Late, but another new chapter right here~ Happy 2018 everyone.

Jaya was sitting on one of Don's work tables, listening to Mikey ramble on about his superheroes. Both of the turtles had introduced themselves, as well as Raphael, who she had no clue about. She was still confused about the concept about "ninja turtles".

"..and then I helped Silver Sentry defeat Malingus, and then I was mentioned on TV, and he offered more superhero team-ups!" Mikey exclaimed, referencing his time as the Turtle Titan.

After recalling the day's events, Jaya felt her limbs grow heavy and the feeling of exhaustion settle in. She sat quietly as Donatello wrapped her arm. Somehow he had the ability to tune out Mikey.

"There. You should be good now." Don told Jaya. She flexed her arm, inspecting the bandages. It still hurt but the swelling had reduced so it wasn't as bad, and the turtle gave her some pills - whatever those were, she wasn't entirely sure - to take. Jaya was starting to miss her world even more.

But what she missed the most was practicing her bending.

Jaya stood up. "Thanks."

Jaya stood up to leave just as Raphael and Leonardo entered. The hot-headed turtle blocked her path as she tried to leave, folding his arms. "Not so fast."

The girl huffed. "Don't even, turtle-boy. You can't stand in my way."

"Want to see me try?" Raph stared her down unmoving.

"Raph, please." Leo put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Jaya, he just means it's time to tell your side of the story."

Jaya huffed again. She passed Raphael, who grunted but didn't stop her, to enter the main room and heard the four brothers follow. Surveying their lair, she looked for a place to sit. The couch didn't really seem ideal to her - rather, she was actually really missing the rough seats in most earth-bending homes where she grew up in. Most of the earthbenders she knew would just create their own chairs - that way they could be as comfy as each bender wanted.

So that's what she did.

With one quick fluid motion, Jaya created a small rock chair and took a seat. The turtles all exchanged equal glances of half-awe, half scared expressions, she just reminded herself that they probably had never seen earth-bending before.. Oh boy.

—

Unknown to the turtles and Jaya, as she sat explaining her world - bending, the concept of the avatar, the four nations, and the spirit world, which was a hard concept in and of itself - the shadow creature Leo previously encountered was approaching its master.

The room was dark, damp, and dreary. A place of sadness, loss, dread, fear - it almost stank of evil. The dimly lit dark room had only two small torches to provide any shrill of light, and even they hinted at being just plain dark. The torches had an almost Gothic feel to them, featuring intricate carvings of snakes, skulls, fire, and death. And, with whatever force of dark magic that created the room, they moved - the snakes slithered up and down the poles, and the skulls seemed to laugh and scowl at anyone who dared look at it. If studied too hard it's said that the poles could lead one to go insane - the dark images would constantly change and eventually take you along into whatever world they hold. The warrior walked past them, looking to the floor just like any other shadow-warrior who entered would - because they heard the rumors and the images just drove fear straight into ones stomach.

At the end of the room was a single black chair. Not even a throne, just a black armchair. It held a man, and at first one entering might just say this man was Death himself. But, in fact, he was not - he was simply consumed by the darkness and the shadows so much that his shadow warriors did not think he was even human. In fact, nobody knew what he was - they followed them because they feared him.

And the shadow warrior approaching the chair was in fact very terrified of the bad news he was going to deliver.

"Speak." The man said simply. His face was shrouded in the black cloak he wore, attached at the chest area with a black gem. What could be seen of his face was pure white - and nobody was ever said to see anything else of his face, except his eyes. The rest of his body seemed to be made up of the shadows themselves - shifting and forming,the cloak appeared to end at his feet and all that was left was the shadows.

"The turtle, and the girl, Master." The shadow warrior stuttered over his words. "They have escaped and eluded capture. They're gone, Master."

The man did not say a word, simply lifted up a hand and motioned the warrior closer. With a gulp, he came forward.

"I am greatly disappointed in you, warrior." He said simply. "Do you know what happens to those who disappoint me?"

"N-No, Master." The warrior bowed and shrank back as the man placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Find them and hope that you never find out. Do not bring me grave news again or this will be the last thing you ever see." The man lifted his hood and showed his eyes. They were pure black, almost an endless void one could get lost so easily in - and never return.

The warrior could see more than just a small reflection of his self in the glassy pupils - pain, misery, terror all reflected back at him as his screams echoed around the cavern. The feelings consumed him and he quivered, holding his head but unable to look away. Before he knew it, the cloak had covered the head again and the warrior sank to his knees, breathing heavily.

"Dismissed."

The man simply sat back down on his chair as the warrior stumbled out of the room, almost tipping one of the torches, unable to bear the thought of failure.

Any reviews so far are greatly appreciated 3 still haven't mastered how to reply to people individually except for through messages, but I do read them.