Raphael frowned and flipped a few more pages. He rubbed the tiny cuts on his arm absently and flicked at the scabs. Bad habit, eh? A stirring beside him drew his attention away and to the bed. Maddie sat up straight and opened her eyes.
"By yggdrasil. I have returned." Raphael threw the comic aside and knelt on the edge of the bed. "Mine soul and mind ceded yet again to this new body."
"Maddie, are you ok?" He swore under his breath as she looked at him, her eyes flaming red.
"I see your old soul, my friend. Eyes so dark come so few a thousand."
"Why are you talking like that? What the hell's goin' on?"
"Foresooth. This young host has been summoned by a sorceror, dark and full of trickery."
"Huh?"
"Rused into a watery hole in the ground, elements crossed, and a smarting confrontation. Not the makings of memories." She crossed her arms shrewdly.
"What happened?"
"Hah. A presumptuous man. His crystal of stolen powers was made ill will of, his face tightened to a prune of indesgestion." She laughed. "He threw my adversarial self back into the sea, and took his hands to my neck." She shook her hair back, flaring up like a thick fire. "And hence my soul hath returned, with treasure befitting not the noblest of pirateers." With a few waves of her hand she produced a round red crystal, glittering like a tiny star. "Fire, sir, is indesructable, and fool hardy to try. None shall yay habit the day when my powers cease to nay bow to will of brazen theurgists." She flashed a smile. "Hath thou no words of praise? Or doth thine tounge be enraptured by mine body anew?" He stuttered for a moment. "Say curious not, Sire. Your indescresions are not of question. And alas, your young mind is compassed too play."
"What? Maddie, what are you talking about? Snap out of it will already!" He shook her shoulder. The crystal rolled from her hand, jouncing on the mattress. Maddie blinked a few times, the strange red flame leaving her eyes. She stuttered for a moment, gaining her surroundings. "Mads? Is that you in there, babe?"
"Wha- huh?" She looked back at him. "Raph? Is it really you?" He grabbed her hand.
"Yeah babe, it's-" She grabbed him and held him close before he could finish .
"Oh god, Raphy. I was so scared, it was so scary." She buried her face in his neck. "Please just hold me"
"Yeah, sure." He put his arms around her back. She moaned and nuzzled his neck, her fingers curling around the tails of his bandana. She was cuddled up against him so long he wondered if she had fallen back into a coma.
"These have been the worst days of my life" The words muffled in his shoulder.
"Uh, Maddie... you've been out for weeks." She looked up at him.
"What?"
"3 weeks. Not days, yep know."
"But, it's only been days!... How- 3 weeks?" He nodded. "That's so long!... School's started,... I missed cheerleader try-outs, and homecoming!" He cleared his throat.
"Babe... we got bigger problems than try-outs."
"If it's about my powers don't worry about it. I made short work of the travelers crystal." She grinned playfully. "At least I thought so." She looked off.
"Maddie," The stern tone of his voice startled her. "......Its Splinter."
"And Jimmy?!" Erika clutched the strange new crystal to her chest, her eyes nearly popping out of her head. Lita put her palms out and shrugged helplessly. "But how?! How did he find us all!"
"I donno... I just remember when they dragged Splinter out." Erika fell back in bed, looking up at the ceiling.
"We chased the m into the sewer, but they were too fast... Then they all dematerialized into air... I ran some tests, but- there wasn't anything to trace, I swear." Donatello fiddled with a hangnail, trying quickly to explain himself to Noriko. She looked at him blankly, holding the elemental crystal to her stomach. Michelangelo came to stand in the doorway to Ojisan Tagahasis' room, leaning against the doorframe. It was just after three in the morning, rainwater from the surface wushed through the pipes above, and outside in the open sewers. Donatello mumbled to himself, trying to think up something else to tell her.
"¼The traveler said something about looking into my memories, he must've seen this place from there."
"He said he could read my thoughts. I don't know what else he saw." Maddie sat back on her legs, looking at the red crystal rolling between her hands. Raphael picked his comic book back up and laid in on the stack on her night stand. "This is terrible."
"Mmm."
"Raphy, tell me everything that happened." She took his hand and pulled her back onto bed with her. He sat down on the side of the bed and sighed, starting to take his bandana back off. "Please."
Raphael turned over onto his stomach, smothering his face in the pillow. After a few moments his breath ran out and he had to come up for air. The bedroom was dark and boring, the high pitched sound of nothingness peircing his ears. Whatever sleeping hormones he had we all drained, there was no rest left in him for the rest of the night.
He grumbled and threw the covers off, kicking them with his feet. The cold cement made his feet tighten in response, colder then usual. He grabbed the kimono robe off the floor on his way out, tying it as he walked. Why was it so cold out here? The temperture was several noticable degrees lower then it usually was on fall nights. He went straight into the kitchen and to the refridgerator. There were a few beers hidden behind the lettuce crisper, he grabbed one. He gave the fridge door a bump with his elbow and cracked open the can. Out in the open sewer water sloshed like a little river. They had been having some major freak storms lately. Splinter said it had to do with what Leo and the girls were experiencing. Crazy mumbo jumbo. He plopped down on the couch and grabbed the remote.
An hour or so later some stirring grabbing Raphael's attention from the upstairs hall. It was like scraping metal, and some banging. He glanced at the pile of beer cans on the coffee table, wishing he wasn't as tipsy. Still, he bumbled off the couch and shook some sense into himself. The buzz receded a bit as Donatello came out of his room, hearing the same noise. They both faced the hallway and watched.
Soon a black tail swished out. Back and forth. Back and forth as if it was agitated. It started backing out farther, the long scaly black tail stepping out into space. They both raised their hands up in defense as the short black dragon creature backed out, transparent wings outstretched. It grabbed the load it was carrying tighter and dragged it out over the edge of the hallway. Jimmy.
His cast had torn away till the metal brace dragged against the concrete. His wrists and mouth were bound, he still wore pajama pants and tee shirt, his hair disheveled from sleep. He squirmed around frantically, held by his armpits, and hanging in air.
"Hey!" The creature looked at Raphael, red glowing eyes glowering. It hissed a warning and hastily lowered Jimmy down to the hands of another dragon waiting below. "Drop him!"
"Mike, get your ass up!" Donatello called. The dragon from the hallway lept down and jumped in front of his partner, waving it's claws in the air. "What the hell is that thing?"
"HSSSSSSSSSSSS!"
"Whatever the fuck it is, it's dead!" Raphael charged. Donatello turned as a series of crashes came from the kitchen, glass smashing. Mike came running out of his room as Splinter howled from behind the closed door. The two of them took off in a sprint for the door, and were knocked back when it flew open. Another black dragon hissed at them from the shadow, dragging Splinter out by his ankle.
"Take it up the ass, motha-fucka!" Raphael grabbed his partner by the wing and slung him off into the wall. It squealed, crumpling on the floor. "S'right, blow hole!"
"M-Master Splinter!" Michelangelo scurried back to his feet and made a running jump kick at the dragon. "Yaaaaaaaaaa!" His foot hit him right in the shoulder, throwing off his balance. Donatello came up from an angle, tackling the dragon onto the ground and pinning his wing down with his knee.
"Eat water, dirtbag!" Lita jumped out of the hallway, spirals of water shooting from her hands into Raphaels dragon coming up off the ground. "Ha ha! Whoops." She pulled the strap of her nightie back up.
"Hssssssssssh!" The dragon under Donatello threw him off, flaring it's nostrils. Donatello fell into the chair, knocking it and the little table beside it over. Another dragon came out from the kitchen and slung Splinter over his shoulder. This was the first time any of them noticed the bleeding hole looking through the rats chest. Which explained why he had been so silent.
"Son of a-" Raphael was grabbed and shoved back into Lita, sending them both to the ground. The first dragon whipped his tail and hissed, unfolding its wings. The four dragons made a hasty retreat with Splinter and Jimmy, whipping their tails around behind them. A lamp was knocked over onto Raphael, shattering glass everywhere.
"HSSSSSSSSSSSH!" They disapeared into the sewers, communal hissings beginning to fade. Donatello and Raphael stood back up, pushing the furniture out of their way. Mike jumped over the broken glass towards the door.
"Lita, stay here!" Raphael called back before the door fell back into place.
"Over here!" Michelangelo pivoted a corner and followed the upset water, chasing the dragons to a three way elbow. Raph and Don fell in behind him, kicking up water. "Gotcha!" Mike jumped and landed on someones back. "Ha ha! Wo-Woah!" He fell into the water, the dragon fading into air. The other three disapeared in front of their eyes, Splinter and Jimmy following suit. Raph and Don stopped just short of tripping over Michelangelo. "What the?"
"DAMN IT! You Mother Fuckers!" Raphael waved his fists around in the glittery air. "I swear ta god! I'm gunna kill you all!" ..¼..
"Oh Raph, that's terrible." Maddie took Raphaels hand and held it to her chest. He nodded vaguely, rolling his bandana around between his fingers. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here."
"Don't worry about it, babe." He opened his eyes and picked up the red crystal. "Least you got something while ya were away." She looked down at it.
"Oh, yeah... guess so." He held it up to the light. "I wonder why it's here."
"I don't know." Donatello took the crystal ball from Norikos open hand. "Maybe..." He rolled it around in his hands. "Since you found your way back... you won back the parts of the crystal you lost. Equitability, you know."
"Equit-a-what-a-tee?" Michelangelo spoke up. Donatello cleared his throat.
"She won the conflict so she got her things back. If she lost, she would've lost her basic powers like she said. Equitability. Get it?"
"Yeah. Got it."
"So now that we have these, we can do something about finding Splinter and Jimmy. Handy, eh?" He tossed it back to Noriko. "What do you think." She looked into the crystal.
"...By yggdrasil, Donatello-"
"We'll save Jimmy and Splinter. I promise!" Lita took Erika's hand, trying to stop her silent crying. She huffed and wipped the tears away on hearing it, sitting back up in bed.
"Nobody takes my little brother and gets away with it."
"Right on! And nobody takes our... um... rat... and gets away with it!" She waved her fist about.
"Our 'rat'?" Michelangelo came to stand in the doorway.
"Oh, hee hee hee." Lita looked around and grinned sheepishly. "But that's not the point!" She stood up. "As soon as Leonardo wakes up we're leaving."
"How do you propose we do that." Michelangelo examined his nails.
"We'll take the crystals and use them to twist the universe into funnel for a brief second, then we'll warp ourselves through backwards to the seventh dimension." Michelangelo raised an eyebrow. "That'll take us back to the last place we've been, namely-" She smacked her palm with her fist. "The matrix asteroid. And when we're there, we're going to find the rest of the sorcerors and challenge them to battle."
"You think we'll win?" He asked.
"... No matter what the outcome is, we're coming out on top, Mike. I promise." He gave her an incredulous look. "I saw it on a show. You know what I mean!" He smirked. "There's twenty bucks under the fish bowl in my room, go get Don and grab some pizza."
"Got it." He turned and left. Erika swung her legs over the side of the bed.
"Lita, you're not ready for a fight. You don't even have your crystal."
"Oh, ha ha ha," Lita laughed and scratched the back of her head. "Looks like it's too late to worry about that now, huh!" Erika frowned. "I'll get you something to drink... and don't look at me like that!"
"ARRRRRRRRGH!"
"LEEEEEOOO!! OH GOD! HELP US!! RHAAAAA!"
"O-O-O-OH GOOOOOOOOD!"
"Guys?! Where are you! What's wrong?!" Leonardo turned in circles, surrounded by a blackness.
"AAAAAAAAAARRG!"
"Mike! Mike, where are you?!" He ran in the direction of Mike's voice.
"OH GOD, IT HURTS!!"
"MIKE!"
"O-O-O-O-OH JESUS!!"
"RAPH!" Leonardo stopped short and turned in another direction. "WHERE ARE YOU?!" Another scream answered him before he could get the last of his words out. "ANSWER ME, DAMN IT!"
"Dear God Leo, Help Us!"
"Leo, Please!"
"Don! Raph! Where are you guys!" Leonardo turned in circles. Michelangelos sobbings pierced his mind, like hundreds of stabbing rapiers. He clutched his head and cringed. Raphael and Donotellos' deep blood curtling screams joined in chorus, each from directions he couldn't pinpoint. Leonardo fell to his knees. "AAAAAAAAAARRG!
A soft tinkle broke through the other noise, shattering Leonardos' overwhelming focus. He opened his eyes, presented with the crystal necklace. It lay on the floor in disaray, with no art left to it. His brothers' screams receded to a dull roar in the back of his mind, threatening to return at the dropping of a hat. He took a hand away from his head. ¼What could it hurt to try¼ His hand slowly reach out, hovering over the crystal. It glowed towards him with a calming blue. He let out his breath and land his hand over the necklace.
"I think he's coming out of it."
"Hey Leo, Leo wake up..."
"Dude, splash some water on him."
"Don't be a dope, Mike. Just let him wake up." Leonardo cringed and turned his head to the side.
"Shut up, man." Raphaels voice. Leonardo opened his eyes slowly, wondering when he had closed them. Three sets of eyes looked back at him with glimmerings of hopefulness. He looked around between them, all standing around his bed. "Leo?"
"...You guys are ok?" Mike looked between his brothers, as if coming to a silent consensus.
"Yeah, we're good." A cheery smile popped up. "What's up with your comatose ass...DUDE?" He smacked Leos' foot.
"Cut it out, dumbass." Raph slapped Mikes shoulder. "Don't smack him."
"Owie." Mike rubbed his shoulder.
"Where's, what happened." Leonardo shimmied up to a sitting position against the wall. "How long have I been asleep?"
"3 days, man. Like a log." Raph grinned. "What's up with that." Leonardo rubbed his head.
"I was called into the astral plane... at least I thought so."
"Astral plane? That's a bunch of poppy cock."
"What?"
"It was just a bad dream, Leo." Donatello said. "Splinter says so."
"Splinter?"
"Yeah, dude." Mike said. "He said you were havin' some¼ delusional episode¼ 'er something. Talking in your sleep."
"Delusional episode?" Leonardo looked between his brothers. "...No... it was too real." They shrugged. "The girls. They were there, where are they."
"Watchin' tv." Raph said. "And-"
They looked behind them to the door. It opened quietly and Lita looked in. "Hey Lita." She smiled.
"Hey guys." She stepped into the room. "Um," She cleared her throat softly. "Would you excuse us."
"Yeah, sure." Mike said before they filed out of the room. Lita stepped out of the way and closed the door after Donatello. Leonardo pushed the blanket around his thighs and sat back against the wall.
"How you feeling?"
"Fine."
"Alright if I come in?" He nodded. "Cool." She came up to the bed and sat down on the edge. "Scared the jimmys out of me, you know." She laughed and scratched the back of her neck.
"It scared you?"
"Yeah, I mean... oh never mind." She said softly, scratching her hair. "But you're ok, right?"
"Yeah... yeah, I'm alright." She smiled. "You're sure the other girls are ok?" She looked at him curiously.
"Yeah, they're fine. Why?"
"Nothing. It's fine."
"Oh. Ok." Leonardo swallowed and started looking around his room. It seemed so strange now in the room... kind of cold too. "You look kind of tense." He looked back at Lita, and for the first time he noticed he was a little tense. He rubbed his shoulder.
"Yes."
"Here." She climbed onto the bed, straddling his legs. Her hands went up to his shoulders and began massaging them methodically. Leonardo nearly jumped out of his shell upon this. "How's that?"
"That's uh... that's good." Lita smiled. Leonardo looked between both her hands as they worked around his collar bone, and down his arms. His muscles oddly enough responded to her fingers, slowly turning to putty. He'd always questioned her virtuousity, but jeez. She kneaded her fingers into his muscle, pushing the skin up, then smoothing it back into place. A low groan got trapped in the back of his throat. Lita smiled. Her hands moved down his arms, he laid his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. The sensation slowly began to overtake him. Leonardo started to relax against his will. His mind screamed at him to stop her, but the rest of his body allowed Lita to go on.
"Like that?"
"Lita-" He felt fingers lay over his lips. For crying out loud....
"I need to work in silence." They left his lips and went back to his shoulder. Leonardo opened his eyes and watched her. She wasn't looking back at him, just smiling faintly. Her eyes followed her hands, running up and down his arms. Why was she making this so personal. What was mildly acceptable suddenly now creeped the hell out of him."I never relized you were so strong-"
"Lita, stop." He grabbed her wrist. She looked up startledly and stopped. "Cut it out."
"Cut what out? I'm just trying to make you feel better."
"Why are you doing it?"
"Doing what?" She asked softly. He looked at her hand.
"Lita, you're... Lita," He turned her hand around.
"What?" She looked at it too. He grabbed her other arm and held it against the first. She looked between the two curiously.
"What happened to the scars?"
"What scars?" He turned her wrists around.
"The scars you have from handcuffs." He never had forgotten about the scars she had retained from years of being chained. It had imprinted itself in his mind with crystal clear precision.
"Oh, right," He grabbed Litas waist and threw her off, into the corner. "Eeeeeeeek!"
"Lita?!" Splinter was coming. Was he? Was any of this real?! Leonardo threw the blankets off and sat up.
"You have no honor." Lita rolled back onto her hands and knees and smiled. Her eyes turned from brown to a lime green
"Can you blame me for trying?"
"Never assume her form again, you monster."
"Oo, little mister snippy." She said quietly.
"I'll give you 5 seconds, and if I'm not back in my own home-"
"You'll what." She cut him off. "Shake your fist at me? Bring it on." She smiled with innocence. "I was just giving you what you wanted. Don't try to deny it." Leonardo growled and launched himself off the bed. At that moment Splinter sprung into the room, standing ground between Leonardo and Lita. Leo managed to roll out of the dive and hit the floor, rolling onto his knees. Lita chortled. "If you want me now, you'll have to get through him first it seems."
"Do you always hid behind trickery?"
"Sour words from a sour loser." Leonardo flipped to his feet and darted left. Splinter followed suit, blocking his way.
"Leonardo-san. You are my son, I have raised you to be an honorable man I believe. You know what's to be done." What the hell does that mean?
"This is an illusion." Leonardo tried to push Splinter out of the way as he darted the otherway. Instead he tripped over Splinters foot and was whirled back into place like a dancing doll.
"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. What I'm asking is, are you willing to cream your sensei in order to find out." Lita grinned and rocked back on her heels.
"If he was real he wouldn't be here." Leonardo back up to the other wall. "So yes, he's an illusion." Lita sighed.
"If you say so."
"It's all an illusion." She looked down at her chest.
"Doesn't look like it from here." She touched her breast. "I like her already."
"Stop that!" Lita looked up and laughed.
"Make me, boy."
"Leonardo, you will know what to do." Splinter said quietly.
"So you say this is all a figment of my imagination." Leonardo took down his swords from the hooks on the wall while Splinter still blocked Litas' view.
"No. This is all a figment of my imagination." He raised his swords. "You're a guest of my mind. So you'll play my games."
"I will certainly not." He parried his swords. "And I demand you release me." Lita blabbed her mouth and rolled her eyes.
"Bull pockey. I'm enjoying this much too much."
"I told you before, I won't be here for your enjoyment." He bounced a little to settle into step. Lita snarled.
"I've waited 3 months for this... your life is mine till I'm done with you." She grinned mischeiviously.
"You know what's to be done, Leonardo." Splinter chimed quietly. Leonardo glances between the two, keeping his space. His master guarded the sorceror, and his own skills were of no match for his Master. At least he was being told so. He furrowed his brow, gripping the hilts of his swords. Well, it's worth a try.
"You cannot deny me a life without honor." Leonardo changed the grip of his hilt, placing the tip of the sword between the center crease in his chest plate. Lita shoved Splinter out of the way and went to grab it. Too late. He shoved the blade through the armor of his shell and gritted his teeth. Lita snarled and wrapped her hands around his neck.
Leonardo opened his eyes and sat up. Lita sat in a chair in the corner of the room, looking at her hand. He lifted the sheet up and looked down at his chest, but there were no bandages from being revived and bandaged. His swords were hung back on his wall.
"Fine then, we'll see how this suits you." He rolled out of bed and grabbed the swords in a swift moment.
"Huh?" He shoved the bed against the door, jamming it shut.
"This time it's just you and me." Lita stood up.
"Leonardo, what the hell are you talking about? Wake up, dingus!" He pointed the sword to her throat, the tip just under her chin. "Or... or not."
"I'll kill you here and now, dog."
"Dog?"
"You have nothing to hid behind now-" Lita burst into tears. "And... uh... and..."
"You big jerk! You go all comatose, and make me worry, scare the hell out of every one, then you try to kill me and call me a dog, and throw furniture around! You big stupid jerk!" He pulled the sword back slightly. "You were nicer when you passed out!"
"Lita? You ok?!" Raphael pounded on the door, trying to open it. Leonardo took his sword back.
"Oh... Lita." Leonardo set the katanas on his bed and pulled it back away from the door. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you." The door opened and Raph and Mike came in.
"Jerk!" Lita kicked him in the shin before she left.
"Leo!" Mike jumped on him and hugged him, sending them both onto the floor. "Huzzah!"
"Oof." Leonardo landed on his shell with a thud.
"Mike, will you-" Raphael pulled him off and helped Leonardo back to his feet. "Moron." Mike giggled uncontrolably.
"Man, am I glad to see you guys." Leonardo leaned on the bed and sat himself down. Mike hopped down next to him, making the matress bounce. "What a refreshing reality."
"Yeah, big desert, bunch of suns, tall white haired guy. Right?" Mike hopped onto the bed beside him.
"Yes. That's right."
"How'd you bite the bullet?" Mike grinned. "Noriko exploded. Hee hee!"
"Imploded." Raphael corrected.
"Oh. Right. Ouch." Leonardo closed his eyes and put his hand to his forehead.
"Look guys, I'm kind of tired-"
"Come on Mike." Raph grabbed his arm. "Let's go."
"Hey!" He was yanked off the bed and toward the door. "But we-"
"Just snooze for awhile, man. We'll check ya later." Raph gave Mike another yank out the door and closed it after both of them.
"Yeah. Thanks." Leonardo mumbled. He waited till his head stopped spinning before he fell back on the bed. "Thanks a lot." He made himself close his eyes. But there wasn't time to rest, 20 minutes later they came back and urged him back up, saying something about something important they had to do. "What are you talking about? You're both ok?" He looked between the two of them.
"Yeah, course we're fine." Raph said.
"Is everyone alright?" Mike laughed nervously. "What?"
"You guys ready to go?" Lita peeked her head into the room.
"Now?" Raph asked.
"Well duh." She left again. Leonardo followed her out, stumbling out of the room.
"Wait a second. What do you mean, 'go'." He followed her through the living room into the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of water.
"Oh, I thought you'd be ready to up and go with us. But if you want to rest for awhile, peachy keen." She hoisted herself onto the counter.
"Just hold on a minute. Why are we going anywhere?" She paused before taking a drink.
"...Didn't the guys tell you?"
"Tell me what." Michelangelo came into the kitchen and stopped short just as he came in. They both looked at him. Lita cleared her throat.
"They took Splinter... and Jimmy." Leonardo looked at her for a long time. Then sighed and sat down, resting his forehead in his hand.
"... I thought we were gunna tell him." Mike looked at Lita. She shrugged.
"When." Leonardo asked.
"Last week."
"Why didn't you stop them."
"Mike, go get the girls to the dojo, we'll meet you there." Mike nodded and left.
"Wait a minute-"
"We tried to stop them, you know. It wasn't for any lack of effort." Lita drank her water. He turned back to her again.
"What did you say?"
"They came at night, element of surprise I think they call it."
"... That's right."
"Yeah, well we chased them out into the sewers, but they did some disapearing act."
"Then what."
"Then last Saturday Maddie, Erika, and Noriko all woke up and told us about the desert and the sorceror, so we put two and two together." He crossed his arms. "And how we planning to rectify the situation?" She giggled.
"Rectify." He gave her a look a look and she stopped. "Right. We're going to transport ourselves to the other dimension, that's where I think they're keeping Splinter and Flash, then we're going to raid the fortress, find them, and leave. I was just waiting for you to wake up so we could all go."
"Oh... I see."
"Proud of me?" She grinned.
"Yes."
"What? You'll have to speak up, there was something crazy in my ear." She chuckled. He came up to the counter and put his hand on her shoulder. The glass froze in place in front of her mouth and he gripped her shoulder.
"Thank you. It's nice to see things in place." He smirked. "You'd be surprised how often things will go to pot in a week."
"Three weeks." She corrected.
"Yes, well..." When he failed to remove his hand she looked down at it. Her eyes drifted back up and darted between his eyes. She looked up at him for a long time, hardly breathing. He looked like he might say something else, but instead he removed his hand quickly. "Well, we've got a lot of work to do, so lets get to it."