Angel's Child

“Angela?”

Keishi almost fidgeted, knowing there were some Foot Ninja around to make sure he did his job…

“Keishi…”

She slid out of the shadows, a small smile on her lips that seemed to make her whole face glow…

She was wearing a white tank top this time, with baggy jeans, but her mask was still the same…

Her EYES were still the same…

‘Eyes are the windows to the soul’ he’d always heard…

“I thought you wouldn’t come…” She admitted.

“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world…”

The guilt came back, knowing he was stringing the she-turtle along…

Knowing what would come in a month’s time…

He’d seen the room prepared for her, the chains, the kimono…

He dreaded seeing her in it.

“It’s great to see you again…Are you…happy to see me?”

That strange vulnerability in her eyes…

It almost made his heart pull…

But he managed to choke back the feeling and smile.

“Of course I am.”

She seemed almost embarrassed, but didn’t fidget or stutter or blush like she had before.

“Do you want to go for a walk?”

She nodded slightly, following him with the watchful eyes of a curious child.

Leading her to the alley below, he only stopped when he realized how hesitant she was.

‘Of course…’

Being raised as a giant turtle must have come with a fear of being spotted in the light…

“It’s alright. We can go this way.”

Taking her hand gently, he felt a strange jolt go through him when she squeezed lightly back…

He headed for the warehouses, preparing mentally for a COMPLETELY un-awkward conversation, when he sensed someone nearby…

The sound of a katana sliding free of it’s sheathe…

‘Angela’s noticed, too…’

Obviously street thugs…

No self-respecting ninja would be caught this easily…

“Hey, turtle freak!”

Angela seemed to bristle…

“Send this message to your little friend! Don’t mess with the Black Crows!”

“That’s a bit redundant, don’t you think?”

Keishi saw her sharp tongue and cockiness come free of her insecurity as she pulled her hand out of his grasp, unsheathing her second sword.

“Aren’t all crows black?”

“Well…”

“Then again, I suppose I shouldn’t have expected that kind of logic from you.”

The thirty or so men bristled, and Keishi wondered what Angela’s aim was…

“Take that back, you little bitch!”

You could see the temper in her eyes, but her face stayed stubbornly in place.

“Wrong species, Einstein. Turtles and dogs don’t exactly look alike.”

Everyone started as disembodied growling filled the air, and the sky-masked turtle smirked…

“And it looks like you pissed off a friend of mine…”

Light jumped out in a blur, fangs digging into a neck before she jumped back, snarling.

Crimson stained her muzzle, and blood dripped from bared fangs as she bristled…

Suddenly, like a flash of lightning, chaos ensued.

The ‘Black Crows’ charged in two directions, one to take down the snarling dog and another to take down her cocky owner.

It was soon obvious neither target would go down easily…

A pipe was easy enough for the kunoichi to redirect, and she led the unsuspecting thug into her knee.

Whipping around, she brought her other foot up to kick another man roughly in the face before back-flipping away.

Katana flashing, she sliced clean through some baseball bats, scaring the crap out of the men wielding the stumps.

“…Boo.”

They ran away screaming like little girls, and she giggled.

“They sound like Uncle Mikey…”

Her momentary good-natured look wasn’t an opening it seemed, since her fist smacked into a thug’s face as he tried to come up behind her.

Jumping up, she did a hurricane kick, knocking a large man back before she crouched down under a rusty knife.

Catching the blade with both of her own, she twisted it out of his grip and kicked back into his stomach.

Twisting away as he fell hard, she landed a hard punch to another man under the chin.

Keishi was amazed…

He’d been prohibited to strike, lest she get suspicious, but it didn’t look like she needed any help…

It was like a beautiful dance…

The sounds of yells and groans and the clang of metal her music, her rhythm.

Keishi turned a bit when he felt someone behind him, and was surprised by a sharp hit to the side of the head…

He was dizzy as someone caught his arm…

“Hey, turtle!”

Angela turned around, eyes widening for a moment before narrowing.

“Let him go…”

“If you say so…”

The green-eyed boy nearly gasped as cold water enveloped him…

“KEISHI!”

It was faint, but water swirled above him for a moment before someone jumped in.

Thin arms wrapped around his chest, pulling him up…

Gasping once he realized he was above water, his eyes fluttered open weakly…

“Are you okay, Keishi?”

Angela’s worried face was in his line of sight, and he nodded…

“Thank kami…You weren’t breathing for a minute, there…”

He blinked, realizing how beautiful her skin looked wet…

‘Wait…wet?’

She’d jumped in after him?

She didn’t look strong enough to lift him out of the water…

He thought he saw something flash in the water, and realized she was almost hiding her lower body in the water…

“Angela?”

“Can you get home?”

“Y-Yeah…”

“Well, go on. It’s too dangerous tonight. We’ll meet up at the docks tomorrow.”

“Alright…”

Another splash, and the sky-banded was gone…

Almost silent shuffling meant her dog had followed…

Keishi sat up, confused…

‘What had happened?’

“Sir, are you alright?”

He blinked up at the Foot Ninja, and nodded.

“Yeah, I’m fine…”

Standing a bit shakily, he brushed some water off his arm…

“My son…”

Green eyes widened, looking up…

“Mother…”

Karai looked like a mix between worried and disappointed, and Keishi lowered his eyes in shame…

“…Did you see what happened, my son?”

“Not really…How did she…?”

“We will explain it soon enough. Come, Keishi.”

It felt like betraying her trust again…

But Keishi still followed his mother back home…

‘I hope you’ll forgive me someday, Angela…’