TMNT Rae/VC - 2003 Turtles

"We would've been a lot more skeptical, tense, and in his face than we were. Which is why they hid. Mikey knows us well," Raph watched his brother closely, "Maybe you can meet her? Cassi said she has insomnia, which is why she was awake when I went to see her. I mean, I don't mind leading the way. We might run into something on the way."

Raph sighed and reached out, trading Donny the apparent privilege of petting the little sparrow, but he stroked her back instead, "I wonder if she's anyone's pet? She's awfully tame...and she's Eurasian? So she's not seen around these parts, really. Maybe she got out of her cage and found the nearest people?" She fluttered her feathers and then did a little twirl. Raph was still petting her, so he felt like she was trying to itch a scratch, "She's adorable, anyhow."

"It's possible." Donny agreed. He had just been wondering that himself. He walked over to his equipment and put things away. Once the duffle was secure on his back he looked back at the sparrow. "It's just as possible that she might've escaped from a pet store too. I don't know really. I hope she's not someone's pet, someone might miss her...unless they thought it was best for her to be in the wild..." People had started doing that again, buying animals just to free them, not understanding that a human touch sometimes made it hard for the animals to survive. It was more humane to keep them, than to let them go half of the time. "As long as you're sure about wanting me to meet her. It can't hurt."

The sparrow chirped and fluttered around Donny and Raph before landing on Donny's shell, talons gripping the rim.

"Well, no matter where she came from it looks like she wants to go with us. I wonder how far she'll follow?" Raph was curious and amused, "I think she's flattered that you were able to tell what she was and now she's attached to you."

Donny was also amused, "Now I just have to develop animal powers in order to communicate with them and then we'll be set wouldn't we?" He gestured after Raph and they jumped the rooftops. It surprised Donny that the sparrow kept up with them, and it made him...a little suspicious. He chalked it up to Leo's paranoia and ignored it though.

The garage was...well...it was nicer to say that it looked like an abandoned building. A yellow light flooded through the working area of the garage, so it wasn't, but it was in ruins. The building shouldn't even be standing, the structure was all off. It wouldn't even take much for it to come crumbling down. He noticed a girl inside of the working part, working on a bike. She kept the garage doors shut and he noticed that she was bundled with possibly every jacket that she owned...

She turned sharply towards the window and Donny took an instinctive step back, while Raph was more brazen and actually jumped down. Reminding himself that Raph knew her...somewhat...he jumped too.

"You're bundled up tonight, Magic. It must be colder in that garage than it is out here," Raph called as he stood next to the door, peering inside, "Can you spare a moment? I brought one of my other bros to meetcha."

Madeline came out, pulling the garage door open and staying close by towards the heat source. She was shivering and he noticed that she was pale. She pushed her gloves into her pockets, trying to keep what warmth she could in. "Yeah." Madeline agreed as she leaned against the doorway, but Donny noticed that she was doing everything that she could to make sure she wasn't looking into the shadows. Whether that was a kindness or she was afraid of the dark, he didn't know. "I think I'm catching a cold. Or something. I don't know." She shrugged. "Infection from an injury maybe. Or maybe overly stressed out."

"That's not good," Donny frowned, "What are you doing staying up? I'm sorry...I'm Donny. Donatello. I think Cassidy might've mentioned me?"

"She doesn't talk much about you." Madeline denied quickly, shaking her head from side to side. "She -um- takes your secret seriously. Also, I have work..." She gestured.

Interesting. Donny would've thought Cassidy would've told her more. She obviously didn't have much too. She was probably way worst off then they were and they lived in the sewers. But they had heat, good water, and the ability to get food thanks to April and Casey.

"Donny is the brains of the outfit. He makes all of our gadgets and gizmos and he has like, a ten monitor set up...that may or may not be an exaggeration," Raph laughed a bit, "Do you have medicine? Nyquil or anything like that?"

The bird that had followed them fluttered around the door and ruffled herself in Maddie's hair, making a mess out of it until Maddie batted her away. She chirped and flew around some more.

"Whose pet?" Madeline asked, watching the sparrow with curiosity before turning towards the shadows. Her gaze only lingered for a moment before shrugging. "No. I -uh- don't..." she trailed off and Donny winced. She looked like she wanted to be buried underneath the ground right about now. "It's okay. A ten mointer set up? I bet that's very powerful and awesome. You a hacker?"

Donny frowned and looked at Raph. They couldn't break in and get her anything, but Donny was pretty certain he might have something in the lair for her...or maybe if they casually mentioned it to Cassidy, her best friend would be all over it. The sparrow seemed to settle, as if realizing what was being said.

"We found her on the roof, she hadn't gone home for the winter so we think she might be lost." Donny explained after a moment of silence, looking back at Maddie. "You could call me that. I'm mostly an engineer."

Madeline whistled, "Cassidy never said you were clever. I mean...engineer clever."

"I think Cassi's trying her hardest on making sure we don't blow our cover anymore than we already have." Donny admitted.

"She's a wonderful person. She's trying really hard. No wonder Mikey loves her so much," Raph's smile was soft, and his tone gentle, "Our fourth brother, Leo, might be the hardest to come meet you since he's such a stick in the mud, but one day we'll convince him. "

Madeline smiled softly as she leaned against the frame of the garage. She was silent, but Donny could practically see the gears turning in her head. "She's a sweetheart." She said after a moment. "Mikey's good for her, and I can tell he makes her world light up. I'm glad that you guys like her...I worried there for a moment that I was going to have to go up against two ninja clans. Not just the one."

"Why are the Foot after you?" Donny asked after a moment. "Shielding people shouldn't get this much of a reaction."

"It's who I'm shielding." Madeline pointed out, "My magic is another reason. My defiance. They think that I'm wasting my talents, trying to fix things that are broken. Every time they think they have a way to corner me, I wiggle myself out. They're gonna start to wonder if I'm apart of the war. They probably already have and maybe even are thinking that I'm -um- with the other side. I think that's why I got jumped and tossed the sewer. Probably a message." She sighed softly and she shifted. "Maybe that I'm worse than a piece of shit and deserved to be down there??? I really don't know. I don't dare tell Cassidy. She'd just worry endlessly and that'll make her husband worry endlessly and then it's a big cycle of worry that'll just drive me up the wall. Not that they shouldn't worry, but...it's Cassidy."

"How come they don't attack you outright? Did you put up wards? They're not exactly the honorable type," Raph snorted, "Well, whether that's their message or not, you're not a piec of shit and you shouldn't think that way. You work hard for so little."

Donny doubted that was the message. If anything, the Foot probably thought that she was their ally, and was trying to convey that since they were able to beat her...they needed to watch their backs. He watched as Madeline shrugged in response to Raph's question.

"Not the way you're thinking." She looked at her home. "My magic isn't just waving hands and hoping that it works." She tapped on the wood. "I have all sorts of spells hanging in knooks and crannies in here. Some you can see if you look real hard, and others well...you wouldn't know they're a spell unless they're right in your face. I don't try to ward off people..." She placed her hand down. "If I do that, then someone who wants to leave the Foot or wants to leave the Purple Dragons wouldn't be able to come here. Now, I might turn them away, if I think they're just going to run right back. It's happened before, so -um- I'm pretty picky about who I shelter when it comes to those groups. But others? My spells are meant to protect from harm. But I -uh- do have a fail safe in a few of them. I really hope it's never activated, otherwise...well..." She gestured her hands up, clearly showing an explosion. "It's all I can do."

"Here's to hoping it doesn't come to that," Raph watched her carefully, and the sparrow came flitting over, flying in a circle around Madeline's head, then went and landed back on Don's shoulder, "Looks like that's our cue to get out of here, we got things to do, baddies to stop and all that."

Madeline's eyes rolled, "Yes how will the world ever continue on without Ninjas to go around slamming heads into walls?" She asked sarcastically, making Donny's lips quirk. She'd get along with Casey pretty well, if not Raph and Mikey. He wondered if Mikey ever spoke to Maddie. He must have a long time ago.. "Well, I won't stop you. Be careful."

"That should be given to Raph." Donny said with a smirk. "He doens't know what careful is."

"Oh. Okay." Maddie nodded, "Then I hope you don't die."

Yeah she probably got along with Mikey like a house caught on fire. "We'll do our best." He said and they disappeared back into the shadows. "Not so bad." He mused. "Leo's definitely going to want to meet her though. He'll be the only one who hasn't. Let's go."

()

Mikey swung down from his spot on the watertower onto the rooftop Cassidy was on as they looked around for anything amiss. They were in the tamer parts of the city right now, as Cassi was still new to the whole crime fighting scene. She'd been doing very well on her training, both magic and martial arts, and she was antsy to see how she held up. Of course he was nervous about her getting hurt, but he couldn't baby her. He wouldn't want to be. April and Donny were the best healers they had, too, Leo third, so she would be alright should something happen. Besides, if anything he could drop her off at the nearest hospital as well.

"Do you see anything, love?" he asked as he placed his hand on her shoulder. She was looking off in a particular direction and he furrowed his brow ridges as there were flashes of yellow-orange light. It reminded him of fire, but it wasn't consistent at all like a crackling flame would be.

"I don't think that's Maddie..." Cassidy said slowly, trying to stand on her tippy toes like that would get a better scene. She frowned when all she could see was the same crackling of fire, still not consistent. "I don't think it's pyro-dancing either. Or that pole dance thing...Maddie knows it." She waved it off. "I think we should check it out...just to make sure it's not something major." A couple of kids might've accidentally started fire, or were trying to, or even someone /could/ have started a fire and they just were in the wrong spot to see it.

"Be prepared for anything," Mikey warned even though he really didn't have to, and they started jumping across the rooftops to the area. As they got closer, they heard grunting and shouting and they arrived in time to see a woman dressed in a dark brown trench coat doing a sideways jump, yellow and orange swirls that mixed and mingled to appear like firelight coming from her hands and she flicked and snapped her wrists, cutting across the back of a burly man who was trying to run away, and she also dragged him back. When he got to his feet she snapped her taunt hand across the back of his neck in a karate chop, knocking him out and he slumped to the ground like the five others that littered the alleyway.

"Whoa..." Mikey muttered as he joined Cassidy on the ground, mouth slack-jaw and he watched the redheaded woman pull out her cellphone, unlocking it before she noticed them, snapping out of her own head.

"Who's there?" she narrowed her eyes at the darkness, "Cassidy?"

"I didn't know you could do magic like Madeline." Cassidy jumped away from the shadows so that Andrea wouldn't suddenly attack her and possibly light up where Mikey was. She looked at the men that were on the ground and whistled softly. "Well, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised." She murmured and she looked back up at Andrea. "Why on earth are you here?!"

"I live in this area," Andrea explained, "I had a late private dance lesson and on my way home these guys were looking pretty shady. I decided to give them a taste of their own medicine. Better me than some poor girl who can't very well defend herself," she shrugged, "Who's your big turtle friend?"

Mikey was pretty sure if they were in better light it was obvious he paled, but as it was he didn't understand how she saw him at all. How had she even known it was Cassidy, too? "That's not..." he started to say when she cut him off.

"I can see fairly well in the dark as long as there's a dim light to follow. In this case, the city is my light as it never sleeps and there's a soft glow on everything. Unless we are in a room with no windows, there is never truly no light," Andrea hummed softly.

"You're not...scared of me?" Mikey decided to ask instead, shoulders tense and he watched Cassidy.

"No, though it would be appreciated if you came closer and didn't mumble," Andrea folded her arms, watching as he did so, "I like your color, from what I can tell. Nighttime has an entirely different shading than the true colors of the day."

"You're talking like a painter," Mikey blinked at her slowly.

"Maybe because I am one?" she laughed softly, then brushed her red hair from her eyes, "I'm going to call nine-one-one to pick up these bozos, then we can jump onto the rooftops and keep talking if you'd like."

Cassidy nodded and once they were up on the rooftops they ran for a bit longer and further so that they could at least have some place quiet to chat. Her mind was racing through so many different things that the only thing that she could possibly ask was, "Are you apart of a dojo? That was TKD right? Those were highly advanced moves, you're a black belt of some sort. I think your magic gives you heat vision and...you're a painter?! Are we going to have to call you the Graffiti Artist or something for a street name? Do you even have one?!"

"Highest blackbelt rank and a teacher in my spare time," Andrea answered, "No I don't have a street name, though I'm a painter, not a rebel. I get a headache from the paint fumes in those cans, in any case."

Mikey was impressed by how calmly she answered Cassidy's rapid-fire questions, "What's your name? I'm Mikey."

"Andrea Sanders, pleasure," she shook his hand firmly, though marveled at the fact he only had three fingers.

"You're treating me like I'm just like you or Cassi...I don't get it," Mikey blinked.

"You got /no/ idea what goes on behind closed doors," Andrea tapped her head, "So let's just leave it at that, yeah?"

"Sure..." he had no idea what she meant by that, but he was sure he didn't want to know.

Cassidy's cheeks burned the brightest red possible. "O-h." She shifted from side to side and she looked at her husband curiously and then at Andrea. "Magic's gonna be disappointed. She was supposed to meet Mikey first when...well...we were ready." She smiled warmly. Maybe, just maybe, she could convince Mikey to meet Magic. Sometime, someday. Especially if they kept running into humans that would be kind, really kind. Andrea was definitely a breath of fresh air. "So you're apart of Magic's dojo then? That's the only way you two would've met, right?"

"Actually...we didn't meet in the dojo. I met her after she ran away. Our sensei was worried and I did a little legwork. Found her in a...tight spot, and took her home with me. She claims she doesn't like cats, but boy..." Andrea rolled her eyes, "When she found out I knew Ryder-sensei she was more willing to let me help her out and it kinda grew from there."

"So...you've know Maddie for quite a while, haven't you?" Mikey blinked at her, "Wow. Cassidy's known Maddie since they were...in grade school or junior high, I don't remember, but you two are only now getting to know each other?"

"We're on super different schedules and Maddie's kinda everywhere and nowhere." Cassidy admitted, looking sheepish. "I'm not to surprised that Andrea would find Maddie, she's not one to step on people's hospitality unless it's offered, and even then it's hesitant. She certainly refused to come to me since I'm from a pretty decent sized family and adding one more person wouldn't have hurt, but it certainly probably wouldn't have helped either. No surprise about her sensei too...after the accident."

"Yeah, he hasn't let it drag him down any which is inspiring to a lot of people. Maddie's tried to teach me knife fighting like he taught her, but I'm not nearly as good," she shrugged.

"I bet she also stayed with you since you know magic, too," Mikey folded his arms, "Was that dancing you were doing, on top of martial arts?"

"It was. On top of being a painter, and a teacher at the dojo, I also actually own a dancing class studio. Not ballet, but real dancing like the waltz and ballroom. Tango's for private lessons since it's such a passionate one and some people are self-conscious as well," Andrea listed.

"Doesn't that...get tiring? How do you find time to paint?" the orange banded turtle stared at her dumbfounded.

"It...really is. I keep a travel set of watercolor paints and pads, but I've come to only paint on my days off or after work if I have a morning shift," she rubbed her forehead.