The dreams always end too abruptly. There is never enough time to blend with the feeling before it's all a weakened memory.
Zera's glossy eyes open to an unfamiliar ceiling, but she finds strange comfort in a different wheel of daily life: never in the same place, never having the same emotions. One day slides off her back and makes room for the next. It's not something she strives for each day; it comes as it comes to her, and that's the comfort, the stability that gives her peace.
She blinks, quickly realizing that she's not on the floor and that her shirt and the blankets are in disarray.
Did she…?
Did he…?
Did they?...
"HAMATO!" Her fierce roar booms through their guest home, the StockCrib, or whatever it's called, and it currently served as a race track for a cooking fennec. "HAMATO!" A white blur motors through several rooms, slamming doors and knocking over a couple of picture frames donning singing fruit and lopsided Twinkie Trees.
Leonardo Hamato scoots out of the spa, snatching a towel, and rushes to her side. He does his best to hide his shame of getting water on the carpet. "What is it, Zera? Are you okay?"
Zera the Demon glares at the soaking human man, ready to pounce at any second. "Why was I on the bed? I was happily content on the floor! I do not sleep with strange men!"
He appears a little hurt. "Strange? You think I'm a stranger?"
She swallows a ball of her rage and simmers down, "That's not what I meant… I… it's inappropriate to sleep with you. We are not…"
"Familiars?" he finishes, his warm grin returning. "Breathe easy, friend. I placed you on the bed, and I took the floor. No woman will sleep on the floor while I'm around."
Zera shouldn't argue with that point, but she does. "I would have been okay! I can hear underground noises and would have alerted you immediately to any trouble."
Relieved over just a false alarm, Leonardo glides back on the bathroom floor and winces at the wet patch he left on the carpet. "And I trust you, but I couldn't leave you on the floor. Excuse me while I finish my soak."
The door gently closes, and his goodbye smile gives her an odd blush. Suddenly, Zera became aware of her morning attire and troublesome attitude. He really was just being a gentleman to her last night, and she's finding it more difficult to stay mad at him, even for just a moment. Perhaps she could cool her temper down, too.
Sorting through the closet wardrobe, she humors that she can face evil monsters, ride a hell train, and demand an enemy's hat, but finding a decent outfit makes her skin crawl. For at this moment, she cares about how she appears to him…. to her friend, Hamato. A friend, not a stranger.
She smiles and dangles a cute red skirt in front of the mirror. Does he like the color red? Would a black top go okay with the skirt? What about shoes? Should she ditch the skirt and cover herself up a little more?
But then… her heart nearly bursts out of her chest thinking back to the time that she wore the tuxedo dress and how her butt-cheeks were advertised through the land. It didn't dawn on her at the time to actually care about that sort of thing, but now the embarrassment sneaks up to her, and she could just die in the closet with skirts, shoes, and cheesy brochures.
Slam! And she did just that – locking herself in the closet, crawling into a deep hole in her mind and trying to calm down. It is so exciting yet frustrating to her how the situation is changing quickly, how her eye sees things differently, and how her distant heart feels closer to the present. She racks her brain for ideas, something that she could do or say to him to make her feel at ease and not so awkward.
And five minutes later, she remains in the closet, chewing on the edge of a brochure with her tail frizzing and heart stampeding. She's too busy coming up with an excuse and didn't hear him rapping on the door.
"Are you locked inside, Zera?" his smooth yet concerned voice asks.
The brochure is almost tasty at this point. "I'm fine. I'm having female problems."
"In the closet?" Leonardo pauses and then hastily remembers where he is. "Ohhh, well, I'll be exploring more of the house should you need me."
The distraught fennec doesn't hear anything that signals his departure so she snaps, "Are you there?"
No answer. She can breathe again.
The best thing to do during high stress situations like this one, she recalls, is to keep your fingers busy. Not just your teeth on paper, but fingers and the brain. Do something constructive. Perhaps creative? Zera flirts with the idea of making a present for her partner, her… friend. What kind of gift? What in the world does Hamato like besides waterfalls and saying people's names over and over again? As she continues pondering, a clump of her head fur scatters in her paws; she might have ripped it out during her spaz attack. Never mind. It'll grow back!
After several more rejected ideas, Zera growls at her predicament and twists the lump of fur in her hands. Then, a braid or two forms as her temper simmers, and soon, the perfect idea lands in her lap. All she needs to do is bravely exit the closet and find a few more materials.
Exploring the Stockcrib proves lackluster compared to their journey thus far. Just a simple, pretty guest home, and that feels a little boring to him. Leonardo wonders outside and sits on the sturdy branch with his Mirror Family.
"I feel a huge fight in our future!" Casey the punchy mallet cries. "I'm bored! I need excitement!"
Donatello the Fire-tool adds, "The Express was enough for me, but I have to agree with Casey. I think you should be on your guard, Leonardo."
The Mirror Family waits for Leo's reply, but he's lost in the vastness of Blue Sung Thicket.
"Yoo-hoo! Water Boy!" Telephone Mikey blurts from the purse. "We haven't talked to you in a while and you're going to ignore us? I'm hurt!"
"I know something you all don't know!" April the purse teases. Raphael and Casey groan in unison.
A small breeze tickles the back of his neck, and he smiles, but more from his thoughts than from the wind.
"I'm rather fond of this saying: is one mind in two bodies," dream-catcher Splinter's words ease into Leo's crowded mind. The breeze stops and guides Leo back to the tree. His lips are ready to spill a majority of his thoughts, but there's a wall in his way and it's difficult to climb over it. Instead of fighting and clawing at it, he chalks it up to not being fully prepared. He's not ready to act on his emotions; it's just not a good time to tell anyone, especially her.
He dusts off the family and clears his mind. Keep the hands busy, Leonardo remembers, and the mind and heart, too.
"Zera?" Tap tap on the closet door. "Hello? Are you finished with your problems? It's been over an hour and I thought we could do something fun."
No answer from the closet. He finally gets the nerve to just slide it open and face the horrible consequences, but his fears are eased once he realizes she's not in the closet. There's a huge mess in the closet, but no Zera in sight. Lots of fur pieces on the floor, though. It worries him a little.
"Zera!" he calls through the house, creeping around corners and knocking on other closet doors. "Want to go out for that goldfish buffet? My treat!"
The house is painfully silent, and he's expecting an animated fennec any time now. Annnnytime. Yep. Right around that corner. Scooting, slipping on the tile, and then crashing into him with her big ears flopping and all dressed to go.
And… nothing. Not a damn thing.
There has to be a good explanation, Leo mulls, as he checks every room in the house one last time before stepping outside. He scans the colorful, noisy forest and veers down the tree. Minky and her mushroom pals giggle at him as he prepares to talk.
"Have you seen my fennec pal, Zera? Pretty white fur, big lively eyes."
Minky rattles, "She rushed off to your right! But please be careful! The Ducks are scavenging today! Oh, I would be so sad if you didn't return. Please come back!" The other mushrooms pretend to sob.
He could only imagine who the Ducks are in this case. "I promise to return, AND formally introduce you all to Zera. Please guard our home with all of your might."
Minky almost has a heart attack from the compliment, but there's no time to soothe her. Leonardo dashes through the forest, calling Zera's name and hoping the Rainbow Koala isn't ready for a Round 2 today. Brushing through the glistening, flashy leaves, his eyes see nothing but a dull line ahead of him, and while he didn't have the faintest clue of her location, he back-tracks, or what he could remember, on their old trail from the Blue Sung's entrance. Leonardo's mind constantly ticks but his heart is in control, keeping him alert and shuffling through the thicket as evenly as possible.
What a time to disappear, you silly girl. Why would you go in this forest alone? Why did you hide in the closet for so long?
He prances upon a pair of giant slugs, and after a short staring contest, they pay no attention to him, and he can freely move along.
I don't care if your hair isn't perfect or what you wear, or if you eat in the bed, although that attracts critters. I just want to see you while I can.
A different kind of noise breaks his thoughts, shrilling from his left. Leonardo stops and investigates the sound before taking up the trail again. It sounds almost tribal: humming, a little whooping and crying with rhythmic beats, and bass voices.
Wait a minute.. that song sounds familiar. Is that..? He listens closely.
Michael Jackson music? It's Mikey's favorite…
Leonardo nods his head to the beat, and it clicks. Fire's in your eyes…. He waits a little more while the lyrics reach his mouth.
No one wants to be defeated. Just-
Leonardo cuts himself from the catchy song; he hunches and shifts through the grass, stopping to peer between a glass tree and a fuzzy puke-green rock. His eyes soaks in the full effect of what he's viewing: a group of tall individuals with dreadlocks, wearing dirty red and yellow robes, dancing and bouncing to their tribal song, and Zera sitting on a giant inflatable blue fish surrounded by shorter members, possibly the females. Blinking his eyes a few more times, he gawks at the spectacle and accidentally scraps his hand on the rock. This isn't good at all, he scoffs, while rubbing the tiny amount of blood off his hands.
Especially since the men and women appear to be zombies – the undead.
"SNIARB!" a screechy voice emits from a male who suddenly jumps in front of Leonardo and pokes him with a studded weapon. All of the tribe is alerted and falls into defense mode, howling and quacking, and the females rush to protect Zera. Leonardo sighs, pushing aside the screecher, and gunning straight for Zera's prison. He zigzags through a maze of groaning tribal men, leaping over one, avoiding three, elbowing the jaw of another and watching it catapult into the air, and landing in front of the squirming females, all who are determined to protect their new prisoner.
"I avoid attacking females. Please move and let me take my friend back," he warmly asks and mentally hopes his face is twinkling charm. They cower and slink out of his way. "Thank you."
Zera's eyes are glossy, black slates, and she leans over in a comatose state. "Zera!" He pats her on the face and cheeks. "Snap out of it. It's Hamato! Let's go!"
Her lips move but no sound comes out of them.
"Hey…" Leonardo breathes and cups his hands over her flat ears. "What have they done to you?"
He is a trained warrior and an efficient machine, following the commands of his master and guiding the brotherhood to a honorary end, but even heroes have small, weak moments. A tribal member gets in the final shot with a hammer from behind, and Leo's last memory is stained with his friend's cold, barren eyes.
"Our mother," a rumbling tone lands her back to reality. When she blinks back the darkness, an unfamiliar group greets her: the Rasta Ducks, legendary natives of Blue Sung. She couldn't remember how she crossed their path, and her hands tremble from a bad gut instinct. What is she sitting on? She bounces a little and peers down at her feet and then around her entire body. A fish full of air?
"Our mother," the same voice persists, pining for her clear attention. Her mind feels like an avalanche, and she didn't want to guess what it would snowball into eventually. She acknowledges the tribesman.
"We have the sacrifice now. On your command."
Her command? 'Mother'? One solid look around the area and it's all clear to her. A few more natives purge out of the ground and join the party. Yes. That's how they captured her, she recollects. While searching for materials, she heard the tremors beneath her feet and jumped on her guard. Too many Ducks shot out of the ground and snatched her before she could summon Sinai, who, sadly, probably wouldn't help her anyways. The Ducks are cannibals who only eat once a year, but Zera was certain she was their yearly meal. Blue Sung's soil regenerates their failing bones and glides off their robes like water. Traveling through their underground tunnels, she almost lost her sanity and escaped one time before they grabbed her. Her hands were created for digging too, and she desperately tried clawing back to the surface. Never made it. The next instance, her mind clouded and the wool draped over her sight; it was the Nothing: the same period she had a short time before Hamato arrived.
Brilliant, clear sheets of magic dances around the sacrifice, almost whipping like ice fire. The sacrifice is revealed to her, and now her heart is the one trembling.
"Our mother, please tell us—"
"Release him!" she barks, sliding down the fish and barreling through a mob of females. "He will not be your sacrifice!"
The Duck Leader's drooping, glazed eyes focuses on Zera, who valiantly stands next to the circle. "But, Mother, our god, Sothop, requires a sacrifice on this day. A virgin sacrifice." His lower mandible rattles as he speaks; a fellow tribesman reaches over and sets the mandible back in place.
Leonardo awakens and immediately fidgets in his spot, trying to wiggle free, but the rope squeezes into his skin. Piano wire-like rope? He peers down into a massive bright hole in the ground with the sheets of magic creating a barrier around him. It's not long before he notices Zera's back to him, and he perks up.
"Zera!" He reaches a little further, not paying attention to the sharp rope cracking his skin, and while it stings slightly, he's very relieved to see her again although she didn't seem to hear him when he called for her. "Zera! Behind you!"
Outside the force field, Zera continues her triumphant speech, unaware of Leonardo's cries, "We do not want any part in your ritual. Close the hole and go back to your huts. Your god will not be satisfied with this creature."
Another Duck squawks, "He is male, young, and a virgin. Sothop likes fresh men. We make Him happy!"
"What makes you think that this young man is fresh?"
The Ducks exchange awkward glances, and some shrug.
"Zera!" his voice strains and his wounds ooze blood into the hole. He stretches as far as he can before the pain stops him completely. "Please hear me.."
Duck Leader turns to one of his servants and kicks him in the kneecap, shattering it. "You swore this man was perfect for a sacrifice! Our Mother is angry!" He flicks a creaky hand. "Dispose of him!"
"Uh, wait—" Zera's brain can't compute the events before the servant Duck is ditched through the barrier, bounces off Leonardo, and disappears.
"Zera!" Leo screams, and this time, she spins in his direction. Her ears elevate and eyes shine at him again. "Are you okay?"
"Are YOU okay!" she defiantly jabs. Her cheeks feel incredibly warm while he smiles at her, so she goes on a blabbering tirade. "Hey, I'm sorry that you had to see my butt when you first arrived. I didn't mean for that to happen. I don't know how to act around anybody. You were so gentle with me despite it being my first time!"
The entire Duck tribe closes in on the conversation, sucking in the words and losing body parts just to eavesdrop.
Leo's pain subsides and he arches towards her. "I could never intentionally hurt you. You just seemed so fragile and lost. Why did you leave my side?"
She twiddles her paws and tugs on an ear, avoiding his eye contact. "I wanted to make you a gift, and as soon as we're done here, I can finish it. I won't leave your side again." She glances back at him and grins. "I promise."
While the magic hole terminates, they forget about their peculiar situation, and the Ducks are stupefied over their sacrificial loss. The Duck Leader crushes the silence with his booming voice, "You are free to go, as our Mother commands."
Leonardo is cut loose from the wire and reunites with Zera. "Thank you," he whispers close to her ear and slips his hand on her shoulder. "No more running away."
"I must warn you non-fresh young ones," the Leader rolls, stretching his arms and losing his left hand, "In two days, we sacrifice to another goddess, and she likes engaging couples." His servants cackle and circle the captors. "We like challenges so be on your best guard."
Leo and Zera share a mischievous look and happily chuck rocks at the Ducks. They make for a mad dash between the glass tree and fuzzy rock, snickering. Zera accidentally trips, yanks down Leo's pants, and he spins out of them, hoping it doesn't slow them down. They scamper all the way back to the StockCrib.
"Quick!" Minky yells. "Go to the Imboo! The Ducks are hot on your trail! They don't like water! We will protect you!"
Leo beats back the urge to ask Minky how a bunch of mushrooms could fight a rather dangerous tribe, but Zera snatches his hand and drags him to the Imboo before he can form a sentence.
"What now?" he gasps, and a second later, she embraces him, and they find themselves at the bottom of the pool. She guides him behind the waterfall, and they break surface in time to see an impressive explosion from their StockCrib area. Faltering cries echo through the evening haze, and the ground rumbles for a short time.
"I hope that little mushroom is okay," Zera quietly mumbles into the water. She peers at him. "And you?"
"I am now."
"Do we have to find another place to stay?"
He crosses the pool and hops on land. "I think I still see it. After we check on Minky, did you want to finish your present?"
Lapping in the water, she falls silent and looks straight ahead. "You still want it?"
"Without question. " He hesitates with his next sentence because she refuses to look at him. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"
She sinks into the water and nods, "Mmhmm", and he immediately remembers that their marathon left him pants-less, and the dive into the water left him completely nude, save for his shirt.
He covers himself with his hand. "Not that I'm making light of the situation, but you saw me naked for a long time."
She swims to the bank and stares down in the water. "But I didn't like you then. The wool has been pulled from my eyes now."
Still doing a pathetic job of hiding his man parts, he kneels down to her and kisses her forehead. "May I be your Familiar?"
A fennec disappears under the water, leaving a meek thumbs-up as her response.