• “Crystal, what’s going on?” Raphael asked.

    “They’re the X-Men and they just want to talk,” responded Crystal.
    “Well, then talk, lead-for-brains,” Raph spat at Logan.

    A growl escaped Logan’s lips.
    “Why don’t we go talk to Master Splinter?” Leonardo offered.

    "Are you sure, Leo?" Raph asked. Leo nodded.

    “Who’s that?” asked the man with visor said.

    “He’s our ninja master.” Leo said.

    “Alright, we’ll talk with him."

    “Okay, follow us.” Leo instructed.

    Leo turned and led the X-Men down toward his home. Donatello and Michelangelo were sent ahead to tell Master Splinter they were coming.

    After they walked for two minutes, Logan got impatient.

    “How much longer am I gonna have ta’ step in peoples flamin’ crap before we get ta’ see this ‘Master Splinter’ of yours?”

    “Not much longer,” Leo replied.

    “That means keep your big mouth shut, Wolf-Boy,” Raph added.

    “Wolf-Boy, that’s the best you’ve got? Your head must be as empty as your shell,” Logan responded.

    Raph turned around. “You wanna say that again, Little Man.

    “Why, you little…”

    “Raph, shut up,” Leo ordered.

    “Logan, why don’t you do the same?” asked the man with the visor.

    “Shut-Up, Scott, before I make you drink the flamin’ sewer water,” Logan retaliated.

    They walked in silence the rest of the way. When they reached the ninjas’ home, every one of the X-Men let out a gasp of surprise.

    It was all decked out in furniture and training gear. There was a small bridge running over a small pond full of lake water. There were ramps, a couch, and fourteen TV’s of all different shapes, sizes, makes, models, and colors stacked on top of each other. A little to the left was a desk with papers, gadget parts, tools, a computer, and little knick-knacks all over it. In what looked like a small dojo was a sort of workout gym area with all kinds of different gym equipment. The other part of the dojo was what looked to be a training area and it had mats laid out on the ground and weapons of all sorts on wooden racks. Behind the dojo was a screen door, the kind you can see the shadows of the people behind it.

    There were three shapes behind the door as the large group walked onto the main platform. The shapes were of two turtles and a rat. The door opened and Mikey and Donni stepped out with Master Splinter.

    “Hello, X-Men. I am Master Splinter,” Master Splinter greeted the X-Men.

    Scott stepped forward. “I’m Scott Summers, also known as Cyclops. I’m the leader of the X-Men. We’re here to talk with you about Crystal and her powers.”

    “I see. Why don’t you, Crystal, and I go into my room and talk?”

    “Can Logan come, too? He’s also involved in this.”

    “Alright.”

    The four of them filed into Master Splinter’s room and found a spot to sit on the floor.

    “Well, um, as you can probably already tell, Crystal is very talented, but not in the usual way. She has special powers, the kind normal fifteen year olds don’t usually have. If she were to come with us, she would be able to learn how to use these powers for the benefit of mankind,” Cyclops explained.

    “Whoa, whoa, whoa. What do you mean ‘come with us?’ My home is here, not there. I can learn to use my powers to benefit mankind just fine right here,” Crystal said, crossing her arms.

    “That may be, but at the Xavier Institute for Gifted and Talented Youngsters, you can get help from what may be the greatest psychic mind in the universe, Professor Charles Xavier.”

    “We shall think about it, Mr. Summers. Come back in a week and we should have an answer for you,” Master Splinter said.

    “Okay, well, I have nothing more to say. Logan is going to talk with you now.”

    Scott got up and left Master Splinter’s room. Logan looked uneasily at Crystal and Splinter.

    “So, Mr. Logan, what can we help you with?” Splinter asked, smiling.
    “Well, I was kinda hoping to talk with you alone first,” Logan replied.

    “Alright. Crystal, why don’t you go and wait out with the others?”

    “Yes, Master Splinter,” she replied.

    “Wait, take this with you. I think you are ready to read this,” Master Splinter said as he got up. He went over to an old box and opened it. He pulled out an older looking letter that had water stains and was wrinkled and a little torn. He handed this to Crystal.

    “Thank you, Master Splinter.” She bowed and took the paper. And with that, Crystal went out and joined the others.