That Which Prowls in the Dark of Night

The TMNT belongs to Mirage and other people not me.

Chapter 9: A Friend from the Past

An hour later the pair were peering out of a sewer grate at a small store front across the street.

"Miss Annie's Magic's and Mysticisms." Leonardo read the sign above the store, as he climbed out of the sewer.

"Well if she's undercover, it's not obvious," Michelangelo said puzzled. "But when Splinter and I were here there was a magic spell over the whole place."

"But that was within the dream," Leonardo explained helping his brother out of the manhole. "The spell might still be there, but because you're in the normal world you can't see it. Still we'll use that back window you told me about."

Michelangelo looked up at the store, and scratched his head. "But what about that cat thing that got me? I mean at first I couldn't touch it and then it nailed me."

Leonardo looked at Michelangelo quizzically. "You mean that it was physical and became a spirit while you were watching it?"

Michelangelo looked back at Leonardo and shrugged. "I don't know. I just know that it hit me."

"Hmmmmm," Leonardo thought. "We'll just have to be careful. Come on, lets -" A sudden sound interrupted Leonardo. They jumped up on a fire escape above the street, and looked down at the street below. To their shock and surprise, Casey Jones was storming down the street with an angry scowl across his face.

"Master Splinter must have woken him up!" Michelangelo whispered excitedly to Leonardo.

Leonardo smiled to himself thinking that his advice obviously helped. "He doesn't look happy." Leonardo observed. Together they watched as Casey went right into the store without hesitation.

"He knows what happened to Raph?" Michelangelo asked confused.

Leonardo wondered at that. "Let's sneak in the back, and see what he's doing here."

They both moved around to the back of the store, and slipped in an open window. As Leonardo got his first at the back of the magic shop, he wondered at the ancient artifacts scattered around the room. "This looks like one of your B grade horror movies."

Michelangelo grinned as he climbed into the window. "I noticed the last time I was here. Her basement is worse." He placed his feet on the ground, but then teetered and lowered his head as if he were about to faint.

"Mikey?" Leonardo instantly reached out to steady his brother. "You okay?"

"I...I think so," Michelangelo shook his head and looked up. "I was just dizzy for a moment." When Leonardo looked at him concerned, he said. "I'm okay."

Leonardo sighed pensively, but they were already here. "Okay, Mikey, but tell me if you start to get dizzy again." Michelangelo nodded reassuringly. Just then the pair heard Casey's voice from the other room.

"Whadda you mean no? Annie, your gonna–"

Leonardo and Michelangelo moved forward to where there was a curtain separating the back room from the front of the shop. Casey was there facing a petite girl with black hair and smokey blue grey eyes. She was dressed in blue jeans and a white T-shirt that had "Princess" written on it in lavender. Around her neck was a silver pentagram, and a small metallic red turtle on a gold chain.

"I am not going to free him, no matter what you say, Casey!" She was shouting back at their friend. "The moment I do that dekabor will come flying out of nowhere like a bat out of hell and snap him up! Do you really want to be responsible for a dekabor eating your best friend's soul and turning his body into a homicidal maniac who's first victim will most likely be you?"

Casey took a step back. His face lost its aggressiveness, and took on a more pensive and worried expression. "It's that bad?"

"It's so bad that if you didn't have that charm my grandfather put on you. I'd have spelled you too!" The girl said forcefully pointing at the bandage Casey always wore around his arm.

Casey reached out and touched the bandage gingerly. "Yeah if that charm of your grandad's was so powerful why did it let you nail me?"

"Casey has a magic charm on him?" Michelangelo whispered to Leonardo.

"Shhh," Leonardo hushed his brother

Annie rolled her eyes at Casey. "Because you lame brain, it doesn't stop magic. My grandfather wouldn't have shot himself in the foot like that. He had to keep you in line. That thing blocks evil magic, not white magic, and if you didn't have it, that thing might have eaten your soul for breakfast!"

Casey looked chagrined, but then he glared at her again. "So why didn't you give Raph a charm like this one?"

Annie glowered back at him. "Did you forget that my grandfather died last year? I'm only nineteen! He didn't teach me how to do most of the protections spells. The only way I knew of to protect Raphael was to bind his spirit to me, that way my powers are in him. The dekabor can't get him as long as I hold him."

"It still ain't fair!" Casey said. "Your gotta does something so you can take that spell off him!"

The bell on top of the door suddenly rang. Standing in the doorway was a young woman with short cropped black hair. She was wearing a pin-striped grey business suit. Both Leonardo and Michelangelo recognized her instantly.

"Sydney?" Leonardo said softly? Sure enough it was the girl who had once been the creature Quarry. She looked amazingly normal for someone who had been mutated by the Shredder's genetic scientists.

The witch nodded at Sydney and then glared at Casey. "I said no, now if you don't mind, I have a real customer." She pointed to the door. "Good day Casey."

Casey shook his finger at her as if she were a naughty child. "I'm not done with you yet Annie! I'll be back!" With that Casey stormed out of the shop.

Annie sighed relieved. Sydney stared after Casey as he slammed the door of the shop closed. "A dissatisfied customer?" She asked.

"Don't worry about him, Sydney." Annie said. "I can handle him." Then more concerned she asked. "How are you doing cuz?"

Sydney didn't appear very happy. "Not too good. Things have been crazy lately, and I'm afraid I'm going to lose control again. Did you get it finished?"

Annie smiled and took an amber necklace out from behind her counter. "Just like you ordered. This should block your projections."

Sydney examined the necklace. "Thanks Annie this will help a lot." She slipped the necklace over her head. "Yes," Sydney said relieved. "I can feel the difference. Nothing of mine is going to leak out of my head now."

Michelangelo and Leonardo looked at each other. "Leak out of her head?" Michelangelo whispered.

Leonardo shrugged. "That's what she said," Leonardo whispered back. "I wonder what she means."

Annie was admiring the necklace around her cousin's neck. "You know Sydney that wouldn't be necessary if you joined the white order."

That got Michelangelo's attention. "The white order?"

Sydney shook her head firmly at her cousin. "I told you and grandad before, Annie, I don't want to be in the order. I never wanted these gifts. I accepted grandfather's training to control my projections, but it's not good enough anymore."

"I know," Annie said sadly. "Ever since you reappeared, you've been having trouble controlling your psi projections. I wish you'd tell me what happened Sydney. I know I'm not granddad but maybe if you'd join the order together we'd find an answer."

"I...I can't Annie," Sydney insisted. "I know how you feel about granddad, but I just want a normal life. I just want to contain what I can do. I have no desire to use it."

Leonardo couldn't help himself. He glanced over at Michelangelo. Sydney's speech sounded very familiar.

"What?" Michelangelo hissed at his brother.

Annie sighed. "Okay Sydney, no pressure, but I still want to know where you were those three years you went missing. At least then we may figure out what boosted your projection ability."

Suddenly Leonardo was paying very close attention. Boosted? Maybe what boosted Sydney's psychic power is the same thing that's making Mikey have those dreams again. He glanced back over at Michelangelo who seemed to be under some kind of stress. Sweat was beginning to bead up on his forehead and his breathing was becoming labored.

"Mikey?" Leonardo whispered.

"Leo?" Michelangelo managed to struggle out. "Leo, what the shell is wrong with me? I feel as if my brain is on fire!" He clasped his hands to his head in pain. Leonardo reached out to support Michelangelo, and found his skin hot to the touch. That was wrong. They were cold blooded. They couldn't even get a fever. They got cold when they were sick, not hot. Leonardo wasn't sure what he could do.

Michelangelo couldn't keep in hiding any longer he was having trouble staying on his knees. Leonardo drew Michelangelo up into his lap, and did the only thing he could think of doing.

"Sidney! Sidney Its Leo! I need help!"

Coming Soon Chapter 10 More Visions:

"No . . . " Michelangelo muttered shaking his head. His eyes were still fixed on the crystal before him, but somehow Leonardo knew that Michelangelo was talking to them. "No! It's there. That dekabor jell-O thing! If Raph breaks the spell now . . . "

"It's waiting for him to break the spell!" Annie said. Her hands went to the pendent at her throat. "Like a trapdoor spider, the moment he's free the dekabor will strike." Suddenly the pendent under her fingers flared a bright red. Annie closed her eyes and began chanting under her breath.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but Annie, don't let go of him." Leonardo said with a shudder. He knew how angry Raphael could get. He didn't really understand magic. Master Splinter had explained a little bit about magic to him, and he knew that it had a lot to do with will power. He wondered if Raphael's temper would give him enough will power to break Annie's hold on his soul.

Annie seemed to be struggling with holding the pendent. "He's . . . he's so angry I . . . I don't know if I can hold on to him!"

"Annie you've got to!" Leonardo insisted.

"Leo, Annie isn't a fully trained witch!" Sydney explained. "She can't generate the power necessary to hold Raph in the pendant! It's like some kind of mental tug of war. Only the stronger will is going to win."

"A tug of war?" Michelangelo said. Leonardo blinked in surprise. He didn't know that Michelangelo was aware of what was going on in the room. Michelangelo looked from Annie to the crystal and then back again. "Of course!"