Solace II:
Amaya strode into the lair feeling almost like a new person. It was amazing what a few subtle changes could do. She started a bit when she saw three unfamiliar humans seated at the kitchen table with her family and friends. Catching Raph's eye, he shrugged, effectively putting her inquiry on hold. Her fierce nephew was intensively protective of his family, so if he wasn't ready to punch anyone, the situation was not urgent. She'd let it be for now.
Continuing on, she approached the dojo. Yoshi was inside, coaching someone on the art of self-control. Cracking the divider open a bit, she saw yet another new face and frowned. It had only been two days since she'd last come down here. What was going on?
Knowing how rude it was to interrupt a lesson, she decided to wait on getting her answers. Instead, she slipped into the room quietly enough to avoid drawing even Yoshi's attention. Seating herself against the tree, out of their line of view, she closed her eyes and waited.
Her head felt so much lighter with her hair cut short. She couldn't quite get used to the sensation. Impractical or not, for years she'd kept her hair long and her makeup style the same. Because by doing so, every time she looked in a mirror she saw Shen again. It had been a way to keep her sister with her.
But it had been a toxic addiction. The joy she'd felt at seeing her twin in herself had always balanced against her guilt and pain as each time she experienced the loss anew. She carried her grief around with her, never truly dealing with it.
But that had been fine. The pain had always been an acceptable price to feel like Shen was not truly gone. Until she'd started noticing the same tells in Yoshi whenever he looked at her. She wouldn't drag him down that painful road along with her. So she'd let go.
Her once flowing long hair was now choppy short and she'd spent the previous day experimenting with cosmetics to discover a style that she felt to be uniquely hers. She'd said goodbye to Shen and let another piece of her twin pass on, already feeling the hole it left finally beginning to heal.
She could keep her sister in her heart without haunting herself with Shen's pseudo ghost. Particularly as she knew for a fact that Shen's true spirit had already moved on. A mix of relief and longing warred within her as she struggled to adjust to this new version of herself. But she had never balked from a challenge before and wasn't about to start now.
"Do not be discouraged. You have made excellent progress today."
"I suppose so. Thank you Master Splinter."
She tuned back in as it sounded like the lesson was over. How long had she been lost in her own thoughts? The young man walked right by her without noticing as he exited the dojo. She could almost feel Yoshi's tension as he sensed another presence in the room and smiled. She'd better reveal herself before they ended up in an impromptu sparring match. Though that might be fun too.
"It's only me. I didn't want to interrupt."
"Amaya?"
She stood and stepped out from behind the tree. At the sight of her, his ears snapped back, his eyes widened and she could hear a sudden, quiet intake of breath. It might be barely noticeable to most, but she knew him well enough to see how blindsided he'd been and couldn't help being a little gratified at his reaction. She didn't consider herself vain, but it was always nice to be appreciated.
"I thought I'd try something new."
He swallowed and nodded, still not entirely trusting himself to speak. Unable to fight the smile that brought, she breezed past him and into his room, taking her usual seat. Scooping some dry tea leaves into the infuser, she dropped it in her cup and turned on the hot plate that he kept under his kettle.
"Tea?"
He shook himself out of his daze and nodded, moving to seat himself beside her as she readied his cup. Everything in its place, all familiar to her, this place was more home to her than her apartment. If the lair had a proper bath, she'd probably just move in.
Hmm, perhaps she should talk to Donatello about installing one. She wasn't certain that her nephews would enjoy it as they seemed to prefer the cooler water that surrounded the dojo like a moat and might feel as though they were cooking in a bath. But she had no doubts that Yoshi would appreciate it. Yes, she'd have to bring that up with him at the next opportunity.
"So have you spontaneously decided to open your own school in the last few days?" He raised a questioning brow at her and she inclined her head towards the door his new student had exited from.
"Carter?" His amber eyes filled with comprehension.
"No, he is a friend of April's who has recently undergone a mutation." That surprised her. The boy seemed normal enough.
"I'm helping him to control it so that he might be able to return to his life."
"Ok. And the new children in the kitchen?" His ears flattened.
"The what?" He didn't know? Interesting.
"Well Raphael wasn't throwing them out, so I'm sure an explanation will be forthcoming." He sighed, willing his patience into existence, an art she suspected him of perfecting while raising his boys.
"I believe we will require a family meeting to review the rules regarding outsiders." Oh that would be fun. She'd have to make sure she had a conflicting obligation whenever he scheduled that event.
The kettle began to whistle and he poured the hot water into the waiting cups. Then handed hers to her. She brushed his hand with her fingers as she took the cup feeling that magnetic pull between them she'd been noting more and more frequently. Was it just in her head? Or was there really something there? He retracted his hand almost too quickly, as though nervous, an unfamiliar state for him, and she wondered. Perhaps.
Then her phone rang, breaking the moment. With a sigh, she set her tea down and checked it. An unfamiliar number. That set off some warning alarms in her head. Her number was unlisted and her clever young nephew kept it off the telemarketing radar for her. There should be no unknown numbers.
"I should take this."
Yoshi nodded serenely as she rose and left the room.
Splinter watched her go, feeling strangely unsettled. He hadn't felt this way in years. Not since…not since he was barely out of his teens and actively courting Shen. He mentally reprimanded himself. What was he thinking? She was his sister-in-law.
And yet, when she showed up to today, looking so different and yet completely herself, he felt as if a safety net that he hadn't even been aware of was torn away. Now he was seeing her, really seeing her and not a shadow of Shen, for the first time. And she was breathtaking.
He needed to remind himself that she was not meant for him. Reading too much into every little gesture would only drive him insane. He must be relearn to be content with his lot. There was more than enough to be thankful for in his life without reaching for the unattainable. And yet, he still wanted…
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath to center himself. Perhaps some time spent meditating would clear his head and help him sort through these changes. Feeling that comforting sense of peace settle on him, he let go of the physical world, experiencing each binding tie as it snapped away, one by one, until he was free. At peace. And then he felt his son. Desperate. Confused. Frightened? Seeking him.
"Leonardo?"
"I'm so sorry father. The EDF has captured me and…" Their connection shattered as, for a brief instant, he experienced his son's searing pain before crashing back to reality.
"No. Not my son."
Shaken, he staggered to his feet with less than his usual grace. By sheer will, he forced the panic back, knowing that it was still barely restrained. They must save him. As a family. Fast as lightning, he dashed through the dojo and shoved open the divider with enough force to send it flying.
The living area contained only Donatello, Raphael and Mona Lisa. Part of his mind, noted that they seemed exceedingly distraught, but that would have to wait. They had larger concerns at the moment. His words came out at the same time as Donatello's.
"Leonardo has been captured."
"Mikey's been abducted." What? No. Not his youngest and most innocent. He was barely aware of Raphael's scream of rage. His boys were gone. Splinter's voice broke as he spoke.
"My sons. Please no."
Amaya rushed out to the hallway behind the dojo before answering.
"Who is this and how did you get this number?"
"Amaya don't hang up."
"Saki?"
"I don't have much time. The EDF has Karai at their headquarters. They've got her in the lab Amaya." She gasped as she realized the enormity of that. Her niece had been held and hurt in a lab before, by him no less. Such a place would be her personal hell.
"I will get her out."
"How?"
"I'm not sure yet. But I will. I just…needed someone else to know." That was Saki's way of admitting the task to be near impossible. He didn't think he could do it and was asking for help.
"Goodbye Amaya."
The call went dead and she leaned against the wall trembling. Miwa. She feared this every time her niece left, but had always had enough faith her skills to allay those doubts. But the EDF? Why would they be after Miwa? How could they even have known of her existence?
Unless…Miwa's global vigilante work must have put her on their radar. When she got her niece home, and she absolutely would, they were going to have a long discussion on discretion. She worked on breathing evenly until she felt like she wouldn't shatter to pieces when she tried speaking of it. Control. Control was everything or she would render herself powerless.
Reining in the panic, she straightened her spine and turned the corner to reenter the dojo through the living area. Hearing Raphael scream caused her to quicken her pace. She went from walking to almost top speed in less than two steps. And stopped at the sight of the tableau in front of her.
Donatello was standing there, staring at Yoshi in disbelief, looking as though he'd been pole-axed. Raphael stood next to the now broken corner of the couch, blood dripping from his hand. He trembled, appearing as though would break apart into uncountable pieces at any moment. Only Mona Lisa's comforting embrace seemed to be holding him together. And Yoshi. Yoshi looked stunned, near broken and...old, as though he'd aged a decade in the few minutes since she'd last saw him.
"My sons. Please no."
Of course. If the EDF had Miwa, they must have Leonardo too. Wait, did he say sons? She scanned the room again and was suddenly hit by absence of Michelangelo. Her eternally bright and upbeat young nephew was not present. An old rage she hadn't felt in years abruptly seized her. Whoever was doing this to her family was going to pay dearly. But first she had some bad news to break.
Taking a deep breath, she went over to Yoshi and took his hand, actually startling him, something she never expected to be able to do. His sense of awareness had always impressed her. He looked at her, amber eyes full of grief.
"Amaya. Leonardo and Michelangelo…" Her lip trembled, but she was not going to lose it right now. They needed to keep it together.
"The EDF has Miwa." She wished she could turn away as he absorbed the knowledge that he had lost his daughter yet again. It was going to be too much. He couldn't do this alone. And honestly, neither could she. She reached out and pulled him into an embrace, allowing his shaking frame to collapse against her.
"We'll get them back Yoshi. I promise."
