Sorry for the long wait peoples.
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Chapter 14
Mari's POV
"Uh" Mikey started "I think I speak for all of us when I say "Zoinks"
I would've laughed at the old cartoon line if we weren't in trouble right now. The three monsters continued making their way toward us and I will not lie, I'm a little scared. I felt a hand grip my shoulder and pull me backwards away from the acid that the blue monster spewed at us… gross. Looking up I saw that it was Leo that pulled me away. I gave him a look of gratitude before taking out my manriki chain.
"Alright, you guys take the three on the left" Mikey stated
"There are only three" Raph reminded him, annoyed
"There's one for each of you guys"
"And what about us?" Elisa asked, sounding offended that us girls were being left out
"You can share and I'll be odd turtle out"
"You're telling me" Raph said
The red monster decided it was going to hit a large metal machine our way. I guess that's one way to shut us up. We moved out of the way and jumped into action while Mikey stayed on the sidelines just watching. I went and helped Raph with the biggest one, the gray that looked like he could eat us in one gulp. This should be fun
It roared and charged at us, Raph followed its lead, tackling it to the ground. Wow Elisa was right Raph would make a good football player. It got back up tossing Raph to the side. That was my chance, I wrapped my chain around the gray monster's neck and yanked. It tried its hardest to get me off, but I was firm.
"Yee-haw" I cheered as the monster roared angrily. I tugged on my manriki chain leading it right toward its red friend that was harassing Don and Elisa. I jumped off right before they collided, leaving my chain on its neck
"Alright cow girl" Raph exclaimed after what he just witnessed
The gray one got back up and started scaling the walls. Once it got to the ceiling it chewed right through it. "Whoa" it was tunneling right over…
"Mikey!" Raph and I went to go help him
Jeez Mikey can be so unfocused. "Duck Mikey"
"Huh?" Mikey ducked just in time for me and Raph to tackle the rock eater
"Watch your back ya oddball" Raph said
"You just called me odd, didn't you?" Mikey asked
"Uh yeah, that's cause you are" I agreed before getting tackled to the ground by the gray monster. It had me firmly pinned to the ground and it was going for the final blow. I shut my eyes waiting for the pain. It never came and the pressure that was keeping me down was suddenly lifted off of me. My eyes snapped open and Mikey was standing over me.
"I'm not odd, I'm eccentric" Mikey explained while helping me up
I shook my head at that, he was still talking about it. "What's the difference?"
That's when Don hit the ground next to us. We both helped him to his feet "Raph and Mari think I'm odd" he complained to Don
"You're just being sensitive" Don said as some quick form of comfort before jumping back into the fray
"Sensitive?" Mikey exclaimed, irritated "If there's one thing I hate it's when people call me sensitive"
"Way to prove Don's point little brother" I rolled my and decided now would be a good time to leave him alone to think
I figured Raph still needed help with the big guy so "Hey Raphie, how's it going big guy?"
Raph was sorta having a staring contest with the monster, it was waiting for us to make a move "How do you think it's going?" Raph grouched
"No reason to get testy" I said "I got your back"
"…Thanks Mari"
"I distract, you attack" I offered, getting ready to run at it
"Alright… go" he said to me
I ran at it full speed keeping an eye on any and every movement it made. It swung its fist at me missing my head. I back flipped out of the way as it slammed both fists into the ground. I stood stunned for a second at the large dent it left in the floor. I saw my manriki chain still wrapped around its neck, but I refused to go in after it. The monster might confuse my hand as a rock and try to eat it. I can get another one if I lose that one. Once I had the monster completely turned around, giving Raph the opportunity to strike.
"Now Raph" Raph's foot connected with the monster's back. It stumbled forward and hit the ground. "Nice… we should team up more often, we're really good at this"
Raph smirked and shook his head. We both backed away from the monster, regrouping with the others in the process. Somehow Leo fell on top of Mikey… I wasn't gonna bother to ask how.
"Then I vote we get the shell outta here" was the only thing I heard Don say and that sounded really nice right now.
"Run away?" Raph asked "That ain't my style"
"Of course it isn't" Elisa said with an annoyed shake of her head
"Call it a tactical retreat. Let's move" Leo rephrased before taking off with the others.
I grabbed a hold of Raph's arm, tugging lightly. "Tactical retreat. I can live with that"
"Good choice Raphie boy"
We both followed our siblings out the door. At the other end of the larger, round room was another door. Don tried to get it open "It's sealed tight"
"Of course it is" I mumbled turning back to the growling monsters running right for us "Eeep"
The guys automatically went for the door trying to close it before they got there. Any later and the one with the giant claws could've taken somebody's head off. With the door closed one would think that we were safe right… haha wrong
BANG! BANG!
They were still trying to bust their way in "Somebody gonna answer that?" Mikey asked nervously
A couple more shots to the door like that and it flew right off its hinges. The red monster was there waiting, behind us the gray one popped out of the ground like a giant, ugly daisy. We all got ready to fight as they both closed in on us when suddenly…
"No!" the blue one ordered. Since when was he able to talk. He approached us slowly, cautiously while acid dripped from his mouth. I was only a little bit calm because Leo let his guard down a bit
"Just say the word bro" Raph said from behind Leo
"Easy guys, it's okay" Leo stood completely still as the blue monster sniffed him
"Who are you?" he asked, pointing at us
"Not who you think we are?" Leo responded
"Then why do you carry those?" he asked us, pointing to Don's bag
Don opened them up revealing the crystals. They automatically went into defensive mode once they were seen.
"Donnie, close the bag" Elisa said and Don immediately listened
"Whoa wait a minute" Leo held his hands up "We found these crystals in a cavern where we're staying, that's all"
"Yeah" Raph agreed "And just what business is it of yours anyway"
"Those crystals are the embodiment of evil" the blue monster answered, angrily "Why have you come here?"
"Cause one of you ogres went sniffing around our place looking for trouble so we're here to…" I quickly punched him in the arm "Ow"
"We're just looking for some answers, that's all" Don finished
"I'm Leonardo" Leo started introducing "These are my brothers Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo and my sisters Elisabetta and Marietta"
"We were drawn to your habitat when your crystals were activated" the blue on said
I automatically turned to Mikey "Gee, wonder who could've done that?" Don asked sarcastically also looking to Mikey
"Their energy is a sign of danger to us so we considered you dangerous. Though we usually sense them from deeper below"
"Below?" Don asked "You mean there are more of those crystals down there. We'd just like to find out where they came from, that's all and maybe…"
The blue one suddenly turned to him "No, it is a forbidden place. Something unspeakable dwells there among the crystals. There are some things man was never meant to tamper with"
Mikey wanted to say something on that matter, but Don covered his mouth with his hand "Okay, can we all just stop saying that line so Mikey won't be forced to say anything about it" I said aloud
"He is an odd one"
I decided that now would be a good time to ask. I turned to the gray one "Since we're kinda okay now can I have my chain please?" I pointed to my weapon still wrapped around its neck
The gray one stepped toward me and tugged the chain from around its neck and handed it to me. "Thank you"
We followed the blue monster back into the destroyed lab. "I don't trust these guys" Mikey whispered
"Why?" Raph asked
"Try the fact that they're monsters" Mikey responded
"Yeah well to some people so are we"
That shut him up real quick
"Idiota" I mumbled under my breath
"I can't believe Shredder had you genetically altered as diggers just to search down here for some enemy"
"Yes," the blue one responded "And he did so without remorse. We were forced against our will to do his bidding"
"He just snatched you at random?" Leo asked "From where?"
"Our offices, our homes, anywhere a shadow could conceal a Foot Soldier. We don't know why we were chosen"
"What's your name?" Leo asked slowly
"I am Quarry of Tunnel Squad Three" he answered quickly and professionally "The others are Stone Biter and Razor Fist" he pointed respectively to the gray one and red one
"Um… I think my brother was trying to ask what your real name was" I said instead
"S-Si" he struggled "My memory is… the experiments performed on us have stripped us of who we are"
"Yes, we saw the video log entries"
"Well, don't worry about Shredder" Raph said
"Yeah, he totally got what was coming" Elisa finished
"He made the mistake of messing the Ninja Turtles" Mikey gloated "There's a lesson to be learned in that if you know what I mean"
Alarms started going off in the lab "Mikey, what did you do?" I squeaked
"Don't look at me sis," he waved his hands defensively "I'm innocent, I swear"
"He did nothing," Quarry answered "It's the others "They tripped an alarm in the east delta tunnel. Hurry, we must activate the energy shield" he went to computer and typed in a few commands, but nothing happened. "No, no"
"Don't do a no, no. I hate no, nos"
"It's no good, the shield will not activate. We have no power, no force field and they're headed this way"
"Uh, yeah we kinda met your force field" Raph responded and he sounded nervous
"And Raph kinda broke it" Mikey added
"Only cause Don told him so" I added in
"Hey" Don elbowed me on the arm
"Ow. What?"
More growling from outside the lab could be heard "What is out there?" Leo asked
"The others." Quarry responded vaguely
"Other what?" Leo pushed
"Other test subjects like us. They endlessly prowl the tunnels"
"Why do you have to keep them out?"
"Because they attack us," he ripped the computer out and began messing with the wires inside "They're violent, uncontrollable, their minds have deteriorated"
"From the genetic mutation?" wow Leo' s asking a lot of questions
"Yes" Quarry responded sadly
"Then what about you three?"
"Madness looms in our future as well"
"Oh fabulous" I muttered under my breath
Quarry connected two wires together and all the screens lit up as well as the crystal… for like two seconds before shutting off again "The crystal is completely burned out. It is hopeless"
"Oh, that's a real nice thought there." I said sarcastically as I pulled out my manriki chain
Everyone else took their weapons out as well "Weapons will do no good. Without the force field we won't stand a chance against them"
"So you expect us to just give up… just like that?" Elisa asked
Another set of roars "They'll be on us in minutes"
"Really Quarry? We get it" wow I'm starting to get very snippy lately… I think it's this whole place, I'm starting lose it a little bit
"You know you're kinda freaking me out here. Are you always such a naysayer?"
Donnie jumped up to the crystal and pulled it out, but it fell apart in his hands. "Is that what the crystals are? Power sources?"
"Yes, but that was our only one," Quarry said. "When we found it in the catacombs we paid dearly for it."
"Well," Leo started in. "What about one of ours?" he asked as he pulled one out of Donny's bag.
"They're too small," Quarry said. "It would not last."
Don took it out of Leo's hand and replaced it "It only has to last until they give up and move on" nothing happened, not even a little flicker. "Come on" Donnie tried adjusting it
As the roaring got louder Stone Biter, Raph and Razor Fist even Elisa automatically went for the door, shutting it before all shell broke loose.
Quarry continued typing in different commands "There is no spark"
"For some reason they just won't power up. Maybe the connection to these contact nodes were charred" Don thought out loud
"Or maybe you got the thing upside" Mikey suggested, hopping up to join the rest of us
"It's not upside down Mikey." Don scolded
"Well hurry and do something cause I don't think they can hold the door much longer" I said nearly frantic. I looked back just in time to see Raph nearly get his head shredded.
"Okay," Donnie said "let's try it again."
The doors could no longer be held up, we were really out of time here. The others approached us, one looked like a giant freaky looking spider and the others looked like bigger, upgraded versions of Razor Fist, Stone Biter and Quarry. I saw Don take another glance at Mikey. "Alright Don, I know what you're thinking." I said quickly "I know it sounds crazy, but try it out anyway."
Don sighed and flipped the crystal and sure enough it lit up. The computer whirred to life and the force field surrounded us and pushed the "others" out.
"Sweet, it's working." I cheered
"Don't think I didn't see that Donnie." Mikey gloated "It was upside down"
The crystal was flickering, I don't think it was going to hold out much longer "It's overloading" Quarry said before turning to look at the other monsters "They're leaving" he added. Wow, that was cutting it kinda close because as soon as they left the force field shut down. "But tomorrow they'll be back, they always come back."
"Then you better have a bigger crystal" Leo said
"We will not survive another journey to the forbidden zone" Quarry stated
"What makes the place so forbidden?" Mikey asked
"The ancient catacombs stretch for miles. We were forced to explore it, many of us never returned"
"Uh…" Mikey started "Maybe they got lost" he offered
"They were taken by a ghostly entity," Quarry said "There is never any sign of a struggle, they're just gone"
"Look I understand why you don't want to go down there, but there aren't a lot of options" Leo said. "You need another crystal and fast"
"And since we're the ones who kind of fried your security system we'll go with you" Raph said "Right guys?"
"Oh yeah, I'm in" Elisa said
"Of course" I said
"Absolutely" Leo said
"We're there" Don agreed
Mikey chuckled nervously when we all looked at him "You know, the corner hardware store has a sale on generators that would really get this force field humming. So I'll just go up top, clip the coupon and…" Raph and Elisa both grabbed Mikey and practically dragged him out.
"Okay, let's keep our wits about us" Leo said as he followed Donnie who had the crystal.
Me and Elisa followed behind them, somehow we always end up in the middle. "Don't worry Mikey you can share my wits" I heard Raph offer
"Oh, so now I'm witless. Must be why I'm the only one bothered by the fact that we're heading to a place that even monsters are afraid of"
XXX
We soon found ourselves sliding down a rock hard slide that Quarry said was a short cut… which was kinda fun for a while and then I hit the bottom and a few of my siblings were on top of me "Raphael, you have till the count of three to get your butt off of me" I heard Elisa growl
Raph was all too happy to oblige, no one ever wants to face the wrath of Elisabetta. Especially Raph
"A short cut." Mikey complained "In what mutated imagination can that be considered a…"
"Sorry," Quarry said "We forgot you can't scale rock"
"Let's try and avoid that mistake in the future, okay" Raph said
Mikey waved a hand in front of his face "Whew, who cut the cheese?" Mikey asked
"You're smelling a sulfur pool Mikey" Don told him
"Coming from a turtle who grew up in a sewer. Trust me when I say this place stinks"
"We must keep moving, the others wander down here" Quarry said "This is their territory"
We made our way across the sulfur pool making sure to stay on the stones. I do not want to set one foot in that pool. A little bubble floated up in front of Leo and when it popped a little creature came out, getting ready to attack Leo's face. Quarry's tongue shot out, pulled the little creature into his mouth and he swallowed.
"Ew" Leo muttered
"Blech" I squeaked
"We've learned to either live off the land or it lives off us" Quarry said
I nodded "Okay, totally understandable, but still… blech!"
We came out of a tunnel and we had to walk with shells up against a cavern wall. Leo ventured out first and almost slipped off. "Leo, you okay?" Don asked
"Whoa, that was a little too close for comfort. Watch your footing guys"
Slowly, but surely we made our way to a busted bridge and down below was a giant swirling whirlpool. Quarry, Razor Fist and Stone Biter went in first. "Don't push me cause I'm close to the edge," I started singing because for some reason this seemed like the perfect time for this song… sorta… well that line applies to this moment right here.
"You better jump or I really will push you" Elisa threatened
"Okay okay" I said and I was the first in… why? Cause I wanted to.
I was fished out of the water by Quarry, he grabbed my hand with his. I thanked him quickly before turning back to watch my siblings. One by one, we fished them out. Mikey was being swept away by the current and headed toward very sharp crystals. Luckily Stone Biter grabbed him… by the head.
"Let go of his head Stone Biter" Quarry ordered once my brother was on dry land
Mikey was released and he patted his head to make sure it was still there "Do that again and I'll give you a real taste of the turtles, dude"
"How far away from the crystals, are we?" Leo asked
"They're here in the catacombs" Quarry answered "But from this point on we must keep very quiet"
We started walking further into the catacombs in our search for a bigger stronger crystal.
"Hey Mikey, recognize these carvings?" Don asked
"Whoa, these are just like the carvings in our lair"
"Yeah, same interior decorator" Raph agreed.
We followed our allies into a tunnel "Good, this crystal will do" Quarry said looking to perfect sized crystal on the wall "We needn't travel any further in this evil place"
"Guys! Guys! Guys!" we heard Mikey yell, he was just now entering the tunnel. Weird, I thought he was right behind us "We've got monsters right behind me"
"Everybody let's get to cover" Leo ordered, following after our panicked brother
"But that way leads to…" Quarry tried
"No choice. Let's go"
They ran to a large, strange looking door and Razor Fist started to pound on it. Stone Biter head butted the door to try and open it and when that didn't work Quarry scratched it with his sharp claws. He also tried to use the acid. I hate locked doors.
"Stand back" Don said and put our small crystal in the slot next to the door "Come on. Come on" he tried adjusting it when nothing happened "Oh, never mind"
Another set of roars echoed from the tunnel "Battle ready boys" Leo said. Me and Elisa overdramatically cleared our throats "And girls" he finished
"Aw thanks for not forgetting about us" Elisa teased, removing her tonfa from her belt
I gave him a smirk and pulled out my manriki chain. I was ready for yet another fight with a bunch of monsters when Don called out again.
"Hey" Don called this time Elisa was next to him… apparently they had figured it out "It worked"
A strange blue light came flying out toward Donnie. "Move" Elisa shouted as she shoved Donnie out of the way. That blue light surrounded Elisa instead and suddenly she was gone in a flash. All I could do was let out a gasp.
"Elisa?" Mikey asked not really believing what he was seeing
"No!" Leo shouted
"Elisa!"
Donnie was still sitting on the ground where Elisa had pushed him. He must've been too shocked to say anything or do anything.
"She's gone" Mikey stated the obvious "And in a few minutes we'll be goners too" he said referring to the other monsters headed our way
"And here it ends…" Quarry said
Really Quarry? Really?
XXX
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