Hey everyone, I'm BAAAAACK!

*cough, sorry caffiene rush*

Well, sorry it's taken me so long to update, but, here you go!

Echodex: Dude, i'm sorry about your foot, and i'm glad my chapter made ya laugh! please get better soon, i know what it's like to have a stupid foot injury! oh, yeah, THANK YOU for reviewing!

zane: lol, *blushes* Thank you! don't worry, nowadays, dude works both ways, although if you wanna be picky, i'm definitely a dudette and proud of it! thanks for the fully awesome review!

Nerissa: You really haven't grown up, have you?"

Me: If i had grown up, you wouldn't be here!

Daphne: She's got a point there

Nerissa: You're siding with her?!

Calypso:*to reader* never mind them. please, by all means, continue.

Chapter 24

Trouble Brewing

The Elite ninja, Cronos, lay back as he was strapped to the table.

Baxter looked at him," This will be uncomfortable."

Cronos gave a smirk," Bring it on."

The cyborg turned back to his computers and swiftly downloaded the program. The Elite ninja was lowered into a containment field. Needles were lowered to his skin and they pierced his skin.

He groaned slightly as the needles pierced all the way through to his blood stream…and then, the programmed DNA was introduced.

He twitched, as a tingling spread through him… and then, he screamed in intense pain…

***

Nerissa snuck out of the Lair, darting glances over her shoulder as she snuck out. She raced down the tunnel, leaping onto the ladder and, cautiously, she became invisible and phased through the manhole. It wasn't hard. She was very angry. She and Leonardo had had another fight. After a nasty little spat about an accident that had occurred when the two of them had collided around a corner, Nerissa had smacked him across the face, called him a son of a B. Then, he had given her a sharp retort about her manners, and how she wasn't being fair to him. She had responded with more hot language, upon which he snarled that she was worse then Raph.

And that… that was when she lost control and socked him. Except he had ducked, catching her wrist with his hand and using her momentum to knock her to the floor. Except, she brought him down with her, upon which their snouts had touched, in much the same manner that had happened between Don and Eos. Nerissa had snarled and pushed him off, storming off.

As Nerissa now stood on the rooftop, alternating between translucent and solid, she heard a voice in her head," You know you like him. You're just afraid he'll break your heart… like Adrian did."

She fought back tears, snarling," No way. I am NOT scared!"

… "But you are." The voice insisted," Why do you think you react so defensively around him? And not only that, but you're jealous. Hell, even that Turtle, Mars, has someone. He's got that dream girl. Calypso has Leatherhead, Eos has Don, Andromeda has my brother… I want Leonardo… but I don't want to get hurt. Damn it, why am I so stupid?"

The tears poured down her cheeks. She lowered her head, swept over by memories.

"Excuse me."

She whirled around.

The sea turtle stood behind her. Good god Zeus, he was HUGE. She was looking up at him, feeling ridiculously intimidated.

She kept her head high," Are you Mars Inferno?"

He nodded," I don't suppose you're a friend of Donatello's?"

"I am. My name is Nerissa Munroe," She smiled faintly.

He raised an eye ridge," You are crying. Has someone hurt you?"

She shook her head," No. And frankly, it's none of your business."

He chuckled a little," I did not mean to pry."

She suddenly blurted," Why is it you men have such big egos? You thinjk everything should be easy, and that you have only to beckon and us females will come running!"

His eye-ridges shot up slightly as he interrupted," Do not lump me with whoever your real complaint is. It is true that we males tend to be proud. I was raised to be proud of who I am… but I know when I am wrong, and I TRY to be humble and unassuming. We men might complain that you females are far too emotional. But this is where we need each other." He added with a soft laugh," That is why Adam needed Eve."

Nerissa was slightly taken aback by the wistfulness in his voice and she responded," Why am I even talking to you?"

"Doesn't misery love company? I was glad to be here, sister. For truly, you have made me your brother, by confiding in me. If you ever need a friend, you have one in me."

And he was gone. Nerissa blinked for a moment and she rolled her eyes," I'm such an idiot!"

Still, she felt cooled off, and slowly, she made her way back to the Lair.

***

Mars frowned softly as memories assailed him. The small debate between him and the female turtle had stirred memories of his father. Though he and his father had been close, they were both sharp-tempered, resulting in many fights that ended with Mars gaining the quick thinking of a politician. He chuckled softly as he remembered the day he had first had his vision.

Mattathias had noticed his quiet, almost agonized expression and had questioned him until he had all the details of the dream. It was then, that Rabi Keshet had decided that it was no ordinary dream… it had to be a sign of some sort, a message, bottle in a dream.

As Mars darted through the shadows, staying out of sight, he reflected on the dream once again… and wondered where she was.

***

The good-byes were short.

Daphne, bawling like an infant, perked up when Mikey told her he'd be thinking about her every minute.

Andromeda threatened to murder Raphael if he got himself killed, and Eos told Don she knew he'd outdo himself this time.

Nerissa smirked as Splinter added," Nerissa is in charge. I want all of you to stay here, and limit your visits to April's apartment."

"Yes, Master Splinter," the five mutants responded.

As the five ninjas turned and left, Calypso murmured," Heaven help us all."

***

Leonardo couldn't shake the feeling as they walked through the portal into the inter-dimensional world of the Nexus. Someone was following them. He looked over his shoulder before Raphael asked," You okay bro? Getting' cold feet?"

Leo glared as Mikey boasted," I'm not! We did this three years ago and it was a total breeze!"

Don reminded Mikey," You won by accident, and then got challenged to a rematch!"

"Which I totally OWNED!!!" Mikey bellowed… before getting 'owned' by Raph, who tackled him to the ground.

"Looks like the tournament has started early," a voice behind them observed. Leo smiled as he saw his old friend, Usagi, and greeted him.

They did not notice a pair of malicious eyes, watching from a distance.

As the six warriors walked towards the citadel, Usagi immediately noticed how quiet and troubled Leonardo was. The blue-masked ninja, although usually quite calm and composed, actually seemed withdrawn, as though something weighed heavily on his mind.

Mikey had also become unusually grim.

"What's wrong, Mikey? You afraid someone's gonna beat the shell outta you, like I just did?" Raphael grinned diabolically.

Mikey grinned," You're just jealous cause I totally beat you and I became the…. BATTLE NEXUS CHAMPION!!!"

Don rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath," Biggest mouth in the multi-verse."

As Mikey went on, and on… And on, the others suddenly paused and their eyes widened.

Donatello cleared his throat, and when that didn't work, whispered," um, Mikey…"

Mikey bragged," You're lookin' at the biggest, baddest, strongest, bravest, awesomest, coolest-"

"YOU are the battle Nexus Champion?"

Mikey swallowed hard as he was enveloped by a huge shadow.

He turned around to face a warrior BIGGER then Kluh!

The guy had a dozen eyes, all over his body, tusks sticking out of his mouth and no hair. He was humanoid in form, except for all those huge, unblinking eyes….

"I am Argos." The monster growled," And I have come to take your trophy and title! Such a one as you does not deserve the trophy you bear!"

Leonardo stepped in front of his brothers, looking at the giant warily," You'll have your chance at the title, the same as everyone else. Now if you'll excuse us!" Leo pushed his brothers past the monster, hearing his final taunt," we'll see who becomes the next Champion!"

Mikey looked over his shoulder and squawked," He's gone!"

Usagi muttered," Keep moving. I heard about that one. He is a shape-shifter from a universe that is known for its darkness."

Raphael snapped," Then what the heck is he doin' here?"

Usagi shook his head," That's as much as I asked. I still don't know."

Raphael rolled his eyes," Just great."

Usagi added," Another warrior has joined. Her name is unknown, and she is reffeered to as simply," Goddess. I have seen her… she always wears a mask, and no one has ever seen her face."

Don looked at him in surprise," She's a girl?"

Usagi chuckled wryly," Yes, Donatello. There are female warriors, as well as male warriors."

Leo, for some reason, felt a twinge of guilt as he remembered Nerissa, arguing about how much she wanted to join. He had told her no… and it wasn't just because he felt it was too dangerous. He didn't want to see her get hurt…because he loved her.

He gritted his teeth and his thoughts darkened as he wondered," Why can I never keep my head when I am around her? I always lose my cool, and I only push her further away. I love her… She's the most stubborn, wild-tempered, cool, sweet, beautiful,-"

"Leonardo?"

Leonardo was snapped out of his thoughts by Usagi, who asked," What is on your mind?"

"Ah, nothing." Leo responded, unwilling to reveal just what was on his mind.

Usagi just gazed at him with an extra intensity that clearly said," I don't believe you."

Leo forced a smile and said," Really, it's nothing that's important."

Usagi gave a curt nod," I do not believe so, but I will let it go. However, if you need someone to listen, my ears are open."

Leo put a hand on his friend's shoulder," I appreciate that, Usagi."

***

Mars watched the streets carefully before dashing across to the other side, unseen and unnoticed. He had noticed a masked man break into a small side-door and was determined to set to right whatever was going wrong.

As he listened cautiously, he heard the sounds of coins and cash, being poured into a bag. The turtle felt silent rage that steeled him as he watched the masked thug slip back out and stepped forward," Is it not best to leave no witnesses of your crime? Come and try to silence me, thief!"

The huge turtle tensed as the masked man turned about and swung at him. Mars chuckled as he dodged the hits with ease and then struck out.

He bit his lip in pain. The man's stomach was like rock.

The thin, masked thug began to laugh as Mars snarled and tried to hit him again, ignoring the tender bruises that began to form on his ham-sized fists. Suddenly, the man caught one of his wrists and flung him against the wall.

Mars snarled as he tried to get back up, when he couldn't breathe. His heart felt like it was beaing sliced in half and set on fire… oh, heavens, it hurt!

He managed to let loose a blood-curdling scream and it was as if he was released from his pain, as the mask man suddenly vanished. Light flooded into the alley, but the turtle had already stumbled away. He moaned softly as he wondered," By heaven, what did I face?"

Uh-oh.

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