A Turtle's Tail Tale
In the middle of a fight, Raphael is saved by a mysterious woman. Who is she? Why does she have such profound affect on our boys in green, and what does Mikey know that he's not telling
Disclaimer: The TMNT belong to Mirage Studios. Lillian is mine, and her people....well that's just too much of a spoiler.
Apologies if my spelling and grammar offends or bothers anyone. Proofreaders are welcome.
And now........
Date: March 9, 1999
Splinter had just brought their lunch out when he heard the thunderous roar of a skateboard, and a tiny turtle on top shouting out "Cowabunga!!!!" Splinter tossed the tray into the air, leaped up himself, and landed on the opposite side of the table catching the tray that had not been disturbed in the least.
"Michelangelo! You should not ride your skateboard inside the lair!" Splinter called out.
Michelangelo did a 360 turn, and stopped right in front of the table.
"Show off!" Leonardo called out as he made his way to the table.. Their brothers, Donatello and Raphael, who were already seated for lunch, giggled.
"Humph!" Michelangelo said as he joined them at the table. "When I have kids I'll let them do anything they want!"
Splinter couldn't help but grin as he set their lunch before them. Michelangelo had such a vivid imagination.
"You can't have kids, dummy. You're a boy!" Raphael said as he reached for the sandwich.
Splinter swatted Raphael's hand gently. "Raphael, manners," he admonished lightly.
While Splinter was chastising Raphael Michelangelo managed to sneak his own sandwich. "Can too!" He said after he had taken a bite. With his mouth full of tuna he continued, "all I have to do is get married!"
"Michelangelo, do not talk with your mouth full!" Splinter said. He passed Leonardo, and Donatello their sandwiches, and a piece of candy since they had waited patiently.
"Who's gonna marry you?" Donatello said with a giggle.
Michelangelo finished his sandwich, and reached for another. "A mermaid!" He announced.
Suddenly Splinter's concern over their manners evaporated. "What did you say?" He asked, giving Michelangelo his full attention.
"I said I wanted to marry a mermaid!" Michelangelo repeated . Suddenly his eyes narrowed, and he looked at his sensei defiantly.
"There are no mermaids," Splinter said sternly. "They are only a myth."
Michelangelo said nothing in answer, but the look he gave his sensei spoke volumes.
I know they're real, and so do you!
Later in his own room, Splinter meditated on the problem. His sons were growing older. They were exploring more and more of the sewers. It was only a matter of time before they were discovered. It would be best to step up their training, teach them to beware all strangers. Hopefully they would learn caution enough to avoid any they would find here in the sewers. Even myths.
In his own room, underneath a tent he had made from two mended sheets, Michelangelo lay on top of his comic collection. His favorite, Aquaman, was on the top. Even so he payed little attention to them, instead looking over to where Splinter sat in his afternoon meditation.
"I wish," he said hidden in his little tent. "I wish I could make you understand, sensei. She's not going to take me away from you." He sighed, and went back to his books.
Suddenly he heard Raphael mouthing off to Leonardo nearby. "Oh yes I can!" He was saying.
"But we're not supposed to!" Leonardo insisted.
Suddenly a mischievous grin came over Michelangelo's face. Raphael had called him a dummy before. It was about time he got even. Without another thought to his wish, or his dilemma. Michelangelo snuck out of his tent, planning how he would scare the shell off of Raphael.
Chapter 1 Raphael's Encounter
Date October 3rd, 2004
"So here are the keys," Casey said as he dropped the Budweiser key chain into Raphael's hand. "Feel free to use the weights anytime, pal."
Raphael tucked the keys into his belt. "So when are you going to be back, Case?"
Casey picked up his duffel, and packed one of his baseball bats in it. "Two weeks I think. The funeral is Wednesday, but Aunt Georgia is gonna need someone to deal with the lawyers."
Raphael couldn't resist the jib. "Is that what the bat is for?"
Casey glared at him. "Funny," he said as he zipped up the duffel. I'll give April a call when I'm on the way back."
"Okay, Casey," Raphael said good naturedly. "I'll see you in a few weeks." Raphael watched as Casey went down the stairs with his duffel thrown casually over his shoulder. Once he was sure the coast was clear Raphael went back into the apartment, locked it from the inside, then left from the west window.
Raphael sighed happily as he sat, and caught a breeze on the roof. It was a beautiful fall night. He didn't feel like going back to the lair right away, and staying underground. He decided to go up Chambers Street, and find one of Casey's favorite hang outs. It was a small bar and grill just off of the docks. Casey had brought Raphael in once, and met the cook who had been a friend of Casey's dad. Raphael knew he could always squeeze a meal out of the cook in exchange for some chores.
He bounced over the rooftops to where the little out of the way bar rested lit only by a single street lamp. Raphael, knowing he was welcome, snuck in the back entrance. If it was empty enough and dark enough the cook would find a table where he could eat out of sight. As he opened the door on the meticulously clean kitchen, he was rewarded by the scent of tomato sauce and curry. His stomach growled impatiently. A large man with a cheerful face and an olive complexion looked up towards the open door.
"Sorry, I don't serve turtles, for dinner anyway," the cook teased Raphael as soon as he saw him. "How is it going?"
"Hey yourself, Steve-o," Raphael answered. "Since I ain't on the menu what is for dinner?"
In answer the cook offered Raphael a bowl of chilli over rice. "I'd stay here back here if I were you," he said. " The front is awfully crowded for three in the morning, and they probably would like turtles for dinner."
Curious Raphael cautiously peered out of the kitchen door, and saw three tables full of Purple Dragons. Some instinct made Raphael look in a hidden corner of the bar, and sure enough hiding in a shadow he saw a Foot ninja."
"Purple Dragons, and the Foot?" Raphael closed the door, and took a chair in a small corner to eat. "You sure you don't need a bouncer tonight, Steve?"
The cook, nearly as tall and as broad across the chest as Hun, could have been his own bouncer, but he shook his head no. "They're paying their bills, and they're not causing trouble right now. I know they aren't your favorite people, but..."
Raphael finished for him. "As long as they're minding their own business I should do the same." As usual he was itching to trash both The Dragons and The Foot, but it wouldn't do to trash Steven's means of living. "Okay, pal, I see where you're coming from, but I hope you don't mind if I stick around until they do leave. That way if you need help, I'm right here."
The cook smiled, nodded, and went back to his work. Raphael ate his dinner, but was growing nervy about sitting in the kitchen with two dozen Purple Dragons in the next room. Suddenly Raphael heard the sounds of moving tables and chairs, and then the creaking of the door. Raphael got up, and peeked out into the main dining room again, only to find all the Purple Dragons and Foot, had vanished.
"Where did they go?" The cook wondered from behind Raphael. Raphael moved slowly to the front door of the bar, and peered out of that. The Purple Dragons had surrounded an old man, bent over with age, leaning on a gnarled cane that was topped with a dolphin balancing a crystal ball on it's nose.
"I'll ask you again, old man," Hun, the leader of the Purple Dragons, said threateningly, "Where is it?"
The old man, straightened up as much as he could, and addressed Hun without fear. "Upon my life, I cannot tell you."
Some of the Dragons cracked their knuckles. "It may mean your life if you don't tell us," Hun reminded him.
The old man folded his arms, and looked stubborn. Hun had just about had enough. He back handed the old man, who was knocked down with the blow.
"Now listen to me, old man," Hun said bending over him. He picked up the old man by his collar and brought his face within an inch of his own. "You're going to tell me where the temple is or I'm going to make you wish you had."
That was the last straw as far as Raphael was concerned. He left the safety of the bar, and pulled out his sai. Even though he was hopelessly outnumbered he hoped he would distract them long enough for the old man to get away.
"I don't know anything about a temple, Hun," Raphael said, "but St Anthony's down the corner is hearing confessional tomorrow night, and from what I'm seeing, you and your boys have a lot of confessin' to do."
A few of the Purple Dragons he had encountered before backed up worriedly. Hun glared at him, and noticed right away he was solo. "The freak is alone," he said, "kill it."
Four of the Foot Ninjas advanced on Raphael. He somersaulted over them, and put his shell to the old man's back. "Run for it, I'll keep them off your back," Raphael ordered the man. He expected the old man to be surprised that a giant turtle was giving him orders, but the old man nodded, and ran for a break in the crowd.
Hun tried to stop the old man, but Raphael was right there. He tucked his sai under his arm and used the handle like brass knuckles intensifying his punch. Hun staggered, but he did not fall down. Raphael gave a roundhouse kick to the nearest Ninja then placed his sai back into his belt, and did a handstand kick to a nearby Purple Dragon.
One of the Foot with a manriki gusari tripped him up. Once down, three Purple dragons piled on top of him. He tried to push them off, but more piled on. Once pinned underneath the bodies, they let him up holding him securely.
Raphael roared in anger and frustration, when one of the Purple Dragons came closer Raphael kicked out, but the human just jumped out of the way.
"Finally, we got one of those turtle freaks," One of the Purple Dragons said.
"And now we get to make them pay for messing with our business," another said.
Raphael sighed to himself. Awww shell.
With an evil grin on his face Hun advanced to Raphael his huge hand curled up into a massive fist.
This is going to hurt, Raphael thought.
Hun drew his arm back. Raphael refused to look away, instead focusing his eyes on Hun's hoping that looks could kill.
"Stop that right now!"
Everyone froze in place. Even Hun, whose fist was inches from Raphael's face. Raphael turned to see a young woman with flame red hair, and aquamarine eyes. She was dressed in a cotton aqua dress, that was blowing in the wind, exposing her shapely peach colored legs. On her feet were some light green sandals. She was the most beautiful girl Raphael had ever seen. He was so taken in by her beauty he hardly noticed that the Purple Dragons, and Hun had let him go.
She strode up to Hun as if she had done it a thousand times. "Don't you hurt him," she ordered as she made him bring his arm down. "I happen to like five foot talking turtles. I'm very partial to them."
Hun dropped his arm, and stared at her. Raphael suddenly grabbed the presence of mind to check on the rest of his enemies. All of them were just watching the girl, as if she had suddenly become the most important person in the world to them.
Only one Foot ninja was not frozen. She rushed forward, and grabbed Hun's arm trying to shake it. "Are you out of your mind! You've let that turtle go!" Hun barely noticed her.
"Uh oh," Raphael said. He backed up slightly. He wasn't sure why this one Foot ninja was still aware, heck, he didn't know why the others were all standing staring at the newcomer, but he had enough presence of mind to know that she was still going to be after him. He backed up uneasily, and drew his sai. Strangely enough he did not feel the usual rush of adrenalin that fighting brought up in him. He had it a moment a go, he was sure of it, but now he was completely calm.
As it was his apprehension was unneeded anyway. The strange girl noticed the ninja. "Hold her," she said calmly to Hun. Without hesitating in the least Hun grabbed the ninja, and held her securely.
What the? Hun is holding back one of his own? None of this made any sense to Raphael.
Sense or not, the Foot were obeying this stranger. Or at least most of them were. The one Foot Ninja Hun was restraining was trying to fight her way free. The strange woman looked up at Hun, and said harshly, "now take her, and your men, and begone. I do not wish to see you again by these waters."
"As you wish," Hun said. He picked up the female Foot, who was protesting the whole time, and began wandering away. One by one the rest of The Foot and the Purple Dragons followed.
Raphael absently placed his sai back on his belt. "I've got to be dreaming this," he said to himself. "There's no way Hun and The Foot would just stop pounding on me."
"They won't hurt you," his rescuer said as she watched The Foot leave. "Not as long as I have anything to say about it."
Raphael tried to focus. He was having a hard time thinking, and he wasn't sure why. "What...what did you do to them?" He asked.
She turned her attention to him. Looking deep into her turquoise eyes Raphael felt a strange tug on his heart. Never before in his fifteen years had he ever felt anything like this for anyone. "Don't worry about it. They won't bother with you tonight," she told him. Her voice was rich and melodious, like a cool stream of running water. "Come, Raphael, I'll take you home." She took his arm gently wrapping hers around his."
This was getting stranger and stranger. "Take me-? How do you know my name?" Even though he knew nothing of her the moment she touched him his body relaxed, and he was willing enough to follow her.
"Don't worry about that now," she said. "I'll just take you home, and you can get some rest. Is that okay with you?"
"Okay," he said. To his own surprise he found himself agreeing with this strange girl. Meekly he let her lead him down the street.
"I'm so glad you showed up though," the girl started chatting with him pleasantly. Actually she chatted, he just listened. The more she talked the more he liked it. He didn't have to think about anything. He just listened to her bubbly sweet voice flow like a swift moving stream.
"I knew William was in trouble, but I would not have gotten there in time to prevent him from being hurt. It was very brave of you to take all of them on, I mean you must have known that you could not fight all of them. I've watched you and your brothers fight. You're very good but there were just so many of them. I didn't even know you liked to come over to the west side."
"Casey showed me the bar," Raphael said placidly. This whole conversation was strange, but it was nice. It felt good, and it kept her near him which made him content. He was very aware of her arm on his. It was calming and relaxing. It was probably the first time in his life that he didn't feel apprehensive above ground.
"Oh yes," she said. "You're human friend. Still it was lucky you were there to protect William. She stopped in front of some steel garage doors. Somehow they had ended up by the warehouse where The Battle Shell was kept.
Raphael shook his head in an attempt to clear it. "How? How did we get here?" He looked at her directly. "How did you know–" He was cut off when he focused on her eyes.
"It really isn't important, Raphael," the girl said. "Just go home, and get some rest." She turned away from him, with a flair of her skirt. "Oh and Raph, If anyone wants to know where I'll be for the next few hours, I shall be where the sun touches the sea at dawn." With that she turned a corner and was gone.
Raphael's first impulse was to follow her, but then he remember she told him to go home. Dutifully without another thought he moved to a nearby manhole cover. He didn't even have to think about it. He knew what part of the sewers he was in, and he knew how to get home.
"Again!"
Leonardo didn't even acknowledge his sensei's order. He simply jumped into the air, performed three back flips, drew his katana on the one forward flip, and sliced the frisbee neatly in half.
"Well done , Leonardo," Splinter said. Leonardo relaxed as he saw the pleased expression on his sensei's face.
"Way to go Leo," Donatello said as he sat on the stack of frisbee boxes. Michelangelo had found three gross of frisbee's in the abandon warehouse where The Battle Shell was kept. Michelangelo had trashed three dinner sets and two of Donatello's experiments before Splinter decided that the toys had another use. Michelangelo was forced to watch as Leonardo bisected them one by one.
With a sigh Michelangelo asked, "don't I get to keep any of them?"
"No!" Came the answer from all three of them.
"Awwwww," Michelangelo turned away from the training session, and hopped onto the couch by the video monolith. "In that case I'm putting a movie on." An instant later the monolith lit up with another late night movie.
Leonardo sighed, but he didn't call Michelangelo back. "I guess it's kinda mean, making him watch," he mused leaning against the wall.
Donatello shrugged. "I guess, but I'm still sore at him for trashing my stuff." He gave Leonardo an mischievous look. "You think you can handle two of these at a time?"
"Just try me," Leonardo raised his blades again, but then movement from his left distracted him. "Hey Raph it's about time you got back!"
Raphael wandered into the lair in a daze paying no attention to Leonardo or any of the others. He walked right by them, as if they didn't exist.
Donatello watched as Raphael wandered past him. "Raph?"
When Raphael didn't answer Leonardo sheathed his blades, and moved forward to grab Raphael's arm. "Raphael?"
"Huh? Leo?" Raphael said more confused than anything else. "I'm home?"
Splinter joined Leonardo at Raphael's side."Yeah, Raphael, you are home," he said worried. "Are you all right?"
Raphael frowned in thought. "I...I think so, I just feel weird."
Leonardo led Raphael to the sofa pushing Michelangelo aside. Instead of complaining, Michelangelo made room for them. He perched on the arm of the couch snatching up his bag of chips.
"Raph," Leonardo asked concerned, "What happened to you."
Raphael seemed to be in some kind of strange day dream. He only looked directly at Leonardo when Leonardo addressed him. "Huh? Oh, I ran into The Foot."
That got everyone's attention. "You what?" Donatello asked.
"Are you hurt?" Splinter said. Leonardo's jaw tightened. Raphael could very well be in shock. Maybe that's why he was acting so oddly.
"No," Raphael said, as if it were obvious. "They had me, but she stopped them."
"She?" Michelangelo echoed. Even he was paying attention now.
Raphael nodded a small smile on his face. "She told them to leave me alone. She took me home." Here he yawned hugely, and closed his eyes. "Told me to get some rest."
"She didn't happen to tell you anything useful did she? Like who she was or where she was going?" Michelangelo added.
Raphael yawned again, and lay down on the couch. "Said, she'd be where the sun touches the sea a dawn." He muttered sleepily. Then with a final, "she said I should get some rest." He fell into a deep sound sleep in front of them.
"Where the sun touches the sea? What's that supposed to mean, Raph. Raph? Raphael?" Splinter shook Raphael trying to wake him, but Raphael's only response was to start snoring.
Michelangelo moved from the arm of the sofa to straddling the back. Leaning over he snapped his fingers several times in Raphael's ear. "Totally freaky guys," he said. "He's out cold!"
Now Leonardo was worried. "Donatello do you think that somebody drugged him?"
"I don't know, Leo," Donatello said just as concerned. Carefully he examined Raphael's arms. "I don't see any needle pricks. Someone could have drugged something he ate, but he's way to sly not to notice that."
"He's wasn't acting high though," Michelangelo said thoughtfully. He balanced himself laying on the back of the couch munching away at his chips. "He was acting like someone cast a spell on him or something. This, she told him to rest, and he crashes, and he said something about the sun touching the sea, that's magic talk."
Donatello rolled his eyes. "There's no such thing as magic Mikey, " he said patently. There has to be a rational explanation for this."
"Yeah sure," Michelangelo mumbled as he tossed another chip into his mouth. He jumped up from the back of the couch, and wandered away from them. "Let me know when you figure it out Eienstein."
Nobody noticed exactly when Michelangelo left the lair.
"Don, have you seen Mikey anywhere around?" Leonardo asked.
Donatello looked up from his work. "No, he's not in his room?
"No," Leonardo frowned now and looked back at the couch where Raphael was still sleeping. "It's too quiet in the lair for him to be here, but I didn't notice him leave. Master Splinter doesn't know where he is either"
"We could call him on his shell cell," Donatello suggested.
Leonardo shook his head. "I just tried that too, but he's not answering."
"You think he's gotten himself into trouble?" Donatello asked.
Leonardo sighed. "I don't know, but after what happened to Raph, I'm a little worried.."
Donatello nodded then wheeled his office chair over to a larger computer screen. "In that case I'll just test my latest upgrade to the tracking chips in the Shell Cells." Donatello began to type instructions into the computer. "Last month I increased their range. If he's anywhere within twenty miles of downtown I should be able to find him." On the screen above them flashed a map of the city. Finally one single little green turtle icon began to flash on the lower right hand side of the screen.
"There he is," Donatello said, then looked again at the map of Manhattan. "He's at Battery Park City.
"Battery Park?!" Leonardo caught the significance before Donatello. "Of course. You can see the sunrise there. "
"Well yeah," Donatello said, but what–" Leonardo cut him off.
"Don't you see, Don? Where the sun touches the sea at dawn. The sunrise. Mikey knew exactly what Raph was talking about. He knew what the message meant."
Donatello looked at the screen then turned back to Leonardo. "But how could he know exactly where to go? "
"I don't know," Leonardo said sternly. "But he's going to tell us when we track him down."
Suddenly the beeping signal of the homing device faded away. The lack of sound drew Donatello back to the screen. "Something's wrong," he said. "The homing device isn't functioning now."
"How come?" Leonardo asked looking back at the screen.
"I don't know. We won't be able to track him now." Donatello said with a sigh.
Leonardo folded his arms. "Well we might not be able to follow him now, but we know where he went, and when he gets back I'll have a few questions for him."
Two hours later Leonardo and Donatello found Michelangelo in his room," Where did you go?" Leonardo asked sternly.
"Just out for snacks," Michelangelo said cheerfully.
Leonardo frowned. Michelangelo had some nerve lying to his face. "You didn't answer your shell cell." Donatello commented. He didn't believe Michelangelo either.
Without missing a beat, sounding genuinely confused, Michelangelo, said, "You tried to call? It didn't ring." Casually Michelangelo tossed the phone to Donatello. "Here Don, take a look at it."
"So there isn't anything that you want to tell us," Leonardo said.
Michelangelo munched on his chips, and said with his mouth full," Nope."
Leonardo almost called Michelangelo on it right then and there, but Donatello tugged on Leonardo's headband, and shook his head no. Once in his workshop Donatello explained his reasons.
"You can't prove he was there, or even that the park was what Raphael meant." Donatello said evenly as he examined the broken shell cell.
Leonardo frowned and looked up at Michelangelo's room. "I guess, but I can't shake the idea that Mikey knows something that he's not telling us, and his disappearing is just a sign that he knows what's wrong with Raphael."
Donatello frowned at the shell cell, as he opened the case. "Mikey's been pulling his vanishing turtle act for years. What makes you think that it's connected to what happened to Raph?"
"I don't know," Leonardo admitted with a sigh, "But you have to admit it's kinda funny that he vanished as soon as Raph fell asleep. I wouldn't be surprised if he pulls one of his all day vanishing acts as soon as Raph is okay again."
Michelangelo had the strangest habit of vanishing once every two to three months. He would be gone before anyone was up in the morning, and wouldn't be back until dawn of the next day, again slipping in while everyone was asleep. No one was ever able to get him to explain where he had gone. Splinter would punish him of course, but Michelangelo simply accepted the punishment cheerfully, and would still disappear again in another month or so.
"I'm beginning to think your right," Donatello said, not looking up from his work. "But only because I think I have some evidence to back up your hunch."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Leonardo leaned over to look at Donatello's work on the shell cell. The case was cracked and inside the workings of the phone were small bits of green seaweed.
"Mikey sabotaged it," Donatello explained. "I don't know why he did it, but your call probably tipped him off that he'd better make sure it was non functioning when he brought it back."
Leonardo tensed up instantly. "Mikey broke it himself?"
"It was probably very easy," Donatello told him. "His nunchucks could have easily cracked the case, then all it took was dropping it into the water to corrode the wiring inside. "
The more he heard the less Leonardo liked it. "This is sounding worse and worse. Why would Mikey break his own shell cell?"
"He didn't want to be followed, obviously." Donatello said. He took off his magnifying glasses, and leaned back into his chair uneasily. "You're right, he's not telling us something."
Leonardo frowned deep in thought. "Can you make another kind of homing device and slip it on him, without him knowing?" He asked after a few minutes.
"Piece of cake, why?" Donatello asked.
"Because I don't want Michelangelo slipping out again, without us knowing where he's going," Leonardo said.
Hun walked slowly into his masters chambers ashamed, and afraid for the first time. In his entire life he had never never failed his master. With a gulp, he stood at attention waiting for his master to notice him.
Saki was deep in conversation with a woman, dressed from head to toe in Jet Black with purple edging on the sleeves and legs. She had deep black hair that peeked out from behind a royal purple hood, and blue eyes, that were so icy they sent chills up Hun's spine. At the woman's side was a girl also dressed in a simpler form of the black and purple, without a hood. Her hair was a deep rich brown, as were her eyes, but she paid Hun no attention. Her entire focus was upon her mistress.
"I have heard Satu's report," Saki said with a touch of anger in his voice. "What do you have to say for yourself and your men, Hun?"
With another audible gulp Hun said, "I can say nothing, Master. I have failed you. I...I do not know what happened. One minute we were ready to pound one of those turtle freaks into the ground, and then next...I found myself back here."
"You might as well give it up, Saki," the woman suddenly said. "There is not a man among your Foot Ninja who could have fought your true enemy that night. It wasn't the turtle creature you told me of. It was she who came to rescue him. No man can resist those who come from the sea."
"So you have warned me," Saki said, with an angry glare at Hun. "It would appear you are correct."
"And perhaps now you are willing to hear my offer," The strange woman said with a sly flirtatious smile.
Saki smiled back at her sardonically. "Tell me, Badb " he said.
The woman got to her feet pacing about as she spoke. Her aid followed her obediently "You have women among your Foot. Not many, but twenty is all I will need." She turned to Hun with a condescending smile. "Let your little pet there train them if he wishes, but my Freyja will be his aid." She gestured to the girl beside her. "But when your Foot go out into the field. He can not come. I shall lead them into battle, and I shall find the temple of Aegir. All the ancient power within shall be yours."
"And what do you get out of it?" Saki asked. Hun breathed a sigh of relief. His master was not fooled in the least by this suspicious ally.
Badb sat down behind Saki, and leaned over his shoulder. "There is only one thing I desire, save their mistress' head on a platter, is the Rhinegold," she said.
"And what is that," Saki asked.
"A ring that brings wealth to the user," She said jumping up from her pose. "I need nothing more."
"And all the other treasure of the temple you would give to me?" Saki asked quizzically.
Badb seated herself back in her place before Saki, and sipped her tea. "With the Rhinegold I will have wealth. What more does a woman need? You make keep the petty war toys."
Saki grinned slyly. "In that case Badb, we have a deal, I shall give you a hundred of my female Foot Ninja, and outfit them with the Foot Tech armor. They shall be your personal army of Foot Tech Amazons, but be warned Badb, I do not tolerate failure."
Badb laughed heartily. "Saki you fool you have truly no idea do you? If by some fools chance I do fail, You shan't see me again. "
Saki considered these words thoughtfully. "I see," he said.
As soon as their guests were gone Saki told Hun. "We shall go by her plan for now, because it amuses me, but make sure it is known among our female members, that she who brings me the Rhinegold along with the rest of the treasure will be rewarded handsomely."
Freyja walked down the steps following dutifully two steps behind her mistress as she had been taught, but she had also been taught to use her mind. "My lady, I have served you faithfully ever since I was a child, and you always taught me to ask when I do not understand." she began.
"Speak," Lady Badb said unconcerned.
Freyja continued. "You do not truly mean to give Oroku Saki the treasures of the temple? There is great wealth and power to be had in the trident, and the head, and ....."
Badb's laugher cut her short. "Ah, daughter of my heart, so intelligent, and yet so naive," she said gracing her with a tolerant smile. "You simply do not understand my strategy. You see once I have the Rhinegold, and the doom of my enemies is upon my own finger Saki will never see the rest of the treasure, because he will be finding his treasure in Hades!"
Look for Chapter 2 Hunting
"Leo! Leo! Come on already pick up!!" Donatello shouted into his shell cell.
"It is too late," Splinter said, sadly. "Leonardo has followed Michelangelo into the water. He is in grate peril, and we cannot save him."
Splinter withdrew from Donatello and Raphael to his own room. Raphael was shocked and angry.
"What does he mean we can't save him! What kind of danger? What did Mikey just get Leo into?" Raphael punched the wall for emphasis.
"I don't know, Raph," Donatello said. "Mikey might be reckless, but he wouldn't put Leo in any real danger. "Suddenly they heard a click as the Shell Cell was answered. "Finally. Leo, tell me what the sh-"
It wasn't Leonardo's, but Michelangelo's voice that came over the Shell Cell. "I'm sorry, but Leonardo can't come to the phone right now. He's busy getting himself caught in a trap of his own making. You guys really should have kept him home. I'll send him back after I teach him a lesson. Ta ta! "