The Extinguishing Light Within - CH4
Disclaimer: TMNT isn't mine and this is just a fan fiction writing. No money is being made on this story.
(TMNT CC are AU based on 2003 version and events, the turtles are in their late 20s.)
Warning: It has horror elements.
Rate: T
This is my secret Santa gift for Tmntlovingleo
The prompt was a story based after the 2k3 episode "The darkness within"
Summary: Klunk in the basement... how did he get there and what is going to happen next? - sorry I know it's weak but came up blank without spoilers involved.
"It was Klunk?" the human friend asked in surprise when he entered her apartment once again.
She was sitting there with hands folded in her lap, showing off, not bothering in hiding it, how nerved wreck she was while in waiting for his return.
When the tabby cat laid eyes on her he became excited squeezing out of Leo's hold on him and leaping out of his arms and into April's lap, thrilled to be saved by her and curled up into a ball for her to give him closure.
She patted the cat's head as she gave Leo a complex look, "How did he get here and in the basement at that?"
Leo only shrugged returning to his previous seat and taking a sip from his tea, "He must have followed me, though he had never done this before, not even to Mikey."
"At least he didn't get lost in the sewers or the streets," she pointed out scratching behind Klunk's ear that made him roll off the purrs.
"If he did, I get the feeling he would find his way back home, though not before Mikey having a complete meltdown that his pet went missing-" Leo started, then forgot the one thing he was to do, "Ah shell I need to call Mike and let him know Klunk is here."
"That would be a good idea," she nodded, grabbing her phone that was on the counter, that was quick access then him scrambling around in his pouch for his own.
"Second thought can you call him April for me, I haven't taken the moment to inspect the damage he might have caused in your storage room, I should do it before Mikey gets here," Leo asked for the favor, taking another drink of his beverage before getting off his seat. If he bothered making the call he knew the brother would keep him longer interrogating him on how Klunk got to April's with questions he would have no answers for and he truly didn't want to be on the phone all day.
If it was April Mikey wouldn't be so demanding for an explanation and if he was, that would be April's time wasted not his.
"Sure," she sighed, hoping it wasn't that bad.
Taking his leave Leo headed towards the basement once more, he was best to assess the situation now, before Mikey shows up to grab his cat, he figured he would head home with the kid brother since his work here was done anyways.
The basement still damp, not that he figured it would have changed in a matter of seconds, he did wonder if the passage caused it to be? Maybe he should suggest to Donnie to refurbish a dehumidifier for the basement to stop any serious mold from building up that could make the friend sick in the end.
At the door to the storage room, Leo opened it up and turned on the light. The room to his relief wasn't that bad in shape, compared to what he had imagined, going by the sounds Klunk made when trapped in the room.
There were some boxes here and there turned over or lying on the ground and one unfortunately he found was labeled breakables yet when he opened it up, there was nothing broken that he could tell.
There was some merchandise laying on the ground as well with a few items that were not packaged, which he figured would be quick to tidy up and not bother April with the details of what they were or bringing anything to her attention.
What would be the point, he thought as long there was nothing that was broken or damage she didn't need to know and having it cleaned up the way it should be she would be just as happy with that. It only took him a few minutes and once done with one more scan of the room to see if anything else was out of order, he made the decision to head out content with his efforts.
"I wonder how Klunk got trapped in the room though," Leo asked himself as he made his way to the door, then paused when his foot stepped on something cold and metal. He must have missed something after all, though he swore everything was picked up that was on the floor, not that many things can blend into the white floor unless it was white of course.
His eyes trailed down in order for him to see what the object was, yet saw nothing, figuring his foot was covering it fully, coming aware the object was not just metal, but small and flat, as he moved his foot back.
A glimmer of gold caught his eyes, a small coin laid there.
Leo bent down to pick it up with his fingers and then straighten up, placing the coin close to his face to examine it as all the blood in his face drained.
"It... it... can't be..." Leo shuddered, recognizing the coin right off the bat. The design, the age, every part of it was the same, can it be the same one?
There was just no way this was the coin that Angel had when her brother disappeared and he and his brothers had to venture to the Volpehart building finding those horrors. Unless, of course, it was... for how could it be another?
"Maybe it is the one that Angel had. She probably gave it to April after everything, to sell, for she didn't want to hang on to it? Who would?" he convinced himself, not daring to think this was another one that was still in circulation, fearing it was a warning that it wasn't over after all.
Holding it made him a bit creeped out and he couldn't take the overwhelming sensation, placing it in his pocket instead. He could speculate all day of its origin, he needed to know and his best shot was simply asking April. Besides, he couldn't figure out why she would store such a small item down there since she always stored them upstairs in the shop area.
Upon his return to her apartment, he found the human friend hadn't moved from her spot and was still taking care of Klunk that was on the counter enjoying a bowl of fresh milk.
He sat down beside her petting Klunk before updating her of the room condition, she appeared to be happy there wasn't anything broken as he slowly wedge in the question of the coin taking it out of his pouch, "April can I ask where you got this coin I found it on the ground downstairs."
"No, I can't," she took a look at it and then placed it back on the counter, "I don't deal with coins," she pointed out that Leo didn't know, nor thought about it until now. She was right, not once he did see her selling or buying coins it was mostly antiques and jewelry.
"I wonder how it got down there then?" he pondered, hoping some good explanation would come up.
"Beats me, maybe one of you boys dropped it, or Casey?" she suggested for no one else goes into that room, "Why do you ask Leo?" she then asked him as he sighed.
"Oh, it's nothing it looks like a coin I saw a while back."
"Well, it's old and not hard to mistaken," she admitted, "You can have it, no one has asked me about a coin," she picked it up and tossed it to Leo who caught it with ease.
"Thanks, but are you sure, you might get a good price for it, April," Leo offered yet she shook her head, with a sigh he placed it back in his pouch, just as someone crept silently through the open window behind them.
He tilted his head towards his kid brother, "Mikey, it's daylight you should have came from the basement," he frowned at his brother who only shrugged.
"Sorry dude, I couldn't get the door to open it was locked?" Mikey explained as Leo bit his lip, realizing he might have accidentally done that when he closed the doors for the passage to the basement.
"Right... sorry I might have done that by accident," Leo stated as Mikey smiled.
"At least you didn't break it right," Mikey kid then gasped horrified, rushing to Klunk before Leo could comment, "My poor baby!" he picked up the cat that meowed and rubbed its head against his skin. "What did mean old Leo do to you?"
"I did nothing," Leo snorted as Mikey glared at him protecting his feline.
He rolled his eyes, "Mikey we should head back home there is some training I want to do before it gets too late."
"Seriously, you torment my cat and dare to talk about training?" Mikey gasped as Leo dryly stared at him.
"Nice try Mike you're not using this as your scapegoat," Leo crossed his arms, then raised an eyebrow, "The more you complain... Hmm... how weird it makes me feel so inspired... Like your words are hitting me so deeply that I just can't deny these overwhelming feelings that are bringing me to this state of being, that I want to make the training longer for your benefit, how odd, huh," he smirked mockingly seeing the kid brother look around all innocent. Yet Leo could tell Mikey wasn't happy that he was being this playful on the thought of threatening him with a long lesson, which he knew Mikey was thinking this dirty little trick was just plain wrong coming out of his mouth of all brothers.
"I thought so," Leo got to his feet in amusement, hearing April chuckle.
"You two have a safe walk home," she told them both then addressed Klunk, "Next time you ask before you come and visit and stay out of my storage room," she rubbed Klunk's chin as the cat meowed at her.
"Oh, I promise he will not do it again," Mikey insisted heading to the door.
"See you later April," Leo said his goodbyes, leaving the room and had his little brother follow not far behind.
When they reached the basement Leo reluctantly disregard any thoughts on the coin, especially bringing the subject up with Mikey, he would look into it another time, right now he had to get home and start his lesson before any other brother tries to get a way out of it.
To his surprise the two hours of training, he was able to get in though Raph missed most of it being off at Casey's place, Leo got what he wanted to be done with his other two brothers.
The best part for once neither brother bothered him on any current events and focus on the lesson at hand and he couldn't ask for more.
Turning in for the night he entered his room and then began to remove his sweaty gear placing it to the side. He stretched out loosening his tightened muscles while permitting a yawn to escape its prison and falling victim to it before flopping on his bed.
His one sheet raised and fell as he stared up towards his ceiling, he was ready for bed, yet part of him deep down wasn't.
He secretly feared what awaited him, thus far the weeks has been nothing short of a nightmare and hindrance on his very soul in both wake and sleep. Sure the nightmares have ceased, even so, the drama with it hasn't, as he reflected over the obstacles before him, with the coin, to him unable to meditate and then his master...
Was this a clear sign he needed a vacation, can mutant ninja turtles have one?
Leo laid his head down, taking a breath and closed his eyes, clearing his mind letting sleep to creep in. He could fight it yet what would be the point? What would he achieve?
It came to him regardless if he was ready or not, dragging him deeper into the void of his mind beyond consciousness to deep NREM sleep, thrusting him to a world he wished not to be in.
The red room, the darkness was there and that voice...
He leaned back his head against the duck taped computer chair headrest, rubbing his eyes and letting out a troubling yawn.
So far nothing has happened and he could bring the video feed on the go with his tablet, but staying in his room would only encourage sleep when he wanted to stay up a bit longer, roughly until the same time frame the first nightmare surfaced.
He had the sinking feeling there was a pattern one he was going to discover regardless of how tired he may become. Suddenly to his pleasure an alluring aroma intercepted his nostrils and he tilted his head towards his younger brother with a tray that held two steaming cups with a few light snacks.
"Can't have a stakeout without something to munch on," Mikey grinned, placing the tray down and passing Donnie his cup of freshly brewed coffee.
"It's late Mike, I don't advise that you should stay up to such hours, there will be training in the morning… besides, I can get away looking half dead, unlike you," Donnie took a savoury sip from his cup of jo with a gleeful smile on his lips.
"True, but bro this is a two turtle job, besides, why do you always have to do all the gruelling work?" Mikey asked, receiving an eyebrow and a sigh.
"For I know what I'm doing and it was my theory in the first place..."
"A theory that I know that you're right, bro," Mikey placed a warm hand on Donnie's shoulder voicing his support. "Leo is both our brother and like shell I will just go off to bed knowing he might be in trouble, I wouldn't sleep anyways."
"I understand," Donnie nodded, pointing to a chair that was on the other side of the room for Mikey to grab.
It was the only other comfortable chair he had and if Mikey was going to stay it was best the turtle doesn't get any cramps from a poorly supported seat for who knows how long this was going to take. It was apparent neither were going to be willing to sleep until they were dead certain nothing was attacking their brother, regardless they had to do this for a few nights until they were confident it was just a mistake on what Donnie heard.
He walked up to the room full of death, the scent of decay was fresh and he covered his nostrils as he squinted through his eyelids to prevent them from burning.
"What the shell died?" Raph waved his hand choking on his own words that were invaded by the pungent aroma.
There on the couch sprawled out was Mikey and far from him was Donnie.
The two younger brothers were inches to death's door and Raph couldn't understand it one bit.
He wasn't blind, he noticed the declining effort the two have when in training and shell even breakfast the past three days was so horrible Raph pretended to eat it only to throw it out after and grabbing a protein bar as a substitute instead.
The worst part was even Leo had no concern, though Raph wasn't surprised since the training of late was a joke and he, in turn, would leave halfway, what was with his family of late?
Was he the only sensible one?
Raph stood there with a shudder in the nightmarish idea he was the sensible brother, it wasn't possible and so against his image as the hothead berserker, he was so proud of.
Sure others would think that was an insult, but he gotta do what he wanted half the time without guilt or judgment from his family that would be taken into account as this as the norm for his behaviour, sure he was chilled now and then but that was when the situation called for it.
"So Twiddle Dumb and Twiddle Dee, going to let me in the loop and tell me what the shell is going on?" Raph growled crossing his arms, if Leo wasn't going to address this, then he might as well and get some satisfaction out of it at the same time.
"Too tired..." Mikey moaned as Donnie only nodded silently.
"When the shell was the last time you two even had a shower?" he asked still taking shallow breaths not to be poisoned by their body odour, that was apparent what wreaked.
Neither brother moved or indicated as Raph only could roll his eyes, then suddenly was hit with a devilish idea as he smirked at them.
"Well, then the answer will be... NOW!" Raph with raw strength stomp towards Donnie first and threw the brother up in the air from his comfortable laying spot.
Donnie yelped in surprise falling onto Raph's shoulder as he didn't stop there, thrusting his hand forward, he grabbed the back of Mikey's shell knowing the kid brother had no strength to fight back as he reefed and twisted forward making the kid brother flip against his will and fall off the couch ass first to the ground. Raph then showed no mercy and dragged the helpless turtle across the living room with an amused satisfied smile playing on his lips.
"Let me go!" Mikey demanded, trying to get up yet his legs couldn't get a grip to do so and his hands that tried to pry Raph's thick tight hand on his shell failed.
Donnie the quiet one now that was trying to comprehend this kidnap scenario only stayed flopped over Raph's shoulder, contemplating if it was wise to resist or go with it.
He wasn't the one being dragged which concluded Raph didn't do so knowing he would behave though this was ridiculous and embarrassing, compare to Mikey who in turn was being treated like a rag doll.
"Sure, when I'm done with you," Raph snarled picking up speed having Mikey's shell scraping against the cement floor.
"What are you..."
"What do you think shell for brains, like shell I will keep smelling you two like this! I live here too, and I keep up my hygiene and I get sweatier than you two on a daily basis!"
"Please don't tell me you're going to go as far as scrub us down..." Donnie said horrified.
"If you make me, yes!" Raph warned kicking the bathroom door open and throwing Mikey in and then placing Donnie down beside the mangled little brother.
Turning towards the door Raph eyes narrowed at his two brothers, "Now fucken get in the showers and don't you dare leave this room until you smell like the fucken soap, if I smell that shit again you'll wish you washed every hour!"
Stomping out of the bathroom, Raph slammed the door behind him and both could hear a sudden thud.
Both glanced at each other, before letting out a sigh and rising to their feet, knowing what the sound was, it was Raph making sure they didn't escape waiting outside the door.
"We have no choice," Donnie said exhaustively shuffling his feet towards the shower room that he had four open showers set up for his family.
He went for one of the faucets and turned the water on, not before moving to the side to avoid the cold water, waiting for it to warm up.
Mikey following suit did the same to the shower next to his brother's. Once both turtles were under the water, Mikey sat down, letting the water wash over him, "Don, not trying to be a downer, but I don't know about this anymore, maybe we should call it quits? It's been three days and nothing has happened."
Donnie leaned forward, using the wall for leverage as he had his head against it, while deep in thought, knowing this was going to come up sooner or later, "One more night Mikey," he begged since it just didn't feel right to quit just yet.
"Sure... but now we have Raphie there on the prowl and I don't know how we are going to do this without him you know... breaking up the party?"
"Right..." Donnie stared at the wall, biting his lip, "He wouldn't if we let him join."
"What?" Mikey flashed his head up seeing the brooding thoughts clouding around his brother's head, this wasn't over, not by a long shot by the looks of it.
"Raph will not be a problem if we let him know... besides I think we should."
"Donnie is there something your not telling me?" Mikey got to his feet, examining his brother that avoided his blue eyes, "Donnie?"
Donnie suddenly shut off the water not before making one quick wash with the soap so Raph didn't keep his word, then snatched up a towel.
"Don?" Mikey rushed to wash himself down, then jump out of the water shutting it off quickly and grabbed a towel only having time to wrap it around his wet body as his brother was already out of the room. Raph who had moved over raised an eyebrow, watching Donnie darting to his lab with a towel on and then Mikey following him.
"What the shell is-" Raph started and Mikey threw his voice over his shoulder.
"Bro just follow, don't know but will soon."
"Okay..." Raph scrambled to his feet, striding forward to catch up to Mikey.
Once the two turtle brothers were in the lab, they noticed Donnie was at his desk hunched over with his hand holding him there as he was staring at something.
"Umm... bro... your starting to scare me," Mikey shuddered.
"You should be," Donnie picked up the object that he was focused on, turning around and presented it to his brothers.
"A coin?" Raph raised an eye in confusion.
"Not any coin-" Donnie started then was interrupted by Mikey.
"Ah shell, that can't be the coin from that haunted creepy mansion!"
"The same one," Donnie admitted as Raph rolled his eyes not believing this. He walked up to his brother snatching the golden coin looking at it both sides.
"Point is what, Don? You two look like shit over some stupid coin?"
"A coin Leo had in his possession and didn't beforehand. Not to mention the only thing left from the building since it was torn down and I know for fact, not one coin was found nor surface since…" Donnie growled seeing Raph's face was contorted in confusion as he let out a sigh next. He took a breath bringing Raph up to speed as he was flabbergasted looking at the coin, then his brothers contemplating the situation if there was one.
"So your telling me something is after Leo and this coin has a connection to the building that we all know is gone... how the shell can that be?"
"I don't know," Donnie said sadly taking a seat, "But I know it wasn't my imagination Raph, I'm one hundred percent convinced that something is going on and link to that building, also..."
"Do you have any other proof, then Leo having a coin that he must have kept from Angel-"
"It wasn't from Angel, for after I saw Leo taking it out of his pouch and putting it away, the only place he had been before that time frame was April's and she explained to me what happened to Klunk and Leo mysteriously finding that in her basement."
"So it just showed up in thin air?" Mikey jumped to conclusions and Donnie only shrugged.
"Jeezz..." Raph shook his head, then let out a breath crossing his arms, "Then what now? Should we tell the shell for brains, to spill the beans?"
Donnie leaned forwards hands folded thinking heavily on the question then smacked his lips, "No, not just yet, let's try one more night to see if anything happens to him when he goes to sleep. If it is fruitless, then we will confront him and get to the bottom of this."
"Then I'm taking the couch," Raph called dibs on it and went to the other side of the lab to drag it towards where the monitors were.
"I guess we're all in Don," Mikey chuckled, then gawk towards Raph in a blank stare, "Shell why didn't I think of that."
"Who knows," Donnie smirked, watching how those two will now fight for the furniture.
Then Donnie bit his lip as the smirk faded and he faced away from his brothers grimly looking at the monitors. There was an overwhelming feeling dwelling inside him, informing him that tonight was the night when something was going to happen if he was ready for it or not... if any of them were ready to face it... The worst part of it all that scared him the most was the question of what will they find?
Leo reared his head back taking deep, shallow breaths, as he experienced the sensation of his lungs were filled with water as he gasped, arching his back and his chin raised up as his head still touch the pillow. Sweat covered his body and he couldn't free himself from this hold. His breath in contact to his cold surroundings became visible yet he could not see it with his eyes rolled back in the back of his head, losing all control.
With a firm grip, it was a miracle he could even achieve that, he held his bed anchoring himself as the words continue to hammer at his soul.
I know what you want... I know what you want... tell me turtle what is it that you want.
"...I..." Leo choked, tears running down his cheeks.
TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT!
"I.. wa...want..." he tried to fight it off, yet to his dismay, he was slipping into the unseen dark void, it had its claws dug into his chest dragging his soul out.
Tell MEEE!
"I..."
"LEO!" Raph's voice came to his aid.
His red mask brother charged in without a second thought, not even to take in the chaos of the room or fazed by the thing that was attacking him. Raph made his way across the room, ducking from a flying sword that was mounted on Leo's wall and dashed towards his brother grabbing his arm and dragged his hide towards the exit.
Leo couldn't help his brother and he couldn't speak either, yet was thankful Raph was there and not far behind was Mikey who entered next, taking his other arm and aided Raph to get him out of the room as the unseen force screamed and cursed at them, telling them it's too late, he will be.
Neither brother fell victim to it's taunts and threats only focusing on Leo and exited the room.
Once out, Donnie stood there closing the door quickly after they all escaped and painted something on it, muttering under his breath he hoped the charms would work.
Leo laid there horrified looking towards his door, seeing it rattle and something tried to break it down, while he was helplessly paralyzed with his two of his siblings beside him, as the other kept putting up charms and anything else he could think of that was to use to seal and ward off negative energies.
It was a collage of different belief systems and symbols, then it just died, rising up the eerie silence, as all four stared at the door waiting for something to break the wards down and come after them, yet that never happen as each let out a breath, that they were holding.
"Leo... we need to talk," Donnie took a step back and looked down at his older brother.
"Yeah..." Leo could only say fearfully. This had escalated too suddenly and now whatever this was had became violent, that he had no power against it... the question was did any of them do?
The lab was still. as the four brothers sat there deep in thought after it didn't take them long to get Leo to finally explain what happened in the past week and before then.
Raph, of course, was raging at Leo for keeping them in the dark on this as it took both Mikey and Donnie to hold the muscular turtle from punching at Leo, who they all agreed deserved it, yet the current situation wasn't the time or moment for such violence, Leo was attacked and they needed to figure out what it was that they were facing.
After a few moments, Raph made Donnie and Mikey to let him go, as he took a seat just glaring down at Leo over his idiotic motives.
Donnie saw why Leo did it, yet was hurt and even Mikey showed the same reaction, understanding with hurt feelings of being betrayed in a way.
"Then," Donnie was the first to speak up, "It is concluded by your accounts of activities Leo, you are being targeted, back up with the video feed we," he nudged towards Mikey and Raph, "have witnessed seeing some dark mass coming at you from your ceiling and objects in your room started to be thrown around by some unseen force-"
"Not including how we had to drag your ass out of your room and Don here, luckily with quick thinking had some charms and holy symbols on hand, because Mike was adamant it might be demonic or a spirit of some sort," Raph put in, cutting off Donnie.
"Right," Leo said depressingly, slumping in his chair, it was evident it wasn't in his head, it wasn't stress, it was something after all, and something they had no clue how to fight back.
Sure Donnie's quick thinking made things bearable for now, yet for how long? All they knew the thing that was after him could have been put off for they were all there, which doesn't mean they defeated it by far, and next time it could just not care and do what it is set out to do.
"So we know this much, what the shell do we do then?" Raph demanded not liking how they were just sitting there waiting for it to take another round..., no it was more on how Leo was acting, after being attacked and he was just standing there with his thumb up his ass.
"I don't know," Donnie started, biting his lip, "We know nothing other than it could be linked to the Volpehart building and that thing in the depths of it, yet Leo destroyed it and two the mansion was destroyed with all evidence of it ever existing."
"Except for this coin," Mikey pointed out as Leo's eyes trailed over it.
"And..." Leo slowly spoke, as his brother's eyes move to him in question, wondering if he was hiding something else, "That place in the astral planes..."
"Huh?" Raph raised an eyebrow.
"What are you talkin bout Willis," Mikey cut in with an old joke to make the air feel less thick and heavy.
Leo's eyes hesitantly looked up to his brothers as he started to fiddle with his hands, each took notice not pushing the older brother waiting for him. What felt like hours, Donnie nudged, not too hard of course, fearing Leo would shorten his explanation or give another, "Elaborate?"
"Well... roughly a week ago I was meditating," Leo turned his head towards Mikey, "It was that day you were trying to catch my attention Mikey, the day you-" Leo suddenly dropped his voice as Mikey turned white and Donnie raised an eyebrow.
"The day?"
"I broke the door, Donnie..." Mikey took the blame knowing there will be repercussions later, however, he didn't want Leo to stop his story for deep down he knew it was a key fact they needed to be updated on.
"Oh.. okay..." Donnie sighed deeply and shook his head, "Fine so the day that Mikey broke the door what happen Leo?"
Leo nodded, feeling sick in his stomach and his face turn a shade of white, "I was in the astral planes yet when I got there I wasn't aware I was in the planes, I had no clue where I was, finding myself in a study and out the window was this weird greyish forest with no color, yet the room and myself did."
"Interesting, you had no idea you had achieved to enter the planes?"
"Not just that I had no clue I even was meditating before either, my memories were fuzzy and I was disoriented."
"How long did that last?" Donnie leaned forward.
"Until Mikey hear snapped me back and when I say snap-back I mean it. I felt like someone slammed my body and soul together and I-"
"That is why you yelped before I took-" Mikey shot a look at Leo than to Donnie, hissing through his teeth before continuing, "the door down."
"Right," Leo reluctantly admitted.
"Is that normal?" Raph had to ask, being no expert to astral projecting.
"No, it isn't," Donnie pointed out, then put his attention back to Leo, "Do you remember anything essential to your time there before coming back?"
"Well..." Leo thought on it, then nodded, "Yes the main study, there were three things, the red balloon in the woods and I saw something green, yet inside the study, someone's reflection caught my attention and however when I turned around there was no one there."
"Sounds like an adventure," Mikey said, then tilted his head, "Red balloon... oh shell don't tell me you saw IT! Pennywise!" the kid brother gasped, then he let out a sharp moan having Raph cuff him in the back of his head as a warning.
"No..." Leo shot him a dry look, "I don't know why I saw it but had a feeling it was for someone else, not me..."
"What the shell does that mean?" Raph barked, getting a shrug from Leo.
"Don't know, just it was for another, and the place I was in was for me... I can't explain it, it was a feeling that is why when the person showed up in the reflection yet I couldn't see anyone in the room I started to search for clues."
"That is the third thing," Donnie inquired.
"Yes, a book on the bookshelf, it-" Leo started to explain then paused unable to remember the details.
"It?" Donnie leaned toward him extending a hand to place on Leo's knee to pull him back to them.
"I..." Leo looked up, "I can't remember... but I do recall the building's image was there, but..."
"There was more?" Donnie suggested getting a nod from Leo.
"Okay, so there is a book on the astral planes that Leo found so what?" Raph burst out.
"So we need to see what it says," Donnie pointed out as Raph moved back quickly not liking that suggestion one bit.
"Wait, what?" Raph choked and Mikey wasn't far behind.
"I think Donnie is right, it's now the only lead we have since the building is gone now," Leo agreed, seeing the significance, it might be the missing key they need to resolve this before someone, mainly him gets hurt and his brothers not far behind. "I will go back and-"
"We all go," Donnie insisted as his two other brothers exchanged looks in worry, "We can do it as a team with your lead Leo, you have been there so it would be easy for you to take us along."
"How the shell do you think that will work?" Raph demanded, "I, shell even Mikey suck at meditating and we..."
"The same way as the mystics used to draw all of us into their demented version of their world to mess with us," Donnie hastily replied as even Leo blankly looked at him unsure what Donnie was suggesting.
"What?" all three brothers asked as Donnie rolled his eyes, "Remember that time when we were all meditating and were thrown in a world we thought was real, where you lost Klunk Mikey, we lost April and Casey and so on? They used their powers to do this to us," Donnie explained.
"I still don't get it, Donnie," Leo flatly admitted, "We can't go to them and demand them to force us to go to that place, they will only twist it to their will, resulting us to waste our time with no progress for us to go on."
"For one," Donnie started to point out, "I don't think it was a place in the astral planes you were in Leo, all the evidence of your experience suggest you might have transported yourself in another dimension, one that doesn't exist in the physical plane of existence, but one that is geared towards the spirit."
"Say what?" Raph asked, blinking and shaking his head.
"Put it this way there are other dimensions with their own rules, not all are bonded to the same rules ours has, with the physical bodies, yet the spirit instead, energy of our being as you will. These dimensions are not part of the astral planes. The simplest explanation, not saying this is the full rules nor limited to either, since I know there is more to it, however, for this how I see it for this situation, these dimensions unlike the astral planes, you can't just alter them no different then our physical world, unless you do certain things of course, but you can't just imagine it and it will be, they are fixed."
"So this place Leo visited isn't something he or someone else came up with, but like any other building in New York, someone constructed it," Raph tried to understand though he felt slightly dumb and ashamed the subject at hand was hard to grasp.
"Exactly and to get there we need the same power the mystics used, which I have just the source." Donnie jumped to his feet rushing to the back of his lab as each remaining brother just exchange looks of uneasiness, neither like the idea and the fact how excited Donnie was. It only meant he been wanting to use this device yet never had the chance to or... the guinea turtles to do so...
Back in a flash, Donnie held a small wooden box that had an assortment of symbols on it as it was Leo who addressed the question, "What is that and where did you get it from."
The first question Donnie appeared to be fine with, as the second he had a frown.
"Well," he scratched the back of his head nervously, "A, it's your solution. B... for where they came from, I... don't know... they appeared in the back of my lab months ago."
"Wait! You're telling me you have some random box that will throw us to this dimension Leo visited and you have no fucken idea where the damn thing came from?" Raph huffed, narrowing his eyes at Donnie, making the turtle more nervous.
"I..."
"Don, how do we know it's safe and will do what you said? If you don't know where it came from, who is to say someone that is an enemy hadn't planted it for this very moment?" Leo questioned as Donnie blinked.
"I don't think it was left from an enemy, there was a name on the box Leo one I don't recognize yet feel it's safe as if that person wanted me to have it," Donnie bit his lip all too well knowing those eyes of judgment on him, the ones stating why did he keep this from them, and he had no answer for some reason.
Leo sighed, "What is the name?"
"LH..." Donnie said, "LH and I don't know what that stands for, but it feels familiar and I know it sounds-"
"What is this thing that will help us and how do we do this," Leo interrupted, feeling what he figured Donnie must have felt when he found the name on the box, it was familiar yet he couldn't remember who it stands for.
"Thanks for asking," Donnie suddenly got excited, "When I found it, I didn't know what it was capable of. That was until I did tests and found," he opened the box showing four quarter size stones, each with a coded colour, red, blue, orange, and purple, "With these," Donnie picked up the purple one, "We place it on our temple and with Leo's help knowing where we need to go, in theory will synchronize our brain waves and connect our souls to travel to this place in the grey woods."
"Of course in theory..." Raph said dryly, "I feel so safe now."
"Don't worry Raph it could be worse," Mikey smirked.
"How so?" Raph protested crossing his arms.
"Simple you and I can have our brain waves and souls interlinked for eternity if it doesn't work-"
"OH! Shell no!" Raph threw his hands in the air, "Nope, not going to do it" he started to walk towards the door.
"Raph chill out," Leo rolled his eyes, "Get back here we don't have time-"
"Fuck you Leo ain't going to do it, no way I will let myself be stuck with him like that," Raph snarled then was stopped by Donnie's hand.
"Raph, he is just pushing your buttons, I don't believe it-"
"Shell Don, you don't know," Raph protested only having his brother swing his arm around his neck, pulling him gently towards back to the rest of the group.
"We will be fine, but I don't know how long we have until that thing comes after Leo again," Donnie explained getting a sigh from Raph who gave in.
"Okay, but I don't want to be close to Mikey," he muttered under his breath.
"You can be beside me then," Leo smirked
"Oh yeah... that is just as better," Raph dryly answered, getting an eye roll from Leo as they all moved towards a clear spot to be seated. They all sat in a circle with Raph between Leo and Donnie and Mikey on the other side, each with the stone that they felt the colours that matched their mask colours were meant for them, as each placed the stone on their temple.
"So now what?" Mikey asked nervously.
"Tap on it once and it will start glowing," Donnie explained as Mikey bit his lip and Donnie smiled sweetly as assurance, "Mikey don't worry, it will not hurt, think of it as a powerful drug that makes you unconscious quickly."
"Not helping," Raph scowled.
"Just press the button Raph," Leo warned clearing his mind and focusing on that study hoping he could direct his brothers there to find the answers.
"On the count of three," Donnie insisted before Raph could argue, "1... 2...3..."
TBC