Disclaimer: I do not own the ninja turtles. I do own the demon world, it's inhabitants, the Reapers and their respective identities, and the Xawks.
----
Raph's mind was boggled. This place was...incredible. Even though he was certain this lizard man was full of crap, he was starting to change his mind. He'd seen so many different 'Demons,' and it was clear that this was a place that did not exist on Earth. He was a bit irritated, because they had spent a great deal of time doing absolutely nothing. Then, suddenly, a strange creature, some kind of ferret with wings, popped out of nowhere. Raph stared at it in amazement. It -did- look like a ferret, but it had blue fur...and WINGS. The little creature squawked and screeched, and Ssylvar cocked his head as if he were able to understand it. He then nodded and murmured something. Raph strained his ears to hear, but he could only make out, "Go" and "Watch".
The weird little creature screeched and disappeared. Ssylvar nodded and stood up.
"We can go see the one impersonating your brother now. My little message Xawk has managed to locate him, as well as figure out where he will be shortly."
"What? That little -thing- told you that?" Raph rolled his eyes.
"Yes...Xawks are remarkable creatures. They can track down any Demon, though sometimes it takes them a while." Ssylvar smiled, "Come, we have no time to waste. Remember, you must not allow yourself to be seen."
Raph scowled, but nodded. Ssylvar had warned him before not to show himself. Apparently the Don he was going to see was not actually his brother, but a Demon impersonating him. Raph had rightfully questioned this, but Ssylvar had assured him that once he saw this 'Donatello' he would realize that it was not his real brother. Raph had just shrugged. He'd stay out of sight for a little while, at least.
Ssylvar waved his hand and tore open a portal. Raph couldn't figure this out; it truly puzzled him just like everything else in this place. Ssylvar stepped through first and Raph followed. They stepped out onto a sparse rocky plain, though there was a very large boulder in front of them. Raph also noticed that the temperature was VERY hot. He could hear the sound of something bubbling and boiling from beyond the rock, as well as anguished screams and moans. Ssylvar motioned for Raph to look around the rock, and he did, his face still in a scowl.
At first Raph did not see anything but boiling pits of lava. He then realized that there were people writhing in the lava. Raph shuddered. It was a very gruesome sight indeed. None of them were dead, but many of them were clearly on fire and in great agony. Then, Raph noticed a bit of movement a small distance away from the pits. The air tore open in another portal, and through it came three figures, two walking, and one man being dragged. The man was screaming. Raph squinted, unable to see faces behind the black robes. Then, the one who was dragging the man turned slightly, and Raph could see him...it was Don! Raph gasped and wanted to jump out, but Ssylvar's hand on his shoulder stopped him. Raph stared in amazement as Don dragged the screaming man towards the pits. He was met by a demon that looked like a rabbit.
"Ah...one for the pits..." the rabbit man said.
"Yes, take him," Don said, and to Raph's amazement, Don thrust the poor screaming man to the rabbit Demon. Then, in a voice very unlike the passive turtle, Don bellowed, "Out of here, NOW!"
The other figure in black tore open a portal and they both exited. Raph gaped in horror as the rabbit threw the screaming man into the pits. He immediately caught fire, the lava clinging to his skin and blistering it with the intense heat.
"I've seen enough!" Raph exclaimed.
Ssylvar nodded and made a portal.
"Go on through. It will take you to my home," Ssylvar said, "I have a short errand I need to run that you will find very boring."
Raph nodded frantically, "Whatever, I'm leaving." As he exited, Raph took one last look at the pits. There was no way Donatello would throw a helpless man into those horrible things...it just wasn't possible. Not Don.
After Raphael was gone, Ssylvar walked out from behind the rock. The rabbit man gave a squeak and prostrated himself on the ground. Ssylvar snarled.
"Get up you fool, and get that man out of there!"
The rabbit man sat up and gibbered for a second, "But...th-the Siyem just put him in there..."
"I don't CARE. Get him out or I will obliterate you!" Ssylvar imagined for himself a huge sword, which appeared in his hand. The rabbit man stammered and then nodded, running for the pits. Ssylvar smiled. He couldn't actually kill this man, not yet, but it was very easy to intimidate the lesser demons.
The rabbit demon pulled the screaming man from the pits.
"Bring him to me!" Ssylvar said. The rabbit man complied.
"Do you want to be free of these pits?" Ssylar asked the man, who was still moaning in pain. The man's head shot up, his eyes trying valiantly to regain their focus.
"Yes..." the man coughed.
"Excellent," Ssylvar hissed, "Now, listen carefully..."
----
Donatello was out of things to vomit. He wasn't sure how he -could- vomit, considering he didn't ever go to the bathroom. He could only assume that the removal of waste was something that Gaia controlled, and the contents of his stomach had not reached that point yet.
Either way, he'd completely puked up his guts.
Luckily, he'd managed to keep from getting too much of it on Shayl's carpeting. It was too much for -her- liking, so Don could take little solace in that. He was now sitting on her couch trying to get his breathing under control.
"Would you just take it easy?" Shayl said from the kitchen. She hadn't been near him for over an hour.
"I can't! I just....I...." Don couldn't finish; he felt another wave of nausea engulf him. Shayl made an exasperated sound, but said nothing more. With an effort, Don managed to suppress the nausea enough to speak again.
"I'm sorry," he said, "It's just that...the thing I just did was so unlike me. I hate hurting people. I am a ninja, but I always strive to cause as little damage as possible. That's why I fight with a bo. Better to disarm an opponent than disembowel them."
Shayl sighed, "You have to do that kind of thing. You can't let criminals run around gaining power, because that's what they'll do the moment they realize that they can. Many innocent lives have been ended by power-crazy demons."
Don rubbed his face. "I realize that. I took him to the pits for that very reason. I just don't know if I'll ever get used to doing something like that."
"Whatever. I can't help you there. I think it's time for you to go home." Shayl tore open a portal before Don could protest. Sighing he stood up and began to walk toward it.
"I'm sorry I'm such a bad Siyem," he said, "I'd gladly give it up if I could."
"Get out of here," Shayl snarled, a very sour look on her face. Don nodded and walked through the portal, taking his vomit bowl with him.
----
Leo shook his head; this place was amazing. He wasn't sure he beleived everything Orgo had told him, but he was starting to come around. There were just so many weird and unexplainable things here. It was just too much for the realistic turtle. Still, nothing bad had happened to him, and soon they were going to go see his brother. This Leo truly did not believe, but there was always hope. Unfortunately, Orgo had told him he would not like what he saw.
Suddenly, a weird little creature appeared from nowhere. It looked like a ferret, only it had yellow fur and bat-like wings. It squwaked loudly and then disappeared just as abruptly as it had arrived. Orgo nodded solemly.
"It is time to go see your brother," he said, "My Xawk tells me that it is safe to proceed to where he is. We must avoid the evil Demon that is impersonating your brother. I'm told that he is gone now."
"Your -what- tells you?"
"My Xawk. That little creature you just saw. Pesky little creatures, but useful. They can track down any demon...it just takes a bit of time and patience."
Leo shrugged, "Ok...whatever. I guess I can believe that. Everything is so weird here."
Orgo showed his craggy yellow teeth in a smile, "Indeed it is. Come, it is time to go."
Orgo made a portal and guestured for Leo to enter. He walked through, followed shortly by Orgo. They stepped out onto a rocky plain. The air was very hot, and Leo could see various pits of bubbling lava. Upon closer inspection he realized that there were -people- in those pits, and they were screaming in agony.
"What IS this place?" He exclaimed.
"This is the place where people are punished," Orgo said sadly, "Follow me."
Orgo led Leo towards one of the pits. When they reached it, Orgo stepped aside and Leo looked into it. It was absolutely horrible to see the people burning in agony...Leo wanted to vomit. Then, just as he was nearly unable to look any longer, he saw a green shell pop up out of the lava. Leo watched in horror as his brother's face emerged, his screams of agony and distress louder than all the rest. Leo instinctively dove forward, hoping to save him, but Orgo grabbed onto him.
"No! You mustn't! You'll become trapped in there as well!"
"We have to save him!" Leo's voice was hysterical, his voice ragged.
"We can't save him! Once he's been put in the pits, only Gaia herself may release him." Orgo shook his head sadly.
"Who the hell is Gaia?!" Leo was frantic.
"She's the goddess who rules this place. She has condemned your brother because she thinks he is an evil criminal, while the evil one impersonating him roams free."
Leo took in a ragged breath. "Let's get out of here...and then you're going to tell me how to find this Demon!"
Orgo nodded and made a portal. "Go ahead through. I have a small, mundane errand I must run. This portal will take you back to my home."
Leo barely heard him. He swallowed heavily and ran through the portal, unable to look back at his tortured brother.
Orgo waited until the portal was closed, and then bellowed, "Rathro! Come here!"
The rabbit man came scuttling out from behind a boulder. He skidded to a stop and watched in horror as Orgo's body morphed into his incredibly gruesome four-armed demon form.
"W-what can I do f-for you, master?" Rathro the rabbit asked pathetically, bowing low to the ground.
"Remove that fool from the pit."
Rathro nodded and ran to pull the turtle out. He dragged him up to Orgo.
"You are released from your torture," Orgo said, his voice bored, "Change!"
The turtle nodded, and gasping, his form began to morph. Shortly, there was a sickly man slumped on the ground at Orgo's feet instead of a turtle.
"You must never use that Demon form again, do you understand?" Orgo's voice was very low and quiet.
The man nodded.
"If you do," orgo said, "You will be sent -back- to the pits, and absolutely nothing will save you from them."
The man nodded. "H-how am I supposed to get out of here?" he asked.
Orgo sneered and tore open a portal. "Go," he said. The man nodded and dove into the portal. Orgo shook his head and turned to Rathro. "Not a word of this," he said at his most ominous. He then made a portal of his own and was gone.
----
"I'm worried about Raph and Leo," Mike said.
"Me too," Splinter said. They have both been gone far too long.
"You don't think..." Mike couldn't say it.
"I hope not, my son."
"Maybe I should go look for them..." Mike wasn't sure he wanted to do that.
Splinter sighed, "Go and look, Michelangelo, but don't stray far. If indeed something has happened to them, It would be the end of me to have it happen to you."
Mike shook his head. I won't go far Master, and I'll take a phone with me. If anything weird happens, I'll call you."
Splinter nodded. Mike grabbed a phone and was heading out the door when he stopped abruptly. Then, after choking back a sob, he ran up to Splinter and gave him a hug.
"Don't worry master...I'm sure they're fine. And I'll be fine too."
With that, Mike hurried out of the lair, hoping against hope that nothing had happened to his two remaining brothers.
----
Don sat in his sparsely decorated living room, his mind focused on nothing but Gaia. Don was actually starting to feel better about his situation as Siyem.
"So, I only have to serve seven days out of the year? That's great....besides, what are the odds that I'll get someone bad? Maybe it won't happen too often."
[I hope not, for your sake, Donatello.]
"Well...I'll get over it, I hope. This was just my first time doing it. God...I just hope it doesn't happen much.." Don sighed.
[I know, Donatello. I....]
Don gasped and clutched his head....it felt as though his brain was being sucked out through his nose. He screamed in agony.
"Gaia! Gaia!" he yelled, but he could not hear her. The horrible feeling continued for several moments, but then, just as suddenly as it had started, it was gone.
"Gaia?" Don asked, but there was no response. He had an overwhelming feeling of depression and emptyness, and it took a few moments to realize why. Gaia was gone...he'd been cut off.
----
A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews. Unfortunately, after today the updates will not be coming as quickly. School has started, and I've got a very busy semester ahead of me. I will try my very hardest to write a chapter a week...I'll try to do two a week if I'm feeling particularly inspired, but I can't make any promises.
Thanks again to everyone who's been reading! My effort to update will truly be genuine.
----
Raph's mind was boggled. This place was...incredible. Even though he was certain this lizard man was full of crap, he was starting to change his mind. He'd seen so many different 'Demons,' and it was clear that this was a place that did not exist on Earth. He was a bit irritated, because they had spent a great deal of time doing absolutely nothing. Then, suddenly, a strange creature, some kind of ferret with wings, popped out of nowhere. Raph stared at it in amazement. It -did- look like a ferret, but it had blue fur...and WINGS. The little creature squawked and screeched, and Ssylvar cocked his head as if he were able to understand it. He then nodded and murmured something. Raph strained his ears to hear, but he could only make out, "Go" and "Watch".
The weird little creature screeched and disappeared. Ssylvar nodded and stood up.
"We can go see the one impersonating your brother now. My little message Xawk has managed to locate him, as well as figure out where he will be shortly."
"What? That little -thing- told you that?" Raph rolled his eyes.
"Yes...Xawks are remarkable creatures. They can track down any Demon, though sometimes it takes them a while." Ssylvar smiled, "Come, we have no time to waste. Remember, you must not allow yourself to be seen."
Raph scowled, but nodded. Ssylvar had warned him before not to show himself. Apparently the Don he was going to see was not actually his brother, but a Demon impersonating him. Raph had rightfully questioned this, but Ssylvar had assured him that once he saw this 'Donatello' he would realize that it was not his real brother. Raph had just shrugged. He'd stay out of sight for a little while, at least.
Ssylvar waved his hand and tore open a portal. Raph couldn't figure this out; it truly puzzled him just like everything else in this place. Ssylvar stepped through first and Raph followed. They stepped out onto a sparse rocky plain, though there was a very large boulder in front of them. Raph also noticed that the temperature was VERY hot. He could hear the sound of something bubbling and boiling from beyond the rock, as well as anguished screams and moans. Ssylvar motioned for Raph to look around the rock, and he did, his face still in a scowl.
At first Raph did not see anything but boiling pits of lava. He then realized that there were people writhing in the lava. Raph shuddered. It was a very gruesome sight indeed. None of them were dead, but many of them were clearly on fire and in great agony. Then, Raph noticed a bit of movement a small distance away from the pits. The air tore open in another portal, and through it came three figures, two walking, and one man being dragged. The man was screaming. Raph squinted, unable to see faces behind the black robes. Then, the one who was dragging the man turned slightly, and Raph could see him...it was Don! Raph gasped and wanted to jump out, but Ssylvar's hand on his shoulder stopped him. Raph stared in amazement as Don dragged the screaming man towards the pits. He was met by a demon that looked like a rabbit.
"Ah...one for the pits..." the rabbit man said.
"Yes, take him," Don said, and to Raph's amazement, Don thrust the poor screaming man to the rabbit Demon. Then, in a voice very unlike the passive turtle, Don bellowed, "Out of here, NOW!"
The other figure in black tore open a portal and they both exited. Raph gaped in horror as the rabbit threw the screaming man into the pits. He immediately caught fire, the lava clinging to his skin and blistering it with the intense heat.
"I've seen enough!" Raph exclaimed.
Ssylvar nodded and made a portal.
"Go on through. It will take you to my home," Ssylvar said, "I have a short errand I need to run that you will find very boring."
Raph nodded frantically, "Whatever, I'm leaving." As he exited, Raph took one last look at the pits. There was no way Donatello would throw a helpless man into those horrible things...it just wasn't possible. Not Don.
After Raphael was gone, Ssylvar walked out from behind the rock. The rabbit man gave a squeak and prostrated himself on the ground. Ssylvar snarled.
"Get up you fool, and get that man out of there!"
The rabbit man sat up and gibbered for a second, "But...th-the Siyem just put him in there..."
"I don't CARE. Get him out or I will obliterate you!" Ssylvar imagined for himself a huge sword, which appeared in his hand. The rabbit man stammered and then nodded, running for the pits. Ssylvar smiled. He couldn't actually kill this man, not yet, but it was very easy to intimidate the lesser demons.
The rabbit demon pulled the screaming man from the pits.
"Bring him to me!" Ssylvar said. The rabbit man complied.
"Do you want to be free of these pits?" Ssylar asked the man, who was still moaning in pain. The man's head shot up, his eyes trying valiantly to regain their focus.
"Yes..." the man coughed.
"Excellent," Ssylvar hissed, "Now, listen carefully..."
----
Donatello was out of things to vomit. He wasn't sure how he -could- vomit, considering he didn't ever go to the bathroom. He could only assume that the removal of waste was something that Gaia controlled, and the contents of his stomach had not reached that point yet.
Either way, he'd completely puked up his guts.
Luckily, he'd managed to keep from getting too much of it on Shayl's carpeting. It was too much for -her- liking, so Don could take little solace in that. He was now sitting on her couch trying to get his breathing under control.
"Would you just take it easy?" Shayl said from the kitchen. She hadn't been near him for over an hour.
"I can't! I just....I...." Don couldn't finish; he felt another wave of nausea engulf him. Shayl made an exasperated sound, but said nothing more. With an effort, Don managed to suppress the nausea enough to speak again.
"I'm sorry," he said, "It's just that...the thing I just did was so unlike me. I hate hurting people. I am a ninja, but I always strive to cause as little damage as possible. That's why I fight with a bo. Better to disarm an opponent than disembowel them."
Shayl sighed, "You have to do that kind of thing. You can't let criminals run around gaining power, because that's what they'll do the moment they realize that they can. Many innocent lives have been ended by power-crazy demons."
Don rubbed his face. "I realize that. I took him to the pits for that very reason. I just don't know if I'll ever get used to doing something like that."
"Whatever. I can't help you there. I think it's time for you to go home." Shayl tore open a portal before Don could protest. Sighing he stood up and began to walk toward it.
"I'm sorry I'm such a bad Siyem," he said, "I'd gladly give it up if I could."
"Get out of here," Shayl snarled, a very sour look on her face. Don nodded and walked through the portal, taking his vomit bowl with him.
----
Leo shook his head; this place was amazing. He wasn't sure he beleived everything Orgo had told him, but he was starting to come around. There were just so many weird and unexplainable things here. It was just too much for the realistic turtle. Still, nothing bad had happened to him, and soon they were going to go see his brother. This Leo truly did not believe, but there was always hope. Unfortunately, Orgo had told him he would not like what he saw.
Suddenly, a weird little creature appeared from nowhere. It looked like a ferret, only it had yellow fur and bat-like wings. It squwaked loudly and then disappeared just as abruptly as it had arrived. Orgo nodded solemly.
"It is time to go see your brother," he said, "My Xawk tells me that it is safe to proceed to where he is. We must avoid the evil Demon that is impersonating your brother. I'm told that he is gone now."
"Your -what- tells you?"
"My Xawk. That little creature you just saw. Pesky little creatures, but useful. They can track down any demon...it just takes a bit of time and patience."
Leo shrugged, "Ok...whatever. I guess I can believe that. Everything is so weird here."
Orgo showed his craggy yellow teeth in a smile, "Indeed it is. Come, it is time to go."
Orgo made a portal and guestured for Leo to enter. He walked through, followed shortly by Orgo. They stepped out onto a rocky plain. The air was very hot, and Leo could see various pits of bubbling lava. Upon closer inspection he realized that there were -people- in those pits, and they were screaming in agony.
"What IS this place?" He exclaimed.
"This is the place where people are punished," Orgo said sadly, "Follow me."
Orgo led Leo towards one of the pits. When they reached it, Orgo stepped aside and Leo looked into it. It was absolutely horrible to see the people burning in agony...Leo wanted to vomit. Then, just as he was nearly unable to look any longer, he saw a green shell pop up out of the lava. Leo watched in horror as his brother's face emerged, his screams of agony and distress louder than all the rest. Leo instinctively dove forward, hoping to save him, but Orgo grabbed onto him.
"No! You mustn't! You'll become trapped in there as well!"
"We have to save him!" Leo's voice was hysterical, his voice ragged.
"We can't save him! Once he's been put in the pits, only Gaia herself may release him." Orgo shook his head sadly.
"Who the hell is Gaia?!" Leo was frantic.
"She's the goddess who rules this place. She has condemned your brother because she thinks he is an evil criminal, while the evil one impersonating him roams free."
Leo took in a ragged breath. "Let's get out of here...and then you're going to tell me how to find this Demon!"
Orgo nodded and made a portal. "Go ahead through. I have a small, mundane errand I must run. This portal will take you back to my home."
Leo barely heard him. He swallowed heavily and ran through the portal, unable to look back at his tortured brother.
Orgo waited until the portal was closed, and then bellowed, "Rathro! Come here!"
The rabbit man came scuttling out from behind a boulder. He skidded to a stop and watched in horror as Orgo's body morphed into his incredibly gruesome four-armed demon form.
"W-what can I do f-for you, master?" Rathro the rabbit asked pathetically, bowing low to the ground.
"Remove that fool from the pit."
Rathro nodded and ran to pull the turtle out. He dragged him up to Orgo.
"You are released from your torture," Orgo said, his voice bored, "Change!"
The turtle nodded, and gasping, his form began to morph. Shortly, there was a sickly man slumped on the ground at Orgo's feet instead of a turtle.
"You must never use that Demon form again, do you understand?" Orgo's voice was very low and quiet.
The man nodded.
"If you do," orgo said, "You will be sent -back- to the pits, and absolutely nothing will save you from them."
The man nodded. "H-how am I supposed to get out of here?" he asked.
Orgo sneered and tore open a portal. "Go," he said. The man nodded and dove into the portal. Orgo shook his head and turned to Rathro. "Not a word of this," he said at his most ominous. He then made a portal of his own and was gone.
----
"I'm worried about Raph and Leo," Mike said.
"Me too," Splinter said. They have both been gone far too long.
"You don't think..." Mike couldn't say it.
"I hope not, my son."
"Maybe I should go look for them..." Mike wasn't sure he wanted to do that.
Splinter sighed, "Go and look, Michelangelo, but don't stray far. If indeed something has happened to them, It would be the end of me to have it happen to you."
Mike shook his head. I won't go far Master, and I'll take a phone with me. If anything weird happens, I'll call you."
Splinter nodded. Mike grabbed a phone and was heading out the door when he stopped abruptly. Then, after choking back a sob, he ran up to Splinter and gave him a hug.
"Don't worry master...I'm sure they're fine. And I'll be fine too."
With that, Mike hurried out of the lair, hoping against hope that nothing had happened to his two remaining brothers.
----
Don sat in his sparsely decorated living room, his mind focused on nothing but Gaia. Don was actually starting to feel better about his situation as Siyem.
"So, I only have to serve seven days out of the year? That's great....besides, what are the odds that I'll get someone bad? Maybe it won't happen too often."
[I hope not, for your sake, Donatello.]
"Well...I'll get over it, I hope. This was just my first time doing it. God...I just hope it doesn't happen much.." Don sighed.
[I know, Donatello. I....]
Don gasped and clutched his head....it felt as though his brain was being sucked out through his nose. He screamed in agony.
"Gaia! Gaia!" he yelled, but he could not hear her. The horrible feeling continued for several moments, but then, just as suddenly as it had started, it was gone.
"Gaia?" Don asked, but there was no response. He had an overwhelming feeling of depression and emptyness, and it took a few moments to realize why. Gaia was gone...he'd been cut off.
----
A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews. Unfortunately, after today the updates will not be coming as quickly. School has started, and I've got a very busy semester ahead of me. I will try my very hardest to write a chapter a week...I'll try to do two a week if I'm feeling particularly inspired, but I can't make any promises.
Thanks again to everyone who's been reading! My effort to update will truly be genuine.