A Turtle's Christmas Tale

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any chibi or adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Author's Note: Well, I originally planned this to be about the last chapter with only an epilogue to follow. I didn't want to hurry things along too much, and by doing so this chapter broke into two, as if I continued with this it would be extremely long. Hopefully next chapter up by about Wed. Or Thurs. evening. R

Chapter Three: Splitting up

The passengers sat in the sleigh discussing strategy, well Splinter was actually the one doing his best to plot out the battle plan, the ninja Master did this by pumping the two elves about certain information about Santa's home and workshop area, Leo and Don listened attentively and added what they could where they could. At one point Leo asked if there was a detailed map of Santa's home, and Stena was able to inform him that there was and thankfully Santa's magic pack soon had the map there for the group to look over.

True they had to hunch over the map so it wouldn't blow away in the wind that was up higher, but Splinter did his best to commit a great deal of the map to memory. "Who can we count on to help us, will the other Elves assist us, or perhaps the reindeer themselves?" Splinter inquired, his brow furrowing going into unfamiliar territory was bad enough, so it was extremely important to know who was an ally and who was not.

"The Elves will assist you in any way they can, we really don't care to make weapons." Hans shot back over his shoulder, " It is right troublesome to create things we hardly understand, have no interest in and yet have no choice in the matter. But know this we Elves are not fighters, if we help you it will be in other ways." Hans called out something to the reindeer who bobbed their heads, "As for the reindeer helping, Tornado and Hurricane will talk to the others, but they can't promise further involvement. They have an agreement with Santa and not the rest of us."

"Other ways like how?" Don asked curiously.

Stena gave a faint smile, "We will use toys to fight, water guns, or ball throwers, paint balls, marbles on the floor..." She explained.

"You can tie people up in garland and Christmas lights," Mike suggested quickly, "I think I saw that in a movie,but I'm sure it will work."

Don scowled, for a moment "Do you Elves have toy tracking devices?"

"Of course, toy communicators, tracking devices and things like that are very popular items for young boys," Stena replied. "But why?"

"Maybe with some fine tuning I could get them to show us where Santa is being hidden" Don answered, "I think I could do it...specially if most the stuff is basically there. I did fix the TV."

"No fair I want to play with the toys too!" Mike protested his head shot around to glare at his purple masked brother, "Why does Donny get to try out the toys? It's not fair! I'm gonna tell..."

"Don't be a snitch Mikey, sides Sensei is right here," Leo reminded him.

"Michelangelo we are not going there to play, I do not know if Donatello can achieve what he feels that he can, but if he is successful it could make a big difference to us," Splinter cut in quickly, he turned his head towards Stena, "Donatello has quite the aptitude for fixing electronic items or changing them for his own use. However, these things often take him time to bring from what he sees in his mind to the real thing, he is very inventive."

Stena nodded understanding, "Perhaps some of the Elves who are into electronics toys can assist him and they can together achieve what Donatello can not do alone."

Don sat back in his seat, crossing his arms over his plastron, "I could do it on my own," he insisted.

Splinter reached out and placed a hand on his son's shoulder "Donatello, I have no doubt that you could. But there is no harm in getting help when time is of the essence. Remember we are all a team striving towards the same goal, and so we should not put the needs or desires of one ahead of that goal, or we may surely fail."

Don looked up at the rat's kind whiskery face, he bowed his head "Hai Master."

Mike shivered "The wind is picking up."

Raph nodded agreement "Yeah, but I don't feel any colder."

"We are nearing the North Pole, home to Santa's castle and workshop." Stena informed them. "It is truly a frozen wasteland, we are near the borders now, if you look below those trees are the Christmas trees we grow here, and they provide the shelter for the reindeer, and then there is a meadow field where the reindeer eat and play their games, which finally gives way to only rocks, snow and ice."

Raph snorted, "Lovely home, makes the sewer we live in look like a grand place."

Splinter sighed, "Raphael mind your manners." He scolded gently, the red masked turtle had been rather glum and quiet for most the trip, and since he had received his zai had been fiddling with the weapons in a restlessness that did not brood well. Raphael, was not strong on patience. Splinter leaned toward the boy, "Raphael is something wrong?"

Raph shot his head up to look into his mentor's dark eyes, "It's just I don't know what were doin' this for Master." He gave a small shrug of indifference.

"You are doing this to help others and that is a very good reason in and of itself. You are doing it to make others happy..." Splinter began in a gentle low voice.

"Yeah but what about us?" Raph asked, "No one will evah do anythin' like that for us."

Splinter gave a soft sympathetic look to the boy, "Do not be so sure Raphael. It is true many people will not know or care, but you are a part of the world and connected to it. What happens to one happens to all."

"Yeah, yeah" Raph grunted.

Splinter scowled, "My son if you do not help others, then you can not expect help yourself when you need it." The ninja Master sat back giving a sharp intimidating look to the red masked turtle, he saw Raphael flinch, ever so slightly, "You are always rewarded for your good deeds my son." Splinter assured him kindly.

The two reindeer were starting to drop, the sky was dark with winds and blowing snow, off in the distance were faint yellow and orange lights that seemed to appear, and vanish in the darkness and gloom around them, the only sound was the reindeer's bells on their halter, and harness as they dropped closer to the white,black and grey rocks that jutted up from the ground. The wind seemed to get more powerful as the dropped closer to the ground and all talk ceased.

The sleigh came down with a hard bumping jolt that jostled everyone the reindeer kept pulling right toward a solid snow covered rock, the two reindeer bugled as they neared the rock, shaking their heads wildly about causing the bells to jingle merrily though the sound was almost lost in the vicious wind. Suddenly part of the rock slid upward, revealing a cave opening and the two reindeer trotted out into the cave, blowing through their noses.

Warm lights came on showing that the cave had numerous stalls full of fresh feed and water, there was one stall that had other sets of harness in it, as well as a large pine box, the reindeer backed up moving the sleigh backwards, into a large stall then the reindeer glanced back at the Elves and mutants and made a rude sounding noise.

"End of the line all out" Hans ordered, "Now comes the tricky part of trying to unharness them."

"We can help with that." Mike offered.

"Splinter nodded, "Indeed we can finalize our plans too."

XXX

Don did his best to not attract attention as he walked along beside Hans. Don had ditched his outfit for a spare elf outfit, and a large green and red striped stocking hat with a red pom-pom on the end, Don felt utterly ridiculous. But Master Splinter called this 'blending in with one's surroundings.' Even though Don himself was quite sure that he stuck out like a sore thumb, in spite of Mike saying that he was the wrong shade of green, to hide even in his new suit.

Hans moved with a quick determined stride, for one who was vertically challenged, he cut down a long path that sloped on a small angle downward to another level of stalls and stable, in these were smaller reindeer about half the size of Tornado and Hurricane. Don noticed that most of these smaller reindeer were missing the antlers. "You have a lot of females in them huh?" he commented.

Hans turned a stern expression on his face but a small twinkle in his eyes, "The ones without antlers are the males. Both the male and female reindeer have antlers, but the males lose theirs by mid December at the latest. The females lose theirs in the spring."

"What about Tornado and the larger ones?" Don asked curiously.

Hans shook his head, "I'll answer it and no more, it be the same with them, but every year, the male deer on Santa's team manage to keep their antlers until the end of December."

"But..." Don pressed eager to learn more.

Hans shook his head, "No careful we are entering the workshop area and you must not reveal yourself." the elf warned.

Don sighed but quickly held back on any more of his queries as they walked through the doors of the stable to a large circular covered courtyard, a huge Christmas tree was standing there, Don craned his neck back staring in awe at the impressive size of the thing, it was thick and bushy, and decorated with many bright coloured lights, and ribbons strewn down from the top of the tree, to the base of it. However the only other decoration Don could see looked like shurikens, guns and grenades.

Don made a face of disgust, "That is horrible!" he shouted with revulsion.

Hans nudged him "Quiet. Santa ordered these new decorations put in place of the old, he says it is far more fitting for the night when we bring death to the world."

Don shivered, and gritted his teeth, "Not if we can help it!" the young turtle muttered.

Hans gave a weak, tired smile, "Hopefully you can." He continued to lead Don past the tree of destruction, on the other side of the room were numerous doors, one bright red, one bright green, one white, one silver and one gold. Hans headed straight towards the silver door, there was a ramp that lead upwards, they passed the occasional door along the side of the hallway but Hans ignored them, and lead Don to one near the end of the hallway.

Hans knocked, and was told to enter, " This is where you are suppose to be not down in packaging with the rest of us," Hans growled a little towards Don as the door was opened,

A male elf, with square glasses opened the door, "We have enough demands from the Claus, Hans." he protested instantly.

"Then you best tell Mr. Claus, that the help of Don here on the new tracking device, that Santa specifically ordered is not wanted." Hans humphed sharply, " You up to that Euge?"

"We haven't had any orders, and he gives us alot of them to see through..." Euge began sharply.

"Then you ought to be thankful for an extra set of hands." remarked Hans, as he shoved Don into the room, "I have to get back to my own place."

Don gaped as he saw the large computer that set in the room, there was work benches where , elves were hunched over assembling different projects that were displayed on smaller monitors, there were large windows around the room that looked out on a bustling elf activity in other places below or above this level as there seemed to be a long ramp that lead to different areas outside the windowed room. The elves however were far too busy with their own tasks to do this.

Euge gave a heavy sigh, "All right then what is it we are supposed to do now?"

Don blinked and shook his head, staring for a moment at the elf, before finding his voice, "I was given orders to design a proper tracking device out of this toy here, it should be able to locate a certain being and reveal their exact location." he replied.

"Like we don't have enough work," Euge grumbled a bit as he went over to the huge computer and punched in some stuff on the keyboard, "Group C3 you are designated to get this new order up and fulfill the order number on it, you have a new elf too, what are you called Don?"

Don nodded.

"Good join Clara and the others at that bench there it is your team." Euge declared pointing out the table before going back to work on something else.

XXX

The others stayed to unharnessed Tornado and Hurricane who seemed in a hurry to leave, Mike watched as the two reindeer disappeared out the stone door of the cave, he turned around "Stena what is this agreement Santa is supposed to have with the reindeer?"

"That is easy Mike, Santa has promised the reindeer food, shelter and fresh water whenever the large herd should desire it, not to mention that he doctors them when they are ill. Living up here is not easy, and there are predators of the deer like snow bears, which are larger then polar bears, and they are so fast in traveling over snow and ice that few reindeer can escape the bears when they choose to strike. Being Santa's deer they have a fighting chance in the fact that they can fly, and so escape the snow bears." She informed Mike kindly, as she turned to place the harness away, "The reindeer in return promised to pull Santa's sleigh and assist him in other small things every now and again."

Splinter's ear twitched, his tail slowly snaking along the rock floor, the ninja Master suddenly scowled, "Quick I think I hear someone coming. My sons vanish."

The three turtles dashed into open stalls and buried themselves in the thick bedding. Stena ducked behind the box and covered herself with a couple of blankets, peeking out of a fold to observe what would happen. Splinter felt his body tense, his nose twitched and an ear flicked as his tail slashed in sudden agitation if he was right he sensed something very dark, malignant, approaching,the rat quickly vanished into hiding. Silently, the ninja Master prayed that Mike would hold his place.

A large heavy set man wearing a black shirt and camouflage pants that was splotched in varied shades of white and grey, stormed into the area, an evil gleam in his dark eyes and a white beard. He stomped over to the sleigh and felt it. "Some body has been out and I'm going find out who," he hissed, the threat hang heavy in the air, "Those reindeer are willing to pull someone they will pull me so help me they will...or see how they enjoy working in a pit all day."

A woman came up, her grey hair was done up in a bun, she was pleasingly plump, but her eyes seemed tired, and stressed, "No, one has been anywhere! You are so awful, soooo despicable you are seeing things where there is nothing to see." she declared holding her head high.

"Don't lie to me, my dear," the man gave her a truly evil sneer, "I know better you can't fool me, though your husband is quite easy to fool."

She paled and her hands shook, she quickly clasped them together, " You are a Shade and you have no right here, in a place that is meant for joy and happiness."

The man laughed darkly, "Ah yes, you are right I am a Shade, that is why I am Shady Claus," he agreed, "However you are wrong about joy and happiness, my job is to suck such things out of the world and give in to those who -shall we say- aspire to greater things. Such as war, famine,and all that other good stuff. Your husband my dear is out dated, now a days it is all about who can get the most, and the best while those without are trod under the foot."

"You are wrong." She insisted her voice quivering ever so slightly.

The Shade smiled, "I might be wrong about that, but I tell you, you will never find your husband, even if he were under your nose it would be nigh impossible to find him in time, so you and all your helpers best do as they are told or suffer the consequences." he gestured for her to go ahead of him, "Lets go back shall we my dear?" he hinted giving her a wink.

Mrs. Claus shuddered but obeyed leading the way with the evil Shady Claus close behind her.

Splinter waited before stepping out, "Shady Claus, a demon of darkness and hatred."

"Let's go git him" Raph urged eagerly as he came out of the stall he'd been hiding in.

"Yeah we can't let him get away with that Master." Leo agreed, he pulled one of his swords and his eyes narowed.

Mike sneezed loudly and shook his head, "I don't think the hay agreed with me" he sniffled, as he wiped his nose on his coat sleeve.

"We can't go after him, and I fear my sons he would know you were trailing him and then we would be finished this mission before it has begun, " Splinter ordered softly.

"Great so we stand round and do nuthin?" Raph fumed irritably.

"No, you will not do nothing, the Shade is over confident he did mention that Santa might be right under our nose," Splinter replied as he withdrew the map, "It seems to me there is a large tunnel that goes from here to the forest, I wonder if Santa might be hidden in the forest."

Stena gasped, "We never thought of that, but it is possible, but the forest is so large..." she began then hesitated as if she realized what waited for them.

"Stena you know the way and the area, could you and my three sons head to the woods to search for Santa?" Splinter asked.

"Yes, we can take the smaller reindeer they are very quick, and sure footed," She hastened to assure him.

"But what about you Master?" Leo asked worry in his voice.

"I will follow the Shade, but I must hurry. Leonardo look after your brothers, and all of you listen to Stena as she knows this place. Use everything you have been taught." Splinter instructed quickly before quickly spinning around and darting after the Shade and Mrs. Claus.

Mike cheered, "Yeah we get to go with the reindeer!"

"I'd rather go with Master Splinter" Leo muttered.

"I'm wit ya on that one Leo." Raph concurred, "But you aren't one to break orders are ya."

Leo glared at his brother, "We aren't breaking orders we will do as Master Splinter wishes."

TBC