Heya friends!
Sorry I took so long writing another chapter, I did have a slight case of writer's block, and I started writing more on my long overdue Danny Phantom fic 'Ultimate Darkness'.
Also I realised that I hadn't written much about the Turtles and Mona in this story for a while so I thought we'd check back on them!
Hope you enjoy this long awaited chapter.
Note: Some parts refer to my friend Tyroth Darkstorm's fic 'Mutants Misplaced' and my first TMNT fic 'Fury Within Her'.
Chapter Twenty-One
Effects
Back in New York, Mona sat on the sofa sipping coffee as she stared at the screen.
Like Jake she had been watching the news to see if there was any word on Diablo being sighted. So far all she had heard was about the attacks on the Hate Preacher, the Red Necks and the traffic accident Diablo had caused.
She sipped her coffee again then flicked to another channel where it was a news channel and a male reporter was speaking about news in Chicago to which the Lizard Lady sat up straight to listen.
"...And in other news, reports of strange attacks in Chicago have gotten police baffled and citizens afraid, it all started after the 'Straight Truth's Baptist Church's' Hate preacher was found attacked and crucified to his own alter, all the victims report to have been attacked by someone in a raven costume. According to doctor's reports, the victims are suffering from severe trauma and keep speaking about how a demon in the form of the Raven came to punish them."
Mona glared at the TV screen.
"Dammit brother!" she growled "Why do you do this? People claim to have seen you!"
"Members of the Straight Truth's Baptist Church are both terrified as well as ready to fight what could be a war with whatever attacked their leader, his wife and brother, news reporter Maria Finn is one scene with some members outside one of their meeting areas, Maria?"
The scene soon switched to where a female reporter was talking with some members.
"Thanks Tom, yes I'm here with a small group of followers who take their preacher's words seriously, and wish to express their thoughts!" she then turned to the group "So tell me, what are your thoughts on the situation, do any of you believe in demons?"
One of the members leaned into a Microphone.
"I don't believe in such demons! I believe it to be some work of those damned fags!"
"I agree! It's someone in a costume whose used drugs to make our leader believe the devil has come!"
"And if he tries to target us! We'll be ready for him! And expose him for what he really is!"
"Bring it on Fag!"
The news reporter looked rather uncomfortable then turned to another member who had been pretty quiet.
"Right, okay, and what are your thoughts?" she asked the quiet member.
"I'm concerned that this...this...thing, is indeed after us." he said "So much so I've tried to encourage others into hiding and laying low, I want to believe it's some terrorist in a costume but part of me is scared it's something else, if not a human, beast, real or supernatural, I believe in being prepared."
Mona muted the TV and rubbed her temples as she sat back in the sofa, her head was pounding and she felt so worried.
Just then, a squeal made her jump and Mona looked over to see Pandora and Kemeko running around, Kemeko was holding Geisha Bear above her head and running as fast as she could from Pandora.
"Can't catch me!" she squealed.
"Oh yes I can!" Pandora shouted to which she leapt for Kemeko who quickly dodged out of the way.
"Get back here!" Pandora cried and she chased Kemeko over to where Mona was sitting.
Normally Mona didn't mind it when the girls were playing, but feeling so angry at what she had seen on the TV and how tense she felt, the distraction was too much.
"Can't you girls play quietly!?" she snapped to which Kemeko and Pandora jumped and stopped what they were doing.
"Mummy?" Pandora asked in a shocked voice.
"Aunt Mona?" Kemeko asked, equally surprised at the Lizard Lady's reaction, Mona was never normally this sharp, especially when they were playing.
Both girls knew Mona was really upset before and after they had left Mutopia, as even though they didn't fully understand what had happened with Uncle Callum, or Diablo, they knew it had upset Mona greatly.
"Get out of my sight!" Mona barked "If you're going to scream go somewhere else!"
Terrified that their presence would make Mona more angry, the girls instantly scurried away, tears falling from their eyes.
In the kitchen area, the turtles were sitting around the table talking unaware of what had just happened.
Raphael was looking worried.
"I can't tell you guys how concerned I am for Mona." he said "Since the whole incident with Diablo, she's been watching the News a lot, and I mean more often than usual."
"Still trying to find out if Diablo's been spotted." Michelangelo said.
"I know she's worried." Leonardo said "We're all worried."
"I've also seen her more tense, she was heartbroken but now she's really angry." Michelangelo said "She's more of a hot-head than you Raph!"
Raphael frowned at his youngest brother, but he couldn't help but agree, Mona had indeed been angrier than before, maybe even on the same level as the anger she had after her mutation and when they first found her nine years ago.
"Either that or as tense as Leonardo after our final defeat of the Shredder." he said to which Leonardo looked a little ashamed.
"I understand why she's so upset," Donatello said "but we must get on with our lives."
The other turtles looked at their purple masked brother.
"I know it sounds horrible, as it's not something that can be easily brushed under the carpet, but its true, we can't spend the rest of our lives worrying about something that hasn't happened yet!"
"I'm still worried though." Michelangelo said as he took a sip of soda "Since Tyroth came up with the possibly of us going to Skyrim, or some other world, I've the heebie Jeebies!"
"You and me both!" Raphael said "As much as I'm concerned, I don't really want to leave this world, I love it here."
"But we may not have a choice." Leonardo said "If not through the actions of Diablo, something else!"
"Like what?" asked Michelangelo.
"I don't know!" Leonardo said frustrated but then he saw Pandora and Kemeko run past the kitchen entrance looking upset.
"Kemeko?" he questioned.
"Pandora?" Raphael asked equally confused then he went over and saw both girls go into the playroom.
"What's up?" asked Michelangelo.
"Something's not right guys." Leonardo said then he looked to Mona still on the sofa watching the TV and rubbing her temples.
"You don't suppose?" Donatello asked.
"Come on!" Raphael said leading his brothers to the girl's playroom.
In the playroom, Pandora sobbed quietly as she hugged Cuddles whilst Kemeko hugged a large stuffed panda equally upset.
"Why did mummy yell at us?" Pandora whispered, her tears soaking Cuddle's fur "We were playing, and we didn't mean to make her mad."
"I don't know." Kemeko whispered "We weren't being naughty."
"Girls?" the children looked up to see their fathers and uncles appear in the doorway "What's the matter?"
Raphael and Leonardo went over immediately to comfort the girls whilst Donatello and Michelangelo sat nearby.
"What happened Lotus?" asked Leonardo kneeling down and pulling Kemeko into his chest whilst Raphael coaxed Pandora onto his knee as he sat on a chair.
"We'll set it right Little Geisha." Raphael soothed "Tell us everything."
Feeling more confident and wiping their eyes, both girls told the turtles what happened and how Mona had lost her temper with them to which the brothers looked shocked.
"She what?" Michelangelo asked.
"It's worse than I thought." Donatello sighed.
"She shouted at you?" Leonardo asked.
"But we weren't doing anything wrong." Pandora explained "We were noisy yes, but not naughty."
Raphael sighed.
"Aww Little Geisha, you know why mummy's so upset?" he asked "Remember we told you about how Uncle Callum turned bad and hurt people in Mutopia and he left and won't come back."
"We remember." Kemeko nodded.
"Mummy's not angry at you two." Leonardo comforted "She's angry at her brother, how he hurt her and us..."
As Leonardo spoke he looked at Raphael who still had a bandage on his hand and Michelangelo still had his arm in a sling.
Pandora and Kemeko looked down sadly.
"But when will mummy be herself again?" asked Pandora as fresh tears fell "I want her back daddy!"
"Me too!" Kemeko said "She never reads us stories at bedtime, and she often sings us songs, she doesn't do that either."
Raphael sighed.
It was true, Mona had neglected a lot of her duties as a mother, even though she kissed them goodnight and hugged them and interacted with them, she always had that aura of anger about her, and it always scared the girls, yet he and his brothers had been reminding the girls that she was still hurting over Diablo's betrayal.
"Listen girls." Donatello said "Grown-ups go through a lot of feelings, and Mona has been hurt badly, it's worse when someone she was close to as a human has betrayed her in the worst way, but it doesn't mean she doesn't love you."
"Really?" Pandora asked.
"Promise!" Donatello smiled "We'd never lie to you about that!"
"Cross our hearts and hope to die!" Michelangelo grinned flicking both girls chins to which the girls giggled.
"There we are! There are those pretty smiles we love so much!" he laughed.
"My sons?" a voice made everyone look up and they saw Master Splinter standing in the doorway.
"Master Splinter!" they cried.
"Grandpa!" the girls said together.
"You're out of the wheelchair!" Donatello exclaimed as he jumped up and walked over "How are you feeling? Your wound its..."
"I am fine Donatello." Splinter smiled "I may not be able to do the stunts I am prone to due to my injury, but I can walk fairly well without the use of the chair."
"James will be delighted!" Leonardo smiled.
Splinter smiled back and nodded.
"Anyway, I sensed a darkness, and seeing the children's emotions, I believe I know the source."
Raphael nodded.
"You're not wrong master."
"It's Mona." Michelangelo said "She went all shrew like with the girls, when they were merely playing too loudly."
Splinter frowned then looked towards Mona still sitting on the sofa and staring at the TV and he sighed.
"My daughter." he said "So angry, it is understandable because of Diablo's cruel betrayal, but if she remains this way, who knows what could become of her."
"It's like she's turned into a different person, at first she was crying and having nightmares, and now she's just so tense." Donatello said "It's scary."
"That personality was the same as the one when we first found her," Raphael added "And then she had the same killer and bloody attitude when we were in Skyrim."
Splinter looked over to Mona again.
"Do not fear my sons, I will speak to Monalisa, I will do what I can to help her."
"Thanks Master." Raphael said "We've all tried, but she's still so tense."
Pandora walked over and hugged Splinter's leg.
"Please make mummy happy again." she begged "I don't want her to be angry any-more, I love her."
Splinter felt his eyes moisten when he saw the shining eyes of his granddaughter.
"Do not fear child." he said stroking her hair "I will do my best."
"Promise?" begged Pandora.
"Yes little one." Splinter said stroking Pandora's cheek then walking slowly towards Mona whilst the turtles and the girls watched from a distance.
Mona fisted her hands in her hair as she rocked back and forth on the sofa.
She was feeling so angry, yet also guilty at the way she had spoken to her daughter and niece.
Feeling a sort of comfort at pulling her hair, she felt the need to feel more pain to release her anger, and she felt an urge to go over to the Dojo and strike the bags or something harder like that time in Mutopia's Dojo.
Yet sitting in the position she was in whilst the TV droned on in front of her was rather comfortable and she was hesitant to get up, especially if she caught the eye of the other turtles.
Just then, she felt someone's hand on her shoulder and in shock she looked up and lifted her fist then she saw it get caught and she was face to face with Master Splinter.
"Sensei!" she gasped.
"Monalisa." Splinter said calmly before releasing the Lizard Lady's fist.
"I..." Mona gasped ready to apologise but Splinter stopped her.
"Please child." he said "Come with me to my quarters, I wish to speak with you."
Mona swallowed hard and she nodded before getting up from the sofa and following the wise rat to his quarters.
Gosh, Mona's anger towards her brother is so strong she's starting to take it out of those she loves, there truly is a darkness within her.
Can Splinter help her? Find out in the next chapter!