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Be blessed and thanks for reading!
Chapter 34 – A Battle Royal
As she stood hard against the sewer wall, dark had a whole new meaning for Beth. Never had she ever been in such a place so empty of light before. What was it she had heard said… that, physically, darkness doesn't exist; that instruments can't measure darkness and what does exist in various situations and degrees, is only the complete absence of light?
If that were true – and it certainly made sense to her – then this place, this tunnel, was the most lightless environment she had ever experienced. It almost seemed suffocating.
Nevertheless, knowing that Leonardo stood just a few steps away, his close proximity gave Beth a small bit of courage. She could feel his presence, her personal space protected by his bulk from the cool air of the sewers. As the gentle breeze coursed its way through the tunnel, it buffeted against him, spreading out and around, thus creating a void that encapsulated the turtle and the girl. It encouraged Beth that he was close enough to protect her, if need be. Had she a mind to, Beth knew that she could have reached out with one hand and easily touch the back of his carapace.
Just the same, the girl's mind turned to other matters. As Beth wrapped her arms protectively around herself, her lightless surroundings gradually made her feel more and more vulnerable. She didn't have a clue what was going to happen, or where the other turtles were – other than Leo. For that matter, she didn't really know what had caused them to become defensive in the first place, except for what Raphael said about the Foot. She knew about her friends' training, about their martial arts, but before this moment, she didn't know enough to understand just how and why they did what they did.
Now, however, it was all beginning to make sense. The sword she found in the alley, the men in the black pajamas she saw with the police, before she discovered Leo, all of this told Beth that Leonardo and his brothers were more than just mutant turtles living in the bowels of New York City.
She knew now that they were warriors.
What Beth also finally understood was that they had enemies, enemies that could very well consider her as such and, thereby, have enough excuse to harm – or even kill her.
In that moment, the girl truly wanted to be home, certainly before this gang, the Foot, found out about her. As the intensity of Beth's desire to return to her apartment grew, she suddenly felt a familiar sensation. It was the one indicator that if she didn't get some measure of self-control, she would most likely faze out once again…and now, more than anything, Beth needed to remain conscious.
But then, Splinter's words came back in a rush, "You need to relax your mind, Miss Beth, let go of your worries, just let them drip away from you as water. Focus on something - a sound, an object, or a smell. Focus your mind on these things...focus your thoughts... your heart..."
The more she thought about his words, the more she felt a calmness wash over her, a new familiar sensation that only her brief sessions with the aged rat had given her. Beth leaned on the trust she had for Leonardo to protect her, to advise her in what to do if the need arose for her to act. She focused on his proximity to her. Then, she felt the firm, stable – and now comforting – brick at her back. The roughened texture gently reminded her that, despite the intense dark of the tunnel, its wall would not waver in stability, no more so than Leo would.
Yet, as the seconds ticked by and without anything happening, Beth wondered if it was possible that Raphael had been mistaken.
"Maybe he only thought there was someone…" she wondered, but– in the next moment – the abrupt and distinct sound of metal clanging against metal suddenly reverberated and echoed through the sewers. "Or, maybe he did hear something," Beth groaned to herself.
"Heads up, bros!" Mike's voice cheered enthusiastically, almost ghost-like within the intensity of the pitch-black tunnel, "Dancing in the dark…" 'Thwak' "…brought to you by…" 'Thwak, thump'…"Four Ninjas and a ….OW!"
"Shut the shell up, Mike!" Raphael growled, "and just fight, will ya!"
"Sheesh, Raph, watch where yer stepping,"
"I was."
Beth wanted to laugh, but she tensed instinctively as she heard the scuffling of feet and the grunts of physical exertion from up ahead. It was obvious that Raphael, Mike, and Don had engaged what had made them defensive in the first place. The sounds of metal chaffing metal, and then wood against flesh, came too easily to Beth's ears, alerting her that not too far away, a battle raged. Amazingly, though, other than Mike and Raph's comments, the weapons' noise, and a few grunts - where it was obvious someone was receiving the business end of several well-placed kicks, the silence of the sewers remained uninterrupted.
Nevertheless, the girl was glad in that moment for darkness. How her mind would react to witnessing a fight worried Beth greatly, and she hoped whomever the attacker or attackers were, that they hadn't yet sensed her presence.
Then, she sensed Leo change positions as he stepped away, the gentle breeze now falling easily against her. So far, it seemed most of the action hadn't quite reached them, but now – with Leo moving further from her – she began to panic. Beth next heard his swords as they cut through the air, a high-end 'ching' following quickly, as he met his adversary's challenge.
"Don't leave me!" she cried out, her fear overriding Leo's direct request to keep silent. However, as her words echoed softly within the tunnel, she clamped her hands over her mouth in response.
Yet, it was too little too late, for she heard someone yell out, "Get the girl!"
It was then that she felt strong hands grab her arm and before she could call out for help, Leo whispered close to her, "Get down, now! Don't move, don't raise your head, stay against the wall and keep yourself as small as possible!"
Just as she obediently collapsed to the floor and huddled along its edge next to the sewer wall, Leonardo quickly twisted away from her. In that same moment, she heard the sound of a sword bite into another, as a second one just like it – Leo's other katana - sang out in a similar manner.
Then, it seemed as if all hell broke loose.
Beth cowered in fear, huddling on the ground, as she tried to be as small as possible. She could hear the scrambling of feet nearby, seemingly desperate to find purchase. In the darkness, she heard the occasional splash of water, the slap of wet feet, as they echoed menacingly all around her along the concrete floor of the sewer. The number of feet confused her as to where Leonardo was to his opponent. How many there were, Beth couldn't say, but her mind told her 'too many' for her to feel safe.
She then heard the groans and short muffled cries of attack, deafening the silence of the once noise-less fight. The 'oomph' of someone receiving yet another kick – more than likely to the midsection – seemed far too close. Then the concussion of something or someone falling hard to the ground near where Beth huddled, startled her. Yet, not a sound she made, for she was afraid to breath, afraid to make even the tiniest of noises. In fact, it was a miracle the poor girl hadn't gone catatonic.
Twice and nearly scaring her to death, she heard something metallic scrap angrily against the wall above her head. She ducked further down, nearly forcing her face into the damp and dirty concrete sewer floor…but she had little concern for such things. Listening to the sound of swords as they slashed against the wall, she heard them drag horizontally along its length, causing freshly dislodged bits of mortar and brick to rain down upon her. Beth whimpered in fear and covered her face as the debris pelted her backside.
Yet, through all of this, the girl remained conscious and completely aware of everything going on. It was exhilarating and disappointing for her, because, for once, Beth wished that she could indeed go catatonic and be completely clueless to her situation.
In the distance, she could hear the other turtles do battle. Mike seemed chatty and apparently enjoying the row. He would catcall and tease whomever it was he fought against, challenging Raphael to the number of hits as the fight wore on. Raph, in kind, replied his rebuttal, threatening his brother with impalement and other forms of torture if he didn't quit talking.
Don, on the other hand, remained mute, and it was clear to Beth that he, like Leo, took his part in the sortie more seriously.
Still, the combined sounds of metal and wood, coupled with the muffled war cries, made it nearly impossible to tell who was who and how many fought against her friends. It was enough that they were further away from her than Leo's assailants seemed to be.
Then, almost as quickly as it had started, the fight ended. The sound of running feet slapped hurriedly against the damp concrete of the sewer floor as they raced past her, fading away as they seemed to distance themselves from where she was. It was obvious that someone had given up. Beth only hoped it was the opposing side and not her friends. Still, she highly doubted that Leonardo and his brothers would just leave her behind.
Shaking and trembling, now, with her breathing staggered and fast, Beth remained in her petrified huddle, terrified to move or even to raise her head.
A touch to her arm startled her, causing the girl to pull away and scramble backwards, only to come up short against the wall. She cried out in alarm, her hands shooting up in feeble defense, "Don't hurt me, please, don't hurt me."
Then, a welcoming voice, closer to her than she realized, eased her terror, "Beth, it's me, Leonardo, you're safe now."
If there had been light, Leo would have seen a wild-eyed girl emotionally collapse into a puddle of tears as Beth leaped up and flung herself at him. She wrapped her arms desperately around his neck, crying against him in near hysteria. As he picked her up, Leonardo cradled her protectively in his arms, offering soothing words of, "It's all right," and "you're safe, now," but best of all, "they're gone, it's over."
Beth could only sob with relief and pent up fright, trembling in her friend's arms as he turned to catch up with his brothers.
Raphael met him part way, asking in concern, "The girl aw'right?"
Leo nodded, saying, "Yes, but scared out of her wits."
"Best we get going," Donnie declared abruptly, "I don't think they're going to waste time getting back here with reinforcements and the ones we knocked out won't be out for long."
"Yeah, bro, heard one of 'em activate a homing beacon. Not sure which one of them did it, though. But it's too dark to start searching for personals." Mike announced.
"I agree," Leo concurred, "we need to hurry, before they send a tracker."
With that, the four brothers moved into the shallow water of the sewer system and began walking northwest against the current and towards their lair. The water effectively prevented any telltale sign of their passing, and they knew full well that their enemy would use any and all forms of technology to trace their steps. Trudging through the watery filth wasn't the most favored of methods to get home, given what lurked in the shallows. Still, despite the sounds of disgust from Mike and Raphael, it was the only way not to leave a track, with their need to get back to the lair spurring them onward.
Before too long, Mike had made a game of 'how high the splash', with Raphael his target. Not too long after that, Mike discovered new and disgusting ways of enjoying the culvert's water, as Raphael deliberately tripped, and then tossed his youngest brother into the drink.
The sound of "EWWW…YUCK…" echoed noisily through the tunnels, followed by a small chorus of "Quiet!"
A short while later…
"Hey, Mikey," a Brooklyn-esque voice called out.
"What?" Michelangelo grouched.
"You stink!"