Hi, everybody! I'm back, and am bringing you another chapter of this story!

DISCLAIMER: TT and TMNT are not mine, although I do wish they were.

Chapter 15: The Final Preparations!

The events at the tower had been nothing but preparation for the final battle. Planning, gathering information, training...everything was done in preparation for the final battle against Slade and Shredder. The Titans were ready, as were the Turtles. Casey had come by, and offered to help, as well. They had gathered that they were to head to an old warehouse, that had, unknown to anyone, had been slowly reworked on the inside to be much more like a lair. They had been training and preparing themselves for anything, and they were still doing that, slowly getting more and more ready. One night, while deep in meditation, Leonardo sensed something out of the ordinary, yet familiar.

'What could this be?' he thought.

'Leonardo...' said this presence. Leonardo gasped.

'Master Splinter!' he yelled mentally.

'Yes, my son. It is I. Gather your brothers, as well as the Titans, around a fire. I shall contact you all.' said Splinter.

'As you wish, Master Splinter.' said Leonardo, and he went into the tower to get his brothers and friends.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, somewhere in a chamber of a building, modeled very much like a dungeon, Splinter stood, chained by his arms and legs to the wall, looking disheveled and uncared for. He had just used the connection between himself and his students to contact Leonardo, and it tired him greatly, but he had to bear the burden for the next contact with all of them. He heard a voice to his left.

"Were you able to contact them?" the voice asked. Splinter turned his head and looked at Raven, also chained up with chains of glowing white energy, as well as a metal bar around her head. She bore scrapes and scratches across her body.

"Yes. I contacted Leonardo, and he shall gather the others." he replied.

Splinter and her had woken up inside the dungeon, and they had both struggled against their captors, but they attacked these special shackles upon Raven, putting a stop on her powers, and Splinter's age was starting to catch up with him, so he was overwhelmed by their numbers, and was forcibly chained like Raven.

"Thank you. Normally, I would have done this, rather than straining you, but..." she trailed off, shifting her gaze to the chains she was in. Splinter shook his head slowly.

"It is no trouble. It is things like this that keep me from becoming an immobile old fool." replied Splinter calmly, almost jokingly, yet his voice showed his fatigue.

"So...what do we do now?" she asked.

"We simply wait. I will know when Leonardo has gathered them." he said, and silence fell between them.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the roof of Titans Tower, Leonardo had indeed gathered the Titans and his brothers, and even Casey, around a fire, and they sat around its crackling form.

"Leo, if you dragged us out here for nothing..." warned Raphael.

"No sweat, Raph. I came prepared!" said Donatello, pulling out a bag of marshmallows.

"Put those away." Leonardo commanded. "Now, everyone, close your eyes and focus." he said, assuming his mediatative stance, and the others copied him, focusing on emptying their minds, even BeastBoy.

While their eyes were closed, the fire began to flicker and increase in strength, all the while turning into a dark blue color. Not opening their eyes, they began to feel a familiar presence among them, and that presence manifested itself in an image of Splinter hovering above the fire, looking down upon them all.

"Greetings, my sons, and my friends. You have learned the most valuable lesson of all: that not all battles are won my mere strength of the body, but by the strength of the heart and mind. Titans, do not despair, for Raven is here next to me, and we are so far relatively unscathed. But I must warn you, the trials to be come will be very difficult. Only through teamwork will you succeed and defeat your enemies. I will leave you with what may be my final words to you. My sons, I am very proud of what you have become. Titans, I am glad you have accepted us, and gave me what were some of the best days of my life. I love you all, and I trust in your strength." it said, and faded out, as the fire crackled down to normal, and everyone opened their eyes.

"Master Splinter..." said Leonardo. Donatello had tears falling from his eyes, and Michelangelo patted him on the back, trying to comfort him. Raphael and Casey were silent, with their heads down in respect and sadness. Starfire was holding on to a remorse-looking Robin, and was quite audibly crying.

"Man..." muttered Cyborg, looking down.

"Dude...we got to help him..." said BeastBoy, looking like he was fighting back tears himself.

"Tomorrow, we will go to where they are hiding, and start the battle against them. Tonight, we shall make our final preparations. We can't betray Master Splinter's trust." said Leonardo, standing up and looking determined. Everyone looked up, and nodded resolutely. "For Master Splinter and Raven." he said, holding his arm out. Robin, Casey, Raphael, BeastBoy, Starfire, Donatello, Michelangelo, and then Cyborg each put their hands on top of his, forming their own pact with each other.

"For Master Splinter and Raven." they all chanted back, and lowered their arms, and went inside to make their preparations for the final battle with Slade and Shredder.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Well, I think I really did good this time! I tried to make this chapter kind of emotional, but I'm not sure how well I did. Would you mind telling me how well I did?

Looks like the final battle is drawing near...I hope I make it good to you guys!

R&R, and the next chapter will come faster! Later!