Lily sat in the highest branch of a tree, looking up at the dark sky…
It was a new moon, so the freshly fallen snow didn't glitter like diamonds.
Central Park was so peaceful at night…
A flower wound around her fingers gently, the petals brushing against her forearm.
She hadn't meant to shout, to storm out…
She just didn't know what to say when she went back…
A whistling sound.
Water lashed out, cutting the projectile in midair, as the wilted flower fell from her skin…
'Tranquilizer dart…'
Her eyes narrowed a bit, senses perking as snow shifted…
'This could be dangerous…'
Pressing a button on her Shell Cell, the violet-banded turtle stood up on the branch.
More darts…
A branch was moved to take the blows, and Lily back-flipped to the snowy ground.
'Sorry, tree…'
The snow came up in a dome, freezing to ice and shielding her from more darts and bullets.
One shot pierced the defense, stabbing into her shoulder.
Gritting her teeth in pain, she used some of the ice to strike out at her assailants.
Suddenly…
Lily stopped, could almost FEEL the tranquilizer in her neck spreading through her veins…
Water went in, glowing as it tried to keep her awake…
Shaking her head to clear it, she shot icicles into the moving shadows.
Burning pain…
A bullet wound in her shoulder.
She didn't have time to stop and heal it…
Something knocked her feet out from under her, and the she-turtle hit the soft snow on her plastron…
The white was stained crimson, the color spreading…
A shadow moved over her, blocking the faint starlight…
"Don't let her die. I want her alive."
That cold voice…
She shuddered as the blood loss and tranquilizer did their work…
Her world was going dark…
"She's perfect for my little 'experiment'…"
Lily began to wonder if she wanted to know what he was talking about as she went under…
Truthfully?
She wouldn't want to…