TMNT Labyrinth Crossover ~
Donnie's breath had rushed out of him, so even if he wanted to scream he couldn't. The wall became a blur as he sped past it. He could hear Leo's cry of his name. He could hear the loud rush of air past his ears. He could hear loud beats through the air. Was that his heartbeat? They were awfully loud . . . Then suddenly, something below him hit him, and again his wind was knocked from him. He saw something in front of him. He was no longer falling . . . He was flying! The something in front of him was a head, and the beating sounds of air were the wings on either side of him. His normal focus returned and he saw the slivery green sheen and smooth skin of a very welcome friend.
"Drelic!" Donnie gasped, still trying to regain his normal breathing pattern. He was sprawled over the dragons back. Donnie landed in a funny position, and was grateful Drelic's spikes were hair fine! He was rising now in the air. Drelic was taking him over to the side of the narrow walkway path where his brother and Koppel gawped at them.
Drelic landed heavily on a flat stone bank, only a few meters away from the pit, and watched as Leo and Koppel made their way over, walking carefully on the crumbling stone.
"Donnie!" Leo shouted as he jumped off the path to the flat bank, running towards his brother.
Donnie was still laid on Drelic's back, totally dumbstruck at his luck. Drelic sat down and Don slid off, into a standing position.
"Donnie! Oh God I thought you had it there!" Leo grabbed his brother and spun him around to face him. "You okay?"
Donnie looked at him through unfocused eyes, then straightened them out and raised his eye ridges.
"As good as anyone who just met Death in the face and then flew away from him . . ."
"Ah . . . Good." Leo hugged his bro then turned to Drelic. " Hey Drelic, boy was that good timin'. Thanks a lot."
The dragon couldn't grin, but it sure looked like he was doing.
"Hey, what happened anyway, Drelic?" Donnie turned around to face him. "You disappeared from us in that forest."
"Floor - vanished . . ." Drelic growled.
"Oh."
"C'mon, we can't waste time standing around," Leo spoke up. "One brother saved, two more to go."
The two turtles, Drelic and Koppel, who was eyeing the dragon, set off around the pit, jumping stone to stone, and bank to bank; making their way to the bridge on the other side, which Donnie had pointed out.
"How long d'ya think we have left?" Leo asked his brother, referring to their timer that was set against them.
"Not long . . ." Donnie replied. "I just hope Raph and Mike are okay . . ."
Koppel lowered his head guiltily, hoping they wouldn't see his face.
They jumped to the bank on which the bridge stood, and made their way to it; but before they could properly reach and cross it, another little creature jumped out from the near (live) tree and blocked their path.
It was fury, much like a fox, and wore battle garments and held a horsewhip. A black, pirate patch covered one eye.
"Stop! Stop I say!" It screeched and pointed its whip at them.
The group stopped.
"Who are you?" Leo asked, looking down at it.
"I am Sir Didymus! And you are trespassing!"
"We just want to cross the bridge." Donnie spoke out.
"Non shall cross this here bridge without my permission." Said Didymus proudly, bringing the whip round and under his arm.
"We don't have much time, just let us cross," Leo said impatiently.
"And away from that awful screaming from the Pit," Koppel added.
"I have sworn to do my duty: No one may cross without my permission."
Leo looked down at Didymus. The fox was tiny compared to him, so it wouldn't exactly be hard to push past. However, when he did try a second later, he was stopped not by the creature, but by an invisible force field, just outside of Didymus' reach. Leo stepped back surprised, and tingling all over.
"Told you non shall cross. I have not given anyone my permission," Didymus said.
"Look, we haven't got much time, we have to save our brothers, so please let us through," Leo said desperately.
"A rescue?! Good grief, haven't been through one of them for some time!" Didymus exclaimed. "Could you spare a place in your numbers for a willing knight?"
"You want to come with us?" Leo asked, thinking this Didymus didn't know what he was getting into; either that or he really was desperate for some action . . . Must get boring round here doing naff all but telling people they can't cross without permission.
"Indeed, Sir!" Didymus said.
"Fine, but don't pull us behind."
"Of course not, Sir Turtle, for I have my trusty steed, Ambrosious!"
Who the hell was Ambrosious? Leo sighed, finally. "Alright then, let's go."
"Wait a moment, wait one moment; you have forgotten my sacred vow, Sir Turtle. I am to let no one across this bridge without my permission!"
Drelic growled impatiently behind them, but Donnie smiled, wondering why his brother hadn't said anything before. Well, he wasn't going to wait. Donnie stepped forward.
"Sir Didymus, may we have your permission?" He asked kindly.
The fox looked surprised. No one in the Labyrinth have ever really solved this and asked him.
He looked glazed-eyes past the turtle and then looked at his face. "Why - er . . .Yes."
A hum of electricity snapped and they knew the field had gone. Donnie, smirking to his brother, let Leo go first, then Koppel. He slid in line before Drelic.
But the bridge was very unsteady, and very old, so they only crossed one at a time. Leo risked his own life to try it, and had got safely across. Next was Koppel, who walked very slow in fear of it collapsing.
"C'mon Donnie!" Leo called.
Donnie had been having a short conversation with Didymus while Koppel had been taking his time. In that time, Donnie had told the fox to call them Leo, Don, Drelic and Koppel, instead of 'Sir Turtle', Sir Turtle The Second', 'Mighty Beast', and 'Sir Baty'.
When Koppel had jumped off the bridge onto the bank on the other side, it gave a threatening wobble. Donnie studied it. It was crumbling at the ends, which wasn't good, and it sagged in the middle. Donnie took it step by careful step, slowly.
"Don't fear, Sir Don," Didymus said fearlessly. "This bridge hath lasted a thousand years." He gave it an experimental tap - and the whole thing collapsed as Donnie reached the middle. It was lucky the tree Didymus had come from was tall and long, otherwise Donnie would have had nothing to grab a hold of and he would have, for the second time, plummeted down into the Pit.
"Oooh! Not good . . . Not good . . ." Donnie groaned, looking down from the branch he was gripping.
"Um, seemed solid enough," Didymus said calmly, as though Donnie was in no danger, and the Pit Of Forever Pain wasn't there.
"Donnie!" Leo called, rushing forwards and stopping at the edge of the bank.
Koppel covered his eyes. These turtles always found trouble wherever they went.
Drelic, who was crouched behind Didymus waiting to cross, growled as if to say 'not again'. He gave a flap of his wings, nearly blowing Didymus off the bank, and leapt into the air, gliding over to Donnie.
"I'm gonna have to pay you every time I do this," Donnie grinned as he let go of the branch and stepped gingerly onto Drelic's back, careful not to lose his balance as Drelic's body rose and fell about a foot every time he flapped his wings. He sat down and watched as Leo, Koppel and the bank drew nearer. On touchdown, Donnie slid off and Leo went over to him.
"You okay?" He asked with a small smile showing on his open mouth.
"As good as anyone who just met Death and flew away from him . . . again." Donnie tilted his head with a grin.
Now they had another problem: Didymus and his trusty steed, Ambrosious who had just appeared and turned out to be an Old English sheep dog; were both stuck on the other side, and Drelic didn't look like he wanted to make any more transports.
"Can you fetch them?" Leo asked.
The dragon growled, "injured wing . . . Only fly short journeys."
Didymus had now climbed onto his pet's back, and seemed to be waiting patiently for them to come and get him.
"Make this one; can . . ." Drelic growled, just before he took off again and a few seconds later brought back the fox and the dog on his back.
"Well done. Brilliant rescue, Mighty Drelic," Didymus praised.
They all made their way up the bank, Leo telling Donnie how lucky he always was. Ambrosious, with Didymus, trotted past Koppel, as the bat creature slowed down.
Koppel watched them for a second as they walked away, then he took the two Yiri from his pocket and held them over the Pit. But before he could drop them, a purring voice echoed from nowhere.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you . . ." The voice of Navaura said.
Koppel drew them back in fear. "I can't give it to them . . ." He shook his head sadly and ran to catch up with the others.
//\\
Navaura chuckled to the crystal. Instead of her throne chair, she was now sat atop the blue shield on her stomach.
"All this just for you two," she said to Raph and Mikey, who were very still and finding it very difficult to breath. She turned back to the crystal, which inside held the action of what went on in her world of mazes.
"Look Leonardo, Donatello . . . Are these what you are trying to find? So much trouble for them." Navaura smiled. " But not for long . . . Your brothers will soon forget about you," she said down to Raph and Mikey. "Once Koppel gives them the Yiri, they'll forget everything . . ."
Navaura sang softly to herself.
'When it is th' time to forget thee . . . T'is the time to belong to me . . . I shall see it all ends my way . . . Forget you they will, and that way it'll stay . . .'
Raph lifted his weak eyes to Mikey. His brother wasn't moving, but breathing as heavy as he was. How much longer did they have left? Not long by the thinning intake of oxygen . . .
//\\
Leo, Donnie, Drelic, Koppel, Didymus and Ambrosious had found themselves in another forest. But they didn't stop for anything this time . . . Time was running out and they couldn't waste any of it. They did notice something through the determination though; and that was hunger. But, for some strange reason, Leo and Donnie seemed to be staving much more than the others. Their stomach growled so loud that Drelic seem to frown at them.
"Man, don't think I've ever felt so hungry . . ." Donnie said softly as they all rounded a large tree.
"Don . . . Leo . . ." Koppel called timidly. They turned to look at him, waiting. Koppel held out the two Yiri. " . . . Here . . ."
"What are they?" Leo asked, taking one.
"Yiri, fruit," he replied, blinking furiously at the ground.
"Oh, wow, thanks Koppel, you're a lifesaver," Donnie said kindly, and he took one of the blue Yiri.
Leo turned it over in his hand. "Nice colour." He didn't bother about the way it look. After all, Koppel wouldn't give them something that would harm then.
Both Leo and Donnie bit into the fruit, and Koppel watched frightfully. Both turtles pulled it back from their mouth slowly, realising something was wrong from the first swallow.
"Tastes strange . . ." Donnie whispered, knowing it was a taste, not from the fruity flesh, but from something else.
"Koppel what have you done . . ." Leo also whispered, feeling a strange sensation wash inside him.
Koppel backed away, shameful, guilty and fearful at what he had done.
"Damn you Navaura . . ." He said, "and damn me too . . ." He hobbled away as Leo and Donnie sank to their knees.
Donnie leant back against the tree, Leo crumpled to the floor next to him.
"Everything's . . . Dancing . . ." Donnie whispered, the lingering taste seemed to throb in the back of his throat.
//\\
Navaura smiled as she spun two crystals in her hand, sitting on her castle balcony. She picked one up with her other hand and held it up. It floated out of her hand and began to make its way to the forest. The second one followed a second after.
//\\
Leo could hardly keep his eyes open. He felt so tired. He lifted his gaze to Donnie to see his brother looked exactly how he felt. It was then, that both turtles noticed the floating crystals that were dancing around their heads, just out of reach. They squinted to see something was moving inside the glass. But they couldn't get too surprised when they saw themselves in each crystal. Then, the forest disappeared and they both found themselves in the crystals, not in sight of each other.
The crystals floated and a few seconds later emerged into a clearing on a cliff overlooking a sand city; and a big Castle in the middle. Three figures stood looking down at it.
Didymus on Ambrosious and Drelic stopped and turned to inform the turtles.
"The castle doth lie yonder, Sir Leo and Sir Don." Didymus said, then realized they weren't there. "Sir Leo? Sir Don? . . . Sirs . . .?"
Then, both Didymus and Drelic noticed the crystals, and couldn't tear their gaze away. Inside one of the crystal was Leo. In the other was Donnie. But, even though they could tell who they were, both turtles were . . . human.
-
Leo stared. He was in a large, circular ballroom; lots of humans were dancing in peculiar masks and pretty, olden age clothes. Leo knew he was one of them. He didn't know how he knew, but he was human now. He was dressed in teenage clothes, but the fact he was human didn't seem to get through to him, and didn't matter. Something had happened to him when he took that bite, and he had forgotten everything. The only thing he remembered was he had one brother, who was also human. The one thing that got through his mind was that he had to find somebody. He didn't know who it was, but they were in this place, and it was just the one woman. Leo began searching through the people . . .
-
The same was happening with Donnie. His mind seemed to be trying to find and remember someone. If he found this person, then his heart told him something would happen, maybe. Donnie pushed past the people in masks, laughing at him and getting in his way. He kept getting glimpses of blue hair and orange eyes, but they vanished among the people as quickly as they appeared. He had, like Leo, forgotten everything. But one thing still remained, and that was to find this person. This woman.
-
Navaura watched them, a slight smile on her face. She was in both crystals, but they were in separate from each other. The Yiri had worked, but she could tell they were looking for her. She felt good. She knew her fruit would not fail her. So what if they found her? She sung as she walked through the people; eyes on Leo and Donnie, but they couldn't see her.
There's such a sad love
Deep in your eyes
A kind of pale Jewel
Opened and closed within your eyes
I'll place the sky
Within your eyes
There's such a fooled heart
Beating so fast
In search of new dreams
A love that will last
Within your heart
I'll place the moon
Within your heart
As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense to you
Every thrill has gone
Wasn't too much fun at all
But I'll be there for you
As the world falls down
It's falling
It's falling down
Falling in love
She could see now that they had both found her in their crystal. She walked up to them and they stared, not resisting as she took them and danced.
I'll paint you mornings of gold
I'll spin you valentine evenings
Though we're strangers till now
We're choosing a path
Between the stars
I'll lay my love
Between the stars
As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense for you
Every thrill is gone
Wasn't too much fun at all
But I'll be there for you
As the world falls down
It's falling
As the world falls down
It's falling
It's falling
It's falling
It's falling
Falling in love
It's falling . . .
Leo didn't know why he was dancing with her. Why was he? Was this just a thing to pass her time? Time . . . Something very important had to do with time . . . He just couldn't remember what it was. The people around him seemed to be laughing at him. For what? What had he done? . . . What hadn't he done?
Donnie stared at her as she smiled smugly at him as they danced. Why were they dancing? What was his mind nagging at him? They were crowded by people, all looked at him and laughed as they danced past. A clock chimed behind Navaura. Donnie looked at it. It had thirteen hours on it; and both hands were pointing to the twelve. One hour . . . Donnie suddenly remembered he had one hour . . . But to do what? He couldn't remember. But as the clock chimed it's third, he suddenly knew he had to get out of there.
Leo heard the clock. Something in his head told him to move. To get away from Navaura. The Queen Demoness. How did he know that? The clocked chimed four times now, and Leo broke away from her. He knew he had to get out. The clock chimed five times . . . He struggled to get through all the people who were making a wall in front of him. six chimes, he got through, and met a silver, solid wall. There were no doors to this place. seven chimes . . . What do I do? . . . eight chimes; he could see and sense Navaura watching him, as though she knew what will happen and was waiting to see if anything will change . . .
Eight chimes and Donnie broke through the people who were clawing him, trying to drag him back to Navaura. Nine chimes and he threw them off completely and came to the edge of the room, the circle. Ten chimes and he glanced desperately for a way out. They whole room was a circle. Eleven chimes, and he grabbed a chair from a table set, drew it back, and brought it round with all his human strength into the wall. Twelve chimes and the crystal cracked, things flew everywhere and the floor vanished from under his feet.
They were both falling. The room had disappeared and now they were back to being teenage turtles. But they didn't notice they had ever changed. Now the room, the people and Navaura had vanished, and they were falling through blueness.
~
The end followed the script precisely. Just what they said was a little different. The song 'As the world falls down' is sung by David Bowie. But that little rhyme Navaura sang was by moi, me, yours truly! (Didymus and Ambrosious are not mine, belong to the guys at the Labyrinth studios)
Donnie's breath had rushed out of him, so even if he wanted to scream he couldn't. The wall became a blur as he sped past it. He could hear Leo's cry of his name. He could hear the loud rush of air past his ears. He could hear loud beats through the air. Was that his heartbeat? They were awfully loud . . . Then suddenly, something below him hit him, and again his wind was knocked from him. He saw something in front of him. He was no longer falling . . . He was flying! The something in front of him was a head, and the beating sounds of air were the wings on either side of him. His normal focus returned and he saw the slivery green sheen and smooth skin of a very welcome friend.
"Drelic!" Donnie gasped, still trying to regain his normal breathing pattern. He was sprawled over the dragons back. Donnie landed in a funny position, and was grateful Drelic's spikes were hair fine! He was rising now in the air. Drelic was taking him over to the side of the narrow walkway path where his brother and Koppel gawped at them.
Drelic landed heavily on a flat stone bank, only a few meters away from the pit, and watched as Leo and Koppel made their way over, walking carefully on the crumbling stone.
"Donnie!" Leo shouted as he jumped off the path to the flat bank, running towards his brother.
Donnie was still laid on Drelic's back, totally dumbstruck at his luck. Drelic sat down and Don slid off, into a standing position.
"Donnie! Oh God I thought you had it there!" Leo grabbed his brother and spun him around to face him. "You okay?"
Donnie looked at him through unfocused eyes, then straightened them out and raised his eye ridges.
"As good as anyone who just met Death in the face and then flew away from him . . ."
"Ah . . . Good." Leo hugged his bro then turned to Drelic. " Hey Drelic, boy was that good timin'. Thanks a lot."
The dragon couldn't grin, but it sure looked like he was doing.
"Hey, what happened anyway, Drelic?" Donnie turned around to face him. "You disappeared from us in that forest."
"Floor - vanished . . ." Drelic growled.
"Oh."
"C'mon, we can't waste time standing around," Leo spoke up. "One brother saved, two more to go."
The two turtles, Drelic and Koppel, who was eyeing the dragon, set off around the pit, jumping stone to stone, and bank to bank; making their way to the bridge on the other side, which Donnie had pointed out.
"How long d'ya think we have left?" Leo asked his brother, referring to their timer that was set against them.
"Not long . . ." Donnie replied. "I just hope Raph and Mike are okay . . ."
Koppel lowered his head guiltily, hoping they wouldn't see his face.
They jumped to the bank on which the bridge stood, and made their way to it; but before they could properly reach and cross it, another little creature jumped out from the near (live) tree and blocked their path.
It was fury, much like a fox, and wore battle garments and held a horsewhip. A black, pirate patch covered one eye.
"Stop! Stop I say!" It screeched and pointed its whip at them.
The group stopped.
"Who are you?" Leo asked, looking down at it.
"I am Sir Didymus! And you are trespassing!"
"We just want to cross the bridge." Donnie spoke out.
"Non shall cross this here bridge without my permission." Said Didymus proudly, bringing the whip round and under his arm.
"We don't have much time, just let us cross," Leo said impatiently.
"And away from that awful screaming from the Pit," Koppel added.
"I have sworn to do my duty: No one may cross without my permission."
Leo looked down at Didymus. The fox was tiny compared to him, so it wouldn't exactly be hard to push past. However, when he did try a second later, he was stopped not by the creature, but by an invisible force field, just outside of Didymus' reach. Leo stepped back surprised, and tingling all over.
"Told you non shall cross. I have not given anyone my permission," Didymus said.
"Look, we haven't got much time, we have to save our brothers, so please let us through," Leo said desperately.
"A rescue?! Good grief, haven't been through one of them for some time!" Didymus exclaimed. "Could you spare a place in your numbers for a willing knight?"
"You want to come with us?" Leo asked, thinking this Didymus didn't know what he was getting into; either that or he really was desperate for some action . . . Must get boring round here doing naff all but telling people they can't cross without permission.
"Indeed, Sir!" Didymus said.
"Fine, but don't pull us behind."
"Of course not, Sir Turtle, for I have my trusty steed, Ambrosious!"
Who the hell was Ambrosious? Leo sighed, finally. "Alright then, let's go."
"Wait a moment, wait one moment; you have forgotten my sacred vow, Sir Turtle. I am to let no one across this bridge without my permission!"
Drelic growled impatiently behind them, but Donnie smiled, wondering why his brother hadn't said anything before. Well, he wasn't going to wait. Donnie stepped forward.
"Sir Didymus, may we have your permission?" He asked kindly.
The fox looked surprised. No one in the Labyrinth have ever really solved this and asked him.
He looked glazed-eyes past the turtle and then looked at his face. "Why - er . . .Yes."
A hum of electricity snapped and they knew the field had gone. Donnie, smirking to his brother, let Leo go first, then Koppel. He slid in line before Drelic.
But the bridge was very unsteady, and very old, so they only crossed one at a time. Leo risked his own life to try it, and had got safely across. Next was Koppel, who walked very slow in fear of it collapsing.
"C'mon Donnie!" Leo called.
Donnie had been having a short conversation with Didymus while Koppel had been taking his time. In that time, Donnie had told the fox to call them Leo, Don, Drelic and Koppel, instead of 'Sir Turtle', Sir Turtle The Second', 'Mighty Beast', and 'Sir Baty'.
When Koppel had jumped off the bridge onto the bank on the other side, it gave a threatening wobble. Donnie studied it. It was crumbling at the ends, which wasn't good, and it sagged in the middle. Donnie took it step by careful step, slowly.
"Don't fear, Sir Don," Didymus said fearlessly. "This bridge hath lasted a thousand years." He gave it an experimental tap - and the whole thing collapsed as Donnie reached the middle. It was lucky the tree Didymus had come from was tall and long, otherwise Donnie would have had nothing to grab a hold of and he would have, for the second time, plummeted down into the Pit.
"Oooh! Not good . . . Not good . . ." Donnie groaned, looking down from the branch he was gripping.
"Um, seemed solid enough," Didymus said calmly, as though Donnie was in no danger, and the Pit Of Forever Pain wasn't there.
"Donnie!" Leo called, rushing forwards and stopping at the edge of the bank.
Koppel covered his eyes. These turtles always found trouble wherever they went.
Drelic, who was crouched behind Didymus waiting to cross, growled as if to say 'not again'. He gave a flap of his wings, nearly blowing Didymus off the bank, and leapt into the air, gliding over to Donnie.
"I'm gonna have to pay you every time I do this," Donnie grinned as he let go of the branch and stepped gingerly onto Drelic's back, careful not to lose his balance as Drelic's body rose and fell about a foot every time he flapped his wings. He sat down and watched as Leo, Koppel and the bank drew nearer. On touchdown, Donnie slid off and Leo went over to him.
"You okay?" He asked with a small smile showing on his open mouth.
"As good as anyone who just met Death and flew away from him . . . again." Donnie tilted his head with a grin.
Now they had another problem: Didymus and his trusty steed, Ambrosious who had just appeared and turned out to be an Old English sheep dog; were both stuck on the other side, and Drelic didn't look like he wanted to make any more transports.
"Can you fetch them?" Leo asked.
The dragon growled, "injured wing . . . Only fly short journeys."
Didymus had now climbed onto his pet's back, and seemed to be waiting patiently for them to come and get him.
"Make this one; can . . ." Drelic growled, just before he took off again and a few seconds later brought back the fox and the dog on his back.
"Well done. Brilliant rescue, Mighty Drelic," Didymus praised.
They all made their way up the bank, Leo telling Donnie how lucky he always was. Ambrosious, with Didymus, trotted past Koppel, as the bat creature slowed down.
Koppel watched them for a second as they walked away, then he took the two Yiri from his pocket and held them over the Pit. But before he could drop them, a purring voice echoed from nowhere.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you . . ." The voice of Navaura said.
Koppel drew them back in fear. "I can't give it to them . . ." He shook his head sadly and ran to catch up with the others.
//\\
Navaura chuckled to the crystal. Instead of her throne chair, she was now sat atop the blue shield on her stomach.
"All this just for you two," she said to Raph and Mikey, who were very still and finding it very difficult to breath. She turned back to the crystal, which inside held the action of what went on in her world of mazes.
"Look Leonardo, Donatello . . . Are these what you are trying to find? So much trouble for them." Navaura smiled. " But not for long . . . Your brothers will soon forget about you," she said down to Raph and Mikey. "Once Koppel gives them the Yiri, they'll forget everything . . ."
Navaura sang softly to herself.
'When it is th' time to forget thee . . . T'is the time to belong to me . . . I shall see it all ends my way . . . Forget you they will, and that way it'll stay . . .'
Raph lifted his weak eyes to Mikey. His brother wasn't moving, but breathing as heavy as he was. How much longer did they have left? Not long by the thinning intake of oxygen . . .
//\\
Leo, Donnie, Drelic, Koppel, Didymus and Ambrosious had found themselves in another forest. But they didn't stop for anything this time . . . Time was running out and they couldn't waste any of it. They did notice something through the determination though; and that was hunger. But, for some strange reason, Leo and Donnie seemed to be staving much more than the others. Their stomach growled so loud that Drelic seem to frown at them.
"Man, don't think I've ever felt so hungry . . ." Donnie said softly as they all rounded a large tree.
"Don . . . Leo . . ." Koppel called timidly. They turned to look at him, waiting. Koppel held out the two Yiri. " . . . Here . . ."
"What are they?" Leo asked, taking one.
"Yiri, fruit," he replied, blinking furiously at the ground.
"Oh, wow, thanks Koppel, you're a lifesaver," Donnie said kindly, and he took one of the blue Yiri.
Leo turned it over in his hand. "Nice colour." He didn't bother about the way it look. After all, Koppel wouldn't give them something that would harm then.
Both Leo and Donnie bit into the fruit, and Koppel watched frightfully. Both turtles pulled it back from their mouth slowly, realising something was wrong from the first swallow.
"Tastes strange . . ." Donnie whispered, knowing it was a taste, not from the fruity flesh, but from something else.
"Koppel what have you done . . ." Leo also whispered, feeling a strange sensation wash inside him.
Koppel backed away, shameful, guilty and fearful at what he had done.
"Damn you Navaura . . ." He said, "and damn me too . . ." He hobbled away as Leo and Donnie sank to their knees.
Donnie leant back against the tree, Leo crumpled to the floor next to him.
"Everything's . . . Dancing . . ." Donnie whispered, the lingering taste seemed to throb in the back of his throat.
//\\
Navaura smiled as she spun two crystals in her hand, sitting on her castle balcony. She picked one up with her other hand and held it up. It floated out of her hand and began to make its way to the forest. The second one followed a second after.
//\\
Leo could hardly keep his eyes open. He felt so tired. He lifted his gaze to Donnie to see his brother looked exactly how he felt. It was then, that both turtles noticed the floating crystals that were dancing around their heads, just out of reach. They squinted to see something was moving inside the glass. But they couldn't get too surprised when they saw themselves in each crystal. Then, the forest disappeared and they both found themselves in the crystals, not in sight of each other.
The crystals floated and a few seconds later emerged into a clearing on a cliff overlooking a sand city; and a big Castle in the middle. Three figures stood looking down at it.
Didymus on Ambrosious and Drelic stopped and turned to inform the turtles.
"The castle doth lie yonder, Sir Leo and Sir Don." Didymus said, then realized they weren't there. "Sir Leo? Sir Don? . . . Sirs . . .?"
Then, both Didymus and Drelic noticed the crystals, and couldn't tear their gaze away. Inside one of the crystal was Leo. In the other was Donnie. But, even though they could tell who they were, both turtles were . . . human.
-
Leo stared. He was in a large, circular ballroom; lots of humans were dancing in peculiar masks and pretty, olden age clothes. Leo knew he was one of them. He didn't know how he knew, but he was human now. He was dressed in teenage clothes, but the fact he was human didn't seem to get through to him, and didn't matter. Something had happened to him when he took that bite, and he had forgotten everything. The only thing he remembered was he had one brother, who was also human. The one thing that got through his mind was that he had to find somebody. He didn't know who it was, but they were in this place, and it was just the one woman. Leo began searching through the people . . .
-
The same was happening with Donnie. His mind seemed to be trying to find and remember someone. If he found this person, then his heart told him something would happen, maybe. Donnie pushed past the people in masks, laughing at him and getting in his way. He kept getting glimpses of blue hair and orange eyes, but they vanished among the people as quickly as they appeared. He had, like Leo, forgotten everything. But one thing still remained, and that was to find this person. This woman.
-
Navaura watched them, a slight smile on her face. She was in both crystals, but they were in separate from each other. The Yiri had worked, but she could tell they were looking for her. She felt good. She knew her fruit would not fail her. So what if they found her? She sung as she walked through the people; eyes on Leo and Donnie, but they couldn't see her.
There's such a sad love
Deep in your eyes
A kind of pale Jewel
Opened and closed within your eyes
I'll place the sky
Within your eyes
There's such a fooled heart
Beating so fast
In search of new dreams
A love that will last
Within your heart
I'll place the moon
Within your heart
As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense to you
Every thrill has gone
Wasn't too much fun at all
But I'll be there for you
As the world falls down
It's falling
It's falling down
Falling in love
She could see now that they had both found her in their crystal. She walked up to them and they stared, not resisting as she took them and danced.
I'll paint you mornings of gold
I'll spin you valentine evenings
Though we're strangers till now
We're choosing a path
Between the stars
I'll lay my love
Between the stars
As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense for you
Every thrill is gone
Wasn't too much fun at all
But I'll be there for you
As the world falls down
It's falling
As the world falls down
It's falling
It's falling
It's falling
It's falling
Falling in love
It's falling . . .
Leo didn't know why he was dancing with her. Why was he? Was this just a thing to pass her time? Time . . . Something very important had to do with time . . . He just couldn't remember what it was. The people around him seemed to be laughing at him. For what? What had he done? . . . What hadn't he done?
Donnie stared at her as she smiled smugly at him as they danced. Why were they dancing? What was his mind nagging at him? They were crowded by people, all looked at him and laughed as they danced past. A clock chimed behind Navaura. Donnie looked at it. It had thirteen hours on it; and both hands were pointing to the twelve. One hour . . . Donnie suddenly remembered he had one hour . . . But to do what? He couldn't remember. But as the clock chimed it's third, he suddenly knew he had to get out of there.
Leo heard the clock. Something in his head told him to move. To get away from Navaura. The Queen Demoness. How did he know that? The clocked chimed four times now, and Leo broke away from her. He knew he had to get out. The clock chimed five times . . . He struggled to get through all the people who were making a wall in front of him. six chimes, he got through, and met a silver, solid wall. There were no doors to this place. seven chimes . . . What do I do? . . . eight chimes; he could see and sense Navaura watching him, as though she knew what will happen and was waiting to see if anything will change . . .
Eight chimes and Donnie broke through the people who were clawing him, trying to drag him back to Navaura. Nine chimes and he threw them off completely and came to the edge of the room, the circle. Ten chimes and he glanced desperately for a way out. They whole room was a circle. Eleven chimes, and he grabbed a chair from a table set, drew it back, and brought it round with all his human strength into the wall. Twelve chimes and the crystal cracked, things flew everywhere and the floor vanished from under his feet.
They were both falling. The room had disappeared and now they were back to being teenage turtles. But they didn't notice they had ever changed. Now the room, the people and Navaura had vanished, and they were falling through blueness.
~
The end followed the script precisely. Just what they said was a little different. The song 'As the world falls down' is sung by David Bowie. But that little rhyme Navaura sang was by moi, me, yours truly! (Didymus and Ambrosious are not mine, belong to the guys at the Labyrinth studios)