Orca Song
By Kellie Fay
The TMNT belong to Nickelodeon *sigh* I think. Or someone else, just not me.
Reviews will make the insecure author very happy.
Chapter 9
Returning Turtles
Raphael didn't have the energy to protest when Kristi pricked his finger for a simple microscopic blood test, and Rob gave him a shot.
Rob couldn't help but laugh. "Man I wish it was always this easy to treat Raphael. Usually he's trying to get off the table before I can finish bandaging him up."
"Yeah," Raphael muttered leaning on Benten because he really couldn't keep sitting up. "Just wait until I've had a few hours to nap Doc and then we'll have a talk. What's the shot for?"
"It's that multivitamin complex Don and I came up with. You're supposed to get it next week, but if your blood test comes back like Don's and Mike's did you're missing half your normal cytokine cell count. I'd rather not find out if you four can catch whatever is going around out there. Hey Agnes, can you convince one or two of your whale friends to let me get a blood sample from them. I'd really like to know if they did pull the guys cells into them."
"What for Rob, we can't exactly publish this?" Kristi asked with a laugh. "Amazing cure using orca magic to transfer mutant turtle cells into sea mammal populations! No real scientists in the world is going to believe us!"
"I'm not going to tell anyone," Rob said defensively. "I just want to know. Don's probably going to want to know too."
"I wish to know also Doctor Thomas," said Benten. "This information may one day serve my charges in other parts of the world."
"Are you guys done poking me? Can I go to bed now?" Raphael muttered with a yawn.
Benten laughed. "Come Raphael Agnes has placed a sleeping bag here next to your brothers."
Suddenly Michelangelo stirred. "Leo?" He asked.
Benten knelt down and stroked Michelangelo's forehead. "Your brother is not back yet from his pilgrimage, little brother. Go back to sleep."
"No, wait Benten, I felt him." Michelangelo insisted. "Just for a second, he was here, all over here. I..."
"Shhhh," Benten continued to sooth Michelangelo. "Do not worry Michelangelo. Sleep. I will keep watch for Leonardo."
Michelangelo looked confused, then yawned, put his head back down, and fell back asleep.
"Benten?" Raphael said now fighting sleep himself. "I...I thought I just saw Leo too. Just for a second, but I saw him. I thought I was dreaming."
"I understand what it is that you and your brother have sensed," Benten said, "It can wait until you have both rested. Sleep now."
Raphael nodded his eyes already closed. Rob swore he started snoring before his head hit the pillow. Then he looked at Benten and asked. "So what did Mike and Raph exactly see?"
Benten sighed. "The Great whales do not describe things with words so it is difficult to explain. They are teaching Leonardo how they view all things as part of a whole. His physical form may be with them, but his spirit is traveling with the great whales across time and space. For that small fraction of a second Leonardo was here in the room with us, and at the same time he most likely was with his Father in New York City."
"Right," Rob said shaking his head. "You know on second thought Benten, I don't think I want to know."
"Do not be worried Doctor Thomas," Benten said with a smile. "Leonardo is well. He will return to us soon."
"Four hours is not soon." Rob complained pacing the length of the research stations porch.
"To a whale it probably is," Donatello said sipping soup from a cup. "Don't worry Rob, Benten would tell us if something was wrong with Leo. She wouldn't let anything hurt us."
Rob wished he could feel the same confidence Donatello felt. Leonardo mentioned that part of this mermaid thing came with this absolute trust in Benten. Were the turtles right in their faith in this being? Rob wish he could understand better.
"Don! Doctor Thomas! Dark Moon is coming back!" Agnes said.
"With Leo?" Rob asked nervous.
Agnes glared at Rob for a second. "Of course with Leo!"
Donatello bit back a laugh, and put his mug down. "Let's get to the dock."
They reached the dock just in time to meet the large male Orca swimming up with Leonardo. Leonardo sat calmly on the whale's back of all things meditating. Rob had accused Donatello of the same thing when he first arrived, but Donatello knew for a fact that when he rode up to the dock he had been nearly asleep. For some reason Donatello didn't think that was true for Leonardo.
The whale stopped just at the dock and made a series of low clicks and whistles. Instantly Leonardo lifted his head, and opened his eyes. "Oh, we're back?" He said sounding dazed.
"Yeah you're back," Donatello said offering his brother his hand. "You okay Leo?"
"Yeah," Leonardo rose to his feet holding still a few seconds more to regain his balanced. "Just tired."
"I know that feeling," Donatello said with a chuckle. He led Leonardo up the path to the research center. Rob insisted that Leonardo sit down while they took a drop of blood from him.
"Just stay with us a little longer Leo," Donatello said evenly. "Rob just wants to check a few things out."
"Hmmmm," Leonardo's eyes were closed and his head dropped down onto his plastron, but he offered Donatello his hand when asked, and breathed deeply when he placed a stethoscope against his plastron. He did manage to open his eyes when Rob plunged the vitamin supplement into his arm, but he didn't complain a bit. "A shot?" He asked.
"It's just our vitamin supplement," Donatello said with a grin.
"Oh," Leonardo answered. He closed his eyes again, and leaned into his brother.
"Come on Leo, bed time for you." Donatello said. With Rob's help he set Leonardo down into the cot he used when he first arrived back at the center. When Benten drew near to check on him, Leonardo opened his eyes again. "Benten?" He asked sleepily.
"I am here, Leonardo," she said gently.
Leonardo closed his eyes again. "Sorry," he said he reaching out one hand.
She took his hand, and he squeezed before dropping completely into sleep.
"What was that all about?" Donatello asked Benten watching her tuck Leonardo in.
"I do not know little brother," Benten answered looking at Leonardo amused. "It seemed to be something your brother needed to tell me. Perhaps we will understand better when he awakens later."