To answer your question, rookblonkorules, I don't know. It varies upon what inspiration I have, if I know how it will play out, and my emotions at the moment. Along with other stuff. I try to have my typical chapter be three pages long on Google (where I write it). It usually goes right onto the next page, so I consider that four pages. This chapter is that long, about a thousand words.
I'm going to be at camp next week, but didn't want to leave you all hanging at Chapter 5. So, here is chapter six.
Leo tried sleeping off the pain. They all know they need to be as good as they can be the next night. But Leo can't. He got up and walked past Mikey's room. He'd be extra quiet to not wake up another brother, but Raph isn't here and Donnie sleeps like the dead when he finally hits the hay. Leo walks to the dojo, feeling like training. He lifts up a katana, but cringes at the pain that courses through his wrists. He forgot what part of him was in pain.
'I must train. I need to be ready.' Leo shakes his head and the pain away and tries again. He lifts one up and forces himself to push down the pain. He leaves his second one in its place. He walks to the center of the dojo. He tries a kata, but his wrists flame up. He winces, but tries again with another kata. Then he cries out and drops the sword, falling to his knees.
"My son!" Splinter calls, rushing to Leo's side, "Leonardo, what are you doing? You must rest."
"Sensei, I need to train. Raph needs me to be better when we save him." Splinter tilts Leo's chin so he looks away from the sword and into his brown eyes. They are anything but calm.
"You cannot run before first learning to walk," he says, "we will not lose Raphael, but to ensure this, you are trying to lose your pain... I cannot allow you to train now. I will not lose you."
"Master Splinter? Couldn't you go after Raphael? You could kick Slash's shell with a punch, like the Rat King!"
"Have you forgotten?" Splinter asks, "Slash was Spike. He knows where the Lair is, most likely. If I leave to find Raphael, it would leave all of you vulnerable in your state." Leo's blue orbs widen at that information. Yes, he had forgotten.
"Then I must be ready, he could attack us when we are weakened. I need to protect my brothers.."
"I will stay up. You rest Leonardo. Your hands will thank you." Leo sighs and bows to Splinter. When Splinter returns it, Leo walks out and goes to bed, unable to sleep.
Raph watches Slash as he checks his mace and a t-phone he had swiped from the ground after the battle with the turtles. He wants to ask whose it is. But when Slash turns it on, Leo's ringtone goes off. "I'll leave this with you. You want a final farewell from your brothers?" Raph just glares at him. "Well this is how you will hear them. No doubt another turtle will have one for me to use."
"Am, warn-in' ya.. stay.. away.."
"Raphael, we talked about this, stop talking. I don't have any duct tape," Slash says, annoyed.
"I..tck, erders.. ell.." Raph strains.
"You wanted this Raphael. Just remember that. You wanted this." Slash leaves and starts down the sewers, ready to finish this.
"The computer almost has a lock.." Donnie says, looking it over. Mikey is having his wounds checked by Leo. Splinter is overseeing everything going on in the lab, while watching for an intruder. "There, my t-phone will be able to track the spy roach and find Raph. We'll be ready for when-"
"Someone is in the Lair.." Splinter says, calmly. The teens look at him with horror. "It is him." They all hear loud thumps come closer to the entrance.
"Hello?" Slash says, "Any turtles home? Raphael would like to say hi!" Mikey gets up, but Leo holds him back.
'It could be a trap,' Leo cautions, 'He wouldn't bring Raph here.'
"I don't have anything against you rat, only the turtles." Leo looks up to see Splinter had exited the lab and was facing Slash. Leo has Mikey get up and they go to Donnie at the computer. "So stand out of my way."
"I lost my wife and daughter all those years ago-"
"Old man, I've heard this story countless times, as did your sons-"
"Then you would know that I would do anything to protect them. I cannot lose more family!" The silence the trio hear after that statement is almost tangible.
".. Well then," Slash finally says, "I guess I do have something against you." The unseen fight jolts Mikey, as Donnie and Leo only gasp. It doesn't sound pretty, but by how skilled each opponent is, it shouldn't be.
"Donnie, coordinates?" Leo asks, urging his brother to keep working.
"Aand.. we have them. They are in here," he says, holding up his t-phone. Leo swipes it away and turns to Mikey. Mikey is straining to look-but-not-look around the corner, while staying at Leo's side.
"Mikey!" Leo says, shaking Mikey from his stupor. Leo pushes the t-phone into his hands, "Find Raph."
"W-What about you guys?" Mikey asks after staring at the phone in his hands.
"We'll hold off Slash as long as we can with sensei."
"Why is Mikey going?"
"He's the fastest of us. He can find Raph and get him back here." Leo sees that Mikey is hesitating. "C'mon Donnie, we need to help. Let's get Mikey to the dojo." The trio sneak out of the lab. Master Splinter is battling Slash by the rooms, showing wounds already. But Slash does too.
The turtles get into the dojo and grab the weapons they left there. Mikey also grabs Raph's sais and tucks them into the back of his belt. Leo picks up his swords, but cringes, obviously in pain. "Dude, maybe you should.." Mikey starts, offering the phone.
"No Mikey, you need to. Find Raph." Leo and Donnie exit the dojo first, making a feeble wall. It gives Mikey enough space to get to the turnstiles. Leo sees Mikey hesitate again. He yells, "Go! Go now!" as Slash sees them. Mikey sprints out and is almost tapped by the giant tortoise, if his brothers weren't there. He makes it out and runs as fast as he can.
Mikey looks at the phone and makes a right. A few tunnels down he makes a left. WIth the t-phone as his guide, he maneuvers through the sewer. 'C'mon dude, where did Slash put you?' He makes a left. A drop is coming up, so Mikey picks up speed and runs on the wall to the other side. He slows down too early and has to jump the rest of the way. He rolls into the sewer water.
Mikey shudders, "This is for Raph, don't forget that. You're use to the smell Mikey, you can do this." He stands up and looks at the phone. It's a little wet, but still functioning. He makes a right, hoping he's getting closer.
Leo slams into the wall next to the kitchen. He crumbles to the ground, finding the hilt of one sword. The other one is halfway across the Lair. He tries to stand up, but Slash is on him in a second. "Hey Spike!" Slash turns around, seeing Donnie, "Over here!" Slash looks at Leo and drops him, going to the annoying turtle.
"How many times must I tell you. The name's.." he grabs Donnie's staff and swings him around with it, "SLASH!" He lets go and Donnie flies across the room. Splinter leaps up just in time to catch him. He sets Donnie down next to Leo and stands in front of them.
"You will not hurt them anymore!" He orders.
"I don't have to listen to you. You aren't my father," Slash taunts.
'Mikey,' Donnie thinks, 'hurry..' The genius turtle looks at Leo's wrists while they have the moment, seeing they are swelling up. 'If this keeps up, he may lose them.' He looks at Leo and shakes his head.
"I'm not going to stop fighting.." Leo grunts, low enough for only Donnie to hear. "We have to win this, to give Mikey time."
Mikey takes a left and then another. After he feels like he went in a figure eight, he stops. The beeping had increased to the point where it could go no faster. 'But,' Mikey objects, looking at the wide, but empty tunnel, 'where is he?'
Mikey inspects every tunnel in the area, doubling back when the beeping decreased. "Raph!" He calls, cupping his hands. He keeps that up, checking every crack and potential place to hide anything. "Raph? You in here?" Mikey huffs as his attempts turn up empty. "I need to find you dude! The guys need us!.. What would Raph do.." Mikey turns around and looks at the sewer wall. And out of sheer frustration, he punches it.
"Owowowowowow!" He says, nursing his hand. But then something occurs to him. He knocks on the wall with his other hand. It sounded hollow. 'Found you.' He searches along the wall until he finds the edge.
He takes out his nunchuck and flicks the blade open. He wedges it into the crack and uses all his strength to pry the door open. It slides a half an inch. Out of fear of his weapon breaking, he puts it away and takes out one of the sais. He tucks it into the hole he made and repeats his action. It opens up more and a faint light spills through.
"Raph?" He calls, letting himself rest briefly. He doesn't hear anything at first, but then chains move, and it definitely wasn't his nunchucks. Mikey puts the sai away and pulls with his hands until there is enough space to get his shell through. "Raph!" He scrambles in and follows the light trail to a room.
He sees Raph. He's chained with his hands above him and the missing t-phone at his feet. Mikey goes to him instantly. "Mi-key?" Raph slurs, his broken voice not helping much.
"Yeah, it's me, Mikey. The dumb one, the shell head, the annoying pain in the tail. Right now the guys need us and I have to get you free." Mikey looks at the chains and takes out the sai again. He picks the lock with the longest point and then moves to the next one. Raph hugs his brother the minute he's free.
"You're.. o-kay.." Raph manages to say amid the tears and scratchy throat. But Mikey urges him up.
"You can be all soft after we kick Slash's shell. But right now, you need to get up, the guys need us!" Mikey repeats. Raph shakes his head and looks around. The spy roach found its way to Mikey's shoulder. Raph scoops up Leo's t-phone and hands it to Mikey, since he doesn't have his belt. Mikey hands him the sais in return. Raph's wrists feel numb and Mikey tries to not look at the scars.
Raph twirls them, "Let-s go."
Yep. I'm leaving you here. Last chapter (I'm serious) will come out the week after camp. So..
What do you think will happen?
And since we are on the subject of opinions.. what is your favorite part of this chapter? Be honest.