Chapter Twelve – Golden Opportunity
Everybody enters through the entrance of the lair and walked down the set of stairs. Still linked together Leo and Jasmine went to go sit on the couch in the main room. Donnie, still holding the decorated box, walked towards his lab to research the harp, to see if he could find any information on Jasmine's past. Everybody dispersed to their own rooms or whatever they were going to do in their own time. This went on for a couple of hours until a familiar voice started to call out to everyone.
"Hey, Guys! Come to my lab, quickly!" Donnie yelled as he popped his head out of his laboratory.
Everybody stopped what they were doing and walked into Donnie's laboratory. Once Jasmine entered the room, she saw her mother's harp lying by Donnie's computer. It shimmered in the poorly light room giving the room a warm cozy feeling. She walked over to the desk and went around it, standing behind Donnie as he was typing away on his computer.
"Okay, I have found out something that might help us get parts of your memory back, Jasmine…and possibly a little bit information about your past…" Donnie said still looking at the screen of his computer. "But the thing is I'm going to have to borrow your necklace to prove my point, okay?
She nods her head in agreement and unlatched the hook that kept her necklace together. She gently took it out from underneath her hair and latched it back up so she wouldn't lose the pendants. Donnie held out his hand waiting for Jasmine to set it down in his palm, after a couple of seconds she did. He carefully set it by the harp causing it to glow a little brighter and then looked back at his computer screen.
"Okay, here's the deal…see how they react when they are close to each other even though you haven't done anything to make them react…well since you have showed us that your necklace reacts whenever you strum or play that harp at your apartment, it has got me thinking, maybe you, the harp, and the necklaces were somehow connected in such a complex way that whenever you get emotionally angry or hurt the necklace will react…but I haven't really found anything about your harp until I stumbled across this article online…." Donnie said while bringing up the article he was talking about. I leaned forward and started to read the computer screen but I didn't have to get that far to figure out what it was about.
"'Astounding Discoveries by Archeologists'… 'Over on the west coast there has been a recent discovery of a hidden temple that was recently discovered by two young archeologists…that were originally looking for artifacts of an different ancient civilization but ended up finding this temple instead…'" Jasmine read off of the website and then turned towards Donnie. "So, what does this have to do with my necklace and harp?
"Well, if you would have kept reading on you would have stumbled across a paragraph that talks about what has been sighted inside the temple…and well, let's just say one of the things was stories and/or legends about your harp and necklace but here's what really got me. When those two people discovered that temple it was around the same date that you have lost your memory…and the same time your mother died…" Donnie responded to her question.
"What!? You're serious!" Jasmine exclaimed and leaned forward to look at the screen again to check the date almost pushing Donnie out of his chair. She squints at the screen and gasps as she found what she was looking for. "You're right, Donnie! It's the exact same date just a different year! But how did that happen!?"
"That's what I have been trying to figure out…but unfortunately I couldn't find any more information about the temple…."Donnie says while sighing.
"Maybe parts of the artifacts were put into a museum somewhere but it would probably be in a whole different state since it was found on the west coast…." Jasmine said while putting her hand onto her chin thinking intensely.
"Well if that's the case…." Donnie said while scooting closer to the desk and started to type away again on his computer. "Since that occurrence was more national news there should be some of the artifacts somewhere here in New York."
"Hmmm…you have a point there, could you try to find the most local museum here in New York City that's not too far away…I don't want to go all over the place unless it's absolutely necessary," Jasmine said while pacing back and forth trying to collect her thoughts together. Donnie nodded in agreement and started to go through the internet trying to find a museum. After about ten minutes or so, Donnie scooted away from his computer and showed her the screen.
"I think we found our answers to our questions, in this museum called the Historical Discoveries… " Donnie said while pointing at the screen.
"Where is it located?" Jasmine asked while leaning over to get a better look.
"It's just about five miles north of Murakami's, if you go now you can get there in about twenty minutes or so…." Donnie said crossing his arms over his chest in the process.
Jasmine just nods her head in agreement while still pacing back and forth with her eyebrows knitted together, hard in concentration. She does this for the next few minutes before she sighs and looks at the guys with a look of determination.
"Okay, I've made up my mind, we have to go to that museum…it's probably the only thing that will help us get to the bottom of my past and memory loss," Jasmine explains to them. "Plus, I have a feeling that, that temple is the one that appeared in my dreams several times…and it just can't be a coincidence."
Leo closes his eyes and ponders on the situation for a little bit until he sighed and slowly opening his eyes. He looked at Jasmine and nodded his head. "Alright, but we are coming with you or at least some of us anyways….I'll go inform sensei on this matter, you guys can just stay put till I get his input on this…." Leo ordered.
Everybody nods their heads in agreement as Leo turns towards the exit of Donnie's laboratory. Jasmine stays where she was and started to think about their discovery, she smiled at the thought and sighed. Finally, we are getting some answers on this predicament, she thought to herself. After a couple of minutes there was some shuffling coming from the entrance and Splinter entered with Leo coming in behind him. He came up to Jasmine and looked down at her with a stern look across his face.
"So what's this trip I'm hearing about from Leo?" Splinter asked Jasmine.
"Well, Donnie might have found some answers to our questions and the only way we can find them is if we go to a museum that carries some information on a temple that was found years ago," Jasmine explained as best as she could to him. While listening to Jasmine, Splinter started to stroke his beard with his eyes closed, deep in thought.
"Alright…you may go, but you must have Leo and Donnie go with you, Raph and Mikey will stay here in case anything should happen while you are gone," Splinter sternly pointed out. Jasmine's face lit up and she smiled real big and did a small bow towards him.
"Thank you, master Splinter, you have no idea how much this means to me…." Jasmine said while standing back up from her bow. Splinter smiled at her and patted her on the head, showing her fatherly affection. Jasmine smiled again and turned to grab her necklace and her harp, she hooked her necklace around her neck and pulled her hair out from underneath it. She looked at the harp in her hands and sighed. "If only we could somehow make this thing smaller so it would be easier to carry around…."
Donnie stared at the harp for a moment seeing if there was anyways he could help Jasmine's problem. That's when Donnie all of the sudden jumps out of his seat and walked over to Jasmine. He took the harp from her grasp and looked at it the emblem that was located at the bottom of the harp; he saw three small holes that were located just above the emblem. He gasped and then looked at her necklace again and smiled triumphantly.
"Hey, look at what I have found…there are three small holes near the emblem and it looks like they're about the same size as your pendants, Jasmine…." Donnie said while carefully handing it back to her.
"What!? There is…." Jasmine said while holding the harp up so she could try to find the three small holes that Donnie was talking about. "I don't see them! Where are they?
Donnie chuckles and then puts his finger and the location where the holes were at. "It's right in front of you…."
"Ohh….I knew that….maybe…." Jasmine said blushing from embarrassment bringing down the harp in the process she looked down and found the holes he was talking about. She tips it forward a little bit into the light and rubbed her fingers across them. "Wow…I haven't notice these before…and I have had this harp for a long time to, you think I would have seen them at least…."
Leo walks up to Jasmine's side and looked over her shoulder checking out the new discovery; he raised an eye ridge as he looked at the harp.
"You said the holes look about the same size as Jasmine's pendants right? So why don't you see if that's true, Jasmine…." Leo suggested.
"Hmm….I was thinking the same thing but what if something happens…..I really don't want to find that out the hard way, so why don't we wait till we get some more information about it first…." Jasmine pointed out as she continued to look at the harp with curiosity.
"You have a good point there; I guess we should probably wait…." Leo agreed.
"Awww….but I wanted to see if something would happen like if a black hole would appear out of nowhere or something, that would be so cool!" Mikey whined while smiling big.
His other brothers just looked at him with blank faces and Leo shook his head in disapproval while sighing. Raph walked up to Mikey and struck a blow to his head.
"Owww….what was that for!? Mikey complained while rubbing the top of his head.
"Think shell brain, if that did happen we all be dead!" Raph growled.
"Ohh…but it still would be awesome!" Mikey claimed. Raph shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest while Donnie face palmed his face.
"Now that has been settled, we should probably get going if we are going to make it to the museum before it closes," Jasmine pointed out as she grabbed the small traveling bag she brought with her from her apartment and carefully set the harp inside the bag sealing off the small glow.
"Yeah we probably should since it said online that the museum closes around ten," Donnie said agreeing with Jasmine.
"Ten!? Well we should definitely be going then," Jasmine said while racing towards the exit. After a couple of minutes Donnie and Leo were right behind her, geared up and ready to go. As they left the lab, Jasmine was standing at the exit to the lair waiting impatiently on them. "Come on you guys, we don't have all night."
Leo looked at Donnie and then chuckled, "We're coming."
They walk over to Jasmine and started to walk out of the lair with Jasmine in front, eager to get going to their destination. They walked in silence until they got about a fourth of a mile left to the manhole cover that is the closest to the museum. Jasmine ran a little ahead of them and turned around and started to walk backwards with her hands behind her back so she could talk to them face to face.
"Do you guys think there is actually going to be information there that will help us? Jasmine asked them.
Donnie just shrugged his shoulders and didn't respond to her question, clearly sending off vibes that he had something else on his mind. Leo looked at Jasmine and then quietly laughed to himself.
"You're really anxious to find out the truth aren't you?" Leo asked her with amusement in his eyes.
"Well, YEAH! I mean I finally get to find out who I truly am and why I have been having these weird things happen to me in the first place….but I also want to find out what that temple truly looked like even though I have seen it before but it's a little fuzzy since I dreamt about it last," Jasmine responded rather quickly while doing some small little hops out of her excitement that she couldn't contain within herself.
"Jasmine, there might be a small chance that there isn't anything there about the harp or pendant…." Donnie pointed out to her.
Jasmine slowed down a little and turned back around while getting in between the two guys and said while smiling, "I know, but I still can't wait to see it…."
Once they got to the manhole, Jasmine started to climb up the ladder to the surface with a smile plastered on her face. She slowly opened the cover and peeped out, once she saw that it was clear she hopped out of the sewers and onto the street above. Before Donnie could climb the ladder Leo stopped him short by grabbing his shoulder.
"Donnie, you're hiding something, aren't you…" Leo asked him. Donnie looked back at Leo and looked down towards the ground while sighing.
"Y-yeah, I am…but it's something that might freak Jasmine out if we tell her so that's why I kept it to myself back in the lab…." Donnie explained. Leo looks at him with curiosity in his eyes and was about to ask Donnie to tell him the truth.
Suddenly Jasmine's head popped back into view and she smiled at the boys while yelling, "You guys coming, cause' it's clear!" Donnie looked at Leo with concern in his eyes but he shrugged it off and then climbed the ladder and joined Jasmine up top. Leo sighed and took a mental note to ask Donnie about what he had found out later. He looked up at the hole in the ceiling, watching a couple of stars shining in the night as he thought about the recent events that have happened ever since his meeting with Jasmine. He smiled and started to climb up the ladder towards Donnie and Jasmine. He jumped out of the sewers and looked at Jasmine who was smiling, he smiled back at her and they took off towards the museum. It took them about twenty five minutes to get to the museum with Donnie and Leo within the shadows while Jasmine walks along the street on the sidewalk. Once they made it to the museum, Donnie and Leo jumped off of the rooftops and joined Jasmine on the steps. Jasmine entered the building first making sure there wasn't anybody inside besides the desk clerk in the front lobby. She came back out and told them it was clear and they entered through the front door. The guys stayed to the shadows as best as they could as Jasmine went to the front desk to ask where the exhibit for the temple was. The front desk clerk pointed towards the right wing of the museum and Jasmine thanked her as she walked towards her destination. After she was out of sight of the front desk Jasmine motioned for the guys to follow her to the exhibit. Once they entered the right wing, there was a huge banner saying 'Welcome to the Forest Temple Exhibit.'
"Interesting title…" Donnie muttered to himself. "Not very original…."
Jasmine laughs at Donnie's comment and strolled over to the first glass case and peered inside with curiosity. She walks around the room with big eyes while smiling, until she suddenly saw a huge stone tablet in the back corner. Just sitting there with a small spotlight cast onto it giving it a forecasting feeling to it. She slowly walked over to it until she was directly standing in front of it; she slowly rose her hand up and touched the glass case putting some smudges on it in the process.
"Hey, guys I think this is what we are looking for…." Jasmine yelled over her shoulder as she continued to stare at the stone tablet. The boys rushed to Jasmine's side and looked into the display case. The tablet had several lines of characters of an unknown language carved into it, around the edge of the stone tablet there were decorative designs and pictures. Jasmine's eyes lingered to the top right hand corner where there was a small carving of the harp and a necklace almost looking identical to hers. "I think this tablet must be the legend that the website was talking about…." Jasmine said while pointing at the pictures.
"I think you're right…Jasmine…" Donnie said while squinting into the case. He walks up to the glass and taps it several times.
"Do you think we could open it?" Jasmine asks Donnie while getting out of his way.
"I don't think so, its' probably has some kind of security system installed into it somewhere…." Donnie replied while crossing his arms over his chest trying to think of an idea.
"You're probably right…." Jasmine says as she walked back up to it and slowly put her hand back onto the panel of glass. All of the sudden her necklace started to glow and the glass panel opened up without pulling a trigger for an alarm. Jasmine jumps back, surprised and gasps.
"H-How did that happen!?" Jasmine squealed while bumping into Leo. Leo gently puts his hands on her shoulders and softly pushed her aside and walked up to the tablet. He was about to touch the tablet when something shot down at him from above, he jumped back barely getting away from the line of fire.
"What the heck was that!?" Leo asked while looking up at the ceiling.
"I-I don't know…" Donnie replied trying to figure everything out. "Maybe someone doesn't want us to find answers…."
All of the sudden a strong gust of wind busted through the front doors and went into the temple exhibition room, making everything flutter and creak from sudden strain. Leo, Donnie and Jasmine huddled together trying to shield they're bodies from flying objects and dirt from entering into their eyes. As fast as that wind came, it left leaving the room messy and cluttered with papers.
"Okay, that was different…." Leo said.
"Yeah, you can say that again…." Jasmine said but was immediately interrupted by a large bang coming from another room. Jasmine, Leo and Donnie suddenly stood very still and listened, next thing there was another loud boom but this time it was closer to them. Donnie crepted along the wall and peeked into the other room, his eyes got big and rushed over to Leo and Jasmine.
"You will never believe this but there is a giant stone statue coming into this room!" Donnie explained.
"WHAT!? H-How?" Jasmine asked anxiously. Suddenly there was a loud crash and flying debris came crashing through the entrance towards them. Leo grabbed Jasmine and wrapped his arms around her trying to protect her from the flying debris. Once the dust cleared they looked up and gasped, in front of them was what Donnie described a ten foot tall stone statue with full body armor carved into it and a sword in hand and ready to strike. It roared and swung its sword towards Leo and Jasmine; she screamed and clung to Leo while squeezing her eyes shut tight waiting for the deadly strike to come.
Several clicks were heard as Jas opened her front door with her keys. She walked in with Haleigh slowly following in from behind unsure on what to do. They were greeted by Jas's dog as they walked through the empty house.
"My mom will probably be back in a few hours, she went to go do some errands in town..." Jas informed Haleigh.
Haleigh didn't' respond she just stood there while looking around Jas's house with wide curious eyes. She slowly walked forward lightly touching the walls with a small smile spreading across her face and she sighed deeply.
"Haleigh, are you alright?" Jas asked Haleigh her voice full with concern.
Haleigh snapped back to reality and looked at Jas with sad eyes. "Y-yeah, I'm fine…I just haven't been in a real house in such a long time….so it's kind of a luxury for me visiting your house…." Haleigh said while turning her head in different directions trying to take in every detail that she had missed so much. She started to walk around taking in the setting of Jas's house.
"Umm…okay, just make yourself at home; I'll go get you some clothes so you can get cleaned up….and if you want to use the restroom, it's the door on the right at the end of this hallway…" Jas told Haleigh while pointing up the stairs.
"T-Thanks…." Haleigh stammered as she turned around to walk up the stairs. At first she walked up the stairs slowly as Jas went to go get some clothes from her bedroom, then once Jas was out of her sight she walked faster up the stairs. She went towards the door that she thought was the bathroom, she was about to put her hand on the door knob when she stopped short as she saw something shiny out of the corner of her eye. She tensed up and slowly turned her head thinking it was a weapon of some sort but once she saw it was a mirror she relaxed her body and looked into it. She walked up to it and touched her cheek, a little surprised that she looked like this. Her hair was a rat's nest, her face was different colors from bruises and dirt, and her clothes were not even clothes, they barely stayed on her body like she lost over forty pounds in the last week.
She hung her head and sighed in despair. Thinking to herself, she continued to stare at herself in the mirror and she started to break down, she just couldn't take the level of pain and torture she just had been put through. Her knees buckled from underneath her and she fell to the floor, sobbing and crying.
"Hey, Haleigh, I got your clothes here so if you want to get in the shower, you c-" Jas started to say just as she got to the top of the stairs and saw Haleigh slump to the floor, crying. "Haleigh!"
Jas ran to Haleigh's side and gently helped her up back on to her feet while trying to calm her down with soothing words.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Jas asked her gently. Haleigh looked up at Jas and then she couldn't hold it in anymore and she just bawled her eyes out and wrapped her arms around Jas.
"I-I'm sorry but I just can't hold it in anymore…." Haleigh whispered between sobs. She buried her face into Jas's shoulder and cried. Jas smiled gently and wrapped her arms around Haleigh and started to rub her back trying to calm her down.
"It's alright…everything is going to be fine…." Jas cooed at her. "Hey, how about you take a long shower and then if you want to talk about it you can tell me what's on your mind…okay?"
Haleigh stayed quiet and nodded her head in agreement; she slowly took her head off Jas's shoulder and wiped away the remaining tears while smiling shyly. She sighed as Jas went to go pick up her clothes that were all over the floor from Jas throwing them down. After Jas handed Haleigh her new clothes she went to the bathroom door and opened it, she stepped back and smiled at Haleigh.
"All you have to do to turn the shower on by pulling out the nob and then turn it left for hot and right for cold and if you need any help, don't be afraid to ask, okay?" Jas pointed out to her.
Haleigh just nodded and slowly enter the bathroom she was about to close the door when she suddenly turned around and looked at Jas while picking at her clothes.
"U-ummm….thanks for helping me…I-I don't know what I would have done if I didn't accidently bumped into me….so thank you, Jas…." Haleigh said quietly.
Jas turned around and smiled sweetly at Haleigh, "No problem and I'm happy to help whoever is in need of it."
Haleigh smiled shyly and closed the door in front of her. Jas turned back around and walked down stairs to do some drawing or something to keep her occupied. Once she settled down in her living room and was about to sketch a picture, her home phone started to ring loudly making Jas sigh. She slowly got up and rushed over to the phone and picked it up.
"Hello?" Jas asked.
"You better watch yourself, little girl…." A girl's voice said on the other side of the line. Before Jas could utter a word there was a click on the line and then a dial tone. Jas slowly took the phone away from her ear and looked at it weird, completely confused. She shrugged it off and put the phone back to its original spot.
"That was weird….maybe it was a wrong number…." Jas said to herself while walking away from the phone. As she settled back down, she started to get paranoid and picked up her sketchbook. But after a couple of minutes she sighed and gave up drawing while setting her sketchbook onto the coffee table and leaned back still thinking about the phone call.
Phew! Ima' done! YAY! *jumps for joy* Whelp this is Chapter twelve and it took a little longer than I hoped but at least it's done ^w^ I hope you likes it and enjoy it as much as I write it! w