He sat on his mat, mind bottling all his information as it began to disentangled and unorganized itself. Everything was fuzzier then before. He sat there with his material, rewiring the small breathers at the best of his abilities. This was taking too long, much too long. Donnie felt the sweat drip down the side of his cheek. His mind was still fuzzy and slightly throbbed. He has been sitting here for a few hours, rewiring the items to fit with the chemical in the chamber that held his brother. He determined that what ever chemical was floating in the layer of air was causing slight hallucination and memory loss. After the episode with Raphael, Donatello was caught walking in and out of the house, forgetting his reasoning of doing so in the first place.
The Daimyo and his father went out where they discovered the large cubed housing of Rictor and took the best sorcerers they had to start the cleansing of the monstrous walls. The Daimyo tried to retaliate when Donnie mentioned the walls and almost denied them the use of his sorcerers until Leo snapped and demanded the help of the Daimyo. Donnie was at a complete loss on why the Daimyo was so against helping he and his family. It was time consuming and unnecessary but ever since the rematch with Kluh and Mikey the Daimyo has been in there lives less and less. Donnie believed it was probably the fear of loosing his son once more.
Donnie swore as he pricked his finger. He dropped the device and shook his hand with frustration. He waited a good amount of time for the chemical to wear off but it still lingers. Don sighed thinking that if that was just a small amount, how much was Mikey exposed of?
The sliding doors that separated Donnie and the outside world was opened. He looked over his shoulder to show Leo walking in. The look in his eyes were filled with worry. Donnie felt bad for not giving Leonardo more information but his mind was in it's own personal turmoil that he couldn't come up with the reasoning to tell him.
Leo walked over and sat down next to Donnie, looking over the devices that were spread across the floor. Leo could see the stress in Donnie's eyes. He knew that Donnie always felt it was him who needed to fix everything and help everyone. Leo has tried to many times to help take the internal stress off of Donnie but never seemed to do so. With a slow, calming breath, he smiled at Donnie, trying to show some comfort and compassion to his brother.
"How you feeling Don?" He asked. Donnie scrunched his eyes slightly, not looking at Leo. He shook his head lightly trying as hard as he could to function the question through his obsolete brain. He tried to distract himself by picking up the device once more and began to tinker with it again.
"Chemical still in my system. Not very focused." He muttered, playing with a few of the cords with the hand held small pin. Leo nodded in understanding. Biting his lip slightly, feeling the awkwardness filling the room.
"Did you find out what's in the chemical?" He asked. At first, Donnie simply hummed to respond back. He pricked his finger once more and cursed again. He looked at his brother with lost eyes.
"I have only concluded it is messing with my head. I feel a little better then I did but this chemical is strong." Donnie explained, looking back to his project. Once again Leo nodded in understanding. He pondered over the fact that he was the only one who had yet to experience anything similar to what his brothers and father went through. It was aching in his very depths knowing he couldn't help any of them.
He tried to help Raph after his outburst. He watched as his brother froze, standing in the middle of the room, staring into nothingness in the room. Master Splinter walked up to him and whispered something in his ear, and responded with a nod before being lead back to his room where Splinter said he had laid him down to rest.
Splinter had explained that Raphael was drained mentally and emotionally and needed to rest at least for a few hours. Leonardo accepted the reasoning and watched as his father left with the Daimyo, leaving Leo with his two broken brothers.
Leo continued to sit there and think, trying to work out his own wondering thoughts. He felt like he was failing his family. He couldn't help Donnie or Raph with their conflicting minds, he wasn't able to assist Master Splinter in the cleansing and most of all, he failed to protect his younger brother, the one he swore to protect. He truly did fear that when they found Michelangelo, he would be damaged. These small glimpses of pain being given off from his other two brothers, made terror run through his body. He would be there, he will forever be there for his brother no matter what obstacle came at them.
So drowned out from his own thoughts he didn't realize when Donnie jumped up suddenly and ran out the door. Following suit, he came outside in the back where he had a table laid out with all his other equipment, also the container that held the tainted air. Leo watched as Donnie placed the container with the chemical within a sprayer. Placing it down for a moment, he brought the breather up and placed it into his mouth. Leo's eyes went wide in understanding and grabbed Donnie's arm.
"The hell do you think your doing?" Leo hissed. Donnie's eyes were focused and wretched his arm out of Leo's hold before bringing the container up to his face.
"I have to see if the breather works before I can make copies for you and Raph." He explained, looking at Leo with a side look.
"But Don what if it doesn't work? You'll be affected again and I don't know if you can handle it." Leo admitted. Don was about to squeeze the top but stopped and looked at his brother.
"I will do what ever it takes to help Mikey. Even if it means putting myself in danger." He glared. Leo stood with a glint of shock, surprised by the way that Donnie snapped at him.
To him time stood still, Watching as the vapors of the chemical went around the air like an surreal dance of nature. Leo held his breath, watching as Donnie took in the chemical through his nostrils. Leo stanced himself ready for impact of the chemical, hoping he will be ready for it to inflict pain once again.
Minutes passed it seemed, life frozen in place waiting for some type of sign, anything to put his mind at ease. Then, he saw it. Donnie's mouth twitched slightly and let out a soft laugh. Donnie opened his eyes, seeing the success and victory gleaming brightly.
"Oh thank god it works." He breathed. Leo smiled, congratulating his brother from accomplishing his goal.
"So this we can use to enter the cube?" Leo asked. Donnie nodded in response, taking in another breath of air.
"This will separate the chemical and the oxygen so it will diffidently be useful. It's starting to clear my head." He explained, crossing his arms enjoying the fact that even with a foggy head he was still able to build what he needed and was one step closer to helping Mikey.
"Well since we have that now I guess we can meet up with Father and the Daimyo." Donnie explained walking back into the house.
"Why don't you go wake up Raph and I'll gather up some supplies." Donnie called out walking towards the other room. Leo nodded and walked down the too familiar hallway. If he truly felt any guilt, a majority would go to Raphael. He has been through so much and yet will not share the burden. When this all became sufficed, Raphael has been suffering the worse. He knew entering the spirit world was a tricky thing to deal with but never thought this sort of damage could be conflicted. He remembered when they were younger and were taught the technique, Splinter was strict with the rule that it should never be used. One day when they were playing hide-and-seek, Mikey wanted to use the technique to cheat. He went into the living room and took a meditative stance. When he was taking too long try and find everyone, Leo came out of his hiding spot first to see Mikey didn't move from his spot. Eyes closed, and legs crossed. Leonardo called the others out and brought Master Splinter out of the room. Leo remembered the fear in his fathers eyes, knowing that Mikey's soul could have been lost.
It took Master Splinter hours it seemed to bring Michelangelo back. He ended up sleeping for three days straight, only to wake up asking if the game was over. Leo smiled at the thought of the forgetfulness of his brother. Splinter explained that Mikey had a stronger spiritual connection then the rest of them, making it a fear he might lose himself once more.
Leo wondered if Mikey saw something similar as Raph and grew curious on how he was able to block it out. He started to ponder how he will be able to help Mikey when they brought him back. He stopped in the middle of the hallway, leaning his side against the wall and crossing his arms, frustrated with himself. To feel as useless as he was, was a frustrating feeling. He was never the one to not have the ability to be there. Placing his palm on his forehead, his sighed and kept walking. He had to accept the fact that this he wasn't in charge of this mess, this all depended on how they played it out.
He came up to Raph's door and opened it, hearing the slight creak expressing the aging of the wooden door. He watched as the light flooded the dark room, as if opening heavens gates to the entrance of a darkened heart. His eyes first went to the bed, reliving the earlier attempt in retrieving Raph. When his eyes gazed over the messy sheets and fallen pillows to see it didn't contain his troubled brother. A slight panic filled his veins, looking around and rested his gaze on his brother who was sitting on the floor, facing the bed.
"Raph?" Leo said softly. Licking his lips, he took tentative steps when Raphael didn't respond. He walked in front of his brother and knelt down in front of him. There gazes were locked. Leo was searching for something that could help him to understand the wasteland that was forming in Raphael's mind. He saw anger, anger that he had never seen before. His gaze was strong, burning through him like an ant and a magnifying glass. He broke the gaze to see that one of his Sais was stuck in the wall and the other on the floor with what looked to be a white powder at the tip of the blade. Leo's eyes were locked on the weapon, running scenarios in his head on what Raph was doing.
"There gonna kill us Leo." Raph spoke in a ruffled voice. Leo snapped his head back to his brother whose expression didn't change in the slightest.
"What?" Leo asked a little breathlessly.
"We're in there way. We are threatening their exsistance. They want us dead, all of us." Raph spoke, looking up at the ceiling. Leo followed his eyes, only to stop at the wall above Raph. Eyes wide looking up at the wall.
"God Raph what did you do?" He asked a little over a whisper, never taking his eyes off the wall as he started to stand back up.
"I didn't do noth'n. There in my head, they wont leave. I have no control." He looked up at Leo, solid hatred burning deeply in his pools. Leo was still fixated on the creation on the wall. It was a star, a star that was tarnished with slashes and burns. The wall was created to be a dexterity of lines and annoyance. He looked down at Raph who was still staring back at him.
"We need to get Mikey." It was simple but affective. "I don't know what there gonna do Leo but we need to get him soon." Raph admitted. Leo stood there for a moment more, processing what he was told and placing them together with the design of death on the wooden wall in front of him.
Leo stopped to watch Raph begin to lift himself off the floor, standing in front of Leo. Even though Leo was the oldest, he was a smidge shorter than Raphael. He raised his eyes to meet his brothers.
"Raph, I think you need to sit this one out." Leo explained. Raph didn't make a sound, he only stood there looking at him with a powerful intent in his eyes Leo thought his skin was about to crawl.
"I aint stay'n here." Raph said slightly hoarsed, walking passed Leo. Something was off. Terribly off. Leo snarled, taking out his sword and placing it in front of Raph, stopping him in place. Raph stopped, ridged in place. He looked at Leo demanding an answer.
"Raph, you need to stay here," Leo started. But, the need to know and understand more was eating at him dreadfully. He wanted to understand so much more but knew that something else was going through Raph's mind then what he was putting out and knew this could be dangerous to allow him to attend in retrieving Michelangelo. He could restrain him, keep him here till they got back, but deep down Leo knew that Raph wouldn't say a word if he did that. Leo had a choice of threatening his brothers life to get a sort of answer, or keep him here and accept the silence against the terrorizing secrets his family was holding. With a huff of breath, and what felt was against his will, he allowed curiosity to to win over his mind set.
"I will only let you go if you tell me what the hell is the star is about. And if you don't, I'll keep you here and you know I will Raph." Leo threatened. Leonardo felt off on the way he just spoke. He would never place his brothers in a situation that they didn't feel comfortable with. But, it seemed like something was kneading him, gnawing at his heart telling him to fight for what he wanted.
Raph watched his brother. He could see it. Their influence was getting to Leo finally. He had a dream. A dream that awoke him in a cold sweat and a drenching feeling of fear. They were getting close. Not Rictor, but the Guardians. They were threatening, killing, torturing in anyway they could. He had to get to Mikey, they had too. Before it was too late.
He wanted to explain to Leo everything that the star seemed to be symbolizing but he couldn't seem to. With an intake of breath, he spoke softly.
"That star is something that is dark and filled with so much evil. I see it everywhere. I dream it every night. It's bad Leo, really bad and it's going to take Mikey away from us unless you get that damn katana out of my way and we go get him." Raph said harshly. The silence that filled the air felt it could cut through glass in one clean sweep. Raph knew that they needed to go. Leo was beginning to get the affects and Donnie was struggling with his own reality. Raph was determined to fix this.
Leo merely watched before bringing his katana down, understanding this is the last bit of information he will be able to retrieve till they got Mikey back. With a nod of acceptance, the two brothers walked down the hallway in silence. Raphael listened to the voices around the room that were starting to mock him while Leo tried to control the small whispers that were now forming in the back of his mind.
Rictor clicked the end of his claw against the large metal door that separated him and the Guardians with the small turtle. After what seemed to be a lifetime, he opened the door to look inside the dim room, only to be lit by a fire that sat in the middle. Closer to the door was small Michelangelo lying on his side, away from Rictor.
With a leap in his step, he walked in front of Mikey and looked down to witness the damage to the young boy. His eyes were wide, his body shaking slightly with a twitch here and there. What made Rictor smile was the stream of tears falling down the small boys eyes. It wasn't a complete satisfaction for he saw the dazed eyes, seeing that these tears were forced out from the traumatic experience that the Guardians put him through. But, he did enjoy the look of the salty tears streaking down the sunken in cheeks of the rough green skin. He wanted to see so much more.
Rictor looked back at the Guardians who levitated from the ground waiting for instruction.
"So, how long will he be like this, I have a very special fight I got him in." He asked, cracking his neck and looking back down at Michelangelo. His eyes facing forward, unaware of what was going on around him. Rictor was oddly curious on what the Guardians had shown the young boy to create such a reaction from him.
"his mind is clouded for the time being but his spirit is strong my lord." The one in the middle told. Rictor hummed in acknowledgment getting ready to call in the guards to bring Michelangelo out.
"Sir you must know something," The female voice called. Rictor turned his head and looked at the guardians.
"Oh is that right?" He asked.
"Yes," The one with the shrill voice answered. "The Daimyo is beginning to bring down the barrier we have provided and the brothers will be entering soon." he explained. Rictor simply stared at the three creatures and shrugged his shoulders.
"I am quite aware of what is happening outside these walls. If they continue, let them in." He explained.
"My lord you do understand that they intend to kill you and we cannot allow that for your exsistance is ours as well." The female voice spoke.
"And you promised us our freedom with the exchange of the boy." The one in the middle reminded. Rictor nodded in understanding. When he first took hold of the medallion that controlled the Guardians, he tricked them into believing that they will be released from their curse they followed suit of what he desired. But, he was almost complete with his experiment and he needed more time, even if it meant sacrificing the creations from hell to get it.
"Of course you will still be granted your freedom," He lied. "But you have succeeded in achieving your access to the other brothers as well?" He asked.
"The one of the name of Raphael is shadowed and the turtle called Donatello is also being affected." The shrill one spoke.
"And Leonardo?" Rictor asked, interested to know how the leader was being issued.
"Progressing." The one in the middle spoke. Rictor grinned at the news he was given. Everything was going according to plan. With a nod, he turned back to the door and ordered two guards to come in a grab Mikey from the ground. When they walked in, they kicked his shell, to check for movement. When they got a small squeak, they went down and pulled him up and began to drag him out of the chamber.
Once the chamber was emptied besides the guardians, the light in the room diminished, leaving the room completely dark and leaving the creatures to their darkened fate.
A/N: Hey everyone! I know its been a while I have been having a hard time with this chapter and it didn't come out to my expectation sadly but it will have to do. Next chapter will be intense so keep your seats buckled ladies and gents! See you all next time and please review :)