This is a story I started about a year ago after getting sucked into alot of Sailor Moon. So like that, it's a long tale that incorporates several themes. To make it easier to get through I've broken it up into four parts, because I can't even read the whole thing through in one sitting. So sit back and veg. And please excuse any wierdness in the first chapters, there were some things I still couldn't edit out. But trust me, it's so worth it.
If you want to hear some of the music featured here, check out my site listed in my profile. I love the music here (it's also from sailor moon) and there are pictures of Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello, Leonardo, and Master Splinter (copyright of mirage studios) as well as Lita, Maddie, Noriko, Erika, Jimmy, and Prince Idola. So check them out. Anyway. Here's the background.
Many eons ago there was a grand kingdom, of a great immortal people, which ruled over many planets in its own galaxy, far far away from our own. This kingdom had a great leader, a king. And a great court which served under him, full of princes and princesses, lords and ladies, knights and archers, sorcerors and summoners. This King was known as Ardimus, and among his court were four very important men. They were the great advisors, and held the knowledge of the elements of life. These peoples made up the kingdom of Delphus.
And durring the great reign of Delphus, there grew a stirring in the hearts of evil. The hearts of sorcerors long forgotten, exiled away from the galaxy for eternity for crimes against the people. These sorcerors called themselves the Matrix, and they instilled fear in the hearts of citizens of Delphus.
Their angst was recognized only too late, and the Matrix invaded Selphi, the capitol planet of Delphus. They took the palace, and captured the throne room. The rest of Delphus fell under their power, and were ruled from then on by martial law.
Only a fraction of the court escaped into the underground tunnels of the city, away from the sorcerors reach. Among the survivors of the overthrow were the king, and his royal advisors.
With the Matrix still in hold of Selphi each of the advisors snuck out in the night and located young girls to train as the powers of the universe. They were kidnapped out of orphanages, and state systems, taken underground, and erased from matrix.
They were each blessed with immortality, and transmorphed into permanent elemental forms. They trained for centuries, never aging passed 25.
Meanwhile the Matrix tarried its martial law, the king grew restless. The Advisors were sent to bring the Elementals to the Matrix asteroid, to fight the great sorcerors. They left in the night again, and used the powers of the universe to teleport themselves onto the asteroid, inside the palace of silence.
The palace was so huge, the advisors and their elementals took four days to reach the center of the asteroid. Each day posed a soceror, and each day another advisor was destroyed, setting off the balance of the universe.
By the fourth day four of the twelve of the sorcerors were destroyed, and the four advisors were forever lost. The asteroid was on a collision course towards Selphi, with tremors of distress shockwaving through the galaxy. The remaining sorcerors failed to show themselves during their escape, leaving the advisors alone in the palace of silence.
The elementals consolidated the power of the element crystals, and created a temporary time freeze. From there they collected the souls of the king, his youngest son, and the advisors, and preserved them in balls of light. They stored their own souls in the light spheres and sent the ten out into deep space in the moment before the time freeze ended.
The crystals shattered to pieces, and the universe fell in on itself, creating a tremendous black hole. The balls of light containing the ten souls escaped the collapse of the 7th dimension, and floated away in a random direction. The largest pieces of the elemental crystals sealed themselves in magic balls and followed.
For eons the spheres of light traveled, souls frozen in wizard energy. They flew silently through darkness, until each were pulled into a new planet. This was known as the 8th dimension. Each soul searched until finding a suitable host which to be born with. However, none retained the memories of the past, with exception for the soul of king Ardimus. The crystals followed the elementals to the 8th dimension and stayed with them as long as they could.
The souls of the advisors were directed to pull towards the elementals in the event the new dimension being violated by a matrix sorceror, and to retrain them in their power. Less then 18 years after the light spheres reached the eighth dimension the fifth of the twelve sorcerors, Nikira, found his way to the new planet.
To defend the eighth dimension the king gathered his advisors and told them this same tale. He sent them then to locate the elementals in the great city, and train them again to transform into their former selves. This is where our adventure begins, with our heros venturing into the city. The capital of New York, Earth.
All the girls swim suits were an almost navy blue with a lighter trim. The guys' trunks were nearly the same, coming to mid-thigh. The teachers finished talking and went their separate ways, the last of the Mens class filtering into the locker room. The female teacher clapped twice gave orders as the girls to get into position. A woman giving orders.
Concentrate…
Concentrate…
Leonardo closed his eyes.
Center your thoughts…
He slowly opened his eyes. The class had begun, half of the class was in the water doing laps. Leonardo searched for something to stand out. He felt kind of odd. Good. That's good... He narrowed his eyes, trying to focus through the smeared glass. The instructor looked up at him as if on cue. Leonardo pulled back swiftly. He was sure she hadn't seen him. But still. That was at least a little strange. This isn't so hard after all. …I wonder how the others are faring.
"Hey, not bad." Someone's voice interupted him. He banged the nose of board down and grinned beneath the rim of his cap. A kid stood at the other end of the path. He couldn't be more than 12. But he dressed like a gangster or something. What's the appeal for kids to wear wife beaters in the first damn place? What a shmuck.
"Yeah thanks." The kid nodded and skated away. Mike cocked his head and pushed off after him. Other than the ducks this boy was the first thing moving he had interacted with all day. Splinter would be royally pissed if he knew about that. heh.
He followed the kid down the path, back about 70 yards, and ended up on the outskirts of the skate park. The kid was off like a flash, flipping and speeding around the park like a bat outa hell. Damn. Mike leaned against a directions pole to watch.
"Go Flash, Go! Go Flash, Go!" The other kids in the skate park cheered. idiots.Mike watched in awe as the aptly named 'Flash' sped down the main ramp and flew off the end. He turned nearly horizontal, holding one edge of his board, the other outstretched. He looked like some form of a bird diving through the air. Mike grinned. Sweetness.
It might not have been so bad if Leo wasn't so gung ho about it. He was the last person he expected to believe in this fairytale of a...well, tale. "Are you looking for something?" He spun back around again. A young japanese girl leaned over to the side to look at him. She looked like she worked here from the gardening tools in her apron, and the haphazard way her braids were tied. He hadn't even heard her come up on him. Stupid birds had distracted his hearing. He relized he probably was looking like a flasher, dressed in a trench coat and fedora hat. If she had noticed, it didn't appear to show. good girl.
"I…uh…" Oh crap. Think think think. "I'm looking for the...uh, person in charge." He spat out. She smiled.
"Oh, grandpa. He's always in the greenhouse around this time. It's sort of hidden behind the brush, I'll show you the way." She walked past him out onto the path. "He can be hard to find sometimes." She called back.
Don walked a few yards behind her down the path. He stuck his hands in his pockets and put his head down, looking like a little boy about to be punished. This was just his luck. He hoped she didn't wait around for him to talk to 'grandpa'.
The girl lead them to barely blazed path off in the bushes. He trailed after her, listening to her foot steps and trying to time them to his own. She put her hand on a tree and swung around, looking down on a new path. At the end of which was the large opaque greenhouse. The girl stopped, still holding the tree. "There you go."
"Thanks," He mumbled, still looking at his feet. She smiled.
"Don't mention it." She went passed him and back to the other path. Donatello looked over his shoulder again when her footsteps faded off. Close. He didn't need her sneaking up on him again. But at least he found the person who ran the arboretum. He could think of it as a mystery. Detective Don and such. Aw, no. That was dumb.
Don went up to the green house and snuck around to the side where some bushes pressed up against the glass. He ruffled the bushes as he snuck inside to make it look like wind. Pushing the sides of his hands against the glass he spread the bushes off to the sides. Inside he found shelves set up all around the walls, a long table island set in the center. An elderly japaneese man stood at one of the tables in the center, trimming a small bonzaii tree. He was nearly bald, with many wrinkles. Don shifted around slightly to get comfortable. He was going to be here for awhile.
"Stuff." The girl smiled.
"Want somethin' ta drink?"
"Red dog."
"Right." She went down to the other end of the bar where the beer was. Raphael tilted his head slightly, checking her out as she made the drink up. At least this place had a nice view. He smiled to himself and leaned back again as she returned. "There ya go." She went back to the back of the bar facing the large mirror and liquor bottles and started hanging up the glasses she had been cleaning. Raphael took a deep drink and froze. He looked down into the drink.
"Hey, this tastes like ice tea." She turned around and brought her arm down.
"Oh no, it's beer." He tilted his head skeptically. "It just tastes like iced tea. Trust me. It's beer." She smirked slightly and turned around, resuming hanging up the glasses. He narrowed his eyes.
"I think it's cust'mary to get a customer what he orders." He set the glass down loud enough to draw more attention.
"Yeah, that's one theory." She hung another glass up.
"Can I get a beer now?" She turned around.
"Do you have some ID?"
"At home."
"Ok. How old are you?"
"23." She crossed her arms.
"What's you're birthday?"
"Uhh… January …twenny-second, …nineteen....seventy-three."
"What's your sign." She asked quickly. His voice caught, …aw damn it. She smirked. "Enjoy your iced tea." She went back to her work. He picked the glass back up and sipped his drink.
"…c'n I get some sugar at least." He mumbled. She turned around.
"Now that I can do." She reached below the counter and set a rectangular wicker basket full of sugar packets on the bar in front of him. "Just out of curiousity, how old are you?" She stood back and started wiping out another glass. He took two packets quickly before she could catch site of his hand.
"17." She smiled and nodded.
"Thought so." She turned around and hung the glass up. Raphael nodded to himself. "You didn't answer my question you know."
"Which one." A short chuckle and a bob of long red hair responded first.
"Why are you so glum?" She asked. glum?
"Ah… just work." She nodded and turned around, cleaning another glass.
"havin' bad luck?"
"Nope. Not any luck at all." He drank the tea. "Unless you happen to be an arsonist." He mumbled. Her eyes darted around for a second, then broke out into a wide smile.
"You caught me." He smirked under the rim of his hat.
"Thanks anyway." She nodded and went back to her work. Ten or so minutes later Raphael looked over his shoulder to the colored glass windows behind him. The sun was beginning to go down. Crap. He put the glass down. She turned back to him as he reached into his pocket.
"Hey, it's on the house."
"Oh, thanks." He muttered. She smiled. He pushed himself off the stool and sauntered out, maybe hoping he looked a bit older. But if he didn't get home soon Splinter would make sure he never got to become older. Raphael grumbled and shoved his hands into his pockets, heading for the nearest manhole cover.
Michelangelo chewed on a piece of pizza, swinging back and forth in the living room hammock. His brothers sat lounging around the den with him for the first time in nearly a week. Donatello sprawled out on his shell, propped up on a pillow. Leonardo sat in an easy chair, his leg pulled under him. Raphael had just gotten in and was taking off his gear. Leonardo cleared his throat as Raphael headed for his room.
"Alright, now that we're all home." Raphael stopped and turned around, bobbing his shoulders with each step till he turned back. Leonardo brought his other leg up and sat cross legged. "How did you all do." Mike talked with his mouth full for a few moments before his brothers blank stares stopped him. He finished swallowing.
"I did good." He grinned. "My works all done."
"Don?"
"Me too." Leonardo nodded.
"Raph?"
"…nope." He mumbled. Mike laughed out loud. Raphael shot him a look, silencing him immediately.
"Thats alright for now-" Raphael narrowed his eyes.
"Fuck you."
"Hey, you're taking care of yourself here. Don't get mad at me."
Raphael mouthed his words with a roll of the eyes and left. Leonardo scowled as he left. Snot. "Alright. We'll continue servalince tomorrow." Mumbles of agreement passed over the remaining.
Nikira knelt in the shadows behind an air conditioning vent above the gym. The ancients had led him here to begin the search for the water elemental. What better place to begin than a stinking public facility. And apparently the advisors had been informed of the girls presense as well. One of them was sitting outside the sky light looking in. Evidently he thought he could get to her before he could. Nikira smirked. Or he could lead him right to her. The advisor shifted around, hunched over. Nikira levetated slightly to keep his knee from bruising. Patience is a virtue. He crossed his arms.
Michelangelo hung back in the shadows of the skate park. 'Flash' and his friends were playing around again under his watchful eye. Flash was up on the ramp again. Mike could see how he picked up speed, just where to push off. He couldn't wait to try it. Damn, that kid's got air. Mike tapped his foot against his board impatiently. Flash hit the scoop of the ramp and flew off. Mike almost lost him in the sun. Cripes! That kid kicks ass!… Didn't Yoda know all the jedi tricks Luke did? Well... I'm like this kids yoda, right? Yeah… I'll go for it…yeah. I mean, I trained him didn't Mike clapped quietly. His friends patted him on the back and they all skated off to get lunch. Leaving? Mike looked around. They're gone… Hoo hoo haa haa haa He grinned after a moment. Ok, I'll just do this one jump then go back to surveillence. Mike skated out to the empty jump. Two quick glances made sure the coast was clear and he was up to the top. It was high. Really high. Mike took a breath. Think Yoda, Think Yoda, Think Yoda. He got on his board, trailing the toe of his boot around the edge for good luck. A wind blew his coat around him and he hastily buttoned it all down. Use the force, Luke. He pushed off onto the ramp and went flying down. Mike pushed his foot off against the ground, picking up enormuos speed. The scoop of the jump was coming up quickly. His heart pounded with anticipation, fear, and excitement all at once. He just hoped he wasn't having a heart attack. The end came closer-closer-closer. Gee, I wonder if this is what sex feels like. The thought passed through his mind like the crack of a whip before he flew off the end of the ramp.
Oh my god.
Everything became slow motioned. He was flying. Literally flying on his skateboard. The huge sun enveloped everything. Wow. Mike swallowed. He didn't know how long he was just floating there... Because quickly the dream was over. What goes up... He could hear Donatello's voice in his head. He was falling. Falling fast. The pavement was coming up on him, he was spinning and twisting. Mike opened his mouth to scream, but the sound got caught in his throat.
Mike hit blacktop. Oooo-oooo-oooo-oooow!! He whimpered softly. Oh god that hurts. He tried to push himself up after a moment, but only succeeded in falling back down. Oh god. He felt like crying. It hurt so bad. Not gunna cry, not gunna cry. He grimaced, a few tears came along the bottom line of his eyes. His head throbbed like a huge band was squealing through his mind. Aw man.
"Oh my god, you poor thing!" He heard someone running up to him. Holy fuck. He tried again to get to his feet, his knees quivered when he tried to sit up. The person was by his side the next instant, tending to him. It was a she. She had long platinum blond hair and nearly white blue eyes, light tiny crystals glittered in them. She put her hand on his chest and kept him from getting up. "Oh dear, are you alright?" It seemed fairly obvious he wasn't. Mike groaned.
"Hurt my butt." He mumbled. Oh yeah, that was really smooth. She smiled and laughed. Her laughter sounded like wind chimes.
"Oh, you poor dear. Here, let me help you." She went to put her arm around him.
"I gotta, ...gotta...Yoda...turtle...huh...?" He trailed off in his mumblings as the pain in his shell overtook him.
Donatello took his walk through the arboretum slowly. It was much to nice a day to rush anything. Mr. Tagahasi was trimming a long line of flowering bushes by the stream. Don stayed just out of view, watching the old man work peacefully. He'd learned a lot about the arboretum and Mr. Tagahasi, spending most of the past week buried in record books and geneaology websites. Tagahasi was an immigrant from Japan who moved to America with his wife and son in the begining of the century. His wife died from small pox. After that he opened the arboretum with money from her family. There he raised the son, who married early and had a daughter. Now that his son and daughter-in-law were dead, he and his grand-daughter Noriko looked after the arboretum with asmall government appointed staff. Mr. Tagahasi looked up and called to the girl on an arch bridge about the stream. She was the same girl from the other day. They spoke to each other in japaneese, he couldn't follow. Their conversation continued for a few more mintues. And the girl scurried off to do work. Donatello sighed resumed his stroll.
Raphael tapped his finger against the bar top absently. The bartender girl was at the other end of the bar talking softly with some men in dark suits. Not business suits. More like organized crime suits. Don't ask. He rolled his eyes. Service here sucks. The men finally seemed pleased and left. The girl came down to the other end of the bar at last.
"You're back. Another 'Red Dog'?"
"Har har." She smiled and went down to the other end of the bar. Raphael looked over his shoulder to the other tables behind him. One of them had yet to be bused and still held a bottle of beer. He might've gone for it if he didn't have the feeling she'd take it right back. Maybe bop him on the head with it too. The girl presently came back with an iced tea and set the basket of sugars on the counter again. "How old are you?" He turned back.
"What?"
"Doncha need to be 21 to serve alcohol."
"That's kinda like the 'get the customer what he ordered' theory." She said, making quotation marks with her fingers. Raphael smirked.
"Seriously." The girl smiled.
"16."
"I could turn you in." He noted more to himself, taking the glass from her.
"Would you?" She asked, half serious.
"Mabye I would." She furrowed her brow and took a round silver tray out from beneath the bar.
"That's not very nice." She pushed the short door that lead into the bar aside and went out into the small maze of table. Raphael read the labels of the bottle of hard liquor stacked against the back wall in front of the mirror. The girl returned after a few minutes with the half a dozen beer bottles and an over flowing cigarette tray. One of the guys at a table held a glass up and swished around the remaining liquid for her to see. She nodded, putting the other things away. The man put his glass down and resumed talking to his friend across the table.
"How'd ya get this job, anyway." Raphael asked as she made another drink.
"My uncle owns the place. He broke his arm a little while ago, so I cover for him." She twirled two larger bottles around and poured an orange/red looking drink. She put the bottles back and stuck an umbrella in the glass. Raphael watched out of the corner of his eye as she brought the drink back to the table and set the other empty glasses on her tray. One of the men gave her the pleasure of grabbing her ass, she jumped slightly, careful not to upset the tray. The man who ordered the drink stared him down. Maddie returned to the bar, her face a little red. She resumed putting away the empty bottles and glasses. Raphael looked at the overweight man chuckling.
"So where's your uncle anyway," Raphael turned back to her.
"Oh, he stays up in his room doing paper work and stuff. He comes down and helps work the bar at nights."
"Oh." He drank the rest of the tea.
"So, any luck finding your arsonist?" She smirked, wipping one of the glass out. He set the glass on the table.
"No …I gotta get goin'." He put a bill on the table before she could offer to pay the tab again.
"Oh, ok." He slid off the bar stool and left the seedy little bar. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the girl putting away the glass. He let the squeaky doors close behind him and started off for the alley beside the bar.
This was day two and he still hadn't found anything. He had a feeling he'd have to asked Master Splinter for help. And he'd direct him right to Leonardo. *Shudder* This wasn't very fun anymore. Raphael pushed the man hole cover aside and climbed down into the cool sewer. He slid the cover back into place and started down the wet corridor. Damn it. He'd tried everywhere an arsonist might go. Goth hangouts, Juvinal hall, etc, etc. He was considering asking for Don's computer tactics on this one. Anything other then asking for Leonardo's help.
He pushed the drift wood door open and went into the lair. Leo and Don were already home. Donatello played solitare, Leonardo paced the room. Raphael took his coat off and hung it up.
"Where've you been?!" Leonardo turned on him.
"Surveilence, remember." He flipped his hat off onto the rack by the door that Don had built.
"You were supposed to be back an hour ago."
"So I was late." He passed by him, heading for the kitchen. Leonardo grabbed his arm. "What!"
Leonardo hesitated a few moments. "…Did you hear from Mike?"
"Mike? …no, why?"
"He hasn't gotten back yet." Donatello looked up from his cards.
"…He's probly just off getting' pizza or somethin'. Jeez Leo, get a grip." Raphael pulled his arm back and went back into the kitchen. Leonardo waited a moment, then resumed his pacing.