FINISHED! Thanks to everyone who ever sent in a review. It was greatly appreciated. Although the next time I do this, I'm gonna have the whole story written out first. Then, I'll post. I hope you all enjoyed this. As always, please read and review. Comments and criticisms are always welcome.
And on a final note: Special thanks go out to Lunar Ninja for proofreading all my writings. If you haven't read her stuff yet, you should. It's pretty cool.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Raphael awoke to a severe pounding in his head. "Oh man," he groaned. "What the heck hit me? A semi truck?" He tried to move his hands to hold his head but found that he couldn't. His hands were chained to the wall behind him as he kneeled forward on his knees. Or at least he assumed it was a wall. His eyes were covered with a clothe material so he couldn't see where he was.
"So, it can talk." Came a sinister sounding voice.
Raphael heard another voice. This one didn't sound that smart. "I want to see its face."
"No you fool! Ryu said not to." Came the first voice. "He said the freak can move things if he can see them." Raphael growled at that word.
"What are we supposed to do with him?"
"Just what Ryu said to do, of course." Raphael didn't like where the conversation was headed. "Kill him. But first, we get to play with it." If Raphael didn't have a blind fold on he would have seen and evil smile to go with the voice. He also would have seen the tire iron the man was wielding.
Before Raphael could think about how to get out this situation an incredible pain surged through his body. All he could do was scream.
"AAAAAUUUUGGGGHHHH!"
Ryu's two men looked on in shock at what happened next. Raphael's body began to change. First to sand, then to stone and finally fire. As all of this happened, Raphael found himself locked inside his mind.
He was floating in darkness when the pain hit. It was excruciating. His arms and legs stretched out, his back straight and his head thrown back. When the first wave of pain was over, he curled up into a ball, thankful for the relief. He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"It will all be over soon Raphael. Just a few seconds more and the transformation will be complete."
"It hurts Kagu," he whimpered. "I've never felt pain like this before. Make it stop. Please make it stoooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!"
He screamed again as the second wave of pain hit him. This time his body felt heavy, too heavy to move. He just hung there, screaming.
Again, Kagu tried to comfort him. "It's almost finished. Soon this will be over, I promise. There is only one more stage and then you are done." The old warrior whispered softly to the turtle. He knew this was painful.
As the second wave passed, Raphael looked up at Kagu. "Ren, is she……..?" He couldn't finish.
"She is going through her transformation as well. It will only take a matter of seconds. Please do not worry. Okami is with her."
Raphael could only nod. He wanted so badly to say something but he couldn't as the third wave of pain swept over him. This one was the worst.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ren screamed. She was curled up inside her mind, crying, begging Okami for it to be over.
"Be strong, child." She whispered. "You're almost through. Just one more time and it will be finished. All that I am and have will be yours."
Outside her mind, three turtles, a rat, and two humans looked on in horror at what happened. In a matter of seconds, Rens body underwent and unbelievable change. First she was no longer solid, but water. Then she became like air. Finally, her body turned to ice.
"Okami," she whispered. "Don't go, please"
"Hush child. It will be alright. Kagu and I will be reunited with our family. It is our time to go. You are the daughter I always wanted and I will miss you. But you will be fine. Both of you will. Take care of each other. I am proud of you Ren."
With Okami's final words, she disappeared. Ren's body lowered to the floor as a blue light surrounded her. She opened her eyes and looked up to see everyone staring at her.
"Are you alright?" her father asked her.
Ren stood up. She understood everything now. How to control her power and all that she could do. "I'm fine father." She answered. "Now," she looked at the three turtles, "Let's stop Ryu."
Leo nodded at her and they ran into the chaos that had consumed the street outside.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
After the final wave of pain was over, Raphael felt a surge of energy. Without a moments hesitation he pulled his arms from shackles that held him to the wall. Standing up, he pulled away at the clothe that covered his eyes. Before him were two of the goons that had jumped him in the alleyway. Raphael eyed the one with the tire iron. It was the same one he had managed to knock down earlier. He took one look at Raphael and dropped the tire iron. This time he pulled out a gun and aimed it the turtle.
Raphael grinned.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The streets were filled with madness as Ryu's men swept through. They were taking every thing they could get their hands on. Those that managed to resist were beaten, no attention was paid to their age or gender. Ryu instructed his men to take everything, no matter who it was. He grinned evilly as he watched his men at work.
Leonardo saw one of Ryu's men attacking an elderly couple. They had broken into their home and were destroying everything in sight. The couple tried to resist but were not strong enough. "Mikey, keep an eye on Akio and Yasuo! Donnie! Stay with Ren! I'm going forward to stop those guys!" Leo pointed with his sword to where he was headed and took off.
Donatello and Ren worked together. Ren used her ability to control air to hover over Don. As he would set them up, Ren would knock them over with a gust of wind. She kept an eye out for the other turtles as well and was able to clear a path for them as they ran about trying to stop Ryu's men.
"Ren!"
"What Donatello?" Ren looked down from the spot where she was floating.
"Can you see Ryu from where you're!" he shouted over the noise.
"He's over to the left! By Leo!"
"Mikey! Leo! Over here!" He shouted to his brothers.
Ren cleared a path for the other two turtles. "Go Michelangelo" instructed Splinter. "I will stay with Akio and Yasuo"
Michelangelo nodded and joined his two brothers and Ren.
"Akio" Yasuo called. "Go and Hide." He looked at Splinter. "I will not leave your sons or my daughter to fight my battle."
Splinter nodded to Yasuo as he grabbed the broom, breaking the handle off of it. "We shall fight together." Splinter responded.
Splinter and Yasuo ran into the street, knocking down anyone in their way. They made their way to where the others were. Akio made his way to back of the restaurant, hiding inside one of the cabinets.
"Ryu!" screamed Ren. "You are finished." She nodded to Leonardo who broke the end off of a fire extinguisher. Ren used her ability to direct the water and freeze it beneath the truck Ryu was riding in. As some of Ryu's men slipped and fell, she made the ice form into shackles to hold them down. Everyone else formed a circle of protection around her.
Ryu calmly got out of the vehicle and stared at Ren and began to walk towards her. The remainder of his men began to close in around everyone.
"Ren," he stated smoothly. "You haven't learned by now that I control everything? Give up this fight. Join me and I will give you whatever you want."
"No."
"Very well. You have left me with no choice." Ryun nodded to one of his men and one of them threw a cocktail into the window of the restaurant.
"No! Akio!" screamed Yasuo. He tried to get to his son but was held back by Ryu's men.
"And now for you dear Ren. If I can't have you then no one can. You can be mine or die." Ryu was pointing a gun at Ren.
Donatello threw his staff at Ryu but wasn't fast enough. The gun went off and struck Ren. She fell to the ground.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" a voiced screamed loud and clear. Everyone looked up to see a large figure land in front of them. He was engulfed in flames. As the figure rose, the flames died down. Ryu recognized him and was surprised to see him alive.
"My men were ordered to kill you. I guess I will have to rectify their mistake." This time he pointed the gun at Raphael.
"Go ahead," Raphael smiled, almost sadistically.
Ryu reconsidered his actions. "No. Apparently this didn't work on you before, so……."
He pointed the gun at Michelangelo, who was standing over Ren. "Your little family," he spat, "will pay for your insolence." And Ryu pulled the trigger. BANG!
Michelangelo jumped at the sound. He was surprised that he didn't feel anything then he realized why. Ryu was holding his hand in pain. The gun had exploded in his hand. Raphael had concentrated on heating up the bullets inside the gun, causing the weapon to explode in Ryu's hand.
Raphael strode up to Ryu and growled at him.
"Who…. What are you?" Ryu whispered. His voice giving away his fear.
Raphael grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up. "I am Raphael, Ninja Turtle. I am the God of Fire reborn, what was once Kagu Tsuchi I now am. These people are under my protection. You will leave them alone or you.. will.. die.."
"Never!" Ryu screamed at him. Raphael never flinched.
"Your choice." Raphael stated. He growled again and soon a pillar of flame built up in swirls around them until the two figures were engulfed in flame. The heat was so intense it caused everyone to back up. Within a matter of seconds the flames died down. Raphael was the only one left standing. A pile of ashes at his feet.
Remaining silent, Raphael placed his hands together and then pulled them apart. As he did the ground below them shook and opened up. Ryu's ashes fell into the cracks. Raphael turned to look at the remainder of Ryu's men. "You got five seconds to leave or you can join yer boss!" Ryu's men left immediately.
"Raph! The building." Leo pointed. " Akio is in there!" Again, Yasuo tried to run into the building to rescue his son but this time he was held back by two turtles.
Raphael nodded and held his arms out. The flames that were attacking the restaurant now eagerly joined their master. He took a moment to breathe then expelled the flames into the air above him. Michelangelo and Donatello released Yasuo and he ran into the building after his son. Luckily Akio was hiding in a section that had not been touched by the flames yet.
Raphael walked up to Ren and gently rubbed her cheek. He felt Splinter's hand on his shoulder.
"The bullet merely grazed her forehead. She will be fine."
"She fought well," Leo added.
Raphael gently scooped her up, "That's my Water Lily. She's tougher than she looks." He carried her into the house behind the restaurant.
Three days later……………
Repairs were well under way. The cost for fixing everything was paid for with the money Ryu had amassed over time. The remaining money was evenly divided between those who had suffered under his extortion methods.
After a phone call with a lengthy explanation, April and Casey arrived to pick up the turtles and their father. As per the turtles request, their departure was uneventful, save for some decadent treats sent back by Yasuo. As they got ready to leave, Ren walked out where the van was. She hugged each turtle and said goodbye. Akio did the same. Yasuo bowed to Splinter. Splinter smiled and bowed back.
Ren looked at Raphael he touched the small scar that was appearing on her forehead. They held each other for a moment and the air stirred around them. As they parted, they both smiled. Ren giggled while Raphael chuckled for a moment. No one was sure why.
The ride home was only a few hours long and Mikey made sure that April and Casey knew every detail of what happened. His brothers interjected with their own statements as April and Casey asked questions. Splinter noticed that Raphael did not say a word on the way home. Raphael felt him looking and just nodded and smiled at his sensei. The gesture was returned.
Raphael was still quiet when they returned home. Life went back to what could be considered normal for four mutant turtles and a mutant rat. Raphael's temper still continued to flare up, but he still made efforts to control it. Splinter held true to his word and Michelangelo was grounded. He was confined to his room with the exception of practice and dinner.
Raphael quietly walked past his youngest brother door and slipped something underneath it. He kept walking and was ready to leave the lair.
"Hey Raph. Where are you going at this hour?" Leonardo's voice piped up.
"Out. That okay which you?" he shot back.
Leonardo was about to say something when Donatello whispered into his ear. "Just be careful okay?" was all the eldest said.
Surprised, all Raph could do was nod in agreement.
He made his way through the tunnels to an opening. The wind blew up and whipped around him. He smiled.
Miss you. He heard a voice whisper.
Miss you too. He whispered back.
Meanwhile back at the lair Michelangelo was very happily coloring in the first installment of The Turtle Torch and his sidekick Matchstick Mikey. It was a very pleasant grounding.