Chapter 13 Raphael in the mermaids Den
Within the hour Raphael lost his sense of direction completely. His sense of up, down, north, south, east and west was completely gone. He had no idea where he was and no idea of how far they were traveling. He knew the temple had to be close for Michelangelo to make day trips, but not knowing his location was starting to worry him.
"Hey how much further is it?" He asked Sylvia as she pulled him along.
"Not far," She answered with a grin. If the water was clearer you could see it now.
"Sylvia," Lillian called out, "Look!"
Raphael turned to look and saw a pair of bottle nosed dolphins speeding towards them. Sylvia stared at the dolphins with a slight frown. "Why only two?" She asked.
"Well now we know Murial's on watch," Michelangelo said as the dolphins came closer. "The day she sends me help will be the day the oceans in Hawaii freeze over."
Lillian sighed and rolled her eyes, but did not argue with that statement. "Jeri, Panama, please help Michelangelo and his brother. Sylvia and I can swim on our own."
Michelangelo grinned in anticipation. "You got it girlfriend. I'll take care of Raph. I've got my gizmo on me."
With a smile Lillian said, "Very well my friend, catch up!" With that she took the younger mermaid's hand, dropped Raphael's hand, and swam off.
"No wait! I can't breath!" Raphael said panicked, but Michelangelo grabbed onto Raphael's wrist.
"Don't worry bro, Everything's cool. Remember that stuff Siv's got for me? The pearl lets us both breath underwater. Just grab on to me and your finny friend there and we're off!"
Raphael took an experimental breath. Sure enough he could still breathe. He did as he was told reaching out with his free hand, and getting a good grip on the dorsal fin of the dolphin who was waiting patiently. Once he was secure the two dolphins nodded to each other, pumped their large flukes, and sped off in the direction of the mermaids."
Seconds later his head came to the surface of the water. He found himself in a huge round chamber. On a bridge overlooking the water he was in were standing twenty women. On the edge of the water sat Sylvia and Lillian. Raphael hoisted himself up to the side where the two mermaids sat. Michelangelo got out of the water, stood up, and bowed before an elderly woman. She had deep set green brown eyes and rich brown hair that was beginning to go grey. She was dressed in a long flowing blue skirt with a simple blouse of sky blue and sliver.
Raphael looked at this seemingly frail and elderly mermaid, and was rocked to his very core. The power he always felt from Lillian, and a little bit from Sylvia radiated from this mermaid like a sun. He knew, without a doubt anything she wanted he would do instantly. No amount of understanding why this was so would make him resist. He didn't even want to. He loved her instantly, and knew that she loved him as well.
"Welcome my young friend," She said. Her voice was exciting and calming at the same time. All Raphael could do was nod back a greeting. She smiled and then turned her attention to Michelangelo. "It is high time that you brought one of your brothers here below."
Michelangelo gave his brother a wry amused glance. "He wouldn't let me go alone." He offered Raphael a hand up and placed him before the elderly mermaid. "Benten, this is Raphael. Raph, this is Benten."
Raphael wasn't sure what to say or think at first. Totally taken aback he managed to sputter out a, "Uh hi," then he remembered his manners and bowed.
Benten smiled warmly, and placed her hand on his shoulder. "There is no need to be afraid, Raphael. You and your brother are welcome here."
Just like that Raphael felt his fear wash away. He was still a little nervous and apprehensive, but now there was a sensation of safety and acceptance that made him smile and relax.
"Unfortunately, we have some bad news." Benten said. "The Foot have been tracking the four of you since you entered the water. They have been following you."
"I told you they would bring their enemies to us!" An elderly mermaid with slate grey hair said from behind Benten.
Michelangelo glared at the one mermaid then turned back to Benten. "Are you sure? We had to have out swam them."
"They are tracking you still," the grey haired mermaid said sternly. She reached out to Michelangelo, and pulled a small sliver of crystal from a seam in his head band. "See this is the object they are using to find us, Benten! Your little pet has spelled our doom."
"Sorry to burst your bubble, lady, but our brother Don planted that on Mike when he started sneaking off to see you people." Raphael said, folding his arms over his plastron. "The Shredder doesn't even know about those crystal things."
The grey haired mermaid glared down at Raphael. "Are you so sure of that?" She asked.
Michelangelo snatched the crystal in her hands. "We could always ask The Oracle. She'll tell us if the Shredder's tracking this thing or not." Without waiting for an answer Michelangelo walked past all the mermaids. Benten and the others followed behind. Raphael had to run to catch up.
They entered a circular chamber that was lit only by a silver glowing ball in the center of the room. Around the ball was a marble and silver rail that the sphere hovered above, glowing a steady, bright warm light.
Michelangelo and the mermaids circled the railing. Raphael, who was at the tail of the line, moved forward to stand between his brother and the Mermaid leader Benten. Silvia stood at her grandmother's other side. To Raphael's surprise, Michelangelo placed his hands together and bowed respectfully to the glowing orb. "I call upon The Oracle, who sees what cannot be seen and knows what no one knows."
The orb in the center of the room brightened. "Welcome, Michelangelo," A woman's voice said warmly, filling the chamber. "I know why you are here."
Raphael backed up in shock. "What the shell?" He asked, but Benten and Sylvia hushed him.
Michelangelo smiled, and giggled at the light. "I figured you did, Oracle. Now would you please tell Murial that the Foot are not tracking me?"
"Of course, Michelangelo," the orb replied. "The Foot are not tracking you."
"See!" Michelangelo grinned triumphantly back to Murial who scowled back at him.
However, the Oracle was not finished. "The Foot are tracking Lillian," she said.
That made every turtle and mermaid in the room turn to the orb in confusion. "What?" They all cried in unison.
"The Foot are tracking Lillian." The Oracle repeated. "There is an electronic device hidden within the hilt of her knives. The sound it produces is luring The Foot to the temple.
"Lemme see," Raphael said holding his hands out to Lillian. Lillian handed over the knives and in a few seconds he had found the bugs. "The Shredder must have bugged your knives when he had you and our brothers prisoner."
"So it is your fault," Murial, the grey haired mermaid said with a sneer.
"Peace," Benten said, slightly cross. "Placing blame does not solve our current problem. The Foot are coming, and we need to plan a strategy." She turned to The Oracle. "Good Oracle, please tell us how we may defend our home from these outsiders."
The Oracle flared to life showing images of the Shredders' forces on the surface beginning their dive. The images showed the Shredder above, coordinating the activities with the strange woman who they had seen at his side earlier. Along side of her was a younger woman also in the purple and black.
"It is our ancient enemy Badb who has turned The Shredder's attention to what can be found below the sea," The Oracle said. "They have split the forces into four waves of attacks. The final attack Badb shall lead. In the second attack her assistant shall lead. In order to succeed we must keep Badb from her objective."
Benten sighed. "And what does Badb desire?" She asked The Oracle.
From next to him Raphael heard Michelangelo mutter, "as if we didn't know."
"Badb seeks the Rhinegold," The Oracle explained. "It must be kept from her for if she places the ring upon her finger she shall bring her doom upon her."
"She can bring her doom upon herself, Oracle," Michelangelo said. "But I'd rather the rest of us not be taken for the ride."
"Agreed," Benten said, placing a hand on Michelangelo's shoulder. "We must defend the temple, and keep the Rhinegold from Badb at all costs." She turned her attention back to the Oracle. "How do the Shredder's forces intend to attack us?"
The Oracle glowed with activity "When The Foot reach the Temple they shall drill into the garden chamber adjacent to the menagerie. From there the only access available to them is the –"
"The great hall," Benten finished. There is the antechamber that separates the gardens and the menagerie from the great hall. There they can be contained. If the Foot reach the great hall then they have access to the rest of the temple, and can split up."
"So all we need are two or three warriors here at the antechamber and they can practically hold of(21) the entire Foot!" Michelangelo said excitedly.
"Mermaids are not warriors,' Murial said haughtily.
"There could have been warriors here," Michelangelo said frowning at Murial. "I mean there are warriors in Australia, Japan, and around Africa and South America. Why don't you have them here"
"We don't need warriors here," Murial said. "This is a modern city. Or should I say we didn't need warriors here, until you started showing up."
"Enough!" Benten said crossly. "We shall learn from this oversight, but we shall not squabble like humans.
"I can hold off the foot from that room," Raphael said firmly.
"We both can!" Michelangelo added.
"We cannot possibly spare you," Murial said with the barest hint of sarcasm. "You know these Foot creatures, and we will need you to strategize.
Michelangelo frowned instantly. "Raph doesn't know anything about the temple, I should be with him."
Murial's voice oozed contempt. "Are you saying that your brother cannot handle being alone in The Temple, Michelangelo?"
Raphael frowned. He knew there was some hostility between Michelangelo and this Murial, but he wasn't sure why. At the moment he felt as if he were a pawn in some strange kind of power struggle. Murial's comment about not handling being alone would have normally made him angry, and he would have insisted he could handle anything, but he knew that there was something else going on here that he didn't understand. So he kept his comments to himself, and watched Michelangelo and the mermaids argue.
"I can stand with Raphael," Lillian said firmly. "I can fight,"
"Yes, yes but you are our only scout," Murial said smoothly. "You were above as well We need your input. "
"Benten!" Michelangelo protested.
The elder mermaid sighed sadly, and patted Michelangelo's shell gently. "I know, my young friend, but Murial is right. We have no others skilled enough to stand by his side." She turned to give Raphael a long measuring look. "Show him the antechamber to the gardens and menagerie, and warn him about the hazards." Benten then gave orders to the rest of her colony. "The rest of you shall spread out throughout the temple. I know you are all skilled enough to fight one foe at a time. Raphael is skilled at battling many. Remember these are ninja assassins. Take care, my people. Murial, ready the temple's defenses. I shall go, and release the Liplurodon."
Michelangelo gasped at that. "You're setting free the Lipo?"
Benten nodded. "Our home is under siege. The Liplurodon may cut down on some of our enemies. Lillian, warn our charges that the Liplurodon is loose, and they must stay in their homes."
"Yes Benten," Lillian said.
Benten sighed with relief then said, "Sylvia you are to lock yourself in the deepest part of your chambers under the water line, and stay there until you are called for."
Sylvia's face fell instantly. "But Grandmother, I want to stay with Raphael. I could -"
"Absolutely not," Benten said sternly. "Raphael will not have the time to spare to protect you. He will be holding off the majority of the Foot warriors."
Sylvia was about to protest again, when the Oracle flared again. "Michelangelo! Your brothers are searching the seas for you. They shall find the temple after the first wave of Foot Amazons arrive. The image in the Oracle's sphere showed both Leonardo and Donatello putting on some odd type of scuba gear in preparation for their dive.
"Oh man!" Michelangelo said with a sigh. "Talk about the Calvary coming too late!"
"See!" Sylvia insisted. "You need me. Who's going to guide them if they show up during the fight! They don't know anything about the Temple."
Michelangelo rolled his eyes and took Sylvia gently by the shoulders. "Siv, The Foot play for keeps! It's way too dangerous for you to be swimming around loose when they show up! Now get to your rooms girlfriend." When it looked as if Sylvia would argue more, Michelangelo said, "Siv, Benten and I won't be able to do what we have to do unless you're safe."
Sylvia looked deeply into Michelangelo's eyes and sighed. "Okay Mike, I'll do what you want." She said sounding defeated.
Michelangelo hugged her quickly. "That's my girl." With a quick wink and a grin he turned to Benten. "I'm gonna take Raph and set him up by the menagerie. I'll meet you back in the Oracle Chamber."
Benten nodded, and allowed Michelangelo to lead Raphael away. Once he was sure they weren't going to be overheard Raphael said, "Okay Mikey what's really going on. What's between you and that mermaid Murial?"
Michelangelo sighed as he turned a corner. "Murial isn't thrilled with me for lots of reasons. She's always trying to find reasons to blame me for things and to bring me down. She's trying to find a reason to get rid of me."
Raphael digested this slowly as he looked at the white limestone and marble halls. Along the sides of the areas were canals, much like the runoff tubes down in the sewers. Every now and then he would see a fish, a seal or a mermaid swim by. "So what's the big deal about me being alone down here?" He asked.
Michelangelo sighed pensively. "It's kinda complicated. It's just that sometimes the temple has a mind of its own." Michelangelo looked at him directly. "You liked it when Lillian calmed you down, right?"
At the very mention of his meeting with Lillian Raphael smiled. He couldn't help himself. "Yeah," he said warmly.
Michelangelo nodded thoughtfully. "The temple kinda does stuff like that too, but you can't let it get in your head."
"Why not?" Raphael asked curious.
Michelangelo's expression told Raphael that Michelangelo knew what he wanted to say but he didn't have the words to express himself. "You just can't," Michelangelo said finally. "Trust me on this bro. Listening to the temple when it starts singing is just asking for trouble."
Raphael finally shrugged. "Okay Mikey if you say so."
They stopped at an area with several pools and more pillars of white stone. Michelangelo looked around carefully before he said anything. "Okay if the Oracle is right, and she's always right, The Foot are gonna come out of the menagerie there, or the gardens over there." Michelangelo pointed down two different tunnels. "If Don and Leo show up they'll probably come in through the menagerie too. So watch out for them, and stay away from the edges of the water."
"How come?" Raphael asked.
Michelangelo simply pointed into the water. Something huge and grey swam idly by. As it passed Raphael saw a head that was about the size of Leather head's entire body, and its mouth was full of teeth.
"What the shell is that?" Raphael asked.
"That's Benten's Lipo." Michelangelo said. "Don probably knows a lot about it. The mermaids use them for guard dogs. All I know is that it's big, ugly and not picky about what it eats. "
"Gotcha," Raphael said nervously. The large aquatic reptile in the water looked at him as if eyeing him up for a meal, then swam away. Raphael stifled a shudder.
Michelangelo looked at Raphael one more time and frowned pensively. "Are you sure your going to be okay alone here, Raph?"
Raphael relaxed that it was something so simple. "Sure thing Mikey, go back with the others I'll be fine here." He said. He wondered what Michelangelo knew that was making him worry so much, but Raphael was sure he'd be okay."
Michelangelo looked as if he was going to say something else but then just finished with. "Be careful, bro," and instead of running back the way he came he dove into a pool of water away from the Liplurodon, and swam away.
Raphael looked confused at a moment. He then realized that Michelangelo probably knew his way around here in and out of the water, and he shouldn't be concerned about how Michelangelo knew where he was going.
Raphael waited. There was a soft steady humming around the room, but he ignored it. He had a feeling this was what Michelangelo meant by the temple singing. He wondered what was so terrible about listening to the sound, but he trusted Michelangelo when he said it would cause trouble.
Twice more as he waited he saw the giant Liplurodon creature swim by. Raphael kept away from the edges of the water, and watched it warily as the giant reptile made its patrols.
Finally he heard a grating sound against the walls. Raphael ran up to the entryway to the Menagerie and peered in. In the Menagerie were pools of waters with different types of sea creatures. It amazed Raphael that the mermaids had been doing all this right under Staten Island, and no one even had a clue.
Suddenly female Foot Tech Ninjas began to pour out of one of the nearby pools in the menagerie. Beautiful giant leatherback sea turtles moved forward and began to push the invasive Foot Ninjas out of their pool. One of the Foot Tech Amazons raised her halberd to strike down the poor creature.
Raphael in one leap managed to get between the ninja and her target. "No picking on the relatives," he said as he began to fight the hoard of female Foot Tech Ninjas. One of them tried to attack him from behind, but he sensed her coming, and flipped her over his head. Another tried to come after him with a sword, but he easily disarmed her, and threw her back into the water. A third tried to charge him head long. He managed to stop her cold with a handstand kick to her solar plexus.
The strange humming of the walls of the temple was providing a melody for this strange combative ballet. Raphael found that if he attacked in time with the tune it seemed to make his punches more effective. The temple droned on steadily with its odd melody, and Raphael found himself stronger, and more able to defend the temple. He had no idea how the song of this building was getting into his blood and into his brain. It felt fantastic. He was powerful, faster than he ever was before. Nothing could hurt him. The Foot Tech Amazons couldn't even touch him. This was more than just an ordinary battle high. Raphael felt invincible. Nothing and no one was going to get past him to invade his temple.
When the last of the Foot Amazons were knocked out, Raphael sensed another intruder in his temple. Without stopping to think about it he turned around to attack this new threat.
Coming soon Chapter 14 Leo and Don in the Mermaid's Den
Leonardo backed up from his opponent into Raphael's fighting circle. To his surprise his brother took a swing at him with his sai.
"Raph, watch out!" Leonardo shouted annoyed. Raphael didn't appear to hear him. He just turned and attacked another Foot Tech Amazon.
"Leo, something is wrong with him," Donatello called as he swung his bo knocking two of the last Foot down. "I don't think he really saw you."
Donatello's tone made Leonardo mentally translate the word "saw" to "recognize." That made him wonder about what the little mermaid had said. He knocked out the last Foot Tech Amazon, and began to turn to face Raphael when he found himself blocking an attack from his own brother.
"Raph!" Donatello shouted reproachfully, but it was as if Raphael didn't even hear him. He simply continued to go after Leonardo at full force. As he was blocking the bows Leonardo looked into his brother's eyes and only then understood. Raphael was in come sort of trance, and didn't know Leonardo for who he was.
"Raph, it's me, Leo!" he shouted as he fought back trying not to harm Raphael. "Snap out of it!"
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