Turtle Tots: WORLD TOUR!
Bonjour、パリ! 忘れられていたカテドラルの通われた王女! 絶望的な状況のLeonardo、Raphael、DonatelloおよびRaphael!
(Bonjour, France! The princess where the cathedral which is forgotten commutes! Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Raphael of desperate circumstance!)
Dedicated to my loyal reviewers:
Rhoda J, Second daughter of Eve, YoTicTac13, Mikell, secret22, and yaoigirl22!
Part Five
Guys.....I need to tell you something. I left today to play a game of soccer with my church friends.
As I write this, I'm in St. J Hospital. (My sister let me borrow her laptop to finish this fiction's chapter...for now.)
What....happened was that I was goalie, the grass was wet, and well....a member of the opposite team accidentally crashed into me, we slid into the goal posts...
.....I landed in an odd way....on my kneebone.
And I broke my leg.
So....right now, my blue and pink cast is being signed by my friends.
I'm sorry, guys. I go to Utah and YC...AND I shattered one of my bones at 2:00 in the same month.
And it hurts like heck.
I won't be able to update....unless I use the NURSE'S computer.
So....I will leave this chapter to you, my friends.
Reeeaaallllyyyy sorry! I'm going to have another X-ray after this.
Quote:
"There are an infinite number of universes existing side by side and through which our consciousnesses constantly pass. In these universes, all possibilities exist. You are alive in some, long dead in others, and never existed in still others. Many of our "ghosts" could indeed be visions of people going about their business in a parallel universe or another time -- or both."
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Still, nothing.
This was getting infuriating.
Splinter lowered the lantern, squinting the area with a small frown on his face.
The footsteps had been snowed in, so there was nothing but the microscopic traces he knew to look for as a ninja.
Had his sons chased after the culprit?
Or, had they....
Splinter frantically shook his head. No. That did not matter.
The situation remained the same, no matter how he looked at it.
The ship was leaving soon-tommorow.
And it was late afternoon now....already growing dark.
The rat raced on, snow burning his feet as he did so, Melody struggling to keep up, thoughts racing.
A wraith....could that honestly be true....what the townsfolk said?
If so, why was she stealing children away? A vengeful spirit, perhaps?
But....according to the tale, the children came back.
Changed.
Splinter's heart rate increased.
What did they mean by "changed," exactly?
Wow. This snow was positively blinding. Splinter blinked.
What if they got seirously sick in this weather?
What if they had been hurt?
What if....
Melody had to huff and puff to keep up with the rat's pace.
Boy.....what kind of PHYSICAL education did the stranger have?
"Ooof!"
One after another, the turtles fell on top of each other like dominoes, the sound echoing like thunder in the enormous room.
They froze, breathing ragged, hearts beating.
** * ** ** * **
This room was filled with pew after pew, all ordered into neat little rows.
The stained glass windows were elaborate gothic stye, curled in a dark elegance made all the more so by the fabricate of colors behind it.
Don slowly turned....
...to where, in the front, the woman continued playing her flute.
Mikey's mouth went very dry as he considered bolting out then and there.
The woman lowered her flute, and slowly turned to face them. Raph tensed.
"I'm glad you came," she said softly, slowly making her way up from the pews, step by smallest step.
"I've been waiting...all this time......"
Leo hesitated.
Then took a small step forwards.
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"Leo-what are you-?!"
But Raph hurried to catch up with his brother regardless.
The woman paused, a serene smile on her face.
Mikey gulped as he scrambled after Don.
Leo opened his mouth, but nothing came out. It was like the woman in Spain who had....
As she stepped closer, Mikey flinched.
An enormous sea of shadow behind the woman...
there was a blur of midnight blue....
And Raph suddenly found himself on the floor once again.
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Don started, rubbing at his eyes.
Ouch.....that had really hurt! Something-or someone-knocked him down!
Boy...that bruise on his shoulder was going to sting.
Almost as much as his thr-
Don swallowed.
Astonished, he did so again.
Not a twinge of discomfort.
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"What IS this place?"
Splinter stared at an enormous pile of rocks, looking skeptical.
Here, behind a tree, he had picked up Mikey's ragged blanket and Raph's grizzly....
The rat lifted his head, and turned to the grey stone again.
Melody frowned.
"What....that? That is-er, well, that WAS the location of the Boticelli moor. Quite a few centuries ago."
Splinter blinked.
"Where.....did you say the castle was, exactly? The one of the princess?"
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Mikey groaned as his swimming vision began to come back into focus.
"Are you alright, sleepyheads?"
The spector bent over them, looking concerned. Raph stumbled up, staring at her suspiciously.
"L-Listen here, you, I....I..."
The Princess began to softly laugh as Raph suddenly clutched at his stomach, a big O for his mouth.
Nothing.
The woman smiled slightly.
"Perhaps.....it would be best if you heard the story, dears. It would make things much easier."
And, she settled down in a small, crumpled pile of silk on the ground. Mikey hesitated, then sank down a moment later, fingers curiously stroking his forehead.
Cool as a cucumber.
The girl didn't really SEEM malevolent....but....
One after another, the princess looking at them expectantly, the three reluctantly sank onto the ground, never keeping their gaze off the weirdo.
She gave them an encourgaging glance...
And then, began.
* * * *
The princess looked at her hands for a moment, wringing one after another repeatably.
"I was born in the year 1678," she said quietly, not meeting the turtles' gaze for a moment.
"All was well....in England."
"England? But...."
The woman nodded, sensing Raph's confusion.
"Yes. Great Britain. I was born and raised there for many, many years. But, as my mother died of the plague, my father thought it only suitable that the only heir of the kingdom
be spared of such a fate.
And so, I was sent to a small villa in France the ambassador had given to my father as a friendly gift between the Dauphine.
But, I was not spared.
I doubled up with a bellyache a fortnight after I had arrived.
And....by morning, I was no longer suffering."
A shiver raced down Don's spine, the first to understand.
The woman continued.
"I had many friends in the village....many of them children. With them at risk of the disease, how could I move on? How could I let them fall to harm?
And so, I drew them to my old home....until the wave of death passed. Then, when my menagerie of birds informed me that the shadows were slowly passing from the air....
...I let them go back home."
She paused to take a breath.
"But my work....has not ended, I fear. My ravens have long since been my companions, betwixt and between the voids....and they informed me of a storm, heavier then that
we have seen for many a year.....
....but my friends have passed beyond the veil. But, if I could save at least eleven or so children....heal, once again...." she let out a deep sigh.
"Ah....it takes my breath away." she reconsidered for a moment.
"Well....it would if I had any."
Leo leaned back, looking puzzled.
"H-Heal? So....you..."
"I sensed it in the four of you. So, I brought you into the basement quarters....the only quarters left of my home."
Don's eyes widened.
"JUST left? Good gravy, what did this castle look like ORIGINALLY?"
"Probably Taj Mahal," mumbled Raph.
But Leo frowned.
"So....why didn't you just TELL everyone to wa-oh."
Leo broke off, already guessing.
If a ghost showed up in the middle of the streets....
Of course people would start to panic.
Just like people would start to panic if a mutant turtle or rat tried to warn them of impending danger...
Mikey looked around, curious.
"Um....where are all the village kids, then?"
The girl smiled.
"Oh....the Southeastern wing. They've been amusing themselves for the past few days. At least until the storm blew over and I could return them all home. Tomorrow, I will be
escorting them all home.....you as well, if you fancy."
As she stood up, Don slipped his hand into the princess'. Surprised, she nonetheless smiled.
"But....what will YOU do, afterwards?"
The princess began to walk again, Raph shyly sliding his hand into the princess' opposite hand, taking Mikey's as Don took Leo's.
The Spector closed her eyes.
"I will have repaid my debt.
And I will be free to move on."
"Monsieur.....I'm telling you....there is nothing there!"
Melody shook her head, sighing.
The snow was coming down like rapid fire.....quicker, thicker....a blur of blinding white....
Splinter's teeth chattered as he moved a cold stone carefully with his fingertips.....
Checkmate.
As the rat slid into the darkness, there was a small smile on his face.
"I'm coming, little ones!"
Guys....this is a bad chapter. I'm sorry....but I don't know when I'm getting home.
