This Story Takes Place At The Very Beginning Of NT: TNM before Venus comes along. Venus will be in this story later, and an elder version of her is in this chapter of the story. If you want to use Perdita in a story of your own, please email me first! Or if you want to send me comments, email me at the address to the above. ;)
Splinter walked along the streets of New York at the outskirts of the city. It is more quiet there, and the old rat mutant enjoyed the serenity. But something wasn't right. . . a force was pulling him towards a spot. He sees what it was.
A beautiful female creature laid at the side of the road. She was consumed in shadows but he could see her head in the moonlight. She was a mutant, but not one of a rat or turtle.
He was hesitant to near her. Who knows what such a beast could do to him. She was a mutant cat. Long magnifiscent raven-black hair fell over her shoulders and onto the ground. It shined in the moonlight with a red haze. Her fur was a lighter black, a dark grey color, that made her seem dark and mystic. She wore an odd top, a black one that went up above her belly button (to put it mildly) and was skin-tight. It had maroon stripes that carried on the sides, below the underarms. Her pants were skin-tight and black, and a brown belt was attached to it. A pair of sai were in her hands that were bent at the elbow slightly and reach towards the road. Her legs were sleek and powerful and she wore a pair of maroon and black boots.
He gently picked her up as he realized that it will rain soon. Lightning flashed. He carried her towards the nearest entrance of the sewers that lays just north of where she laid. He carried her down one-handidly and closed the sewers as a car drived overhead.
It's strange how the fragile cat in his hands could be so powerful, and not know it.
Perdita awoke as the sun shone down on her furry head. A sun she had not seen for many years until today. Around her in the building used for the ML (Mutant Legion) commander's rooms were her five turtle friends and Splinter, master of it all.
Perdita sat up and stood from her bed and grabbed her clothes. She went to the bathroom that was for the female commanders Venus de Milo and herself and headed for a stall to change. She put her clothes on the lid of the toilet and grabbed a towel and took off her night clothes and wrapped a towel around her before heading out for the shower stalls.
She turned on the shower and dropped her towel outside the vinyl covering before stepping in. Using the special soap for her fur that was to her right she washed her body, shampooed, and turned off the water. Grabbing her towel she wrapped it around her and stepped out.
Perdita dressed and wrapped her nightclothes in the towel and tossed them in the dirty laundry and then headed out into the room. Everyone was asleep.
Perdita headed downstairs to the kitchen where she fixed herself a coffee and headed to the window. She stood for a moment looking at the sun. Wildflowers had grown in the meadow and birds flew. It was Sunday, and for once the opposites did not attack. Long ago the opponents (Shredder, Dragonlord, etc.)
and Americans made a treaty that Sundays were for no war. Perdita sighed. She knew it wouldn't last long.
But her silence was interupted as Michaelangelo thumped downstairs and entered, with his radio playing full-blast.
He didn't notice the frail young woman-cat that stood bathed in the sunlight. She turned to face him and sat down at the dinning room table with her coffee. The building was like a duplex, the commanders had the right side and the soldiers had the left. Normally Perdita would go with the commanders, but she had been in the war since the beginning unlike the other mutates and known the commanders since 1999 before the war even started.
"Oh, hey Dita!" Michaelangelo said loudly since he couldn't hear over his radio.
Perdita grimaced and Michaelangelo turned off the music and put the radio on the table, "Sorry."
"Good morning, Mikey," said Perdita, "Any sign of your brother this morning?"
"In the shower," said Michaelangelo, "You meant Raph, right?"
"He's the only one I pay attention to," said Perdita with a wink.
"I resent that," said Leonardo from the doorway with a sly smirk.
Perdita smiled, "Except for Leo, Don, and Mikey, but I don't go out with them."
Michaelangelo pondered over this for a moment.
"Oh," he said at last, "You did mean Raphael."
Leonardo sat at the table with a coffee, "I love Sundays."
"Life used to be like this," said Donatello sitting down with a glass of water.
"Yeah," said Perdita, "Life was peaceful. Well, rather I had a life."
"Soon it'll be over," said Leonardo, "And then you'll have a life with Raphael and leave us alone."
Perdita smirked, "I'm not that lucky."
Everyone looked at each other and Perdita finished her last drop of coffee and stood up.
"Tell Raph I went for a jog along the trail," said Perdita, "I'll see you later."
Perdita put her coffee mug on the counter and grabbed a sweater, pulling it over her uniform, and stepped outside.
Running down the steps she ran out towards the trail in the woods where she could often find salvation.
"Thought you were going for a run," said Raphael when he caught up to Perdita halfway along the path.
"I thought I'd just relax," she said taking Raphael's hand, "You know Raph, it's hard to believe life used to all ways be like this."
Raph nodded, "I miss the old days."
Perdita smiled, "I thought you liked to fight?"
"Not in a war," said Raphael, "Not like this."
Perdita put her arm around his neck and put her head on his shoulder.
"We'll get through it," she said, "We all ways do."
Raphael smiled and put his arm around her soft-furred waist, "Yeah."
Mondays were all ways horrible. Perdita awoke in a sweat early night at the sound of gunshots.
She realized she had gone to bed an hour before. She crept downstairs quiet as the cat she had been. In the living room she found, bathed in moonlight, her lover Raphael.
"Hi Raph," she said, "Couldn't sleep?"
Raphael sighed and shook his handsome head.
Perdita moved over to him and looked out the window. The opponents (who were called the Bad Guys a lot of the time) were fighting Americans all ready.
She closed her eyes wishing to forget it all.
She felt a pair of strong arms hold her in a hug. She returned the hug and put her head on Raphael's chest, she was only as tall as his chin.
Releasing themselves they looked out the window.
"I should get to sleep," said Perdita, "Early morning tomorrow. I know though I'll never get up early."
Raphael smiled, "Yeah, I know what you mean. I think I'll sleep on the couch."
Perdita nodded and went to the stairs. Raphael settled on the couch. But nights were never peaceful.
It was four years later as Perdita and Raphael opened the door to their farmhouse. They were twenty-four and Leonardo, Michaelangelo, and Donatello were outside smiling.
Perdita smiled weakly as the picture took its toll. Venus de Milo had been shot. . . only a week ago. . .
"So?" Michaelangelo asked as he and Donatello followed Raphael to the dining room.
Perdita looked at Leonardo, no emotion on her face.
"Hi," she said, fighting the urge to break down and cry.
"I miss her too," said Leo, "But she's gone now, and we can't do anything about."
Perdita smiled weakly, "It's hard to forget her, Leo. With Splinter, we had a chance to say goodbye. This is different. This is Venus, she was shot. And no goodbyes."
Leonardo nodded and walked past her to the dining room. Perdita smiled weakly again, and followed.
Perdita walked to the newly set grave. The war had relaxed for two years, but assasins had attacked. Donatello and Michaelangelo were dead. Raphael looked at her, Leonardo standing beside him. The three had gone through a lot, and with the death of four of their friends they were more saddened than ever.
Perdita turned around as Raphael neared her and he took out a silver ring with a maroon stone that shone brightly in the June sun.
"I want you to marry me," said Raphael, "Yes, or no?"
Perdita smiled weakly and kissed him on the cheek, "Of course, Raph. Timing wasn't too good."
Raphael smiled and put the ring on Perdita's slender finger and the too embraced. Leonardo neared.
"Guess you're gonna leave now," said Leo staring at the grave of the long-dead Splinter.
"No," said Perdita, "I want to stay here. With my fiancee, and his brother."
Raphael smiled and nodded and Leonardo grinned. Maybe everything would work out. . .
Perdita watched two years later as her beloved Raphael fell to the ground. The Bad Guy's gun still echoed in her mind as it smoked with the blast. The bullet had pierced Raphael's temple, and in a way pierced Perdita's heart as well.
"Raphael!" she screeched, but he was dead.
Leonardo took her hand and ran for the forest. The path she had used so many times before. And there in the silence, away from the Bad Guys, Leonardo said goodbye.
"Dreamwalk," said Leonardo, "Splinter will meet you there. Don't fear for me, Dita. I'm the last, but will survive."
Perdita looked at him with horror and hugged him for his brave efforts then closed her eyes and turned her head to the sky. A maroon-colored glow radiated off her and she was teleported to a dimension that was so serene Perdita had often wished it was real. Splinter stood, and looked at Perdita.
"You come to leave," said Splinter with a grim face, "My child, you will not remember who you were or who we are. I have never tried this before, you may deteriorate."
"I don't care," said Perdita with a frown, "I have nothing but Leonardo left yet."
Splinter sighed, Leonardo was dead too.
"Go then," said Splinter, "But be careful. Try not to recover your past, as it may prove in you not even existing."
"Yes master Splinter," said Perdita nodded her head and closing her eyes as she was gone.
"Perdita, dear, you're awake," said Splinter, the wise rat.
"Pardon?" she asked.
Splinter smiled, "Your name is Perdita. I am Splinter. You have amnesia, my dear. But you are home now. Home."
And for the first time in her life Perdita knew what 'home' meant.
The End