The next day as Sophie woke up she felt like something was wrong. Sitting down quickly in meditation, she soon felt a familiar presence as she walked onto a familiar part of the astral plain she visited so often. Suddenly she heard a voice from behind. "My beloved mago, it is so good to see you." The voice said as she turned to see Splinter standing, just as true and tall as he'd been before.
"Jichan!" She cried as her grandfather embraced her. She cried for a minute as he simply held her. "You have no idea how much I've missed you." She finally said as Splinter wiped away her tears.
"As much as I would love to have a long conversation with you, this isn't the time." Splinter started as he released her. "I have a message for you." Seeing her nod, he continued. "There's a horrible fire about to burn a large apartment building soon. I need you to go and find a small boy and get him out."
"Of course Master. But, there must be hundreds of people in this building, why is this one boy so important?" Sophie questioned, now ready and willing to obey.
"He is the key." Splinter began. "He has an important purpose, I can sense this. His survival is imperatively intertwined with your own, in more ways than one." Just then, in an instant Sophie found herself alone.
"Wait Sensei!" She yelled into the open emptiness. "Where do I go? What do I do, should I try to save anyone else? What does he look like, his name? Sensei!" It was then apparent that her sensei was gone and she was alone. Right before their connection ended, one last thing was said.
"You can do it mago!" Splinter said as she was forced out of the astral plain.
X
X
X
Grabbing a banana as she zipped past her father who was cooking omelets, she wished she had time and desire to eat one, but she had to get the boy out before it was too late. She then realized she was going on mission and needed her weapons, and possibly some food, for the kid, of course. Running back to her room, she quickly collected her Kamas and a large handkerchief and went to the kitchen. Grabbing a few pieces of fruit and some cereal, she was stopped by her father.
"Sophia, where are you going in such a rush?" Mikey asked, a bit worried his daughter was going on a binging trip.
"No time to explain. Splinter, big fire, the boy. I promise when I get back I'll explain everything!" With that, a frantic Sophie tied up the handkerchief, running out of the lair. Soon, she found herself out of the lair, running down the tunnels. Wondering which manhole to go out of, she soon lost her footing and tripped. Brushing herself off, she looked up and saw a ladder leading topside. Looking at the rails, she found them all painted yellow. She then knew this was her sensei's sign. "Thanks Sensei." She said to herself as she climbed up.
Surveying the area above the manhole, she soon crept out, being extra careful to stay in the shadows, since the sun was up. Going up to the rooftops stealthily, she then trailed pretty smoothly until she saw it. Just as Splinter said, it was a wide clay-brick apartment building. Although wide, it only was about 8 floors.
She looked in fear at the fire which was quickly making ash of this building, she prayed she wasn't too late. Stealthily making her was down the fire escape, she dashed through the only door that wasn't engulfed in flames. She knew she had to go up to a higher floor to find this boy, but the staircase in front of her were unstable. Taking a hook shot out of her belt, she clicked the button on the device as it flew out and latched securely on the rail above her. Pulling herself up as she retracted the hook shot, she suddenly heard a loud cry.
Going through the entry as she rearranged the singed wood of what once was the door, the cry continued leading her to the apartment where the sound was coming from. Looking in the apartment, she soon felt heat coming her way, then a child's scream. Rushing to the sound, she saw the small boy looking out at her, his legs being crushed by a fallen crib. Looking closer, she saw a burning blanket about to burn hiss arms.
Through sheer will, she threw the singed parts of the crib off his legs, and picked him up. Feeling the abandoned blanket singe her hand, she yelped as she quickly retracted her hand, wrapping her palm around the boy's torso. Turning around, she realized the entrance to the small bedroom she had come in was now burning. Her adrenaline sped within her as she looked around and found the window. Slamming it open, she leapt out, the boy in hand.
