Chapter 12

All Is Well That Ends Well… Or Is It?

The journey down the mountain was substantially easier than the way up, since it was downhill and warmer than earlier. The group's spirits were also higher now that the 'curse' on the girls had been lifted, so it felt a lot easier for them, even the old rope-bridge didn't pose any real problem, as the winds were calmer, allowing Tyroth to ferry the rest to the other side in record time.

A few hours later, they reached the temple, where the monks welcomed them back inside the warmth. And the elder was very interested in hearing what they had to say.

"I see, that does shed some light on things." he said once the team had explained what that had happened. "To think that the curse was not a curse at all, but a blessing from Naginalga. There is more that have been lost than we thought."

"Indeed, but at least we have recovered a little piece of it." said Leonardo.

"And we will make sure to make proper records of it, for future generations. And with the talisman back where it belongs, maybe that order will return one day, just like Naginalga said."

"One can always hope." said Tyroth. "Would it be rude of me to assume that your offer of staying the night here still stands?"

"Of course not, you are all welcome here whenever your path may lead you here. It may not be a hotel, but I am certain that it will be more than enough."

"Thank you, we really appreciate it." said Monalisa.


The next day, the group headed out shortly after the sun had risen, after thanking the monks for their hospitality and saying good-bye to them.

The path that Tyroth had made trough the snow the day before was still intact, and allowed them to get back to the jet in record time. Though, seeing it half-buried in the snow wasn't the happiest sight they could have hoped for, they had a lot of work ahead of them.

"Well, if you guys start digging, I'll head inside and finish the repairs." said Donatello as he opened the hatch on the side of the jet.

"This will take a while." said Leonardo, eyeing the massive amount of snow. "Are there any kind of shovels in the jet?"

"Nope. We'll have to dig with our own hands." Tyroth sighed.

"Great, like my fingers weren't like icicles already." Michelangelo complained.

It was a long and hard time that the group spent digging, and despite that they worked hard, they still got very cold while doing so. Tyroth could warm them with his magic, but it still took longer than they wanted. After about an hour, Donatello had completed the repairs, and exited the jet to help the others, once he had had the time to get warmed as well, for it was just as cold inside the jet as outside.

It was late in the afternoon when they had managed to remove almost all of the snow and ice, and at that time Tyroth took over, using his flames to melt the last of the snow. While it had been easier to let him do so in the first place, he wasn't sure that he would be able to melt that much snow, and worried that the water would just freeze anew on the jet. Within short, the jet was finally completely freed from its frozen prison, and the group could at last return home.


The next day, Emma hurried down the streets of New York, she could see the area where she lived and she was really anxious to get back home again. Rounding the last corner, she reached the entrance of the apartment building and hurried inside.

Standing outside her door, she hesitated a bit. She hadn't left on the best of terms, but she longed after her parents so much that she had to brave whatever awaited her. Bracing herself, she rang the doorbell and waited.

A middle-aged woman with long black hair opened the door, Emma's mother.

"Emma?" she said, her eyes wide with shock. "Oh my God! Emma! Where have you been? Your father and I have been so worried about you."

Emma wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the words, instead she threw her arms around her mother, and cried as she was finally home. Her mother was completely taken by surprise, and didn't know what to say, even though she was angry that Emma had run away.

"I'm sorry, Mom… I'm so sorry… I never wanted to say all those things I said… I just want to be home again, with you and Dad…"

"Emma… dear… I… I'm just glad that your back safe and sound… let's just forget that fight..."

"I want nothing else, Mom…"

"But where have you been all this time? It's been several days."

"I've been… lost… and got into trouble, but I met some really kind people that helped me."

"That's good to hear, but let's not stand here in the doorway, come in and I'll get you something to eat, you must be starving."

Emma gladly followed her mother, a few tears of happiness still rolling down her cheeks. She was finally home again, together with her mother, and her father would be home shortly so she could meet him as well. Though, she would later learn, that she had not gotten home unharmed, and the same was true for a few others.


Later that night, in the lair, things were not as happy as one would have thought.

"ACHOO! Oh, bad… by dose is all stuffed… just our luck to catch a cold..." said Michelangelo, shivering under his blanket in the couch.

His brothers weren't much better off, as they too had gotten the same nasty cold. The girls, having better healing abilities than the turtles, had not gotten as sick, but they were still out of commission and wrapped with blankets. Only Tyroth, with his superior healing ability, had resisted the disease, but it fell upon him to take care of the sickly, together with Splinter, who had also avoided getting sick.

"Hey… Big T, could you hurry up with that soup? I really could use sobe..." said Raphael.

"Take it easy, I'm coming." said the dragon as he carried a large tray with bowls of hot soup.

"Is it chicked soup? I cad't feel the sbell..." said Sephie as she was handed a bowl.

"No, this is a family recipe that I've added my personal touch to. Mom's chilli and curry soup with vegetables, and I've added a healthy dose of hot sauce to give it a little extra punch."

"A healthy dose? How buch is that?" asked Raphael as he took a spoon-full of the soup. "Dosed't taste buch at all, how- Ghaa! Hot! Hot as shell!"

"Yeah, I forgot to warn you, it takes a little while before the full flavour kicks in." said Tyroth.

"Kicks in?! It kicks like a bule! What is this soup supposed to do?! Cook us?!"

"In a sense, yeah, the heat from the chilli and the hot sauce will clear your systems. It has always worked for me, before I mutated."

"I wodder which is worse, the disease or the cure." said Monalisa as she steeled herself for the hot soup.

"I suggest that you accept what help you are offered, children, and maybe we can get you all back on your feet soon." said Splinter. "I will prepare some ginseng tea for you, it should help both with the cold and the spiciness of the soup."

"Thadk you, baster Splidter." said Leonardo.

"Yeah, thadk- ACHOO! …ugh… yuck! Hadd full of sdot… Gross… Hey, T?"

"And you think you have it bad." Tyroth said under his breath. "I'm coming, Mikey, don't worry."

Reptiles and cold don't really mix, in more ways than one, and our heroes are sure to remember that.

But this is the end of this story, I really hope that you've all enjoyed it, and thank you for the support. This wasn't one of my more serious stories, but it was one that I've been wanting to write for a while, and being serious all the time tends to get a bit boring.

Before I leave you for this time, be on the look out for my coming works, since more will be published in a few days or so, as of posting this.

Take care! :)