Okay guys, so this is the 3rd story in my little series set a year after 'A New Feature'. Now, bear with me: I have uploaded this now as I may not be able to update for a couple of weeks as I am GOING TO UNIVERSITY! I am completely freaking out and I don't know how long it will take for me to settle in but don't worry, the story is complete but I just need to re-draft it. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it and can be as patient as you can :) I am really surprised by all the positive feedback I have received, having expected a torrent of abuse from the many haters of Venus, but I am so glad at how well my stories have been received.
Anyway, while you wait you can now finally enjoy the new episodes of TMNT 2K12 after such a long hiatus. If you're a Brit like me, don't worry; the episodes are floating about online as the last episode that premiered here in Blighty was 'Wormquake' back in APRIL, and we still have just over a month left to get to see the film. I swear Nickoldeon hates the UK, BUT I AM SO EXCITED!
Anyway, I digress :) I hope you enjoy this new fic, remember that reviews are always helpful, and I shall talk to you again within a couple of weeks. Probably ;)
Enjoy! xxx
Chapter 1
Time can sometimes be the most painful yet most effective healer. When we have lost someone we love, the ache never really goes away, but it can fade and dim, naturally allowing life to distract you and at least fill most of the void that was left behind. This counts if we have lost a friend, a sibling or even a father:
Venus had now been with her new family for just under a year, and she couldn't be happier. She had been whole heartedly accepted as a new member of the team, both by the turtles, and April and Casey. They had already been through musch together, the Battle Nexus perhaos being the most dramatic. Thankfully the group had returned to a rather peaceful New York, which was handy in allowing Leo to recover from the poison surging through his system. Usagi had become a firm friend, and the Daimyo had promised to help Venus all he could in her Shinobi training (which included providing her with some scrolls on the elusive fifth element) despite the loss of his son. She considered staying to train with him fully, but she decided that he needed time to accept his son's disappearance. Besides, she realised she would miss her family too much, something she wouldn't have thought possible just a short while ago.
The guys seemed rather pleased about the quiet period in the streets of Manhattan; even Raph appeared happy about the break, giving him some respite from getting all fuelled up over some damn Purple Dragons causing trouble in the streets or Shredder causing them grief. But where his brothers found the time 'peaceful', Michelangelo just found it boring. He was getting on everyone's nerves with his hyperactivity, as his energy was bottled up when they weren't fighting the Foot. After just a couple of days, he'd exhausted all his video games and his extensive comic book collection, and rather than do something productive, he ended up just getting under his family's feet. Even Venus seemed to getting a little irritated by his behaviour, and she had the patience of Leo and Don COMBINED. But what could he do? He tried drawing, something he normally loved (and was quite good at he was proud to admit) but his creative juices were running dry. And he couldn't sit in a lab and invent things like Donny, or practice magic like Venus. Raph spent his time attacking his punching bag or watching TV. whilst Splinter sat meditating. And Leo… well, he couldn't exactly train. The Daimyo's healer and Usagi had commanded rest for their leader, although Mikey suspected he had been training in secret, either late into the night or early in the morning in his room. But during the day, he just sat reading, practised his Qigong or observed Venus' magical training. It was pretty cool to watch, but Mikey wanted to do something different. Something… fun.
One night, Mikey snuck into Donny's lab and started playing with his computer whilst his brainiac brother was sound asleep. He began looking at funny pictures of cats when an advert popped up on his screen:
"Cheap deals on vacations around the world! Limited time only!"
A light bulb flicked on in Mikey's head. 'A vacation? Awesome! That's just what we need!' The excited turtle began scrawling the net for ideas. He grinned at white-water rafting, or water sports, or just chilling on a sandy beach. But one thing caught his eye in particular:
"Come on, Donny! Just imagine it: you, me and the others skiing down the slopes of good old Canada." Mikey explained the next morning, showing his brother the holiday plan he had typed up and printed the night before. "We could try snowboarding too! I bet it's just like skateboarding but without the wheels and on snow, you know."
"I'm sorry Mikey, but I don't think a snowy holiday would be a wise idea for a group of cold-blooded turtles. It's bad enough in the city during the winter," Donatello replied, trying to repair the toaster on the kitchen table. "Besides, how could we stay secret while trying not to plough into each other, while practically falling down a mountain?"
"Layers, dude! It would be easy! Come on, it would be so cool!"
"Too cool. Sorry Mikey, but I'll have to pass on that option."
"Okay, okay, I can see your not convinced, my brother. But what about something a little warmer? Like..." he whipped out another sheet of paper from behind him and presented it to his brother. "WATER SKIING IN THE CARIBBEAN! Oh yeah, totally awesome!"
"I agree, it would be awesome, except we would be right out in the open. And I doubt you'd want to wear layers in those kind of temperatures."
"Ahhh, come on Don, help me out here! If I'm gonna try and convince Master Splinter to let us have a vacation, I'm gonna need the support of all you guys!" Mikey whined, flopping down on a chair, not seeing another brother enter the kitchen behind him.
"A vacation?" Raph asked, startling Mikey. "Now how the heck would you'z pull that off?"
"Easy bro; we just need to sneak onto a cargo plane, chill for a few hours and then enjoy our destination!"
"Where would that be exactly? You ain't exactly chosen easy places to get to."Raph pointed out, leafing through the multiple pieces of paper spread out on the table.
"Our best bet would be travelling by cargo ship," Donny interjected. "The journey would be longer, but it would be easier to sneak in and be more comfortable by far."
"Now you're talking, bro!"
"Donny, what are you doing?" Raph asked, frowning. "You can't seriously be going along with this?"
"Going along with what?" A soft voice suddenly asked. The guys twisted round to find Venus leaning against the kitchen counter, brows raised. Raph couldn't help smiling at the sight of her suspicious face.
"Venus!" Mikey cried before running up to her. "How would you feel about going on a little trip?"
"A trip? Like a holiday?"
"Yeah! What do you think of skiing?"
"Skiing?"
"Mikey, it would be too cold!" Don stated, getting a little impatient.
"Alright, somewhere warm then" Another idea sparked inside his head. "I bet Leo could do with some sunshine! That's what they say sick people need, isn't it?" Mikey smiled, feeling proud of himself.
"But Leo ain't sick, doofus," Raph answered, smacking his brother round the head before turning towards Donny. "Shouldn't Leo be better by now? I mean, that Usagi dude gave him some medicine, didn't he?"
"It has only been a couple of days, Raph. The poultice Usagi used stopped the poison in its tracks, but it is still yet to leave Leonardo's body completely," Venus cut in. "But maybe some fresh air would help?"
"Some decent sunshine would probably help Leo. It would give him a boost in vitamin D." Donny added. He'd been doing as much medical research as he could since his brother was poisoned to avoid him being so helpless in the future should another event like that occur.
"Would that help him?"
"It should give him a boost in energy. And some unpolluted air will give his lungs a bit of a cleanse. They may not have direct effects but they should help his current situation in general. You know, speed up the process of healing."
"Look, this all sounds great and all, but you're never gonna get Splinter to buy this," Raph stated flatly, earning practical nods from Donny and Venus. Mikey however remained undeterred:
"But if we say that it is for Leo's benefit then he'll have to agree! Everyone knows Leo is sensei's-"
"Golden boy?" Raph interrupted sarcastically. He shirked under the glare Venus gave him.
"Actually I was gonna say 'mini-me'. But you're description may work better!"
Mikey looked on confused while the other turtles in the room smacked their own foreheads.
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"Mikey! Hurry up, would ya', I'm starving over here!"
"Yes Raphie-boy. Just a second, Raphie-boy. Don't want to ruin it, Raphie-boy."
"I'll ruin you if you keep calling me that!"
The next day, Don, Venus, Raph, Leo and Splinter were all sat around the dinner table while Mikey was rushing around in the kitchen, trying to prepare their dinner. Venus frowned at Raph's impatience before standing up and going to assist his brother.
"Mikey, do you need any help?"
"No, it's fine. I just need to finish cooking the shrimps before straining the vegetables, adding water to the stock, straining the noodles..." Mikey's voice faded out as he realised he was nowhere near finished.
"Scratch that, yes please!" Mikey begged and Venus smiled, beginning to work on the list Mikey had just written. They were making a family favourite; shrimp ramen. Venus had first come across the dish when she was a guest of the Shredder, and although the rest of the experience had been a nightmare, she'd actually enjoyed the food. She'd found a traditional recipe with help from April and spent the whole day preparing the dish. The group seemed to like it so much she made a note of making it a couple times every month. Mikey had become a little jealous at his family's love for her dish, and so had tried to make it himself. This was only his second time and was slowly turning into a disaster until he admitted defeat.
Five minutes later, Mikey set a large bowl of soup containing noodles, vegetables and shrimp on the table, allowing everyone to dish out their own. Satisfied slurping soon emanated from the six diners.
"I don't get it, Venus. How do you make it so easily?" Mikey wondered, a mouth full of noodles.
"It comes with practice, Mikey. But you're great with other dishes too, like scrambled eggs and pasta," Venus comforted, glad to see a smile form on Mikey's face due to her compliments. "And not to mention homemade pizza."
"It's good Mikey, honestly," Don added, helping himself to seconds. Leo was about to do the same when he decided to allow his father to go first. His appetite had slowly returned over the past few days and he found himself ravenous at dinner time, not wanting to fill up on snacks during the day. Venus and Mikey had made sure to make protein rich dishes to give him strength which he really appreciated, especially as it meant that the family's pizza intake had had to be cut down. He was slowly but surely recovering, although he did keep up his harsh training routine, unbeknown to the others. He had collapsed a couple times from the poison still in his system when they had first gotten home, feeling as though all his strength would suddenly leave his body. But thankfully it hadn't happened yet that particular day.
"Leo?"
Leo was brought out of his thoughts by Venus' voice.
"Would you like some more?" She asked, giving him the ladle. He gratefully accepted it, standing up and stretching forwards towards the pot. Suddenly, something twinged in his lower neck as he stretched too far; he felt his arm suddenly spasm out of control and he clutched his shoulder before falling onto the floor, a slight burning pain coursing through his veins as his knees buckled. He could hear his family's muffled shouting of his name and feel his brothers grabbing his arms and lifting him up a little. He opened his eyes to see a blurry Venus knelt in front of him, both her hands either side of his face. Raph was stood behind her while Donatello was checking his pulse.
"It seems okay, just a little fast for the moment."
"Well that's better than too slow. Leo, can you hear me?"
Leo looked up to see Venus' lips moving and focused on getting his vision clear again.
"Leo?"
His hearing was also coming back to him now, and he nodded his head slowly.
"Do you feel any pain?"
He shook his head. "Not really. Just a slight burning."
"Well, that's one thing. At least the poison has nearly left his system. He should be clear within a couple of days."
"Well, why not now?" Mikey whined. "Why did he fall over in the first place?"
"Leo suffered a muscle spasm, Mikey," Donny answered, still supporting his brother. "It must have sparked a domino effect with the rest of his limbs. The poison has affected his breathing and blood flow definitely, but perhaps his nervous system also. I'm afraid though that the effects may last for a little while yet. He's gonna need time to recover his strength completely."
Leo, not liking being the subject of conversation tried to stand but found he couldn't. Frustration made him growl slightly as he fell, sick of feeling so weak and helpless, having to rely on his brothers who had to be constantly alert in case he passed out on them again. Venus caught his chest as he knelt back down, her hands gently supporting his upper torso. She could feel his chest heaving as he slowly lifted his head up. He was caught by her blue eyes suddenly and found himself staring into them, finding a sense of clarity within them, the anger and frustration melting away. She smiled gently at him, sensing his emotions calm down.
Raph, suddenly irritated, moved his concerned eyes from Leo to Mikey, whose face was creased with worry.
"You know that holiday you were talking about?"
Mikey looked up and nodded at his brother.
"Maybe we could use it after all."