A/N : Special thanks to pacphys for editing for me

Chapter 11 Sylvia

The blow to the head stunned Raphael, and he was unable to move as he fell into the water below. Once in contact with the brackish water of the river Raphael's cut began to burn as if it were on fire. Yet even that pain did not allow him to move.

Suddenly a pair of arms reached up, and touched his shoulders, causing his muscles to relax. One hand reached out, and touched his head. Instantly his thoughts began to clear, and the cut stopped stinging.

Huh? Raphael found that his arms and legs were working again. He tried to swim up to the surface, but the arms that had revived him, held him back.

"No, they're still fighting," a young frightened voice said. Raphael turned to the speaker, and soon found himself frozen by a pair of crystal clear ocean blue eyes.

The eyes belonged to a mermaid far younger than Lillian. Her black shoulder length hair glistened in the water. She had a sparkling silvery tube top covering her torso, and her tail was a luminous liquid green.

Raphael didn't know what to say or think. He was totally mesmerized by this small mermaid.

The girl looked at him quizzically. "You're Raphael, aren't you," she asked.

Still speechless, Raphael nodded.

The girl smiled as if aware she had him at a disadvantage. "I'm Sylvia," she said. She maneuvered closer, and kissed Raphael on the cheek.

That freed him from his paralysis. "What?" he demanded pushing her away. He thought for a second then realized who she was. "You're the one Lillian and Donny were looking for. The one who isn't supposed to be up here."

"I had to come," Sylvia said defensively. "Mike was hurt bad! I had to help!"

"How did you know that Mikey got hurt?" Raphael wasn't even sure how Lillian had found out yet.

"We're linked of course," she said as if it were obvious. "I felt it when Mike got hurt. Then Lillian came for the healing waters so I knew that he was hurt bad. I couldn't not help him! He's my best friend. "

A shadow above made Raphael grab on to the young mermaid, and pulled her with him into the shadows of the docks. Above them they heard the leader of The Foot Tech Amazons.

"She is somewhere near, but we do not need her now. This one will tell us what we wish to know, or else her two little pets will suffer."

"Two?" Raphael asked. He drew closer to the surface to the water. Bound in chains above him were Donatello and Leonardo. Across from his brothers Lillian stood proudly surrounded by Foot Tech Amazons.

From behind him, Raphael felt Sylvia move. "Lillian! Raphael, we have to get her!" She tried to swim past him, but Raphael grabbed onto her arm.

"Whoah! Slow down, Small Fry," Raphael said. "If we go after Lillian now, we'll just get caught too!" He looked up at the group again.

As his brothers and Lillian were being led away, Lillian turned back to the water, and looked directly at Raphael.

Her gaze struck him like a blow to the head. Information began to flood his mind. It wasn't exactly words, and it wasn't really an emotion, but it was powerful, and it shook him to his soul.

Sylvia was to be protected at all costs. She was only a child. He was to keep her from danger until Michelangelo was able to take her home.

As Raphael reeled under Lillian's silent request, Sylvia argued in his ear. "But we gotta save Lillian, Don, and Leo!"

"How do you know our names?" Raphael asked as he pulled her further under the water.

Sylvia struggled briefly in Raphael's arms. "Mike told me," she said. "Mike tells me everything about the surface. He told me about television, movies, video games, all the surface music. He told me all about being a ninja too and a warrior. He told me everything!"

"Well I hope he told you about thinking before you act," Raphael said grinning at the irony of it. "There are too many Foot Amazons out there. We need to find out where they're going, and come back with reinforcements."

Sylvia thought about that for a few seconds. "I guess you're right," she said reluctantly, "but how are we going to track them?"

The water was clear enough for once, that above the rippling surface Raphael could see the seagulls perched along the docks. Suddenly he had an idea. "Hey kid, can you talk to sea gulls the way Mikey can?"

The expression she gave him made Raphael wonder if she wasn't going to laugh in his face. "Please!" she said with a toss of her head. "Who do you think taught him?" At that moment her face brightened. "I get it! We ask the gulls to watch where they go!"

"Raphael nodded. "Can you do it without being heard or seen?"

Eagerly the girl nodded. She signaled to Raphael to go up to the surface. As they reached the top of the water, Sylvia paused, and only stuck the top of her head past the surface. Every so silently she looked up at the sea gulls. For several seconds Raphael swore the very air and water around them grew thicker with the tension. The seagulls stopped preening and squawking at each other, and watched the pair intently. Suddenly the tension broke. Four gulls cawed loudly, and flew away in the direction The Foot had gone.

Sylvia now ducked back down under the water. "They said they'd would follow and watch for your brothers and Lilian."

"Good girl," Raphael said. "Now we go back to the lair, and see if Master Splinter can give us a hand.

Sylvia's eyes nearly popped out of her head with excitement. "I'm gonna get to meet Master Splinter? And maybe Casey? And April?"

Despite the danger Raphael had to laugh as he held up a hand to hold off her questions. "Hang on, Small Fry. Casey's out of town right now, but April's been helping us out at the lair. She's probably still there."

"Yippie!" Sylvia said wagging her tail excitedly. "Lets go!"

"Hang on, kid," Raphael said. "Can we pick an overland route? I can't breathe underwater the way you can."

Sylvia gave Raphael an amused glance and this time did laugh at him. "Mike is right, you are dense." Before Raphael could demand why Sylvia said. "Take a look around you Raph! You've been underwater with me for twenty minutes."

Raphael blinked, and looked around. "But how?" He asked puzzled. "I can't, but I'm breathing? How?"

Sylvia laughed again. "Any mermaid can fix it so that anyone with them can be underwater as long as we can. As long as you're with me we can stay under for as long as you like!"

Raphael wasn't sure what to think about that. Finally he just shrugged, and said, "In that case what are we waiting for? Lets take a swim."

Sylvia must have been waiting for that. For she grasped Raphael firmly by his wrist, and began to pull him swiftly through the water, and into a flooded storm drain.

As the pair drew closer to the pond in the lair Raphael turned back to Sylvia. "Wait here," he said firmly. "I wanna see what's changed since Don and me took off. There's no sense making things more complicated by adding another mermaid to the mix.

Sylvia bit her lower lip in frustration, but nodded in agreement. Raphael poked his head above water, and as he had been taught listened as well as looked. April and Splinter were by the video monolith. Michelangelo was now sitting up on the couch, looking far better than he had before. He was active and alert and arguing with Splinter and April.

"Sensei, you don't understand! It wasn't a nightmare. Mermaids have this telepathic thing going on. I've been around Lillian so long I can read her thoughts, and I know when she's in trouble. Something's happened to her out there, guys and I've got to help her." He tried to get to his feet, but April pushed him back down again.

"Healing water or no, you're not rushing off just because of a nightmare. You just woke up ten minutes ago!" April insisted.

Raphael thought it was a nice sentiment, but he knew he was going to need Michelangelo's help if they were going to rescue the others. He got out of the water slowly, and sat on the edge of the pond. "Sorry April, but if Mikey's feeling up to it, we've got to get his girlfriend out of the Foot's goldfish bowl, not to mention Don and Leo."

The others all turned to face him.

"Raph!" April cried out with relief.

Splinter got right down to business. "Raphael, tell us what has happened."

Raphael began. "We caught up to Lillian, but the Foot were all over the place. I got knocked into the water. By the time I came too the Foot had Lillian, Leo and Don. "

"Leonardo woke soon after you and Donatello left," Splinter said gently. "He was most upset at being left behind."

Raphael clenched his fists, and tried to make an effort not to grit his teeth. "You know why we left him, sensei. You can't say we were wrong."

"I did not say that you and Donatello were wrong, my son," Splinter explained. "I only wish to tell you that your actions caused him grief."

"Wait a minute," Michelangelo said, frowning slightly. "You and Don left Leo behind?"

"Leo left you behind when he only had a hint of mermaid activity," Raphael said testily. "Don figured that since we were actually chasing Lillian this time we didn't want Leo freezing up on us."

"But what about the other mermaid that Lillian went to find?" April asked.

Raphael blushed slightly. "Um yeah, about that, well I guess she's the reason I didn't drown when the Foot knocked me into the water." Then he looked down into the pond, and called to her gently. "Come on, Small Fry. Come out and say hi."

Sylvia's head popped out of the water. from his vantage point above the pond Raphael could see Sylvia's tail transform into legs. She then took out a small piece of gauzy fabric which she slipped around her waist. Once clothed she began to climb out of the water.

Sylvia?" A very surprised Michelangelo asked. Before anyone could stop him, he was at the pond helping the young mermaid to her newly formed feet.

"Sylvia, what in the name of Triton's beard are you doing here?" Michelangelo asked. There was something funny about the way Michelangelo was talking that caught Raphael's attention.

"I wanted to help you," Sylvia said defensively. "I could sense that you were hurt. When Lillian came back to the surface I followed her, but lost her when she went into sewers, and I couldn't track you when the healing waters sent you to sleep."

Michelangelo folded his arms across his chest, and glared sternly at the young mermaid. "That is no excuse, young lady. You know you're not supposed to be within a hundred yards of the surface or the shore, and that's doubly true now with all The Foot looking for your temple. Your grandmother is so gonna have a whale when she finds out!"

April handed Raphael a towel absently as they were both staring in shock at Michelangelo. "Raph who is this mermaid? She's got Mikey sounding like Leo." April said.

"I don't think it's her, April," Raphael said equally as puzzled. "Look at the kid. She obviously isn't enjoying it. It's the way he's talking that's got me wondering."

"Michelangelo has obviously adopted idioms common to the mermaids that he has not used in our presence before." Splinter said, not at all perturbed by Michelangelo's new attitude. "It also appears we owe the mermaids a debt of gratitude for teaching your brother some responsibility."

April smiled. "My dad always said that being responsible for someone else makes you grow up fast."

Michelangelo was finishing his lecture with Sylvia. "No, we are going to find the nearest axis way to the sea, and get you home before every fish and shore bird in the city comes looking for you!"

"No, we can't," Sylvia protested. "Raph, you have to tell him about Lillian and the others!"

Michelangelo snapped around to look at Raphael, April, and Splinter. A copper flush colored his cheeks, but he kept his voice steady as he asked, "Raph?"

Not one to mince words Raphael said, "Lillian, Leo, and Don got taken in by those new girl Foot we've been watching. They were after her." He pointed at Sylvia. "I would have gone after them myself, but Lillian pulled some whammy on my head. She told me that Sylvia's got to be my top priority. She wanted me to keep her safe at all costs."

"I'm kinda glad she did, bro," Michelangelo said pensively. "If anything had happened to Sylvia I don't know what I'd tell Benten"

Splinter nodded with recognition. "Benten, she is the leader of the mermaid colony. Is she not?"

"Yeah," Michelangelo said holding Sylvia close to him. "Sylvia's her granddaughter. Her mom is working in a colony in Hawaii." His forehead wrinkled in thought for a moment, then he turned to the young mermaid. "Siv, go up to the last room on the left, and find the box with the toys you girls have given me over the years. The flute is there so you'll be able to find it."

Sylvia nodded, and raced for the steps to Michelangelo's room. Once she was out of sight Michelangelo deflated, and looked back at the others.

"Sensei, what am I going to do? I can't take Sylvia into Foot territory, but I can't leave Lil trapped!"

Splinter nodded. "It is a dilemma. Surely the mermaid and your brothers must be attended to."

"She can stay with me in The Battle-shell," April suggested. "We'll be safe enough there."

"And I shall accompany you as well," Splinter said. "Without Leonardo and Raphael, you will need assistance."

Michelangelo glanced up to his room where Sylvia still was. He bit his lip and then said. "Sensei, if you're coming along to stop me from taking Lil and Siv back to their colony when this is all over, don't bother. I've got to get them back into the water and back home as soon as Lillian and the others are free."

"Mikey!" Raphael said worriedly. "Stop talking crazy! You can't go back with them!"

With a deep heavy sigh, Splinter said, "No, Raphael. Michelangelo is right. As soon as the mermaids are free they must get as far away from The Foot as possible. Sylvia is unable to defend herself, and we do not know if the elder mermaid is injured or not. They will need an escort to their home."

Michelangelo relaxed. "I'm glad you understand, sensei. You don't have to worry about me you know. I'm a regular mutant homing pigeon. I'll come back. I always have."

At that moment Sylvia came back with a miniature treasure chest compete with brass fittings. "It this it Mike?" She asked.

Michelangelo opened the box. Inside there was a coral flute similar to the one April owned. There was also some necklaces with shells on them, a larger flute made of ivory, and a single pink pearl the size of a ping pong ball. Reaching for the pearl he held it up so that it glowed in the dim lighting of the lair. "You got it, sweet thing. Now here's what we're going to do."

Coming Soon Chapter 12 The Rescue

When he moved to join the two mermaids, Leonardo asked in his sternest voice, "Michelangelo, where are you going?"

Michelangelo looked over his shoulder at Leonardo. "With them," he said, then before Leonardo could get another word out, Michelangelo looked over to Splinter. "We talked about this, sensei. You know I have to go."

Splinter nodded, but everyone could tell he was not happy. "Leonardo, your brother is correct. He must help his friends get to their temple. We should not prevent him from aiding them."

Leonardo frowned at that. "Sensei, are you sure about this?"

Still unsettled about it but determined, Splinter answered. "Yes I am sure."

"Well I'm not," Raphael suddenly added. Before the others could say anything he jumped out of the van, and joined Michelangelo with the mermaids. "I'm going with him."

Leonardo sighed exasperated. "Raph!"

"Don't try to talk me out of it, Leo," Raphael said. "One of us should be going with Mikey anyway to make sure he comes back."

"Talk about the wrong turtle going along then," Donatello muttered under his breath.

April then noticed some blips on the Battle Shell's tracker. "Don, we've got multiple blips showing up."

"The Foot," Leonardo said.

"That settles it," Raphael said. "We don't have time to argue, Leo. I'm going, and you're not stopping me." With that he dove into the water, and surfaced looking at Michelangelo and the two mermaids. "You guys coming or what?"

Michelangelo glanced at Raphael, but Lillian said, "it will be all right. We can look after him. We have to go now."

Michelangelo glanced back at Splinter who nodded once. "Be careful Michelangelo, and return soon."

As the two mermaids jumped into the water Michelangelo said with his famous grin, "Don't worry Master Splinter, Raph and I will be back before you have time to miss us!" With that he also jumped into the water. Seconds later the water was still as if no one had been there.