Far into the back of the complex, shabby ghost towns were erected out of boards and plaster. Scrappy and disintigrating cloth still stuck to some box like houses, and fluttered to the ground in commotion. "Lita, hold up, would you!" Lita finally stopped running and stood in place. Erika stopped looked around. "Where is this?"
"sniffle I dunno." An arm came up and wipped her nose, not turning around. She was still soaking wet, and her hair flopped down like it had been touched by death. She had completely wilted.
"Are you crying?"
"No." Lita turned around and crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes were red and puffy looking. "Not crying." She mumbled.
"Camp is back that way." Lita rolled her eyes and walked to one of the boxes, her shoes making squishy noises.
"I know that."
"So why are we out here?"
"I don't know why you're here." Erika wrinkled her brow and folded her hands in front of her.
"Well, lets get back to camp now. We don't want to hold them up."
"Oh yeah, we don't wanna do that." Litas' head bobbed back and forth.
"Why don't-"
"shhh!" Litas' hand suddenly clamped over her mouth. A strange look came to her eyes and she pulled Erika into one of the crates on a matress.
"What is it?" She whispered. Lita shushed her and pulled a slate of wood over to box them in, light seeping in through a bitty crack. She shimmied back and pressed her back against the crate. Erika crawled back next to her and leaned over to catch her attention in the dark. What was she doing? Yet another hand came over her mouth and she was pushed back away from the front of the crate.
Echoed hisses jived down the hall, ending abruptly as if waiting for reverberating signals. Several seconds came and went. Puffs of dust blew in under the bottom of the sheild board while feet passed.
Erika stiffled a squeak and grabbed Litas hand. Lita shot her a look. Calm the fuck down, Erika. We'll be fine as long as you don't panic. This isn't like Jurassic park or anything. They could hear the sensitive nostrils draw in long breaths, followed by quick short ones. It felt as if they were gaining tunnel vision, eyes darting about to suppliment the senses they cut off in the box.
Shit Erika, this is so not the time to get claustrophobic. Lita felt her hands' life being squeezed from it. She could sense Erika feeling trapped in, without escape. How many cardboard boxes had she slept in anyway?
"Eeeeeek!" Erika snapped. She kicked the board out and shuffled outside, pulling Litas hand along with her. It was a clumsy climb to get out from the box and onto their feet while they were still holding hands, but some how they did it. A good half dozen dragons froze in place as they emmerged, staring incredulously. Erikas eyes darted around somemore as she relized what she had just done. "EEEEEEEEEK!!" Another scream left her lips, and seemed to queue the dragons to movement. They unfolded their wings to a full span and hissed, turning all their attention to the two of them.
But before they had a chance to attack... and before Erika had a chance to stop screaming they were off. The ground suddenly shifted. Or seemed to at least, for Lita was soaring through the air- farther and farther yet away from dragons. A breeze had picked her up and carried her away like a bullet.
For a moment Lita worried that Erika had simply sent her off so she could fight alone. Then she relized that Erika was all around her. She could sense her spirit surrounding her, like a casing that flew her through the air. Warm air began circulating around her simultaneously and dried the water out.
"Thanks Erika." Lita turned around to lay on her back and looked down the hall. The dragons had taken flight in chase, zipping down the hall behind them with a great speed. They were a fast bunch.
"Yep." They pivoted around a corner and took a left at a fork in the path. "I'm sorry about back there. Guess I panicked."
"Yeah." Lita scoffed. The warm air curved around and dried one of her tears off her chin. Suddenly she didn't feel as smug. Erikas spirit comforted her on the ride. It carried her off away from her problems. But really, she was only making it worse.
Turning through many forks in their path both forgot to keep track. Directions became questionable, and after a long period of travel they lost their orientation all together. All that they understood was that somewhere behind them was an enemy. That kept them moving. Deeper and deeper through the city they trekked.
Soon they found the split paths becoming fewer and fewer. The appearence of partially habitated tunnels lessened. They were coming up on a dead end, yet dare not stop.
"...Erika.....Erika..." Lita watched as they descended upon a cement wall that closed off the tunnel. Erika didn't even see it, for they didn't even slow down. "ERIKA!"
"I see it!" Lita screamed as they hit the wall. Poreous holes in the wall widened. Solid atoms pressed together to make room for a growing hole. Wrinkles in the surface appeared as rock spread apart to let them through. Lita continued to scream as they traveled inside the rock. She watched as the surface closed up behind them, and the stone releasing back into its original state.
"Oh sweet jesus." She muttered. In front of them the rock continued to spread apart with the growing of poreous bubbles. She felt Erikas spirit begining to strain. "What's wrong?"
"I'm slowing down.... I'm not powerful enough." Lita began to feel her slowing momentum. The shaking sound of the rock parting began to dwindle like a fading heart attack. She clasped her hands together and placed her forehead against them, closing her eyes shut as hard as she could. Donatello..... Don, hear me! ... We're stuck.... You've gotta help us. Use Noriko's power.....
Woraal curled his nostrils up as he sucked in air. Behind him his men stopped, begining to sniff as well. The humid warm air of Selphi had a tendancy to pick up scents, escpecially new ones. That was what had drawn him and his platoon down to the intruders early that morning. They had not been expecting a fight in the first place. Then he had done something really stupid as to move into battle.
Three quarters of the battalion was decimated. The rest of which he had managed to retreat with. Morale was low, until they reached HQ again. After they spoke to Tatakai and Nikira they were hooked up with two new platoons, and sent out again to seek revenge. A med squad was rumored to have been sent to the battle zone. Good lot of good it would do now.
Woraal was again in command, and ordered to canvass east quadrant of the city for the adversary. His men were in a high state of agitation, eager for action. They didn't seem to understand they were not under any orders to attack. Maybe his words had not been heeded. Hmm....
They uncovered another sunken panel in the ground. There were hundreds of them over the city, all just doors leading to the missing pavement. That stupid family had placed them all over the place to throw everyone off their trail. Of course they hadn't anticipated that anytime later the barren streets would allow a single signature scent trail right to the real entrance.
A subtle gilded fringe edged the door. It seemed promising. Woraal directed two of his new soldiers to lift it. The men stepped away to make a path for them, baiting the air with anticipation.
"If this isn't it, I swear to god I'm gunna blow something off the ground." Someone mumbled.
"I'm gunna keep looking. Did you see what that freak did to Yohans' younger brother? They're insane. They can't be loose here."
"Yeah." Talk settled down as the panel was lifted. This one was many times thicker than the others already. The men sucked in their breaths and looked over each others shoulders to see. Light bounced off the floor of a room, and cheers raised up in success. Wings extended and the troops began to move below.
">Stop!" The men froze. "Right there...." Woraal waited as the soldiers back away. He furrowed his brow ridge and ruffled his wings till they settled down a bit. "We move in silence. We don't attack. Remember this?" More mumblings answered and he gave a smart nod. "Good. Now follow." Woraal climbed down first, and started down some partially illuminated stairs. Footsteps fell in place behind him, and trailed after him down the stairs. Down and down they went. These people sure were walking freaks.
It seemed like a good half a mile under they went in the dark. No torches were allowed. Eventually though, new light came in from below. The procession slowed and tip toed down below.
Woraal signaled for the others to stop, and snuck down himself to investigate. Peering around the corner he found an enourmous hall. It was totally barren of furnishing, and was by all definitions abandoned. He counted five doorways that lead away from it, and instantly divided up one of the platoons to investigate.
Inside the hall was what he was really looking for. Or, mostly. Three of the shelled creatures were there, with supplies. That left one more, and two to four females by his accounts. They must be off somewhere. He motioned for the men to come down and sent them off to sneak down the halls. The shelled ones were busy with one who was wounded and weren't paying attention to what was going on in the far end of the hall.
Woraal waited until the platoon was safely away until he snuck out in with his own company. Tatakais' orders were for capture, but did not completely forbid any assault. It wouldn't hurt. Them...
30 or so soldiers, and three officers creeped up across the hall. They felt almost amused at the simplicity of their attack, being wide open from all sides and not noticed in the least. He could smell the adreniline pumping in the veins behind them, feeding off each other. Claws slowly extended, but remained by their sides. About 20 yards off, someone in the back chuckled.
The three shelled ones jerked their head up, and adreniline burst through them as well. With practiced precision they eached bared their claws and hissed. Two terrified screams responded, and one creature hasitly fumbled for weapons. The company descended upon the three swiftly, eyes wide with excitment.
They were greeted with a burst of fire, that set them back a second. In that second one jumped forward and impaled Woraal on a spike. He looked right into his black eyes and spoke odd gibberish, which he took to be some sort of insult. The spike was pulled out, and the creature was gone in a flash. Woraal grabbed his plastron and made a face, dropping to his knees. All around him he heard the battle begining. He swore at his sour end and dropped down to on his face.
"EEEEEEEWW! Get it off me!!" Donatello groaned as he rolled the huge dragon off Michelangelo. The body flopped the wrong way on the wings and sounded like it broke one of them. Mike didn't take anytime to expand on his original 'Eeew', and immediately grabbed his nunchucks. He must've seen them being hidden in the bag.
"Hold up." Don grabbed his hand and set it down. "Stay put."
"But-" Don jumped up and grabbed his bo before the idle dragons got bored with Raph. He didn't need to worry about getting action. He counted thirteen that diverted their attention to him. These were bigger than the ones they had fought before. They looked at least twice as meaner as well. Donatello sucked in his breath and raised his bo.
Frenzied claws swiped in confusion through the air, driving Raphael back farther and farther. He gritted his teeth and slashed back with his daggers. It drove them off a few inches, but then they were back again. He didn't want to use the fire power any more than he needed to, and he didn't want to use it now. Was there any other choice though? He checked back for a split second. Mike was still on the stretcher, his nunchucks had been tossed away. Don guarded him as best he could with the bo, even though it had turned to a shredded piece of wood. He appeared worried about that, knowing that in a few minutes it would be about as useful as a a glass of beer for fighting.
Raphael pulled out the crystal from beneath his belt and held it in both hands, pressing the hilts of his sai against it without time to put them each away. His arms tightened themselves, in some hope that things would act fast enough before the dragons got to him. He felt a great stinging pain on his face, then his ears ringing. Clamping his eyes shut he could still see the torches exploding. One after the other burst like a tank of gasoline had been thrown upon them. Spheres of fire blew out down from one end of the hall to the other, not enough to fry anyone. It did distract the dragons though.
Raphael sheathed one sai and resumed fighting with one sai and the crystal. Still clumsy with it though, he found himself occasionally slugging someone with the fisted stone before finishing them off. He began enjoying himself again, and wiped away the wetness growing over his lip.
Out of in the corner of his eyes he saw Leonardo return, wet and surprised, katana in hand. He gave the torch beside the door a slice, and it fell down beside him with a burst of flame. Some of the dragons took notice and flew over from Don to Leonardo.
Donatello sucked his breath in as a kicking pair of clawed feet came at his stomach. His bo came around from beneath and swept up beneath the heel, flipping the horizontally flying dragon onto his back. These guys hadn't had a real fight in a looooong time. But still, a swipe of those claws wasn't appealing in the least. It was important to stay on his feet.
Behind him Michelangelo swung madly with a pot to ward off anyone that got too close to Donatello. And several yards off he could see Leonardo as well. He had started a fire with one of the torches, and used it as a passing lane almost. Splinter had taught them how to run through fire, a skill Leonardo now used to traverse unmaimed amung others. Occasionally the fire would burst upwards, and he would disapear in it. Then with a flash of steel he would emmerge and attack for as long as he could hold himself before disapearing again into the fire. The dragons themselves hardly came near it. Hovering about like cats waiting to pounce. They were prime for Leonardos swords.
It occurred to him that these things didn't have well developed deduction skills. Or short term memories for that matter if they kept coming back so close. These things had never been out of sparring sessions before. And they had never come against the likes of ninja. Fire either. They hopped and fluttered away whenever a bit burst toward them, or they got too hot for their own comfort.
"Raph, more fire!" Don called. No answer responded. "Raph!" Column burst of flame shot from the walls, criss crossing through the hall. He had the sense enough to duck, and cover Mike with his immediately. Don... Don help! We're stuck! Was that Lita? Where the hell was she anyway? He looked back up after the fire was gone. The dragons' forces had been about halved in size. Those remaining were still on their feet, their skin blackened. Moist flakes of scale peeled but stuck on, red blood seeping out and sticking it back to the skin. Raphael looked impressed with himself, his eyes turning a darker shade of brown. Don stood back up and pushed a body away. The dragons jump right back into battle. They most definitely didn't have a short term memory. Don!! Where are you! I'm here, we're fighting, what the hell are you doing? We need you right now! Me and Erika are stuck! Use the crystal and help us out! Aw jeez. Donatello missed a passing blow, and struck back with a bo jab to the side. He jumped and spun himself with both feet out, hitting a sticky jaw with the side of his foot. He finished with the bo on the downward half of the spin, chopping somewhere between the neck and collar bone. Don!... Hello! Don took a step back with one foot to gain more balance. A dragon advancing on Mike slowed for a time. Where are you two? The other side of town. It doesn't matter, just use the crystal! How? The dragon continued to advance, although it thought Don wasn't seeing it. Mike tugging on his leg fortunately didn't give him away. When it was close enough he jabbed backwards with the bo like a pool stick, and got a clean hit in the gut. "That's close enough." Just concentrate, you can feel where we are if you try. Alright, hold on a sec. His fist connected with a taught throat, followed by his bo lifting it subject up by the crotch and onto its wings with a thud and cracking of fragile bones, pushing the rest of the cads back a few feet. Donatello hastily drew the crystal out of his belt and gripped it tightly like he'd seen Raphael done. Ok... Where are you.... He waited for an answer, one eye open. Nothing came to him and his brow furrowed in disappointment. This isn't a computer, you can't just tell it what to do, you know. I knew that.
A light breeze by his side was all the warning he recieved before claws struck out. Donatello did his best to bat them away with his staff, falling the other way as he did so. A dash of metal down the front was the end of the threat, falling itself to two pieces nearly as the sword pulled out. Nice timing. "Cover me!" Don called to Leonardo, swatting away another encroaching dragon.
Alright.... Where.... Donatello closed his eyes, trying to push the battle out of his mind. The sounds of sweaty jousting flesh receded to the crevices of his mind for a time, threatening to return at a noise that came too close for his ease. Feel you... You can feel everyone here if you like... Everyone... Come on! Try! I am, alright! ...There, there's Mike... And Leo's to my right..... What the hell is that? It's Raphael. You're sensing the fire. That's him. If I sense fire, can't I sense water? .... Try. .... There! There it is! The water! ....No, I feel it too. That's not me. Hmmn..... Donatello considered how long he had been ruminating in his thoughts, and began to fade his consciencess back. No wait! You're close! Lita.... shit, alright.... Looking.... jeez....
There! Good! I can... feel you. Erika's there too. And... We're stuck Yeah. You're almost out though. Could you give us a hand? Oh, yeah. Donatello twisted the crystal in his hand, using it like a mouse. He felt stone bulging out uncomfortably to hold the intruders. It was not happy at all, and wished very much to release the holdings. He could help with that.
Atoms began to shift on his wish, and he pushed them out of the way. Hard sediment turned almost liquid as it flowed back behind Erika and Lita, closing out behind them, and opening the stone up ahead. He could feel Litas cool hands on his chest as she crawled out, cool and soothing. Erika followed her, her own hands and knees stricking discord in his gut. He felt the compressed particles erode at her mere touch, and blow away from their sisters.
The movement sped up and the girls shuffled out. Donatello let the stone settle itself back into place, and shared in its sigh of relief. His shoulders slumped and an oddly satisfied sentiment traveled through his recently shaken system. Litas cool hand patted his shell. Thanks Don. Good work..... Hmmm.... he checked his plastron, touching his finger to the sore handprints left. Erikas he could tell, for Litas now dripped off the tail end of his shell. His hand rested over them and a perplexed expression came over his face. What had he just done? Well... as long as he was still dabbling in the Earths occult. Or whatever planets occult this was. Heh.
Beneath the hard slab floor of the hall, far beneath, where old soil that had been tilled long ago lay in decomposition, plant seeds fidgeted in their pods. Tiny sprouts peeked out to the nutrients that grew around them. Bursting forth they tunneled forward, and upward, causing the moist soil about them to rumble and let them pass. Stone slabs were pierced and crumbled, bubbling upwards to dust with the thick vines.
Three....no, four carbons. Move to higher energy level. Yes. Hybrid orbitals.... triple bonds.... fill in the rest of the orbitals with hydrogen. Yes.... Butyne. Giant writhing plants slowed themselves, hardy blossoms opening. Thick purple veins beneath the skin pumped pure butyne to pools which bubbled up within the petals. Dozens of eyes looked upon each of the twenty or so flowers in awe. The nectar was begining to evaporate already though.
"Raph!" Don called. A barage of fire balls answered him in no particular direction. Many hit the vines or the underside of the blooms, threatening to close them back up by their sheer force, or topple the entire things over. Don concentrated on keeping his creations steady while his brothers haphazard attempts at inseminating the liquid blasted onward. Does that idiot have any control at all?
Soon the pools were hit, and burst out in firey shock waves. Explosive eruptions rocked the ground. Fire consumed the oxygen for only brief seconds before its energy was expended. In a final eardrum shattering blast the hall was cleared. The butyne had burned so cleanly it left no smoke or lingering scent. A few ashes fell the the ground.
Nothing was left from the fire. The dragons had all been incinerated. Along with the finish on the walls and floor, the plants, and anything else left out. Their supplies, food, and blankets being amung them. The only things that had made it through without a burn were Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, and Michelangelo. Their shouldered slowly slumped, and weapons dropped to rest as no new thing came to attack. Ashes of their enemy rested at their feet, now useless and trivial as Leonardo brushed them away with the side of his foot.
The urge for another well deserved rest was pressed against the startling lack of oxygen in the room. Through wheezing breaths directions were given for Mikes stretcher to be lifted, and make an escape to more air.
"This way." Raphael cut it, motioning with his head to a door off the side of the hall. Leonardo went to protest, wishing to find Lita and Erika, but there was no time to object. He followed after his brothers and went ahead to even take point. He'd never let them know how much he wanted to see Lita well. Lita and Erika. They would regroup later. Now he had his brothers to look after.
Deep into the cities underworld light hid from passing through wherever it could. Walls had been torn down, revealing the soil and rock behind that now tumbled down over the floor. Panels from the floor were nearly all broken or gone all together. Stained porcelien pieces lay strewn about the ground, turning to lilypads out of the unstable looking pot holes they rested around.
Carrying a single torch, care of Raphael, the young girls made their way through the labernyth, following a ghost trail. Long ago their feet became sore. Long ago their conversation stopped. Long ago they forgot about the phantoms chasing them. Many times Erikas knees fell from under her and she was dragged until her feet began again. Now there was only one thing that consumed their steps. Reuniting. With the only people they had left.
"Oh Lita....look." Erika grabbed Litas shoulder and pointed head. "Look!" A full shaft of light broke through to the ground. A full beautiful light. Large enough to be from a hole the size of a small table top. Erika ran ahead to stand beneath it. "I can see the moons! Come! See how bright they are!" Lita smirked and came forward, standing beside her. They looked up at the pink and blue moons, basking in their light. "Oh, lets get out of here!" Erika clapped.
"You go. We'll meet up faster if one of us is up and the other down here." Lita watched the torch flame swing around with her arm. "Then we can tell them where the other is so we catch up with one another." She had been thinking ahead.
"But I thought...."
"No. Trust me, it's better this way. They might be doing the same thing too." Lita checked back to her. "Be careful up there though. It should be clear if their looking for us on the other side of town. But try not to use magic. I don't know what sensors are up there."
"...Shouldn't we stay together?" She asked hopefully. Lita looked at her for a time in thought. She rested her hand on her shoulder and gave a reasuring smile.
"You'll be fine. You're all grown up and you can take of whatever. Don't be afraid." Erika frowned. "Noriko wasn't." God, Noriko. "I bet she's watching down on both of us with Maddie." Oh Maddie "And looking out for us."
"Oh Lita." Erika grasped her in a big bear hug.
"Oof." Her hand patted her back. "Yes, alright. It's ok." Erika released her and gave a smile. "I'll see you soon, alright? Then we'll get your brother and get outa here. Right?"
"Right. See ya soon!" Erika smiled and flew up, her skirts fluttering around her. Long near white in the moonlight hair hovered around her as she took one last look down below. A bright smile and gentle wave saluted her way off before slipping away into the blackness.
Lita crossed her arms around her from the sudden bite of cold in the air. Her hair shivered in the breeze. At a sudden impulse she hurried off, clutching the dying torch.