Disclaimer: I really don't own any of the turtles. Seriously, they're the only four in this story I don't own. But if you're talking Naicro or Kiara, they're both mine.

A/N: I finished that Haradris World map. It's currently sitting happily on my homepage. (growls) I'm currently trying to break my habit of chicken-pecking on the keyboard, so if any of you happen to see a misspelled word, blame my fingers and eyes who can't work together correctly to save their lives. And about Don and Raph's segment...so sue me. I'm getting sick. The room spins whenever I get up. Same with Mikey's. The only reason Leo's is so long is because I had a burst of inspiration. Typing makes me dizzy now. I had felt the need to submit this before I veg out before the TV playing the TMNT Movie (yes, I did finally rent it, along with the second one).

8.

After Leo had satisfied his thunderous stomach's roars of hunger with some strange (yet extremely tasty) Haradrian form of pancakes and hash browns, the turtle felt drowsy. The room started to blur a bit. Guess this is what is feels like to be full, he muttered to himself, cutting back an enormous belch. The repercussion, however, still reached Dakari's long ears. The rabbit grinned and rolled his bright blue eyes as Leo sourly mouthed 'What?' in indignation as his bowel section began making satisfied rumbles, a sure sign digestion was beginning.

"You truly are loud after you are finished with a large meal, Leonardo," he teased mercilessly, lacing his fingers together and smiling suggestively at the turtle from the other side of the thick wood table. Leo grunted and stayed silent for the sake of his dignity, moving his tail under his chair to protect from gunghir feet, even though they wore no shoes; their leathery soles were tough enough to hurt a limb lying unprotected on the floor. "I gather from your intestinal noises that you have not eaten for some time. Am I correct?" The turtle glared at him as he chuckled behind his dark gray hands. He didn't trust himself to try and talk for fear a burp would bubble up and explode without warning.

The mess hall noises were distracting at most. Metallic clatters erupted from the kitchen every now and then, signaling a hurried washing of plates and trays. The smells wafting from the buffet-like counter were warm and made Leo think of Mike's cooking. Always when he was in his room writing another journal entry in his battered blue book, wonderful smells came to interrupt his train of thought. It didn't matter if he was hungry or not, somehow the smell of Mike's cooking summoned his hidden craving for food.

"Your eyelids are drooping, Leonardo-san." Leo started and glared icily at his laughing companion, continuing to keep his annoyances mute. What I would give for a sock about now, he thought grimly, envisioning himself stuffing it into Dakari's mouth. Apparently the look on his face was enough to attract Erori's undivided attention. The little gunghir child was situated a table away and began giggling ceaselessly in toddler mirth. Dakari noticed her entertained state and took on an evil countenance.

"Don't you say a word," Leo mumbled darkly, barely parting his jaws. He knew there were belches brewing deep within his stomach and he didn't want them coming out until he was out of every gunghir's hearing range. "Or so help me, you wake up in a very uncomfortable place," he added as a threat. Dakari's dancing eyes widened daringly, as did his grin.

"I should like to see you try," the rabbit replied cheekily, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.

"Is that a challenge?" Leo growled playfully. Oh, if only Raph could see me now…he'd have a fit.

Just at that very moment, Anorr stopped at their table and gave them both a glare. "Take it outside, boys," she said sharply, pointing to the door.

"What do you take us for? Barbarians?"

"Suffice it to say, yes, very much so, you two reckless hooligans!"

Dakari winked shamelessly at her. "Us two reckless hooligans saved your hide, Anorr." He received a quick slap in the skull for his impudence. Leo hid a satisfied chuckle as he rubbed his head, mocking a pained wince. "You wound me, fair lady." Anorr flushed so brightly she most likely could have thrown him off the tree at that moment, he was sure. The gunghir ended the confrontation with a snort, Dakari's chair being slid out from under him by a sly movement of her foot. His rear hit the floor hard as she walked away. "Ow! Methinks it's time to go now! The inhabitants are turning against me!" Leo grinned.

"That's right, they're turning against you," he said casually, scratching an ear."And frankly, I don't blame them, Mr. Rejected Bachelor Rabbit."Dakari scowled blackly as he stood, shaking a clenched fist.

"Alright, let's see you get a lady to flutter her long lashes at you within the next five seconds!" the rabbit demanded smugly.

"Don't have to." Leo motioned at Fyla without turning around, who kept staring at his shell with a questionable look on her face.

Dakari snorted at the supposed unfairness of that. "Oh, hey now, you cannot use her for this! You know she would probably kiss you withou—" Leo pitched a left over pancake at his face, cutting him off effectively. "This means war," he growled as the article of food slid off his nose to plop on his plate. The turtle stuck his pink tongue out tauntingly.

"Not if referee Anorr gets her way." He felt a hard object collide with his skull, extracting a pained yelp.

"That'll be enough out of you two today," Anorr said, her voice dangerously low. She tapped the wooden ladle against her hand, signifying the next consequence would certainly be a larger goose egg than the first. "Behave, boys." The gunghir walked away as Dakari pulled up his seat again and sat down.

"Ungrateful bat," the samurai grumbled, making a face.

"Tor! Get off that table right now!" they heard Anorr bellow commandingly. Leo could see the ancient gunghir dancing on a long banquet table on the other side of the mess hall, hopping nimbly over platters and dishes with the ease and grace of long practice.

Dakari buried his head in his arms and groaned in exasperation. "That Tor…" Leo chuckled in amusement as Tor openly defied Anorr's order, blowing her a taunting kiss from his finger, having no real hands with which to do it. The angry gunghir on the floor stamped her foot and demanded loudly that somebody strap the elderly dancer in a retirement home.

"Oh, come now, dear!" Tor cried indignantly when she eyed her bow suggestively. "I've a right to be joyful! Why, our village has been liberated!"

"Ah'd 'preciate it if ya liberated me eatin' space too!" one gunghir sitting directly behind him grouched, pinching his heel with his index finger and thumb. Tor yelped and jumped up, flapping like crazy and almost bumping his head on the ceiling. He came to rest beside Leo, who was now roaring with laughter and fighting to stay seated. Dakari groaned again from where he sat, noticing that even the noise of the mess hall couldn't drown out his friend's boisterous laughter.

Tor looked around sheepishly. "What?" he asked innocently.

"The sight of you, the five hundred year-old grandpa of all gunghir, dancing on a table of all things, set him off," Dakari muttered, staring hard at the distantly giggling Leo. "What would Aireilei think of your foolish behavior?"

"Foolish? Me? Look who was just having a miniature food fight with a turtle!" Tor scoffed. "And Aireilei's been gone for as long as I've been alive, sonny!"

Leo chuckled, holding his stomach. Some of the food had been upset during his laughing fit and he was determined to refrain from spewing. "No, Tor, I'm pretty sure she came along with me and the rest of the gang," he said, clearing his throat of a few chuckles, the image of the table dancer still fresh in his mind.

"Hah. Nice try."

"No, I'm serious!" Tor raised his eyebrows, still unconvinced. "I know her like a best friend! I warped to this planet like the other dragons and my brothers!"

"Okay then, answer me two questions: What's her favorite food?"

Dakari yawned, the embarrassment of being seen with a wildly laughing turtle beginning to wear off. "He wouldn't know, Tor. Ask him a different question."

Tor slapped his forehead. "Um, okay! Got one! What color is she and in what order was she born with the other five?"

Leo ticked off on his fingers. "Aireilei's white. She came first, and eighteen years later, Bima hatched, followed by Rijinn, then Kiyo, Saesha, and Iwansi, in that order." The gunghir looked confused. "What?"

"I don't know who those five are."

"Oh, right. Aireilei told me they had Haradrian names but she didn't want to confuse them with the information." Tor's eyes widened.

"She's here? Oh, bloody Claw, where?"

Leo shrugged. "I know just as much as you do. I got separated from my brothers and the dragons because I was the last to notice we were in flux."

"Well, isn't that a lovely complication?" Tor grumbled, becoming stolid in composure.

Dakari stood. "We should go, Leonardo. I fear Watishi will bite my arm off if I wait any longer to visit her."

Leo grinned. "Your wife calls you," he said snidely. The samurai muttered a rude comment as his companion got up. Tor stayed where he was, fidgeting nervously. Leo shook his head before journeying to the door and stepping outside.

Lorra was an entirely different land in the daytime. The early morning sunlight lit the leaves, turning them into shimmering emeralds on stone branches. It was like a painting. The vast green mountains loomed in the distance. Leo immediately recognized the one he and Erori had crouched behind with a smile. A wide shimmering river wound down through a pass and cut across the wide plains. Dakari grumbled something, beginning to walk away. The turtle trotted after him.

"Well, what a lovely morning," Dakari grunted, looking down at the ground from atop a bridge. "Complete with a pancake in the face, an embarrassing event in which my comrade burst out laughing, and an ancient gunghir danced on a table! Oi!" He found a rope ladder and nimbly began descending the swinging thing. Leo leapt at it from a distance, latching onto the wooden rungs like his hands were steel hooks. He all but slid down the ladder, landing heavily on the loamy ground with a loud 'Ooof!' "Graceful landing."

Leo picked himself up and leaked a burp. "Oh drat," he said, hiccuping. Dakari chuckled at his expense, disappearing into a huge stump. The turtle ignored his jibe, swallowing a hiccup, as he skidded into the stable behind his friend.

A loud impatient moo came from one of the stalls, most likely Watishi. "Aaah! Please, stop that, Watishi! Ouch! Get off me!" When Leo was finally able to see what was going on, he grinned. Watishi, ever the equivalent of an angry wife, had Dakari pinned down in the hay on his back, her paws on his arms. She snorted in his face as he pleaded with her. "Let me up, friend!" The teela growled, laying her ears back and slapping the stall wall with her short, thick tail. "What have I done to deserve this?" he groaned.

"Well," Leo hiccuped. "You did leave her alone for around three hours." Watishi shot the turtle a death glare.

"And it appears," Dakari grunted in exertion, struggling under her, "that she hasn't forgotten you milked her."

"Heheh, I think I'll go get Tunali," he said nervously with another hiccup.

"Hey! Don't leave me here!" the gray rabbit yelled desperately, cut off by more pressure on his arms, a warning to him. "Oh dear…"

Tunali was overjoyed to see Leo again, as the headbutt to his plastron attested. He mooed happily, rubbing his head into the turtle's armored stomach. "Guess you missed me, huh boy?" He scratched Tunali's short mane, extracting several contented chirps from him. Assorted thumps in the next stall told him that Dakari was still underneath Watishi's paws. "Poor guy." Leo hiccuped again, bouncing up. In the process he spotted some short-bristled brushes hanging on the wall. Wouldn't do any harm to groom the guy.

He snatched one of them and set to work rubbing Tunali's side. The teela appeared to be in heaven, his eyes rolling up into his skull and his ears going out to the side. Leo worked his way around the rump to the other side. When he finished brushing, Tunali's light brown fur had a sheen to it that hadn't been there before.

Leo heard grunting and saw Dakari finally up, bruised on his upper arms. "Why I chose you out of a herd of placid teelas I'll never remember," he grumbled, getting butted in the back for his comment. "Saddle up, Leonardo, we are leaving."

"You can call me Leo, Dakari. It's less of a mouthful."

"You're right; I hate being formal anyway." The rabbit bent down and seized Tunali's saddle and blanket, handing it to his companion. "Remember how to put it on?" he asked wryly, clearly thinking of Leo's last bout with the saddle.

"Yes," he replied sullenly, flipping the blue blanket onto the teela's back. For some reason, Tunali seemed taller than he recalled. Trying not to show his discomfort, the turtle stuck out his tongue and lifted the saddle quickly onto the teela's back. Sliding it backward into place, he tightened the front girth strap. The back one was a bit more uncomfortable, since he had to duck down a little under Tunali. When he finally had it secured, he took the bridle from Dakari, who was smiling suspiciously, as though he expected Leo to botch even this simple task. In the end, the turtle had every piece of equipment on his teela.

"Well, you did it in under five minutes," the rabbit declared cheerily, marching forward. Watishi, still annoyed with him, reached out with her mouth and nipped one of his long ears. "Ow, I thought you were done with that!" She snorted and butted him.

"Apparently not," Leo teased, leading Tunali out. Outside the stables were gathered the gunghir of Lorra, all ready to say goodbye. Anorr was near the front of the group, along with Fyla, Erori, and Tor, who looked fidgety still.

"Thanks for helping out," Anorr muttered, bowing. Leo smiled and returned the bow.

Fyla was obviously lost for words, her watering eyes fixed on him. "I'll never let Erori forget you saved her," she whimpered, wiping her eyes with an arm. The turtle waved with his fan tail and she sniffed in reply.

Tor grinned widely. "Thanks for alla your help!" Dakari grinned back.

"Goodbye, you old goat," the rabbit said with a wink.

"Oh, Leonardo? Tell Aireilei I said hello when you find her." Leo nodded as Dakari mounted Watishi. Just as he was going to clamber up onto Tunali, somebody shouted "Wait!"

Parting the crowd was a young boy gunghir and by the looks of things, he was clutching something pretty important. He skidded to a halt beside Tunali, panting. "I…wanted to give this to you, Leonardo!" he whispered, holding out his prize. Leo looked curiously at it. It was a green gem in the rough shape of a turtle. "I made it…last night…" he explained, gulping air by the mouthfuls. "My dad taught me how to make it. It's a sword pendant. You can put it on any part of your katanas and they'll stick forever. It's kinda like a good luck charm."

Leo had no idea how to respond as he took it. "I'm honored."

The boy blinked and smiled. "I'm gonna be like you and Sor one day. You make me feel brave," he said quietly.

"I'll treasure it, thanks."

"Bye," he mumbled with a wave of his wing. Dakari gently heeled Watishi, spurring her forward. Tunali sprang after them with an excited moan, pounding through the grass. Leo watched the boy fade into the distance, along with the other gunghir. The turtle opened his hand to look at the sword pendant.

"You can put it on any part of your sword."

The handle? Yep. Amidst the bouncing, Leo managed to get out a sword; his right one. He held the blade side down toward the ground, handle up. When the metal was within an inch of the pendant, the green turtle gem snapped right on. With a grin, he twisted around and waved his glinting katana in the sun as he entered the foothills of the Darian Mountains.

"When I said I didn't want to walk all the way to the VW, I certainly didn't mean this!" Mikey grouched darkly. Where was he? Uh-huh. Riding Naicro. "Gee, don't you have shocks or something? This is awfully bumpy!"

Kiara was equally as jarred. "I curse those with wings," she growled, yelping when a particularly large bound caught her off guard.

An hour earlier, they had been in the clearing, still discussing matters with Naicro. Then the ancient Vern declared he was going to travel with them. Naturally Aireilei objected because of his age, but the dragon wouldn't have it. Sor and Kiara came because they were tired of the army.

"Hey, don't curse 'em," Bima squeaked from atop Naicro's head. "Beg 'em for a ride!" Without her wings her sense of balance was skewed, and Naicro's gliding steps made it very hard not to fall off, which is why Bima was holding onto the white vern's ears for dear life.

"If they were larger, I would," Kiara retorted, swinging her arms around wildly when Naicro jumped a bump.

"Hey!" Iwansi squealed indignantly. "Was that an insult?"

"Are swamp slugs slimy?" The yellow dragon growled and made as if to flame the rukit off of Naicro's back, but a sagely warning growl kept her in check.

"Knock the theatrics off, guys," Aireilei said, glaring at them. Mikey shrugged semi-helplessly. "Naicro, how are you holding out?"

He sped up, just to surprise her. "Did you expect my joints to begin creaking within the first mile, child?" he asked, causing an embarrassed blush to rise to her face.

"Well, no, it's just that…"

"Concern for the elderly is natural?"

"You're no spring chicken yourself, Aireilei," Mike pointed out, grabbing at Naicro when he threatened to slide off and bite the dust.

"He does have a valid point. Compared to the shadow child—" (Mikey muttered in half-annoyance, "Mikey.") "—you are nearly fifty times his age." (A/N: I didn't do the math:)

"What's the point?"

Naicro fell silent. "Oh, I don't know, maybe that he's ancient and we're little kids compared to him?" Mike suggested.

"Exactly, little one," the vern crowed. "But now, settle in for a long ride. We stop at dusk." The turtle noticed that the sun was at the afternoon point and did his best not to groan. There would be sore bottoms galore by the time they stopped.

"Lemme guess; we're gonna go on a rabbit hunt, right?" Raph asked sourly, rubbing his noggin. Those blows Don had dealt his skull certainly weren't a butterfly brush of the skin; more like an elephant stomp.

Lharom stared at him, exasperation clear on his muzzle. "What else would we do? Sit here and lay piles of poo all day, eating grass?" he deadpanned, making Ukeera giggle somewhat. "Yes, we're going to find him. I should expect he'd be hanging around the elven village of Aloria."

"Elves? Oh great. Would this happen to have anything to do with Legolas or Arwen? Don't tell me there are hobbits running around here!" he groaned, Don shooting him a warning glare.

"I know of none who are named that," Lharom retorted, rearing on his hind legs to see over the cliff. "Blasted things are still weeping."

Raph snorted. "Yeah, well maybe it's because their eyes are permanently scarred from seein' your ugly mug," he growled, receiving a lash from Saesha's tail.

"We'd better get going," the wolfena muttered, spotting angry black clouds over the turquoise water on the horizon. "Unless we want to stay for a shower and maybe a couple of shocks."

Ukeera shivered visibly, her hackles going up like spikes. "No thank you! I'd rather take my chances with the orcs."

Lharom fell back down on all fours. A slight wind was already blowing, scented with brine, and making goose bumps appear on everyone's skin. The rukits hid it better than Don and Raph did. Saesha and Rijinn were immune to cold because of their internal fire. "Ukeera! Up! Now!" The rukit scrambled to her feet hastily and vaulted onto his back. "Somebody gonna get that deadweight a lift, or are we going to leave him here?" he asked, nodding his head in the direction of the passed out Kyrunir.

"Can we vote? Because I favor the leave him here option," Raph said, raising his hand.

Don sighed and rubbed his temples. "Raph, can you refrain from verbally assaulting the unconscious for just a day? That's all I ask!" he groaned, removing his Bo as he clambered on behind Ukeera. Raph snorted again, mumbling something along the lines of ''nother Leo's the last thing I need'.

Saesha rolled her amethyst eyes. "Quarrelsome teenagers. The world's bane. I'll take the little one for now, Lharom." She glowed a bright purple, and Kyrunir's limp body began floating into the air.

"Thank yah, lass. That leaves me with two well-behaved adults and one bratty toddler." Ukeera, despite her attitude toward Lharom, giggled behind her hand as Raph scowled blackly at the remark. "Now, Raphael, are you gonna walk, or are you gonna get on and quit makin' murderous faces at me?" The turtle grumbled loudly and scrambled onto Lharom's back, taking hold of his thick fur. No sooner had he gotten a good grip the wolfena reared up, wheeled around, and plunged down into the grass. The whole motion nearly threw all three passengers from their seats.

After two hours of riding, the rag tag bunch decided to take a break. Kyrunir, who was well awake by now, sat on the grassy ground, looking quite dizzy. Raph and Don slid off Lharom, landing lightly on their toes.

"Hey guys! Come here a minute!" Rijinn called from atop a small hill. Ukeera was there in a flash of black.

"That's Wurhin Lake," she supplied, pointing at the thin layer of water on the horizon. "We're about seven hours from it; the only reason you can see it is because it's so huge."

"This is the farthest from home we've ever been," Kyrunir muttered from his place on the grass. Lharom shot him an odd look before changing his shape into a covey.

Don stared at the cat-like creature. "Lharom, what's your real form?" The covey returned the stare with equal ferocity. "I mean, what were you before you began shifting?"

"Truthfully?" he asked to Don's nod. "I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"It's possible to forget your original race after being in animal forms for this long a time." Raph chuckled at his expense.

"Give the guy a break," Rijinn said, landing beside Kyrunir. "It's hard enough dealing with you four."

Lharom raised his eyebrow. "There's actually five including yourself, dragon." The red dragon scowled. "Now then, Raphael, go get some kindling. And no buts. There's sticks over there," he said, inclining his head toward a thicket of dead bushes. "Donatello and Saesha, you will come with me. There's a spring nearby. And Rijinn…watch the kids for me." Ukeera glared daggers at him as he morphed into a griffin. "Hop on, Don." The turtle sighed and jumped back on, straddling Lharom's neck.

He launched into the air, rocketing in the southward direction. In the far distance, Don could see a thick forest. "The northern end of the Wompag," Lharom supplied, wheeling.

"Exactly how many continents are there on Haradris?" Don asked, looking down at a muddy patch of ground.

"Well, let's see…there's Southern and Northern Curulaey—"

"They're kind of like the poles back home," Saesha said.

"—Hseiaey, which is the continent north of this, Fruruwur, never try to say it five times fast, that's the one we're on, Balala, which is an island continent out in the northern ocean, and Zaseiak Isle, another island. In total, I guess there's six." Lharom angled down to land near a rock bed and a bubbling spring.

"How are we going to get all this back?" Don asked, scratching his head.

"Easy. Like this!" Saesha lifted a gallon of water with telekinesis and apparently froze it in a container of a sorts. Then it shrank to the size of a die. She did this ten times until she had a pile of little cubed water containers. "I learned that little trick back in Earth when you guys had that week of training. I got bored and played with water for a while."

"I was wondering what you were doing in the kitchen," Don muttered.

Gotta go, my head's killing me...Oh, and just thought I'd warn you all...I won't be here starting July 11th. Going on a road trip. And the 14th is my golden birthday. I'lltryto get an update in before then, but I can't make any promises.

LN