So the Spring Semester has begun once again for me! I'm halfway through to graduation! Hope everyone is still doing well during this pandemic, but hopefully we're closer more than before to get rid of it for good. Thank you to those who are still following, and I got a nice review a few weeks ago. I'm glad the Turtles are getting closer to being reunited again. Writer's block has taken a toll on me for this story, but I'm still finding a few ways to improvise.

I also want to congratulate our new leaders Joe Biden and Miss Harris. I hope they lead the next four years of our lives with good examples. I also pray that they serve and honor God.

So now I've updated myself, let's update on the Turtles!

Chapter14: Zuko and the Orb

The fading and reappearing of limbs was becoming more frequent. Leo and the others were still trying to figure out a plan on how to get the orb back, but first they had to find where the Triceratons were taking up a temperate residence.

Raphael growled as he looked at his disappearing and reappearing arms. He was getting tired of this.

"I hope Donnie finds the Triceratons soon, Leo. I'm getting tired of all this waiting around. What if Mikey isn't even alive anymore?"

"Mikey's alive, Raph. If he wasn't, then we wouldn't be here."

"Yeah? Well, I don't think we'll be able to have a choice on if we want to stay here or not. For all we know we may only have a few hours until we're gone for good."

"I worry about that too, Raph," Leo acknowledged. "But we have to put our trust in Donnie. Hopefully Zuko hasn't gone back to the Triceraton home planet, or at least send the orb back there."

Leo didn't like waiting around anymore than Raph did, but he knew they couldn't act recklessly. Raph wasn't satisfied.

"How can you be so calm?"

"You don't think I'm just as worried as you are about this situation? Mikey's important to me too, Raph! And I'm not going to rest again until we find him!"

Raph looked as if he might yell and start arguing with Leo, but he sat down instead and covered his tearing eyes. Leo felt like crying too, but forced the tears not to shed for now. He sat down beside Raph and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Until we know for certain, we have to believe that everything will be fine."

Raph nodded, but he said nothing further.

Zuko returned to his commanding base. The other Triceratons there were hard at work preparing a shipment of goods for their home planet. One soldier noticed him and saluted.

"Commander Zuko, the shipment is almost ready. We should be ready to send it tonight."

"Excellent! Make sure you make some room, though. We may have a few...guests."

"Private personnel?"

"More like some new prisoners," Zuko smirked. The Triceraton officer saluted again before going back to work. Zuko went into his office and placed the orb on the table.

"Now to figure out how to get all the prisoners out of this thing..."

He had read up some info about rare orbs such as this, but some orbs were different and required a certain 'touch' to open them. He tried twisting it, crushing it, anything to get the orb portal to work. He put his hand to his chin as he looked the orb over. No damage no matter how hard you try.

"Didn't Zixx mention it was some kind of wishing orb, that it grants people's own desires?" he questioned to himself. If that was the case, then he would have to make some kind of wish to open it. He propped his feet up on the desk and looked up at the ceiling in thought, his hands resting behind his head.

"A promotion would be nice. Maybe make me head of the Triceraton Army after I deliver these prisoners to the supreme leader? Yeah..."

He was starting to picture himself in the situation: A red carpet rolled out for him, getting a medal, promoted to chief commander of the Triceraton Army. Although all that probably wouldn't happen, it was a nice thing to think about. Leave this low life as a mere commander behind him.

"I wish the prisoners in the orb were here right now. Then I could bring them back to the home planet and be hailed as a hero."

He didn't notice the orb glowing at first, until a bright flash filled the room. He blocked his eyes and fell out of his chair in surprise. When the light faded, he saw three alien creatures on the floor in front of him, all with dazed and confused looks on their faces.

"Halt!" Zuko ordered as he pulled out a stun gun, pointing it at the creatures. "Identify yourselves! Where did you come from?!"

The aliens put their hands over their heads and spoke in multiple languages Zuko wasn't familiar with. Luckily he had a communicator on hand and was able to translate in Triceraton tongue.

"Oh, so you're the ones who were stuck in the orb, are you?"

He frowned as he realized there wasn't a Turtle among them. He growled as he picked up the orb and shook it about.

"I said ALL the prisoners! That means the Turtle, too!"

The orb stopped glowing and Zuko shot the orb. Bad idea, because the bullet ricocheted off the surface and bounced around the office before blasting Zuko in the behind. Zuko screamed in pain and rubbed his butt. That only made him madder.

"Playing stubborn, huh?" he picked up the orb and threw it against the wall. It began to glow again and the Triceraton felt satisfied. "A-ha! You just gotta show some force!"

Tot Donatello had found a well hidden spot in the sewers where the Foot ninjas could not find him. He shivered as he watched the ninjas run by, but no one stopped to look around any dark corners to look for the Turtle. He was safe for now.

The sounds of the ninjas soon faded and the tot could only hear the dripping water and familiar smell of home near by. He cautiously peeked out from his hiding spot in the shadows and followed his senses towards home. He was certain he could smell Michelangelo and Splinter, but he wasn't sure. He wanted to call out, but was still scared that a Foot ninja or the Shredder was near by.

"Leonardo! Raphael! Donatello!" from the tunnels of the sewers, he was certain he could hear Master Splinter calling for him and his brothers.

"I...I...," Donnie's throat felt dry. He wanted to call out and let Master Splinter know he was close, but the scare from earlier was still preventing him to speak.

He forced himself to try again, eager to see his father and older brother. "I...I'm here! Master Splinter? Mikey? I'm here!"

The call echoed off the walls of the tunnels and Donnie waited for a response.

"Did you hear that?" Michelangelo asked Splinter. He and Splinter were down one of the main tunnel passageways. He put a hand to his ear and waited. Master Splinter perked up his ears too and sniffed the air. He tried calling again.

"Leonardo! Rapahel! Donatello!" they waited. This time they were certain they heard a tiny voice calling for them.

"That sounds like Donnie!" Mikey smiled. "He's close."

They continued to call for him.

When the tot heard them getting closer, he came out from his hiding place and ran into their arms with tears of fear and happiness.

"Oh, my son!" Splinter smiled as he held him close. "You are safe. Are you hurt?"

Donnie shook his little head and tried wiping his tears away.

"Donnie, what's wrong?" Mikey asked him. "Where are Leo and Raph? Are they safe too?"

"A scary man got them! His ninjas are after me! I was so scared!"

"It is alright, Donatello," Splinter comforted him. "Your brother and I are here now. Nothing bad will happen to you, I promise."

After Donnie had calmed down and dried his tears, Splinter turned to Michelangelo.

"Take your brother home, Michelangelo. I will look for Leonardo and Raphel alone."

"But, Master, you said we were going to look for them together."

"And I also told you that if we encounter danger to leave and protect your brothers," Splinter told him. Mikey remembered, but he felt torn. He knew he had to keep Donnie out of danger now, but he wanted to keep looking with Splinter. What would Leo do? Mikey already knew the answer when the question popped into his head. Leo would obey without question.

"Yes, Master."

Donnie was confused. He held onto Splinter tightly. "I want to stay with you!"

"I know, Donatello," Splinter smiled and rubbed the tiny Turtle's head. "But you will be safer with your brother. I promise I'll get your brothers back."

He handed the tot to Michelangelo before turning and leaving them alone in the tunnel. Mikey noticed Donnie starting to cry again.

"Hey," he chuckled as he rubbed his 'little' brother's back. "What's this? Why are you crying again?"

"I'm scared. That guy in armor could hurt Master Splinter. He is going to be okay, isn't he?"

"I...I don't know," Mikey admitted.

"But you said you know everything because you're a big brother," Donnie sniffled. Mikey's heart melted seeing the tot like this. He did say that before, didn't he? It felt so long ago. He had been so sure of himself when he first came back to the present world. Now he realized he had known so little.

"I guess even big brothers get scared sometimes, too."

He smiled as he tossed his 'little' brother up in the air and caught him before blowing berries on his tummy. It made the tiny Turtle giggle.

"But you don't have to worry about any of that. I may be wrong sometimes, but that doesn't mean I won't be there for you. When we get back to the Lair we can play whatever you want, Donnie. And no evil ninjas are going to find us."

"Really?" Donnie asked, his eyes gleaming with hope. Mikey nodded and rubbed his nose to his.

"Yes, really."

But as the Turtle began making his way back to the Lair with his 'little' brother in tow, Mikey felt someone grab his shoulder. He gasped as he turned around and saw Zuko smirking.

"I found you, Turtle! You're coming with back to the real world with me!"

Mikey shrieked and he felt himself being pulled away from home. Donnie slowly began fading out of his arms, a frozen face smiling back at him.

"What the shell?!" The world faded before Michelangelo.