you don’t end up crying.”

“Noah died, Donnie,” Sasha snarled.

“Yes, right. I just mean even more, while you’re trying to speak,” Donnie attempted a defense.

“Like you were able to do any better explaining when you were so gloomy when your sisters passed.” Donnie looked away. “The irony of it… Heh. What day is it today, Donatello?”

“It is two/sixteen/forty, put in other words—“

“What day was two days ago?”

“The fourteenth, and formerly the celebrated holiday… Valentines Day…. That is ironic. And cruel,” Donnie concluded.

“Loss happens a lot in this day and age, so I guess I shouldn’t dwell on this so mu—“

“No! Sasha, look at me! Right now, look at me! You know I am not a feelings guy, but your husband died two days ago. You are allowed to dwell on this for as long as you need to. Don’t let it hinder your ability to do what you need to, but don’t push it away either, because it does not help. I speak from experience. 

“And I know that you have friends at the B.R., so talk to them about it as much as you need to without putting your work off. You can call me whenever you need, and if I’m not in a meeting or out in the field, I will answer and listen. I can promise that much,” Donnie assured after his little pep-talk.

Sasha sniffed. “Thanks, Donnie. I’d really like a hug right about now, but we’re miles away from each other, so…”

“I would gladly offer one, but it is as you say. Again, don’t hesitate to ask other people who are close to you for comfort. Keeping it bottled up does not help,” Donnie reminded her.

There was a knock at the door. “Master Donatello? I would prefer to have instructions for a mission before you unexpectedly get a call, rather than after,” Baxter called through the door.

“Oh! Right, I have an apprentice. Sorry to end the call so suddenly. Will you be alright?”

“As good as I can be. I do feel better after that though, so thanks again, Donnie,” Sasha smiled feebly.

“Glad to help my friend. I believe we have a meeting tomorrow. Don’t forget it,” he winked. “Farewell, Sasha!” He finished with a wave before ending the call.

Donnie walked out of the room, “So sorry about that, Baxter. Now about that treasure map…”

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Now she’s miserably single >:} @hzl86

While I was writing Baxter, I could not not hear ‘03 Stockman, and it’s still killing me XD

February Prompts: Day 8 - A Treasure Map | Day 9 - A Long-Lost Friend

Link to Captain's challenge ♡○♡

“Waaaaappphhhh!!!!!” Mikey running as he wailed to his brother, tears rolling down his cheeks.

“Mikey! What happened? Were Lee and Don making you watch Dad’s tv shows again? Grrrr, they better stop doin’ that er they’re gonna be in trouble,” Raph asked, assuming that the twins were being their disastrous selves and pushing the youngest of them all to do things he shouldn’t.

“N-n-no.” Mikey paused to sniff. “I-I-I— t-t-to-today— w-w-wew¹, I w-was cowewing² wiff Squeak, an-an-an’… an’ t-then I w-went t-to-to p-pway Wou J-J-Jitsu wiff-f Wee an’ D-Dee-Dee, an’ w-when I w-w-went t-to g-get Squ-Squ-Squea-ea-eak—“ Mikey’s voice wobbled as he broke off again. He hiccuped and whined, hugging his big brother all the while, until he could continue his story— with some coaxing from Raph.

“C’mon, bud. Tell Raph an’ then he’ll help ya,” Raph comforted, rubbing his baby bro’s shell.

Mikey took a deep breath before continuing. “I w-went t-t-t-to ask Squea-eak if h-he wan-want-wanted to-o p-way— pwwwa- plllllaayyy W-W-Wou J-Jitsu-u wiff Weo an’ D-Donnie, b-b-but t-then-n-n I c-c-c-couldn’t-n’t-n’t f-fin-d-d h-h-him!” The little box turtle broke down again, crying as if someone had told him they’d killed a puppy.

“Well, where were you colorin’ with Squeak?”, Raph asked, remembering what his dad had taught him when he was Mikey’s age: back-track.

“W-w-we were in-n my woo-woo-woom,” Mikey stuttered with a trembling lip.

“Alright! Mike, get Donnie and Leo. We’ve got a do-phin³ to find!”, Raph ordered encouragingly.

“Okay!”, Mikey nodded, a smile emerging from his tearful face as his small tail began to wag. He dashed off, calling his older brother’s names. “LLLLLLLLLEEEEOOOO! DEEEEE-DEEEEEEE! WHEWE AWE YOOOOOUUUUUU!?”

Meanwhile, Raph dashed off to Mikey’s bed-room in hopes that /he/ might be able to find the tie-dye plush. “Hmmmm. If I was Mikey, where could I put Squeak?”

“You mean, ‘where /would/ I put Squeak’?”, Donnie offered, announcing the entrance of Raph’s brothers.

“Sure,” Raph waved him off. “Okay boys. This is a crime scene. It’s either a runaway, or a kidnapping.”

Mikey gasped, bringing his small hands up to his mouth. “No…” he whispered.

“So, we look everywhere!”, was Leo’s conclusion.

“But it’s a crime scene; you disturb no ebby-dense at the scene of a crime,” Donnie argued.

“Oh, yeah. That’s what all Dad’s soap oper’s say, anywhizz,” Leo thought with a nod.

“Soap opera,” Donnie corrected again.

“Nerd.”

“Dum-dum.”

“Guys! Stop! Mikey lost Squeak, and now /we all/ have to find him!”, Raph interrupted, putting his arms between the two.

“Okay, here’s the plan. We’ll look in here first, and then if we can’t find him, we’ll go to different rooms by ourselfff-sss until we fins him. And if /we/ can’t find Squeak, than we can ask Pops to help us! Got that?”, Raph asked as he looked around at his little bros. They nodded, all looking determined to find Mikey’s favorite toy.

“Hands in bros! Three, two, one, TURTLE POWER!!!!”, Raph began; all four shouted at the end, making silent, innocent promises that Squeak would be found.

Raph dashed to look under the make-shift dresser. Nothin’. He checked the drawers, all three, from top to bottom! Still no sign of Squeak. He walked over to the colorful pieces of paper and crayons.

Leo, Mikey, and Donnie approached Raph at the same time. “We looked everywhere we could think of. None of us found nothing,” Leo reported solemnly.

“Hm. Okay. Donnie, search the tv room. Leo, look in your room. Mikey, look in Dee’s room—“

“Why can’t I look in my own room?”, Donnie protested, stomping his foot.

“Because Mikey isn’t allowed to watch a lot of the stuff dad watches. Also, you’re the only one who doesn’t get completely ‘stracted from the tv,” Raph reasoned.

“Oh. Yeah, I guess that’s true,” Donnie agreed, eye-ridges knit together in thought.

“I’ll look for Squeak in my room. Turtles, let’s roll out!”, Raph finished.

They all ran to their assigned rooms, making quick and thorough work of the search. Raph first looked at where he was sitting before he went to the kitchen to make lunch for the five Hamatos. He knew that his dad could get food for himself, but he didn’t get up much anymore, so Raph decided that he would make lunch for his dad to be extra responsible.

Raph looked under his blankets, and then his pillow, and then his mattress. He checked under the rug, in his own amassing pile of plush toys.

He checked his school corner, and craft corner, which was full of yarn at the moment, cakey and scavenged threafd fraying, as he was trying to teach himself how to crochet, or knit, or whatever it was called. He was using a discarded, muddled up kit manual to learn the craft.

Raph was getting sidetracked. Now’s the time to focus. Raph won’t rest until we find Squeak.

Well, maybe Raph’ll rest. How can I be able to look if I’m too sleepy to open my eyes! the reasonable voice in Raph’s head mentioned.

Anyways, Raph even checked his own dresser like he did with Mikey’s— and still nothing! “Well, I looked everywhere in here I can think of. I’ll check on Donnie’s room.”

Raph walked in to find Mikey trying to peek somewhere he couldn’t reach much less see. “Here, let me help,” Raph offered, scooping his youngest brother up and onto his shoulders.

“Woah! Waphie! You scawed me!”, Mikey exclaimed.

“Sorry, Mikey! Look at the top now. You can see more from up there,” Raph apologized.

“Wow! I’m the king of the woooowwwwwwwwwlllllllddddd!!!!!!”, Mikey cheered. Raph felt him lean forwards. “I can’t see him.”

“Did you look everywhere in here yet?”

“No— um, yes, um, I don’ know.”

“Okay. Did you look under the bed?”

“Yes.”

“Did you look on top of the bed?”

“Yes.”

“Did you under the rug?”

“Yes.”

And it continued like that for about two minutes, in the time of which Leo and Donnie walked in, both empty-handed, waited for approximately ten seconds, and then looked for Squeak on their own. However, both Leo and Donnie came fruitless of their labor again.

“Squeak isn’t in either of our rooms,” Leo interrupted, pointing to Donnie and himself.

“How do you know that?”, Raph asked suspiciously.

“Because I looked in my room. And Dee-Dee and I looked in here while you and Mikey were talking,” Leo explained.

“Oh. Okay,” Raph accepted easily, Mikey not leaving his shoulders. “Let’s check the kitchen.”

The four headed off again, determined to finish their mission. They looked everywhere they could. The cabinets, the counter, the oven— everywhere! But the beloved dolphin was nowhere to be seen.

“I’ll never see Squeak ever again!”, Mikey screamed before crying loudly. It was enough to get Splinter to come in and wonder what the matter was— or he was just getting hungry because it was a bit past his lunchtime.

“Orange! What is the matter, my son?”, he asked, crouching down to scoop the smallest brother into his arms.

Mikey could only hiccup and wail, and Donnie could only cover his ears, and Raph wasn’t fast enough, so Leo answered for the youngest: “He lost Squeaky, and we looked everywhere, but we can’t find him!”

Splinter tsked and shook his head. “A lost Squeaky? Well, we can’t have that, can we? Hmmm, let’s see.” Splinter swiveled his head around, his eyes searching for an orange dolphin toy. Mikey was sniffing and hiccuping in Splinters arms still, though he had calmed down quite a bit.

“Dad, we already told you that we looked everywhere! Squeaky isn’t—“ Raph tried to explain. However, he was interrupted by his father.

“Non-sense! Squeaky is right there on the counter, see?”, Splinter pointed. Though the three eldest turtles could not believe it, there he was! Squeaky the Dolphin! In the flesh!— um, fluff?

Raph, Donnie, and Leo’s jaws dropped, but Mikey gasped, and then squealed. “Eeeeeeee!!!!!! Daddy, you find-ed him! You find-ed Squeaky!” He squirmed out of his father’s arms and ran towards the stuffed animal that was just larger than his head. He snatched it from the counter and hugged it tight. “Oh, Squeaky! I’ww nevew wose you again! I pwomise!”

“Now we can play Lou Jitsu!”, Leo cheered.

“Yeah!”, Mikey joined his red-eared brother.

The two ran off, Donnie not far behind in his oversized hoodie. Raph hesitated, but Splinter grunted and smiled. “Thank you for helping your brother, my Red. Go play; I will prepare lunch.”

“Thanks, Pops!”, Raph grinned and then ran off to join his brothers in a fun game of pretend.

—————Nine Years Later—————

“Aha! Found ya! I’m glad you made it through the Shredder’s attack, how ‘bout it buddy?”, Mikey spoke gently to the battered old dolphin plush as if he had seen everything that had happened to their childhood home.

“Mikey! It won’t hold for much longer! Hurry up!”, he heard Donnie call from the safest exit of their now-unrecognizable home.

“Coming!”, he called back. “We’re going to a new home now…… I’m glad I didn’t lose ya, Squeak. I’m glad I found you again.”

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It was gonna be a fun silly little thing but then I decided that I'd add some angst at the end :^ bc why not >:]

I'm late for this, but that's okay. I'll try to get today's written today :D

I'm going to assume that most people can understand toddler when put to print, so I just included a few translations below

Prompt by @monthlywritingchallenges

-=_=-=_=-=_=-=_=-=_=-=_=-=_=-

Footnotes:

1.) Five y.o. for "well"

2.) Five y.o. for "coloring"

‘I saluted my former superior before I turned away with my family and the other people, mutants, and yokai who dared to leave the Central Park Resistance to find a new home. (Oh, by the way, the C.P.R. is also known as the Earth Protection Force Resistance, the E.P.F. Resistance, and the E.P.F.R.)

‘The C.P.R. provided me and a nurse with small satchels of medical supplies, should anyone become injured. As everyone knew, though, this was the apocalypse. Someone was bound to get hurt one way or another, somewhen. 

‘Anywhizzle, everyone turned away. The kids that were coming with their families were loaded on the hover-cart— the kind they have at Lowe’s, but much bigger and hover-y— with the food and weapons that were provided by the E.P.F.R. My brother, aka my younger twin and another scientist— that is not as awesome as my bro!— were given raw materials and stuff they would need to make anything important. Everyone else carried everything extra or pushed the cart.

‘Details aside now, we were off! It was June, so it was pretty hot. Not to mention the irregular temperatures with the alien invasions, blehg. We were not having a great time. We took the underground routes that the U.R. (United Resistances) use for food and weapons transport, but the vents that gave us air from outside were also making us miserable with the heat from outside. Getting sidetracked, uuuuhhhhhmmmm, oh! Right. It was pretty quick to get from point A to point B— well, rather, point W. We didn’t know where we were goin’, but we knew we were goin’ somewhere! Guh, quit it Leon! You’re telling a story here. 

‘So, we traveled for a few days, and then we happened upon somewhere that any New Yorker— well, normal New Yorker, knows pretty well. So, thank goodness we had normal New Yorkers with us! In case you were wondering, we had happened upon— bada-bada-bada-bada-bada-bada-ba! The Statue of Liberty Museum gift shop! Yeah, now that I think about it, I could have deduced that even, but I was being screamed at by my three-month-old nephew, so, y’know. A bit hard to think while that’s happening. 

‘So, we got there… Somehow the E.P.F.R and the Newark Resistance made tunnels underwater for safe travel, too. Anywhizzle, we looked around, and it seemed risky, but safe for a short amount of time. 

‘… When suddenly—…… A skeleton yokai and a googlyschmootz yokai that had brown where skin would be, and black where hair would be, and a whole lot of other weird colors, because she had a broken cloaking brooch, jumped out at us with a sword and a crossbow, and a spear and a gun. They were aiming them at us, because they thought we were Kraang! 

‘But, then, after realizing that we weren’t Kraang, guess what?! I finally got a good look at the skeleton guy, because Raph and Barry were in front of me, so I had to give Wolfe to my sis-in-law and push forward. 

‘Then the skeleton guy, when he saw me, said, in a wonderful Spanish accent that I’m extremely familiar with, “Pepino?”

‘And then I said, “Bone-man? Ohmigosh! You’re alive!” And then I hugged him, and he actually hugged me back, which never happened before, and hasn’t happened since. 

‘Well, then he said, “¡Sí! I am! I don’t know why I am surprised you survived as well. You niños— ah, chicos, are very resilient.”

‘Then I told him, “Shell yeah we are!”

‘But then I heard girly squealing, so I turned around to find Casey Senior, April, and the googlyschmootz were hugging, and then I got a good look at her, and it turned out that she looked an awful lot like Cass and April’s ex-college roomie! And I don’t mean they had issues with being roomies, I’m pretty sure Sunita, Case, and April were the world’s closest roommates, if siblings and spouses don’t count. 

‘Anyways, after we all got reacquainted, brought down to the basement where it was safer, and relatively caught up, then I basically said, “Hey, since we’re all already here, why don’t we spread the word that we’ll be a new asset to the IRAK (International Resistance Against the Kraang) and U.R., as well as a completely unbiased, non-racist, non-sexist resistance!” Everyone agreed that it was a totally awesome plan, with zero flaws. Then, Mikey and I called it the Liberty Resistance, Donnie made some calls, and then humans, yokai, and mutants started pouring in! 

‘Now we’re one of the most effective resistances in the New England area, and we’re all super cool and bust the Kraang’s sorry butts. The End,’ I finish. My nephew, niece, and the other kids in the L.R. stare at me in awe.

‘Wait, that’s it!?’, Taylor exclaims.

‘Yeah, is that the whole story?’, Angel asks; she’s obviously copying Taylor’s disappointment, but her expression is betraying her real emotions of excitement.

‘Ugh, you children are so ungrateful!’, I say dramatically, and I put the back of my left hand on my forehead. 

‘Taylor, you were the one who asked how Uncle Leo and Dad and Uncle Mikey and Uncle ‘Natello made the Resistance,’ Wolfe informs us, a confused look on his face.

‘Wolfie’s right! Taylor and Angel asked for Master Uncle Leonardo to tell us about how the L.R. was made!’, Casey Jr. argues. His eye-brows are knitted together a little bit too much like my big bro…

‘Well, you little tikes know the true story now! Now you can tell everyone about my greatness and how I lead us to where we are now,’ I tell the gullible children.

‘Sure, it’s the true story, he said in a not-at-all sarcastic tone,’ I hear Donnie say from his bed, adjacent to mine.

‘Of course it’s true! Why would I lie to the world’s best kids?’, I look at him, mocking offense. Of course I’m not actually offended, though. We do this all the time.

‘Don’t believe a thing that one says, and you’ll have an easier time keeping out of trouble, believe me,’ he says, nodding in my direction.

All the kids say either ‘Yes, Master Donatello,’ or ‘Okay Uncle ‘Natello.’ 

I hear the clacking of boots, and in comes Mona and Dr. O’ Neil. ‘Kids! What are you doing in here? You know these two are supposed to resting,’ Dr. O’ Neil scolds as the kids stand up quickly and rush towards Mona. 

‘Sorry, ma’am,’ they say at the same time… somehow…

‘I know you all are anxious about what happened to them, but Master Leonardo and Master Donatello need to rest until they’ve recovered,’ Mona reasons. ‘How about a story? I know you all have been wondering about how the L.R. came to be.’

‘No. Master Leonardo already told us,’ a kid named Asher speaks up.

‘Oh, did he?’, Mona asks as she ushers them out of the room.

‘Yeah, he told us eeeevvvvvverythiiiiinnnnnggggg!!!!!!’, a cat yokai girl named Luna agrees. The other kids nod along.

‘Well, why don’t you all tell me just what he told you?’ The kids cheer in response to this.

‘You, dear twin, are busted,’ Donnie remarks from his bed. 

‘You weren’t awake. You didn’t hear what I told them.’

‘That’s what I’m afraid of,’ Donnie deadpans.

‘You two ready for a check-up?’, Dr. O’ Neil asks.

‘Yep!’, I say.

‘Yes, ma’am,’ Donnie’s voice overlaps with mine.

‘By the way, Leonardo, you’ll probably end up on those kids’ suspicious sides. Just as a heads up,’ the doctor warns.

‘Duly noted,’ I mumble nervously.

‘If you two keep up your recoveries like this, you two should be on your feet in no time at all. I hope we have enough resources for ya’lls’ prosthetics, Donatello?’

‘Unfortunately, there is only enough spare materials for one new, functioning prosthesis,’ my brother responds.

I look down at my hand as memories of red and green flash behind my eyes. ‘Make it for yourself, Dee. I have an idea that should do two things for us.’

———————————————

Oh, hey, yeah, btw, in my au, Leo and Donnie loose their limbs due to the same event, and they are currently in the recovery stage while Lee’s telling the story.

Other info is: Angel is Casey’s twin, Wolfe is Taylor’s older brother, and those two are Raph’s kids, but Raph is dead atp. And so is Cass and April

@monthlywritingchallenges