A/N- This chapter works best if you have seen 'The Shredder Strikes Back' arc (TMNT 2003 S01E17+18) as quite a few references are made :)
Chapter 10
"Raphael, what have you done?" Leo demanded, moving swiftly towards his brother.
"She needed to be brought down from her high castle and realize she can't just show up here and expect us to protect her."
"She never asked for protection. Without her we might not have gotten away from the Shredder."
"Without her, we wouldn't have even been there tonight. It was all a trap to distract us, and then the Shredder would have hit us. Hard."
"Raphael, enough." Master Splinter banged his staff angrily on the ground. His sons froze. "That was the Shredder's plan, not Mei Pieh Chi's. She helped prevent the other part."
"Which part?" Donatello asked, regretting his curiosity the moment he saw the look of sorrow on his father's face before he sighed.
"The part where he planned to batter your brother with brute force and sheer numbers to dispirit and dishearten us, just as he did before."
Everyone gasped before shocked silence came into play as the group contemplated the old rat's words. Leo's eyes widened, not looking at anything while realising why there had been such a concentrated force of Foot Ninja attacking him. Master Splinter had arrived just in time; Leo had felt his stamina fading, not helped by the gash on his arm. He'd vowed a couple of years ago that he would never allow such a defeat happen again, and although the Foot ninja weren't as tough as the elite, their skills had definitely improved. Shame coloured his cheeks as he realised they nearly succeeded in destroying him. Again.
Raph stared at his brother, confused relief cooling his anger immediately while Mikey sat on the floor with wide eyes, still not quite understanding the severity of his Sensei's words. Donny shifted his feet slightly.
"You mean, like when Shredder blew up April's shop, after Leo was-?"
"The same, Donatello." Splinter confirmed. He looked directly at Raph. "If it were not for Mei Pieh Chi, then I may not have gotten to your brother in time, and he may have been overwhelmed and lost to us, skilled as he is," Splinter added on the end, looking directly at Leo who fleetingly caught his eye before dropping his head. "The Shredder would have been able to strike a devastating blow physically to your brother, and spiritually in all of us. Who knows if we would have survived?"
Silence returned to the lair as memories of that dreadful night returned to everyone's minds. Donny remembered feeling helpless, simply staring at his brother's wounds and cursing himself for not delving into the scientific field of medicine more. April had thankfully been able to patch him up when they got to the farm house, but she had failed to protect him against Hun as his lifeless body was thrown into the fray of the fight, and felt guilty for it every day during Leo's recovery. Casey remembered the night as his first proper battle with the turtles. He'd enjoyed cracking some skulls but certainly not the look of fear the group wore, not just because of their assailants. Leo was the strong stoic pillar of security. The leader. The fact that he'd been beaten by those Foot scum held little hope for their own victory. Mikey had hated every minute of that night; he knew the Foot would return eventually, with or without the Shredder. Not only did his comic books dictate the fact, but he'd also had a funny feeling the moment they'd moved into April's. But he couldn't believe that he was having to protect Leo, the one who always protected him and defended him not just against their enemies but his brothers too. But now it was his turn, and it terrified him.
Raph remembered simply feeling fear. He'd always wanted a chance to be leader, but this wasn't it. This was a night to preserve their small family. To make sure they survived. But he didn't know if they would. Master Splinter too had also felt scared, both for their family and for his son's life. He desperately tried to fight off their assailants to at least give April a chance to get Leonardo out of harm's way, but there had been too many of them, and his son instead tried to fight for his family. As he always did. And if Master Splinter hadn't reached him in time, the Shredder would have been able to finish his grisly mission. Leonardo then repaid the favour by kicking the chest between the old rat and villain, before he fell back into April's arms, energy spent and unconscious.
But one thing that had linked them all that night was anger. Anger at not only the Shredder ambushing their brother and leader, but at his destroying April's home, forcing them out of their own and pushing them to exile whilst they healed both physically and mentally. The memory was still painful for them all, but had acted as a lesson.
Raphael hung his head in regret, shame flooding his body. He was indebted to Mei Pieh Chi after all: He wouldn't have been able to face seeing Leo in that state again, and if he had actually lost him... Splinter placed a paw on his son's shoulder. "Ahh, my son. I know that you are really angry at me for not revealing any of this to you. But that is my doing, not Pieh Chi's. Her father wanted her presence hidden from you all until he felt she was ready to meet you. However, I believe my friend was simply waiting for the time when he could accept the fact that his daughter may have wanted to stay here with her own kind rather than return to China and be isolated again. She is innocent in all this. Trust me." Raphael nodded. They needed to find her.
"She doesn't know New York," Leo stated, worry staying the surprise in him. He needed to keep calm whilst the memory of that terrible night washed through his brothers. He couldn't let the fear it had caused envelope him again, and acting as if news of Shredder's plan hadn't affected him was the best way to appear strong for them all. He remembered what he decided when facing the elite during their break in of the Foot's headquarters, when they returned to New York after their exile: his enemies may destroy him, but he would not live in fear.
"Well then we better find her."Raph concluded, guilt fuelling new determination.
"But what about her scrolls?" Donny asked. Mikey frowned before an idea struck him.
"I know! What if us lot go and get the scrolls, whilst Raph and Splinter go find Meipy."
"Mei Pieh Chi," Raph corrected. "And I doubt she'd want to see me."
"Alright then, send Leo. We can handle the Foot. We can use the roof tops and then meet April a couple of blocks away."
"Sounds good to me. Master Splinter?" Leo wanted consent from his sensei before they did anything else that night. The old rat looked thoughtfully upon his sons, raising one brow at the bandage on their leader's arm. At least he would be able to keep an eye on Leonardo this way.
"I agree with Michelangelo. But be careful, you must be stealthy. If none of us have returned in two hours, then we shall have to look for each other. April, can you monitor the lair from the battle-shell?"
"You insult me Master Splinter," she joked. "I'll try and keep tabs on everyone."
"Well, that settles it," Leo resolved, nodding towards Raph. "Let's go get her."
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"Mikey, quit messin around." Raphael ordered his brother, who was making faces at a human through the window of their apartment.
"Dude, he can't see me." Mikey continued making faces, the man chilling out in front of his TV, too engrossed to notice.
"He'll hear you though if you don't stop."
"What do you mean?"
Raphael covered his brother's mouth and then punched him in the arm. Mikey let out a strangled cry against the restraint.
"Do you want me to do it again?" Raph threatened, smiling slightly.
"Guys! Seriously, do you ever stop bickering?" Donny chided, climbing the rest of the fire escape until he came to the roof. His brothers and Casey joined them, the Foot's headquarters looming above them.
"We need to get on the roof. Good job I brought those palm grippers I made." He pulled out four pairs of metal cuffs that slipped onto your hand, a set of spikes protruding from the palm.
"How are they gonna help us get up there?" Casey asked. Raph turned and smiled. "Oh no. No way! I am not scaling that. It's gotta be a 1000ft tall!" The others just laughed and leapt, the metal scraping the cement but holding. A faint clinking was heard as they began to climb.
"Ahh, jeez. They'll never let me live this down if I chicken out. Hey guys, wait!" He pulled on the cuffs and jumped, trying not to yell when they didn't grip immediately. He let out a deep breath when he finally stopped moving and climbed as fast as he could to the others above him.
"Took you long enough," Raph joked, slowing up a little for his friend to catch up.
"I swear, you guys are gonna get me killed one day." Casey yelled back, focusing on not looking down.
"Guys, shhh! We need to be quiet," Donny whispered. Their voices stilled whilst the clinking continued.
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Meanwhile, Leo and Master Splinter were racing across the rooftops, trying to figure out where Mei Pieh Chi would go.
"She doesn't know the city, Sensei. She could be anywhere."
"I know, my son, but we have no choice but to look everywhere."
"Can't you try and reach her mind, like you did earlier when she tried to toast the Shredder?"
"It is not that simple, Leonardo. Then, I knew where she was and the emotions she was feeling. Plus, I have not had much contact with her, only with her master."
"What about 'sensing the nearest magical presence'?" Leo felt ridiculous asking the question, even more so when his father snorted slightly in reply.
"My son, I do not have a magical satellite system. Only another Shinobi would be able to find her that way. Or someone with an immense level of Qigong." Leo looked at him. "Which I do not have. The only other way to do it would be for me to meditate deep within myself." He raised his brows. "And I mean deep. It would take too long. No, we must try and use our brain to find her."
"How did you manage to speak to her before? It's not something you have ever taught us."
"I have tried my son, but you were always a little...impatient when it came to the lessons. To be able to use the skill effectively, you must first gain a strong level of Qigong, something that only you have persisted to master but still not quite achieved."
"But I don't understand why I haven't, Master Splinter. I have been learning long enough-"
"Yes, but in all honesty, you haven't had the best teacher. I have only been able to learn with the help of Chung I, but I found it difficult to relay his lessons on to you four. But maybe, when we have found her and if she is willing to stay, Mei Pieh Chi would be able to teach you. Her level greatly surpasses my own."
"If we find her," Leo replied gloomily.
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Pieh Chi wandered around Central Park, lost. She'd run away, wanting to escape somewhere rural. And perhaps escape from the truth, she added in her mind. She was surprised to find such a large space dedicated to nature in such a busy city. It was quite beautiful, but she kept to the shadows. It was late, she knew, but she couldn't risk being seen by any other humans. She was regretting her outburst earlier, but the things Raphael had said...it was a slate against her honour, and she couldn't understand why he didn't trust her. Master Splinter said he had a 'hot-headed' nature. Maybe responding in the same way wasn't the best idea. She felt bruised and battered, and her wounds ached dully under their hadn't even bothered going to the Foot's headquarters. She knew she couldn't go in alone. Maybe if the guys let her come back they'd help her get her scrolls. There were other things she wanted back, but the scrolls were the priority. In the wrong hands, they could prove deadly, and it was vital she got them back. They were her responsibility, and she'd already failed by leaving them in the hands of the enemy.
As she walked around the park, Pieh Chi found herself completely in touch with the earth. She could feel its life force hum. The fact that this patch of nature was in the centre of an urban city made its energy much more concentrated. It was almost peaceful. She could feel her mind clearing, the fog of anger and misery fading into crisp clarity. Her senses came alive as she breathed in the slightly polluted air and sensed another, stronger energy source. There was something else in the air, a low heat and a metal tang. There's a storm on its way she realised, and knew she had to find shelter. She also knew she should return to the lair but something kept her in the park; although this place was so different from her home, the simple beauty of it made her feel welcome. She could sense everything around her; birds roosting in the trees, insects buzzing in the air…footsteps. Pieh Chi froze sharply, aware of a presence that she didn't really recognise. No wait, there was more than one. She picked at a shrub, pretending to be looking at something before slowly moving off again, raindrops beginning to patter around her, muffling any other sounds. She kept her movements relaxed, walking leisurely as if she hadn't noticed anything. She had to act natural; she was being followed.
A/N- Hope you guys are enjoying the story :) May and June are going to be hectic for me as I try and get through my exams so updates will probably be a little slow. :/ This chapter took a while because I really wasn't happy with the first draft. I will try and write as much as I can but studying is going to take priority for a little while. Some reviews may be encouraging though ;) xxx