Foreshadowing the Future
The Ancient was sitting quietly as Leo was continuing with his training. Leo has been with the Ancient for about a week now and has made great progress. He was no longer blaming himself for not being able to completely protect his family during their final battle with the Shredder. But still, the Ancient could tell that something was unsettled deep within Leo. He wondered if Leo even knew himself that he was worried about something. A certain friend of the Ancient also knew of the unsettled turtle and had made plans with the him to put Leo through a test.
"Very good, Leonardo-san," The Ancient said. "Now it's time for your meditation."
"Yes, sensei," Leo put up his katana and sat down. He crossed his legs and took a deep breath to relax him. A smile crept upon the Ancient's face as he watched Leo.
Leo was sitting with his eyes closed when a familiar baby blue glowing orb came flying through the room and whacked Leo in the head. "What the shell?"
Leo looked at the orb. The orb floated about him a few feet before flying back at him. Leo jumped to dodge it. But the orb was far faster than him and immediately whipped around and slammed into his stomach. "What in the world? What is that thing? Ancient?"
"Relax, Leonardo-san," The Ancient twisted his pinky in his right ear. "No point in getting upset. You know how to handle this."
"I'm under attack by a flying ball that's probably demon possessed and you tell me to chill?"
"Why you getting so upset? You've handled this power before,"
"I have?"
"Doesn't it look familiar?"
"Uh," Leo looked at the orb. He studied the glowing baby blue orb. "No way. Yuki?"
"About time you figured it out," A familiar voice said. Yuki stepped out of the shadows. "Hi, Leo."
"Yuki!" Leo ran to her and picked her up in a big hug. "It's good to see you!"
"You too," Yuki squeaked as she hugged him back. She patted his shoulder and he put her down. Yuki gathered her breath then looked at Leo with a concerned look. "Leo? Are you alright? I could feel you slipping away from me. And when you stopped mind linking with me completely I..."
"It's ok, Yuki. I'm ok," Leo place his hands on her shoulders then cast a smile at the old man. "Thanks to the Ancient, I'm back to my old self again."
"You sure? You sure you're alright?"
"I'm fine, little sister,"
Yuki sighed and placed both hands over her heart. "That's good to hear."
Leo looked down at the ground. He didn't mean to make her worry. He was just so wrapped up in blaming himself. Leo looked back up just to get a fist square on the jaw, that knocked him flat on his shell. He looked up to see Yuki glaring and standing over him with her hands on her hips. "Don't you ever do that again!"
Tears stung her eyes as she turned on her heels and marched outside. The Ancient cowered away as she stomped by him. "Nothing like the wrath of a woman."
"Yuki?" Leo rubbed his throbbing jaw in confusion as he watched her go. After picking himself up he followed after her. The Ancient just stayed put, stroking his chin in thought.
Yuki was standing on a cliff away from the compound when Leo found her. She had her arms wrapped around herself and eyes closed. Leo watched her for a minuted before walking up to her and putting his arms around her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I just got so caught up in letting my family down that I wasn't thinking straight."
"I should have been there to help you," Yuki mumbled.
"No. I'm glad you weren't. I don't know what I would have done if you were there and got hurt too. I mean, you felt how I was before. I'm glad you were safe here in Japan," Leo released his hold on her and wiped her tears away.
"I still wish I could have been there. I might have been able to help. You're my only link to them now," Yuki and Leo sat down, with their legs hanging over the edge of the cliff. Since Yuki has gotten to Japan she hasn't been able to talk to Leo through their mind link being so far away but she has been able to sense his mood and if he and the others were in danger. It was the same for Leo. "So...how is...everyone?
Leo smiled. He knew who she was talking about. "They're fine. Raph's fine too. He puts on a front but he really misses you a lot."
"I miss him too," Yuki replied as she stared out at the setting sun. "Leo?"
"Hm?"
"Will you give something to him for me?"
"Sure. What is it?" Yuki leaned over to him and kissed his cheek. Leo stared at her as his hand raised up and touched the spot where Yuki kissed him.
"Uh? Ok...I'll give it to him. But I don't think it'll mean the same coming from me," Leo and Yuki stared at each other for a few seconds before laughing.
A little while later the Ancient called them in for supper. The three sat around as the Ancient fished them out some food into bowls. "So, Yuki, why are you here exactly? I know this isn't just a social call."
"Hm?" Yuki looked at Leo. "I shouldn't be surprised that you knew. I'm on a mission and need your help."
"What kind of mission?" Leo asked.
"A prisoner at my aunt's compound escaped and I have to track her down," Yuki replied.
"A magical being?"
"That's right. She's a sprite. Normally she's only about three inches tall but when she wears a certain magical amulet she becomes the size of a human, about five foot seven or so,"
"If this person is magical what good am I going to do?"
"She is of magic but she's also a master swordsman...uh swords- woman...swords...whatever,"
"Leonardo-san, you and Yuki-san are going on this mission together. You leave tomorrow," The Ancient says.
"Right," Leo nodded.
Just like he said the two teens got up early the next morning and headed out. The Ancient watched them go. Several thoughts were racing through his mind. "I wonder...what could you be up to, Li-sama?"
"So, how are we suppose to track this person?" Leo asked about an hour later.
"Well, every magical creature has a magic trail that they leave being. It's only visible when another magical creature, that has had the proper training, uses their magic to make the tail visible," Yuki replied then looked at Leo's confused face. "Watch."
Yuki held her hands in front of her. She gathered her powers into a mist form and blew the mist away from her. In the middle of the baby blue mist another power started to appear. This power was a dark lavender. It was heading farther up the mountain.
"Wow," Leo ran his hand through the powers. He half expected to feel nothing but wasn't real surprised when Yuki's power made his hand tingle. The other power wrapped around his hand and squeezed. It only lasted for a second before disappearing. "That power was intense."
"Yeah. She's not going to be easy to take down," Yuki shifted her bag on her shoulder as the two continued walking.
"I'm impressed at how far you've come with your powers," Leo said.
"I'm doing ok, I guess," Yuki's voice didn't sound thrilled about it.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm grateful that my aunt is able to help me. It's just that...it's not like training with you guys. You're way more fun. And there's no one I can really talk to,"
"Isn't there others at the compound?"
"Yes. There are others," Yuki stopped walking. Leo walked a few feet more before turning to look at her. "I don't feel like I can get close to them. Their powers are different from mine. I just feel so...empty?"
Leo studied her face for a few minutes. She had a light hint of...betrayal?...in her eyes. He shook his head. "It's ok to make friends with them, Yuki."
"Huh?"
"Everyone needs friends. They help you get through the hard times. There's no need to feel like you've betrayed us if you want to make friends with them," Leo watched as her eyes filled up with deep thought. She was standing with her hands collapsed behind her back. He took this time to really noticed she had changed. In more ways than one.
First, it was obvious that she had gained a lot of control over her powers. Second, she seemed to have lost her sweet childish charisma she always had. Of course back then she was running for her life from a crazy mad man, who turned out to be her own father, she was, technically still is, rich, lost her mother, had a butler, and never really got to experience life like a normal kid. So it was expected for her to be a little childish.
Third, she didn't even wear her sunglasses anymore, an obvious sign of maturity and acceptance to her differences. Fourth, and probably most important, was her body. She had grown about three and a half inches from the last time he saw her. Plus, she was starting to get a figure and from the look of her now, she was going to be a very good looking woman. She'd also let her hair grow more and had it pulled back into a braided ponytail.
Leo felt sad. She was growing up on him and he wasn't able to watch her do it. But living on opposite sides of the planet will do that. "Uh...Leo?"
"Huh?"
"You alright? You looked like you're about to cry," Yuki reached up to touch his cheek but he quickly pulled away and rubbed his arm over his eyes.
"I'm fine. Just the wind blowing in my eyes," Yuki gave him a questionable look. There was a light breeze. Not enough to irritate someone's eyes however. "Come on. We've got a lot of ground to cover before nightfall."
Yuki didn't mention it again as she kept up with his pace. The two made idle chit chat about stuff that happened since Yuki left. She also shared some information about her aunt's compound and the people there but not much. She wasn't sure how much Li wanted her to tell. Even if it was Leo she was talking to. Plus, some of the residents there didn't want others to know about them. Yuki completely understood.
"I'm serious," Yuki chuckled once the sun was down and the two were sitting around a campfire. "You really should meet him sometime. He tries really hard to get my attention. Reminds me a lot of Mikey. He such a clown."
"Sounds like he's a real fun guy. Better never let Raph know about him. Raph would probably walk all the way to Japan and pound him for hitting on you," Leo laughed.
"Yeah. I keep trying to tell him I already have a boyfriend but he's so determined," Yuki laughed. "He might be a good sparing partner. But he also might get the wrong idea if I suggest that."
"Probably. You should at least be his friend. Then, maybe, you two could become sparing partners," Leo suggested.
"Maybe," Yuki replied thoughtfully. "I would like to test my powers against his."
"Can I ask what kind of powers he has?"
"He's a shadow puppet master,"
"Shadow puppet?"
"That's what everyone calls him. He has the ability to create anything from shadows. He's also good at gathering information on just about anything or anyone when he uses his shadow to creep around. The girls are often yelling at him because he listens in on their conversations," Yuki explained.
"I noticed you've gotten good at gathering information on people," Leo smiled.
"I guess. Not much to do at the compound beside train and learn everyone's strengths and weaknesses,"
"That's important. Especially in the lives that we lead,"
"Yeah," Yuki nodded as she poked a stick in the fire.
"What's on your mind?"
"Nothing. It's just...it feels really good to be able to talk to you," Yuki smiled at him. "Oh! I almost forgot! Aunt Li said that I should be able to pull you into my power world now."
"Yeah. We've already done that,"
"No. I mean when you're back in New York. She said my powers are growing stronger and stronger each day and when I'm a sleep I should be able to pull you into my power world where we can talk. I know it's going to be difficult with the time difference but she said as long as you are in meditation I should be able to do it. She wants us to try when you get back to New York,"
"That's sounds pretty cool,"
"Yeah! We'll be able to talk instead of just having a faint feeling between each other! You'll be able to keep me up on what the guys are doing and how much of a pain Mikey is being," The two teens laughed. Leo looked up at the sky.
"Whoa. It's getting late. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Time to sleep, baby girl,"
"Oh! Alright," Yuki pouted at him. For a second she was back to her sweet childish self. That disappeared as she pulled out her blanket and small pillow. She created her a sandwich bed where she laid the blanket down and pulled half of it over her while she laid on the other half. "Night, Aniki."
"Good night, baby girl," Leo stayed up for a little bit longer before going to bed himself.
It was early in the morning when something came slipping through the shadows of the sunless mountains. The creature had been watching Leo and Yuki sleep for a couple hours now and decided it was time to move. It slipped up to them until it was standing right over Leo. The creature pulled two fang shaped swords from their back and held them to where it could run them through Leo's body.
The creature quickly plunged the swords down. With even faster speed, Leo dodged the blades, pulled out his own and trapped the attacker's swords between his own. The attacker shrieked in surprise. "What?"
Yuki also popped up out of her bed and fired a blast at the attacker as Leo held the attacker in place. The attacker kicked Leo away and jump away from the blast. The attacker did several spins and twists in the air before landing on the ground several yards away. "You are good. I see know why she sent you after me. You're teamwork is incredible. But how did you two know I was here?"
"You can't sneak up on a ninja so easily," Leo replied.
"I see. You are a ninja? That's a bit of a surprise coming from a giant turtle. You have no magic, so it's obvious the girl sensed me coming. I underestimated you, child," The attacker looked at Yuki.
"That's one mistake you're going to regret," Yuki replied.
"I doubt it. I may have underestimated your strength but you know nothing of mine,"
"I know enough. We will take you down and bring you back to the compound,"
"Sweet little child, you may have a great magical power but you know nothing about what is about to happen,"
"Big talk for one who hides in the shadows," Leo pointed a katana at her.
"Silly turtle, you want me in the shadows,"
"What do you mean by that?" Yuki asked.
"I see your aunt didn't tell you everything about me," The attacker lowered her swords as the sun peaked over the horizon. Both Yuki and Leo blushed at the sight of her. She was a beautiful sprite with long medium dark lavender hair, light lavender colored skin and deep purple eyes. Her outfit was a bit too revealing, which was the cause of the majority of them blushing. She was wearing a white tight strapless bikini like top, a white short loincloth with the slits clean up to her hips and the sea green amulet handing on a gold chain around her neck. "Every man that has looked at my beauty has fallen for my beauty. And every man that has looked at me has perished."
"With that outfit on? No wonder you've taken down every guy that has crossed you," Yuki's eyebrows flenched.
"If you haven't noticed, lady, I'm not a human man," Leo said as he charged.
"My name, dear turtle, is Serene. And we'll just see about that. A man is a man no matter the species!" She replied as she charged back. As the two locked in battle, Yuki waited. She watched patiently as the two master swordsman(woman) fought it out.
Li gave her a run down of what to expect from this creature and stressed her warning that this creature learns quickly. So getting the amulet off her and getting her shrunken back down to the right size was going to be tricky. They only had one shot at getting this right.
"You're pretty good, turtle," Serene said.
"My name is Leonardo," Leo replied. He jumped away from her before swiping his swords at her. "You're not so bad yourself."
Serene smiled. "I wished we have met under different circumstances, Leonardo. We might have been friends."
"I've heard that song before," Leo snapped.
"Oh, touch subject? Did another woman say that to you too?"
"That's none of your business,"
"I see. You trusted this woman. I bet she helped you. Made you feel like she was true,"
"Shut up!"
"Leo!" Yuki charged and brought down a power punch to separate the two. "Chill! She's just trying to mess with your head! Don't give her that power over you!"
"Uh...right," Leo nodded and gained control over his thoughts again.
"You alright now?" Yuki asked.
"Yeah," Leo nodded. The two faced Serene.
"Mess with his head? I wasn't messing with his head. But if you want me to," Serene smirked. She wiggled her finger to taunt Yuki.
"Easy, Yuki," Leo said.
"I'm fine. Might as well give her what she wants,"
"Yuki?"
Leo, listen to me. I'll distract her. While I do that you look for an opening to slice off the amulet.
You sure about this?
No. But we have to do something and we have an opening here. We have to try.
Alright. Just be careful.
You too.
"Let's do this then," Yuki cried as she charged forward with her fists glowing.
"I couldn't agree more," Serene smirked again. Serene stood ready as if she was going to lock in battle with Yuki. However, when Yuki got close to punch her, Serene jumped into the air with faster speed than before that neither of them noticed.
"What?" Yuki screamed as her punch went through an afterimage of Serene. Serene seemed to have disappeared.
"Where'd she go?" Leo asked as they looked around. Both felt Serene reappear. They turned at the same time to find she had jumped behind Leo.
"Surprise," Serene whispered. Her swords were placed back on her back. Leo tried to move but couldn't. Serene's power was holding him in place and she turned him around to face her. She reached up and took his face in her hands.
"Leo!" Yuki ran towards them.
"What are you doing?" Leo demanded.
"Now, now, little turtle," Serene whispered as she leaned in closer to him. "Just relax it'll be over soon."
"What do yo...Mmm?" Leo's voice was cut off as Serene pressed her lips to his.
"Huh?" Yuki's feet stopped running on their own as she watched this woman lean in and kissed Leo. He dropped his katana.
"L-Leo? W-What are you doing?" Yuki asked as she stumbled towards them. "Stop her. She's the enemy."
"Mm," Leo didn't hear her. His mind seem to have slip away. Yuki felt helpless as she watched Leo slowly put his arms around Serene and kissed her back. Yuki dropped to the ground. They stopped kissing and looked at her. Leo's eyes were blank. She had charmed him somehow.
"He's a good kisser," Serene smiled.
"Darn you!" Yuki leaped up and charged at them. Both jumped out of the way. "Give him back!"
"If you want your precious turtle back," Serene pointed to the middle of a mountain. "There is a cave on that mountain, if you want him, come and get him. I'll be waiting."
"Leo!" Yuki cried as Serene made herself and Leo disappear from the area. Yuki dropped down to her knees and pounded her fist on the ground, tears streaming down her face. "I wasn't good enough!"
It's not over yet.
"Huh?" Yuki looked up to see her wolf standing beside her.
You still can save him.
"How? She won. I can't do anything! I'm still no good with my powers!"
Yes you are! You sensed her coming and fought against her this long! You can still save him. You have all the power you need to. Now do it!
Yuki's tears subsided. She looked at her wolf. "Right."
Yuki stood up and grabbed Leo's katanas. Rage began to build up within her. She's felt this way before. It was shortly after coming to Japan. She was in a training session with her aunt. Yuki was upset about leaving New York her rage exploded. Only it was a good explosion. It meant that she was ready to train. Now she was ready to take the next step. She had to rescue Leo.
This wasn't just a mission her aunt sent her on, to Yuki it was a chance to prove to herself that her training was working. That she was getting better. That she could go home and see Raph and the others soon. No more tears. Yuki tightened her grip on Leo's swords before taking off. Her wolf watched her go before disappearing again.
Yuki engulfed herself in her powers, which gave her incredible speed and flexibility. The distance to the mountain would have taken at least two hours to walk normally there but with her powers she made it there in minutes. Yuki didn't break as she started to jump up the mountain like a rubber ball. Hold on, Leo! I'm coming! She won't get away with this!
Snap! Snap!
"Hm," Serene snapped her fingers in front of Leo's face. When he showed no reaction she pulled back with a puzzled look on her face. "Maybe I over did it a little? Then again, I've never used this ability on a turtle before. It might have a different affect on him."
Serene reached out for him but was stopped with the sounds of rumbling and rocks rolling down the side of the mountain. "What the heck?"
The boulder concealing the cave broke apart, revealing a very ticked off Yuki. "Now, I said, Give. Him. Back."
"No way, chick. He's mind," Serene pulled her swords. Yuki raised Leo's katana. Serene laughed. "Do you think that you can defeat me? I'm a master at swords."
Yuki charged and swiped her swords with more speed than Serene was expecting. Serene dodged. She thought she had gotten away from Yuki in time but didn't as her upper right arm began to drip blood as a fine cut appeared. "How?"
"Looks like you don't know everything about me after all," Yuki glared. Serene narrowed her eyebrows. The two locked into battle. Serene still had the upper hand and Yuki was tiring quickly. It wasn't long before Serene knocked the swords from Yuki's hand, one sliding over to Leo's feet.
"Now what, little girl?" Serene pointed her sharp sword at Yuki's throat. "Looks like you're all out of options."
Serene smiled at her victory. Her smile vanished as Yuki started chuckling. "What's so funny?"
"You let your guard down," Yuki smiled. "NOW, LEO!"
Yuki fired a power blast at Serene's stomach, blasting her backwards, while Leo grabbed the katana at his feet. He lunged forward with one quick slice and cut the chain holding the amulet. Leo grabbed the amulet as it fell. He quickly turned on his heel and landed in front of Yuki. "You alright, baby girl?"
"I'm fine. How are you? Did she hurt you?"
"No. That power shield you put around me worked just fine,"
"What?" Serene demanded as she flared up with lavender color power and shrank down to her three inch self. She looked at herself then tried to fly away. Yuki grabbed her in a power orb then placed the power orb in a jar and closed the lid, with air holes. Serene pounded on the glass. "How? How did you stop my charm against him?"
Yuki began to explained. "I knew that you would use your powers to your advantage, so I put a power shield on Leo so you're powers wouldn't affect him. Not completely anyway."
Yuki glared at Leo. He blushed and scratched the back of his head. Magic could be blocked a little from another source of magic but to block it completely the person getting spelled had to have a strong will and really not want to get put under control of another. Leo did want under Serene's control. Yuki didn't know why thought. It was a risk on his part but she did tell him to attack when the right opportunity presented itself.
"That' not fair! I didn't know you could do that!"
"What's not fair is you using that ability to trick guys into defeat," Leo said as he picked up his other katana and put them on his back.
"Ah! Let me out of here!" Serene cried as she pounded on the jar.
"Very good, Yuki and Leo. You two did really well," Li said as she held the jar with Serene in it. Li was waiting for them when they got back to the Ancient's.
"Thanks," The two teens smiled.
"It was a lot harder than I thought. It didn't help that Leo went under Serene's control," Yuki shot Leo another harsh glare before tossing her nose in the air and walking off.
"Come on, baby girl. You know I didn't mean for anything like that to happen. I was just going with it. Yuki," Leo followed after her, leaving Li and the Ancient alone.
"We will be leaving in the morning," Li said. "Thank you for the help."
"So? What was this test really for?"
"Huh?" Li looked at the Ancient.
"I know for a fact that you have no prisoners at that compound of yours. This creature is a friend of yours," Ancient looked at the sprite in the jar.
"Well, DUH!" Serene rolled her eyes. "Will you let me out of here now?"
"I should leave you in there. You weren't suppose to kiss him," Li glared at the sprite.
"What?" Serene shrugged innocently. "You told me to give them unexpected challenges. Besides, I think they handled themselves good enough. They completely threw me off with that magical shield thing."
Li screwed off the lid. Serene flew out. "Freedom!"
"Now, disappear for a while," Li ordered.
"Right, right, mum's the word," Serene said before flying off.
"So?" The Ancient asked.
"It has begun again," Li said.
"You mean her powers are...,"
"That's right. She will merge with Leo soon," Li narrowed her eyebrows. "This isn't good."
"You're worried about them," The two turned to the two teens who were still arguing over the kiss.
"Yes,"
"They'll be fine. You should have more faith in them. These two will make it happen,"
"The last two who merge with this kind of power died. How am I suppose to have faith with that little knowledge planted in my brain?"
"You going to tell her about it?"
"No. She's be better off not knowing...for now anyway,"
"You need to tell her. She has a right to know about him,"
"Not now. She has too much work to do. She's still not in control of her powers enough. If I don't get her up to the right level and quick her merging with Leo will kill them him. And probably her too,"
"This is an interesting dilemma," The Ancient stroked his chin. "Don't tell and Yuki, maybe even Leo, will die. Tell them and Yuki mentally looses it completely. Plus, there is Raphael. What's he going to think about all this?"
"I know. But what is about to happen can't be stopped. It has to be this way. It wasn't just Leonardo freaking out about their final battle with Shredder that brought him here. It was Yuki's powers calling to him,"
"Then let it go," The Ancient gave a careless shrug. "I've seen these teens over come obstacle after obstacle. They're going to be just fine."
"We thought the same thing about him. What if that happens to Yuki and Leo?"
"What if they don't merge? You know what that monster will do if it's not stopped,"
"Yeah. I know,"The two adults continued to watch Leo follow after Yuki, begging her to forgive him. They have no choice but to wait and leave it in the hands of these two young, inexperienced, unsuspecting teenagers.
Story Notes: That's it! :) What do you think is going to happen between Leo and Yuki? Have any guesses on who this guy Li and the Ancient are talking about? Here's a hint he has something to do with Yuki's star necklace. Hope you like this fun foreshadowing short story into what is going to happened when Yuki returns to New York. So look for 'Raph's Heart: Back to New York' and 'Raph's Heart: Yuki in the Future' coming soon! REVIEWS please and see you soon when Yuki returns to New York! ;) I can't wait! ^.^
Notes: SORRY! I really wanted to get this up sooner than now but the website wouldn't let me upload it for some reason. But now I'm back at school and I'm using a different internet connection so here it is. Hopefully I'll get Back to New York completed before the semester ends.
