A/N: Okay so...I did it again and watched TMNT (2007). I can't stop, I have Turtle Fever. Anywayy, more development on our kidnapped fox and Leo's guilt. He's always blaming himself for everything that goes wrong in his family, I played into that a little. Read and Review please!
NOTICE: THIS STORY HAS OC CHARACTERS. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT ANY OF THEM LOOK LIKE, PLEASE CHECK THE LINKS ON MY PROFILE FOR YOUR VISUAL AID.
Previously: "Shiho! NO!" With his hands covering his face, Leo fell to his knees in disbelief. He said he didn't love her, he'd said it with such a chill in his voice that it made him sick to his stomach. His Shiho was stolen away and he was powerless to stop it, the clone had overpowered Shiho so quickly, he couldn't imagine what she'd do to him or Raphael. He was hysterical; he slammed his swords into the ground and let out a gut-wretching scream that brought birds out of their nests in a panic.
"Leo! Get it together! We need to get back before that blonde bitch gets too far, Donnie still has that tracker in her right?" Raph had him by the shoulders and shook him to bring him back to focus.
"I said I didn't love her, Raph. It wasn't true, and now I'll never see her again! God dammit!" Leo was silenced by a sucker punch to the mouth. Raph shook his hand out and snorted.
"Now is not the time, Leo. Come on!" Retrieving his katanas from the dirt, Leo started to run back to the house with Raph right behind him. His lungs burned and his legs ached but he wasn't going to stop. He'd never stop until he had that blonde fox by the throat. No one took Shiho away and lived.
"Wake up, Big Sister! You're home at last!" Chirped an annoyingly high in pitch voice, the shrill sound made the pounding in Shiho's head escalate to an absolute throbbing. Groaning and blinking multiple times to clear her blurry vision, the violet fox rubbed her head and started to stand slowly. She didn't remember much, how she got wherever she was at was a mystery. The only memory she had remaining was the fight with Leo and Raph, she clung to the vision of his face and the sound of his angered voice in his denial for loving her.
"Leo...ugh, where am I?" That giggling again came from her left. Snapping her head to the side, Shiho gasped at the sight of Magdalena sitting in a metal chair with her chin resting in her palms and staring at her. Suddenly, the rest of her memory returned. "Where's Leo? What have you done with him?"
Shiho shifted to wrap her hands around the blonde clone's neck but was stopped, she was restrained. Bound by chains around her wrists and even her neck, like some animal. The bubbly, blonde smiled like the lunatic that she really was and waggled her finger.
"Ah-ah-ah, Big Sister. Relax, I didn't touch your precious boyfriend. I gotta say, you really know how to pick 'em. Oh this is so exciting," The shackled vixen yanked and tore at her chains with grunts and growls at the mention of Leonardo while being laughed at. She couldn't stand the sound of Magdalena's voice. It was so shrill and innocent, when she knew that wretched clone was twisted to the core. "You'll see your little friends again, real soon."
"What is that supposed to mean? You had better not lay a finger on Leonardo or the turtles. What is Marcus up to, Magdalena? Tell me or I swear I will strangle that throat of yours," The blonde stood to get right in Shiho's face, just out of her reach. A smile that was both sweet and menacing curved her pale lips.
"You'll have to catch me first. But, in the mean time, make yourself at home. Because, let's face it. You're never leaving again, Daddy will miss you too much," Before Shiho could spit a threat the clone disappeared through the only door in the room and locked it. Now that she was gone, Shiho had the chance to observe her surroundings…if you could call it that. It was a plain room with nothing in it except for the metal chair and Shiho's shackles. The ceiling was high like the white walls, she guessed maybe twenty feet, it made her feel small and trapped. High up on the wall where the only door stood was a panel of tinted glass that stretched the entire width, she was being watched. She was even back in that wretched night gown that reached her knees.
"Dammit…I have to get out of here," Backing up to the wall, Shiho slid onto her backside and pulled her knees close to her chest to hide her face against her thighs. Even though she was God knows where and potentially never getting out again, the only thing Shiho could find focus on was Leonardo.
'I don't love you,' He'd said it with such a frigid tone that it turned her insides to ice when it echoed in her head. Leo wasn't coming for her; she could feel it in her gut. Why would he? She lied. If he found out what the intention of the Madness was really for, he'd have killed her on the spot that night she told them about it. The fox began to think if she'd have been better off dead and told him the truth.
Tear filled violet eyes glanced down at the shard of Leo's katana that hung around her neck and grasped it in her palm. Even though he hated her, she still wished he was there. She wished they were all there; Leo, Mikey, Donnie, Raph…hell she even missed Casey. With trembling shoulders and a quivering lip, the fox broke down in her solitude and wept. "I'm sorry, Leo.."
The turtles stayed at the cabin while they attempted to come up with a plan to find the stolen fox. Leonardo had become consumed with impatience and worry…even fear, he couldn't stand not knowing where she was, if she was even alive. He and Raph had come face to face with that clone of hers and watched their fox get beaten into submission like she was a mall cop.
"Dammit, Donnie, it's been 3 days already and we haven't moved. Why aren't we following her signal?!" Slamming his fist into the floor where they all sat with a map of the state of New York stretched out in the center, Leo clenched his teeth and glared at the genius. Donatello sighed helplessly and used a marker to circle the area where he'd lost track of Shiho's signal.
"This is the last recorded location I was able to receive from her tracker. Going towards upstate New York. She could be anywhere because it's wide open country up there," He tried to explain, he wasn't able to search much further, he didn't design the tracker to go that far.
"Then we go to the last recorded spot and see if we can pick up another signal. We can't just sit here. I can't just sit here,"
"Leonardo, your brother is doing his best. Please, try to be patient while we come up with a plan. We will find her, my son, and we will bring her home," Like always, Splinter was being the mediator. He sensed the heightened energy that Leonardo was giving off and had to stop it before it escalated into a nasty fight. The last thing they needed was to turn on each other.
"Alright, if we leave now, we should be at this spot by nightfall giving us the advantage of not being seen. We might need a diversion. April?" All four of the turtles cast their gaze on April and Casey; they were their best distraction team. A look of defeat came over the vigilante's face.
"Alright, fine. But I am not dealing with anymore of those utrom security guards," Donnie just stared.
"You went in there with a toaster and started screaming 'Give me a toaster or give me death,' what did you think was gonna happen?" The genius snorted, looking all too smug. If anyone could find a way into wherever Shiho was, it was Donnie. But it was Leonardo who had a vendetta for both the scientist and the blonde. He was going to be the one to settle this and get his vixen back, and he wasn't going to stop until they were back in New York and she was in his arms again.
"So it's settled. We're leaving today. Remember, we need to be as fast as we can, if you run into that clone do not engage in a fight with her. She was strong enough to take Shiho down, and Shiho is built like a brick wall. Magdalena is dangerous," Leo spoke while strapping his swords to his shell, his brothers nodded slowly. For all they knew, Magdalena had to potential to pry them all out of their shells and rip their insides out.
"Come on, let's go save your girlfriend," Raph laid his hand on Leo's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze to let him know that he'd follow him no matter what, his stupid jealousy was dead and buried. Leo swallowed hard before being the first to leave and get in the van; he was deeply conflicted with the last thing he'd said to Shiho before she was taken.
Leonardo had been more than upset, he thought what he saw was Raph holding Shiho in a way that she only allowed him to. But he had been wrong, painfully wrong. Both brothers talked about it and Raph had to explain his problem with the fox and that they were only resolving the conflict when he found them. Leo hadn't slept the entire time she was gone, every time he closed his eyes he would see that heart broken look on her face as he told her he didn't love her.
But obviously, it wasn't true. He wanted to hurt her as much as he thought she'd hurt him, and he'd succeeded. There was no telling what she was thinking now or if she was even alive to think about him. One thing was for sure, Leo was going to find her no matter what it cost him and tell her, make sure she knew that he'd been wrong. That he did love her. All that was left now, was the journey and the time from here until getting there to be prisoner to his thoughts and guilt.
Shiho's nightmare was starting all over again when Marcus showed ugly mug his, the sight f him alone made the blood boil in her veins. Tall and slender in his build, she guessed he was just about 6'5". His hair was always slicked back, it remined her of oil in it's color and texture; black and shiny. His face was angular and sharp in the cheekbones, his chin like a chisel. Even his eyes were angular in shape but dull in their color; brown. Ugly brown and hidden behind square glasses.
Why didn't he just destroy her already? She couldn't understand why he was keeping her alive once he had her, that's what he was trying to do the night she escaped. The question turned over and over in the fox's mind as she was led by the shackle around her neck with a blindfold covering those bright eyes. He was utilizing every tactic to keep her from learning her way around and escaping once again. Couldn't very well lure in the kill without bait.
"Get on the table," Roughly, the blindfold was yanked off her face. Instantly, Shiho shielded her eyes from the overwhelmingly bright lights. When she didn't do what she was instructed to, Marcus firmly shoved her onto the hard, metal table. The fox yelped before growling and baring her teeth. "Oh stop being such a bad child and do what I tell you,"
"What are you planning, Marcus? I won't let you hurt-"
"Leonardo, yes I know. Will you shut up about Leonardo, my goodness girl. Does he know you're this obsessed?" Securing her to the table that was bolted and welded to the floor, Marcus sat just across from her and brought his foot up to rest on his knee with a clipboard in his hand. "Honestly, I don't understand how you can even look at those monsters let alone date one,"
"They aren't the monster, Marcus, you are."
"Ooh, like I haven't heard that one before. Tell me, you have a different aura about you now, did he make you a woman?" The hesitation in Shiho's face made her creator smirk. When she clenched her canines and looked away it was all the answer he needed. "Oh my, the pure and innocent Shiho is now a woman. Made so by a mutant turtle, I have to say it's quite disturbing. Did you enjoy it? I imagine having sex with an overgrown turtle is a workout,"
Shiho spit in his face to make him stop talking and rumbled a low growl in the pit of her chest. She wasn't going to let this man say such terrible things about the ninja, her ninja…Leo had saved her once and had continued to be the support and inspiration that she needed to not go off the deep end. But with the way things were left the last time she saw him, she wasn't sure if what they had even existed anymore.
"You've grown quite disobedient in your time in the city. Maybe a little discipline will put you in your place. I'm sure once those turtles come to your rescue, we can work something out,"
"He isn't coming.." Shiho's vice dropped in tone and volume, much like her heart which sunk to her stomach.
"Really? And why wouldn't he? I thought this Leonardo loved you," Marcus was being cruel, writing down every reaction and facial expression she made. He even made note of the moisture in her eyes, she'd become quite human in her emotions it seemed.
"It doesn't matter. He won't come, I don't see why he would after I lied to him," Marcus had grown bored of the conversation and wanted to get on with his list of experiments. The first, was her muscles reaction to electro-static surges. Through her struggling and fighting, Marcus managed to stick wires to her major muscles.
"Now, Shiho. Make sure you tell me everything that you're feeling. We'll start on a low level. We're looking for an increased tolerance in pain, understand?" At a panel with knobs and buttons, Marcus chuckled and turned on the voltage and shocked the young fox until she screamed. "Interesting,"
Leonardo had done everything in his power to not get behind the wheel of the van and floor it to get to the last spot where Shiho's tracker registered. He couldn't stand how long the drive was taking, they'd been on the road all day. The group slept while he and Donnie stayed up in case his locater went off with a received signal. Magdalena had taken her far off from Manhattan, way off, so far in fact they had driven almost all the way across New York to where the signal stopped towards the outskirts of Genesee.
"Leo! I've got it! Her signal hasn't moved from Niagara in the last 3 days. She just inside the county line. We've got her," Passing through the county of Genesee, Donnie had at last received another signal after they had come to her last recorded location. Leo felt his angst dissipate only slightly, but enough to at least make him feel like they were closer.
"Good job, Donnie. Are you able to get a mapped view of where she's at? Address maybe?" Leaning over his brother's shoulder, Leo looked on to Donnie's computer screen as he typed furiously to get the information he needed. In the driver's seat, Casey listened closely for directions, he most certainly didn't want to get lost with Leo in the car.
"Working on it now. I should have a detailed view of her location in a few minutes. Then, if it exists, I'll be able to hack into whatever system is there and find out if there's any security systems and hidden entrances; drainage, vents, you know the drill," With a long sigh of relief, Leo firmly pat Donnie on the arm.
"Thanks, Donnie. You're a genius," The younger brother chuckled and focused on his laptop.
"I know." Smug nerd. Leo returned to sitting between April and Casey near the front. April was able to see just how worried he really was, his bloodshot eyes were clue enough.
"Don't worry, Leo. We're going to find her and bring her home," She used as gentle of a voice as she could, he looked like he could break with the wrong words. When Leo closed his eyes and dropped his head, April knew just how tormented his mind was.
"You don't understand, April. The look on her face when I said that, I can't stop seeing it. I should never have said it…because I didn't mean it," April didn't catch the details of that night he had fought Raphael, all she knew about the situation was that Shiho was sedated and kidnapped. With a tilt in her head, she studied him with her eyes.
"What exactly did you say, Leo?" He remained silent for a few moments. Remembering his foolishness was embarrassing and painful because he'd acted out of anger and jealousy. It was something he just didn't do, he was Leonardo, the leader. Not Leonardo, the jealous boyfriend that jumps to conclusions and shatters the one girl who ever actually gave a damn.
"Well, I walked in on her and Raph in the forest clearing, he had his arms around her. I didn't know what was going on so I blew up at her, it was stupid and I know that now. She didn't deserve it..."
"What did you say, Leo?" April repeated, only this time she was stern.
"I said…I said I didn't love her," Both April and Casey exchanged surprised glances. They were both caught off guard that Leo had the potential to be cruel when angered. She almost couldn't believe it. "And it's the last thing she heard from me before being taken. It wasn't true, I still…"
"I get it, Leo. But you can't torture yourself like this. Shiho is the kind of girl who is going to stick around forever, but, I'm sure she's pissed," Casey didn't really have a way with words, if anything he made the ninja feel worse. Catching the look of disdain on his face, April slapped him on the leg. "Ow! What?!"
"Not helping, Casey! Jeez, just shut-up and drive. Don't listen to him, Leo. Shiho is alive, and she still loves you. Let's just find her okay?" The remnants of a smile came to Leo's face as he nodded. April always knew what to say and how to make him feel better. "Just hang on to that faith and notion and you'll be alright."
With that, Leo's hope started to look up. From the start he was doubting that the fox was alive, she said that Marcus was trying to get rid of her the day they met. But, the one thing that conflicted Leo the most is why she lied, why she felt she had to hide the real origins of her Madness from him. He'd always been as honest as he could with her and just expected her to do the same. He thought of what she had said, that she was protecting him. The part that made him crazy was what was she protecting him from?
Leo decided he'd have his answers when he confronted Marcus, he wasn't sure if he was going to put an end to his existence yet or not. Leonardo wasn't the killing type of ninja, Raph might be able to do something that extreme, but definitely not Leo. He hoped it wouldn't come to that and they would spring Shiho free without much conflict. But of course, nothing was ever that easy. Getting her back was going to be risky and possibly life threatening with that clone thrown into the equation. But, he figured, if he could live through all the reappearances of The Shredder, aliens, and even that crazy scientist Baxter Stockman, he could handle one genetically altered girl. Or at least, that's what he was hoping for.
A/N: I think I'm having a crisis here. I've fallen back into my TMNT obsession. So, I'm still working on my major conflict between the turtles, Magdalena, Marcus, and Shiho. Also the fight between her and Leo. This is my first TMNT fic after all, so, I'm kinda wingin it as I go along. I hope it's good ; ~ ;