AN: I just need to give a shout out again to my beta readers, WinterHeath and Spirael. This story has been much improved because of their corrections and suggestions. Thanks guys, you are both amazing!
And Thank you also to all my lovely reviewers. It warms my heart that so many people like this story, and it makes my day every time one of you takes the time to tell me so. Thank you!
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Chapter 12: Aftershock
Donnie's POV
I hug my knees a bit closer into my chest as the darkness all around me is making me feel unsettlingly insecure, not to mention the incessant swirling of my thoughts. I can't stop thinking about Mikey! It was bad enough that the "evil fairy dust" ruined my life, but my little brother's too? The thought is unbearable. Everyone else, of course, feels the same way, and we can't seem to talk of anything else.
I'm not sure how long I've been sitting here on the cushioned bench in the living room, the rest of my family coming and going around me. It's difficult to keep track of time, and I feel stupid repeatedly asking my brothers to look at a clock for me. I'm fairly certain it's late in the evening, though. I have nothing to do here, but why bother getting up? What would I do anywhere else?
I hear Raph come from the direction of the kitchen and flop noisily onto his beanbag chair. My other brothers follow. As far as I can tell, Leo sits down somewhere on my left, near Sensei. Sensei has been there for a while, apparently lost in his own melancholy thoughts, but he makes so little sound I almost forgot he was there. I am suddenly startled as Mikey plops down right beside me and shoves a piece of leftover pizza into my hands.
I smile toward him with a "Thanks, Mikey." The smell of the food reminds my stomach that I forgot to eat dinner.
The sounds of Raph fumbling for the remote reach my ears before the TV hums to life. I think he turned it on more out of habit than anything, though. The volume is very low, and it sounds like a nature program. When the channel doesn't change, I can tell no one's really watching it. We all still have too much on our minds.
My little brother curls up next to me, wiggling in as close as he can get. He's doped up on strong pain meds and feeling much better. He's barely left my side all day, and I think, as he snuggles into my shoulder, that he's trying to both take comfort and bestow it. Not that I'm complaining. My physical world has been basically reduced to what I can detect through hearing and touch, and with Mikey no longer being his loud, boisterous self, it's nice to have him right beside me, where I can feel him. I reach my arm out and drape it over his shell, in a more comfortable position.
"So we don't really know what more this purple powder is capable of," says Leo, bringing up again the only topic any of us have been thinking about today. "But it seems pretty certain that the stuff Rahzar scratched Mikey with was the same powder Tiger Claw threw at you, right, Donnie?"
"Yeah," I say, somewhat wearily, confirming that statement for the third time today. "I just wish I knew where Stockman got it." If only I could analyze it. . .
"If you had some, could you maybe find, you know, a cure?" asks Raph carefully. I know where he's going with this, but I don't want him to get his hopes up.
"Normally I would say there was a possibility of it, but I just don't see how I could if I can't even see the stuff."
I can feel Mikey tapping on his T-phone beside me and then Leo's phone jingles across the room.
"Mikey says the powder comes from the Kraang."
"Really?" I ask Mikey. "How do you know that?"
A pause while Mikey types, followed by another jingle of Leo's phone.
"He says that the fairy dust is purple and sparkly, so it has to be from the Kraang because everything they have is purple and sparkly." I can hear Leo's voice deadpan and I roll my eyes at Mikey.
"Mikey, that's not nearly sufficient evidence." I feel him shrug under my arm that's wrapped around him.
Master Splinter interjects at this point. "I am curious to know more about this Time Scepter that Michelangelo mentioned. What is this object, and how do you four know about it?"
There is a pregnant pause as we all consider how to answer him. We never told Sensei about our adventure through time with Renet, because doing so would have meant telling him about our interference with his past, and we all felt it was better that he remained ignorant of that. I can't see Raph and Mikey's faces, but somehow I know that we are all waiting for Leo to address this subject.
"Well, Sensei, we found out about it only a few weeks ago," Leo begins slowly. "We met a girl from the future called Renet. She had this Time Scepter that allowed her to travel through time, and we helped her defeat a bad guy that was trying to steal the Scepter and alter time. And now it looks like Tiger Claw somehow got a hold of the Scepter."
"I see." I wish I could see Sensei's expression. He never speaks even a tenth of what he's thinking, so you have to try and read it on his face. If he's wondering why we didn't tell him about this earlier, though, he doesn't ask.
"But Mikey said Tiger Claw didn't seem to have a clue who Renet was, so I wonder how he got the Scepter?" queries Raph.
I wonder the same thing. One thing makes sense, though. "Well, now at least I know how he appeared so suddenly behind me last night. Mikey said he had opened a portal onto our battle on the rooftop. After Mikey left the lab, Tiger Claw must've come through the portal to attack the rest of us, and that's when he found me alone on the rooftop."
"Yeah," agrees Leo. "The big question now, though, is what is he going to do with the Time Scepter? Such a powerful object in the hands of our enemies is a very dangerous thing. We have to get it back from him."
A tense silence falls as no one is willing to pursue that subject further. Leo's right of course, but the thought of a mission like that frightens me right now. We're not exactly at the top of our game. Mikey won't be walking properly for a few days, and what use would I possibly be?
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Leo's POV
It is dark and quiet in the lair at this late hour. After assuring himself that Mikey and Donnie are settled comfortably in their rooms, Sensei approaches Raph and I. We stand and make ready to head to bed, too, but he stops us.
"A word with the two of you." He motions toward the dojo and we silently follow him up the steps and into the dim room.
When Sensei turns to look at us, his eyes are glowing fiercely. I can see the grief in them, and when he speaks it is with an intensity born of deep rooted emotion, a voice that must not be disobeyed.
"I know exactly what you two are thinking. I know the grief you feel for your brothers. I know the anger and the thirst for revenge." His eyes flick between us as he speaks, and we dare not make a sound to interrupt. His tone is forceful and commanding. "But listen and obey when I say this to you: You will not leave this lair to seek vengeance on your enemies!"
I can feel Raph stiffen with rebellion as this unfair pronouncement is made, but neither of us makes any verbal protest. "Remember, my sons, that causing pain to those who have hurt you is not worth the risk of losing your own lives. I will not have any more of my sons suffer! Your brothers need you now, and you will remain in the lair until I give you leave to go. Is that clear?"
How can he tell us to let this attack on our family be ignored? Everything in me is rebelling against this punishment, for it definitely feels like a punishment. Yet my father is not one to be crossed. Not when he is in a mood like this. I can feel the struggle going on inside Raph, as well, and I know that it takes an immense effort of will for him to reply along with me, "Hai, Sensei."
"Very good." Splinter nods at us, a look of wary relief on his face. "You may go."
We bow respectfully before leaving the dojo and walk silently together toward the bedrooms.
Raph pauses outside his door, his entire body tense, his hands balled into fists at his sides. "Leo?"
"Yeah?"
Raph looks into my eyes and I can tell he's feeling me out, determining where I stand. "We're still going to go after Rahzar and Tiger Claw, right?"
I pause a moment, considering. "Master Splinter is trying to protect us. . ." I say slowly.
"But. . . ?" prompts Raph.
"But he's wrong. Especially since this isn't just about revenge. We need to get the Time Scepter back. And we need to try to get some of that powder for Donnie to analyze."
"Yeah," agrees Raph, "but it's about revenge, too. Those creeps seriously need to pay for what they did to our brothers." A flash of righteous anger burns in his eyes.
I smile grimly at him.
"So, we are going after them?"
"Yes, Raph, but not tonight."
"What? Why not?" Part of his anger is being redirected at me now.
"Because Master Splinter is on the alert right now. We'll never get out of the lair without him stopping us. We have to wait for the right chance to sneak out."
Raph sees my point, but clearly doesn't like it much. "Fine," he growls, "but it better be soon!" With that, he disappears into his room.
