Hey guys, welcome to part two of Life on my World. Hope you enjoyed the first. This one is Donnie focused. I hope you like it. I guess I should let you guys know that in this story, everything has a bit more... personality, and we get to explore the planet of Verterra some more.
Let's get into it.
Like in the first story, words, phrases, and translations will be put up here.
Vao= Guardian
Toguta, abata= doorway, open
Qui'o wai?= Who are you?
Quani mea-te?= What do you want?
Lo kalua mai grahatai= I'm sorry and thank you
Makandi= Shadow beasts
shision megasas= Goddess' sight
Makandi ne sali toma= The shadow beast knows all
Silema= shut up or be quiet
Chapter 1
Two years had passed since the guys made Verterra their new home. After helping to incarcerate Kai, they were seen as heroes. Being named the Heroes of Ezdic and the name became known throughout the four territories.
Beloose, the true king, was back to rule, and everyone felt like they could go back to normal. Beloose appointed the guys as new vao, giving them something to do. They now help people without being called freaks like back on earth. The people actually appreciate the things they do for them.
No one was more appreciative than a woman named Avery. Avery was going to be Kai's wife in a forced marriage. When the guys stepped in when they did, they ultimately stopped that from happening. Avery was free to be with whomever she wanted, and she chose Mikey. They were married soon after. Mikey had never been happier.
Don was also pretty lucky because he met Nati. Nati was a victim of the circumstances going on around her, just like Avery was. When her parents were killed, she went silent and wouldn't speak to anyone. When Kai was defeated, she actually spoke for the first time in a while and attached herself to Don. Not that he minded, of course.
But just because they were happy, that didn't stop them from getting homesick. At first, almost every day, at least one of them would use their tentaiki to open a portal back to New York and visit the lair. They'd roam the city rooftops or play some video games just for a bit of nostalgia, but that became more scarce as time went on. Now, they mostly go to visit Master Splinter's grave at the farmhouse.
Don had made use of his free time by helping in the infirmary. His knowledge of basic medical needs was seen as very helpful to the healers. Don was perfectly content with assisting where he could to keep his mind working. Avery and Nati taught him all about poisons, as well as their antidotes, which he picked up on quite quickly. But every once in a while, Don would get that itch. The itch to just tinker with some machinery.
Tonight was one of those rare moments for Donatello.
After Don let his brothers know where he was going, he set off for Parinan woods off to the west of the Ithri village.
"Don't forget to bring something back for us to eat." Mikey had only half-joked as he was leaving. "I don't want to starve."
Don had rolled his eyes before grabbing his handmade bow with plenty of arrows. "I know, I know. No need to exaggerate. I'll see you guys in a little bit for dinner."
With his trusty bo staff, bow and arrows, as well as his satchel slung over his shoulder, he left on the back of a gray lakra.
He made it to a little clearing where he and his brothers usually do their training and hopped off the back of his lakra. Small red lights dotted the sky as the tashin flitted about in the evening air. "You ready, Luna? You're about to see where I used to live."
Luna had fully grown and stood eye to eye with him. Silver fur, soft to the touch. The thick gray fur around her neck was even softer. There was a large white spot on the side of her body reminiscent of a full moon, hence the name. Sea green eyes seemingly glowing a little brighter with each pulse from their life tree, Tandaya. She lightly bumped her dark red colored horn against his arm. Don returned the affection with a scratch under her chin. "Alright, let's go. Toguta, abata." he said. The green gemstone around Don's neck began to glow bright and a portal formed in front of them. "Come on, Luna." both of them entered the portal and were transported back into the turtles' old lair. It did feel weird to him, feeling the stone floor beneath his feet rather than the tall, soft grass. The smell of the sewer rather than the fresh, clean air he had gotten so used to. The cold, dark dampness of the unused lair instead of the warmth and the light breeze he would get back on Verterra. Although it was weird being back, there was a sense of familiarity and nostalgia.
On the other hand, Luna was not too pleased with any of this, and she made it known by pressing a paw over her nose, signaling that she was not too fond of the smell. Don chuckled, "Yeah, you get used to the smell after a while. You can go back if you want."
Luna looked back at the open portal and stepped away from it, letting it close behind her and leaving them in darkness. "Alright then, let's see if this still works." Don clapped his hands once, and the lights turned on. "Nice. I thought for sure that they would've stopped working by now since I stopped maintaining it." he removed his bow and quiver of arrows and placed them by his lab door.
He made his way into the lab and began fiddling with his inventions that he had left here from the last time he visited. At the same time, Luna watched patiently and curiously from the doorway.
About an hour later, Casey and April were making their way to the lair. They tried to make a habit of coming down to clean and maintain things for when their friends came back... if they ever came back.
After two years, April and Casey started to have doubts. They didn't want to believe it, but sometimes, thoughts would creep in and they would think that their friends were dead. They always pushed those thoughts away though because when they would come to the lair, they'd see signs that someone was there. There would be random pizza boxes in the trash that wouldn't be there before, metal scraps have been moved around on Don's workspace, and new flowers were placed on Master Splinter's grave at the farmhouse. As far as either one of them knew, no one knew about that spot, so it had to be the guys. Maybe they managed to get away from where ever they were for a while, but had no choice, but to go back.
They believed that they would come back permanently and when they did, they would be ready. Both of them even came in well equipped in case they needed to help the guys fight any possible attacker.
They approached the dead-end as they always did, pulled down the pipe, and punched in the code. The wall opened up, revealing the darkened lair, and right there in front of them was what looked like a portal and... "Donnie!" April said excitedly, but it was a bit too late as he had already jumped through the portal. Casey and April ran up to the green, swirling vortex and stared at it.
"Are you sure that was Don?" Casey asked.
"I'm positive." April responded.
"So, what are you thinking? Should we go after him?"
April thought for a second. She was sure that was Don, but it didn't look like he was in any danger. It didn't look like anyone was forcing him into anything. At least that's what it looked like on the surface. She didn't know what was going on, but she really wanted to see them again, and she wanted to bring them home. So entering a portal that led to who knows where to possibly help them was the only option. "Yeah, let's go." April cautiously stuck her hand through first before she stepped all the way in. Casey followed soon after.
Back on Verterra, Don and Luna had returned. "Well, that was fun. Alright, let's get something to eat." they moved away from the portal, expecting it to close like usual, but it didn't. Luna and Don were suddenly on high alert. Luna growled at the still open portal preparing for someone to come through while Don pulled out a dagger from the sheath strapped to his leg. "Hide Luna." Don ordered. Luna quickly crouched behind some bushes and waited, as did Don. "If someone comes out, attack on my signal. Don't kill unless I say." he ordered.
Luna gave a quick huff as a response, letting Don know that she understood. They waited until they spotted two shadowy figures coming out of the portal, clearly confused by their surroundings.
"Take one. Now." Don ordered once the portal closed behind them.
With a roar, Luna pounced on the first person she came across, pinning them to the ground. Don took care of the other, who was now dazed from the sudden attack, pinning them against the tree behind them. With the dagger pressed to their throat, Don spoke in the Avati language that he'd learned. Hopefully, it would scare the person that decided to follow him. "Qui'o wai? Quani mea-te?" he spoke fluently.
The intruder that Don pinned against the tree nervously spoke. "D-Donnie?"
Don recognized that voice. "April?" he got a closer look as the light from Tandaya pulsed by them. It really was her. "April!" he said excitedly.
"Donnie!" she said back, tears nearly filling her eyes. She couldn't hold back anymore as she pulled him into a tight hug, which he returned.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Casey and I showed up at the lair as you were going through that portal."
"So, you followed me?" he asked. "...wait, did you say Casey?"
"Hey guys, a little help. This guy looks hungry."
Don ran over to Luna, calming the beast down with a pat on the neck and gentle words. "Easy, Luna. It's okay, he's a friend."
Luna hesitantly backed off Casey, letting the man sit up. Don offered a hand to him and helped him to his feet. "Sorry about that guys, I don't know what I was thinking. I saw two people and just attacked. I didn't think anyone had followed me. But I should've known that you guys were in the lair since no one else knows about the place."
"Well, whatever the reason, I'm just glad you're okay." April sighed. "Where are your brothers?"
"Oh, they're back in the village." Don answered. "Come on, I'll take you guys to them. We're supposed to be having a big family dinner. I'm sure they'd be happy if you joined us."
"Cool, I'm starving." Casey said. "What's on the menu?"
"Whatever I manage to catch." Don sheathed his dagger and began to walk through the woods with Luna trotting along next to him. April and Casey followed behind them, not really saying anything, just... watching. Their friend had definitely changed since last they saw him. He seemed more mature almost. April couldn't really put her finger on why or how, but he was just different.
Don suddenly stopped in his tracks when he saw two lanias by a tree. These short, stocky creatures had sharp claws on the ends of their six feet, brown fur and two little horn stubs atop their heads. The two of them would've been plenty if it was just him, his brothers, Avery and Nati, but with April, Casey, and possibly Dax showing up, he was going to need a bit more. The two lanias scurried off up the tree. Don kept moving. "Hey Don, what are you doing?" April asked.
"Thinking about what to get for dinner now that you guys are here." Don responded simply.
"And where-" she started.
Don held a hand up, silencing them as a subius came into view. It was a bit smaller than the average Earth boar, but it would be more than enough for everyone. They'd even have some leftovers. The subius pressed its snout to the ground, seemingly unaware of his presence. Its round body and short legs made it difficult for it to escape, but its razor-sharp horns, coupled with its aggressive behavior, usually kept it safe from most predators. But not from Don. He took his bow and an arrow out. "Don?" April's eyes widened, knowing what he was about to do.
"Shh." he shushed harshly. He took aim at the subius, pulling back on the bowstring. He released it a few seconds later, and it connected with its target. It fell over, squealing and squirming in pain. That was the one thing he hated about hunting the subius. Due to their thick, tough skin, it's hard for arrows to penetrate the heart at the first blow, and that keeps it from dying instantly, so it suffers until it is finished off. Don quickly approached it, grabbing onto the arrow, he recited the words that Dax taught him in Avati. "Lo kalua mai grahatai." he said gently. Giving it a final pat on the neck, he pushed the arrow even further into its body. It gave a final pained squeal before it stopped moving altogether. He pulled the arrow out and stood up. "Luna." he called out.
Luna stepped out of the brush while April and Casey stood and watched. Their eyes had somewhat adjusted to the darkness. The only source of light was coming every so often from the ground and surrounding flora. They watched as Don hauled the body onto Luna's back and strapped it down with rope from the satchel Don carried over his shoulder. "Alright, you okay, Luna?" he asked.
Luna gave a happy chuff in response. Don smiled back and pat her horn. "Let's go home." he looked at his two friends. "Come on guys, we're almost at the village."
April and Casey stepped away from their hiding spot to approach their friend. Don continued to lead them through the thick brush. "Hey, so are we going to talk about that?" Casey asked, avoiding the sabertoothed beast with a carcass on her back.
"Hmm? Talk about what?" Don asked, genuinely confused. He didn't see what the problem was.
"You just-" April started but couldn't seem to finish her sentence. So she just pointed at the dead body.
"Oh, well, yeah. This planet has a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, so if you want to eat, you gotta hunt and gather for it." Don shrugged. "Now, come on. If you want to see everyone else, we just have a little further to walk." as they were moving Don contacted one of his brothers. "Hey Leo, I'm on my way back. I've got something special to show you."
"Special? What is it?" Leo answered after a while.
"It's a surprise." Don said as he smiled to himself.
So, they continued to walk in silence. It was still just so weird to the two humans. Don, the tech wiz, was now someone who lived a more primitive lifestyle in a village. A place where he has to hunt for food, and he seemed perfectly content with it. This was not the Don that they once knew. He really was different.
Don pulled away some vines, revealing the village. Despite it being relatively late in the evening, there were people up and about, meticulously decorating the entire village with colored lanterns. The tashin were out more than usual as they danced around in the air.
Don and Luna simply ignored all the hustle and bustle and moved straight to his home. April and Casey, on the other hand... "Whoa, hey!" Casey said as people pulling a wagon filled with different colored fabrics and masks sped by him. "What's going on, Donnie? Some kinda party?"
"Yeah, something like that." Don made it to his place that he stayed in with Leo and Raph.
The guys spent weeks renovating and adding to Jatari's old place. Adding an extra room and more space to fit the three remaining brothers since Mikey moved in with Avery when he got married. Leo was outside, already waiting for him.
"Hey Don." he greeted the younger brother before noticing the freshly hunted animal on Luna's back. "A subius? That seems like a lot for us. What's the occasion?"
"Well..." Don stepped aside, revealing April and Casey.
Leo's eyes widened at the sight of his old friends. "No way, Raph, get out here!" he called inside the house before bringing his two friends in for a hug.
Raph hurried out when he heard his name. "Hey, April, Casey!" Raph happily shouted and joined the group hug. "What are you guys doing here?"
"Long story, short. We saw Don in the lair and followed him." Casey answered.
Raph and Leo turned to look at their younger brother, who in turn, just shrugged. "Well, it's good to see you. Come on in." Leo let them in while Raph unstrapped the subius from Luna's back to bring around to the back of the house for prep and cooking.
Inside, Leo gave April and Casey a mini tour of the place. "It took a lot of work to get this place built big enough for me, Don, and Raph, but it was all worth it in the end." he led them to their dining room with their long table and their "chandelier" made up of grouped together lanterns and took up a spot on the cushioned floor.
April and Casey followed suit, taking up spots across from him. "So, where's Mikey? He doesn't stay with you guys?" April asked.
Leo waved that off. "Don't worry, he lives right across from us." he shrugged. "He's never too far away. He'll be here a little later with Avery."
"Who's Avery?" Casey asked with a raised eyebrow.
"His wife." Leo replied as if it was the most obvious statement.
"Mikey's married!?" April was surprised. She never thought that she would be saying those words about any of them.
"Yeah, isn't it great?" Leo asked with a beaming smile. "I've never seen him so happy."
"Wow, good for him." Casey nodded his approval.
There was a knock at the front door. "It's open." Leo called out loud enough for them to hear.
In strolled Avery and Nati, both of them wearing their everyday clothing. Nati, wearing soft, white shorts at about mid-thigh and an equally soft top, only exposing her midriff. Avery wore a simple low cut light blue dress. The skirt of the dress was shorter on one side. She wore a silver brace with a shining red jewel around her left bicep, a symbol of her unity to Mikey.
Both women stopped at the sight of unfamiliar people. "Hello there." Avery said first.
"Girls, this is April and Casey. Friends of ours from Earth. Casey and April, that's Nati," Leo pointed to the hot pink colored woman. "and Avery." he introduced the woman with snow-white skin.
"Hi." April greeted them with a warm smile. "Nice to meet you."
Avery took up a space at the table, as did Nati, and waited for their meal.
"Hey Avery, where's Mikey?"
"He is in the back, helping to prepare our meal."
Just as she said this, a pleasant smell flowed in through the open window. It smelled like a barbecue. "That smells so good. I'll go help them out. Be right back."
"I'll go with you." Casey offered.
Leo and Casey left the room to join the others out back. Leaving Nati, Avery, and April alone.
"So Avery, you're married to Mikey?" April asked.
"Ah, yes." Avery beamed. "I am. He is the love of my life. I do not know what I would do without him."
"And he's happy?"
Avery turned to face April, almost looking confused. "I would say so, yes."
"Okay... great." April said. She took another look around then up at the grouped lanterns above them. "And... um... Nati?"
"Y-yes." Nati nervously stuttered.
"What is your relationship with the guys?"
"I... have mated with Donatello." she spoke hesitantly.
April was taken aback by this. Mated? They actually mated with each other? I can't believe the guys are in actual relationships. "I suppose you ladies are the reason why they never came back home?" April asked, sounding almost accusatory.
"I-I... um..." Nati stuttered.
"We are sorry that they did not return to Earth," Avery stated. "but they made the decision to stay on their own. We gave them the option to go back, and they chose not to."
April remained silent after that, letting the slight awkwardness settle between them. The awkward moment was thankfully cut when the guys walked back in carrying trays full of food. Two dishes were placed in front of her. One was piled with slices of meat, and the other was a bowl filled with a thickened sauce. Another larger plate was placed in the middle of the table filled with an assortment of freshly picked vegetables. Casey took up his spot next to April again.
"April!" the youngest shouted as he excitedly hugged the redhead. He was the only other person wearing a brace around his left bicep, similar to Avery's only wider and without a jewel in it.
"Hey Mikey, it's good to see you too." April laughed.
He went to go sit down next to his wife. While Don took a spot next to Nati, who instantly linked arms with him. Don looked over to her, feeling how tense she was. Nati was always a bit of a shy girl. Sometimes she'd get nervous and tongue-tied around new people, at least outside of anything medical. So it wouldn't surprise him that April and Casey probably made her extremely nervous. Don gently patted her hand and kissed the top of her head to reassure her.
"So what are you guys doing here?" Mikey asked, being the last one informed.
"They seemed to have followed me through the portal when I was leaving the lair." Don explained, giving him the shortened version. "Due to the doorway's major flaw of staying open if someone is within proximity."
"Right," Leo said as he began eating. Picking up a slice of meat and dipping it in the sauce. "so what have you guys been up to?"
"Ah, you know, the usual. Ever since those attacks stopped two years ago, it's been pretty tame, honestly. Even the Purple Dragons barely do anything." Casey complained. He followed Leo's lead, picking up a slice of meat and dipping it in the sauce. When he took a bite, his eyes lit up. "Whoa, this is really good." he happily continued to stuff his face.
"Glad you like it, Case." Raph chuckled.
"I'm guessing that you guys stopped the attacks?" April asked them.
"Yeah, it turns out the king here was sending lakras to other planets just for fun and that's only because he got bored with killing the people here. The guy was sick in the head." Mikey explained. "But we stopped him with help, of course. And we put the real king back on the throne."
"So, Avery here told me that you were given the option to come back home, and you didn't take it. Why is that?"
The guys kind of froze up at the question. They did know why they didn't go back to Earth, but they just weren't sure how to explain it to them.
"Well, we just felt better suited for a place like this." Leo said.
"Better than your home?" April asked.
"Babe." Casey said with a concerned tone. He didn't like where this was going.
"Listen April, it's not that we don't miss being on earth. There are some things we miss." Don started. "It's just... better for us here."
"It's kinda hard to explain." Raph said while scratching his head.
"Right." April moped. She wanted to gauge how much they liked it here. She didn't want to go home without them. So she thought that maybe she could convince them... with time.
Still, after what April said, there was an awkward silence. At least for a little while. Casey had stepped up and said. "So what's been going on with you guys?"
"Nothing much, really. Same things we used to do on earth we now do here. We protect others." Leo said.
"Yeah, except now we get a little appreciation for the things we do." Raph added.
"People appreciate what you do." April stated.
"Yeah, until they see our faces and run away screaming." Mikey told her. "That's not the best feeling in the world."
April sighed and stood up. "I'm going to step outside for a bit." she headed for the door, leaving her food untouched.
The guys, as well as Avery and Nati, kind of just stared after her. "I suppose she did not take that very well." Avery said.
"No, it doesn't look like she did." Mikey said.
"She'll be fine. She'll get over it." Casey began to dig into the food April left behind.
"I hope so." Leo said as he continued eating.
Off in a cave in another territory, sat a group of people, wrapped in hooded, black cloaks. It was dark so their only light sources were the lanterns surrounding them and the pulsating light from the life tree. Among the group, one of them stood up and spoke. He had dark red skin and equally dark red eyes and his royal purple hair was tied up in a neat bun.
"The group in Myazima Swamp is doing what they need to do, Noshta?" he spoke out loud. He was clearly the leader of this small group.
"Yes Watamu, the plan has been set in motion." another man with scaly light purple skin and short dark red hair responded. "They are currently testing the potency and the lasting effects of the poison on the local lakra. Some have gone to test the poison on the lakra in Ezdic."
Watamu nodded. "And what have we found out, brother?"
"Tests have shown that the lakras respond almost immediately to poison in the darts, but the effects don't last very long. The poisoned fruit takes longer to effect them, but the effects last longer and some have died in the process."
"Very well. Keep these tests going and increase the potency a little bit in the darts. We may have to stop using the fruit. Now, I need you to take the rest of this group there to speed up the process."
Noshta nodded. "What about you?"
"I am going to Ithri village. I have an informant there trying to learn what he can about those... Makandi." Watamu said the last word with hatred and disgust. "They need to be destroyed."
"And you plan on doing this alone?"
"Someone must. We cannot have the Makandi interfere and the best way to do that is to kill them. One by one if I have to. They are brothers and they are very close, so just killing one of them will distract them long enough to free Kai. All I have to do is separate one from the rest and when he least expects it," he pulled a dagger out of a sheath that was strapped to his leg. "I'll use this."
"With all due respect, brother. I do not think that a simple dagger will be enough to stop any of them."
"This dagger is laced with a poison so leathal that one small scratch from this blade can kill you in an instant." he carefully sheathed the dagger. "No one can withstand it."
Noshta was the first to express his disapproval. "This is suicide."
When he spoke up so did the rest as they began to chatter amongst each other. "The Makandi are far too formidable."
"I heard they do not need to use the shision megasas. They just know when you are lying."
"I heard that their senses are heightened more than any other vao we have faced."
"Which would mean sneaking up to them would be impossible."
"And now they are training the new vao to fight more like them."
"Makandi ne sali toma." another said with a nervous tremble.
Watamu looked around his group as they doubted his ability and his plan. "Silema!" he raised his voice over the growing concern of the group. "I do not believe in any of that nonsense, they are still just people. And people can be killed."
"Now, you are right, they are formidable, but they are not invincible. I have to appeal to their kindness of others. That is their weakness. It is risky and I am fully aware that I could be killed if I am found out, but it is a risk I will have to take for our king. It is a risk we are all taking, correct?"
Everyone agreed. "Remember why we are all here. Even at the cost of our lives and freedoms, the liberation of Kai will come."
Spirits raised at the thought of saving their king, they all raised their fists and cheered.
Before anyone asks, yes, I did give them the ability to speak to each other telepathically. It is another ability that they were given along with seeing people's auras.
No, it was not mentioned in the first story, I just added that part in due to how difficult it would be for them as guardians to not be able to speak to each other when there is trouble.
From now on when any guardian is talking to each other telepathically it will look like this.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed.