A/N: Going to meet Kevin Eastman this weekend! Whoop whoop!
The guys had seen Katherine come flying down the stairs and out the door. They made it to the entrance just in time to see the blue ring of energy fling Lotus several yards away. A moment later they were beside the girls. Leo turned to glare at Lotus as she got back to her feet. "What is going on here!"
Lotus pointed at Sams. "She attacked me. I was simply coming to deliver a message from Captain Bache."
Leo continued to frown, glancing down at his spouse. Sams lifted her chin with defiant blue eyes. "I did and I'll do it again."
He placed a hand warmly on her back and she met his eyes. He sighed, turning back to Lotus. "I'm sure Sams had a good reason. Now, I think you should leave."
Lotus balled her fists at her sides. "What!"
The turtle stiffened. She wasn't going to make this easy for him. "I'm not blind, Lotus. I know what you've been trying to do. But you're wasting your time. Sams and I made a promise to one another and I don't break my promises. I love her and I always will." Sams pulled away from Katherine to wrap her arms around him. He pulled her close, burying his nose in her mound of curls.
Lotus scowled. Raph and Mikey stepped around in front of the couple with stern expressions. With a huff, she turned and marched away. Mikey sagged. "That was intense."
Raph glanced at his older brother. "So, I guess I don't have to ask what's been going on here."
Leo stepped back to frown down at his wife and cup her face. "Sweetheart, that was very dangerous. Lotus Blossom is a very skilled kunoichi. She could have killed you."
"And she might have, if it hadn't have been for Katherine." Don turned her towards him with a big smile. "You did it! You tapped into your magic!"
She was puzzled. "But it was just instinct, I didn't do anything special."
Don brushed a hand through her hair. "I understand now why you couldn't do anything before. It only surfaces when you want to protect someone else." He continued to smile. "All you have to do is hold on to that feeling. Remember who you're trying to protect. And you can draw it to the surface."
Mikey smiled a bit. "I guess that's one good thing that came out of this."
Raph smirked at Sams. "I think Lotus also got a taste of Sams' right hook." He'd seen the mark on her chin. "If nothin' else, it'll make her think twice next time."
Leo frowned, holding Sams close. "There had better not be a next time."
"I think we should start training Katherine's magic now. She needs to be able to tap into it on demand." Don said, bringing their attention back to more important matters.
Leo nodded. "Why don't you two go get some rest? It looks like you need it. We'll get to training." Raph and Mikey headed back into the house, while the rest entered the private training area. Don and Sams stayed on the sideline as the other two stepped into the center. Leo tapped his chin as he thought over how to encourage her magic to the surface. Don had said it was her desire to protect someone that had brought it out. "Wait here."
He walked back to where Don stood and spoke with him for a moment. He nodded and left to get something. Leo returned to Katherine. "It's obvious that any kind of direct attack on you hasn't been able to bring your magic out. But like Donatello said if you have to protect someone, it'll surface. So, what we're going to have to do is force it to surface, until you understand how to draw it out yourself."
Katherine suddenly felt nervous. "And how are you going to do that?"
"By giving you someone to protect."
Donatello reappeared with some rope. Leo took it as his brother knelt down with his hands behind his shell. Katherine's eyes widened and her heart raced. "What are you doing!"
Leo tied Don's hands and feet together. He gave it one last tug. "Can you move?"
Don tested the rope. "No."
"Good. Just one more thing." Leo turned his brother's mask so that it covered his eyes like a blindfold. "And you can't see, right?"
"No."
Katherine was freaking out. "What's going on!"
Leo retrieved a practice staff from the weapons rack. "I'm going to attack Donatello. And I'm not going to hold back. So, if he gets hit, it's going to hurt."
She shook her head. "No, you can't do that! I'm not ready for that!"
"It's alright, Katherine. I trust you." Don said from his very vulnerable position.
She continued to shake her head as she watched Leo approach. "You wouldn't do that. He's your brother. You wouldn't hurt your own brother."
Leo shook his head firmly in return. "We've all been struck in training before and injured too. The difference is this will be on purpose. You're going to have to stop me." He could see she wasn't convinced he'd actually do it. He and Don had already discussed that possibility and how to resolve it. Stepping around behind Don, he struck him in the carapace hard – but not too hard. Don grunted with the impact and almost fell forward.
Katherine gasped as she rushed forward. "Donatello!" She cupped his face and glared at Leo. "How could you!"
"I told you, I wasn't going to hold back." Now certain she believed him, he took aim at a more vulnerable part of his brother's body – his shoulder.
Panic filled her bicolored eyes. "No! Don't!" A ball of fire grew in her gut filled with a protective anger. The blow seemed to come down on him in slow motion as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "No!" She cried again. The staff was stopped mere inches from Don's shoulder by a glowing blue forcefield. It was so close that at first Leo thought he might have actually connected with Don's shoulder. When he realized she'd stopped him, he had to suppress the desire to grin. Instead, he brought the staff down again. "Stop this!" She shouted.
This time the blow was stopped nearly a foot away from him. "Good." Leo moved around to the other side and took aim at Don's elbow. Katherine almost growled, glaring at him. She was becoming angrier by the minute. The blow was blocked again, even farther away now. "You'd better keep it up. I'm not done yet." He warned her as he now took aim at Don's head. If he did manage to hit him, his brother would be severely injured.
Katherine turned towards him, her blue eye glowing. "I said stop!" Leo brought the staff down again. This time instead of the forcefield, the glowing ring of energy shot out from her. Leo went flying backwards and just manage to catch himself from hitting the wall.
He stood, rubbing a hand across his plastron. The blow had knocked the wind out of him. Taking in a few deep breaths, he approached the couple on the ground with a touch of caution. Katherine's blue eye still glowed and she wore what almost looked like a snarl. He put up his hands. "Easy." Her expression softened and the glow faded. She took in a deep shuddering breath. Leo smiled. "Good job. Now hold on to that feeling. Remember it, so you can call on it when you need it."
She took in another deep trembling breath. "Untie him." She said tightly. Leo nodded and moved around to remove the rope. She turned Don's mask so he could see. "Are you alright?"
He smiled. "I'm fine thanks to you. I knew you could do it, Kitten."
She wrapped her arms around his neck again and he pulled her closer with his now freed hands. "That was crazy! What if I couldn't have done it! You would've been hurt!"
He squeezed her. "But you did."
Leo squatted beside them with a smile. "Now, you just have to learn to focus it." She glanced worriedly at Donnie. "Don't worry, I'm not going to use Donatello again. You have to be able to use your magic without him there."
She gave a slow nod, her heart still racing. "I'm ready."
Someone cleared their throat and they looked up to find Bache standing with an older man just inside the training area. "I'm sorry to interrupt. I came to let you know that I will be taking the majority of my men to the Tawisect's base. And I also came to apologize. I was told there was an incident a little while ago involving Ren."
Sams folded her arms and snorted. "Yeah, you can say that again."
Bache frowned. "I assure you, she won't bother you again."
Leo frowned back. "That is very appreciated."
"Also, since I may not be here at sunrise when the doorway opens, I wanted to introduce you to John Hawk. He is our historian and the most versed in the ritual to open Pahway."
The elderly man inclined his head. "It's an honor to serve the heir of Tijo."
Katherine blushed. "Uh, thank you."
"Well, I must be going. With any hope we may be able to destroy the Tawi's door once and for all." Bache started to turn away, but stopped. "I also heard that you've discovered your magic." He smiled at Katherine. "I never doubted you would." With that he left them.
"You're the historian?" Don asked. The man nodded. "Does that mean you are the most knowledgeable about this Pahway?"
John nodded again. "Yes, I am the most familiar with its history."
"Then you can answer a few questions for me?" Again the man nodded. Don looked down at his love. He leaned down to give her a quick peck on the lips and squeeze her hand. "Good luck." She smiled up at him as he walked over to speak with the historian.
The next few hours were draining to Katherine. It taxed both her energy and her emotions to call on the magic. But slowly she was able to gain some control over it. By dinner time she was exhausted. Both Leo and Don agreed that there wasn't much more that she could learn. The historian joined them as they settled down for the meal.
"So, Bache said nobody can go in there with her. Is that right?" Raph picked up a roll.
"It has been attempted in the past. But so far the doorway has repelled anyone that is not of the Tijo line." John explained.
"But they were all humans. Maybe it'd be different for us, 'cause we're turtles." Mikey suggested.
John's brow bunched in thought. "That is an interesting point. The heirs are both human and magical creatures. It may be possible."
"Bache said they were shapeshifters too?" Leo took a bite of a pasta with sausage and bell peppers.
"Yes, but it has been many millennia since one of the heirs has been able to shift. The records indicate the last one that was able to change forms was more than seven thousand years ago. The Tijo bloodline has been thinned over time by humans." He sighed. "But seeing as there doesn't seem to be any more of Tijo's kind around, it is understandable."
"So, you don't think Katherine will be able to shapeshift?" Sams asked.
"No, it is highly unlikely. To be honest, I am surprised she was even able to tap into her magic." John smiled at Katherine, who was leaning against Don's shoulder with droopy eyes. "It's very impressive. Looking back through the records, it is obvious that each heir has had less and less of that magic. And although your father lived here and was thoroughly trained, he was not able to tap into his."
At the mention of her father, Katherine sat up a little. "Did you know my father?"
"Yes, quite well actually as he was my student."
"What was he like?" She asked tentatively.
"He had a very kind heart and a mischievous sense of humor." He chuckled a little. "He's remembered very fondly among our people for the pranks he pulled as a child."
Katherine smiled. "I used to do that to the nuns. I was a regular in detention my entire freshman year."
A round of laughter went around the table. "What about her mom?" Mikey was still stuffing his face.
John continued to smile. "For the few years that Bella lived here, I found her just as kind as Dean and very intelligent."
"So, she didn't grow up here?" Raph took a drink of water.
"No, Bella was chosen by the elders and brought here from somewhere up north, I believe."
Don tensed. "You mean like an arranged marriage?"
"Yes, the elders choose someone with traits that will be beneficial to the heirs." John raised his eyes from his plate to see the anxious look on Katherine's face and Don wrap an arm around her. "It has been tradition."
Donnie scowled, pulling her closer. "Well, that 'tradition' is going to have to be broken."
There was sympathy in the old man's eyes. "Although, your mother and father did love one another, I do believe that was one of the reasons they took you and hid you among the humans."
Katherine's grip on Don tightened. "I choose who I want to be with."
Leo cleared his throat. He didn't want this to escalate into an argument or even a fight. "I think it's time we see this doorway."
Feeling the tension in the air, John nodded. "Yes, of course." He rose and led them to where the Tijo door would open. It was an archway carved into the side of the cavern. The outside of the arch was decorated with intricate carvings. "You will be able to open the door when the sun rises." He pointed to two marks on either side of the arch. "Only your blood can open it. You must place it here and there."
"Is there anything else that has to be done for it to open?" Don examined the carvings. They depicted images of what was most likely previous battles between the Tijo and Tawi.
"Well, the records show that in the distant past there was an elaborate ceremony. But that hasn't been done the last few times the doorway appeared. However, the Tijodyn will want to gather to see Pahway open." John gestured at the large open area behind them. "Other than that, no. I suggest a good night's rest. And I will meet you here before sunrise." He inclined his head and said goodnight.
The four brothers and two girls stood staring at the doorway. Raph let out a deep breath. "Guys, I sure hope we're not making a big mistake."
A/N: Bit of a short chapter, but the next one will make up for it!
