Disclaimer: Hah! Thought you had me in a corner! But I don't own them, so bleh!
A/N: Just another reload, pay it no mind.
36.
Don felt very strange after saying one of Raph's favorite phrases. It shocked him in itself to be the one to save the world. Seriously, that was Leo's department. Why choose the geek now? He jumped up, pumping his white wings furiously. Because it's your turn to be hero, Donnie. "Let's get this train wreck a-rollin'!"
The dragon snorted in brief shock but recovered masterfully, spitting a ball of roaring flames at the struggling Donatello. It seemed Aireilei's wings had a mind of their own, because he dodged to one side while still musing over the current events. He gave a shrill "yikes!" when a massive paw came crashing down on top of him, flattening him on the cracked helipad. Master Splinter, grabbed one of Leo's fallen swords and, despite pain shooting up his stump of a tail, embedded the blade deep into the dragon's paw.
Giving an inhuman bellow of agony, the ebony dragon yanked its stabbed paw off Donnie, allowing the slightly dazed turtle-dragon to stagger up. Rain poured in rivulets down his trembling form. "You are so gonna pay for that!" Snarling ferociously, he bolted under the flying monster's shadow. Aireilei's bow materialized out of nowhere, coming to rest in his hands. Within a fleeting second, he grabbed a fallen arrow on the roof, nocked it, and fired, striking his opponent in the belly area. It bounced off its scales, taking its place in the dragon's unprotected elbow.
He grinned cheekily. "How do ya like me now?" A grimace replaced the grin as he ducked a whistling tail. "Touchy, are we?" Don jumped and gave the wounded elbow a firm whack with his staff, pushing it deeper into the bloody mixture of muscle and bone. Howling in agony, the dragon slapped Don down, smashing him into the helipad once again. He wiped the blood off the corner of his mouth determinedly. His now rainbow-colored tail, long and whiplash-like, groped around the roof. "Okay, so you wanna play dirty, eh?" Bingo! His tail found one of Raph's gleaming Sais. Holding up his bow and nocking an arrow on it, he released his artillery barrage.
The Sai found purchase in the dragon's left wing, piercing it and ripping the leathery flesh. The arrow, on the other hand, flew up and bit the ear. Roaring in a tone that would make anyone's knees knock in fear, the dragon spat a bright gout of fire at Don. The flames hit their mark, striking Don full on in the plastron. Yelling in pain, the turtle forced himself to stand, the huge raindrops numbing the burns.
Splinter watched as his son – no, his sons stood up after a killing blow, disbelief evident on his fur-plastered gray face. Donatello's normally olive-green skin was now seared off in several places, including the right and left arms, and parts of his thighs. His face, however, was untouched save for scrapes along the jaw. Then Don took a defiant stance, beginning to glow. The rat continued to observe as the horrific burns were healed, replaced by healthy green scales.
"Hey, if I'd have needed a waxing, I woulda told you!" Don bellowed at the dragon. "I don't –" He jumped, spreading his wings. "—have any—" He whipped out his half-charred Bo. "—unsightly—" Once high above the dragon's head, he dived. "—BODY HAIR!" The purple-clad turtle brought his weapon down on the dragon's right eye with a sickening crack. Not waiting for a comeback, Don arrowed toward its widespread, wounded wing and snatched the Sai from the skin, extracting a pained squeal from his opponent. "This is for sensei's TAIL!" He resumed attacking the face, stabbing the Sai deep into its festering right eyelid, sealing it closed.
If the other screams of pain had been loud, this one was enough to blow your ears off. Don cringed and landed heavily on his shell as the dragon flailed around in the sky, knocking buildings over with every blow. Then he noticed Splinter, trapped under a piece of concrete. "Hang on, Sensei, I'll get you out!" On his feet, he darted to his master's aid, using the singed Bo staff to pry the heavy slab of cement off. With an echoing slam, it flipped off and slapped a small bonsai tree into the ground. "Y'know, I never did like that garden of Saki's," he commented sourly, helping Splinter up.
"Thank you, my sons." There really was no point in yanking Splinter to his feet, because a shaking thud knocked them both down again.
"What the…" A profusely bleeding paw grabbed him, crushing Don's breath out of him. Squirming in the dragon's grasp, he fought against the iron grip. "Open sesame, you creep!" With difficulty, he wormed his hand down inside a pouch of ninja stars. "I said, OPEN SESAME!" He stabbed the shuriken deep into one of the four fingers that held him, triggering the desired effect. He dropped to the ground, unharmed, as his opponent bit feverishly at the small, biting weapon. He jumped back as the injured paw slapped, back first, into where he'd been crouching. "So, you grew tired of flapping your wings I see?" The shaking thud that had knocked both he and Splinter down was the dragon landing heavily on the edge of the Foot tower.
The dragon, seeming to have gotten smarter, reared up on its hind legs. Don prepared to dodge in case anything came his way but when nothing happened, he began taunting. "Outta juice, lard butt?" The dragon raised his right paw, the other hanging limply at his side. Then, it tore a rift in the air. Just like paper. Its claws perforated the fabric of time space, slicing down and making it larger. "Jhadie, it's starting!" Don cursed, very Aireilei-like. He took flight, trying to get a look at the other side. Just a white line. But he'd better make this quick.
Power began building in the little turtle as he gained altitude. His hands started glowing a blinding mixture of colors. "I think I'm done playing," he announced, raising both hands. It was becoming overwhelming! He couldn't hold it in much longer. With a deafening yell, he twisted around, flipped, and fired.
An aurora of colors split from it as light began to pierce the black clouds. Don's mouth opened wider as the yell produced transformed into a dragon's roar of triumph. The dragon's head turned, left eye still open. It parted its jaws to spit a gout of fire at the turtle but was struck in the head by Don's barrage. Then, it began disintegrating. With a shriek that would've split a boulder, its head gradually disappeared, followed by its upper torso, wings, tail, and legs. Giving a final earsplitting moan of agony, it snapped out of sight.
It was done. The energy began dissipating as Don's arms fell limp to his sides. Aireilei's wings bore the exhausted turtle to the rooftop where Splinter stood, head bowed. Don landed rather unceremoniously on his rear. Eyes filled with tears, he whispered, "I did it, Sensei," and collapsed in Splinter's arms. Don's tail shortened and changed into its regular purple color as his brothers flashed into existence once again. Raph sat up blearily beside Leo.
"What the…oh man, I feel like I've been workin' out for a week straight." He fell backwards, landing on his shell with a groan of discomfort.
Mikey propped himself up on his elbows. "How's Donnie?"
Splinter nodded sagely at the sleeping turtle in his arms. "He will be fine, Michelangelo. Only rest can make him well now."
Leo stayed where he was. "I'd say we've had our fair share of buttkick for the day."
"And years to come!" Raph added.
The moon emerged from behind a dissipating cloud. "My sons, we must go home now."
Mikey staggered up. "Not without Iwansi Bima, Rijinn, Saesha, Kiyo, or Aireilei!"
Splinter's eyes saddened. "My son, they are no longer here."
"What?"
"Look around you and you will see what I mean."
Mikey turned around, nearly falling flat on his face in the process. His face paled. All that met his sight were six shimmering statues the size of a pen. He went and picked up the yellow one, nearly bursting into tears as he clutched the figurine to his chest. "No…" His ears.
Raph dragged himself toward the red one. "Shell," he cursed weakly as he stared into the eyes of Rijinn. Splinter himself picked up the pearl statue, examining Aireilei until his eyes began to blur. Mikey returned and handed Kiyo to spread-eagled Leo, sitting down by his elder brother with a look of numb disbelief on his normally cheery face.
"I hardly knew him," the blue-clad turtle lamented softly, holding the Peridot dragon up to the moonlight.
Splinter laid Don gently down on the rubble-strewn helipad, limping toward an aquamarine dragon. With a nod of sorrowful acknowledgement, he carefully placed Bima inside his kimono. Raph held his feelings inside as he gently picked up Rijinn and moved to grab Saesha.
"Sorry guys," he muttered, walking back to his siblings and father. "Master, we needa go now."
"I am aware of this, Raphael." Silence. "But I am not sure how to move Donatello without waking him."
"The shell with Donnie!" Raph exploded suddenly, letting the floodgates open. "Why can't he just walk like the rest of us?"
Splinter admonished him quietly. "That is no way to be talking to your brother, Raphael." Raph trembled uncontrollably as glistening tears flowed down his cheeks. "He has taken many more hits than you have."
"I'm sorry, Sensei," he said, breath hitching slightly. "I know. And I can never forgive myself for beating the shell out of him…"
Mikey looked up. "Can we go home now?" he asked.
Splinter returned to Don's side and nodded. "Yes. Let us return." Raph swallowed his pride and helped Leo up. Hiccuping softly, the hotheaded turtle limped painfully to retrieve his bloody Sais and Leo's stained katanas. With a smart jab, he stuffed his Sais into his belt and helped Leo sheath his swords. He took one look at the bow lying on the roof and nearly broke down again as he picked it up. Slinging it over his shoulder, Raph bent over, hissing as pain ripped through his slashed leg. He grabbed Don's staff and limped back to his brothers, slipping the weapon into the purple-clad turtle's holster.
"I'm ready now," he announced hoarsely. Leo gently picked up one of Don's arms and helped Splinter into the stairwell going down to ground level. Mikey followed. Raph turned and swore silently on his tail that he'd find a way to bring the dragons back. "Happy New Year, guys." Under the light of a full moon, he disappeared down the stairs. The only sound left was the gentle whispers of the wind.
And on that whisper came the words, "I love you, Raphael."