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There they discover many new challenges. 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No money being made.\nWord Count: 6,662 multi-chapter 2k3\nSummary: Donatello and his brothers visit Niccolo Stockman's world to meet his family. There they learn the joys of venturing into the daylight and walking out in the open among humans. They also learn about the sacrifices that have to be made in order to earn that freedom and the prejudices that are a continuing battle.\nRatings will vary by chapter from G to NC-17\nSequel to Don and the Puzzle Box\n~~The cutely funny preview image was created by the very imaginative @Sherenelle and used with the artist's permission.\nOC's Donovan and Yoshino are the property of Gemi and used with their permission and writing assistance.\nConcurrent works [url=https://archiveofourown.org/series/1318631]Walking in Daylight oneshot series[/url][url=https://archiveofourown.org/series/1318631][/url] by Gemi", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.
Word Count: 6,662 multi-chapter 2k3
Summary: Donatello and his brothers visit Niccolo Stockman's world to meet his family. There they learn the joys of venturing into the daylight and walking out in the open among humans. They also learn about the sacrifices that have to be made in order to earn that freedom and the prejudices that are a continuing battle.
Ratings will vary by chapter from G to NC-17
Sequel to Don and the Puzzle Box
~~The cutely funny preview image was created by the very imaginative @Sherenelle and used with the artist's permission.
OC's Donovan and Yoshino are the property of Gemi and used with their permission and writing assistance.
Concurrent works Walking in Daylight oneshot series by Gemi", "writing": "\tThe road leading into the camp was dry, dusty, and full of potholes. Mikey didn't bother to try and make his new cargo bag look old; the wheels were throwing dirt up onto the bag and doing the job for him.\n\n\tHere and there he could see where someone had made the effort to fill in some of the deeper holes. Mikey also saw one area where it looked as though someone had dug a deep trench. That had been repaired, but it made Mikey wonder if that was another effort at sabotage.\n\n\tMikey hadn't paid particular attention to the landscape during his previous visits, but this time he did. Though the vegetation was sparse, there were a few trees tall enough for the mini cameras to do some good. The wooden buildings that sat apart from the tents would also make good locations for cameras.\n\n\tAs Mikey drew closer, he heard the sounds of daily activity. Since he didn't really want to draw too much attention to himself by traipsing through the center of the camp, he split off onto a walking trail that ran behind the tents.\n\n\tThe path took him close to the school tent and when he was near it, he cut back into the main camp area so he could approach from the front. His timing was perfect. School was just letting out for lunch. Though he hadn't made it before the start of classes, he wasn't due to teach until after the children came back from their mid-day break.\n\n\tKala was watching the volunteers take the children to the communal kitchen. Mikey perked up upon seeing her and when she spotted him, her smile grew.\n\n\t``Mikey! The children are so excited for their next art lesson that some of them wanted to skip lunch,'' Kala said.\n\n\t``Glad I'm such a hit,'' Mikey said. ``I actually know what I want to teach them today.''\n\n\t``Have you had lunch?'' Kala asked. Then she noticed all of his gear. ``More art supplies?''\n\n\tMikey grinned disarmingly. ``I haven't had lunch actually. Maybe we could eat together? I mean, after I drop this stuff somewhere. The art supplies are mine. I'm looking for a place to live and heard that a guy named . . . Pepe, I think it was, left a perfectly good tent. Maybe I could take his place?''\n\n\t``Of course, you may,'' Kala said. ``We never turn away a mutant in need. I thought you were staying with Masolino.''\n\n\t``I did for a little while, but I can't depend on him forever,'' Mikey said. ``Gotta get out there and make my own way in the world.''\n\n\t``What's the hold up, Kala?'' Dask came out of the school tent, spotted Mikey, and then his bags. ``Moving in?''\n\n\t``I'm giving him Pepe's tent,'' Kala said. ``There is no reason for it to sit empty and Mikey needs a place to stay.''\n\n\t``We're waiting lunch for you,'' Dask said, a touch of disapproval in his tone.\n\n\t``I'm certain that you and Zak won't starve if you have to wait a few more minutes,'' Kala said, unfazed by her brother's behavior. ``Why don't you hop over to the kitchen and mark Pepe's tent off the board? I'll show Mikey where the tent is located and meet you back here for lunch.''\n\n\tDask glanced at Mikey and then back at his sister. ``Don't be long.''\n\n\tKala turned her back on Dask and started walking with Mikey. ``The tent is over this way,'' she told him. ``It's a bit set back from other tents. I hope that won't bother you.''\n\n\t``Nah, I'm okay with it. Probably better for my work to have a little separation from the camp,'' Mikey said. He didn't ask why Pepe's tent was farther back in the line because he didn't want to acknowledge that he knew the guy was a skunk. Since Kala hadn't volunteered that fact, Mikey figured she either didn't think it was a big deal, or she didn't want to prejudice him against taking the tent.\n\n\t``Your work? Are you an artist?'' Kala asked. ``I noticed that the things you brought with you are new.''\n\n\tThinking fast, Mikey said, ``I lost most of my stuff during the war. The place where I lived was destroyed. It wasn't until now that things have settled enough for me to think about being creative again.'' He changed the subject. ``So, what's with the board you were talking to Dask about?''\n\n\t``It's where we list the available tents or the spaces that are open for someone to erect a tent,'' Kala said. ``I know the camp looks like pure chaos, but it really isn't. We try to lay out the home tent locations and public tent locations in as logical a manner as possible. That makes it easier for us to look out for one another.''\n\n\tThey had passed a line of tents and crossed about forty yards of clearing before approaching the one tent that sat alone. It was a decent size and looked to be in good shape.\n\n\tThe pair stopped just outside the entrance flap. ``So~o, I guess if your brothers are waiting for you to eat with them, we can't have lunch together,'' Mikey said. ``Got any plans for dinner? It'd be nice to have my first evening meal here while sitting across from a friendly face. We could meet on the sly and use defensive maneuvers to avoid your brothers.''\n\n\tKala giggled, a sound that Mikey was certain he'd never tire of hearing. ``I'd like to have dinner with you. No defensive maneuvers required.''\n\n\tShe left him then and after watching her for a few minutes, Mikey entered his new home away from home.\n\n\tOnce inside, Mikey set his things down and then inhaled deeply, trying to catch any unpleasant scents. He thought he caught a whiff of something musky, but that seemed due more to the place being closed up rather than body odor.\n\n\tThe tent center was around eight feet tall, sloping like a wide bell evenly around all sides to a height of five feet. Mikey paced it off and found that it was twelve feet across, plenty of room for him and all of his gear.\n\n\tIt was completely empty. The first thing Mikey did was to open a pair of window flaps in order to catch a cross breeze. Then he opened out his bedroll, pulled a small pillow and a blanket from his knapsack, and made up his bed.\n\n\tLater he'd worry about unpacking everything else. At the moment, his stomach was demanding attention. He had just enough time to appease it before he was due to start his first class.\n\nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx\n\n\tIt didn't appear that Donatello was going to get Niccolo to himself after lunch either. Almost as soon as they'd finished their meal, Nicco and Leo had gone upstairs with Dr. Stockman.\n\n\tMase had gotten back in time for lunch and was still seated at the table with Don. Mikey was at the mutant camp and had hopefully gotten himself situated. He hadn't called to say there was a problem, so he was probably just fine. If anyone could sell a cover story, it was Michelangelo.\n\n\tThough deep in conversation with Mase, from time to time Don glanced at Raphael. His brother sat across the table from them, clearly uninterested in their conversation, but he didn't leave. He looked to be deep into his own thoughts, almost brooding. That was never a good thing.\n\n\tThey were interrupted by the appearance of Novan and Yoshi. The turtle child was carrying a textbook, which he opened to a set of pages before placing it on the table in front of Masolino.\n\n\t``That is Yoshi's way of asking for help with his math work,'' Novan said, giving his brother an expectant look.\n\n\tIn turn, Yoshi looked at Mase. ``Can you please help with math? Novan won't.''\n\n\tNovan chuckled. ``Novan can't. Math and I do not get along, as you well know, cookie-nose. What is the point of having a genius for a friend if you can't pick their brain every now and then?''\n\n\t``What are you studying, Yoshi?'' Don asked.\n\n\tMase slid the book over to place it between them so that Don could see the pages. ``Yoshi is learning basic physics. He's something of a wonder child when it comes to math.''\n\n\t``A prodigy,'' Novan declared proudly. ``Yoshi is a very quick learner. He has outpaced the class he is in, which is why Ms. Kala gives him separate assignments.''\n\n\tDon's eyes skimmed over the open pages. ``It seems you're learning the terms for variables as they apply to certain formulas. I'd be glad to help too.''\n\n\tRaph picked that moment to slap his palms down on the table and push himself up from his chair. ``My eyes are already glazing over. I'm gonna go lift some weights or something. All this inactivity is making me crazy.''\n\n\tHe started to leave but Novan stepped in front of him. ``If you are looking for something to do, a certain someone suggested that Yoshi build a tent in the backyard. In case you don't remember, that someone was you.''\n\n\t``We see stars?'' Yoshi asked. ``Sleep outside?''\n\n\tNovan was staring expectantly at Raphael, though he addressed Yoshi. ``Only if there is a tent. Do you remember why we don't sleep in the open?''\n\n\t``Because of dirt and pollen,'' Yoshi recited, as though this was something he'd had to memorize.\n\n\t``Okay, fine,'' Raph said, somewhat grudgingly. ``You're right, I promised the kid a tent, so he's gonna get a tent.''\n\n\t``And I will supervise the operation,'' Novan said, walking away before Raph could even think to protest that he didn't need the assistance.\n\n\tMase pointed at a graph in Yoshi's textbook. ``So Yoshi, the first example is of a position versus time graph. These are great because you can compact a ton of information about the motion of an object into the small space right here.''\n\n\t``You can specify the entire motion of an object without even having to write an equation,'' Don said.\n\n\t``The first thing to remember,'' Mase said, ``is that the shape of this graph isn't the same as the shape the object takes through space.''\n\n\tDonatello's brow furrowed. ``I wonder if we could graph the velocity transformations that take place within the corridor between two puzzle boxes.''\n\n\tEyes lighting up, Mase said, ``What actually creates the synchronicity in the harmonics? Could it be a conversion of velocities between a static frame to a moving frame?''\n\n\t``Relativistic momentum [i]p [/i][i][/i]is conserved in all reference frames,'' Don said.\n\n\t``The formula of [i]m [/i][i][/i]as the rest mass of the object, and [i]u [/i][i][/i]as the object's velocity . . . .'' Mase said, continuing on in that vein.\n\n\tYoshi stood a little ways back from them, arms crossed and apparently forgotten as the pair jabbered on. If they weren't so engrossed in their conversation, they might have taken a look at his expression and stopped talking.\n\n\tAnnabelle entered the kitchen with a basket of flowers and set them down on the counter. Spotting Yoshi's body language, she walked over and stood for a second listening to the older pair of turtles prattling on.\n\n\tClearing her throat loudly, she interrupted them. ``As I see that Yoshino's textbook is lying there on the table, is it fair to assume that you are supposed to be helping him with his homework?''\n\n\tBoth Don and Mase had the good sense to look abashed. ``Sorry Yoshi, I guess we got carried away,'' Mase said.\n\n\t``My apologies,'' Don said. ``I started it.''\n\n\t``Then one of you move down a chair and let Yoshi sit between you,'' Annabelle said. ``Maybe if he's in your line of sight you'll stick to the task at hand.''\n\n\t``Yes, ma'am,'' Mase said.\n\n\tAnnabelle went back to the kitchen, making certain that they all knew she was keeping a watchful eye on them.\n\n\tOutside, Raphael was laying down a tarp preparatory to setting up the tent. He was glad that the many trips the family had made to Casey's farmhouse had given him opportunities to learn how to set up a tent, because he had an audience.\n\n\tRaph had hoped that the bright sunshine would dissuade Novan from joining him to `supervise' as he had promised to do. Novan had already planned for that by walking directly to a shade tree and parking himself beneath it.\n\n\tAs Raph was laying out all of the components of the tent, Novan said, ``Make certain you fold up the longer edges of the tarp and tuck them under the tent. You don't want the tarp hanging out or it will collect water underneath.''\n\n\t``Not my first time putting up a tent,'' Raph said, setting aside the tent poles and stakes.\n\n\t``I want to be encouraging, darling,'' Novan said, ``so that you'll know I'm involved.''\n\n\t``It'd be hard not to know that,'' Raph said. He laid the tent onto the tarp and then oriented the windows and doors so that they faced the house.\n\n\t``I do approve of your economy of motion,'' Novan said. ``Your movements are so fluid.''\n\n\tRaph began connecting the tent poles. ``Are ya' grading me or something? I ain't worried about `fluid movements', I'm just trying to get the job done.''\n\n\t``Surely you don't approach everything with that attitude,'' Novan said, smiling cheekily. ``Some things are meant to be savored.''\n\n\tDetermined not to fall into the innuendo trap, Raph countered, ``I savor kicking ass and taking names.''\n\n\t``I'm glad to hear you use the words `ass' and `savor' in the same sentence.''\n\n\tRaph glanced up, scowling slightly when he saw the mischievous look on Novan's face. ``Are ya' [i]trying [/i][i][/i]to get a rise out of me?''\n\n\t``Darling, if I was trying, be assured that all sorts of things about you would be rising.'' Novan leaned back on his hands as he spoke, giving Raph a nice view of his elongated neck.\n\n\tLooking away quickly, Raph began to insert the tent poles into the corresponding flaps in the tent. He fumbled a little with the first one, all too aware of Novan's eyes on him. Novan chuckled.\n\n\t``I should make ya' come over here and erect this damn thing,'' Raph grumbled.\n\n\t``That would be a terrible idea,'' Novan said. ``First rule, no one makes me do anything. If I am going to make something [i]erect[/i][i][/i], it will be my choice to do so.''\n\n\tRaph rolled his eyes. ``Glad to know ya' got some sort of rules.''\n\n\t``I've got any number of them,'' Novan said. ``Both professional and personal. Would you care to be educated?''\n\n\t``Save it,'' Raph said. ``Ya' think your lily-white skin could stand the sun for one minute? I need another set of hands to raise this thing.''\n\n\tNovan rose in one languid motion and strolled over to where the tent lay. Together he and Raph lifted the tent, pulling the corners apart to ensure that they were square. When Raph began attaching the other structural components, Novan went back to his shade tree.\n\n\t``This rather reminds me of when Yoshi and I were first on our own,'' Novan said.\n\n\tThat surprised Raph, who wasn't used to Novan volunteering information about himself. ``In what way?''\n\n\t``We had no money, darling,'' Novan said, as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. ``We stayed where we could, but it was difficult because of Yoshi's health problems. Moving around so much didn't help.''\n\n\t``Trying to stay a step ahead of those government goons?'' Raph asked.\n\n\tNovan gave him a speculative look. ``I see Donatello has shared the story of my past.''\n\n\t``He said ya' told him it was all right.'' Raph began staking the tent to the ground, doing Donovan the courtesy of not staring at him.\n\n\t``Of course.'' Novan flipped a hand in the air as though swatting away the idea that Donatello had done anything wrong. ``I truly believed that the [i]scientists [/i][i][/i]thought we'd perished in the fire. However, I have learned it is better to be safe than sorry.''\n\n\tThe way that Donovan said `scientists' wasn't lost on Raph. He must have truly trusted Nicco and Mase to have come anywhere near their father.\n\n\t``I gotta give ya' props for not being helpless,'' Raph said. ``Going on the run with a kid? That's rough.''\n\n\t``We managed. We always will.''\n\n\tRaph got the impression that any hint of pity would not be welcome. He wasn't the sort to dish out that kind of stuff anyway.\n\n\t``Pass me that rain fly, would ya'?'' Raph asked as he sank the last stake into the ground.\n\n\tDonovan got up, grabbing the extra rain guard sheet and taking it to Raph. He'd also scooped up an armload of blankets at the same time, and while Raph affixed the secondary rain guard to the outside of the tent, Novan crawled inside.\n\n\t``Do come in, darling,'' Novan called out. ``I've got one of the window flaps open, but the other seems stuck.''\n\n\tRaph hesitated, unsure as to whether he wanted to be in such close quarters with the albino. Then he kicked himself for being a coward and went in.\n\n\tNovan was indeed struggling with the zipper on the second window. When Raph came towards him, Novan shuffled back a little to give him room.\n\n\t``Some of the material's just bunched up under the teeth,'' Raph said, carefully working it loose. ``Last one to pack this up must've been in a hurry.''\n\n\t``I was worried that my claws might cut the tent,'' Novan said. When Raph opened the window, Novan breathed in relief. ``That cross breeze feels quite nice.''\n\n\tSince Novan made no move to leave, Raph decided to sit back and enjoy the warmth in the tent. It was probably as close to basking in the sun with Novan as anyone would ever get. Maybe Novan would even relax enough to tell Raph a bit more about himself.\n\n\tAfter a few moments of companionable silence, Raph said, ``This makes me feel kind of nostalgic too. We were fifteen before we had our first real encounter with a human. Met two of them that same year who became pretty much part of the family. One of them had this farmhouse way out in the country, sitting on a chunk of land. We camped and fished, collected apples from trees in the orchard, did all sorts of outdoor stuff we never got to do before. It was nice.''\n\n\tNovan was listening attentively, clearly interested in Raph's story. ``So your first meeting with a human was a positive experience?''\n\n\t``Our first [i]real [/i][i][/i]meeting,'' Raph stressed. ``Mostly we avoided them. Our Father taught us to never allow a human to see us, to never go above ground. He said we were different in ways the surface dwellers would never understand.'' He chuckled. ``First time humans caught us above ground, they thought we were wearing costumes. Called us freaks. It was a bunch of guys belonging to this gang and they attacked us. We didn't even break a sweat dealing with them. Sent the whole bunch running home to mama.''\n\n\t``That did not color your entire attitude towards humans?'' Novan asked.\n\n\tRaph shook his head. ``Nah. They were thugs, not regular folks. Not like April or Casey. Our friends are good people. They've put their lives on the line for us more than once. Kinda like Dr. Stockman and Annabelle. They don't judge based on what's on the outside.''\n\n\tHe rarely spoke so much and was surprised at how easy it was to talk to Novan. The albino had worn his jacket outside, but since the tent sheltered him from the sun's rays and it was warm, Novan took it off.\n\n\tToday he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt. Sitting so close to him, Raph could easily see the scars that dotted the insides of both arms. As Raph's eyes travelled upwards, he noticed that the same type of pin-prick scars were on Novan's neck as well.\n\n\t``These scars are partly why I don't share your opinion of humans,'' Novan said.\n\n\t``Didn't mean to stare.'' Raph looked him in the eye. ``I've been tied down to a dissecting table a couple of times. If that was my only experience with humans, I wouldn't like any of them either.'' Curious, he asked, ``Ya' must trust Dr. Stockman a little bit, otherwise why would ya' seek shelter in the home of a scientist?''\n\n\t``I was seeking shelter from [i]Nicco [/i][i][/i]and [i]Mase[/i][i][/i],'' Novan stressed. ``Trust me, I sought other options first before showing up on their doorstep.''\n\n\t``What other options? What exactly happened?'' Raph asked. ``Yoshi mentioned going home and a bad man. Did he see someone coming for you?''\n\n\tNovan had seemed more comfortable as the audience rather than the speaker, but he inhaled deeply and said, ``I suppose it's only fair to share some details. After my quick departure from Hun's abode, I took a circuitous route back to my apartment so that I could lose anyone trailing me. I know Hun; he would send someone to follow me and also send someone to the home of the man whose name I dropped in order to make my escape. My guess was that I had thirty minutes at most to grab some things, collect Yoshi, and get out.''\n\n\t``That was quick thinking,'' Raph said, impressed.\n\n\t``Merely survival thinking.'' Novan uncrossed his legs and stretched out to get more comfortable.\n\n\t``Do ya' leave Yoshi with someone when you're, uh, working?'' Raph asked.\n\n\tA flash of amusement showed in Novan's eyes. ``It is a job, darling, so working is the correct term. My preference is to schedule my appointments during times when Yoshi is in school or in an after-school program. Yoshi has grown quite close to Masolino and will sometimes sleep over here, leaving me free to sneak off to take on a client or two.''\n\n\tHe paused, as though giving Raph time to process the information. ``We do what we gotta do for family,'' Raph said.\n\n\t``One makes due with one's natural gifts,'' Novan said. ``You are a skilled fighter and I am skilled at other things.''\n\n\t``This thing with Hun though, it happened at night,'' Raph said. ``Yoshi wasn't here.''\n\n\t``No, that night he was with his babysitter,'' Novan said. ``There is an elderly iguana who owns an apartment in the same complex where I live. Allen Ripley, so named by his human owner before Ripley was mutated. The human left all of his possessions to Ripley when he passed away, including the apartment. Ripley babysits mutant kids to make extra money. I told him that Yoshi and I would be gone for a while and rushed him out of the apartment so that no one would see him in my company.''\n\n\t``Keeping him safe,'' Raph said.\n\n\t``Yes. I take quite enough risks for myself, the last thing I want is for anything to spill over onto someone else, especially Yoshi. He is my everything. I doubt that I would be alive if not for him,'' Novan said, a faraway expression on his face.\n\n\tRaph really wanted to ask him to explain that statement, but decided against it. Letting the conversation flow in a natural progression was bringing him more information than they'd gotten out of Novan in days.\n\n\t``I think Yoshi is lucky to have you,'' Raph said, meaning every word.\n\n\t``Thank you, darling,'' Novan said, real warmth in his tone. ``After I collected Yoshi, we went to a motel and spent the remainder of the night there. I knew I couldn't stay in one place for long, but out of curiosity, I checked my apartment the next day. It wasn't difficult to spot the men who were camped out in a car across the street from my place. We spent that night in a different motel, but I knew I couldn't keep doing so. Hun has a far reach. I realized that he'd start to look for me in hotels and motels, and there are only so many that are welcoming to mutants. As much as I dislike having to ask for help, for Yoshi's sake I knew that I needed to come here.''\n\n\t``Did ya' have any sort of long-range game plan?'' Raph asked.\n\n\tA corner of Novan's mouth lifted. ``That's another reason I came here. Niccolo is quite good at long-range planning. I knew that if anyone could extricate me from this situation, it would be him. I hadn't expected that he'd have other-dimensional company, or that he'd abdicate his leadership to someone else entirely.''\n\n\t``I understand ya' don't care much for Leo, but ya' should give him a chance,'' Raph said, feeling the need to defend his brother. ``I know Nicco fought in a big war and made a name for himself, but we've been in way more battles overall, with Leo leading us the whole time. This sort of fight is one Leo's better at, and Nicco knows it.''\n\n\t``That did not seem to be your attitude when this plan of his was first suggested,'' Novan said, drawing his legs back up under himself.\n\n\tRaph recognized that Novan's stiff demeanor meant an end to their easy conversation. He still felt the need to defend his brother. ``Questioning Leo's plans and fighting with him about stuff is [i]my [/i][i][/i]job. Maybe I don't get paid for it, but what I do provides him a different angle to look at things from. He's better at what he does `cause of our arguments. Leo's even better now because he's got Nicco's input too.''\n\n\t``Then I certainly hope that all of you are right,'' Novan said, ``because if this situation worsens, I will take Yoshi someplace where we can start over.''\n\n\tWith that pronouncement, he ducked out of the tent. Raph waited a quarter of an hour before following Novan into the house.\n\nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx\n\n\tOnce he'd finished teaching his art lessons for the day, Mikey was left to his own devices. Since classes were still in session, he'd have to wait until dinner to be able to spend more time with Kala.\n\n\tHe decided that he should use his free time to explore the camp. He'd only been in the main areas so far, where the community use operations were located. If Mikey was going to do an effective job of protecting the citizens, he'd need to know the layout as well as he knew the streets of New York City.\n\n\tBesides, it wouldn't hurt to be seen by other mutants. He figured that the best way to blend in was to be so familiar to the other inhabitants that they didn't pay much attention to his comings and goings.\n\nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx\n\n\tJust before they all sat down to dinner, Michelangelo called Leo to report in. After assuring his brother that all was well, Mikey told him that he'd made a detailed map of the camp and was sending pictures to Don's phone.\n\n\tLeo shared that information after everyone was seated and Dr. Stockman had given thanks for the meal.\n\n\t``That was a good idea of his,'' Mase said. ``The camp structure changes all the time. More mutants move in, new `streets' are formed, additional outbuildings are added.''\n\n\tRaph had been surprised when Novan took the seat next to him. He'd rather expected that Novan would be standoffish after the way their conversation had ended, but the albino turtle behaved as though everything was fine between them.\n\n\tIt more than likely was. Raph wasn't harboring any resentment for the way Novan felt about Leo. The guy had a right to his opinion, considering they were all strangers to him. Even though Novan's exit had been abrupt, he'd had the chance to say his piece, so he was probably satisfied.\n\n\tAt least for the moment. The thing about taking Yoshi and disappearing concerned Raph. Maybe it would be a good idea to talk to Nicco about that, just to give him a head's up.\n\n\tAnnabelle got up from the table and went into the kitchen as they began passing the food around. After getting a pan from the oven and dumping the contents into a bowl, she returned.\n\n\t``Here you go, Yoshi,'' Annabelle said, setting the bowl in front of the small turtle. ``As I promised, dry roasted crickets just the way you like them.''\n\n\tYoshi's honey colored eyes lit up with pleasure. He started to reach into the bowl and then remembered his manners. ``Thank you, Annabelle.''\n\n\tAnnabelle smiled indulgently. ``You're very welcome.''\n\n\tThe minute Annabelle said `crickets', Raph instinctively recoiled, unable to disguise his feeling of disgust. ``I thought ya' was all kidding about that.''\n\n\t``Oh no, never,'' Mase said. ``Yoshi is very serious about his crickets. We've dug several holes in the garden for the plastic bottles we catch them in. You'd be surprised at how many crawl in during the night. The best way to prepare them is to dry roast them for an hour. Before you stick them in the oven, pull off their heads, remove the wings, legs, and entrails. Never forget to remove those entrails because even though they're edible, removing them avoids parasite transmission. Of course, some crickets are poisonous, so . . . .''\n\n\t``Please stop,'' Raph muttered, feeling slightly nauseous.\n\n\t``Thank you for the rapid-fire lesson about crickets that none of us really wanted to hear, Mase,'' Dr. Stockman said, chuckling slightly.\n\n\tHis son grinned around at everyone and returned to his food. Novan leaned towards Raph. \"You look like that one-time Mase told Yoshi too much about bacteria. You okay darling? About to faint? Throw up? Here, there is a fainting couch over there.\"\n\n\tRaph had no idea if he was being teased. He grimaced and shot a dirty look in Novan's direction, but his response was aimed at no one in particular. ``I hate bugs.''\n\nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx\n\n\tMichelangelo and Kala sat together at a small round table pushed against one wall of the communal kitchen tent. All of the tables and chairs inside the dining space were mismatched, no doubt scrounged or donated to the mutant camp.\n\n\tMutants moved the seating around as needed to suit their particular requirements. There was a sort of chaotic poetry to the ever-changing layout that appealed to Mikey.\n\n\tFood was another interesting thing. No meat of any kind was ever served, in deference to the many species of mutants that lived in the camp. It wasn't something that Mikey had ever thought about before, but he realized he wouldn't be too happy to have a bowl of turtle soup plunked down in front of him.\n\n\tKala had chosen a tofu concoction that included black beans and a number of vegetables. It had smelled edible and since Mikey was trying to make an impression, he'd chosen that too.\n\n\tFully prepared to eat it even if he didn't like it, Mikey was happily surprised to find that it tasted good. He'd never had much of a poker face, so he was grateful not to have to hide his reaction, especially since Kala was watching him as he tasted the first forkful.\n\n\t``So how come they call this stuff `tofu surprise'?'' Mikey asked after swallowing.\n\n\t``Because we always have the tofu, but we never know what else we'll have to mix in with it,'' Kala said with a smile. ``The camp receives a food subsidy from the government, and we also take donations of food, or money to buy food. Every day here is a dining adventure.''\n\n\t``I've seen some of the residents cooking on outdoor pits,'' Mikey said. ``They don't dine here?''\n\n\t``Not everyone does,'' Kala said. ``Some of the camp residents need meat. I've adapted to tofu for my protein needs, but I don't fault those who can't. Those are the ones who use the pits.''\n\n\t``When I was growing up, we ate whatever we could get our hands on,'' Mikey said. He laughed at an old memory. ``The first time my dad brought home pizza, my brother started eating the box `cause we didn't know the real food was inside.''\n\n\tKala laughed at that and then asked, ``Were you mutated young?''\n\n\t``Yeah,'' Mikey said. ``My bro's and I started out as regular turtles, not much more than hatchlings. Our dad was a grown rat. How about you?''\n\n\t``My brothers and I were actually part of a reptile exhibit in a small zoo,'' Kala said. ``We weren't too young when our mutation occurred, thank goodness. Having observed human behavior from behind our glass wall, we had a decent grasp on how to take care of ourselves. It was harder when Dask went off to fight the war.''\n\n\tThe pair continued to talk, remaining together long after they had finished their dinner. They exchanged survival stories, with Mikey modifying his in the way Masolino had suggested. Often his stories made her laugh, which in turn made him feel both happy and proud of himself.\n\n\tMuch too soon, in Mikey's opinion, it was time to go. Only late stragglers were present and they were eating quickly. The mutants who cooked and cleaned the communal kitchen at the end of the day were throwing impatient looks in Mikey's direction.\n\n\t``I should walk you home,'' Mikey said, rising from the table and offering his hand.\n\n\tKala took it and then continued to hold onto Mikey's hand as he cleared their table and stacked the dishes on a nearby cart. Holding hands, they strolled through the camp in the direction of the school tent, neither in a hurry to part company.\n\n\t``I know I've told you how much the children enjoy your art lessons,'' Kala said. ``I haven't told you how much their parents appreciate the addition to the school. There isn't much in the way of entertainment here, and having the ability to create art is a much-needed outlet.''\n\n\t``I can't get over how talented most of the kids are,'' Mikey said. He looked around. ``I noticed the first time I was here that some of the mutants had individualized their tents with paintings of flowers and such. It kind of proves something I've always said, that art feeds the soul.''\n\n\tThe pair stopped outside of the tent Kala shared with her brothers. ``I like that. Creativity is a release, don't you think? One should always allow their imagination to soar. It's the greatest freedom of all.''\n\n\tThey stood looking at one another, both feeling a bit shy. At that moment, there was nothing Mikey wanted to do more than to kiss her. Since he had no experience, he wasn't sure if it was too soon, considering they'd only just had one semi-date.\n\n\tThe tableau was broken when Dask called out, ``That you, Kala? Are you coming inside?''\n\n\tKala sighed and slowly slid her hand from Mikey's. ``Thank you for dinner. I really enjoyed myself.''\n\n\t``Me too,'' Mikey said. ``Maybe we can do it again?''\n\n\t``I'd like that,'' Kala said, flashing him a bright smile before ducking into her tent.\n\nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx\n\n\tAfter dinner, Donovan and Yoshino grabbed some pillows in preparation for spending the night in the tent. When they came out of the sitting room, Yoshi was also clutching his art pad and some crayons.\n\n\tDonovan caught Mase's eye and held up Yoshi's inhaler. ``So you won't ask if I'd remembered it, darling.''\n\n\t``I put the telescope on the back porch,'' Mase told him.\n\n\tBefore they exited the house, Novan whispered something to Yoshi, who then walked over to Raph and shyly tugged on his shirt.\n\n\tWhen Raph bent down, Yoshi said, ``Thank you for tent.''\n\n\t``You're welcome,'' Raph replied. He was smiling as he watched the little turtle leave with his brother, but erased that smile when he noticed Leo looking in his direction.\n\n\tLeo turned back to the rest of the turtles, who were standing near him. ``Don, is there a way to configure our phones to alert us if the security system at the camp is activated during the night? I don't want to waste precious seconds getting everyone out of bed and ready to go. We should also bring our weapons up from the basement and have them with us.''\n\n\t``Sure, that's easy enough to do,'' Don said.\n\n\tNicco put his arm around Don and pulled him close. ``Mase volunteers to do that job. Don and I are going for a walk in the park. Alone.''\n\n\tDon glanced at Leo who smiled. ``Go on. The benefits of having two genius' in the family is that they can both have a love life and the work still gets done.''\n\n\t``Don't get caught doing anything I wouldn't do!'' Mase called out as his brother was leaving the house.\n\n\tNicco leaned back inside. ``There [i]isn't [/i][i][/i]anything you wouldn't do, nut ball.'' He closed the door before Mase could reply.\n\nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx\n\n\tAlone in his tent with the door flap completely closed, the musty smell was more noticeable. Fortunately, thanks to Annabelle's advice, Mikey had brought fabric spray with him. He gave the interior fabric a spritz and was immediately rewarded with a better smelling home environment.\n\n\tHome away from home [i]away [/i][i][/i]from home actually. Mikey chuckled at that thought. He liked adventures, especially ones that matched his daydreams of rescuing villagers and gaining the admiration of many women at once.\n\n\tThe only woman he wanted to impress though was Kala. There was one small problem with his daydream, in it everyone was fully aware that he was the hero. For things to work out as planned here at the camp, Mikey was going to have to go into ninja mode. \n\n\tAfter unpacking the rest of his supplies, Mikey decided to spend some time sketching. Something Kala had said during dinner had sparked an idea for a project involving a series of paintings, all based around the concept of a mutants' point of view.\n\n\tMikey worked on his sketches until he noticed that the camp was now silent. Glancing at his phone, he saw that it was just after midnight.\n\n\tHe quickly turned off his camping lantern, plunging the tent into darkness. Mikey waited a couple of minutes for his eyes to adjust, using that time to strip out of his clothes and put on his pads and belt. Then he slid out of the tent carrying a bag containing the mini-cameras.\n\n\tBefore attempting to place any of them, Mikey stealthily made his way around the camp, slipping through the shadows without a sound. It did not take him long to locate the mutants who were patrolling the area. Nicco had been right, his ex-army buddies were not skilled in protecting against any sort of covert operative.\n\n\tOnce he'd established where the patrols were, Mikey set about installing the mini-cameras. The trees he'd chosen were easy enough to get into, as were the wooden outbuildings, but the last camera location he'd decided on was a bit more difficult.\n\n\tTo get to the small hill where Hun sometimes stood to spy on the camp, Mikey had to cross an open expanse of ground. That required a bit of timing and some luck. When he was fairly sure that the patrols were moving in the opposite direction, he dashed towards his destination, staying low to the ground.\n\n\tFor someone used to scaling buildings, the hill was not a challenge. He placed the camera strategically, pointing it at an area the other cameras couldn't monitor, and then climbed back down.\n\n\tTiming the patrols in his head, Mikey picked the moment when it would be safe to speed back to the camp. The continued silence assured him that he had not been spotted, so he made his way back to his tent.\n\n\tBefore turning in, Mikey set the security monitor close to his bed. Then he crawled under the covers and got comfortable. His last thoughts as he drifted off to sleep were of Kala.\n\n\tHe was dreaming about her when the beeping of the monitor woke him up.\n\nTBC........", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "\tThe road leading into the camp was dry, dusty, and full of potholes.  Mikey didn't bother to try and make his new cargo bag look old; the wheels were throwing dirt up onto the bag and doing the job for him.

\tHere and there he could see where someone had made the effort to fill in some of the deeper holes.  Mikey also saw one area where it looked as though someone had dug a deep trench.  That had been repaired, but it made Mikey wonder if that was another effort at sabotage.

\tMikey hadn't paid particular attention to the landscape during his previous visits, but this time he did.  Though the vegetation was sparse, there were a few trees tall enough for the mini cameras to do some good.  The wooden buildings that sat apart from the tents would also make good locations for cameras.

\tAs Mikey drew closer, he heard the sounds of daily activity.  Since he didn't really want to draw too much attention to himself by traipsing through the center of the camp, he split off onto a walking trail that ran behind the tents.

\tThe path took him close to the school tent and when he was near it, he cut back into the main camp area so he could approach from the front.  His timing was perfect.  School was just letting out for lunch.  Though he hadn't made it before the start of classes, he wasn't due to teach until after the children came back from their mid-day break.

\tKala was watching the volunteers take the children to the communal kitchen.  Mikey perked up upon seeing her and when she spotted him, her smile grew.

\t``Mikey!  The children are so excited for their next art lesson that some of them wanted to skip lunch,'' Kala said.

\t``Glad I'm such a hit,'' Mikey said.  ``I actually know what I want to teach them today.''

\t``Have you had lunch?'' Kala asked.  Then she noticed all of his gear.  ``More art supplies?''

\tMikey grinned disarmingly.  ``I haven't had lunch actually.  Maybe we could eat together?  I mean, after I drop this stuff somewhere.  The art supplies are mine.  I'm looking for a place to live and heard that a guy named . . . Pepe, I think it was, left a perfectly good tent.  Maybe I could take his place?''

\t``Of course, you may,'' Kala said.  ``We never turn away a mutant in need.  I thought you were staying with Masolino.''

\t``I did for a little while, but I can't depend on him forever,'' Mikey said.  ``Gotta get out there and make my own way in the world.''

\t``What's the hold up, Kala?''  Dask came out of the school tent, spotted Mikey, and then his bags.  ``Moving in?''

\t``I'm giving him Pepe's tent,'' Kala said.  ``There is no reason for it to sit empty and Mikey needs a place to stay.''

\t``We're waiting lunch for you,'' Dask said, a touch of disapproval in his tone.

\t``I'm certain that you and Zak won't starve if you have to wait a few more minutes,'' Kala said, unfazed by her brother's behavior.  ``Why don't you hop over to the kitchen and mark Pepe's tent off the board?  I'll show Mikey where the tent is located and meet you back here for lunch.''

\tDask glanced at Mikey and then back at his sister.  ``Don't be long.''

\tKala turned her back on Dask and started walking with Mikey.  ``The tent is over this way,'' she told him.  ``It's a bit set back from other tents.  I hope that won't bother you.''

\t``Nah, I'm okay with it.  Probably better for my work to have a little separation from the camp,'' Mikey said.  He didn't ask why Pepe's tent was farther back in the line because he didn't want to acknowledge that he knew the guy was a skunk.  Since Kala hadn't volunteered that fact, Mikey figured she either didn't think it was a big deal, or she didn't want to prejudice him against taking the tent.

\t``Your work?  Are you an artist?'' Kala asked.  ``I noticed that the things you brought with you are new.''

\tThinking fast, Mikey said, ``I lost most of my stuff during the war.  The place where I lived was destroyed.  It wasn't until now that things have settled enough for me to think about being creative again.''  He changed the subject.  ``So, what's with the board you were talking to Dask about?''

\t``It's where we list the available tents or the spaces that are open for someone to erect a tent,'' Kala said.  ``I know the camp looks like pure chaos, but it really isn't.  We try to lay out the home tent locations and public tent locations in as logical a manner as possible.  That makes it easier for us to look out for one another.''

\tThey had passed a line of tents and crossed about forty yards of clearing before approaching the one tent that sat alone.  It was a decent size and looked to be in good shape.

\tThe pair stopped just outside the entrance flap.  ``So~o, I guess if your brothers are waiting for you to eat with them, we can't have lunch together,'' Mikey said.  ``Got any plans for dinner?  It'd be nice to have my first evening meal here while sitting across from a friendly face.  We could meet on the sly and use defensive maneuvers to avoid your brothers.''

\tKala giggled, a sound that Mikey was certain he'd never tire of hearing.  ``I'd like to have dinner with you.  No defensive maneuvers required.''

\tShe left him then and after watching her for a few minutes, Mikey entered his new home away from home.

\tOnce inside, Mikey set his things down and then inhaled deeply, trying to catch any unpleasant scents.  He thought he caught a whiff of something musky, but that seemed due more to the place being closed up rather than body odor.

\tThe tent center was around eight feet tall, sloping like a wide bell evenly around all sides to a height of five feet.  Mikey paced it off and found that it was twelve feet across, plenty of room for him and all of his gear.

\tIt was completely empty.  The first thing Mikey did was to open a pair of window flaps in order to catch a cross breeze.  Then he opened out his bedroll, pulled a small pillow and a blanket from his knapsack, and made up his bed.

\tLater he'd worry about unpacking everything else.  At the moment, his stomach was demanding attention.  He had just enough time to appease it before he was due to start his first class.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

\tIt didn't appear that Donatello was going to get Niccolo to himself after lunch either.  Almost as soon as they'd finished their meal, Nicco and Leo had gone upstairs with Dr. Stockman.

\tMase had gotten back in time for lunch and was still seated at the table with Don.  Mikey was at the mutant camp and had hopefully gotten himself situated.  He hadn't called to say there was a problem, so he was probably just fine.  If anyone could sell a cover story, it was Michelangelo.

\tThough deep in conversation with Mase, from time to time Don glanced at Raphael.  His brother sat across the table from them, clearly uninterested in their conversation, but he didn't leave.  He looked to be deep into his own thoughts, almost brooding.  That was never a good thing.

\tThey were interrupted by the appearance of Novan and Yoshi.  The turtle child was carrying a textbook, which he opened to a set of pages before placing it on the table in front of Masolino.

\t``That is Yoshi's way of asking for help with his math work,'' Novan said, giving his brother an expectant look.

\tIn turn, Yoshi looked at Mase.  ``Can you please help with math?  Novan won't.''

\tNovan chuckled.  ``Novan can't.  Math and I do not get along, as you well know, cookie-nose.  What is the point of having a genius for a friend if you can't pick their brain every now and then?''

\t``What are you studying, Yoshi?'' Don asked.

\tMase slid the book over to place it between them so that Don could see the pages.  ``Yoshi is learning basic physics.  He's something of a wonder child when it comes to math.''

\t``A prodigy,'' Novan declared proudly.  ``Yoshi is a very quick learner.  He has outpaced the class he is in, which is why Ms. Kala gives him separate assignments.''

\tDon's eyes skimmed over the open pages.  ``It seems you're learning the terms for variables as they apply to certain formulas.  I'd be glad to help too.''

\tRaph picked that moment to slap his palms down on the table and push himself up from his chair.  ``My eyes are already glazing over.  I'm gonna go lift some weights or something.  All this inactivity is making me crazy.''

\tHe started to leave but Novan stepped in front of him.  ``If you are looking for something to do, a certain someone suggested that Yoshi build a tent in the backyard.  In case you don't remember, that someone was you.''

\t``We see stars?'' Yoshi asked.  ``Sleep outside?''

\tNovan was staring expectantly at Raphael, though he addressed Yoshi.  ``Only if there is a tent.  Do you remember why we don't sleep in the open?''

\t``Because of dirt and pollen,'' Yoshi recited, as though this was something he'd had to memorize.

\t``Okay, fine,'' Raph said, somewhat grudgingly.  ``You're right, I promised the kid a tent, so he's gonna get a tent.''

\t``And I will supervise the operation,'' Novan said, walking away before Raph could even think to protest that he didn't need the assistance.

\tMase pointed at a graph in Yoshi's textbook.  ``So Yoshi, the first example is of a position versus time graph.  These are great because you can compact a ton of information about the motion of an object into the small space right here.''

\t``You can specify the entire motion of an object without even having to write an equation,'' Don said.

\t``The first thing to remember,'' Mase said, ``is that the shape of this graph isn't the same as the shape the object takes through space.''

\tDonatello's brow furrowed.  ``I wonder if we could graph the velocity transformations that take place within the corridor between two puzzle boxes.''

\tEyes lighting up, Mase said, ``What actually creates the synchronicity in the harmonics?  Could it be a conversion of velocities between a static frame to a moving frame?''

\t``Relativistic momentum p is conserved in all reference frames,'' Don said.

\t``The formula of m as the rest mass of the object, and u as the object's velocity . . . .'' Mase said, continuing on in that vein.

\tYoshi stood a little ways back from them, arms crossed and apparently forgotten as the pair jabbered on.  If they weren't so engrossed in their conversation, they might have taken a look at his expression and stopped talking.

\tAnnabelle entered the kitchen with a basket of flowers and set them down on the counter.  Spotting Yoshi's body language, she walked over and stood for a second listening to the older pair of turtles prattling on.

\tClearing her throat loudly, she interrupted them.  ``As I see that Yoshino's textbook is lying there on the table, is it fair to assume that you are supposed to be helping him with his homework?''

\tBoth Don and Mase had the good sense to look abashed.  ``Sorry Yoshi, I guess we got carried away,'' Mase said.

\t``My apologies,'' Don said.  ``I started it.''

\t``Then one of you move down a chair and let Yoshi sit between you,'' Annabelle said.  ``Maybe if he's in your line of sight you'll stick to the task at hand.''

\t``Yes, ma'am,'' Mase said.

\tAnnabelle went back to the kitchen, making certain that they all knew she was keeping a watchful eye on them.

\tOutside, Raphael was laying down a tarp preparatory to setting up the tent.  He was glad that the many trips the family had made to Casey's farmhouse had given him opportunities to learn how to set up a tent, because he had an audience.

\tRaph had hoped that the bright sunshine would dissuade Novan from joining him to `supervise' as he had promised to do.  Novan had already planned for that by walking directly to a shade tree and parking himself beneath it.

\tAs Raph was laying out all of the components of the tent, Novan said, ``Make certain you fold up the longer edges of the tarp and tuck them under the tent.  You don't want the tarp hanging out or it will collect water underneath.''

\t``Not my first time putting up a tent,'' Raph said, setting aside the tent poles and stakes.

\t``I want to be encouraging, darling,'' Novan said, ``so that you'll know I'm involved.''

\t``It'd be hard not to know that,'' Raph said.  He laid the tent onto the tarp and then oriented the windows and doors so that they faced the house.

\t``I do approve of your economy of motion,'' Novan said.  ``Your movements are so fluid.''

\tRaph began connecting the tent poles.  ``Are ya' grading me or something?  I ain't worried about `fluid movements', I'm just trying to get the job done.''

\t``Surely you don't approach everything with that attitude,'' Novan said, smiling cheekily.  ``Some things are meant to be savored.''

\tDetermined not to fall into the innuendo trap, Raph countered, ``I savor kicking ass and taking names.''

\t``I'm glad to hear you use the words `ass' and `savor' in the same sentence.''

\tRaph glanced up, scowling slightly when he saw the mischievous look on Novan's face.  ``Are ya' trying to get a rise out of me?''

\t``Darling, if I was trying, be assured that all sorts of things about you would be rising.''  Novan leaned back on his hands as he spoke, giving Raph a nice view of his elongated neck.

\tLooking away quickly, Raph began to insert the tent poles into the corresponding flaps in the tent.  He fumbled a little with the first one, all too aware of Novan's eyes on him.  Novan chuckled.

\t``I should make ya' come over here and erect this damn thing,'' Raph grumbled.

\t``That would be a terrible idea,'' Novan said.  ``First rule, no one makes me do anything.  If I am going to make something erect, it will be my choice to do so.''

\tRaph rolled his eyes.  ``Glad to know ya' got some sort of rules.''

\t``I've got any number of them,'' Novan said.  ``Both professional and personal.  Would you care to be educated?''

\t``Save it,'' Raph said.  ``Ya' think your lily-white skin could stand the sun for one minute?  I need another set of hands to raise this thing.''

\tNovan rose in one languid motion and strolled over to where the tent lay.  Together he and Raph lifted the tent, pulling the corners apart to ensure that they were square.  When Raph began attaching the other structural components, Novan went back to his shade tree.

\t``This rather reminds me of when Yoshi and I were first on our own,'' Novan said.

\tThat surprised Raph, who wasn't used to Novan volunteering information about himself.  ``In what way?''

\t``We had no money, darling,'' Novan said, as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.  ``We stayed where we could, but it was difficult because of Yoshi's health problems.  Moving around so much didn't help.''

\t``Trying to stay a step ahead of those government goons?'' Raph asked.

\tNovan gave him a speculative look.  ``I see Donatello has shared the story of my past.''

\t``He said ya' told him it was all right.''  Raph began staking the tent to the ground, doing Donovan the courtesy of not staring at him.

\t``Of course.''  Novan flipped a hand in the air as though swatting away the idea that Donatello had done anything wrong.  ``I truly believed that the scientists thought we'd perished in the fire.  However, I have learned it is better to be safe than sorry.''

\tThe way that Donovan said `scientists' wasn't lost on Raph.  He must have truly trusted Nicco and Mase to have come anywhere near their father.

\t``I gotta give ya' props for not being helpless,'' Raph said.  ``Going on the run with a kid?  That's rough.''

\t``We managed.  We always will.''

\tRaph got the impression that any hint of pity would not be welcome.  He wasn't the sort to dish out that kind of stuff anyway.

\t``Pass me that rain fly, would ya'?'' Raph asked as he sank the last stake into the ground.

\tDonovan got up, grabbing the extra rain guard sheet and taking it to Raph.  He'd also scooped up an armload of blankets at the same time, and while Raph affixed the secondary rain guard to the outside of the tent, Novan crawled inside.

\t``Do come in, darling,'' Novan called out.  ``I've got one of the window flaps open, but the other seems stuck.''

\tRaph hesitated, unsure as to whether he wanted to be in such close quarters with the albino.  Then he kicked himself for being a coward and went in.

\tNovan was indeed struggling with the zipper on the second window.  When Raph came towards him, Novan shuffled back a little to give him room.

\t``Some of the material's just bunched up under the teeth,'' Raph said, carefully working it loose.  ``Last one to pack this up must've been in a hurry.''

\t``I was worried that my claws might cut the tent,'' Novan said.  When Raph opened the window, Novan breathed in relief.  ``That cross breeze feels quite nice.''

\tSince Novan made no move to leave, Raph decided to sit back and enjoy the warmth in the tent.  It was probably as close to basking in the sun with Novan as anyone would ever get.  Maybe Novan would even relax enough to tell Raph a bit more about himself.

\tAfter a few moments of companionable silence, Raph said, ``This makes me feel kind of nostalgic too.  We were fifteen before we had our first real encounter with a human.  Met two of them that same year who became pretty much part of the family.  One of them had this farmhouse way out in the country, sitting on a chunk of land.  We camped and fished, collected apples from trees in the orchard, did all sorts of outdoor stuff we never got to do before.  It was nice.''

\tNovan was listening attentively, clearly interested in Raph's story.  ``So your first meeting with a human was a positive experience?''

\t``Our first real meeting,'' Raph stressed.  ``Mostly we avoided them.  Our Father taught us to never allow a human to see us, to never go above ground.  He said we were different in ways the surface dwellers would never understand.''  He chuckled.  ``First time humans caught us above ground, they thought we were wearing costumes.  Called us freaks.  It was a bunch of guys belonging to this gang and they attacked us.  We didn't even break a sweat dealing with them.  Sent the whole bunch running home to mama.''

\t``That did not color your entire attitude towards humans?'' Novan asked.

\tRaph shook his head.  ``Nah.  They were thugs, not regular folks.  Not like April or Casey.  Our friends are good people.  They've put their lives on the line for us more than once.  Kinda like Dr. Stockman and Annabelle.  They don't judge based on what's on the outside.''

\tHe rarely spoke so much and was surprised at how easy it was to talk to Novan.  The albino had worn his jacket outside, but since the tent sheltered him from the sun's rays and it was warm, Novan took it off.

\tToday he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt.  Sitting so close to him, Raph could easily see the scars that dotted the insides of both arms.  As Raph's eyes travelled upwards, he noticed that the same type of pin-prick scars were on Novan's neck as well.

\t``These scars are partly why I don't share your opinion of humans,'' Novan said.

\t``Didn't mean to stare.''  Raph looked him in the eye.  ``I've been tied down to a dissecting table a couple of times.  If that was my only experience with humans, I wouldn't like any of them either.''  Curious, he asked, ``Ya' must trust Dr. Stockman a little bit, otherwise why would ya' seek shelter in the home of a scientist?''

\t``I was seeking shelter from Nicco and Mase,'' Novan stressed.  ``Trust me, I sought other options first before showing up on their doorstep.''

\t``What other options?  What exactly happened?'' Raph asked.  ``Yoshi mentioned going home and a bad man.  Did he see someone coming for you?''

\tNovan had seemed more comfortable as the audience rather than the speaker, but he inhaled deeply and said, ``I suppose it's only fair to share some details.  After my quick departure from Hun's abode, I took a circuitous route back to my apartment so that I could lose anyone trailing me.  I know Hun; he would send someone to follow me and also send someone to the home of the man whose name I dropped in order to make my escape.  My guess was that I had thirty minutes at most to grab some things, collect Yoshi, and get out.''

\t``That was quick thinking,'' Raph said, impressed.

\t``Merely survival thinking.''  Novan uncrossed his legs and stretched out to get more comfortable.

\t``Do ya' leave Yoshi with someone when you're, uh, working?'' Raph asked.

\tA flash of amusement showed in Novan's eyes.  ``It is a job, darling, so working is the correct term.  My preference is to schedule my appointments during times when Yoshi is in school or in an after-school program.  Yoshi has grown quite close to Masolino and will sometimes sleep over here, leaving me free to sneak off to take on a client or two.''

\tHe paused, as though giving Raph time to process the information.  ``We do what we gotta do for family,'' Raph said.

\t``One makes due with one's natural gifts,'' Novan said.  ``You are a skilled fighter and I am skilled at other things.''

\t``This thing with Hun though, it happened at night,'' Raph said.  ``Yoshi wasn't here.''

\t``No, that night he was with his babysitter,'' Novan said.  ``There is an elderly iguana who owns an apartment in the same complex where I live.  Allen Ripley, so named by his human owner before Ripley was mutated.  The human left all of his possessions to Ripley when he passed away, including the apartment.  Ripley babysits mutant kids to make extra money.  I told him that Yoshi and I would be gone for a while and rushed him out of the apartment so that no one would see him in my company.''

\t``Keeping him safe,'' Raph said.

\t``Yes.  I take quite enough risks for myself, the last thing I want is for anything to spill over onto someone else, especially Yoshi.  He is my everything.  I doubt that I would be alive if not for him,'' Novan said, a faraway expression on his face.

\tRaph really wanted to ask him to explain that statement, but decided against it.  Letting the conversation flow in a natural progression was bringing him more information than they'd gotten out of Novan in days.

\t``I think Yoshi is lucky to have you,'' Raph said, meaning every word.

\t``Thank you, darling,'' Novan said, real warmth in his tone.  ``After I collected Yoshi, we went to a motel and spent the remainder of the night there.  I knew I couldn't stay in one place for long, but out of curiosity, I checked my apartment the next day.  It wasn't difficult to spot the men who were camped out in a car across the street from my place.  We spent that night in a different motel, but I knew I couldn't keep doing so.  Hun has a far reach.  I realized that he'd start to look for me in hotels and motels, and there are only so many that are welcoming to mutants.  As much as I dislike having to ask for help, for Yoshi's sake I knew that I needed to come here.''

\t``Did ya' have any sort of long-range game plan?'' Raph asked.

\tA corner of Novan's mouth lifted.  ``That's another reason I came here.  Niccolo is quite good at long-range planning.  I knew that if anyone could extricate me from this situation, it would be him.  I hadn't expected that he'd have other-dimensional company, or that he'd abdicate his leadership to someone else entirely.''

\t``I understand ya' don't care much for Leo, but ya' should give him a chance,'' Raph said, feeling the need to defend his brother.  ``I know Nicco fought in a big war and made a name for himself, but we've been in way more battles overall, with Leo leading us the whole time.  This sort of fight is one Leo's better at, and Nicco knows it.''

\t``That did not seem to be your attitude when this plan of his was first suggested,'' Novan said, drawing his legs back up under himself.

\tRaph recognized that Novan's stiff demeanor meant an end to their easy conversation.  He still felt the need to defend his brother.  ``Questioning Leo's plans and fighting with him about stuff is my job.  Maybe I don't get paid for it, but what I do provides him a different angle to look at things from.  He's better at what he does `cause of our arguments.  Leo's even better now because he's got Nicco's input too.''

\t``Then I certainly hope that all of you are right,'' Novan said, ``because if this situation worsens, I will take Yoshi someplace where we can start over.''

\tWith that pronouncement, he ducked out of the tent.  Raph waited a quarter of an hour before following Novan into the house.

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\tOnce he'd finished teaching his art lessons for the day, Mikey was left to his own devices.  Since classes were still in session, he'd have to wait until dinner to be able to spend more time with Kala.

\tHe decided that he should use his free time to explore the camp.  He'd only been in the main areas so far, where the community use operations were located.  If Mikey was going to do an effective job of protecting the citizens, he'd need to know the layout as well as he knew the streets of New York City.

\tBesides, it wouldn't hurt to be seen by other mutants.  He figured that the best way to blend in was to be so familiar to the other inhabitants that they didn't pay much attention to his comings and goings.

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\tJust before they all sat down to dinner, Michelangelo called Leo to report in.  After assuring his brother that all was well, Mikey told him that he'd made a detailed map of the camp and was sending pictures to Don's phone.

\tLeo shared that information after everyone was seated and Dr. Stockman had given thanks for the meal.

\t``That was a good idea of his,'' Mase said.  ``The camp structure changes all the time.  More mutants move in, new `streets' are formed, additional outbuildings are added.''

\tRaph had been surprised when Novan took the seat next to him.  He'd rather expected that Novan would be standoffish after the way their conversation had ended, but the albino turtle behaved as though everything was fine between them.

\tIt more than likely was.  Raph wasn't harboring any resentment for the way Novan felt about Leo.  The guy had a right to his opinion, considering they were all strangers to him.  Even though Novan's exit had been abrupt, he'd had the chance to say his piece, so he was probably satisfied.

\tAt least for the moment.  The thing about taking Yoshi and disappearing concerned Raph.  Maybe it would be a good idea to talk to Nicco about that, just to give him a head's up.

\tAnnabelle got up from the table and went into the kitchen as they began passing the food around.  After getting a pan from the oven and dumping the contents into a bowl, she returned.

\t``Here you go, Yoshi,'' Annabelle said, setting the bowl in front of the small turtle.  ``As I promised, dry roasted crickets just the way you like them.''

\tYoshi's honey colored eyes lit up with pleasure.  He started to reach into the bowl and then remembered his manners.  ``Thank you, Annabelle.''

\tAnnabelle smiled indulgently.  ``You're very welcome.''

\tThe minute Annabelle said `crickets', Raph instinctively recoiled, unable to disguise his feeling of disgust.  ``I thought ya' was all kidding about that.''

\t``Oh no, never,'' Mase said.  ``Yoshi is very serious about his crickets.  We've dug several holes in the garden for the plastic bottles we catch them in.  You'd be surprised at how many crawl in during the night.  The best way to prepare them is to dry roast them for an hour.  Before you stick them in the oven, pull off their heads, remove the wings, legs, and entrails.  Never forget to remove those entrails because even though they're edible, removing them avoids parasite transmission.  Of course, some crickets are poisonous, so . . . .''

\t``Please stop,'' Raph muttered, feeling slightly nauseous.

\t``Thank you for the rapid-fire lesson about crickets that none of us really wanted to hear, Mase,'' Dr. Stockman said, chuckling slightly.

\tHis son grinned around at everyone and returned to his food.  Novan leaned towards Raph.  "You look like that one-time Mase told Yoshi too much about bacteria. You okay darling? About to faint? Throw up? Here, there is a fainting couch over there."

\tRaph had no idea if he was being teased.  He grimaced and shot a dirty look in Novan's direction, but his response was aimed at no one in particular.  ``I hate bugs.''

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\tMichelangelo and Kala sat together at a small round table pushed against one wall of the communal kitchen tent.  All of the tables and chairs inside the dining space were mismatched, no doubt scrounged or donated to the mutant camp.

\tMutants moved the seating around as needed to suit their particular requirements.  There was a sort of chaotic poetry to the ever-changing layout that appealed to Mikey.

\tFood was another interesting thing.  No meat of any kind was ever served, in deference to the many species of mutants that lived in the camp.  It wasn't something that Mikey had ever thought about before, but he realized he wouldn't be too happy to have a bowl of turtle soup plunked down in front of him.

\tKala had chosen a tofu concoction that included black beans and a number of vegetables.  It had smelled edible and since Mikey was trying to make an impression, he'd chosen that too.

\tFully prepared to eat it even if he didn't like it, Mikey was happily surprised to find that it tasted good.  He'd never had much of a poker face, so he was grateful not to have to hide his reaction, especially since Kala was watching him as he tasted the first forkful.

\t``So how come they call this stuff `tofu surprise'?'' Mikey asked after swallowing.

\t``Because we always have the tofu, but we never know what else we'll have to mix in with it,'' Kala said with a smile.  ``The camp receives a food subsidy from the government, and we also take donations of food, or money to buy food.  Every day here is a dining adventure.''

\t``I've seen some of the residents cooking on outdoor pits,'' Mikey said.  ``They don't dine here?''

\t``Not everyone does,'' Kala said.  ``Some of the camp residents need meat.  I've adapted to tofu for my protein needs, but I don't fault those who can't.  Those are the ones who use the pits.''

\t``When I was growing up, we ate whatever we could get our hands on,'' Mikey said.  He laughed at an old memory.  ``The first time my dad brought home pizza, my brother started eating the box `cause we didn't know the real food was inside.''

\tKala laughed at that and then asked, ``Were you mutated young?''

\t``Yeah,'' Mikey said.  ``My bro's and I started out as regular turtles, not much more than hatchlings.  Our dad was a grown rat.  How about you?''

\t``My brothers and I were actually part of a reptile exhibit in a small zoo,'' Kala said.  ``We weren't too young when our mutation occurred, thank goodness.  Having observed human behavior from behind our glass wall, we had a decent grasp on how to take care of ourselves.  It was harder when Dask went off to fight the war.''

\tThe pair continued to talk, remaining together long after they had finished their dinner.  They exchanged survival stories, with Mikey modifying his in the way Masolino had suggested.  Often his stories made her laugh, which in turn made him feel both happy and proud of himself.

\tMuch too soon, in Mikey's opinion, it was time to go.  Only late stragglers were present and they were eating quickly.  The mutants who cooked and cleaned the communal kitchen at the end of the day were throwing impatient looks in Mikey's direction.

\t``I should walk you home,'' Mikey said, rising from the table and offering his hand.

\tKala took it and then continued to hold onto Mikey's hand as he cleared their table and stacked the dishes on a nearby cart.  Holding hands, they strolled through the camp in the direction of the school tent, neither in a hurry to part company.

\t``I know I've told you how much the children enjoy your art lessons,'' Kala said.  ``I haven't told you how much their parents appreciate the addition to the school.  There isn't much in the way of entertainment here, and having the ability to create art is a much-needed outlet.''

\t``I can't get over how talented most of the kids are,'' Mikey said.  He looked around.  ``I noticed the first time I was here that some of the mutants had individualized their tents with paintings of flowers and such.  It kind of proves something I've always said, that art feeds the soul.''

\tThe pair stopped outside of the tent Kala shared with her brothers.  ``I like that.  Creativity is a release, don't you think?  One should always allow their imagination to soar.  It's the greatest freedom of all.''

\tThey stood looking at one another, both feeling a bit shy.  At that moment, there was nothing Mikey wanted to do more than to kiss her.  Since he had no experience, he wasn't sure if it was too soon, considering they'd only just had one semi-date.

\tThe tableau was broken when Dask called out, ``That you, Kala?  Are you coming inside?''

\tKala sighed and slowly slid her hand from Mikey's.  ``Thank you for dinner.  I really enjoyed myself.''

\t``Me too,'' Mikey said.  ``Maybe we can do it again?''

\t``I'd like that,'' Kala said, flashing him a bright smile before ducking into her tent.

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\tAfter dinner, Donovan and Yoshino grabbed some pillows in preparation for spending the night in the tent.  When they came out of the sitting room, Yoshi was also clutching his art pad and some crayons.

\tDonovan caught Mase's eye and held up Yoshi's inhaler.  ``So you won't ask if I'd remembered it, darling.''

\t``I put the telescope on the back porch,'' Mase told him.

\tBefore they exited the house, Novan whispered something to Yoshi, who then walked over to Raph and shyly tugged on his shirt.

\tWhen Raph bent down, Yoshi said, ``Thank you for tent.''

\t``You're welcome,'' Raph replied.  He was smiling as he watched the little turtle leave with his brother, but erased that smile when he noticed Leo looking in his direction.

\tLeo turned back to the rest of the turtles, who were standing near him.  ``Don, is there a way to configure our phones to alert us if the security system at the camp is activated during the night?  I don't want to waste precious seconds getting everyone out of bed and ready to go.  We should also bring our weapons up from the basement and have them with us.''

\t``Sure, that's easy enough to do,'' Don said.

\tNicco put his arm around Don and pulled him close.  ``Mase volunteers to do that job.  Don and I are going for a walk in the park.  Alone.''

\tDon glanced at Leo who smiled.  ``Go on.  The benefits of having two genius' in the family is that they can both have a love life and the work still gets done.''

\t``Don't get caught doing anything I wouldn't do!'' Mase called out as his brother was leaving the house.

\tNicco leaned back inside.  ``There isn't anything you wouldn't do, nut ball.''  He closed the door before Mase could reply.

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\tAlone in his tent with the door flap completely closed, the musty smell was more noticeable.  Fortunately, thanks to Annabelle's advice, Mikey had brought fabric spray with him.  He gave the interior fabric a spritz and was immediately rewarded with a better smelling home environment.

\tHome away from home away from home actually.  Mikey chuckled at that thought.  He liked adventures, especially ones that matched his daydreams of rescuing villagers and gaining the admiration of many women at once.

\tThe only woman he wanted to impress though was Kala.  There was one small problem with his daydream, in it everyone was fully aware that he was the hero.  For things to work out as planned here at the camp, Mikey was going to have to go into ninja mode.

\tAfter unpacking the rest of his supplies, Mikey decided to spend some time sketching.  Something Kala had said during dinner had sparked an idea for a project involving a series of paintings, all based around the concept of a mutants' point of view.

\tMikey worked on his sketches until he noticed that the camp was now silent.  Glancing at his phone, he saw that it was just after midnight.

\tHe quickly turned off his camping lantern, plunging the tent into darkness.  Mikey waited a couple of minutes for his eyes to adjust, using that time to strip out of his clothes and put on his pads and belt.  Then he slid out of the tent carrying a bag containing the mini-cameras.

\tBefore attempting to place any of them, Mikey stealthily made his way around the camp, slipping through the shadows without a sound.  It did not take him long to locate the mutants who were patrolling the area.  Nicco had been right, his ex-army buddies were not skilled in protecting against any sort of covert operative.

\tOnce he'd established where the patrols were, Mikey set about installing the mini-cameras.  The trees he'd chosen were easy enough to get into, as were the wooden outbuildings, but the last camera location he'd decided on was a bit more difficult.

\tTo get to the small hill where Hun sometimes stood to spy on the camp, Mikey had to cross an open expanse of ground.  That required a bit of timing and some luck.  When he was fairly sure that the patrols were moving in the opposite direction, he dashed towards his destination, staying low to the ground.

\tFor someone used to scaling buildings, the hill was not a challenge.  He placed the camera strategically, pointing it at an area the other cameras couldn't monitor, and then climbed back down.

\tTiming the patrols in his head, Mikey picked the moment when it would be safe to speed back to the camp.  The continued silence assured him that he had not been spotted, so he made his way back to his tent.

\tBefore turning in, Mikey set the security monitor close to his bed.  Then he crawled under the covers and got comfortable.  His last thoughts as he drifted off to sleep were of Kala.

\tHe was dreaming about her when the beeping of the monitor woke him up.

TBC........", "pools_count": 1, "title": "Walking in Daylight part 14", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "application/msword", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "2", "rating_name": "Adult", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "4", "name": "Sexual Themes", "description": "Erotic imagery, sexual activity or arousal", "rating_id": "2" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "0", "views": "190" }