•2•

~∆~

It took us some time to get back home, April being the one with energy pumping in her veins getting first into our shared apartment and ran into living room, finding Taylor, our roomate.

"Taylor. Taylor." Urgently April made the blonde switch her attention to us.

"Hey. I'm skyping with my mom." I can only hum in response to Taylor, not really liking her.

"You have no idea what we just went through. I am freaking out. We saw a Foot Clan attack."

"Are you two okay?" April, though, ignored the question and continued with her rant.

"I was riding my bike and Y/N was on her skateboard by the docks. It was night, it's dark already and there are Foot Clan soldiers everywhere. Then out of nowhere, there was this guy fighting back against them. And he... He left behind this symbol. And I know that I've seen it before. I can't remember where. But there is someone fighting back against the Foot Clan. There is a vigilante in this city. And no one knows, but we do. I know. And now I have my story. There is no more froth and foam for me." Taylor only stared at my breathless best friend.

"What?"

"Never mind." April waved hand at it, only now realizing to others' ears she sounds a little bit crazy. But not to me, because I know she's getting closer to revealing who and what my brothers really are, and I can't help but worry things won't go as good as I like to imagine.

~🐢~

The next day I accompanied April to her work like most of time, and this day happened to be one of those where April is too much excited about her new discovery and talks about it nonstop, however, this one makes me worried. 

If people will actually believe April, which I'm like 99% sure they won't, they would immediately put search for my brothers and when they find them, I don't even wanna know what exactly they'd do to them. But the worst one to get his hands on my brothers, dad and myself is Eric Sacks.

He's the cause why I was separated from my family. Yeah, it was my fault I got into argument with dad and stormed onto surface at daylight even though I had it forbidden, but he's the one that kidnapped me. He's the one that experimented on me for over a year. And if my suspicion is being correct, he's the cause why I'm not normal.

From what my dad told me back when I was with them, he said he found me one day in sewers, covered in nothing but single f/c blanket. What also concerned him that day was my back, when he spotted the big mark in the shape of folded wings. None of us knew if it were just coincidence or caused by something from before he found me. Until today I can't figure it out, but I suspice Sacks having his hands in it. 

Somehow, through the moths of experimenting, he managed to mutate me. He gave me wings. Beautiful, gaint, black wings that I learned to pull out and shrink into what used to be a mark. He also was curious about my mark, saying something in word like it wasn't there before, whatever that means, and hired a guy to tattoo the mark into wings.

I just turned 9 when they did it, and at such small age I was of course weak and very sensitive, which resolved in it hurting like bitch, especially since it was my first and too big one to that.

I hate him for everything he has done to me, the suffering and nightmares and more, but the wings, I can't bring myself to hate him for that, because they are the best thing that happened to me. 

Maybe not through day but when it turns night, I can fly however long and wherever I want. In the sky I'm free. No one tells me what to do. Up there it's peaceful and quiet, best when you need to clear your head and escape from all the pressure, which for me is quite a lot lately, especially when I wake up from nightmare. And since I'm able to hide them in my body, it's no problem for me, unlike my brothers. At least we all are now weird.

As I'm walking through New York with headphones on my head, I notice the multiple TVs showing the only person in world I hate most. 

Sacks. 

They talk about him and Sacks Industries and other shit I can only grit my teeth at. If I had a chance to punch that smug smirk off of his face, I would gladly do it. He doesn't deserve to be in the place he is. Rich and loved for his lies. If people really knew what kind of person he is, things would be different. Maybe not for us but for the people. 

If people weren't so ignorant, right away I'd take the chance and tell them what he has done, what he's done to me. Unfortunately, hearing a 15-years old girl saying she's been experimented on and tortured by that man would only come as funny to these people. So 0 for me, 1 for Sacks. 

Prick

Shaking my head with sigh, I continue my daily walk, stopping when an alley appears on my left with sewer lid in middle of the way. I hesitate in my spot for good seconds, bitting my lip if or not should I go and try to stumble upon my brothers or dad. 

"Screw it." As final decision settled in my head, I walked over to the lid and looked around if anyone is watching or near, seeing no one, before jumping in with the lid falling closed after me. 

My feet make quiet sound when I land, and my e/c eyes adjust to the darkness consuming me. There are two ways I can go, so I use my intuitions to lead me wherever I should go and go left.

To be honest, I completely forgot about the smell looming in the air of sewers, and it forced my face muscles to cringe. It took me while to get used to it, the terrible smell disappearing into thin air once I turned few corners. 

I have no idea where I am, if I'm walking towards my family or something bad. It's one big maze down here, and I wonder how was I able to take walks here and back to our little home without getting lost over and over.

I go turn a corner when my ears catch heavy footsteps, making me slow down in my tracks. Only with my one eye I peek from behind the corner and I almost gasp when I see a silhouette of one of my brothers. I can't really tell from my spot here, him having his back to me not helping. Not at all. 

I don't remember any of my brothers being so big and bulky. What did dad feed them with? Pizza can't do much, I'm very sure of that. He's muttering something under his breath and I peek my head more in attempt to hear his voice.

"Stupid, stupid Leo. Telling me what to do." My eyebrows raise in surprise, not expecting his voice to sound so deep. I certainlly missed a lot. 

By his pick of words I'm guessing it's Raph, due to him being always the one jealous of Leo. I remember the times like at training when Leo did better impression on dad than Raph and it left him drowning in furry and jealousy, wanting to prove himself. Sometimes I left him alone, but most of the times I came to comfort him, telling him he doesn't need to prove himself, that he's good enough for me. It never trully satisfied him. 

And I was confirmed right when the little of light cutting through the little hole of sewer lid shone down on his head, his red bandana beating into my eyes. 

"Raphael?" Without realizing I breathed out, but once I did, I retreated back behind the wall, right as Raph turned his head my direction. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

"Mikey, don't even try scaring me. You won't success." Raph's voice flies into my ear and out the other. I don't move, only keep my hands pressing over my mouth to prevent any sound coming from me.

"Mikey, I'm not kidding. Get out." His heavy footsteps suddenly grew closer and closer to me, and my pupils shrank into tiny dots. No. Not right now. It's not the right time. Not yet! 

Without wasting any time I sprint away, not even caring where I'm going. My main priority is to get away, totally unprepared if he sees me. I don't know what I'd do. Would he even recognize me after all these years? 

When I'm sure I'm good distance away from him, hearing no footsteps behind me or somewhere else, I take a deep breath I need after all this running. I'm getting out of shape, that's not good. I'm starting tomorrow. But first I must get out of here, before I stumble upon someone else or Raph himself again.

~🐢~

It's late in evening, dark sky replacing the bright blue one, and instead of me using the oppurity to fly and enjoy the moment of freedom, I'm being the best of friend to April and agreed to go with her to the prick's party.

As much as I disagree with everything Sacks is saying, I have to keep myself at bay to not create scene, in worse cause plug his eyes out and rip his tongue so he can finally be quiet.

Sacks talks about what happened years ago in laboratory, time when I wasn't born yet but my brothers and father had the chance to be there and experience what actually happened there, which father told me of course. And from what I'm hearing rolling down Sacks' lips, he's a fucking liar.

When Sacks finished his talk, everyone began to clap. Everyone except for me, of course. Without any warning forward April grabs my hand and drags me towards Sacks. What does she think she's doing?  We walk up to Sacks and stopped in front of him, me keeping my head down so at least my hair can cover my face and hope he won't recognize me.

"Mr. Sacks. April O'Neil. You worked with my father." Introduced herself April and Sacks turned to pay her attention. 

"Oh. I can't believe it. I haven't seen you since-"

"-since his funeral. It was a long time ago." Finished for him April. From where I'm standing I notice tears in her eyes, holding them back. "I just wanted to tell you that your words really resonated with me, and I hope to one day contribute to the city in the way that you do."

"Well. It looks like you're doing a pretty good job. Channel 6, very impressive, April." Sacks stated and April looked down, a little embarrassed. I'd roll my eyes if I could.

"Um...Thank you. It's, uh...it isn't exactly everything I anticipated it would be." Thanked April. 

"As loong as you are true to yourself, your father will always be proud of you." Heavy sigh left my nose drills, restraining myself from glaring at the man that has no right to bring up April's father. Seeing April on verge of tears, I hand her handkerchief, which she gladly takes. But to my unfortunate, it also draws his attention to me. Fuck.

"And who might your friend be?" He glanced shortly at April, still keeping his eyes on me. I curse in my head over and over. 

"What? Oh. This is my best friend, Y/N." I straighten up when April says my name, putting on fake smile to cover the nervousness crawling up my spine.

"It's nice to meet you, Y/N." Sacks grabbed my hand into his, shaking it.

"The pleasure is on my side." It's not. I tried playing it off, and it looks like I did good enough. Still Sacks scan my face with this suspicious glint in his eyes, and the fear of him recognizing me and taking me back rises in me. Until one of his bodyguards came and whispered to him that they need to go.

"I'll see you on TV." Sacks said to April before he turned and walked away with his bodyguard, not leaving without giving a last look at me. Uff.

"Hey, you alright there?" My hands grabbed April's shoulders, rubbing them in comforting way as she wiped her eyes.

"Yeah, it's just his words touched me a little." She sniffed and I frowned, knowing how it feels to miss your father and I pull her into my embrance.

"I believe it's very painful, April. I know you miss him dearly, and I know he misses you too, very much." I pull back to take a look at her.

"Come on, let's get out of here." With my arm around her shoulders we make our way back to Vern.

~∆~