A/N: - Sorry about the short chapter. And sorry if it's a bit obvious what's going to happen in the next chapter. But I needed to do something to---- wait, I'm not telling you anything! Read for yourselves and I'll update soon……and, by the way, don't forget to review! And a BIG THANK-YOU to Lioness Goddess for finding me stuff on Tales of Leo and also to Soon to be world renown Gracie for her review – don't worry – no objects are being thrown your way!!!! Anyway, enjoy!
"What troubles you, my son? And do not tell me that it is because of your brother. There is more to it than that and everyone knows it." Splinter sat next to his son, who was seated outside the house with his back to the wall and he was absent-mindedly drawing a picture in the dirt which he hurriedly covered up when Splinter arrived.
"It's because we haven't defeated Shredder yet. We should've got rid of him by now – we've been fighting him for too long and it just isn't fair. The bluddy family is falling to pieces; Mikey, Donnie and now Leo. We're all saying and doing stuff that's so completely out of character and we find ourselves fighting in silent quarrels. If Shredder isn't dead soon then we're done for." Raph growled, "I'll meet you all at Marcie's…I need to talk to Casey."
"Very well, my son but be careful." Splinter sighed as Raphael headed of down the road to Marcie's house. Splinter was half through the door of the house when he spotted some markings in the dirt – it was Raphael's drawings. It was several small pictures of what seemed to resemble Shredder and what Raphael wanted to happen to him. The many torturous deaths included Shredder impaled on a spike, Shredder chained upside down having his genitals chopped off, the turtles playing football with Shredder's head and Shredder being beaten with each of the turtles' weapons. Splinter took a deep breath and scrubbed out the drawings with his walking stick, shaking his head as he walked back into the house. He would have to do something to track down Shredder or their family would truly fall apart, whether it would be because of death or through frustrations and each of his sons' individual inner torture.
"Mikey, Donnie, we're leaving for Marcie's," Leo woke his two younger brothers and the three of them trudged down the stairs to meet Splinter at the bottom and go for lunch with Marcie, her family, April and Casey.
"Hey, guys, how are you all?" April greeted her friends with brief hugs, "Raph's with Casey in the lounge if you want to go and see him. He arrived a while ago and said you'd be along later but he'd needed to talk to Casey. What happened the other night? We were starting to think the Shredder had got you."
"We just got a bit of a bashing, Ape, that's all," Mikey smiled. He didn't want April to know how badly they were beaten, or that their chances of defeating Shredder were getting slimmer by the minute.
"We tried to call back here after the battle but we couldn't get any response when we knocked on the door. Then yesterday we were too tired," Donnie explained, shrugging. It wasn't that big a deal – they had been in battles before and not seen either of their human friends for weeks afterwards…but this was slightly different and Donnie couldn't help but feel worried.
"Well, I'm just glad you're ok – come in," April beamed at them, eyes sparkling in happiness.
"Thank you Miss O'Neill, but where is the mistress of this house?" Splinter inquired, craning his neck to see past April. Marcie was standing back in the shadows, dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep.
"Your arrival has caused a disturbance with the locals. There's talk starting up of deadly mutants who are to be avoided at all costs. Most people here would side with Shredder and if they ever catch so much as a glimpse of you for what you really are then you will be either captured or driven out of this community…as will my family for playing host to your friends." Marcie hissed, making it impossible to tell whether she was on their side or not. One minute she was the friendly, smiling hostess and was laughing and thoroughly enjoying some decent company. The next minute she would be hissing at them, avoiding their eyes and acting coldly towards them by ignoring their offers of help and keeping the children and herself at a distance. Today was going to be one of those days.
"You are putting everyone in danger – haven't you got any idea where this Shredder guy is?" Marcie asked them as she served the drinks.
"Well, two of my sons had dreams last night that mirror each other perfectly." Splinter frowned, clearly confused by the matter, "the fact is, one of these dreams is the key to the true whereabouts of our enemy. The other is merely a hoax to throw us off the trail. If we pick the right one to follow, then we shall find Shredder. If we pick the wrong one, we find everything but Shredder."
"Wait one moment, Sensei. You said two of us had dreams!" Mikey stopped Splinter, "I know I had a dream that we died in a junkyard but I was Shredder and I said something about us being foolish and the worst hadn't happened. And that we were to meet our doom in a room or something crazy like that. But who had the other dream and how does it match mine?"
"I had the other dream, Mike. I dreamt that we died in a room and I was Shredder. I also said a speech about foolishness and not really dying in a room but in a yard. That must be how they match." Leo sounded slightly apprehensive about speaking of the dreams in front of Marcie, "but Sensei, how do we find out which dream to follow? Do we take a guess and risk being wrong or do we wait until we're certain?"
"Usually I would recommend waiting as a true ninja should but, just for once, we will have to make an educated guess and hope we go to the right place. There is no other option. I can see no way out of this impending battle, whichever path we take, but I can see that we will be met by Shredder, Hun and the Foot or by the Foot Tech and the Foot Elite. Either way, we do not stand much of a chance in our present states."
"We can fight! There is nothing wrong with us!" Raphael protested, looking to his brothers for back-up but none came, "Guys?"
"Raphael, look at your brothers and then look at yourself. Michelangelo is still suffering from his bruises injuries and to aggravate them would lead to infection. Donatello is exhausted and will not be able to keep up with the pace of the fighting. Leonardo is still limping and therefore would not be able to perform to his usual standard. And don't think I haven't noticed your suffering, Raphael. Like Donatello, you are suffering from exhaustion and also from increasingly severe headaches due to you not resting enough. You took a nasty knock to the head. I would want you all at your very best before I attempted to fight Shredder and his forces again; and right now you are in no fit state to fight." Splinter's stern gaze prevented Raph from continuing the argument further. He could see his father's point. None of them would make it through the first five minutes, let alone defeat Shredder.
"Splinter, if I could interrupt for a second," Casey looked up at the rat, "what actually happened the other night? Why does Raph reek of sewage? What is all this dream stuff about? And can I offer my support in the upcoming fight?"
"Raphael's odour is less than pleasant today as Michelangelo tipped sewage over him and Leonardo while making the Foot Tech ninjas visible. I do not want to go into a detailed explanation of the battle as I was only there for the last part so you will have to ask one of my sons. The dreams are our only hope of finding Shredder, provided we pick the correct one to follow. And yes, your support would be much appreciated when it comes to the final battle. I hope that answers all of your questions for the while."
"Thanks," Casey turned to April and whispered in her ear, "Did you get a word of that?"
"Not a bit," April giggled.
"Then perhaps you will understand more if my sons explain it to you; but for now that will have to wait as it appears to be lunchtime." Splinter replied shortly as Marcie walked back into the room with a plate of cucumber sandwiches. She placed them in the middle of the circle made up of her family, Casey and April, four turtles and a rat.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Tuck in," she said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"You are most kind." Mikey thanked her, imitating a posh English accent.
"Drop the act, Mike," Raph snorted.
"Ok, Raph, no need to be so blunt," Mikey sniffed. Raph rolled his eyes and Mikey pulled a face at him while his back was turned and then began eating. Donnie looked slightly hesitant about eating. He didn't know why but he just felt like there was something wrong with the whole situation. But he eventually pushed his fears aside - he was getting way too paranoid - and tucked eagerly like everyone else…but not before he thought he saw a flicker of doubt on Leo's face from across the room. Both turtles thought nothing of it; what could be wrong with a simple cucumber sandwich?