Undiscovered Power
A/N: Don't hate me.
~
"Something tells me our element of surprise didn't go as expected," Mikey said, Nunchucks in hand as they formed a tight circle, shells inwards. They had arrived at the docks not long after they had taken off, and the minute they walked down a small gap between two boathouses they were surrounded by black-clad men.
"The surprise strategy was discarded because we had no time to search the place looking for the base," Leo said in a serious tone, his eyes never leaving the humans that were watching him like he was watching them.
Mikey nodded once. "Okay, that explains why you didn't bother to keep your farts down."
Leo turned and glared at his brother, silencing his jokes with his expression. Mikey glanced at him and looked back at the enemy, a slight expression of apology on his face. Leo turned back to the Foot too. It seemed that half the clan was there.
"Are you gonna take us to your Master?" He snapped. "Or are we gonna stare all day?" His icy tone made all three of his brothers glance at him. His attitude seemed to be bitterly bad.
Their weapons were taken from them, and their hands were tied behind their shells, with a short length of thick, strong rope bonding each wrist because of the fact they could not actually meet each hand comfortably around their shells. It proved difficult to walk for Raph, as his free arms had acted as balance, and now he dozily bumped into Mikey as they were marched in twos. Leo, Donny and Mikey kept their eyes alerted, taking in surroundings what they passed, and what directions they went in. It was so silent, that apart from their footsteps they could hear the small waves against waves somewhere a few yards to their right. The Foot ninja passed in and out of the darkening shadows, appearing to spookily disappear for a second before walking back into the fading daylight. It reminded the teenagers that these were still men, capable of killing people, even if they were incompetent sometimes. It made them wonder how horrible it was for Prida to be in the sole company of killers, and one very dangerous ninja.
After ten minutes of walking around, what felt like, the entire docks, the group were halted at the door of a long building, It was not very wide, but it stretched to the edge of the docks. One of the front ninjas stepped up to the battered, but solid-looking steel door and rapped on it five times with his knuckles. As the door was heaved opened slowly and only for three foot wide, the ninja who had knocked quickly rubbed his knuckles, and then stepped aside as the four turtles were pushed inside.
They found themselves on a rickety wooden staircase attached to the wall, and leading down to the floor of the building, which was entirely made of one enormous room. The whole floor was solid dirt, and to the left and right sides of the building were car tiers, tractor tires, and junk piles providing something of an aspect, almost, to the bare room. Beyond the junk, were the wall should have continued to meet the floor, were a long, head-high alcoves into the wall on either side, and in these long rooms that ran form one end of the building to the other, were the rest of the Foot Clan, standing perfectly still in the darkness of the shadows. Their heads did not turn as the turtles reached the bottom of the stairs, but they could feel their hidden eyes upon them as they started to walk to the other side of the room, where they directed their eyes for the first time: Sat on a mezzanine a meter or so high, sat in a large, throne-looking chair that, had it been in its best condition would have been too good for him, was the Shredder. His outfit had been changed slightly, yet it still had the many-pronged plates attached to the shoulders, arms and chins. The silver of his armor flashed as he stood, reflecting the little light in the room from the long, joined windows at the very top of the room, high above them, encrusted with dust and dirt. The fading sun outside did not promise anymore light. The Shredder walked to the edge of the mezzanine and stopped, looking down to the turtles who were thrown to their knees three meters in front of Shredder. They glared up at him.
"Greetings, turtles," His booming voice echoed through the chamber, complete with a tone that was neither happy nor mad to see them. They expected him to be furious. They watched as Shredder held up his left hand. It was clenched around something with two long points that poked from the top and bottom of his fist. "I have just been examining my new power, how convenient for you to drop by so I can test it."
"Just let our friend go!" Leo shouted impatiently, kneeled in front of his brothers. The men that had brought them here surrounded them.
"Maybe you don't know the value of your friend as much as I do," Shredder began to speak, starting to pace as though this were a conversation he was holding with business people, and were trying to sort out a minor problem of no worry to them. "It seems she was not created for this world just to be used as a friend, and treated like one. As I've said before, friends are nothing. But she . . . she is much more than any normal person, she is the key to power unlike anyone has ever been able to know . . . or control. Someone like that does not have a purpose in life to be tossed around as a meaningless friend. Instead, she will be used for a real purpose –"
"Everyone has a purpose," Leo cut across him, "one that can be chosen, not forced. And to be used for your own greed, for your purpose will mean she would be condemned to meaninglessness for as long as you hold that artifact."
Shredder's eyes lingered upon Leo for a few moments after he had finished interrupting him. "Your friend has had no great purpose her entire life, and now, at last, she has one: To unlock the power to this relic."
Mikey leaned close to Donny and muttered, "Geez, could we stop with the 'purposes' word?"
Shredder did not hear him. "Her ability to use it will not go wasted now I have them both. For her to return to her pitiful human life would be an insult to the creation of a unique being. Why are we having this discussion, Leonardo? She is not going anywhere, as neither are you."
As quickly as he had finished speaking, he aimed his clenched fist with the artifact at Leo, and a rope-like beam of bright light shot down at the turtle, who's eyes automatically closed and his teeth gritted on their own accord as raw alien, light energy course through him. His bonds snapped, and the light demised.
"Give him his weapons," Shredder commanded the ninja to the side of the turtles. "We will enjoy this." The Master sat back down in his chair as two katana were dropped with a clang near the turtle wearing blue.
Leo stood up slowly as his brothers watched, eyes wide. They drew back cautiously as Leo turned to them, glowering with an expression Mikey would have called 'The Terminator face'. He slowly advanced on his brothers, arm muscles tense as though he was really going to hit them.
"Leo . . . ?" Donny tried, using his feet to push him away while he was still sat down with his brothers. Their brother didn't respond, and they jumped to their feet as Leo brought his fist back. It connected with Donny's stomach and the bound turtle flew back, landing a few meters after a skid on his shell; winded.
"Leo what're you –" Mikey began, but he managed to dodge Leo's oncoming fist, cutting his own words off. Mikey jumped back into Raph, who fell down and after a split seconds disorientation, clumsily tried to get back up.
The Shredder watched with interest as the leader of his enemies intended to kill his own brothers. His ninja had moved back to the safety of the junk piles where they could watch, cheer and jeer.
Mikey ducked as Leo's other fist aimed for his head. His brother's face held no remorse that he was about to try and kill his own flesh and blood, but instead a set face showing no emotion.
"Leo – stop –" Mikey tried, but he was not so fast with bound hands as Leo's foot landed on his stomach. Mikey went down with a painful groan next to Donny.
Leo was suddenly rammed into by Raph, and fell onto his side.
"Leo – get a hold of yourself – you can fight this," Raph said as Leo jumped back onto his feet and started taking dangerous steps towards his brother, forcing him back. "You're stronger th –" Leo's roundhouse kick sent his brother flying into the side of the mezzanine.
With all three brothers currently stirring on the floor, Leo walked back to his swords, and picked them up. Shredder's eyes cruelly smiled as he found the highly enjoying torture of one brother fighting the others. Leo turned slowly, allowing his eyes to settle on Donny and Mikey before they narrowed ever so slightly and he started to stride towards them. They both backed up, gasping for breath.
"Leo – Leo I know its you in there –" Donny said, struggling to his feet while continuing to back away from their brother, who had 'kill' written in his eyes. He really was mimicking the Terminator, and they found that scary. Their brother could kill easily. "Leo don't –"
Donny's words caught in his throat as he jumped back to avoid a swipe of Leo's right katana. But he was not so quick: Leo's sword sliced through Donny's upper arm just before Mikey could save one brother form the other. The turtle in orange swung his leg under Leo's and brought his brother to the floor.
Meanwhile Raph had crept around the left side of the mezzanine and attempted to get onto it. He succeeded, and had just climbed to his feet and taken two steps towards the side of Shredder's chair before the ninja Master shot out his closed fist again and aimed at the approaching turtle. The artifact glowed, as did Raph, who froze in his position.
"I hate distractions when there's an interesting battle below," Shredder said lazily. Without a movement the glowing light that surrounded Raph turned blue and the turtle disappeared. The ninja's mouth twitched in a cruel smile, and he glanced down at the figure to the right of his chair. She had collapsed as soon as he had first used the artifact and its power, and that foolish turtle had not even seen her. Shredder returned to the fight he had created.
"Disarm him!" Donny was shouting at Mikey as they jumped this way, and dodged that. Leo appeared to have gone deaf, for he did not even indicate he had heard them speak.
"And how do you suppose I do that?!" Mikey yelled, rolling and jumping back onto his feet as Leo turned to Donny.
"Now?! While he's busy with me!" Donny leaped back, and then did a backwards roll to keep a good distance between him and those katana.
Mikey ran up behind his oldest brother and struck with his foot at the butt of the handle to Leo's right katana. It shot up out of his hand and Mikey kicked his brother's shell, making him tumble to the floor, but smooth his fall with a roll.
As Leo went for Mikey, Donny managed to pick up the katana with his bound hands and slip the tip of the blade up between his shell and the ropes. He rubbed the rope up and down the sharp edge of the sword and allowed himself a quick "yes!" as the ropes snapped. Donny picked up the katana with his now free hands, which still wore a rope bracelet each.
"Mikey!" Donny called, and Mikey glanced behind his brother, and seeing the sword in his hand, back-rolled away from Leo, turned and ran to Donny, who sliced though his bounds. Free from the rope, Mikey felt much more comfortable now he could use his hands.
As Leo came at them again, Mikey grabbed the katana. "You go find a way to get that artifact from Shredder, I'll keep Leo busy –" and he met Leo's katana in mid air with the one he now had.
Donny backed away, now that he knew he Leo wasn't going to aiming at him until Mikey was down, he realized his arm was stinging like mad, and there were large blood droplets all over the floor. Donny grabbed his arm and continued to back up to the mezzanine wall, where he acted to be collapsing, before he actually did, right near the meter high wall where the Shredder couldn't see him. Hoping Tin face thought he was out, Donny crawled around the side of the mezzanine, hoping the stupid Foot members wouldn't see him crawl out of sight. Donny glanced back at Mikey, who was doing well with the katana, considering he didn't like to use it that much in practice. Hoping they'll be able to attend another practice with Splinter, Donny glanced over the top of the platform at the back of Shredder's chair. He silently climbed the dirt wall and crept, bent low, towards his enemy. It was then, when he was three meters away, that he saw Prida, unconscious on the floor right next to the right side of Shredder's chair. He couldn't help her right now; he needed to grab the artifact before Mikey got a mouthful of katana . . . and where was Raph? Donny looked back down at Leo and Mikey, but a red bandanna was not among them. Ookaaaay. It seemed to be just Donny and Mikey who were in their right mind at the minute, and Donny could do nothing to find Raph right now just as he could do nothing to help Prida, until he had gotten that artifact away from Shredder. Donny looked back at the throne chair in which Shredder was seated, and made a sudden dash for the chair.
Shredder barely had time to glance at his sudden attacker before Donny lashed out with his foot at Shredder's clenched fist, and knock the artifact from his hand. Shredder gave a surprised growl as his power source went flying, and he turned, infuriated, to Donny, who had leaped back into a defensive stance.
Down below, Leo, whose sword blade was pressed against Mikey's trying to force him back, blinked and his gritted teeth opened in confusion. He looked at the position he was in, and immediately stepped back, frowning. Mikey stepped back too, but he still held the sword.
"Leo?" He tested, and his brother frowned at his strange tone.
"Mikey, why was I attacking you?" Leo asked, nonplussed. His sword was held loosely in his hand, the tip touching the floor.
"Shredder –" Mikey told him, and then realized that Donny must have taken it from him. He turned and looked at the platform, to see Donny backing away from the advancing Shredder.
Suddenly, as Donny took another step back, Raph appeared from thin air right on top of him, and they both fell down.
With them momentarily distracted, Shredder turned with a swirl of his cape and spotted the triangular artifact. He strode towards it, scooped it up, turned and aimed it at the two turtles. They froze, glowing, in their position where they were heading towards him as though the picture had just been paused. But another turtle attack from behind resulted in Shredder dropping the Eye again, and stumbling forward to the frozen turtles. He regained his balance and turned to Leo, who had picked up the artifact and glared at Shredder. Donny and Raph had unfrozen again, and were looking baffled behind the Ninja Master, who was watching Leo. But before the turtle in blue could use it against the Shredder, a noise to his left made he glance down to see Mikey battling against the now attacking Foot Clan, using Leo's katana.
"Leo – don't use the artifact!" Donny called. "It drains Prida's energy!"
The Shredder, in a fit of rage, turned and swung one his clawed arms at the two turtles behind him. Donny stumbled back just in time, but unfortunately Raph was not so quick, and the turtle took the full force of the arm. He was lifted off the ground and flew back, landing away from the mezzanine. Donny ducked Shredder's other arm and ran to the still figure of his friend. He quickly seized Prida and then jumped off the platform before Shredder could attack him.
The Shredder, instead, turned to Leo, who was still glaring at him, holding up his fist, which held the artifact.
"You will not use that against me?" Shredder queried, taking a step towards the turtle. "Because your friend is bound to it, you would not save your own life by using it to attack me? Do you see, Leonardo? Do you now see how friends can interfere do much? She is dead already, she was meant solely for the use of this power."
A meter below them, and a few more in distance, Donny got to his feet with Prida in his arms, checked her weak pulse, and the rushed to Raph's side.
"Raph? Raph!" Donny shouted. He needed Raph to look after Prida while he helped out Mikey, who, after a glance, he saw was outnumber unfairly.
Raph groaned and tried to haul himself onto his feet, he managed it onto his knees. Leo was right, Raph shouldn't have come, but there was no point thinking about it now. Donny quickly deposited the limp Prida in Raph's arms, who almost buckled to the ground again.
"Raph, get her outta here! I'm gonna help Mike!" And with that, Donny turned and entered the sea of Foot soldiers, fighting to his brother's side, who had just sliced someone's arm and taken a punch to the side, but he was still holding strong.
Raph, who hated to leave his brothers in a fight, was reluctant to go, but even he knew when he was no use, and plus, he had to get – he looked at her – Prida to safety. What was wrong with her? Had Shredder tortured her? His blood boiled, but he stumbled to his feet and stuck to the shadows of the alcoves, making his way to the stairs that led out. There was one Foot soldier at the top, but he would be able to take him out. Before he had gotten far, he was stopped by a shout.
"Raph! Catch!" Leo's voice yelled, and Raph's hand shot up to catch something triangular. He snatched the artifact from midair, letting go of Prida's legs so he could use his hand. She flopped limply across his supporting hand and groaned. Raph tightened his grip on the metal triangle, and picked her back up. He started to run as fast as he could to the stairs again.
Leo looked back from his brother to The Shredder, whose eyes had just followed his power fly across the room. He growled furiously.
"GET HIM!" Shredder commanded his fighting Foot members, pointing at the fleeing, half hidden shell.
About six members detached themselves from the fight to follow Raph, but Donny saw.
"Oh no –" Donny said, and leapt over a wall of soldiers to land behind the six " – you – " he spun his Bo at shin level and tripped them all up " – Don't!" Donny stood up straight, and turned in time to block a sword attack that was about to split his skull in two. He had retrieved his Bo Staff when it was left unguarded in the attempts to rush at Mikey all at once while Donny kicked the artifact from Shredder's hand. Mikey had his Nunchucks back, but he continued to use Leo's katana.
"Shouldn't we split at this point?" Mikey managed to groan out as he used his strength to push back an attacker. He knew that they wouldn't be able to take on all of these opponents, not with one of their numbers unable to fight, and another busy with the big boss himself.
There was a painful thud noise, and a second later Leo fell from above right in front of Mikey.
"That's – a good idea," Leo grunted in pain, and got to his feet. All three turtles kicked or punched one last opponent and then leapt clear over the heads of one wave, spun and kicked the last wave, and started running away from the clan to the stairs. Raph had disappeared, and as they looked up they saw a black-dressed body laying on the top platform next to the door.
The Shredder roared behind them. "GET THEM!"
Mikey looked to his left as he was running at his brothers, with a smile on his face. " 'Get Him! Get Them!' " He mimicked. His brothers rolled their eyes quickly.
The sounds of many feet running after them pounded on the dirt floor, but the turtles had long reached the door at the top of the stairs before the Foot reached the bottom. Mikey grabbed the door handle and threw the heavy door open, and then followed his brothers, pulling the steel door too. The three started running away from the docks as fast as they could. They were already tired, but they knew they couldn't stop.
"Where would Raph head?" Mikey panted as they ran. The sky was now darkening fast, and there was a cold chill in the air.
"To the Lair –" Leo said at once, hoping he was right. " – if he makes it there."
//
Raph, meanwhile, was struggling to walk, let alone run. He finally collapsed some three minutes away from his brothers, and he had not seen a manhole yet. Prida appeared to be coming round slowly, and as the turtle collapsed onto his knees, he leant against a wall in a deserted short street, pulled his knees up and rested Prida against his lower stomach, arms still holding her. He was cold, and her body provided warmth, so he moved his knees closer, pressing her body further against his, shivering. He needed to get below ground; above he was vulnerable and exposed. He still had the artifact clenched in one hand.
" . . Nugh . . ." Prida moaned.
Raph half wished she wouldn't wake up so she didn't see him hugging her for her warmth. He couldn't stay here, he had to find a manhole, but there was one problem: He didn't have the strength to get up. So he sat there shivering, trying to keep his eyes open, hoping his brothers would find him before the Foot did. Raph's eyes closed unwillingly, and he could feel himself slipping into darkness.
Prida stirred and her eyes opened slowly. She felt like hell, weak, as though she had flu or something. She realized she was looking up at the dark cloudy sky, and wondered why she was staring at it. The last thing she remembered was looking back at the metal face of Shredder. Prida became aware of the rest of her, and her head turned slightly to her right. She was looking at a pair a green knees. Wow, now that's real weird to wake up to, she thought. She turned her head to her left and saw that she was in the arms of Raph, who appeared to be unconscious. She sat up, and Raph's arms that had been holding her dropped limply to his side. She slid off him.
"Raph?" She tried to say, but her voice cracked and 'aph' was whispered. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Raph? Raph are you awake? Can y' hear me?" She was confused as to how he had got there. Surely his brothers hadn't allowed him to come save her too?
Yes, he was pulled from the comfort urges of sleep to the sounds of her voice. His eyes fluttered open and rested on her.
"Find . . ." he breathed, taking slow breaths, " . . . find a manhole." His body shook with uncontrollable shivering, and Prida realized it was pretty nippy. She also realized that the turtle's checks were still red. Where were Leo, Mikey and Donny? Was Mikey alright? The last she saw of him was poor Mike being beaten by the ninja, and she was taken away. Oh God, she hoped he was alright. Prida sandwiched Raph's cold but clammy hand betweens hers and started rubbing them warm. She wondered where her jacket had gone. She could have used it right about now.
"I can't leave you," she said, feeling her own strength returning quickly.
"Y' 'ave to," he said. With his other hand he pushed something at her, and she looked at the glowing triangle in her hands. "Take this, and go."
Prida was about to argue against that, but Raph cut into her.
"Just go!" He growled at her. He did not feel the strength to be arguing. Prida was taken aback at the biting tone he used, but she got over it and lowered her own eyebrows.
"No," she said stubbornly. She stuffed the artifact into her back jeans pocket, grabbed his arm and wrapped it around her neck. "Get up – on your feet NOW." She hauled him up with all her might, and they both managed to make it to a standing position. "Get moving, you need to generate heat," she ordered.
As they took a few shaky steps together in the dark street, Raph muttered, "How the hell do you know?"
"I didn't spend all that time pouring through books while you were dieing to learn nothing," Prida answered with a half smile.
Prida lead him down the street, moving very slowly, but every time he wanted to just collapse and sleep, she snapped a "No" at him and continued to force him to walk on. His system started to work faster to keep up with his movements, and they were soon moving quicker. Prida kept her eyes open for a manhole, though she had doubts that either of them would be able to lift it. Great, that's like going home and finding you can't get in because you've lost your key, Prida humored herself.
//
"They've caught up with us!" Donny yelled as the first of the Foot soldiers jumped lightly from a dumpster and attacked him. Donny swung his Bo and hit the man on the small of his back. He went tumbling away as Donny and his brothers continued to back up.
"If we stop to fight them the rest'll just caught up," Leo told them, walking backwards, keeping his blades held ready in case the twelve or so ninjas leapt and attacked. There was a good few yards distance in-between them.
"So, let's scarper," Mikey said, and all three turned and ran to the end of the street. The ninjas behind gave chase, but the turtles were good at losing opponents at certain distances behind. In half a minute the Foot had lost sight of the turtles through the dark streets and alleys, and were forced to slow to a walk to keep noise down and search for the enemy as stealthy as possible.
The turtles were crouched on a rooftop, overlooking the searching. They turned and ran away, leaping roof to roof for a few times before feeling safe enough to climb to street level. They jumped silently onto a fire escape on the side of a building, and into the narrow alleyway. Leo checked the left of the street while Mikey checked the right.
"Hey," he whispered, waving his hand for his brothers to look in his direction. A wide, shadowed figure was heading their way on their side of the street. As it reached within two meters, the three brothers leapt onto the path, weapons poised.
"Whoa!" A female voice uttered in surprised.
"Prida?" Leo sheathed his katana and squinted at the figure. It was Raph AND Prida. "Raph? God, are you alright? What's wrong?"
Prida ducked under Raph's arm as Leo supported his brother. "He's ill, that's what's wrong," she told them in a stern voice. She turned to Mikey. "Mike! Oh, I'm so glad you're okay." She threw her arms around him.
"Likewise," he smiled as she pulled away.
"Prida are you alright?" Donny asked. "Shredder was using your energy to unlock the power to that artifact."
"I'm okay, but he's not," Prida motioned to Raph, who seemed to be sleeping on Leo's shoulder.
"Yeah, I think that's obvious," Leo said. "Let's get below, the Foot are looking for you."
"Wait –" she stopped them as they were about to take off. She reached behind and pulled the artifact from her back pocket. "Is this . . . powerful enough to destroy something as big as this city – or control anything within it?"
The brothers stepped back to her, frowning at her questing when they needed to get below. Mikey and Leo blinked and glanced at Donny, whose eyes remained on Prida.
"Yes," he said after a few seconds of considering where her question was going to lead. "I think, though, that if it were controlled to that extent the power used would probably render you into a permanently unconscious state."
Prida nodded wordlessly, and looked at the triangle. "Then . . . to keep anything like that from ever happening . . . it needs to be destroyed."
Donny glanced at his brothers as though Prida didn't realize what she had said. He looked back at her. "Prida, we don't know what effect that would have on you . . . it might kill you."
"And besides," Mikey spoke up quickly, wanting to end this discussion. "We don't even know if it can be destroyed."
Prida locked her eyes on his. "I can destroy it."
"Look, we c'n jus' hide it somewhere," Raph said, lifting his head. "You don't haff to destroy it. You're not dieing again."
Prida's mouth grew to a small smile. "I didn't die the first time – but you know Shredder's not gonna stop looking for it," she watched their faces as they knew what she said was true. "And how the hell am I meant to go on with my life when his goons are out looking for me? I won't be able to walk about or even go to school –"
"You can stay with us," Mikey interrupted, beginning his sentence with a swallow.
"No I can't, that man is not dumb, he'll eventually know where I am and search the sewers, find your home and destroy it . . . and maybe even you." She felt angry that they didn't understand what had to be done here.
"You're just jumping way over yourself here," Raph argued. "Will someone just grab her and let's GO?"
Leo, Donny and Mike all turned their heads to look back at Prida. No one moved.
Raph growled. "Grgh, look, just 'cause you might lose you social life, doesn't mean y' got t' go and kill yourself."
"Look, will you just shut up and admit it!" She snapped at him. "Shredder will eventually get his hands on this –" she held the artifact up right in front of his face " – or me, and when he does, do you expect him to just let you go? He'd kill you straight away, and anyone else in his way, and then proceed to conquer the city."
Donny fought back the urge to say "She's got a point."
"Okay, this is nuts, Mikey, grab her and let's get the hell outta here," Raph said, his tone told them he was fed up with this conversation.
Prida shifted her gaze to Mikey, and then took a step back. Her eyes locked on Leo's. He had not said anything for a while, and she knew he knew she was right. Raph seemed to follow her gaze and thinking, and looked at his brother who he was still leaning on.
"Leo – you're not just gonna let her –" Raph said with a disbelieving smile on one corner of his mouth. Mikey and Donny turned and looked at their leader too.
Leo said nothing; he didn't even look at anyone, but kept his eyes on Prida. What she said was true. It seemed paranoia was jumping ahead, but he knew she was right: In time Shredder would find either her or this artifact, no matter how small it was. He couldn't say anything, but he could tell by the eyes of his brothers on him that they knew he was letting her go ahead with this insane idea.
Prida stepped back again, into the darker shadows. She held the artifact in both hands, and it began to glow, bathing her in purple light, growing slowly brighter.
"No –" Raph made to reach her, but to his shock, Leo's arm was around his chest, and he stopped him. Mikey and Donny seemed hypnotized. The highlights of their eyes flickered purple as they watched Prida disappear in a ball of light. A last strand of her hair billowed before it too was consumed by the glow. Amidst the light, the crystal on the artifact could still be seen.
Prida, who was still standing somewhere in the orb of light, was in agony as she continued to clamp her hands over the triangle so tight, blood started streaming in small droplets down to her wrist; but she never took her entire focus from her one big thought: Destroy the artifact. Her head had tilted back, her teeth had gritted in pain, her eyes were tightly shut, all muscles tensed, and then she saw it coming a second before it happened. The light suddenly blasted inwards, and the glowing aura around her rushed into the triangle metal, as though a doorway had been opened in space and the air rushed out – it exploded into hundreds of tiny pieces, showering the alleyway floor with the sounds of delicate broken crystal shards. The glowing started to fade, the girl fell lifelessly to the floor, and as the turtles lowered their protective arms, the last sounds of falling crystal ended; and the glowing light disappeared. Their wide eyes rested on the body of their friend.
~
I'm horrible, yes, but I'm not too happy with the way this chapter turned out (don't get me wrong – or right – I love killing people), but it might be replaced, I'll inform ya when and if it is. Ciao, thanks for the reviews. (Oh, btw, I realize I totally ruined RT with this sequel, so those hu don't like it can just forget this and imagine your own way Prida would meet back with the guys.)