The Secret of the Amulet Chapter 6, a ninja turtles fanfic

AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, Amé, and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.

I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults.

PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass into to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time. I'm hoping things will pick up on my postings, however, as soon as I can get my Internet re-connected. Until then, however, my postings are most likely going to have to wait until the weekends while I'm at work.

Chapter 6

Aislinn stepped into the Dojo, escorted by two ninjas, Yasahiro, and Sharon. The smell of sweat and blood met her nostrils, but she ignored it as she approached the Shredder who stood watching the ninjas practice with his back to her.

Her escorts fanned out at a distance, waiting for her to finish talking with their master. They would then take her back to her room.

"You said you wouldn't harm any of my friends if I gave you the amulet," Aislinn said, standing about three feet behind Shredder.

"And I haven't," Oroku said, not turning toward her. "Not since we made our deal."

"I demand to see Mikey."

Saki turned slightly and glanced at her. "No," he said, matter-of-factly, then turned away again, indicating the end of the conversation.

But Aislinn wasn't about to give up. "Then you can forget about the amulet. I've addressed the amulet to go to their place as soon as it reaches America. They refuse to give it to me until Mikey is returned to them." She quickly added, "Alive and in one piece."

Shredder turned to face her. He gave what could have been a smile from behind his mask. "Yet they didn't ask for you back?"

Aislinn shrugged as if it didn't matter.

Saki studied her, then turned away once more, saying, "We shall just pay them a visit when the amulet arrives."

"They are relocating as we speak."

Oroku turned sharply to see her grinning painfully. "I doubt you'll find them," she continued. "They've been given sufficient warning."

Saki was silent. Then he said, "My dear little niece, always one step ahead of me. You remind me of your mother." He paused. Then, "She was a feeble bitch who fell in love with the wrong man at the wrong time. What she saw in that weakling half-brother of mine, I'll never know."

Aislinn cocked her head to the side, wonderingly. "I've always believed that she saw more of a man in my father than she ever glimpsed in you."

The Dojo went silent. Shredder hissed as he raised his hand in order to slap her.

Instinctively, Aislinn cowered to protect herself, remembering well the fell of those metal claws.

But the blow never came. Instead, Oroku laughed.

Aislinn looked up, berating herself for flinching.

The Dojo became noisy again at the sound of their master's laughter and those inside relaxed, continuing what they had been doing.

"Go," Said chuckled. "Go see your turtle. Just get out of my sight."

It took all of Aislinn's strength to keep herself from running out of the Dojo.

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Yasahiro unlocked the door and opened it.

Aislinn rushed into the small dark room. "Mikey?" she called.

A dark shape in the corner—which she thought had been just a shadow—shifted.

"Aislinn?" said a weak voice. She barely recognized Mikey as he sat up.

Aislinn rushed to his side and helped him up. He squinted at the light that came in from the door.

"Oh, Mikey," Aislinn gasped. One of his eyes was discolored and swollen. He had various cuts and bruises covering his body. In one spot on his shell, it had caved in slightly, crushed.

"I could say the same to you," Mikey said, reaching and touching her gashed cheek.

Aislinn looked sharply at Yasahiro. "Who did this?"

"Master Shredder ordered Nakita and Primiko to interrogate him."

"Why wasn't I told? He needs medical attention."

"Dude, it ain't that bad," Mikey said, "But my shell hurts like hell."

Aislinn helped him to his feet. "Lean on me," she said softly. She walked him slowly toward the door.

But the two ninjas and Yasahiro blocked her. "Where are you going with him?" Yasahiro asked.

"I'm taking him to my room. He needs to get those wounds cleaned and I intend to see that he isn't harmed again."

"I'm sorry, Miss Aislinn, but I can't allow it."

"Why not?"

"For one, you're getting a new room due to what you did to the window. Second, he's not to leave this room."

"I'm not leaving him here. If he can't come with me then I'm stayin' here."

"Miss Aislinn—"

"I've made my decision, Yasahiro. He comes with me or I stay."

Yasahiro looked at her with uncertainty. He didn't want to deny the girl because he liked her, but the Master had ordered that he not be removed. He sighed. "You'll have to talk to Master Shredder."

Aislinn looked at him, the hardness gone from her features. "You owe me, Yasahiro," she said softly.

Yasahiro looked away. He knew that. As young as she had been before Shredder had killed her parents, Aislinn had saved his life.

Aislinn's father had been ready to kill him for ratting him out to the Shredder. But Aislinn had begged her father not to kill Yasahiro. Her friend.

Aislinn's father had let Yasahiro go, but banned him from ever coming back.

Yasahiro swallowed, looking down at his feet. "I don't have the authority to let him go, Aislinn."

"Fine," she said. "I'm staying here, then. Sharon, I'll need a lamp and my first aid kit from my room."

Sharon looked at Yasahiro, uncertain.

"Well, go!" Yasahiro snapped.

Sharon hurried from the room.

"You're lucky," Aislinn said softly as she bandaged another of Mikey's wounds. "It doesn't look as if you'll need stitches."

"Yeah, but is mummifyin' me really necessary?" Mikey asked.

Aislinn smiled and turned to another wound. "If you want them to heal, then yes it's necessary."

"Can't you just kiss them?" he asked.

"Excuse me?" Aislinn laughed, a bit nervously, and froze.

Mikey's face broke out into a wider grin. "I've heard that when a wound is kissed by someone you love, it makes them feel better."

Aislinn's smile faded slightly at the word 'love' and her heart skipped a beat.

Seeing her reaction, he blushed and looked away. "Sorry. I didn't mean—"

"No," Aislinn said, laying a hand on his shoulder. He looked back at her, a small light of surprise in his eyes. "Don't take it back," she whispered when they locked eye contact.

Aislinn broke the moment first, realizing she had been staring at him. She tied off a bandage on his arm and kissed it gently, smiling. "How's that?" she asked, teasingly.

Mikey began to answer, but the door burst open, almost flying off its hinges. Light flooded into the room, slightly blocked by a tall figure. Shredder.

"Brazen bitch!" he raged. Storming into the room, he grabbed a handful of her hair and dragged her toward the door.

Aislinn cried out in pain, clawing at his hands to get herself free.

"Dude, let'er go!" Mikey sailed over Aislinn and landed on Shredder's back, wrapping an arm around his enemy's neck and ripping the helmet off with his free hand, jerking Shredder's neck painfully.

Shredder let go of Aislinn as he struggled to get Mikey off his back.

"Mikey, no!" Aislinn cried. "He'll kill you!"

Mikey ignored her and slammed the helmet into Saki's head.

Oroku grunted and stumbled but reached for Mikey again. This time he grabbed the turtle by the back of the neck. He flipped Mikey over his shoulder and into a wall.

Mikey's head cracked against the wall and his body slumped to the floor.

"Mikey!" Aislinn screamed, rushing toward him.

Oroku stepped in her path and threw her the other way, out the door. Aislinn slammed into Yasahiro and he grabbed her to keep her from falling.

"Take her to her room," the Shredder ordered.

"No!" screamed Aislinn. "Let me go! Mikey! Mikey!"

She was dragged kicking and screaming down the corridor. She was then shoved into her knew room, several floors up from Mikey's room, and the door slammed behind her, bolting shut.

She threw herself at the door, pounding on the iron slab while screaming, "Let me out! I demand to see Mikey! Let me out of here or so help me!"

Her new room was bigger and seemed to have once been an office (her old room had been an overlarge storage closet in the old business building). All her things had been moved in, yet it still seemed empty.

This room was twice as large with a barred window facing outside and a huge window near the door that faced the hall. She wasn't sure what the window was made of. It was too thick to be plastic, but it defiantly wasn't glass. Yasahiro stared in at her through that window, a look of regret and pity on his face.

She pounded on the window. "Yasahiro! You owe me! Let me out!"

Yasahiro looked away from her.

Yelling in rage, she grabbed her mother's old rocking chair and hurled it at the window with all her might.

Yasahiro flinched as the rocker slammed into the window, bouncing off and clattering to the floor.

Aislinn continued to pound on the door and the window, alternating every few seconds, but still screaming that she wanted out.

Hours later, Sharon came with Aislinn's dinner on a tray. Yasahiro unbolted the door and opened it for her.

Aislinn wasn't anywhere in sight.

Frowning, Sharon stepped inside. "Aislinn? Where—?"

A hand shot out of nowhere and slammed the tray up into Sharon's face.

During the confusion, Aislinn raced from the room and bolted down the hall. She had barely taken a few running steps, however, before Yasahiro grabbed her and literally threw her back into the room, slamming the door shut.

Aislinn lunged at the door, screaming like a mad woman as the bolt slid in place.

Sharon looked in the window, her angry face dripping from the hot soup that had been Aislinn's food. She glared at Aislinn, muttered the word 'bitch' then turned and left.

She didn't come back to feed Aislinn until late in the afternoon the next day.

When the door opened, Aislinn lunged for it.

But this time Sharon was ready.

A hand taser suddenly appeared in Sharon's hand. A thousand volts of electricity coursed through Aislinn's body, throwing her back to the floor.

"Turn that down," Yasahiro said as Sharon came back out. "We want to stud her, not kill her."

"Watch it, old man," Sharon said, waving the taser back and forth in front of his face. "Or I'll use it on you."

Yasahiro glared at Sharon's retreating back as he bolted the door. He would have to talk to Master Shredder about that one. She was becoming too arrogant for her own good.

Yasahiro looked through the window to check on Aislinn. She still lay on the floor, unconscious from the taser. He sighed with regret and returned to his post: guarding Aislinn's door.

Aislinn only charged the door once more after that and she paid the consequences as before. For three days, when the door opened, she stood back and watched, patiently waiting for them to let their guard down. They never did.

As Friday grew nearer, Aislinn began to feel a sense of dread come over her. Had she done the right thing? Keeping her friends safe in exchanged for the destruction of the world? She liked to think she had.

Merode wouldn't have agreed. She knew the Shredder wanted Aislinn's strange amulet but she didn't know why. Aislinn had never told her of the amulet's power. That's why Merode would have no trouble giving Shredder the pendant. That's what it was to her. A large, ugly necklace worth a lot of money.

Then something struck Aislinn. Would Shredder use the amulet's power against her friends? Technically, he wouldn't be violating his vow. And Aislinn wouldn't be able to stop him, either. She had no power over the spirits.

Aislinn groaned and slid to her knees beside her bed. "Mother, what have I done?" she whispered, burying her face in her hands. It had all been for not. Her friends were as good as dead.

A strangled sob escaped her throat and she broke down, crying.

There was only one way to defeat the amulet. And it had to be done before the spirits were called.

She wiped her tears as the solemnity of what she had to do rolled around in her head.

She looked about her room. There wasn't anything she could use...

Then she thought of her bed sheets. It could work...

She stood and ripped the sheets off the bed. Her hands trembled as she rolled the sheets into a long strip. Could she do it? She shoved the question out of her mind. Of course she could. She had no choice.

She had to die.

She wrapped the sheet around her neck and took a deep, calming breath, reminding herself that it was the only way she could stop the spirits from destroying the world...

And killing her friends.

She pulled on the sheet and it tightened dangerously around her neck, cutting off her air.

First her face became red and turned darker and darker as she became dizzier and dizzier. Then her eyes began to bulge from the pressure and her vision blurred. Her body began to weaken and she felt the pressure decrease slightly. She pulled tighter, not wanting to give up.

The door banged open. "Aislinn, no!" shouted Yasahiro.

Aislinn fell back on the bed, her vision becoming black from lack of air and she began gasping for breath.

"Damn it! Somebody get help!" shouted Yasahiro.

Aislinn felt him unwrap the sheet from her neck, and then everything went dark.

Aislinn was in a large room. Everything was sheer white. She couldn't see the walls, it was too bright, but somehow she knew it was a room. She took a step forward, confused. Where was she?

Doors appeared in front of her. Double doors with iron vines that separated the windowpanes. She walked toward them and opened them wide. There was a flash of bright light and the sound of singing birds came to her ears. The light faded and she found herself in a beautiful garden. Millions of flowers surrounded her, some she knew, some she didn't. Aislinn found herself wandering the garden paths, admiring the different plants with so many colors that it made her dizzy.

At that moment, a peacock stepped on the path in front of her. Aislinn froze, watching the divine creature. It stared right back at her as if examining her.

Then, to Aislinn's surprise, the bird spoke her birth name. "Hello, Aiko," it said. Its voice was female and very familiar.

Aislinn stepped toward the bird. "Mom?" she asked with utter shock.

The peacock seemed to smile and closed her eyes, as if savoring that word.

A purple, blue, and gray mist rose from the path and circled the bird, twisting and swirling around her. Aislinn took a step back, afraid the mysterious mist would swallow her as well. But it didn't. It grew taller, completely swallowing the peacock, then it began to fall much like a waterfall to first reveal a woman's face and then her body.

Aislinn's mother opened her eyes and smiled genuinely at her, holding her arms open. Aislinn rushed into her mother's embrace, sobbing with joy.

Amé held her daughter tight, smoothing out Aislinn's curly blonde hair, so much like her own. "Oh, my daughter. My baby, I've missed you so much." She pushed back a bit to survey Aislinn and cup her daughter's cheeks in her hands. "You've grown so much, Aiko!"

Laughing with tears coursing down her cheeks, Aislinn hugged Amé again. "You haven't changed at all, mom."

Amé beamed and kissed the top of Aislinn's head. "Come," she said, leading Aislinn toward a gazebo that Aislinn hadn't seen before. "We have much to talk about."

They sat in the gazebo and watched birds fly in and out of the trees, singing to their hearts' delight.

"It's beautiful here," said Aislinn as they sat.

"Yes," Amé sighed. She looked down lovingly at Aislinn. "This is the afterlife, my dear. Very few things are more beautiful."

"I'm dead, then," Aislinn said with frankness.

"Oh, no, dear. You're alive, but just barely. You know, I don't approve of that suicide act," Amé said with disappointment.

"But, mom, I had to! It was the only way I could defeat Oroku!"

"I know your heart was in the right place, dear, but you've forgotten the legend of our amulet."

"No, I haven't! If the Keeper dies before the spirits are released or before the amulet is returned to the kitsune and does not have an heir, the Keeper will appear with the spirits."

"Yes, but there's another part you've forgotten and one I never told you."

"What?"

"The Keeper cannot kill herself. It unbalances the amulet and bad things can happen."

Aislinn thought it over, then remembered. Her face turned white. "Oh, no." She put her face in her hands, feeling worse than before. "How could I have forgotten?"

Amé rubbed her daughter's back to comfort her. "It's alright, dear. You're not dead yet, so everything will be alright."

Aislinn sighed and sat back, suddenly very tired. After a moment of silence, she said, "What's the part you never told me?"

Amé smiled. "If the Keeper is not killed, then the former Keepers shall return with the spirits. And they shall be under their own control to decide which side is true of heart and to defeat the heart of greed."

Aislinn thought this over. She felt an immediate relief. Then, "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Amé shrugged. "I wasn't told myself. Somewhere down the line of Keepers, the information wasn't given to the next Keeper. I only found out myself when I arrived here."

Aislinn looked around and leaned against her mother, sighing as if fatigued. Amé put an arm around her daughter's shoulder and hugged her. Aislinn laid her head on her mother's shoulder like she had when she had been younger.

"I don't want to go back," she whispered.

"You must, Aiko. Your friends need you. Especially the one named Michaelangelo."

"Its no use, mom. Shredder refuses to let me see him."

"You'll think of something. You're like your father in that aspect. But Michaelangelo needs you badly. If he's not attended to soon, he shall be joining your father and I here in the afterlife."

Aislinn was silent. Then she said softly and out of the blue, "I love him."

Amé smiled. "I know. I've been watching you. His feelings for you are strong, also."

"You approve, then?"

"He is a nice boy. He has a good heart and I know he'll take good care of you."

"You don't care if he's a mutant turtle?"

Amé shrugged. "It might have bothered me when I was alive, but since being here..." She smiled and shook her head. "No, I don't mind. Just as long as you're happy and he treats you right."

Suddenly Amé looked up as if she saw something. Then she looked back down at Aislinn and smiled sadly. "It's time for you to go back, darling."

Aislinn shook her head, tears coming to her eyes. "No. I want to stay with you."

"You can't, honey. You have to go back. Michaelangelo needs you."

"But—"

"Shh, my daughter." Amé kissed the top of Aislinn's head. "I love you. Don't ever forget that." Amé stood as the mist began to close in again. "Good bye, Aiko, dear. I'll be waiting for you here when your time comes."

"Mom, don't go! I can't do this on my own!"

The mist covered Amé as she said, "Of course you can, Aiko. You come from a long line of strong Keepers. I know you can."

The peacock appeared and flew over Aislinn's head, it's tail almost brushing her.

A tail feather fell and landed at Aislinn's feet. When Aislinn picked it up, the colors began to fade around her.

There was a sudden flash of light and Aislinn woke back in her room, gasping for breath.

"Aislinn! Thank The ancestors!" Yasahiro breathed as Aislinn came to life, coughing. "I thought you were gone for sure. What possessed you to do something like that?"

"Get me...Shredder..."Aislinn said, still wheezing for breath.

"What is it this time?" Shredder asked as he stepped into the room.

"Aislinn stood and approached him. "I want Mikey brought to my room."

Oroku groaned in frustration. "That, again? What is it with this turtle? Don't tell me you're in love with him." When Aislinn didn't answer, he chuckled. "I don't believe this. My niece is in love with a mutant turtle."

"Half-niece, Oroku. And if it were up to me, not even that. I want Mikey brought to my room so I can attend to him before we leave Friday."

"No." He turned to leave.

"You heard of my escapade this morning, didn't you?"

Shredder stopped. "Yes. Luckily, Yasahiro was able to stop you."

"Lucky for you, maybe. If Mikey isn't brought to my room by tonight. I'll do it again. And this time Yasahiro won't be able to stop me," she threatened. It was a lie, but he didn't know that.

"How can you be so sure?" Shredder asked.

"Anyone can do anything if they put their minds to it."

He stepped toward her until they were face to face with each other. He glared down at her. "How about we make a deal, half-niece? If I allow the turtle to be attended by you, then you stay when the amulet is given to me."

Aislinn's eyes widened. "Absolutely not!"

"Then forget the turtle." He turned to leave.

"Wait," Aislinn winced at the desperate note in her voice. He had turned the tables on her and she didn't like it one bit. When Shredder turned back slightly, a victorious smile on his lips, she asked, "Why do you want me to stay?"

"How do I know that as soon as I let you go, you won't just kill yourself? Besides, I've been doing some tests lately and I could use a guinea pig." He smiled injuriously.

Aislinn's first thought was to scream no. But then her mother's voice reminded her, "...he'll be joining your father and I here in the afterlife."

Her face pale as a sheet, she choked out, "Deal."

"Good," Shredder said. He turned and left. As he passed Yasahiro, he said, "Deliver the demon to her room before tonight."

"Yes, Lord Shredder."

As soon as the door closed, Aislinn fell to the floor, sobbing.

At six o'clock that night, Aislinn's door opened and Mikey was carried into theroom. He was unconcious and covered in green ooze.

Aislinn's stomach lurched. Oh, ancestors, no!

"You goddamn bastards!" she swore at the two men covered in protective gear.

They ignored her and lay Mikey on her floor then turned and left.

Aislinn rushed to his side, but didn't dare touch him. She walked to, ancestors, how she wanted to! Assure him he was going to be okay. But her fear of the green ooze stopped her.

"Oh, Mikey," she whispered. "I'm so sorry." She turned her head toward the door. "Yasahiro!"

The door unlocked and opened. Yasahiro stepped in. "Yes, Miss Aislinn?"

"Get me some water. Lots of it. I've gotta wash him up."

When Yasahiro hesitated, she shouted, "Well, get going!"

Yasahiro hurried from the room and returned a few minutes later with a five gallon bucket of water.

"Thank you," Aislinn said as he set the bucket down.

Yasahiro looked at her, surprised. He nodded quickly and left.

Aislinn picked up the bucket and began to pour it slowly over Mikey's body, washing the ooze away. She was seriously staining her carpet, but she didn't care.

Mikey didn't move or wake when the water poured over him. Not even when the water washed the ooze from his face.

Aislinn winced as his wounds reopened and began to bleed. She set the bucket down and got her first aid from the closet.

She sat next to him and dried him with the towel she used to take showers every night. Once he was dry, she began wrapping his wounds to staunch the bleeding.

She began to panic a bit when she couldn't stop the blood from flowing from one gash. It was one of two on his shoulder, identical to the gashes on her cheek.

She felt an utter hatred for her father's half-brother. What gave him the right to torture people so? she thought as she pressed a cloth to the gash.

Finally, the bleeding began to slow and she started to stitch the wound closed. When she was finished, she bit the thread off and studied her work. A bit crude, but it would do.

Putting the first aid aside, she stood and took a hold of Mikey under the arms. She dragged him over to the bed and shoved him up on the mattress, laying hiim on his stomache. It was no easy task and she was breathless when she was done. "You need...to cut down...on pizza," she panted as she wiped an arm over her sweat-beaded forehead.

She examined his shell where it had caved in. It bothered her. Something like that couldn't be repaired and would constantly pain him for the rest of his life.

That is, if he still had a shell after the ooze took effect. She had no idea what it might turn him into.

Sighing softly, she went to the door and knocked. It opened and Yasahiro peered in. "Yes, Miss Aislinn?"

"I need some herbs. I have a few in my old room under the floorboards. Just bring me the basket. I'll need some from the store, though. I don't trust anyone but Julia's Herbal Remedies downtown. And I'll know if you go somewhere else. I'll need Wakame, Nori, and Kombu. I'm also out of Plantain leaf and Arnica, if I remember right. Could you do that for me?"

"Of course, Miss Aislinn."

"Could you also send someone up here with a mop and some towels? It's a mess in here."

"Of course, Miss Aislinn."

AN: This is going to be the last chapter that I'll be able to put up for a while yet. It's all I have on the computer, the rest of the story has to be typed up yet and that's going to take a while since I'm back in school.

Please review, though and tell me what you all think:D