Warriors Spirit.

Chapter 10:

April O'Neil made sure to lock all of her windows and doors the minute she got back from getting the take out her family had insisted on. April had sensed eyes on her the whole way home and it had taken all of the control she had not to sprint home to her family. Instead she walked briskly in the direct of her home and as she entered her apartment she flung the take out on the side table by the door and immediately began securing her home.

"Uh, somethin' wrong April?" Casey asked from the sofa with a worried glance.

"Get your gear Casey." She said to him, "I was tailed all the way home. I'm going to pack some things for us and we are going to the lair."

"Don't ya think that's a little extreme?" Casey cocked his head to one side.

"Not really Casey." Moving to her room where she pulled out a duffel bag. She continued talking to him from there, "After what happened with Raphael and with what Leo told us Karai threatened I am not going to take any chances. Especially with Shadow. If things are going to kick off again like years ago she will be much safer living in the lair than here. We're too exposed."

"Want I should call the guys?" Casey asked looking at his little girl who was entranced in the show she was watching and not really worried about what her parents were up to.

"Don said he was coming over tonight to help me with something on my computer. We'll wait till they get here and let them know what's going on." She faced him and glared, "Which is why I asked you to get your gear in case we can't wait that long!" April exclaimed.

"On it!" Casey declared moving to the locked cupboard where he kept his vigilante gear and April kept her ninjitsu weapons. By the time April had finished packing a bag for each of them and making sure that everything was turned off except the lights and the television there was a light tap on her kitchen window. She edged over to the window slowly to be sure it was who she thought it was and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the familiar faces of Michelangelo and Donatello peering through the window looking mildly worried.

"Everything ok April?" Donnie asked once she had let the boys in and had locked the window behind them once more.

"I was followed earlier." April declared. "I was just waiting for you guys before asking to stay at yours for a while." She looked at them pleadingly.

"You know you're all welcome anytime and for as long as you want April" Don said kindly.

"Besides Master Splinter loves looking after Shadow and I get to watch all the fun stuff when she's around!" Mikey almost whooped in excitement.

"Do you want me and Mikey to go see if you're still being watched?" Donatello suggested.

"I just want to get Shadow somewhere I feel she's safe. Right now I really don't think she is." April replied not wanting to tell them that this wasn't the first time she had been followed even if it was the first time she had been followed to her house.

"Uncle Donnie! Uncle Mikey!" Shadow exclaimed with glee grinning at the pair. Don waved to her but stayed where he was but Mikey grinned and held out his arms for the little girl who gladly ran over to her uncle and leapt into a bear hug. Donnie and April smiled warmly at the scene before going back to their previous conversation as Mikey sat back down with Shadow to watch some more television before they had to leave.

"OK April. Let's go." Don said taking one of the bags from the couch where April had piled the bags she had prepared. April smiled at him and retrieved her katana from the cupboard and strapped it over her back, just in case.

"Thanks Don." She walked back over to him and gave him a hug, "I really don't know what I would have done without you guys around."

"You would have had one boring life!" Mikey quipped.

"Get down!" Casey yelled leaping to shield his daughter as bodies smashed through their windows. Shadow started screaming in terror as men in black quickly filled the room with one exception. A tall man with long sandy hair also leapt into the room. He wielded a large spear and had dark menacing eyes. This man was not a member of the foot clan.

"Demons." The newcomer spat at them. Casey growled making sure he shielded his daughter completely and was relieved to notice that Mikey picked her up and held her as close as possible to ensure that his shell acted as a shield for her as well.

"Mutants actually." Don replied pulling out his bo staff.

"You are abominations against god therefore you are demons!" He retorted, "And any who consort with you are damned to hell along with you!" He bellowed before charging at Casey. Casey met the charge with his bat and held the spear at bay. However the tall man was skilled and very quick. April and Shadow screamed when they realised the arch of the spear was going to pierce Casey's neck but something stopped it. The newcomer's eyes grew wide as his body was flung back against the wall.

"I thought I sensed one of you beasts around." A familiar voice sounded. No one in the room could pinpoint where it came from until a white mist appeared in the centre and Bella was revealed when it cleared. "None of these people have any magickal powers so I suggest you aim your attacks at me hunter." She growled at him. Without taking her eyes off of him she called to the others, "I will handle this, get out of here now!"

"But..." Mikey tried to object sounding unsure of what was going on.

"The foot have clearly allied themselves with hunters." She watched as the hunter picked himself up off the floor and was aware that the foot ninja that accompanied him were preparing to fight, "Hunters are dangerous and not an opponent someone should fight unprepared. So get out of here now or I will waste magick on transporting you to safety myself!"

"Do as she says!" April pleaded. "She obviously knows what to do and I don't want Shadow anywhere near these guys!"

"She's right," Bella agreed "Shadow is your priority! Protect her and get out of here!"

Donatello wasn't pleased but he attacked the foot ninja blocking their escape clearing a way through them. April and Mikey followed closely behind with Mikey still holding a whimpering Shadow close to him. Casey brought up the rear taking out anyone who dared to get too close to his family.

"Leave them!" The hunter bellowed grinning evilly at Bella causing the foot who were about to follow the small family's retreat to stop in hesitation and confusion. "We can hunt them down later. For now this devil woman must be stopped!" With that he charged with his spear at the ready and Bella began casting attack spells. She released a large enough spell to throw the hunter out through one of the broken windows and then cast a sleep spell on the foot ninja in the room to ensure that her friends had every chance to get away from the building and to the safety of the lair without any issues. She knew that one or two had left before the hunter had ordered them not too but she was sure that they would be easily dealt with now that the bulk of the forces were incapacitated for the moment. Satisfied that the ninja warriors were under her spell she followed the hunter onto the street below.

"Hey Raph! Long-time no see!" Angel exclaimed as she, Mai and Leonardo entered the lair. She gave her old friend a warm embrace before looking around for the other turtles. If she had noticed Mai's raised eyebrow and Raph's sheepish look at her behaviour she chose to ignore it. "Where are the others?"

"They went ta see April. " Raph shrugged moving to one side so Angel could sit down on the couch. He shook his head and put an arm around Mai. To which Angel smirked.

"So this is the famous girlfriend Mikey's been telling me about?" Her grin grew at Raph's slight blush. "She's definitely your type Raphie boy!" Angel laughed despite herself at the embarrassed look Raph gave at the remark.

"What's it to ya pip squeak?" He asked growling in mock annoyance.

"Oh please. I met Joy remember!" She watched Mai's reaction out of the corner of her eye. Beyond another raised brow there was no indication that the Chinese woman she had just met was even remotely threatened by what she was letting slip.

"Me and Joy were never a thing!" Raph blushed furiously this time.

"You did flirt with her a lot." Leo remarked thoughtfully feigning innocence when his brother turned his glare on him.

"Joy is one of the other acolytes right?" Mai asked her lover.

"Yeah." Raph replied as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Huh. Well her loss." She quipped and pecked him on the cheek before moving to the kitchen, "Anyone want a drink or something to eat?" She asked well aware that she had shocked the trio with her nonchalant reaction to the obvious attempt to rile her up. Leo and Raph both chorused that they were fine but Angel grinned and gave a list of snacks she knew the boys would have in their cupboards as well as how she liked her drink. She had always had a soft spot for Raphael and she was going to make damned sure this woman would treat her friend well. She had to admit to herself that she would do the same for any of them if she was honest with herself. Mai went about preparing what Angel had requested and brought it over to her with very little complaint before going to get herself something to drink, at which time Raph followed her leaving Leo to sit with Angel who was already tucking into the chips, dip and various other forms of junk food he knew Mikey would be devastated that Angel was devouring.

"You don't have to wait on her you know." Raph told Mai as she boiled the kettle to make herself some jasmine tea.

"I know." Mai said making it obvious from her tone that it really didn't bother her.

"She's just trying ta get under yer skin ya know. She did it with Joy when she thought we were together or something." Raph said worried Angel had upset Mai. Mai sighed and turned to him.

"I am well aware of what she is doing Raphie." She said holding his face with both hands and giving him a chaste kiss. "And you want to know why it doesn't bother me?" She paused to see if he would say anything but he simply looked at her with an expectant look. "I trust you." She told him in a matter of fact way. "If one day you stop loving me then I want you to be happy but until then…." She couldn't finish the sentence on account of Raphael suddenly kissing her deeply.

"Ain't ever gonna happen." Raph told her seriously and looking her dead in the eye. "No matter what happens you're stuck with me…. Unless you don't want me that is." He added showing his less confident side.

"Silly Raphie." Mai grinned kissing his nose. "You're not getting rid of me either." She winked and set about silencing the whistling kettle so she could make her tea. Raph sighed in relief and then smiled when he realised she was making a second tea. The only other people in his household who would drink jasmine tea were Leo and his master. Since Leo had declined any refreshments, she must have been making the second tea for Splinter. Not for the first time he couldn't believe how very lucky he was to have met Mai. When Mai left her tea on the side whilst she took the second to Splinter's room, he picked hers up and headed to the sitting area to join Leo and Angel. He carefully placed the hot beverage on the coffee table and joined in the conversation with Angel on what she had been up to recently. He vaguely wondered when she had seen Mikey to have been told about Mai but he never actually got a chance to ask before they were interrupted by Don, Mikey and the Jones family all rushing into the lair. Don immediately set to securing the doors of the lair whilst the remainder of the group caught their breath.

"What's going on?" Leo stood up taking in the scene. Mikey had stopped close to him and Shadow was holding out her arms to him tears still staining her face. He instinctively took her and gently rocked her as she sniffled into his shoulder.

"We were attacked." April replied as she got her breath.

"Some guy, Bella said was a Hunter, and the foot clan." Casey added with a growl.

"A hunter?!" Mai asked as she appeared with Splinter who had joined her in moving to see what the fuss was about. "Where's Bella now?"

"She told us to run." Mikey said instinctively moving closer to Raph worried about how Mai would react to this news.

"Ayah! What is wrong with her?!" She exclaimed before rushing to Raphael's room where she stored a few of her possessions.

"You left her to face the foot and one of these hunter guys?" Leo asked sounding worried.

"She didn't give us much of a choice Leo. She said it was either run or she would waste magick on transporting us herself." Don defended, "Given that we had Shadow with us and the likelihood that she would exhaust herself more quickly if she did that, we decided protecting Shadow was the priority."

"Good." Mai said as she rushed past fastening a Chinese sword to her back. "You did the right thing Donatello. "Now I'm going to back her up."

"Not on your own you're not!" Raph snapped.

"What exactly do you suggest?" Mai asked impatiently.

"My sons are capable of at least taking the foot ninja even if you still fear that hunters are beyond their capabilities." Splinter reasoned then turned to Leo who was passing Shdow over to Raphael, "Leonardo, take Michelangelo and Donatello with you. We must not allow Miss Bella to fall after all she has done for us."

"Hai Sensei." Leo bowed as his other brothers followed suit. The four then left the lair at a sprint towards the Jones' apartment leaving a grumbling Raphael behind.

~~s

"There is a price on the heads of all those who associate with those demons you know." The hunter goaded Bella as she cast a spell of darkness to throw off his bearings. She ignored his taunts and waited for her chance to strike mildly wondering if Leonardo would be impressed with this tactic. The thought was quickly shaken off though as she sensed him to her right and very close. She muttered the words that would activate her second spell and the darkness was split with a burning inferno that took the form of a giant ball of fire. She smirked as the hunter yelped then grunted in pain. It never failed to amaze her how hypocritical these hunters were. They preached that what she did was demonic and yet their weapons, the mystical rituals used to protect them were all magick as well. She had more than once pointed this out to hunters she had faced only to anger them more when they realised she was telling them that they were the same as her. She swore as the spear sliced through the back of her shoulder leaving a deep gash. She had become complacent and lost in thought and had not sensed him coming. A rooky mistake she would not make again. She dodged the frenzied strikes from his spear that followed his hit and had to wonder if she would live long enough to make any mistakes again. She leapt out of the way and spun ready to throw a spell but she wasn't quick enough and the spear was about to slice open her chest. She closed her eyes ready for the final blow that was coming but a sharp clang sounded instead. She opened her eyes as strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her away from danger.

"Leo?" She asked as she got her bearings. "No! You and your brothers shouldn't be here! You'll get hurt!"

"Like you, you mean?" Don snorted as he rushed over to her with his trusty duffel bag in tow. He pulled out some supplies and got to work dressing the wounds littering Bella's body. Bella was too shocked and worried to argue with the mothering and instead looked around to see who had blocked the spear. She visibly relaxed when she saw it was Lin Mai who was facing off against the hunter and not one of the turtle brothers. Just to the left of Donatello, Mikey stood gaping at their Chinese friend as she moved almost too fast to see and effortlessly blocked every blow and even managed to get a few of her own to connect. She went to move but Don held her arm tightly. "Oh no you're not going anywhere until I have wrapped your shoulder at least!"

"There's no time!" Bella dismissed him and pulled away intending to join the fray once more.

"We'll help you!" Leo declared.

"We will?" Mikey gulped.

"Yes we will!" Leo scowled at Mikey's antics. Bella sighed. The hunter they were up against was good. Very good. If she were in the more usual spots they attacked she would be in a remote area where it was easy to lead them away from the general public and let loose one of her big spells to finish him off in one blow. Fighting a hunter in close combat was fool hardy to all but the most skilled of warriors. While she was a skilled sorceress, she certainly wasn't a skilled traditional fighter. She kept up with Mai as best she could and had to admit the turtles were in fact far more equipped to battle the hunter in this situation than she was right now. She sighed and turned to the boys.

"I need to lead him somewhere where I can attack him with a bigger spell and not worry about hitting anyone else with it." She explained. "If you really think you can take him then help Mai and lead him to the docks. I will go on ahead and prepare a suitable spell. Once you guys have him there you'll need to pay attention and get out of the way the moment Mai tells you to. Got it?"

"We won't let you down." Don placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed reassuringly.

"Wait Don." Leo stopped his brother before Don could leave to enter the fray. "I think someone should go with her." Don nodded realising that Leo was talking about him.

"I'll be fine Leo." Bella rolled her eyes.

"Even so." Leo gave her a disapproving look, "given the situation I don't think any of us should go anywhere alone. So Don is going to go with you. And I do not want any arguments." Leo crossed his arms and glared at her in a silent dare for her to argue.

"Fine." She huffed, "But you two have to promise me you will be careful and not get in Mai's way. She will adjust her style to allow for you to help her but she knows how the hunters fight and think so if she says move you damn well move!" She snapped and cast her spell to manipulate the air around her, she was lifted into the air and was soon at rooftop level. She turned and looked at Don expectantly. "Well!" If she had actually been standing on the rooftop she would have been tapping her foot. Don shook his head and was soon scaling the side of the building and on the rooftop with her. Leo and Mikey waited until both were out of sight before turning to the fight at hand.

"Leo?" Mikey gulped.

"Yeah Mikey?" Leo drew his blades as his little brother pulled out his nunchaku.

"That guy is really good!" Mikey said sounding nervous.

"We're better." Leo replied sprinting towards the battle with a yell, Mikey hot on his heels with his own battle cry.

Mai both heard and sensed the pair coming and used an attack to keep the hunter focused on her. She hoped this would mean the hunter wouldn't anticipate their attack. She ducked down last minute and smiled slightly when she heard a blade tearing flesh. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted the spear heading for Mikey's midsection and she moved like lightening to block it with her sword. She ignored Mikey's thanks for now making a mental note to tell him to pay more attention in a battle, that thanks could come once the battle was won. She delivered a spinning kick and leant right to allow Leo to bring his katana in an arch almost hitting the hunter again.

"Mai!" Leo called trying to get her attention, then had the wind knocked out of him. He was thrown back and into a street lamp leaving a sizable dent. He coughed a few times and rose to his feet to find the hunter heading towards him again. Mikey tried to intercept the hunter but was thrown to one side just as his brother had been. Mai on the other hand slid in front of the hunter before spinning and wrapping her legs around his neck. With a forceful tug and a helping handstand, the hunter was thrown safely away. She added to her move by leaping towards him and using one of her combination attacks. The left knee, then the right and finally her right foot hit in quick succession. All the while her body moved in the direction of the hunter adding to the force of the strikes. Seeing he was dazed, she backed off knowing Bella wouldn't have allowed the turtles to join the fight had she not had a plan. Not only that, they had to take this fight elsewhere before they drew unwanted attention.

"What's the plan?" Mai asked as she helped Mikey to his feet and Leo joined them.

"Bella said to draw him to the docks and she would deal with him there." Leo told her.

"Good. No doubt someone has called the police by now." Mai said noticing that the hunter was beginning to get his bearings. Both she and the hunter herd sirens and looked at each other.

"If you think that will make me run you have another thing coming heathenish dogs!" He growled. Mai looked back in the direction that the sirens were coming from and up at the roof tops.

"Follow my lead." She told the turtle brothers. She didn't wait for their reply and began making her way to the roof tops, Leo and Mikey hot on her heels. She knew the hunter had also begun following.

"Cowards!" The hunter bellowed. "What kind of warriors run from a fight?"

Mai ignored him and so did the turtles. Leo noticed that Mai did not lead them straight to the docks but made sure to make it look like they were simply trying to get away from the hunter. Before long though they were hurtling over the warehouse rooftops along the edge of the bay. It was here that Mai leapt off one of said building and landed gracefully beside the water. Leo and Mikey landed behind her.

"I don't see Bella." Leo muttered low enough for only Mai to hear.

"She's close." Mai replied just as quietly, "I can sense her. We need to lead him a little further but anymore running would raise suspicion." She readied her sword. "Let him push you back. Be ready to move when I say so or you will get caught in Bella's spell."

"Yeah yeah, we get it already." Mikey said smirking at the look she gave him, "Of course I'm happy to cheer you and Leo on as you fight this physcho."

"If you're worried keep back." Mai said matter of factly before shooting forward to attach the hunter once more. Leo was close behind and with a slight hesitation Mikey joined them. They allowed the hunter to manoeuvre them further down the docks before all of a sudden;

"Move. Now!" Mai yelled and leapt out of the way. Leo and Mikey wasted no time and followed her lead once again. Leo turned to watch what was about to happen and blinked when Bella was suddenly stood in front of them. At some point Don joined them as well. Bella was surrounded in icy blue energy and her eyes glowed in an ethereal red. She raised her hands and pulled one back as if drawing a bow. With a flash a bow and arrow formed from the same icy blue energy. The energy built up and the ground beneath the sorceress' feet cracked forming a sizable dent in the ground. Leo moved to help when he noticed the hunter moving in for the kill but Mai held him back. Bella released her arrow as the hunter got within a few feet of her and it hit straight on. The hunter screamed in both pain and anger before simply disappearing. The battle was over. They had won and it was time to go home.

Managed to get this one out much quicker! Hope you enjoyed it. Please feel free to leave a review as it often encourages me to write more! Till next time! Toodles!