Dimensional Adventure
"Casey . . . Casey, you idiot! . . . CASEY!"
April sighed crossly and stared down at Casey on the turtles' sofa. The idiot had fallen asleep, while April was still pacing up and down, worrying until her brain throbbed. She had to phone in at work so she could wait for the turtles if they returned. IF. April hated that word, but she couldn't help it popping up in her head. The only question that was nagging her was what if they didn't return? She'd been waiting 5 hours now with Casey and they hadn't come back. During those 5 hours they had done nothing but grab some grub, but neither of them had been hungry. It was only until the fifth hour grew nearer that Casey had dropped off.
It wasn't that April was angry with Casey. She was angry with herself. The fact that she didn't go out and search for them nagged at the back of her mind. But she knew that the sensible thing to do was wait for them. She couldn't sum up the energy to think of where they could be. Splinter especially. He never really went out, unless it was to see her.
April shook her head away from these thoughts and turned her attention back to Casey. She could feel the anger rise inside of her but she refused to take it out on him. It wasn't fair. It wasn't his fault they were missing. Bending over, April shook Casey's shoulder. He groaned and pushed his cheek further in the sofa cushions, making him look very childish. April stifled a giggle. Casey looked so handsome sometimes that she just couldn't help feeling lucky she'd met him. He was so protective of her as well, something every woman loved. But this schoolgirl feeling inside her had to stop because he just had to wake up!
"Casey", April whispered, but then she knew that wouldn't do so she raised the volume in her voice. "Casey!"
God he was useless, April thought. Ok, that was it. April shook him fiercely so that he moved onto his back, his face still sleeping peacefully. He was hard to get up as well, that was the main problem. April sighed. She didn't like to do this but she had to. She lifted up her hand and brought it back, and then swung it forward so it connected with his face, giving off a loud 'slap!'
Casey just let off a groan and opened his eyes sleepily, bringing his hand up to his face where April had slapped it, a frown appearing on his forehead.
"Hey . . ." he said grumpily before looking at April, knowing that she was the key to the pain that had appeared in his left cheek. She just glared at him, and the first thought that entered Casey's mind was "what the hell have I done now?" She'd been quite snappy with him, though he wasn't going to be the one to point that out.
The thought of how handsome he was fled from April, and she put one knee on the sofa and looked down at him angrily, her hand still in mid-air from hitting him.
"How could you just fall asleep like that?" April demanded. "Casey? Our friends are missing and you just think you can drop off as if you've just had an instant heart attack and died! You don't realise how worried I am, do you? I had to take the rest of this week off work because I want to be here if the guys come back. IF, Casey! What if they don't? Haven't you even considered the situation here?"
Casey blinked rapidly at her. This was not very April-like.
He pulled himself up so his back leaned on the sofa arm, rubbing his aching neck before he spoke to April, choosing his words carefully so she wouldn't explode at him. "Listen April, I'm just as worried as you are. You can't explode at me just because I fell asleep, you should have told me if I was dropping off. As for the so-called situation, what do you want me to do? There's nothing we can do but wait, and unless you calm down, you're not going to make it through the night!"
April looked at him open-mouthed as if she was the one that had been slapped. Casey never shouted at her and here he was, doing just that. He wasn't yelling at the top of his voice, but he still took her by surprise.
Casey sighed, and he grabbed her hand that was still suspended in mid-air. "They'll come back April, I know they will. Just don't fall apart by their absence. It isn't good for you".
A tear escaped April's eye and Casey brushed it away, pulling her to him in a tight embrace and letting her lean her head on his chest. He stroked her hair lovingly, while listening to her quiet sniffs, sorry for his sudden outburst. He didn't think that the guys' disappearance could affect her so much.
"Don't cry, April", Casey said softly. "I was just annoyed that you kept taking your anger out on me. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry".
"Don't . . ." April took in a shaky breath and pulled herself away from Casey, kneeling over him and rubbing at her eyes. "Don't apologise", she said, stifling a sob. "I - I'm sorry . . . I didn't mean to take it out on you. This isn't your fault . . . I just - I just keep thinking the worst . . ."
Casey kept his mouth shut and pulled her back to him, rocking her as if she was just a child. He had managed to keep the worst thing that could happen to the guys away from his mind, refusing to let it enter his brain. April had seemed to think of everything possible that could happen to them, and it wasn't helping her stay positive. It was even making them share the odd argument, which Casey hated because he and April never argued. Looking down, Casey realised that April's breathing had slowed, indicating that she had fallen asleep on him. With a smile, Casey thought about what April's reaction would be like if he slapped her.
()()()()()()()()
The elevator hummed in the background as Donnie and Raph talked about Splinter, about where he could be and why this world actually took him. They were still in the hospital they had found, the elevator being part of their discovery.
"Maybe Splinter has something special", Donnie said, watching button number one light up on the elevator and gradually move to number two.
"Maybe", Raph said. To him, Splinter was special, no matter what happened to him.
The button for number three lit up and the elevator doors opened. Donnie and Raph stepped out onto another deserted corridor, with doors lined along the walls and two corners at the far end. To Donnie and Raph, it didn't look like a train exit. But then again, the whole place didn't really look like a hospital either.
"I guess we just start trying doors", Donnie said, moving to the first one on his right.
Raph shrugged and followed his brother.
Donnie opened the first door he came to and both he and Raph stepped into a small room. The mirrored walls and ceiling reflected back at them and they walked in further. Donnie just muttered, "maybe it's a mirror maze", when an oozing gas came from the gaps in the mirrors. The two turtles immediately covered their mouths and made their way back out the room, but it was impossible. The door had closed firmly shut and within minutes they were unconscious.
()()()()()()()()
Kida groaned angrily at her sliver laptop.
I don't believe it, she thought. Not again! She was sitting on a yellow path; just her, the trains and her laptop, watching the room Donnie and Raph were in on the screen. The gas had disappeared and the guys were limp on the floor. Kida sighed in frustration. She touched the 'enter' key on her laptop and immediately Leo came on the screen, looking around the actual mirror maze he was in. He was in the right place, Kida knew. He just had to get through the maze. Ok, Kida thought, he doesn't need help. She pressed 'enter' again and Mikey's smiling face popped up. He didn't need her help either; he was still on the train leading him to his next dimension. Ok, two turtles fine, two turtles unconscious.
Kida closed her laptop and put it on the path. In a couple of seconds it disappeared to, she hoped, the safety of her room. Even though it always did, so she had no real worries about it. Wincing, Kida struggled into a kneeling position then stood up. Her back was killing her but she didn't dare look at the bruising. It was bruised for sure, she knew, because it killed to sit down and stand up!
Kida touched her back and winced again. Don't touch it, she thought. EVER!
Gritting her teeth, she stopped a passing train and stepped on, making her way to Raph and Donnie. If she led them out of the hospital, THEN, maybe they'll get on the right track.
()()()()()()()()
Leo accidentally hit another mirror and cursed himself. That was the fifth time in an hour! He couldn't go back. There were too many tricks in this place. Leo put his arms out in front of him and reached a corner. Yes! Now we're getting somewhere, Leo thought. A small jolt of success ran through him.
"OW!"
Another mirror.
Sighing angrily, Leo moved forward. He just managed to dodge another mirror when he hit one full in the face. Leo rubbed his banged beak but then he frowned.
"Wait a minute", he quietly said to himself.
Leo gasped when he realised his arms had gone straight through the mirror. It looked as though someone had cut the perfect hole, the exact size of his arms, for them to go through. Leo pulled one of his arms out and it felt as if the mirror was made out of liquid. His reflection disappeared and the glass melted, leaving an open, dark doorway. Leo looked around and his reflections stared back at him. Taking a breath, he left his mirror world and entered the dark hallway.
()()()()()()()()
"Raph!" Kida yelled, bending down.
OW! Not good, Kida thought. She couldn't bend down any more. It hurt too much. She stood up again and sighed. I can't bend down, she thought furiously. And there was Raph, lying unconscious, unaware that she was trying to wake him up! He just had to go unconscious, didn't he? He probably wouldn't like this, but Kida was pass caring.
She looked at Donnie before turning back to Raph. Ok, Kida thought. Mental note: wake up Raph, then Donnie, then go to bed to rest my back! Ow . . . can't bend down! Damn!
Kida brought her foot back as much as she dared and kicked Raph right on his leg as hard as she could. She felt bad as soon as her foot connected with him, but then all the sarcastic stuff he said to her floated around in her head and she instantly forgot about it, thinking: "You bloody well deserved it!"
"OUCH!"
Raph's eyes opened and he stood up immediately, wobbling slightly on the spot before taking in his surroundings and Kida. She smiled brightly back at him, though she was wincing on the inside because of her back.
Raph glared at her. "Was that appropriate?" he demanded.
"Yes", Kida said innocently.
"If it was that easy to wake me up then why didn't you just SHAKE me?" Raph yelled, narrowing his eyes at her.
She ignored his question. "Wake Donnie up", she said simply.
"WHAT?"
"Wake - Donnie - up", Kida repeated, as if talking to a child.
"And you can't because . . ." Raph said, looking at his unconscious brother.
"I can't bend over", Kida said, making Raph look at her as if she was crazy. "And he's your brother", she added, nodding to Donnie.
Raph growled under his breathe while he walked over to Donnie. He bent down and shook his brother roughly, watching his eyes open and his confusion mask his face. Raph grabbed his brother's arm and hauled him to his feet.
"Some knock-out gas, Don", Raph said. "Kida woke me up. With her FOOT", he added, looking darkly at Kida.
Donnie looked at Kida for the first time and frowned. "Er, why with your foot?" he asked, ignoring the steam coming from his brother.
"Because she can't bend down!" Raph mimicked. "Are you some old lady in disguise? Because if you are -"
"Listen", Kida interrupted angrily. "You teenage mutant ninja bas -"
"KIDA!" Donnie said, shocked.
Kida slapped herself mentally. Wrong approach, she thought. She looked from Donnie's shocked face to Raph's - almost red - one. Try again, she told herself. Apologise and try again.
"Sorry", she said sharply, glaring at Raph. "I can't bend down because of your brother, Mikey. Not that it's his fault. I just helped him, that's all, resulting in my own pain! At least he was grateful for my help, even if you're not!"
"I wouldn't call kicking me helpful!" Raph shouted back.
"Stop. Stop!" Donnie said, standing between them. He turned to Kida, her cheeks flushing bright red with anger. "Why exactly", he asked, "can't you bend down?"
Kida gave her face a chance to cool before answering. "I dunno", she replied stiffly. "I just bruised it when we were on the train. It stopped sharply and I got thrown back, hitting my back on the wall, so it hurts to bend, no big deal".
Donnie frowned. "You want me to -"
"No", Kida interrupted. "I'm fine. Let's just get out of here".
She turned her back on them and walked over to the door, gripping the handle and pushing it open. The guys looked at her in confusion because they couldn't get it open before but she just gave them a look that said, "I know all the secrets - how do you think I got here in the first place?" and they walked out of the room.
Kida led them back in the elevator and pressed the first floor button.
"Erm, Kida", Donnie said. "Isn't the train exit on the third floor?"
"There's a safer one on the first floor", Kida said, looking anywhere but Raph. God, he was a loser, she thought angrily. Though she did feel bad for nearly swearing at him - she never swore anyway.
Donnie didn't like the angry silence lurking in the air, though he kept his mouth shut. Reading the signs between Kida and Raph, he knew that they had taken an automatic disliking to each other. God knows why, Donnie thought, staring from one face to another. He kept himself in between them, blocking each other's views, and listened to the quiet hum of the elevator.
()()()()()()()()
Mikey's smile vanished but slowly return when he opened the train doors. In front of him was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Green grass, a bright blue and sunny sky, sparkling blue water and a waterfall, massive trees with birds chirping from them, all different coloured flowers and a curvy beige path, it was as if he'd stepped into the world of Peter Pan. The path went through the trees and beyond, and Mikey had a gut feeling that he was on the right track. He caught a glimpse of a rabbit as he made his way down the path, going down a hill as he did so. Mikey's grin widened. Raph would love this, he knew, though his brother would never actually admit that this place was beautiful, it would be the first thing that'll pop into his head.
Mikey weaved his way through the trees that surrounded him and made his way over to the small lake and waterfall. Bending down, he put his fingers in the warm water and let it trickle down his wrist. The urge to drink it was strong, but Mikey knew to be cautious, no matter how crystal clear the water looked. His smile remained masked on his face. There was no way something as beautiful as this was going to get rid of it, he just wished that his brothers could see it.
Mikey lifted himself up and put his whole arm under the small waterfall. Slowly, he dared to stand in the lake, though it came just only above his knees. Mikey took a breath and went under the waterfall, pressing himself against the cool rock that was beneath it. He could see the trees through the running water, and a few birds flying from them to get their young some food. Mikey went through the water again and stepped out of the lake, ignoring the fact that he was dripping wet. He had never felt so refreshed, though the craving for a drink was still there, but he didn't dare to risk drinking from lake.
Moving on, Mikey glanced back at what he now thought was a dream world, before he moved back onto the path and carried on making his way through the crowd of trees. He found himself on another hill and looking at the trees that carried on in two lines either side of him, and so did the path. He could see more water ahead of him if he squinted his eyes, but Mikey just walked down the hill, wanting to see what lay ahead close up.
()()()()()()()()
Donnie and Raph jumped at the sound of clicking fingers. They looked around to see if there was anyone else in the lift with them, but soon found out it was Kida who was responsible for the noise. She smiled apologetically at them, holding up her laptop that had suddenly appeared in her hands.
"Hey, how'd you do that?" Raph asked.
"Through the years that I've been here, Keja thought it would be best if I have inside information", Kida explained, tapping her laptop to make her point. "So he gave me the power to think that if I need anything I just click my fingers and, well - click - I get whatever I think of".
"So if you want a drink, you just think of a can or something and snap your fingers and then it suddenly comes to you", Donnie said.
"Kinda, but", Kida pointed out, "it's something that I know is there. What I mean is, I can't get things out of thin air. If I want a drink, it has to be in the fridge for me to make it come to me. Confusing, I know".
"Not at all", Donnie said, who thought it was amazing.
"Hmm", Kida said quietly. "But I never use it for my benefit".
"But it's for your benefit isn't it?" Donnie asked.
"Well . . . yeah", Kida replied. "But I don't like using it for my benefit. This laptop is what I mostly use. If I want a drink I do the proper thing and go get it. But, back to the point, this laptop is my way of helping you".
"Wait, let me guess", Raph said. "You're gonna zap us into the laptop and send us back home, where Splinter will be waiting for us".
Kida smiled properly at Raph for the first time. "I wish it was that easy", she said, with a tone of regret. "But it's not . . . No, I'm going to give you a chance to see your brothers. This is what I've been watching all of you on, though sometimes I have been watching you in person, but I've been hidden". She said this last bit of information with a glance at Raph, and he looked at her with a small look of forgiveness in his eyes, though Kida couldn't be sure he'd ever forgive her for 'spying' on them.
"Really?" Raph asked.
Kida nodded. "Really. I feel bad for snapping at you, so I can make up for it. Also, it'll give you a chance to see how Leo and Mikey are doing".
Raph noticed that she didn't apologise for snapping at him, but he threw this thought aside, wanting to see Mikey and Leo as much as Donnie did.
Kida held her laptop along one arm and opened it up. It was hard to balance it but she managed to type in 'Mikey' and instantly his face came onto the screen. She turned her laptop around and held it in both arms, holding it up so Raph and Donnie could see. They immediately opened their mouths, shocked at where their brother was. Kida frowned at their shocked faces and looked over the laptop, trying to see herself. She saw the dimension Mikey was in and smiled, looking back up at Donnie and Raph.
"He's found a good one!" Kida praised him, though Mikey wasn't there.
It's beautiful, Raph thought.
"Wow", Donnie breathed. "He sure looks happy!"
"No one can look sad in that dimension", Kida said. "The animals that live there call it 'The Land Of Happiness'. They can't talk", she added, "but they know that no harm will come to them there. 'The Land Of Happiness' was translated from the tune of the birds".
"What about Leo?" Raph asked. He felt bad for thinking this, but he wanted Kida to take Mikey's picture off the screen, feeling the slight pang of jealousy that he found such a clean and wonderful place. He was glad that his brother was safe though. But still, what would it be like to stand there, comparing it to their home in the sewer?
"Ok . . . Donnie, could you pressed the 'enter' key?" Kida asked, trying to balance the laptop on her knee and hit the key, but failing.
Donnie nodded and pressed 'enter'.
"Nothing's there", he said after a couple of seconds.
"Wha' . . .?" Kida leaned over the screen. "Oh! Type in 'Leo' and then press 'enter'."
Donnie nodded again and typed in his brother's name. He hesitated a spilt second before hitting the 'enter' key. Slowly, a picture came up from the middle of the screen, expanding and showing his brother in blue. He looks confused, Donnie thought, watching Leo's frowning face. But then his brother's face spilt into a grin and he was running down a dark corridor, turning many corners, until he reached an opening. Doors were surrounding him and he ran through one without even halting. Raph and Donnie exchanged glances and then looked up as Kida turned the laptop around to face her. She closed it and put it on the lift floor, watching it vanished before turning her gaze back to Donnie and Raph.
"Don't you have sound on that thing?" Raph asked.
Kida nodded. "Yes. But you didn't need to listen to the sound. Mikey's dimension's too peaceful and Leo's is always silent".
"Where is he?" Donnie asked. "How come he knew where to go so quickly?"
Kida smiled. "He knows what he's doing, where he's going, and where he's heading to. Don't worry, Leo's fine. Mikey's fine. You're going to be fine when I get you on the right track".
Donnie and Raph looked at each other.
"I wanna know why this elevator's taking so long!" Raph said. "It didn't take long going up, so why should it take longer going down!"
Kida shrugged. "It's just the way things are here. There's -"
A beeping noise cut Kida off. The elevator stopped and Kida stared at the doors. She suddenly put a finger to her lips as the guys looked at her. "Someone's outside", she whispered, and Raph and Donnie quickly pulled out their weapons. Donnie stood in front of Kida, waiting for the doors to open. They did, and Donnie and Raph went to attack the strange, but handsome, man that stood in front of them.
"No wait!" Kida yelled.
Raph and Donnie froze, turning back to look at Kida. She stepped out of the lift and stood in front of them, looking up at the man with black, collar- length hair and bright green eyes, wearing faded jeans and a plain white t- shirt over his muscular form, complete with sneakers. He looked back down at her, a small smile on his face.
Kida sighed and shook her head. "Hi Keja", she grinned.
Raph and Donnie's expressions went from shocked to total confusion.
()()()()()()()()
"Casey . . . Casey, you idiot! . . . CASEY!"
April sighed crossly and stared down at Casey on the turtles' sofa. The idiot had fallen asleep, while April was still pacing up and down, worrying until her brain throbbed. She had to phone in at work so she could wait for the turtles if they returned. IF. April hated that word, but she couldn't help it popping up in her head. The only question that was nagging her was what if they didn't return? She'd been waiting 5 hours now with Casey and they hadn't come back. During those 5 hours they had done nothing but grab some grub, but neither of them had been hungry. It was only until the fifth hour grew nearer that Casey had dropped off.
It wasn't that April was angry with Casey. She was angry with herself. The fact that she didn't go out and search for them nagged at the back of her mind. But she knew that the sensible thing to do was wait for them. She couldn't sum up the energy to think of where they could be. Splinter especially. He never really went out, unless it was to see her.
April shook her head away from these thoughts and turned her attention back to Casey. She could feel the anger rise inside of her but she refused to take it out on him. It wasn't fair. It wasn't his fault they were missing. Bending over, April shook Casey's shoulder. He groaned and pushed his cheek further in the sofa cushions, making him look very childish. April stifled a giggle. Casey looked so handsome sometimes that she just couldn't help feeling lucky she'd met him. He was so protective of her as well, something every woman loved. But this schoolgirl feeling inside her had to stop because he just had to wake up!
"Casey", April whispered, but then she knew that wouldn't do so she raised the volume in her voice. "Casey!"
God he was useless, April thought. Ok, that was it. April shook him fiercely so that he moved onto his back, his face still sleeping peacefully. He was hard to get up as well, that was the main problem. April sighed. She didn't like to do this but she had to. She lifted up her hand and brought it back, and then swung it forward so it connected with his face, giving off a loud 'slap!'
Casey just let off a groan and opened his eyes sleepily, bringing his hand up to his face where April had slapped it, a frown appearing on his forehead.
"Hey . . ." he said grumpily before looking at April, knowing that she was the key to the pain that had appeared in his left cheek. She just glared at him, and the first thought that entered Casey's mind was "what the hell have I done now?" She'd been quite snappy with him, though he wasn't going to be the one to point that out.
The thought of how handsome he was fled from April, and she put one knee on the sofa and looked down at him angrily, her hand still in mid-air from hitting him.
"How could you just fall asleep like that?" April demanded. "Casey? Our friends are missing and you just think you can drop off as if you've just had an instant heart attack and died! You don't realise how worried I am, do you? I had to take the rest of this week off work because I want to be here if the guys come back. IF, Casey! What if they don't? Haven't you even considered the situation here?"
Casey blinked rapidly at her. This was not very April-like.
He pulled himself up so his back leaned on the sofa arm, rubbing his aching neck before he spoke to April, choosing his words carefully so she wouldn't explode at him. "Listen April, I'm just as worried as you are. You can't explode at me just because I fell asleep, you should have told me if I was dropping off. As for the so-called situation, what do you want me to do? There's nothing we can do but wait, and unless you calm down, you're not going to make it through the night!"
April looked at him open-mouthed as if she was the one that had been slapped. Casey never shouted at her and here he was, doing just that. He wasn't yelling at the top of his voice, but he still took her by surprise.
Casey sighed, and he grabbed her hand that was still suspended in mid-air. "They'll come back April, I know they will. Just don't fall apart by their absence. It isn't good for you".
A tear escaped April's eye and Casey brushed it away, pulling her to him in a tight embrace and letting her lean her head on his chest. He stroked her hair lovingly, while listening to her quiet sniffs, sorry for his sudden outburst. He didn't think that the guys' disappearance could affect her so much.
"Don't cry, April", Casey said softly. "I was just annoyed that you kept taking your anger out on me. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry".
"Don't . . ." April took in a shaky breath and pulled herself away from Casey, kneeling over him and rubbing at her eyes. "Don't apologise", she said, stifling a sob. "I - I'm sorry . . . I didn't mean to take it out on you. This isn't your fault . . . I just - I just keep thinking the worst . . ."
Casey kept his mouth shut and pulled her back to him, rocking her as if she was just a child. He had managed to keep the worst thing that could happen to the guys away from his mind, refusing to let it enter his brain. April had seemed to think of everything possible that could happen to them, and it wasn't helping her stay positive. It was even making them share the odd argument, which Casey hated because he and April never argued. Looking down, Casey realised that April's breathing had slowed, indicating that she had fallen asleep on him. With a smile, Casey thought about what April's reaction would be like if he slapped her.
()()()()()()()()
The elevator hummed in the background as Donnie and Raph talked about Splinter, about where he could be and why this world actually took him. They were still in the hospital they had found, the elevator being part of their discovery.
"Maybe Splinter has something special", Donnie said, watching button number one light up on the elevator and gradually move to number two.
"Maybe", Raph said. To him, Splinter was special, no matter what happened to him.
The button for number three lit up and the elevator doors opened. Donnie and Raph stepped out onto another deserted corridor, with doors lined along the walls and two corners at the far end. To Donnie and Raph, it didn't look like a train exit. But then again, the whole place didn't really look like a hospital either.
"I guess we just start trying doors", Donnie said, moving to the first one on his right.
Raph shrugged and followed his brother.
Donnie opened the first door he came to and both he and Raph stepped into a small room. The mirrored walls and ceiling reflected back at them and they walked in further. Donnie just muttered, "maybe it's a mirror maze", when an oozing gas came from the gaps in the mirrors. The two turtles immediately covered their mouths and made their way back out the room, but it was impossible. The door had closed firmly shut and within minutes they were unconscious.
()()()()()()()()
Kida groaned angrily at her sliver laptop.
I don't believe it, she thought. Not again! She was sitting on a yellow path; just her, the trains and her laptop, watching the room Donnie and Raph were in on the screen. The gas had disappeared and the guys were limp on the floor. Kida sighed in frustration. She touched the 'enter' key on her laptop and immediately Leo came on the screen, looking around the actual mirror maze he was in. He was in the right place, Kida knew. He just had to get through the maze. Ok, Kida thought, he doesn't need help. She pressed 'enter' again and Mikey's smiling face popped up. He didn't need her help either; he was still on the train leading him to his next dimension. Ok, two turtles fine, two turtles unconscious.
Kida closed her laptop and put it on the path. In a couple of seconds it disappeared to, she hoped, the safety of her room. Even though it always did, so she had no real worries about it. Wincing, Kida struggled into a kneeling position then stood up. Her back was killing her but she didn't dare look at the bruising. It was bruised for sure, she knew, because it killed to sit down and stand up!
Kida touched her back and winced again. Don't touch it, she thought. EVER!
Gritting her teeth, she stopped a passing train and stepped on, making her way to Raph and Donnie. If she led them out of the hospital, THEN, maybe they'll get on the right track.
()()()()()()()()
Leo accidentally hit another mirror and cursed himself. That was the fifth time in an hour! He couldn't go back. There were too many tricks in this place. Leo put his arms out in front of him and reached a corner. Yes! Now we're getting somewhere, Leo thought. A small jolt of success ran through him.
"OW!"
Another mirror.
Sighing angrily, Leo moved forward. He just managed to dodge another mirror when he hit one full in the face. Leo rubbed his banged beak but then he frowned.
"Wait a minute", he quietly said to himself.
Leo gasped when he realised his arms had gone straight through the mirror. It looked as though someone had cut the perfect hole, the exact size of his arms, for them to go through. Leo pulled one of his arms out and it felt as if the mirror was made out of liquid. His reflection disappeared and the glass melted, leaving an open, dark doorway. Leo looked around and his reflections stared back at him. Taking a breath, he left his mirror world and entered the dark hallway.
()()()()()()()()
"Raph!" Kida yelled, bending down.
OW! Not good, Kida thought. She couldn't bend down any more. It hurt too much. She stood up again and sighed. I can't bend down, she thought furiously. And there was Raph, lying unconscious, unaware that she was trying to wake him up! He just had to go unconscious, didn't he? He probably wouldn't like this, but Kida was pass caring.
She looked at Donnie before turning back to Raph. Ok, Kida thought. Mental note: wake up Raph, then Donnie, then go to bed to rest my back! Ow . . . can't bend down! Damn!
Kida brought her foot back as much as she dared and kicked Raph right on his leg as hard as she could. She felt bad as soon as her foot connected with him, but then all the sarcastic stuff he said to her floated around in her head and she instantly forgot about it, thinking: "You bloody well deserved it!"
"OUCH!"
Raph's eyes opened and he stood up immediately, wobbling slightly on the spot before taking in his surroundings and Kida. She smiled brightly back at him, though she was wincing on the inside because of her back.
Raph glared at her. "Was that appropriate?" he demanded.
"Yes", Kida said innocently.
"If it was that easy to wake me up then why didn't you just SHAKE me?" Raph yelled, narrowing his eyes at her.
She ignored his question. "Wake Donnie up", she said simply.
"WHAT?"
"Wake - Donnie - up", Kida repeated, as if talking to a child.
"And you can't because . . ." Raph said, looking at his unconscious brother.
"I can't bend over", Kida said, making Raph look at her as if she was crazy. "And he's your brother", she added, nodding to Donnie.
Raph growled under his breathe while he walked over to Donnie. He bent down and shook his brother roughly, watching his eyes open and his confusion mask his face. Raph grabbed his brother's arm and hauled him to his feet.
"Some knock-out gas, Don", Raph said. "Kida woke me up. With her FOOT", he added, looking darkly at Kida.
Donnie looked at Kida for the first time and frowned. "Er, why with your foot?" he asked, ignoring the steam coming from his brother.
"Because she can't bend down!" Raph mimicked. "Are you some old lady in disguise? Because if you are -"
"Listen", Kida interrupted angrily. "You teenage mutant ninja bas -"
"KIDA!" Donnie said, shocked.
Kida slapped herself mentally. Wrong approach, she thought. She looked from Donnie's shocked face to Raph's - almost red - one. Try again, she told herself. Apologise and try again.
"Sorry", she said sharply, glaring at Raph. "I can't bend down because of your brother, Mikey. Not that it's his fault. I just helped him, that's all, resulting in my own pain! At least he was grateful for my help, even if you're not!"
"I wouldn't call kicking me helpful!" Raph shouted back.
"Stop. Stop!" Donnie said, standing between them. He turned to Kida, her cheeks flushing bright red with anger. "Why exactly", he asked, "can't you bend down?"
Kida gave her face a chance to cool before answering. "I dunno", she replied stiffly. "I just bruised it when we were on the train. It stopped sharply and I got thrown back, hitting my back on the wall, so it hurts to bend, no big deal".
Donnie frowned. "You want me to -"
"No", Kida interrupted. "I'm fine. Let's just get out of here".
She turned her back on them and walked over to the door, gripping the handle and pushing it open. The guys looked at her in confusion because they couldn't get it open before but she just gave them a look that said, "I know all the secrets - how do you think I got here in the first place?" and they walked out of the room.
Kida led them back in the elevator and pressed the first floor button.
"Erm, Kida", Donnie said. "Isn't the train exit on the third floor?"
"There's a safer one on the first floor", Kida said, looking anywhere but Raph. God, he was a loser, she thought angrily. Though she did feel bad for nearly swearing at him - she never swore anyway.
Donnie didn't like the angry silence lurking in the air, though he kept his mouth shut. Reading the signs between Kida and Raph, he knew that they had taken an automatic disliking to each other. God knows why, Donnie thought, staring from one face to another. He kept himself in between them, blocking each other's views, and listened to the quiet hum of the elevator.
()()()()()()()()
Mikey's smile vanished but slowly return when he opened the train doors. In front of him was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Green grass, a bright blue and sunny sky, sparkling blue water and a waterfall, massive trees with birds chirping from them, all different coloured flowers and a curvy beige path, it was as if he'd stepped into the world of Peter Pan. The path went through the trees and beyond, and Mikey had a gut feeling that he was on the right track. He caught a glimpse of a rabbit as he made his way down the path, going down a hill as he did so. Mikey's grin widened. Raph would love this, he knew, though his brother would never actually admit that this place was beautiful, it would be the first thing that'll pop into his head.
Mikey weaved his way through the trees that surrounded him and made his way over to the small lake and waterfall. Bending down, he put his fingers in the warm water and let it trickle down his wrist. The urge to drink it was strong, but Mikey knew to be cautious, no matter how crystal clear the water looked. His smile remained masked on his face. There was no way something as beautiful as this was going to get rid of it, he just wished that his brothers could see it.
Mikey lifted himself up and put his whole arm under the small waterfall. Slowly, he dared to stand in the lake, though it came just only above his knees. Mikey took a breath and went under the waterfall, pressing himself against the cool rock that was beneath it. He could see the trees through the running water, and a few birds flying from them to get their young some food. Mikey went through the water again and stepped out of the lake, ignoring the fact that he was dripping wet. He had never felt so refreshed, though the craving for a drink was still there, but he didn't dare to risk drinking from lake.
Moving on, Mikey glanced back at what he now thought was a dream world, before he moved back onto the path and carried on making his way through the crowd of trees. He found himself on another hill and looking at the trees that carried on in two lines either side of him, and so did the path. He could see more water ahead of him if he squinted his eyes, but Mikey just walked down the hill, wanting to see what lay ahead close up.
()()()()()()()()
Donnie and Raph jumped at the sound of clicking fingers. They looked around to see if there was anyone else in the lift with them, but soon found out it was Kida who was responsible for the noise. She smiled apologetically at them, holding up her laptop that had suddenly appeared in her hands.
"Hey, how'd you do that?" Raph asked.
"Through the years that I've been here, Keja thought it would be best if I have inside information", Kida explained, tapping her laptop to make her point. "So he gave me the power to think that if I need anything I just click my fingers and, well - click - I get whatever I think of".
"So if you want a drink, you just think of a can or something and snap your fingers and then it suddenly comes to you", Donnie said.
"Kinda, but", Kida pointed out, "it's something that I know is there. What I mean is, I can't get things out of thin air. If I want a drink, it has to be in the fridge for me to make it come to me. Confusing, I know".
"Not at all", Donnie said, who thought it was amazing.
"Hmm", Kida said quietly. "But I never use it for my benefit".
"But it's for your benefit isn't it?" Donnie asked.
"Well . . . yeah", Kida replied. "But I don't like using it for my benefit. This laptop is what I mostly use. If I want a drink I do the proper thing and go get it. But, back to the point, this laptop is my way of helping you".
"Wait, let me guess", Raph said. "You're gonna zap us into the laptop and send us back home, where Splinter will be waiting for us".
Kida smiled properly at Raph for the first time. "I wish it was that easy", she said, with a tone of regret. "But it's not . . . No, I'm going to give you a chance to see your brothers. This is what I've been watching all of you on, though sometimes I have been watching you in person, but I've been hidden". She said this last bit of information with a glance at Raph, and he looked at her with a small look of forgiveness in his eyes, though Kida couldn't be sure he'd ever forgive her for 'spying' on them.
"Really?" Raph asked.
Kida nodded. "Really. I feel bad for snapping at you, so I can make up for it. Also, it'll give you a chance to see how Leo and Mikey are doing".
Raph noticed that she didn't apologise for snapping at him, but he threw this thought aside, wanting to see Mikey and Leo as much as Donnie did.
Kida held her laptop along one arm and opened it up. It was hard to balance it but she managed to type in 'Mikey' and instantly his face came onto the screen. She turned her laptop around and held it in both arms, holding it up so Raph and Donnie could see. They immediately opened their mouths, shocked at where their brother was. Kida frowned at their shocked faces and looked over the laptop, trying to see herself. She saw the dimension Mikey was in and smiled, looking back up at Donnie and Raph.
"He's found a good one!" Kida praised him, though Mikey wasn't there.
It's beautiful, Raph thought.
"Wow", Donnie breathed. "He sure looks happy!"
"No one can look sad in that dimension", Kida said. "The animals that live there call it 'The Land Of Happiness'. They can't talk", she added, "but they know that no harm will come to them there. 'The Land Of Happiness' was translated from the tune of the birds".
"What about Leo?" Raph asked. He felt bad for thinking this, but he wanted Kida to take Mikey's picture off the screen, feeling the slight pang of jealousy that he found such a clean and wonderful place. He was glad that his brother was safe though. But still, what would it be like to stand there, comparing it to their home in the sewer?
"Ok . . . Donnie, could you pressed the 'enter' key?" Kida asked, trying to balance the laptop on her knee and hit the key, but failing.
Donnie nodded and pressed 'enter'.
"Nothing's there", he said after a couple of seconds.
"Wha' . . .?" Kida leaned over the screen. "Oh! Type in 'Leo' and then press 'enter'."
Donnie nodded again and typed in his brother's name. He hesitated a spilt second before hitting the 'enter' key. Slowly, a picture came up from the middle of the screen, expanding and showing his brother in blue. He looks confused, Donnie thought, watching Leo's frowning face. But then his brother's face spilt into a grin and he was running down a dark corridor, turning many corners, until he reached an opening. Doors were surrounding him and he ran through one without even halting. Raph and Donnie exchanged glances and then looked up as Kida turned the laptop around to face her. She closed it and put it on the lift floor, watching it vanished before turning her gaze back to Donnie and Raph.
"Don't you have sound on that thing?" Raph asked.
Kida nodded. "Yes. But you didn't need to listen to the sound. Mikey's dimension's too peaceful and Leo's is always silent".
"Where is he?" Donnie asked. "How come he knew where to go so quickly?"
Kida smiled. "He knows what he's doing, where he's going, and where he's heading to. Don't worry, Leo's fine. Mikey's fine. You're going to be fine when I get you on the right track".
Donnie and Raph looked at each other.
"I wanna know why this elevator's taking so long!" Raph said. "It didn't take long going up, so why should it take longer going down!"
Kida shrugged. "It's just the way things are here. There's -"
A beeping noise cut Kida off. The elevator stopped and Kida stared at the doors. She suddenly put a finger to her lips as the guys looked at her. "Someone's outside", she whispered, and Raph and Donnie quickly pulled out their weapons. Donnie stood in front of Kida, waiting for the doors to open. They did, and Donnie and Raph went to attack the strange, but handsome, man that stood in front of them.
"No wait!" Kida yelled.
Raph and Donnie froze, turning back to look at Kida. She stepped out of the lift and stood in front of them, looking up at the man with black, collar- length hair and bright green eyes, wearing faded jeans and a plain white t- shirt over his muscular form, complete with sneakers. He looked back down at her, a small smile on his face.
Kida sighed and shook her head. "Hi Keja", she grinned.
Raph and Donnie's expressions went from shocked to total confusion.
()()()()()()()()
