"You do a shell of job at showing a turtle a good time."
I look up to see Leonardo approaching me, a wry smile on his face. I was sitting on the window sill in the main room of the Institute, looking at the young mutants play in the yard. "Hey," I laugh as he joins me. "I try."
Leonardo looks out thoughtfully. He's a little bruised, but nowhere near as bad as Michelangelo had been. I'm about to ask after his brother when he speaks up. "It's so strange. Those children out there look so normal… but they're mutants. At least, they're a type of mutant. And they need to hide away from the harsh eyes of the world, the same as my brothers and I."
"Yeah," I reply, "but you've got to admit, their hideaway is a lot homier." His smile diminishes a little, but he doesn't take his eyes off the kids. Looking down for a moment, I tell him, "If it makes you feel any better, I hide too. Every day. I hide from my friends, my co-workers… sometimes I even hide from my wife and from myself. But underneath this mask… there's just a normal Joe. A normal Joe who's doing a lousy job of hiding his identity from government agents, apparently."
He looks up at me, noting my bitterness. "Spider-Man, it's Bishop's job to know more than he should. He knows far too much about me and my family, and you would probably become engulfed by paranoia if you knew how much he knows about you and yours." I sarcastically thank him, telling him that that was just what I needed to hear.
"The point is," he goes on, "people know you exist. They know that there's a man who puts on a spider costume and fights crime. And though people might have varying viewpoints on your motives, they can't flat-out deny that you're good. You help people. Because of your alliance with the Avengers, Bishop knows that touching you will lead to the fall of everything he's been working for. You're safe."
I look up at him. "Yeah. But what about you? Who knows about your existence, outside of Casey and April? And who's willing to back you guys up?" He looks down for a moment, deep in thought. With a sigh, I tell him, "Look, I don't mean to pressure you. You just gotta admit… Cyclops was right."
When we returned to the Institute and told the X-Men what was going on, Cyclops invited the turtles to stay with them indefinitely. They'd be protected, and they would prove to be of invaluable assistance. The other turtles seemed somewhat swayed, but Leonardo had his doubts. Though I personally think that anyone would be nuts to choose a sewer over a mansion, I recognize that this isn't my problem.
"No," Leonardo finally answers. "He wasn't. Donatello was right in what he said back at the lab. Nightcrawler and Wolverine felt the effects of Juliet's power because they were still mainly human. Even though he has demon blood in him, even Nightcrawler is more closely-related to humanity than I am."
"That's not true-"
"Yes it is!" Leonardo blurts out as he stands. "Spider-Man, my brothers and I are different. Unique. Today, that proved to be a blessing. But what about tomorrow? There may be a time when Nightcrawler can walk down the street for what he is… but not us. We're not X-Men, Spider-Man. We're not even men. We're just turtles. Ninja turtles. We belong in the shadows."
I look up at him for a while. I don't get him. When I was given the chance to work with the Avengers, I was ecstatic. Tack my name along with a group of people like me? Have the chance to feel vindicated and appreciated? Be a part of something bigger rather than just be a "lone vigilante?" Heck yes, where do I sign up? But Leo… this isn't the same for him. And I don't get why. I've only been hiding out since high school. He's been on the run his entire life. Shouldn't he want a refuge?
"Leonardo," I tell him levelly, standing, "is that really what you think… or is that just what you've been brought up to believe?" He doesn't answer, but he doesn't look like he's close to giving in, either. "I'm not trying to influence you one way or the other. You guys have done pretty well for a bunch of semi-mythical creatures living in the sewers. But if you keep getting people like Bishop crawling up your shell, don't you think it's time to move to where you'd be safe?"
"Ha. Safe. Right."
Leonardo and I look up as Logan walks towards us. He's pulling a t-shirt over his head, his chest covered in bandages. It wasn't until we had gotten him to the Institute that we realized he had been shot numerous times, sometimes within point-blank range.
From the story he told us, Logan had received a phone call after we had returned from fighting Morlun. It was Bishop. He told Logan that, if he was curious as to how Bishop knew what he knew, then he should follow his directions very carefully. Logan knew that we had to concentrate on getting rid of the Savanti demon, so he neglected to tell us. I had been right; he did use an alibi so we would follow after him. He knew that Donatello placed a tracer on him, and figured that unexpected back-up would be a good idea. Instead of getting any answers, he was shot by about a dozen of Bishop's agents and strapped to a table. They were about to start cutting him open when Bishop went up to deal with us. Logan managed to break free, and his injuries were nothing when compared to Bishop's men. I didn't doubt that.
"Sure, Xavier's is safe," Logan remarks sarcastically. "I mean, heck, we've only had to rebuild it twice since the start of the school year. Or if you'd rather be closer to the city, you can always join the Avengers. We only had to go through one of their headquarters. You can still visit the remains of the old place, too."
He steps in besides me, jokingly hitting me upside the head. "What Slick here doesn't seem to realize is, ain't no place safe for people like us. And I don't just mean you, junior," he says, referring to Leonardo. "I mean all of us. You, me, Spidey. Even Playboy Stark. We're different, and people don't ever react too kindly to different.
"The X-Men, we're a team. A family, if you wanna use sentimental terms. And we're willin' to take you and your brothers in as distant cousins. But unless your heart's in it, this ain't the place for you. You've got your brothers, your sensei, and your friends. You got Spidey and the Avengers now, too, unofficially. It's up to you to decide how much more you want, and how much more you need." Leonardo looks like he's about to say something, but Logan interrupts. "I ain't the person to tell it to, junior. Go get your brothers. I think I see Mikey joinin' in on a game of dodgeball outside."
I look out the window and see that Logan's right. It looks like Donatello's been roped into joining in, and Raphael seems far too gleeful to be in the opposing team. By the time I turn around, Leonardo's already gone.
"So," I say, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning against the window, "here we are once again, after yet another heart-to-heart talk about teamwork. If I didn't know better, Logan, I'd accuse you of going soft."
"Heh," Logan responds. "More than happy to prove you wrong, Web-head. Just name the time and place." We're quiet for a while, and then he finally tells me, "Go ahead, say it. I can see it in your eyes."
"First of all, say what? Secondly, I'm wearing a mask; what eyes?"
"I ran off," he explains. "I knew you were gonna join up eventually, but I still headed out and put up a roadblock. Did exactly the same thing I told you not to do."
"You know," I say, looking down, "a lecture isn't so much fun when the other person can see it coming a mile away." Looking up at him, I can't help but smirk when I add, "Still, I do have the overwhelming urge to say, 'I told you so,' even though I didn't actually tell you anything."
"Eh," Logan says, staring out the window at the kids, "it's not like I'll learn a lesson from this, anyway. I'm pretty good at that." Changing the subject, he asks, "So, what you gonna do now? Wait for the turtles to see if they're headin' back home?"
"Well, they're definitely going back to the city," I tell him. "I imagine that they've got personal belongings in their lair, and they need to talk the offer over with their sensei, and if they do decide to make the move, they're probably not going to leave without saying goodbye to their friends. I figure I'll hijack one of Cyclops' rides, take 'em back, and let them decide what they want to do. Then MJ and I have a whole lot of housecleaning to do."
"You got any opinion on what they should do?"
"Why should I?" I ask. "Like you said, they're no baby turtles. They can take care of themselves. I don't think that joining up with the X-Men would be a bad idea, but they've already got their own team. The Mutant Ninja Turtles. Or Ninja Mutant Turtles. Or the Mutant Turtle Ninjas. I'm sure they can think up a snazzy name for themselves, left to their own devices."
My voice is quiet, and I can feel Logan staring at me. Feeling another pair of eyes on me, I say, "That's the important thing, though. Leaving them to their own devices. They don't need the X-Men. They don't need the Avengers. They need one another. And wherever they can go that'll allow them to be together, that's where they should be. Because… they're a team. A relatively small one, working underground—pardon the pun—but that doesn't make what they have any less valid than what you and Cyclops have as teammates."
"Heh," Logan mutters, "me and Cyclops. You coulda chose a better pair if you wanted a nice analogy. Maybe more like Raph and Mikey. Ain't that right, kid?" He turns around, looking back. From around the corner, Raphael slowly pokes his head out and looks at us.
"Ninjas," Logan and I both utter mockingly.
"Me and Mikey ain't the best team-up, either," Raphael tells us as he steps into view. "I don't make much of a teammate, to be honest. I know what it takes, but sometimes I manage to take a whole lot more than I give. And I know it, too, but I can't help thinkin'… thinkin' I can do better than what I'm doin'."
Logan walks over to him with a small laugh. Clapping his hand on the turtle's shoulder, he says, "You're preachin' to the choir, kid. Now I know what I woulda looked like if I had been born a turtle." I'm surprised to see that Logan's face is actually relatively friendly as he tells Raphael, "If you're as much like me as I think you are, then it wouldn't hurt ya if you decide to spread yourself out. My primary team is the X-Men, cuz they're who I am. I'm a mutie, no matter what. You, you're a turtle. Your first allegiance is to your family. If you got somewhere else you wanna be, then you go there. Just never forget where ya came from."
Turning away from us, Logan finishes with, "Now if you want me, I'm gonna grab that last beer I saw in the fridge before anyone else does."
April answers the door shortly after I knock.
She looks at me, confused. "Can I help you?" With a small smile, I reply that I'm here to pick up my wife. Her expression doesn't change, but she eventually connects the voice with the person. "S… Spider-Man?" Looking me over, she stands aside. "Wh… where's your costume?"
I step inside her apartment, saying, "Stopped home and dumped it in the laundry. According to the boys, it was starting to smell a little ripe. Besides, I figure it might be nice to have some good guys see my true face for a change."
"Peter?" Mary Jane was apparently watching television with April and Casey, and she got up at the sound of my voice. Shocked, she came over to me. "Did something happen? You… why are you…?"
"Relax, MJ," I tell her as I hug her. It feels good to actually be able to hold her freely after everything that's happened. "It's okay. We're with friends. If they can keep the identities of four giant turtles and their rat sensei secret, then I'm pretty sure adding a little spider into the mix won't hurt any."
I hear a door open and see Casey exiting what looks like the bathroom. He eyes me curiously, asking me who I am. I can feel MJ eyeing me worriedly as I reach out for his hand. As he shakes it, I tell him, "Hi. My name's Peter Parker. You know me as Spider-Man."
Casey stops shaking my hand, shocked. "Are you for real?" I nod with a small smile. His eyes dropping down to April, he asks, "Is he for real?" Still wide-eyed, she nods. Looking to MJ now, he asks, "Is this for real?"
"Casey!" April cries out. "Will you just… just… ooh! Quiet, okay?" Turning her attention to me, she says, "Okay, saying that I'm surprised would be something of an understatement, since I was under the impression that walking around without a mask was kind of on the superheroes' list of no-nos. But I guess… okay. Right. So you're Peter Parker. And you're Spider-Man."
"Woo," Casey breathes, "Next you're gonna tell me you're a schoolteacher by day."
"Actually," I start, but get interrupted when MJ elbows me in the ribs.
"I think I've got my brain wrapped around this," April finally says. "Okay. I guess this is an honor. I mean, it is. And we know better than to spill, you have our word. Right, Casey?" Casey doesn't answer. My smile gets a little crooked when I realize that he's still gawking at me. "Right, Casey?"
"Huh? Oh!" Snapping out of it, he looks down at April, then back up at me. "Right. Secret. Word of honor. Cross my heart 'n hope to croak, or somethin' along those lines." There's a moment of somewhat awkward silence before Casey finally asks, "Sooo… where're the boys?"
Scratching the back of my head, I wonder how I should tell them. As the turtles' friends, they should be happy about this. Still, people tend to have weird reactions about this sort of thing. "Well, about them… it's a funny story." Casey and April eye me guardedly as I ask them if I can sit down.
Sitting on the sofa, I tell them everything.
"Well, that's the finishing touch."
I look up at MJ as she puts the vase filled with the pink roses I had given her on top of the new coffee table. "Oh, not there, MJ," I complain as I put my magazine down besides me on the sofa. "It blocks nearly half of the television. Can't you find some other place?"
"Come off it, Tiger," she purrs as she sits next to me and puts her arms around me. "Who says you're going to have the time or the energy to watch TV?" With a smirk, I tell her that that was true just before kissing her.
We're interrupted by a tap at the window. Looking back, I have mixed feelings when I see Michelangelo grinning as he waves at me. As I stand, he moves his hand to mime putting on a mask, telling me that I should change. As I give MJ a helpless look, I see that she's rolling her eyes. "Somehow, this isn't quite what I meant," she mutters.
Not wanting to get into a marital spat over nothing, I go over to the window and open it. "Mikey," I tell him, "don't take this the wrong way, but this had better be important."
"Yeah, sorry about interrupting the smoochfest," he tells me. "Didn't mean it, MJ!" I glance back and see that she's waved it off with a raised eyebrow and a vaguely bemused expression as she turns on the television. Looking back to me, he continues, "Remember when we first met, you said something about knowing a teacher who shot himself up with some serum and ended up turning green with a dose of the occasional crazy?" I reply that I do, and he says, "Well, Leo and Donnie spotted something in the sewers that looks a whole lot like what you were talking about. We were wondering if you wanted to give it a look over."
"Doc Connors? Changed into the Lizard? Again?" I let out a groan as I glance back at MJ, almost as though for permission. She smirks as she tells me not to forget my lab coat; the sewers were chilly this time of year. Turning back to Mike, I tell him to give me two minutes to change into my Spidey suit.
Once I'm suited up, I dash to give MJ one more kiss before putting my mask on. Though it's hard to turn away, I make it out to the ledge, standing besides Mikey and checking to be sure that the streets are empty. "Gotta admit," I tell him as we make our way down to the street, "wasn't sure when I was going to see you guys again. How'd Splinter take the news?"
"Not sure, to be honest," Michelangelo replies. "He kinda just ignores the subject. But I think, as a whole, he's pretty proud. I mean, in the end, we still decided to stick to the shadows." Climbing onto the back of a motorcycle, he grins as he says, "Now, we're just part-time undercover Avengers. Group affiliations, for the win!"
Raphael lifts up the visor of his helmet and gives Mikey a reproachful look. "Yeah," he remarks. "Kinda surprised they let us in, after ya tried to insist that we all get membership cards." He regarded me with his normally-sardonic expression. "How's MJ treatin' ya?"
"She was treating me great," I tell him, "until someone broke the mood. Any advice, Romeo?"
"You're lookin' to lose an arm, wallcrawler," Raphael growls. "And Wolverine?"
"Still looking for answers, meaning he's still looking for Bishop."
"He don't give up," Raphael mutters. Surprising me with a smile, he adds, "Good. Gotta give it up for the guy." Revving up the bike, he says, "Right, now that small talk's over, let's see some web-swingin'." Lowering his visor, he yells, "Try to keep up" as he skids away. With a laugh, I follow after him and Mikey.
Though I'm worried about Doc Connors, I can't help but swing through the air with a smile on my face. MJ's at home, Morlun's gone, and four of my teammates are scarily-strong dragon totems. Not to mention that I've learned that April's homemade chocolate chip cookies are quite possibly the most amazing thing on this side of the planet. MJ's jealous expression as I raved over April's baking is probably the cutest thing I've seen in ages. For the first time in years, I actually know what it's like to be the man behind the mask. And I owe it all to four creatures who never bothered with masks in the first place.
The world's a funny place sometimes.
END.
Author's Note- Thanks to Stealthy Stories' BelloftheSea for posing this story challenge, and to A'tuin and Roo for helping me in the "mystical villains" department. And thanks, of course, to you guys who actually read through all of this. Hope that the majority of it was indeed enjoyable, and I appreciate any and all comments/constructive criticism that you'd be willing to share. :) -Starry