Flights Of Fancy
Disclaimer: How often must I say this? I do not now, or ever will I, own the adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.
Chapter Twelve – All Together
" So where exactly is Shanza now?" Mike asked huffing a bit as he bent to dodge yet another thick group of branches.
Traba seemed to be enjoying dragging them under and through the densest of underbrush, the toshe being lower to the ground had no problem pushing through small holes, and the like that the larger turtles could not fit through, as he determinedly traveled on little used if totally non existent paths.
The turtles being far more vertical ended up having to use their weapons to smash at or push back on the undergrowth as they tried to follow their guide, a great number of the branches had all ready caused numerous small scratches on the brother's arms and legs.
" She like all the unicorns is trying to rally the forces for the coming battle, so naturally she will be talking to Gimod." Traba replied simply as if this was common sense.
" Gimod?" Mike wondered.
" The leader of the noble wyrms of Necron" Traba answered with a touch of exasperation, he whirled around his brows puckering and he rolled his eyes " Can't you two hurry it up? We do have a great deal of ground to cover and I have no real intention of making it there only to find out we have missed them."
Raph snarled a bit as his sai smashed down some more branches in his path " Hey you are the one who had to pick the path with the densest of bush to beat back." He grunted.
" You call this dense? Strangle vines are much worse and I wouldn't think of taking you through them." Traba retorted.
Mike wiped some sweat from his forehead " I don't think I want to know what a strangle vine is."
" A strangle vine is one of the worst weeds on Necron it grows up and around trees totally strangling the tree itself over time, as the vines grow thicker and denser the tree gets no nutrition and ends up dying but the vines can continue to live." Traba began his explanation.
" Oh well that doesn't sound too bad I guess." Mike decided.
" So you think?" Traba mocked, " Except for the fact strangle vines eat meat."
Raph considered this new information " Sort of like the Venus fly trap back home."
" Strangle vines eat more then flies. They will eat any thing that gets ensnared in the vines. They eat large portions of meat." Traba informed them.
" Like Little Shop of Horrors." Mike offered, he rather liked that show. " The plant ate people."
" That is right big eating. So if I wanted to take you through thick growth I'd lead you through them, then you'd have something to complain about" Traba growled, " I am only trying to find the quickest path here." Traba felt rather miffed at Raph's ungrateful attitude and behaviour. Especially after he had kept the turtle from being enchanted into a rock. 'Maybe I should have let him become a rock. It would have suited him.'
Mike sensing a battle about to come between Raph and the toshe quickly stepped in to try and smooth things over " We know you are doing your best Traba, and I guess going back and finding an easier path would defeat our purpose somewhat. Raph and I can handle this though," He soothed, " It is just we are tired and we could probably both use a bit of a rest as this is harder going on us then it is on you." Mike explained with his usual disarming grin.
" Up ahead a bit further the trees thin out a little not much but we can take a break there, for a short time" Traba agreed sufficiently mollified. Then the toshe hung his head and gave a small but weak grin, "I'm awful sorry about that. I forgot you two are taller and would find it more difficult not being low to the ground like me" he muttered his apology. " When we start off again I'll do better." He vowed with a wag of his tail.
Raph fumed grumbling under his breath " If I thought for one moment that he was enjoying this. I'll kill him."
XXX
Marina was watching the events below with extreme curiosity, never before, not in all her life or any other cataflys life had she ever heard of a dragon that permitted a unicorn to live, without some large battle between the two first.
She leaned over the branch she was presently perched on digging in her claws to allow for a firmer grip, her eyes large with fascination and her small body almost twitching all over with excitement of what she saw unfolding below. Her tail, however twitched in frustration because she was far enough away that even her keen ears could not pick up a single word that was spoken by the group.
Suddenly and without much warning five other dragons appeared and Marina instantly made herself as small and flat as possible on the branch doing her utmost best to conceal herself ' You don't see me I'm not even here.' She whispered to herself wishing it were true. Some times it would work and danger would pass without catching on that she was nearby other times it didn't, but making oneself invisible in the face of danger was never easy.
As the other dragons departed Marina breathed a sigh of relief that her invisible stunt had worked so well yet again, proving the superiority of a cat over any other animal on Necron. These thoughts were shattered almost instantly as she heard a voice nearby.
' Gimod I think we have a spy.'
Marina turned on her branch to see the sharp nose of a dragon who had various shades of blue colours on its scaly hide. The dragon reached out and grasped Marina quickly with one sharp taloned front foot.
Marina howled in fury and embarrassment as she swiped wildly out at the dragon with her claws unsheathed, hissing and spitting in anger. The dragon seemed amused by the cats antics for it only laughed at the catafly, which of course did nothing to improve Marina's temper.
'Shian let the poor thing go. There isn't even enough meat on that thing to be called a snack. Go see about finding Traba and the other two turtles.' Gimod admonished kindly.
Shian released the catafly allowing the startled Marina to drop. Marina finding herself falling free all of a sudden and not hearing Gimod's command to the blue dragon felt that she had done this all by herself and in her sudden sense of victory almost forgot to fly. Marina, suddenly, recalled what was happening, and almost instinctively her wings began to flap, to allow her enough lift to slow her speed and permit her to land graceful where she choose, which just happened to be on Leo's shoulder's.
" Did you see how I handled that dragon? You just have to show a wyrm who is boss." She purred in his ear.
" Yes I saw how you handled that" Leo replied not willing to offend the catafly anymore then necessary.
Gimod lowered his head to take a closer look at the diminutive animal Marina arched her back and hissed loudly in protest raising a single paw as if in defense. As the dragon snout drew nearer though the catafly opted to abandon her perch for a safer one and leaped over onto Shanza's back.
" You scaly brute I'm not afraid of you." Marina ranted from where she now rested. She then gave the dragon a smug look and she switched her tail in sheer pleasure.
Lobo grunted, " Only a blasted cat would act so familiar as to sit on a unicorn's back without their permission."
Marina stuck her nose up in the air " We cataflys don't need permission to do what we want." She declared " That is because we are much better looking then you." She paused and smirked a bit " Dogs!" She concluded hurling the insult.
Lobo bared his teeth, his hair bristling as he growled savagely at the remark.
" Plus we are more intelligent, cleaner, more graceful and…"
Shanza turned her head and nudged the catafly gently with her horn ' Enough boasting little one for pride comes before the fall.'
Marina sat back on Shanza letting her tail curl about her legs as she squeezed her eyes shut, a small smile on her face as she began to purr.
Shanza blew out the warm breath ruffling the fur along Marina's tail ' Cataflys really aren't that bad of creatures.'
" Yeah, if you can forget the fact that they are selfish vain and their curiosity leads them into more trouble…" Shea growled softly to the other young toshe in the pack. Noharn and Nomac the two smaller white toshe laughed at their larger brother's words. " Curiosity is the leading cause of death in cataflys or so I've heard" Shea concluded.
Marina gave them a disdainful glare as she turned her back on them beginning to bath herself quickly and with a great deal of efficiency.
Shanza seemed amused by the cataflys antics ' I think her bravery ought to be rewarded by satisfying her curiosity.'
' Do that and she is bound to follow after expecting more information that she would never give to another. To cataflys it is not using what you know it is just in the knowing that is important' Gimod stated, 'while she may follow us you can be sure she will be of no use to us no matter what you tell her. These bothersome things would go anywhere that would give them some scrap of information another of their kind may not know.'
Leo withdrew his lone katana, ensuring that it had received no damage since the battle with Gimod, his other one had been lost somewhere in the landslide that Gimod had caused in the battle and he doubted he would get it back. ' It is probably well and truly buried, which means I must take good care of this one until I can get home.' He mused to himself.
Marina seeing Leo checking and cleaning his sword remarked casually " I know where the other one is. I saw it the other day, or the reflection of the sun shining on it at any rate."
Leo looked up at her words " Really?" he brightened a bit at that news " Maybe I can go over and get it then. I thought it would be lost and I don't want to waste too much time looking for it. In spite of the fact that the sword is the soul of the samurai I know I can be without it" Leo smiled a bit almost reflectively " For I am ninja and the ninjas most powerful weapons are his body and his mind. Still it would be good to have the set together just in case of trouble later on."
Gimod glanced at Marina who was getting all the details from Shanza the unicorn was willing to offer ' Perhaps you would show me where the weapon is, since Shanza gave you information that she didn't have to give you.'
Marina seemed to consider the dragon's words, she sensed she had something the dragon wanted and she could hold it over the beast, but Marina also knew that dragons were not creatures to get angry at you, so she had to think of the best possible way to respond to him.
" Oh very well I suppose I could do that for much for you. However you will owe me wyrm because we cataflys don't normally give favours you know so you ought to feel extremely honoured that I will even bother."
' Owe you?' Gimod roared not able to believe the gall of the creature.
" Of course it is only right after all," Marina declared, " Now you either agree or I won't show you."
Gimod blew smoke rings his eyes narrowed ' Faugh! Very well cat you have a deal.' Gimod then turned his head to gaze at Leo ' It was my fault you lost it so it is only right I get it back for you, but being indebted to her is something I may regret.' Gimod smiled slightly ' Course I could always just char her to a crisp and be done with it, and that might be a favour to everyone.'
Leo did his best to hide his laughter, schooling his features and emotions to not give away one iota of what Gimod had just said, for he realized it was only dragon humour, but he had a feeling Marina would be very offended by it.
It was only a few minutes after Gimod and Marina returned with the missing katana, that Shian also returned from her search, on the five foot female dragon's back was Traba, Raph and Mike.
Mike cheered as he saw the others gathered below " Whoa dudes, now this is what I call traveling in style." He leaned over waving and shouting " Donny, Leo."
Just then Shian dived and Mike almost fell off only Raph who was sitting behind his brother caught him by the belt and held him firm.
" Watch it Mike or you are going find the ground the hard way. You idjit" Raph snapped freeing one hand to smack his brother hard on the shoulder.
Only seconds later they were all safe back on the ground and the four brothers were hugging, pummelling and greeting one another amidst a few disjointed sentences, and interruptions as they played catch up.
Raph finally broke in " Don tell me you still have that time device Renet sent us?" he demanded to know after some of the general stuff had been cared for.
" Of course I still have it Raph" Don confirmed, " it is right here in my belt pouch."
" It hasn't been damaged in any way has it?" Raph asked knowing that even a small amount of damage might effect how they got home or even if they did.
" No it is perfectly fine Raph." Don assured his brother, he had checked the device a few times while with Gimod, had even been tempted to use it but had feared if he did so he would never find his brothers again. Don reached into his belt pouch that held the cube to verify to one and all that there means of getting home was still at hand, but a look of sudden disbelief crossed Don's face. " I don't believe it" Don wailed, " Its gone but it can't be."
Raph grumbled and curse loudly at this turn of events " Great! Just great now we are stuck here on this world because you had to lose our only damn way home!" Raph fumed glaring darkly at his brother.
Shanza used her horn to push Raph away from Don as she sensed his volatile nature.
" I didn't lose it Raph. Hard as it might seem to believe it is just gone," Don insisted firmly not budging from his conviction in that simple statement.
' He speaks the truth and I have a very strong feeling that the very fact the toshe, Gimod, and I myself, perhaps even Marina here came upon one brother each is more then just mere coincidence alone.' Shanza raised her head standing suddenly tall and proud, a regal gaze in her whole body and posture, at that moment she looked every inch a unicorn. ' Perhaps we may only fully understand this with Tira's or Merlin's help.'
" Tira?" Leo repeated the name.
" Merlin you mean that crazed owl?" Raph demanded at the same time.
All the creatures suddenly sat up straighter eyes locked on the two turtles who had spoken. Shanza's body quivered as she gazed deep into Leo's eyes.
' How do you know Tira's name?'
" Skye one of the cataflys suggested I seek Tira though he didn't tell me who or what Tira was or where I might find her" Leo replied.
Marina smiled " Tira is a great sorceress, one of the most powerful of all." She offered the information almost cheerfully but the truth was she was so bursting with excitement she could not contain the information to tease Leo with it. So far, from every thing she had heard, there was some exciting things going on, and Marina had to satisfy her burning curiosity to know what was going happen next.
' And you have heard of Merlin I take it?' Shanza asked Raph.
" Heard of him. Hell he spent some time talkin' to me in a tree the toshe here had me pinned in. Spouted some bit of poetry and a bunch of nonsense." Raph scoffed.
' What you call poetry and nonsense might offer a clue to how you may get home again. So I hope you remember his words.' Shanza declared, ' On worlds like Necron it is always wise to follow the advice of people or beings who mean well and seek only the best to those they speak to.'
Mike nodded as if this was common knowledge " Sure that is how it goes in fairy tales so many people think they know better and yet it only brings them grief."
Shanza bobbed her head 'Precisely so.'
Gimod considered all of what he had heard ' Then it seems before they can get home they must talk to Tira at least, for she will want to know what Merlin had to say.'
Lobo panted his tongue lolling out of his mouth " Hopefully it might also provide a clue for our coming battle. That is if he can remember especially the poem for that is the real clue."
Raph sighed it seemed they were stuck there for a little while longer at any rate, " Of course I remember what he said. Doesn't mean I put much stock in it. No one tells me what to do."
Leo crossed his arms over his plastron and glared at Raph.
Shanza gazed into Raph's dark brooding eyes ' I hope you do recall his words for if you don't it could mean we are all, and that includes your world too, doomed.'
TBC.