Personality Adjustment

Ch 9

"Advancing Slowly"

While he trained in Japan he learned how meditation could play a major role in figuring things out. He was taught how to stay focused without being distracted. The Ancient One taught him many maneuvers that he never even knew existed. As the days of training came to an end Leo thought about everyone he missed in New York. He wondered how they were doing without him around. Every night as he slept he missed his family dearly, and wondered if they also missed him.

In the meantime Stacy tried to warn Leo's brothers and father about Karai, but was ignored or yelled at.

"Will you stop saying that! Karai is still locked up Stacy, and besides no one but our closest friends know where our lair is! So stop acting like Leo and worrying cause there is nothing to worry about! You seriously need to learn how to relax and enjoy it while it's quiet. Without Shredder there is no more threats to us or the city and we can actually kick back and stop fighting for a while!"

She glared at Don and clicked on the news.

"Oh really well then look at the TV and tell me if there is no threat! Karai was released two days ago and has taken her place as the leader of the foot Mr. Know it all! So look at me and tell me I'm paranoid Don! I heard her talking to the foot about avenging her father and don't like what I heard! She is planning on killing all of you for taking Shredder away from her! Fine you want to be stubborn and not listen to me then I'm leaving!"
Raphael looked at his elder brother and said.

"You know Don she does have a point! You seen the look she gave Leo when she was hauled off to the authorities! If I'm not mistaken she had a lot of hate in her eyes and will take it out on us! So listen to her!"

Don looked at Raphael and said.

"With Leo out of town I'm in charge and I say that she's worried about nothing! So this conversation has ended now! Remember Raph I'm older than you and know that we have nothing to worry about with Shredder finally gone! Number one she shouldn't have followed the foot when she's just starting out with her training! Maybe she misunderstood what Karai said! She doesn't understand Japanese and that's the language she used to talk to her foot clan when Stacy spied on them!"

At that Stacy stormed out of the lair and walked home with caution. When she looked around she was surrounded by foot ninjas and gulped! They lunged at her at the same time and she blocked as many as she could. Then she jumped up into a tree and threw shuriken at them slashing every single one of them. She used the little time she had and disappeared into the shadows so she could escape the foot on her tail as she headed back to her apartment. When she discovered the coast was clear she unlocked the front door and slipped inside her apartment panting from all the running she had done to escape the foot.

April and Casey stared at her and then April asked.

"What happened Stacy? Why are you breathing so heavy; did Leo return from Japan and make up for missed time? Well!"

She looked at her cousin and said.

"No April he's still in Japan. I just got jumped by the foot and nearly escaped with my life. His family won't even listen to me about Karai planning on avenging Shredder! I promised Leo I'd protect his family while he was gone, but they don't need my protection so I just left! I just don't know what she's up to! I just hope he returns before she does make her move, and if he doesn't then I have no idea how I'll be able to face her in battle since she's so much more skilled than I am. It's hopeless! They're in grave danger and they don't know it and neither does Leo!"

Casey looked at Stacy puzzled.

"How do you know that she's up to something anyway? Where did you get that information? Don't tell me you followed the foot to their hideout and got caught! Stacy please tell me that you didn't! Do you have any idea on how deadly Karai really is? Do you? Did it ever cross your mind; that now that she knows that you know where their lair is that she'll kidnap you and force the location of the lair from your brain yes or no?"

Back in Japan Leo continued to train with the Ancient one and realized that his mind had become stronger! He also realized how his skills advanced with the time he had spent with the Ancient One and felt proud once again! Now he no longer considered himself a failure and a bad leader! He realized that all the times he thought he failed were only lessons for him to learn from! Especially their final confrontation with Shredder and Karai on Saki's ship."

As a month and a half passed he stared at the calendar on the wall and sighed. Then when he was alone he took out Stacy's picture and stared at it. He kept the picture in his belt as he continued to train harder with the Ancient One. Every night before he went to sleep he also stared at her picture and tears dripped down his cheeks. He wiped his tears from his eyes and fell asleep thinking about his girl and his family back in New York missing them dearly.

2 ½ months passed and Stacy managed to escape the clutches of the foot when they tried to seize her. She outsmarted them and sighed with relief when they vanished. It wasn't until the 2nd to the last week of the 2nd month Leo was away that she was outsmarted and knocked out. Then dragged into a limo that headed toward the skyscraper where Shredder had once operated the foot clan and his elite guard. They carried her inside the skyscraper and bound her to a table where she was submitted to torture and ridicule from Karai!

"Either give me the answer I am seeking or I will torture you till you die! I am seeking the location to the turtles' lair! I know that you know the location because the green freak was always with you when he disappeared into the shadows! Now answer me!"

Stacy spat on her and yelled as the katana slashed her skin drawing blood that dripped to the floor by her feet.

"I will never betray them! I'd rather have cuts all over my body than to deceive them like that! Torture me all you want I will not reveal where their lair is!"

Karai left her tied to the table and exited the room disgusted. Little did Karai know that Stacy had a Chinese Star in her jeans' pocket.. When she realized that she was alone she grabbed her Chinese Star and cut the ropes that bound her to the table. Then she snuck out from the window as she held her arm that was bleeding. She ran to her apartment and locked the door. Then she ran to her bathroom and cleaned out the wounds that Karai had inflicted on her when she refused to tell her where the lair was. Her arm throbbed with immense pain as she lay in her bed staring at the ceiling! Little did Stacy know that somehow one of the mystics have managed to get the location of the lair from her while she was unconscious! As she lay in the bed and held her arm Karai was putting her plan together to breach the lair and attack them unexpectedly! Also planning on giving Stacy all the credit for their end!