Penny
Chapter 2: Her Name is Penny

Splinter opened his eyes, hearing someone enter the Lair. Standing, he made his way to the main room of the Lair. He saw his oldest middle child sneaking across the Lair towards his room with the oldest at his flank.

“Raphael! Leonardo!” Splinter barked, his voice echoed though the Lair. Both students stopped in their tracks looking at each other before looking at Splinter. “I want a word with the both of you.”

He turned and walked back into his room without even waiting to see if his sons were following. He knew they would. He took his place behind the table in his room and poured himself a cup of tea. His oldest and second oldest entered, both settling before him. What he didn’t expect, though, was the bundle in Raphael’s arms.

“Raphael, what is that?” Splinter said, his voice barely over a whisper.

He saw the guilt pass over Raphael’s face as the turtle moved to mess with the cloth bundle. A small child’s head is freed from the bundle, two blonde pigtails framing the girl’s face. Raphael ran a hand over her hair before stating. “I couldn’t just leave her up there.”

“Explain.”

Raphael and Leonardo shared a glance before Leonardo nodded. Raphael sighed and gently untangled the fabrics from around the child, stating softly, “I…I had gone up after Leo. I had knocked Donnie out so I could finally get some time to talk to him…

I made sure Don didn’t get hurt as he collapsed. I gently laid him on the floor before chasing after Leo. It took a while to find him. I finally cornered him, snickering, “Bout time. We have to talk.”

“Raph, there’s no time,” Leo said, sighing. “I need to–”

“I don’t care where ya have ta go,” I snapped, not amused. “I want to…”

I frowned, listening. Leo opened his mouth but I held up a hand. A shot rang out and we both turned to the noise, racing towards it. We came upon an alleyway and looked down to see a small group of Purple Dragons surrounding a little girl. I don’t know why I moved in to protect her. I just did. It was almost as if I was being pulled to do so. I landed between the Purple Dragons and the girl, pulling her onto my shell. The head Dragon chuckled.

“Hey, freak, mind letting the girl go?” his buddies chuckled, pressing me up against the brick wall behind me. I kept a hand on the girl, a sai before me. “She’s our property.”

He pointed his gun at me, a smirk on his face. Blades flashed and the gun clattered to the pavement, cut into pieces. Leo stood up and did a round house kick, knocking all but three Dragons on their rear ends.

“Let’s get out of here!” the head Dragon yelled.

The gang members ran and Leo turned to me, frowning. “Raph, we can’t take her home.”

“Well we can’t leave her here,” I argued.

“Penny.” I looked at the girl, surprised. She smiled sweetly. “My name is Penny.”

“Penny.” I smiled, pulling a blonde pigtail. “Well, Squirt, you can call me Raph.”

She yawned, rubbing her eye. “I’m tired.”

I turned to Leo. “Are either of their coats clean?”

Leo walked over to the male and female dead on the ground. “The female’s overcoat is the cleanest. A bullet to the back of the head saved the jacket.”

I nodded and took the coat from Leo. He knew what I was going to do. I pulled Penny around and wrapped her in the coat.

“Night night…”

I didn’t hear the rest. She was well asleep before she could actually finish. I shifted my hold of her and looked at Leo, seeing the skeptical look on his face.

“What?”

Leo smiled, embarrassed. “Nothing, let’s go home.”

I nodded and followed Leo.

Splinter looked between Raphael and Leonardo, seeing both their gazes were on Penny. She shifted, wrapping her fingers around one of Raphael’s. Splinter watched as the simple smile spread across Raphael’s face as Raphael wrapped his hand around hers. Leonardo also had a simple smile on his face.

Splinter frowned. The two had become attached to a child they could not take care of. “Raphael. I want you to take the child to an orphanage tomorrow after practice. I want you two, at the moment, to get some sleep.”

Splinter watched the regret race across both turtles’ faces, staying on both faces. They bowed their heads in respect. “Hai, Sensei.”