A/N: Here's a nice looooooong one for y'all! Have fun! ;-) And you can all thank CPQ (there's a surprise!;-) for making me put it up! AGAIN! What would I do without you, chica? Probably never post anything...

Disclaimer: I do not own Ninja Turtles.

Hidden Truth

The Backpack


Akasha shook her head in befuddlement. It was as if something was thinking in her mind. The strange voice sounded again, louder this time.

Are you Akasha? Speak!

"Y-yes!" she croaked, rubbing dirt out of her eyes. "Yes! I'm Akasha!"

"Are you okay, Asha?" Raph asked. It seemed he could not hear the voice.

Come forward, the voice commanded. It reminded her of a stone skipping on a lake. Akasha dug in her heels.

"Who are you?"

All shall be explained. Come. It is not safe here.

Akasha started to crawl forward, toward the three figures. Raph grabbed her ankle.

"We don't know who they are!" he hissed. But she scrambled out of the cave before he could stop her. He had not choice but to follow.

The tunnel they had been trapped in was adjoined to a much larger cave. It appeared to have been clumsily dug out, as if in a hurry. Blue crystals were fixed to the ceiling, glowing eerily. The three figures stepped into full view.

One was a tall, fish-like being. It was its voice that Akasha could hear. She could tell it was male, and although it appeared stern, its voice was kind as it said,

We are here to help. Follow me. The fish-man turned and padded silently out of the cave into a carved hallway. Akasha followed without hesitation. Raph was staring at the fishman in what looked like horror as he fell into step with her.

"We've seen 'em before!" he told Akasha urgently, pointing at the figure that moved swiftly ahead of them. "They fought us! It's a trap!"

"No," Akasha murmured. "They want to help us."

Leo and Mikey had caught up now. Mikey was looking highly unnerved.

"Guys, I don't like this!" he moaned. "I don't like this at all!"

Suddenly a prod at his elbow got his attention. A smallish green bear creature was holding his nunchuku's in its mouth, pushing them toward the orange-banded turtle. Mikey forgot his concern and grabbed them.

"My babies! Daddy missed you!" he crooned, cradling them to his plastron. The bear creature had a bag tied to its back. From it it pulled Leo's katanas and Raph's sai's, offering them to their owners. The turtles took the weapons uncertainly.

"We've seen these bear things before too!" Raph said.

"But it was good, remember?" Mikey asked, looking up from his 'babies'.

Raph just frowned, gripping the hilts of his newly recovered sai's.

They were led down passages and tunnels, some naturally formed, others dug out. There was not another living thing to be seen. The neverending silence pressed down on their ears, and Mikey began to hum a tune just for something to listen to.

My name is Prikë, the fishman said to Akasha. Apparantly he, too felt the tension. This is Guppy, and that's Yola. He gestured to the playful young bear-creature, who bounced happily beside the girl, and the tall slim shadow at the rear of the group. She was a fish-creature, Akasha saw, but was more human than the others. She had a human nose and ears, and she wore a sort of wetsuit-like thing. Long, sleek greenish hair framed her face, which was closed and thoughtful, and she had an air about her that suggested hidden knowledge. Akasha made a mental note to ask why she was different to the others.

She is part human, Prikë said as if he had heard her thoughts. Her mother was one of us, her father a human. She has joined the rebellion because she is not willing to kill her own kind. She is somewhat oppressed by the others.

They had reached a large, seemingly solid wall of sandy-coloured bricks, grafittied with blue symbols and signs. Prikë ran a webbed finger along one of the signs and the wall parted, making no sound at all. Guppy trotted through them first, tongue lolling happily from the corner of his mouth. Akasha followed carefully.

"Akasha!"

Something slammed into Akasha with enough force to send her reeling backward. That someone hugging her fiercely around her midsection: Akasha recognized her cousin, her hair tangled wildly about her face, dirt streaking her clothes and skin.

"Naomi!" Akasha hugged her cousin back. "You're okay!"

"Yeah!" Naomi was grinning now, her face lighting up. "I want you to meet someone!" She turned to a slim fishwoman on the other side of the room. She studied Akasha silently for a moment.

I am Kleye, she answered finally. I am glad you made it safely. Your cousin was worried.

"She rescued me," Naomi put in. "And she arranged for them" – she pointed to the waiting Prikë, Guppy and Yola – "To go get you!"

"Thank you," Akasha told Kleye honestly. The merwoman simply inclined her head slightly, her face expressionless.

It was nothing.

"Hey, Nami!" Mikey sauntered up, grinning ear to ear. He had invented the nickname when he had first been introduced.

"Mikey!" Naomi tugged his bandanna in a friendly way.

"We must go." The quiet statement came from Yola. She spoke normally, but her voice was as lovely as the fish-people's. It sounded like the rustle of dragonfly wings. "It is not safe."

Yola is right, Prikë said. From the start Raph, Leo and Mikey made, Akasha guessed they could all hear him. We must get you to the surface. Quickly. Come. Prikë pressed a stone tile that rimmed the edges of a large, brickbuilt table in the centre of the room. A door opened at one end.

"That is the exit shaft," Yola explained, her face still expressionless. "It comes up in the forest. You can find your way home from there."

Oh, but you mustn't go yet.

Akasha felt a hard, intrusive presence in her mind. Gritting her teeth she sought to shove it away, but it was far too strong. The relentless, cold voice went on. It sounded like the scrape of rock on rock.

We haven't been introduced. Standing in the doorway was a tall fishman. He was so tall, in fact that he towered over them all. He wore a sort of headdress made of shells, and carried a staff with an Y'Lyntian crystal on the top. Flanking him was a pair of burly fishmen, with a couple of muscly bear-creatures following him.

"Shrak!" Yola hissed her eyes narrowed into slits.

Ah, the lovely Yola. Shrak mocked. Hiding out with your own kind. How touching. He sneered. Get them. The bear-creatures stalked forward, teeth bared. They circled the trapped group, cutting them off from the exit shaft, herding them toward Shrak. Prikë was looking utterly expressionless, while Guppy whined faintly, sticking close to Yola. The half human was looking murderous.

Secure their weapons, Shrak ordered icily to his companions. One of the fishmen reached out and snatched for Leonardo's katanas. Michelangelo landed in front of his brother, nunchaku's out and spinning. The fishman made to grab the turtle, but the orange-banded terrapin eluded him easily, swerving away from his groping hands.

"Nya nya, can't get me!" he taunted.

The other fishman grabbed Naomi, holding a bone dagger to her throat.

Drop your weapons! His mind-voice hissed. Or your comrade dies!

"Naomi!" Akasha cried. She tried to run to her cousin's aid, but Raph barred her way.

"They'll get you too!" he hissed.

"We have to do something," Akasha spat back. She shoved past Raph and walked calmly toward Shrak.

"Take me instead," she demanded forcefully. "Leave Naomi!"

"Akasha!" Raph looked horrified. "What are ya doin'?" She ignored him.

Hmm… Shrak said. Perhaps, it would be a better idea. It matters not to me which of you comes. He gestured for her to come closer. Come here. I will let your friend go then.

Akasha stepped closer. One of the fishmen hurried forward to bind her wrists together. Shrak pushed Naomi away from him. She stumbled, and Leo steadied her before she fell.

"Akasha!" Raph roared. He took a step forward, sai's raised.

"Don't! I'll be fine!" Akasha called as the fish guards pulled her back along the tunnel. "Don't fight!" Her voice echoed back to them, then faded all together. Raph seemed to be suffering from some painful internal struggle.

"I… but… ARGH!" Raph raised his sai's and brought them crashing down on the floor of the pod. They sank down a few inches, lodged in the brickwork. Raph sank down onto the floor, grinding his teeth in frustration.

You will be kept here for a time, Shrak's voice cut in smoothly. Do not try anything. Your friend's life is on the line. The fishman strode over to the stone table, pushing a sequence of stone buttons. The exit shaft sealed itself again, but this time a thing film of bluish substance oozed from the wall to cover the entrance; obviously he had 'locked' it.

"Great! Just great!" Raph yelled once Shrak and his minions had left. "ARGH!" He beat his fists on the floor angrily.

"Calm down Raphael," Leo said calmly. He sat cross-legged on the floor, observing his furious brother. "We'll get out."

"Akasha! Why did she do it? Why?"

"Calm down Raphie, Asha can take care of herself." Mikey leaned on the table, eyes worried. "She'll have a brilliant plan of escape, just you wait and see!"

Raph said nothing. He turned his shell on his companions and began to meditate.


Akasha was dragged none too gently back down the twisting turning passages. She was dumped unceremoniously in a branching off cave. Her hands were tied to a stalagmite, and a one of the fishman stood guard at the cave entrance.

Now what? Akasha wondered doggedly, eyeing the wall of the cave in front of her. Probably get killed if the turtles don't cooperate. The thought was too horribly to dwell on, so she pushed it aside.

To keep her mind off it, she studied the cave critically. It was a lot like all the other caves she had been in, except it had a large pile of what appeared to be human garbage at one end. Old shreds of clothing, a tyre, some hubcaps and a boat propellor were among the wreckage. An old backpack was lying a little away from the other things. Akasha, for boredom's sake, hooked it with her sneaker and dragged it toward her. She managed to clumsily tip the contents out onto the cave floor. An old, waterlogged camera, a badly waterstained, leatherbound journal, a handful of sketching pencils, and an old handheld tape recorder were among the objects.

This must have belonged to one of the creature's victims, Akasha thought, biting her trembling lip to stop it visibly quivering. I wonder how closely related they were to me? A cousin? An aunt or uncle? Or grandparent? Akasha pushed the things away from her, feeling her eyes fill with unwanted tears. She did not need this now! She needed to focus all her energy on escaping. She took a deep breath and held it for a couple of seconds, then slowly exhaled, trying to control the painful knot of emotions that was roiling in her chest.

God, I wish Raph was here, she thought. But his face swam in her mind, making the tears spill down her cheeks. She gritted her teeth.

I need something sharp! She decided. Something to cut through this bloody rope! Akasha scanned the floor for any sign of a jagged rock she could use. There was nothing. Then she spied a glint from amongst the jumble of the things from the backpack.

A knife! She thought gleefully. Yes! She pulled it toward her with her foot. It was a rusty knife, obviously meant to be kept in a sheath. She scrabbled to get it with her hand and found the worn ivory handle easily. Akasha began to saw away at her bindings, feeling the pressure on her wrists slowly weaken. Eventually she pulled and the cords snapped.

"Yes!" she breathed, crouching down, hardly believing she was free. Quietly she fumbled for the sheath in the backpack, finding it, and clipping it to her belt, slipping the knife in. It had probably saved her life, and she wasn't going to let it rust away in a cave.

There's probably something I could use here, she reflected, surveying the pile of old junk. She silently rooted through it, finding nothing of importance, then turning to the backpack. She gathered the things up and returned them to the bag, slinging it over the back. She tiptoed toward the cave mouth, where two burly fishmen stood guard. With a deft movement she hit a pressure point on one's neck; he collapsed, unconsious. The other let out a strangled, wheezing sound – annoyance? – and swung a crude club at her head.

Akasha parried the blow easily and caught the weapon, twisting it from his grasp. She banged him smartly over the head, just enough to render him unconcious. The fishman fell heavily to the cave floor. Akasha dusted off her hands, letting the club fall to the ground. Then she turned right, hurrying down the passage. She needed to find he turtles!

For some minutes she followed the tunnel, choosing random ones where there was more than one. Finally she sat down with her back to the wall, panting.

I'm lost, she told herself. Stupid caves. Now what am I going to do?


We are gaining nothing from this, Prikë announced mentally about half an hour later. Your friend is either already dead, or is being held somewhere. We must make a break for it and get out.

"What about Akasha?" Leonardo asked in indignation – a little too much for Raphael's liking. "She isn't dead! How could you say that?"

I am not accustomed to being sympathetic. My goal is get my companions and I to safety. Kleye pursuaded me to help you too. It was no choice of mine, Prikë's voice was haughty. I am breaking us out. If you wish to see daylight again you will help.

"Akasha's more than capable of looking after herself," Mikey pointed out fairly. "She's most likely already free and coming back here!"

"Yeah, let's get the shell outta here," Raph agreed. "She's fine." He jerked his chin at Leo, daring him to challenge the idea. No challenge came.

"You," Yola ordered suddenly. "Raphael. Pretend to be sick. On the floor, now! We will call in the guards, then knock them out."

"Isn't that a bit too obvious?" asked Raph.

"Shrak is not knows for choosing intelligent guards. He goes for the large, frightening-looking ones." Yola pointed at the floor. "You. Sick. Now."

"Don't ask or anything," Raph snarled, but obeyed.

"Guard! Guard!" Yola called, pretending to be agitated. "Guard! My friend is sick! Really sick! You must help!"

To Raph's surprise the stone door slid open. He immediantly fell to the ground, pretending to moan.

A few muffled thumps were heard and then all was quiet. Raph threw a glance over his shoulder to see everyone – Mikey, Leo, Kleye, Yola, Guppy, Prikë, Naomi – staring at him. The two fishmen were unconcious on the floor.

"You can get up now, bro," Mikey told his brother with a snigger. Realizing his prone position on the floor, Raph scrambled to his feet, flushing.

"We goin' then?" he demanded. Yola wordlessly handed him his sai's which she had recovered from the guard, turned and padded off down the tunnel. The others followed, Raph lagging at a trot.

"Why can't we just go up through the Viewing Pod's exit shaft?" Mikey inquired of Prikë.

You wanted to save your friend, didn't you? The merman snapped gruffly. We're saving her.

Raph suppressed a grin.

And it's not just that, Prikë informed the red-banded turtle as if he had seen. Shrak has locked the shaft. Only he knows the password to reopen it.

They trudged along, meeting no one. Raph was beginning to wonder if they would ever get above ground again when, as they rounded a corner, Prikë doubled over, gasping. Akasha had sprung on top of his back, hand groping for a pressure point in his neck.

"Whoa!" Mikey cried. "Ash! It's us!"

"Guys?" Akasha slid off Prikë. Then she spotted Raph. With immense speed she propelled herself forward, hugging him fiercely round the neck. Raph sagged forward, gasping for air.

"Gotta… breath…" he wheezed. Akasha drew back a little.

"Raph! God, you coulda come a little faster!" But he saw in her eyes she wasn't mad. She hugged him again, this time he returned the gesture. He spied Leo's furious face over Akasha's shoulder and grinned into her sweatshirt.

It you are quite done, Prikë interjected stonily, trying to regain some of his composier. Time is of the essence. We must go. Follow me. He turned and led the way speedily down the passage. Akasha smiled at Raph and gripped his hand as the trotted after the fishman. Raph felt a happy, swelling sensation below his plastron, and had to fight very hard not to grin goofily at her.


A/N: Yeah, I know. "She didn't do a cliffie! Is the Apocalypse near!" CPQ pursuaded me you guys deserved a nice, long, fluffy, none-cliffie-ish chappie for a change. I guess she's right. But don't worry - things are only gonna get worse from now on! Buahahahahaha!

Oh, and please review... ;-)