Chapter 12

Still struggling through their search, Leonardo and Master Splinter had abandoned the roof tops and made their way through the streets. They kept to the shadows, scouring every alleyway they came across, but they still couldn't find Pieh Chi.

"We must have searched through half of Manhattan by now. Where else could she be?" Leo wondered, leaning against a building to catch his breath. The air had cooled dramatically during their search, causing his breath to fog in front of him. They needed to find Mei Pieh Chi before the chill in the atmosphere froze her already cold blood.

"I do not know, but our two hours are nearly up." Master Splinter panted, his old bones not used to running for such a long time. A slight smile flitting through his face as an idea struck him. "What does Raphael do when he storms out after an argument?"

"Well, he wanders the streets for a bit and then usually goes to Casey's," Leo replied, with a cocked brow. "You know, to calm down by doing what he does best: Punching things."

Master Splinter chuckled, not seeing the realisation dawn on his sons' face.

"Hang on. Sensei, you said Pieh Chi was from a very rural part of China, right?"

"Yes. The temple in which she grew up in sat in the centre of a large lake, surrounded by mountains and forest. A true Arcadian paradise." The rat mused, suddenly shaking his head to lose the distraction. He had always been jealous of Chung I's idyllic home. "But Leonardo, I highly doubt she has gone home."

"No," Leo began, pondering. "But what if in her panic, she wanted to seek out somewhere as similar to her home as she could? Somewhere idyllic in the middle of, what is to her, an urban labyrinth. What if she found the closest thing to natural isolation that there is here?"

It only took a few moments before Master Splinter caught on. He raised his brows, nodding to his son who returned the gesture. The pair then made their way to Central Park in silence.

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Mei Pieh Chi meanwhile, froze. The footsteps had stopped for a few moments, and she took the time to try and analyse the situation. She wasn't sure who was pursuing her, but she knew they didn't exactly have good intentions. She realised that her father could have other enemies, and also that she was a prime target for any scientific laboratory. It wasn't just the Shredder who would seek her out. But when she heard the hiss of a sword unsheathing, she instinctively readied herself in the defensive. Her father taught her the stance the moment she could stand. According to him, it represented strength and stability, of both body and mind. She clung onto that idea as she prepared herself to fight. Her first fight where she was the only target.

Her father had never taught her proper combat skills. He'd spent time showing her how to defend herself should the need ever arise; a few basic moves that would allow her to temporarily stun her attackers to allow herself some time to get away. That was always Chung I's plan, run and conceal yourself. Or hide. Back then, Pieh Chi had thought it a cowardly tactic, but now she realised it was very effective if done well. And sensible if her opponents were more skilled than her. However, Pieh Chi didn't have time to run and hide, but more importantly, she felt a little bit more confident than just a few weeks ago. Her time with the Shredder had given her skills and agility that her father had never been able to provide, not just because of his lack of knowledge but his age too. Now, Pieh Chi could look at a fight and tell whether she was going to lose immediately, or if she could gain some advantage by fighting back. Her improved fighting style was the only positive thing she could draw from her time with the Shredder.

Taking a deep breath, she spun round as her followers sprung up from behind the trees, revealing themselves. The Foot clan's symbol blazed on their chests.

"Haven't you had enough tonight?" she asked, a sudden flare of confidence surging through her. There were five soldiers stood in front of her. She could still win. There was a moment of silence, as if the soldiers were actually contemplating her question, before they attacked. One immediately flew at her head but she suddenly crouched, sending them flying over her form. Another aimed for her chest but she side stepped, landing a kick on their back, causing them to crash to the ground. Two down, three to go. She went to draw her sword and found it wasn't there. She'd left it back in the turtle's lair. 'Have to do this the old fashioned way then.'

She raised her fists, trying to control her shaking hands, prompting another to attack. This soldier swept his staff under her legs; Pieh Chi jumped but on the landing another ninja caught her right in the stomach, sending her to the floor. She didn't see Leo and Master Splinter run in on the scene before the latter pulled his son back behind a hedge. All she could see was a Foot soldier looming above her, his staff aimed at her head while she racked her brain for a plan.

"No!" Leo whispered. He went to draw his sword but Master Splinter held him back.

"Let her try. She is strong."

Leo obeyed his father, sheathing his sword silently. He knew his father was testing Mei Pieh Chi, as he had so often done with his sons, but it did nothing to ease his nerves. He kept his eyes focused on her.

Pieh Chi saw the staff looming above her, and swiftly grabbed it, twisting it so that it hit the soldier's shoulder instead. He fell back and let go of his weapon, leaving it in Pieh Chi's possession. She winced slightly at the sound of staff against flesh but gritted her teeth. She had to ignore the fact she was causing these people pain. They were the enemy. She stood up shakily, the bruises she'd received earlier that evening suddenly flaring up. She gripped the staff firmly, its simplicity sitting well with her, and she recalled the Shredder's first training session with an ironic smile.

Another soldier went to attack but she swept the staff under their feet, jabbing another one in the chest that had snuck up behind her. Three were left, the first two she had hit and the one now with an aching shoulder. One drew a sword and jumped into action, slamming the blade down towards her chest. He was deadly fast, and Pieh Chi only just managed to bring the staff in front of her, blocking it. The sheer force of the blow sent sparks of pain up her arms, setting her teeth on edge. The soldier was stronger than her, managing to push Pieh Chi's arms back enough to graze her chest with his sword, so she went to kick him. He let go and dodged, swiftly turning round and kicking her in the stomach instead as she tried to get her bearings. The staff flew out of her hands as the force of the kick sent her flying. She slammed into a statue, which smashed against her shell, and she laid still.

Fear spiked through Leo, but still his father kept him back. He didn't understand; they'd only just found her, another member of their little family. He didn't want to lose her again. But although Pieh Chi lay lifeless on the ground, her eyes closed, her mind was whirring for a solution to end the fight. Her feigning unconsciousness was buying her time.

'I'm not strong enough to fight them off with brute force, and I don't have my sword either.' Her best attack right now would be to engulf the soldiers in flames, or at least scare them off a little, but she was still drained from wielding fire earlier. Besides, she didn't want to destroy one of the few patches of nature within the city. She kept thinking, aware that the other two soldiers she had dealt with were rising to their feet. Think, think, think. You're a Shinobi. Even without a weapon you cannot be defenceless. You just need to decide what to do. During her mental turmoil, a sudden ray of clarity cut through in the form of one of Chung I's lessons, ringing through her head:

"Sometimes, pushing ourselves to our limit makes us stronger when we face weakness again."

Pieh Chi nodded her head to the voice, and placed her palms on the ground, finally understanding what her father had meant. Concentrating, she willed the roots of the trees to her command, and they suddenly sprung from the earth, wrapping themselves around the two Foot soldiers. Whilst a third was distracted by the sight, Pieh Chi rose up and kicked him. His sword flew out of his hands and a set of roots grabbed him. All three struggled as Pieh Chi concentrated. The remaining two charged, trying to cut through the roots to free their comrades, but Pieh Chi allowed the roots to reform, the two halves knitting together before attacking their attackers. They were overwhelmed, and the roots wrapped around their wrists and ankles, dragging them to the ground before another wrapped around their chests. She made the roots squeeze the air out of the soldiers, forcibly deflating their lungs. She could hear them gasping, their wheezy breath as they desperately clawed for air. She could end this now. She could show the Shredder she was a force to be reckoned with by single handily killing five of his men. With plants.

But she found she couldn't. She didn't know if the soldiers were here by choice or if they were being threatened to fight. Either way, Pieh Chi released them when they blacked out. She wasn't a killer.

The roots wormed their way back down into the ground, back to where they would be safe and could keep their trees alive. Pieh Chi took a deep breath as she released them, forgetting how much she loved her Shinobi magic, but also how tiring it was. Out of curiosity, she went over to the statue she had smacked into. The head remained intact, and she noticed that it was a beautiful woman. Picking it up tentatively, she frowned at it slightly, feeling a little guilty at having destroyed it before freezing again. There were more footsteps. I can't do this again. I need a break. Maybe if I can lure them to the lake… Her thoughts were interrupted when she realised she recognised the new presence, and let out a sigh of relief. She turned round to face Master Splinter and the turtle Leonardo.

"Well done, kame. You fought well and with thought." He bowed to her. Pieh Chi returned the mark of respect. She was a little surprised that they had found her.

"Thank you Master Splinter." She rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed. "I want to apologise for my outburst earlier. I shouldn't have just run away like that. It was rash and-"

"Normal for a teenager." Splinter finished for her, smiling. Pieh Chi found she couldn't help but smile back.

"Don't worry about it. Raph storms off all the time." Leo added, glad that she was safe. "He's not always this moody, you know."

"I understand his distrust of me. The Shredder is a formidable opponent, who knows no limit to his conscience."

"But it seems that you do." Master Splinter pointed out, gesturing towards the Foot soldiers that were all still breathing, just a little bit bruised. "You had the chance, and the means, to dispatch with these dishonourable creatures when they were completely at your mercy, but you did not take it, therefore keeping your own honour intact." He smiled. "Now, I think we should get back. The others will be worried about you."

Mei Pieh Chi raised her brow, surprised at the offer to return. She didn't know how to respond, not wanting to antagonise Raphael or anyone else any further, but equally not fancying spending a night in this still strange city alone. In her moment of panic, she saw the old rat's smile joined by his son's. It was comforting and lit up his whole face. Pieh Chi knew then that this 'Leonardo' could be trusted.

Her smile in return prompted Master Splinter to lead the pair out of the park to the nearest manhole cover, and Pieh Chi, Leo noted with relief, followed without complaint.

A/N: Okay guys, there is just ONE MORE CHAPTER LEFT to this story! EEEEEP!