Heeeey everybody! I'm back; I'm still alive!
I'm so sorry I left you guys on a cliffhanger for such a long period :(
There's been alot of activity going on in the real world this last while. Between work driving me up the wall, the uncertainty of university classes, and of course the current global obscurity that is COVID-19. Oh, and my family is in the process of getting the house ready for when we move...
Yeah, it's a miracle that in the spare time I've found, my imagination's been able to postulate something. To help get the creative juices flowing again, I've been busying with a few editing projects and trying a hand at formulating brand new material. Nothing to post on my profile as of yet, but perhaps a few new story plots may soon grace the page ;)
Anyway, I'm finally getting my groove back, and I figured that concluding this cliffhanger - NOT THE STORY! There's tons more material to come, I assure you - would be a good place to start in my journey of updating all my tales. So, please enjoy the third part of this latest of TMNT adventures :D
Rolling back down memory lane a short distance, we return to the moment when the Hamato children have a more proper encounter with three mutants deep below the sewers, shortly after discovering a secret laboratory that used to be run by the Foot Clan.
"Meet Stonebiter, Razorfist, and Quarry. They migh' look like monsters, but these poor souls were once ordinary people...until the Shredder's mad scientists performed horrible genetic experiments on 'em...Experiments that'll eventually leave them mindless, like these other examples of Shredder's 'handiwork'."
Flashback to when the larger, more beast-like victims of the rogue ninja clan had tried to lay waste to the newly allied eight, until they were miraculously driven to give up thanks to the last-minute activation of a crystal power shield. Said crystal, if we'll recall, is the main reason the turtles and human girl came exploring these areas in the first place.
"The only thing keepin' Quarry and his pals safe, is a crystal-powered force field...But now the crystal's all burned out, and the only place to get anoth'r one is the Forbidden Zone."
"Something unspeakable dwells amidst the crystals..."
"But we have no choice, so we all head down there anyway...and d'at's when all shell breaks loose."
We return to the moment when Donatello gets the door open to an even deeper section of these catacombs, so the group could escape the trio of beasts that tracked them here...
"Donnie, look out!"
Which is also the same moment another threat releases their first attack, capturing Shiori when she hurries to shove her brother out of the line of danger! All four terrapins would be left shocked and fearful for their sibling's life, seeing no traces left of the girl after the glowing bola swallows her in a flash of light.
"Whuh?!...Shiori?...Shiori!"
"...No!"
"Shiori!"
"...She's gone...!"
"Suddenly, our little sister Yori is gone!...And I swear someone's gonna pay!"
Now...
A trio of monsters seeking to tear them apart is one thing, but watching a treasured family member suddenly disappear without any warning was more agonizing for the Hamato brothers to bear...
"Shiori!"
Raphael is especially effected, running up to the opened pathway to call out for the girl.
"No! Nooo! Shiori?! Shiori!"
But realizing the possible danger from standing in the same spot their sister had been snatched, Donatello quickly grasps the sai-wielder's arm to pull him away from the doorway in a haste.
"Raph, wait! We shouldn't stand here or we might vanish next!"
I dunno what's going on, but between those four mutants and that bola, I'm starting to understand why Quarry calls this the Forbidden Zone...!
Speaking of said antagonistic souls, they continue to stomp in the direction of their latest targets, too far gone mentally to truly understand who the real enemy is...That would be the undoing of the one monster with spider-like limbs, when they attempt to charge and jump against Leonardo, Michelangelo and Quarry, only to disappear in a flash of light like Shiori thanks to another bola!
"Huh?"
Little time would be wasted on thinking about the strange phenomenon, when the blue-skinned mutant - the more ferocious version of Quarry - tackles Razorfist to the ground, and the two struggle to best the other's strength just as a third bola takes them away...
"Razorfist!"
The turtle with the orange bandana mask exclaims,
"Leo, what the shell's going on?!"
Before the katana-wielder could answer, the larger scorpion-like mutant mimics their companion's attack and pins Stonebiter to the rock-hard floor. The latter barely dodges the thrusts of their pincer tail, and try Quarry did to help, they're slammed backwards by the appendage...around the time another weighed rope swings through the air to take away an ally...
"Stonebiter! No!"
Who the shell's doin' this, and why...?!
The terrapin with the bō staff once again acts to snap Raphael out of his growing worries and aggravation.
"Raph, come on; we gotta help back Leo and Mikey up against the last two...Once things calm down, then we can start asking questions about what's going on, and figure out where Yori was just taken."
"Grh...right."
Hurrying to the sides of their other two siblings, all four ninja brothers stand ready as the giant red-skinned mutant prepares to attack...
"Come on, you ugly troll! (Twirls out both nunchaku) Show me what you got!"
One deep growl was all it took to simmer down Michelangelo's confidence.
"...Okaaay, I'm impressed."
The five sentient mutants are soon backed to the doorway where the first bola victim vanished from.
"Now what?"
Evaluating the uncertainty, Leonardo stores his blades back into their sheaths before directing down the darkened pathway.
"Come on! Whatever's through this door can't be worse than this!"
"...I hope those don't become famous last words, Leo."
Nevertheless, the nunchaku-user and the other two turtles begin their jog inside...
"Quarry, go!"
The acid-spewing mutant is reluctant to follow the blue-bandana ninja's order, well-aware of what could be waiting...But between that and the immediate threat of the two remaining beasts, Quarry quickly reconsiders their focus of fear and whirls around to run after his allies...As for Leonardo, he spares an extra few seconds to swipe the crystal that opened the door, and darts inside just as it closes to cut off the two mutants from following.
...Now that one problem has been subdued (hopefully...), the turtles and humanoid turn around to focus on the new area ahead.
"Be ready for anything."
Walking to the end of the tunnel...all five souls would soon be left in awe at the destination in the distance, namely, a large, wall-enclosed city in the middle of a magma pool!...Zooming over briefly, we notice a gigantic version of the crystals protruding from the ceiling overtop a central tower...
"We shouldn't be here!"
Quarry immediately feels their paranoia take over, shuffling backwards as if the place ahead were the gates of Hell.
"This is...This is a necropolis! A city of the dead...!"
Michelangelo isn't too far behind:
"Ya know, if there's one thing that creeps me out more than monster movies, it's a city of the dead."
Despite this, Leonardo sternly reminds everyone that some of their own are missing and need to be rescued.
"We're not leaving! Whatever's haunting this place has made the mistake of snatching one of ours!"
Raphael adds while swiping one of his blades through the side of a weak piece of the cliff side,
"And we'll level this whole city jus'to get her back!"
"...And I think I just found a way for us to get down there."
Eyes turn to focus on Donatello, he popping up from around a corner with a hopeful smile.
"Come check this out."
Wandering the intellect's way, the other turtles and Quarry widen their eyes slightly at the purple-bandana terrapin's find. Made from an unidentified stone with designs similar to the architecture of the Hamato Lair, here sits - or hangs - a rounded tram cart built to travel all the way to the underground city!...Peering at it up and down, however, Raphael feels uncertain in its reliability.
"...Uuuh, maybe we better find us a different ride."
Leonardo walks up to it while lightly arguing,
"What're you talking about? Looks fine to me."
...One step onto the walkway/door causes the tram to buckle slightly, a sign of how long it's been since it was last used...Smiling nervously, Donatello comments,
"Uh-heh, okay, maybe it's slightly unstable, but so are most forms of locomotion."
He then walks across into the vehicle and adds a bit more confidently,
"Besides, unless there's a boat nearby resistant to extreme heat, this is likely the only way into the city."
This must have been built by the last inhabitants of the area, whoever they were...
If Shiori wasn't missing, I'd be fascinated by the mystery.
The brainy bō staff user then spots the control module.
"Hm...Once again, our crystal will be acting as the main power source."
Leonardo smiles slightly and calls,
"Nice work, Don...Huh?"
That's when his hearing picks up on a familiar rumble, and gazing over their shoulders, the group would come eye-to-eye with the enemies they thought they left behind! Rather than question how the monsters got through the door, the rest of the quintet scrambles inside the tram cart.
"Well, whadda ya waitin' for?!"
"Go go go!"
"Don, the crystal!"
Donatello hurries to stab the large crystal into the similar-shaped adapter, sending its power to activate the tram cart. It starts to roll down the large cable just as the monsters arrive at the cliff...But the new distance hardly deters their determination, and they make the grand leap to land atop the roof of the tram! The vehicle shakes, causing the passengers to cry out, more so when the savage mutants begin to beat their way through the stone...
Just then, the entity responsible for sending the glowing bolas - a male figure with near gaunt ivory skin, ashen blond hair cut into a tonsure style, and wearing a set of dark blue robes - makes his appearance, throwing two more of the weighed ropes to ensnare the antagonistic creatures...Still, while the more offensive danger may have disappeared...
(SNAP)
The line connecting the cliff and the city had remained inactive for so long, that this sudden jump-start would be too much to take! Once again, the Hamato ninja and Quarry cry out in alarm as the tram cart begins dropping like a rock for the lava below...
"Jump, now!"
Leonardo's brothers and their ally hurry to meet his order, leaping out the sides of the vehicle just half a minute before the structure is impaled by a stalagmite. They all land fairly smooth on a nearby section of flat rock...but the impact from the tram causes the stone to crumble, collapsing right on top of the unsuspecting acid-spewer!
"Quarry!"
The terrapin ninja hurry to the rubble...only to become shocked as they witness Quarry burrow their way out of melted rock! They slide down the pile and brush themselves off, looking up to meet the other four's perplexed expressions...
"We are, designed to handle such adversity."
...Shrugging off their surprise and any lingering shakiness in their blood, the five begin wandering down a worn path near the towering wall enclosing the apparent necropolis...
"Those same symbols again...just like back at our place..."
Raphael notes after Leonardo,
"And by the looks of i' all, this city's been down here a very long time..."
Michelangelo feels his nerves climb again.
"Cree~py~..."
Donatello, meanwhile, feels the anthropological part of his brain start to click.
"I would say intriguing is a more appropriate term...This place has clearly remained undisturbed by future generations for years, however long that may be. I've tried pursuing a few texts about ancient civilizations to see if any architecture or symbols have similarities to what we're seeing right now...but nothing even remotely close has popped up..."
"So as far as humans are concerned, this place is totally nonexistent."
He nods at his blue-masked brother.
"Yep...but based on recent activity, I'm not so sure if this place is truly a necropolis..."
The sai-wielding turtle raises a brow and asks,
"What're you sayin', Don?"
"I'm saying that while perhaps most of the original inhabitants may have, died off...there may still be a survivor wandering about..."
The turtle with the bō staff felt his frown deepen as he adds to himself,
And they're obviously not keen on interlopers if they'd go as far as kidnapping anyone who gets too close...
"Hey, look at that!"
He snaps back to reality just as his older brother finds a second mode of transport, namely, a set of stone hover-scooters!
"Nice one, Leo!...This should make searching the city a little easier."
Since there was only three available, it was decided that Donatello would ride one with Raphael, while Quarry rode with Michelangelo, and Leonardo lead the way - naturally - solo...And the further they traveled through the winding and seemingly quiet streets, the more concerned the terrapins felt with regards to their missing team member.
Shiori...where are you?
Shiori's POV
Mm-mmrh...Hh...?
I have no idea how long I've been unconscious...nor am I sure how long I'm gonna stay conscious considering how dizzy I feel...
But based on what I could make out through my blurry vision, I was definitely nowhere familiar.
What, is this place?...Some kind'a, cell-or, a guest room...?
...I then feel a presence nearby, and struggle to glance towards the, doorway, spotting a figure dressed in dark robes, and with skin paler than I've ever seen on a person.
"Wh...Who, are y-mph!..."
A round of jackhammer-like pounding prevents me from speaking further, and I turn away with a cringe...The figure approaches my incapacitated form, and hovers a hand over my eyes.
"Be still, young one. You need further rest...Worry not. You are safe here, as are your brothers."
How, does he know...?...S-Something's, wrong.
The foreboding feeling didn't leave me as I fell unconscious once again.
S-Someone...help...!
Emily's POV
...Hm!
It has been several hours if not longer since the children had left the lair to investigate the strange activity regarding the unnamed underground creature that had been disrupting the harmony of the sewers. So far, no signs of their return have presented themselves...Instead, I suddenly feel this spike of worry rise within me, the kind I only felt a great few times in my lifetime whenever someone I knew was in trouble. Once more...this feeling had my thoughts fixate on one individual in particular.
...Shiori...
"Is something wrong, Emily?"
I snap out of my daze to meet Splinter's eyes, and I hesitantly answer,
"I...I am not sure, but I suddenly feel these butterflies in my gut, telling me something has gone wrong...Are the children usually out for this long a time?"
Humming in thought, he replies with a father's uncertainty,
"It is possible they have been delayed...but I too expected them to have returned by now..."
"...Hh! Oh no..."
We look up over the sitting area couch to Donatello's work station where Ortensia has been sitting this last while, and she points to the computer monitor with a barely-contained expression of panic.
"Uhm, I hate to pile onto the worry train of thought, but we might have a situation."
Splinter and I get up to walk over to the girl.
"What is it, Ortensia?"
"Is it one of the creatures?"
"Worse: skulkers of the black-clad variety."
Confused, I watch the monitor displaying a section of the tunnels none too far from the main entrance...only to widen my eyes when I see a pair of familiar shapes jog past the camera view.
"Uh! Is that-?!"
"The Foot Ninja...!"
But what are they doing down here?! They couldn't have figured out the lair's location this quickly...could they?
"I dunno how they're avoiding the alarms...but there's no way they're gonna find the lair."
Ortensia tries to form a determined frown, but I notice subtle signs suggesting the expression is only clouding a deepening worry.
"Don, Ari, April and I did a joint effort in updating and maintaining the security for this place. I'm positive it'll take forever for anybody to find it, least of all the Foot...Still, the fact that we're seeing them running around without tripping the alarms...Oh god, how am I gonna get home?"
I place a comforting hand on her shoulder while chiding,
"It'll be alright, dear. Don't work yourself into a lather...Still, I think it would be wise for us all to make ourselves scarce."
Splinter nods in agreement.
"Indeed. As much as I take pride in my son's efforts to make our home undetectable, it isn't wise to be this close to the enemy without a proper plan of action."
With that in mind, I gesture Ortensia to stand up while telling her,
"First things first, I will escort you home."
"But, what about Yori and the others?"
"They're currently far enough away from this new situation that they'll be safe for the time being."
Of course that's assuming they're not in serious trouble already...
"Haauh, okay. Thank you."
I smile at her and reassure,
"Don't worry. I will let them know where you have gone...Now, Splinter."
I turn to face him with a more serious expression as I ask,
"I'm assuming you'll be staying underground a while longer to meet with the children before the ninja do?"
He nods, and I reply,
"Alright...then let's meet at April's place. That should be far enough away from here that we'll remain undetected."
Ortensia and I prepare to leave...but I'm stopped when my childhood friend's hand gently grips my arm.
"Hm?"
"Emily...be careful out there."
"Splinter...Mm, (smile) I will, and you too."
He releases me and allows me to move for the elevator with Ortensia...As the two of us board for the surface, I can't help but think,
Oh lord...what terrible timing this is.
Small Time Skip, Mikey's POV
Man oh man, why did things have to go from bad to worse in no time flat?!
Okay, so, it's barely been five minutes since the whole lot of us began cruising this freaky place to find our sister and Quarry's pals, and this whole situation's already gone up like gas to a match flame. First Leo goes missing down one tunneled intersection, then Raph after trying to tail the super creepy figure I'm more than sure's the one pulling these disappearing acts...And now we just lost Quarry...
Gulping down a bundle of nerves, I glance over at my remaining brother and try to reassure myself,
Alright, calm down, Mikey. Hope hasn't completely bailed on ya...
Still, at the rate we're going, Donnie and I are more likely to get snared at the same time.
"You okay, Mikey?"
I return to reality at the sound of my bro's voice, and we begin a slow walk away from the place we landed after bailing the hover-scooter to avoid crashing into a building (not that the tumble down to ground-level was fun...).
"N-Not really...but I'm glad you're still here with me, Don."
He smiles a little weakly and replies,
"Yeah, me too...though being this low on allies isn't all that reassuring, is it?"
"No kidding...Why is this even happening? Wha'does this weirdo even want; for us to leave?"
Donnie shakes his head with just as much confusion.
"I dunno, but if that's the case, they're going about their methods the wrong way...All the more reason to find our siblings, Quarry, Stonebiter and Razorfist and get the shell out of here."
And the sooner the better...Hm?
That's when I spot something familiar in the distance, namely, a certain tower from what I thought was just a freaky dream.
"...Okaaay. You, I've seen before."
"You have?"
I turn to Don and reply,
"Yeah, from this crazy dream I had when we were all camping out...be-fore we got woken up by Stonebiter, but that's besides the point."
I then give him a quick summary of my dream...
"Hm, a strange coincidence if I've ever heard one...Still..."
We turn our gaze to the tower.
"Coincidence or not, your dream might be our only lead...C'mon!"
With that, we make our jog for the structure ahead...arriving up front about twenty minutes later. We pause to catch our breath before starting up the engine again...and the first place we come across inside the tower, is one of the more monster-like mutants!
"Whoa!"
"Eyah!"
...
...
But when it make no moves to try and attack, that rise of fear gets overtaken by a new confusion.
Huh?...Wait a sec...
I bravely step forward and raise a hand towards the beast, quickly discovering why it wasn't moving.
What, is this? Ice?...No, not cold enough...
"Don, what is this?"
He steps up for a closer look on my right and hums,
"If my guess is correct...it looks like whoever captured this creature has placed them in some kind-of crystalline stasis...Uh!"
That's when our attention is grabbed by the other prisoners.
"Razorfist...!"
"Oh no...and there's Stonebiter!"
We cautiously wander between them and the other mutants as our minds race aloud.
"What the shell's going on here...?"
"Whatever it is, I'm getting one of those foreboding feelings...Hh!"
That's when we find our more sentient friend, also trapped in crystal casing!
Quarry...
"Is there anything we can do for them? I can't stand lookin' at 'em like this!"
"Believe me, Mikey, I feel the same...but they don't appear hurt, so they should be okay for a while longer until I have a better idea of what exactly is sealing them."
Don then shifts his thoughts to the people we aren't seeing.
"What concerns me more is that I don't see Leo, Raph or Yori anywhere."
That's right...They gotta be somewhere in this tower, though. But where?
"Worry not for your siblings."
"Huh?!"
We whirl around and find that creep in the robes that's been popping up here and there since we first entered 'The Forbidden Zone', standing atop some stairs to another section of this tower.
"They are safe, as are your companions here...But I ask that you please not touch the crystals."
...Who'does this guy think he is?! Tryin' to call the shots...He's the one to blame!
Forming a glare that could rival Raph's, I retort,
"And why should we believe you?!"
Acting fast, I run over and kick the dude off the stairs, despite Don calling,
"Mikey, hold on!"
Ignoring him, I then hoist the guy to his feet after yanking off his hood, revealing him as a seriously pale balding man with light pink eyes and black, snake-like pupils.
Weird...but nevermind that.
"Okay, baldy: where are our brothers and sister?!"
"...Mikey, Don!"
Uh!...Leo?
My grip loosens slightly at the sound of my eldest brother's voice, and I turn my head to see him and Raph coming in from another room.
"About time you two got here. We've been waiting for you."
"Huh?!"
They're alright...But wait: where's Shiori?
...Something still doesn't feel right...
Donnie must've been thinking the same thing, for after I let baldy go and jog over their way, he asks our older bros in a quieter tone,
"I'm glad to see you're both fine, but...are you, sure everything's okay?"
Recognizing the unspoken question, they form more serious expressions and check to see if the 'elephant in the room' was listening...before answering,
"Not, exactly."
"As far as we know, d'is guy does wanna help Quarry and the others...but, he hasn't said anything about our sister other than tha' she's resting elsewhere in the tower."
Aha! Turtle sense was right.
"So she's definitely here, but she's being hidden."
Leo nods at me and whispers,
"For what reason, we don't know. For now, just play along until we can trick some more information out of him."
"Gotch'ya..."
"Is everything alright?"
We snap out of our little powwow and turn to face the guy again, forming convincing smiles of relief as Don replies,
"Uhm, yes. Just got caught in the excitement of seeing eachother..."
I add with a sheepish tone,
"Uh, sorry about the kick, by the way."
"Quite alright. I understand why you took the action: you don't know who I am nor did you know the condition of your siblings."
"Right, uhm, speaking of, there's actually one more in our group..."
A strange smile curves onto baldy's face as he says,
"Ah yes, your, sister. As I said to your other brothers already, she's currently resting in another room. Apparently, the energy of my bolas overwhelmed her..."
Hmm...
Stifling my suspicious frown, we follow him into another room with a fire brewing in the middle as Leo plays his part in 'siding with the stranger'.
"Anyway, we had this guy figured out all wrong. He saw how the Foot had mutated Quarry and the others, and he just wants to turn them back to normal."
We all sit down on these stone chairs as baldy gives us more details.
"As we speak, the power of the cavern's crystal moon is infusing with regenerative energy."
I glance up and see the giant crystal hanging from the ceiling.
Wow, that's big...
"Their bodies are being genetically rebuilt inside each chrysalis...Within minutes, the last of them will be restored to their original human forms."
Hm, he does, sound sincere, and I wanna believe there's hope for Quarry and the others...
Still, my turtle sense says there's more he's not telling us...
"I can see you're conflicted in trusting my words."
I stiffen slightly under the gaze of this nameless stranger, and he says to me,
"Michelangelo, you're entirely safe, I assure you. This city was built by an ancient, peace-loving race...of which I am the sole survivor."
Using a crystal he made into a necklace, he activates some kind-a archives of what must've been the people who used to make this place...less dead.
"We lived within the earth for many millennia, spiritually bonded with it. It was a symbiosis that had always sustained us, for we were unable to endure the harshness of the outside world..."
Huh. Sounds like they weren't getting enough Vitamin D.
"Then, we detected life stirring on the surface. These new lifeforms fascinated us, so we began studying them from an outpost, the same outpost that had recently become your home...As the years passed, however, it soon became evident that our own time was drawing to a close...Yes. The earth had cast its vote, and our entire race faced extinction...They're all gone now."
As much as this guy was giving me some creepy vibes, I couldn't help but feel a little bad for him since the rest of his people are...you know, watching from the next life. I could hear similarly in Don's voice when he asks the robed stranger,
"How long has it been?"
"Long enough to make this a very lonely existence...which is why I want to return those people back to normal. Only then they can help me repopulate the city."
...Wait, what?
"Well, I, wouldn't count on it. They all have lives waiting for them on the surface. Families, friends-"
Leo's bluntly interrupted by the dude who, judging from their tone, is clearly shell-bent on rebuilding what was lost despite how fruitless it may be.
"No! They will stay! They must!"
"Well, I'm, sure they'd be grateful, but-"
"I refuse to let this city die! There's so much to pass on! They must stay...and so must you."
...Hoh-kay, Heuston, we have a problem.
My bros aren't too far behind with their opinions, Donnie commenting to us,
"Uhm, I'm afraid that-uh, being alone down here for so long has driven this guy slightly around the bend."
I hiss,
"That's putting it politely...Wait: is that why he's hiding Yori then? Because he wants to force her to live down here?"
Raph whispers,
"Probably, which is all th' more reason t' find her and leave."
With all that in mind, we carefully begin arguing our case for why we can't just pack our things and move down here, or at least Leo does.
"We, uhm, appreciate the invitation to live here with you in this wondrous world of yours, but..."
"Yes, it is wondrous, isn't it? A world where even mutant turtles can freely walk the streets. No more lurking in sewers, no more hiding your faces. A city, where you can finally be yourselves."
Hm, I'll admit that does sound tempting...but, wouldn't that go against what our father's been teaching us?
Can't exactly be ninjas if we're walking around in the open. Even I know that.
"As enticing as that sounds..."
Raph cuts Donnie off and jumps ahead to a more clear message of rejection.
"Lemme put it this way: there's no way, we're relocating to this creepoid commute, understand? Now drop it."
Huh, harsh but to the point.
Don then directs attention to freeing our newfound friends and our missing sister.
"Come on. Let's go release the others and find Shiori."
I wave,
"Buh-bye," and hurry to join my bros...but you know.
(Slam)
We probably should've known that baldy wasn't gonna drop the ball that quickly. In which case, he switches to more forceful tactics by using that crystal to auto-shut the doors to the room where Quarry and company are.
Awh really?!
"Trust me: you do not want to do this."
While Leo's tone might scare a few Purple Dragons every other day, our stranger in robes wasn't shaking in the least.
"No. Heed my offer, for my bond with the earth is strong."
Aaaaand that's when all shell breaks loose: using some kind-a earth-bending ability, he causes a tendril made out of stone to shoot out of the floor to attack us! Luckily, we act fast and run to jump off the nearby wall out of the line of fire...
But even though we manage to dodge the first strike, it wouldn't take too long before we'd realize how out of our element - pun unintended - we were...Thankfully, I'm still able to move around even after getting knocked onto my shell by some flying spears, while my bros became trapped by either more rock tendrils, or in Raph's case, getting his hands and feet sucked into the floor.
"...You guys are alot of help."
"Just get his amulet, Mikey! That's how he's controlling everything!"
I retort back at Don as I start running from the spears again,
"Hah, hah, before, or after he bludgeons me with those things?"
Leo replies as I hop over him,
"Preferably before."
Right...Aha!
That's when a brilliant idea sparks: I head over to Raph, leap-frogging over behind him before using his shell to vault a spin kick against the spears! They go flying back at the joker who's been trying to hit me with them, and one connects with that crystal necklace, ripping it off his neck and sending the gem to the floor.
Got'chya!
I wouldn't have enough time to savor in the small victory, because I had to focus on running for the crystal before baldy could get it again. We both tackle down for it at the same time, the impact sending us crashing through the weakened wall into the room where Quarry and the others are...I feel a groan escape me, before my eyes lock onto one of those glowing bolas.
...That'll work.
I grab it and hurry to my feet just as he turns to start using that crystal again...
"Time t' put you on ice!"
(Toss...)
The rope connects with my target, causing him to vanish in that flash of light and reappear in an unoccupied chrysalis pod, where he'd get the same treatment he dished on Quarry...I almost cringe at his last cries before he's frozen over, but remind myself that there wasn't any other choice.
Sorry, dude...but a turtle's gotta do what a turtle's gotta do.
No POV
With the entity of the necropolis incapacitated, Michelangelo doubles back into the other room and uses one of his nunchaku to free each of his brothers, Leonardo being the last one...
"Thanks, Mikey. You really stepped up."
They all wander back into the other room as the former replies,
"Not one for the highlight reel, though. I mean, the guy wasn't evil, just lonely. And who could blame 'im?"
Raphael and Donatello wander over to the chamber where Quarry stands as the sai-wielder says,
"Okay, let's find somethin' heavy and crack these puppies open."
"Actually, no blunt force required. I believe this crystal is the release."
Twisting the small gem to sit horizontally, Donatello then stands back up to watch as the chrysalis gently erodes away...revealing the original human form of the previous mutant.
"Quarry...?"
"...You're a girl!"
The turtles hurry to cover their eyes with a single hand for the sake of modesty, while Quarry - back in the form of a woman in her twenties with bobbed dark teal hair, silk beige skin and Prussian blue eyes - slowly blinks back to her new reality.
"...I'm, back to normal...!"
Giving her some space to readjust, Donatello turns focus on the other mutants awaiting release.
"Come on, turtles: let's free the others...Hm?"
That's when the brainy bō staff user spots another door a little smaller than the others at the other side of the room, the blue intricate lines on the sandy orange base glowing thanks to another crystal sealing it closed...
"What is it, Don?"
He walks over to the door while replying to his eldest brother,
"This door...I feel like our resident necropolis survivor may have it closed for a reason..."
He peeks inside through a small window near the top...and gasps when he sees,
"Shiori!"
That caught the attention of the other three terrapins, who rush over just as Donatello hurries to open the door.
"No way!"
"Yori?!"
"She was in there the whole time?"
The room opens, and we find the human Hamato laying atop a raised stone platform-style bed attached to the back wall...
"Sis?"
The purple-masked turtle approaches her side and tries to shake her awake, but only receives a light moan in response...That's when he notices a new flush to Shiori's cheeks and beads of sweat on her forehead, not to mention a slight wheeze in each inhale/exhale.
Uh oh...
"What's up, Don; why isn't she wakin' up?"
He turns to meet Raphael's eyes and replies,
"I'm not one-hundred percent sure, but, I think she might have caught some sort of cold virus."
Michelangelo exclaims worriedly,
"Yori's sick?!"
"Yeah. It's likely just hitting her with full force now, and might've been caused by jumping into that whirlpool a while back...It's also possible she tried to wake up a few times, but the virus had drained all her energy."
"Aww, shell..."
The turtles then hear their sister mumble a bit feverishly,
"B...Bro-th'rs..."
She then coughs a little in her sleep, shifting onto her side with an uncomfortable moan, making her siblings feel all the more concerned.
Oh Shiori...
...
...
With their sister's health thrown into a minor crisis loop, the turtles act quickly in freeing the other newly-restored humans, then search for some sort of clothing to help cover the-ahem, exposed bodies, before starting the trek out of the cavern city...Raphael is seen carrying Shiori bridal-style, glancing down at the girl every few seconds with worry tucked behind his passive expression.
Hang in there, sis. You're gonna be just fine...
"Hh, nooo!"
Snapping his head up, the sai-wielder and his brothers hurry between the other victims of Shredder's scientists to see what the problem was...They'd hold themselves back from gasping, when they see 'Stonebiter' reverting back to his mutant form! Acting fast, the three free-handed turtles run to pull the man back into the tunnel connecting the city with the winding catacombs...and he transforms back into his human form...
"He...He reverted back just as he stepped out of the cavern! Why?"
Donatello thinks back to what the nameless entity said regarding his methods in regenerating the human forms of the Foot mutants...before leading the group back to the cliff side overlooking the city. He points up at the crystal moon:
"There! I think that's the cause! Remember? He said it provides regenerative energy. Stray too far, and it seems the effects reverse themselves."
Quarry - who reintroduced herself as Sidney - sadly concludes,
"Then...we can't leave his city?...I don't believe it. He got what he wanted after all..."
Leonardo tries to reassure her that not all hope is lost.
"We'll figure this out. Don's pretty good at-"
"No. We can't let you stay. Who knows how long it'll take..."
The other previous mutants reluctantly nod in agreement, though Michelangelo felt his heart ache to help.
"But just takin' off is not our style."
"Please. You have your own lives to get back to...Besides..."
Sidney directs her stare on the sick Shiori as the latter sleeps on within her brother's arms.
"It wouldn't be right to jeopardize your sister's health for our sakes..."
Forming a determined frown, the former acid mutant says,
"Believe me: if a solution is here, we'll find it."
Despite knowing how right Sidney is, Donatello nonetheless refused to fully give up on these poor people.
"I'll keep studying the crystals. We can beat this!"
Leonardo and Raphael add,
"And then, we'll be back."
"That's a promise."
"(...Sad smile) Thank you."
...
...
...
After some time, the terrapin ninja teens will have made their way back into the more familiar sewer tunnels after saying goodbye for now to their new friends. The collective mood is one of the melancholy variety, despite the mission having gone a little better than what could have been...
"How's Shiori doing?"
Checking her temperature by reaching over Raphael's arm, Donatello replies to Leonardo,
"Well, she's not burning up bad, but she's a little paler than earlier. Once we're back in the lair, I'll locate some cold medicine...Mh!"
He and the other three then stiffen on alert, spotting a familiar and unpleasant presence coming their way. They duck into another large pipe...and watch as nearly a dozen Foot ninja soldiers jog past with flashlights...
"Foot Ninjas...?!"
"What're they doin' down here...?!"
...That's when a more friendly figure shows up right behind them, grasping Michelangelo's shoulder to turn him around, immediately slapping a hand over his mouth while shushing him quiet. The figure is of course revealed to be Splinter, and his youngest son whines under his breath,
"Whaaat? I'm the only screamer? You hafta cover just my mouth?"
"Master Splinter, what is going on?"
The mutant rat replies to his eldest son,
"I do not know, but I believe the Foot is searching for us. They are everywhere."
Raphael exclaims in a whisper,
"You've gotta be kiddin' me," and that's when Splinter notices his daughter's unconscious form.
"Uh-h! What has happened to Shiori?"
The bō staff-wielding turtle explains to his father as the girl lets out a stifled cough,
"Unfortunately, we think she caught a flu bug and, something in our underground adventure had triggered it. She's been sleeping for a while now and barely keeping her temperature from climbing..."
Splinter steps forward and gently runs a hand over the blackette's forehead, feeling how clammy her skin has become.
My daughter...
"Where's Emily and Ori? Are they alright?"
He looks up to meet Michelangelo's eyes and replies,
"Emily has already left to escort Ortensia back to her home...but we cannot reach the lair undetected. Thankfully, she has already suggested a neutral location for us all to stay in the meantime."
"Where's that?"
...
...
The scene shifts to the studio apartment section of April's family shop, and we see both her and her cousin sitting on the couch as they await the arrival of the five mutants and one human which make up the Hamato family...
"I'm sorry for putting you on the spot like this, cousin."
"Hooh, it's alright. I realize there wasn't enough time to really think of a safe place. Besides, if I recall right, your apartment's a little smaller than mine."
The two women laugh, just as the doorbell to the side entrance rings.
"Ah. That should be them now. Shall we?"
"Right."
They wander down the stairs and pass the antiques, and April would be the one to open the door.
(Ka-chack)
"Hey, April, Em! Heh, nice pjs."
We see each O'Neil wearing a set of the resident redhead's pajamas, namely, a simple tee and shorts, but with differing colours of light plum and cerulean for April, and periwinkle and off-white for Emily.
"Thanks, Mikey. Emily told me what's going on, and, though I'm a little unprepared for so many house guests...I'm glad you're all here and not being chased around by Foot soldiers. Come on in."
The ladies step aside to let the Hamatos in, forming concerned expressions as soon as they saw Shiori's form.
"Oh! Shiori!"
"What happened?"
Raphael explains,
"She got sick while we were checkin' something out underground. Hasn' woken up yet..."
Emily steps forward for a closer look, feeling her heart clench the longer she stared at the blackette's sickly face.
Oh the poor dear...
Her cousin watches from beside Splinter near the doorway, feeling her own lips curve down a little.
Good lord, first an ambush by Hun and company, now she's gotten sick?
...Can't catch a break, can you, Shiori?
"April, your hospitality is most appreciated in these uncertain times."
She turns to give the grey-furred rat a smile and replies,
"Of course. I mean, you guys are practically family by this point. Why wouldn't I open my doors?...Especially since one of your children's under the weather. Luckily, cold and flu medicine's something I have plenty of right now."
I heard there was some kind-a flu bug going around, but I didn't think it'd be able to find anyone who lived under the streets...
"Mm...M-mrrh..."
It was then that the subject of worry finally begins to stir again, blinking open tired and physically-irritated honey orbs.
"R...Raph? E-Em...?"
"Sis..." "Shiori..."
Everyone else felt their eyes direct over their way, just as the girl with short beach waved black hair suddenly recalls recent events, the memories hitting her like New York's rush hour.
"Hh! Q-Quarry! The g-guy in the robes!"
She practically jumps out of her brother's arms, which would prove to be a mistake when a wave of dizziness wobbles through the girl's body at the same time her throat barks up a stronger set of coughs.
"Koff-ch-cah-ccyff!"
Raphael and Emily hurry to steady her before she would've collapsed to the floor.
"Whoa, take it easy, Yori!"
"Dear, you're not well; you shouldn't overexert yourself..."
As Shiori works to clear her lungs, April glances over at Donatello and asks,
"Who's, Quarry, and what's this about a robed man?"
"Long and weird story. We'll explain later."
"Sure..."
Meanwhile, Leonardo steps over to his sick sibling to gently fill her in on what happened while she was unconscious.
"It's okay, Shiori. Quarry's alright, and so are the others...They've, actually regained their human forms."
"Koff-ch, r-really?"
"Yeah. But, they have to stay down below for reasons we'll explain in detail later, when you're not trying to cough up a lung."
A short whisper of a giggle escapes Shiori's lips at her brother's dry joke, before she asks,
"And, the guy in the robes isn't gonna-kh, give them trouble, right?"
"Kind-a can't anymore. Again, details to come later."
The girl nods and rubs her irritated eyes in an attempt to refocus her vision some more to her current surroundings.
"...Are, we at April's?"
"Yes. We'll actually be camping out here for a while."
"How come?"
Raphael cuts in as he adjusts his hold on Shiori's upper arm and the small of her back.
"There's a bunch'a Foot goons runnin' around in the tunnels near home."
"...What? Seriously?"
The latter seemingly wipes away some of her exhaustion to make room for a frown of confusion.
"But, they haven't done-ch, koff, that before. Why now?"
"Who knows? Probably got tired of waitin' for us to hit topside again, so d'ey're takin' the fight to us."
"...Damn..."
Emily gently nudges Shiori's left shoulder as she says,
"We can postulate other theories once we're all comfortably seated. You, meanwhile, are heading straight to bed."
"Kh-koff, yes ma'am."
Smiling at the cooperative behaviour from the blackette, the auburn brunette locks her jade green irises with the bottle green of her cousin with velvet red hair.
"Guess it's a good thing I haven't asked for that cot back yet, huh?"
"Heh, no kidding. We'll set it up in my room and we can just share my bed."
Sensing this as a cue of sorts, the sai-wielding turtle lifts his sick sister into his arms to carry again, following the O'Neils up the stairs with the rest of the Hamatos trailing behind...
"S-Sorry, in advance, if I pass my cold onto anybody..."
The blackette is met with replies of,
"No worries."
"It's fine."
"You just focus on getting better, Shiori."
Humming a little, the girl then closes her eyes to rest again, her last thoughts being,
This world has one messed-up system...
Why is it every time my bros and I solve a problem, an even bigger one has to rear its ugly head?