Chapter 18

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I tied my hair up, watching as Donnie put his gear on, going over and helping him a little when I could, feeling him grab my hand when I was done.

"You be careful" He kissed my open hand, letting it go and looking at me with sad eyes.

"You shouldn't worry so much. I'm not going alone, and you and Leo will be there not long after we get there" I assured him, putting my hands on his cheeks. He moved into my touch, closing his eyes.

"Can't help it" He muttered, suddenly grabbing me and pulling me towards him, kissing me with as much passion as he had that night...

I returned the kiss, both of us getting a little too close, before a knock at the door shook us from our embrace.

Donnie cleared his throat "Out in a minute"

I smiled up at him, tapping his cheek gently as I moved away, going and grabbing the dagger I had. It was even more covered in dried blood, and I frowned a little.

"Jade" I turned back to Donnie, who went and grabbed something, bringing it towards me.

"Leo and Raph thought you might like this" It took a moment to realise it was a sheathed dagger. The sheath itself was black, with a bright blue streak. It curved a little, almost looking like a mini Katana. The small blue streak continued up the handle.

He offered it to me, and I took it, pulling the dagger out and seeing the soft gleam of the metal, seeing what looked like a small pattern on the blade. The blade itself really did look like a mini Katana. I put it back in its sheath, then put the small strap around my ankle. It fit almost perfectly to the shape of my leg.

"It's beautiful" I smiled up at Donnie, going to give him a soft kiss "Thank you"

"Glad you like it" He replied softly, pulling me in for a quick hug.

We left his room, going to stand in front of everyone else. Even April and Splinter would be joining us this night, April being equipped with both alien tech as well as having Raph as a big bodyguard. Rtaia herself would stay with Kristiana, and monitor any unusual movements and keep on top of our communications.

Ithiell had fashioned some sort of device that the turtles could wear, almost like a headset, only it sat on the side of their head. I was using the one that Donnie had given me, as well as my watch/communicator. Rachel had a nifty new device that Ithiell had fashioned just for her, which would melt into her morphs, like her morphing outfit did.

"Are we all ready to go?" Leo asked, sheathing his Katanas on his back. Ithiell and him shared a look, nodding.

"I think we were ready before" Rachel folded her arms, looking at me and winking.

"Now, we all know the drill" Ithiell stepped up, and Donnie stood beside him, his little blue screen out now, and Ithiell started to point.

"Donnie and Leo will check here, Raph and April, these two spots. Splinter and Mikey, you'll go here and here. I'll check this small area, then meet up with you and Splinter. Rachel and Jade will head to the mall, and once Donnie and Leo are finished, they will join them, as they are the the closest. Once we're all done, we'll converge at the mall, as it may take longer to go through"

"Understood" Leo looked at his brothers and Splinter, who nodded at him.

"Let's move!"

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The mall looked massive in the darkness as Rachel and I circled above.

(Wow... I didn't realise... this is going to take a while) I muttered, diving at the roof, flaring my wings and landing silently. Rachel soon followed, landing beside me.

(They probably have cameras and security here too)

(Got it, no crazy alien animals)

We shifted and morphed back, now just two girls on a rooftop.

"Any ideas... something that won't get us killed?" I added as she opened her mouth. I knew she was going to suggest a bear or something like that.

"Um...small morphs?"

"We can't be too small, well never be able to get through this place in one night"

"Dogs, cats?"

"Hmm, good idea" I looked around for an entrance, opening the door and realising "We'll probably need something with hands as well too though"

"Let's just-"

"I have an idea"

She looked at me.

"Chudnit"

"Chud-what?"

"Chanaiben version of a bat. Little purple thing... good for the darkness, and I can probably rip out any cameras near any doors we want to go through"

"Hmm, could work. I'll go in as Homer, Jake's-" She stopped, looking at me. She almost looked sad.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing?"

"Rach?" I raised an eyebrow "Remember what you said"

"I just didn't expect my cousin to turn on me so quickly" She frowned.

"I think he just has an issue with anything that isn't human. Maybe once we've gotten rid of the Yeerks, he'll come around" I smiled, my hand on her shoulder trying to assure her. She looked at me, not entirely convinced, nodding anyway.

"All right, let's go" I moved away from her, starting to shift. I felt myself start to shrink again, my ears crawling up onto the sides of my head, my nose flattening into my face. My eyes became huge as the ground got closer, and I opened them, feeling them glaze over and become the milky white of the Chudnits.

The Chudnit was a cute but also a creepy little thing. It looked almost blind, but surprisingly its eyesight wasn't too bad. It just took alot to get used to, and understand how the creature itself worked. It had echo location like a bats, but amazingly it was like colouring a picture in front of you in. The Chudnit itself saw the world as lines and sometimes shapes, but as soon as it echo located, you saw everything in brilliant colours.

I felt skin flaps emerge from under my arms, which were becoming small and spindly, my hands melting together and becoming the three claws, my feet doing the same. Finally, patches of purple fur emerged, covering the mostly naked purple skin of the Chudnit.

I looked over at Rachel, seeing she had become Homer, her tail now wagging madly at me.

(I swear Rachel, if you try and eat me-)

(Reeelaaax! I got this!) She sat down, still looking at me and wagging her tail, her tongue rolling out of her mouth.

(Ready?)

(Let's go! Lets go!) I heard her almost giddy reply as I flapped, taking off and let out a series of chirps as I turned towards the open door, hearing Rachel now following me.

We reached the bottom of the stairs, seeing the mall stretching out for what seemed like forever. This place was huge normally, but now...

It just seemed endless.

(We'll try and check the top floor, and I'll take out some of the cameras around the back doors of places so we can get in) I landed on the railing awkwardly, looking as Rachel caught up to me, almost knocking me off my perch as she put her paws up on the railing.

(All right, where first?)

(Closest shop... there) I chirped, taking off and heading towards what looked like a sports store. I saw there were two cameras, landing on the first and scrabbling over it with my little feet.

I tried to chew at it, finding it was alot tougher than I expected, finally hearing something spark in it, the little light going off.

I flew over to the other one, seeing what looked like Rachel chasing me below. The dog mind had taken over a little, it looked like.

(Are you done yet? Are you done yet?) She sounded excited, letting out a bark.

(Shh! Rachel!) I snapped, hoping my voice would at least get her to calm down (Do you want someone to come looking?)

(They might anyway) I finally heard the other camera snap, turning off.

When I was done I shifted back, going over to the door and finding it was locked tight.

"Should have expected that" I muttered, Rachel coming up beside me. It seemed like she was able to calm herself a little.

(So now- oh) She said as I pulled out a little device, which I'd borrowed from Donnie, placing it on the lock and hearing it click. I turned the knob slowly, opening it-

(I'll go first!) She almost knocked me over as she ran in, with me shaking my head and shifting back to the Chudnit, following her.

It was a good thing she had gone in first, as there was a camera looking right at the door. A camera that I, very quickly, disabled.

This was going to take a long time.

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An hour or so in, and we were already both over it. And the shifting back and forth wasn't doing doing me much good. Neither was trying to chew the damn security cameras I'd found. We'd barely gone through about five or six stores.

We'd almost been caught once by a guard, but thankfully we'd both managed to hide in the darkness, avoiding a security guards flashlight. I knew he knew something was up, but he just couldn't work out what.

After he'd taken off, we went back into the main part of the mall, with me landing on the railing again, Rachel sitting in front of me. I could tell not even the dog part of her brain could keep her happy right now.

(Considering how big this place is, it could take all night) She sighed, looking around and panting.

(I know. But we need to check everywhere. Serah or her mum could be in here)

(I wonder how we're going to explain being talking animals)

If I could, I would have shrugged at her.

(I need a small break. Want to take the time to demorph and remorph?)

(Sure, I'll go into the ladies just in case)

(Good idea, follow me) I led her to the ladies bathroom, and she pushed open the door so I could fly in, letting out chirps and looking around the bathroom itself.

(All right, we're clear) She came in, and I landed at the door, shifting back and locking it as she moved to the other side of the room, wagging her tail.

I watched as she started to slowly demorph, feeling my little earpiece start to crackle to life.

"Hey, anyone hear me?" Came a voice, and I smiled, tapping it and making the mouth piece come down to my cheek as I lifted my watch. Soon a familiar face came on screen. The room behind him was pitch black.

"Hey baby" I responded, watching as Rachel pulled a funny face at me.

"We're here, where are you?"

"Just taking a moment I can rest and Rachel can demorph. Where are you?"

"Well... "He looked a bit sheepish "We just took out a security guard, and we're now in the room with all the security cameras"

"So..."

"Donnie disabled them" Leo's voice was heard nearby, and I thought I could make out a figure behind him.

"Works for me. We're on the on the fourth floor still. There's a small cafe thing near us, we'll converge there?"

"Aren't there alot of those things here?" Leo sounded a little worried, and I saw Donnie getting up, Leo following him.

"It's called Joe's Emporium or something... I'm sure you can find it"

"Weird name" Rachel muttered, and I shrugged.

"All right, got it"

"We'll be there soon then" I signed off, tapping the earpiece to make the little mouth part move up again, looking over at Rachel, who was now remorphing. I decided to remain as myself, knowing my body needed a small break from shifting or I'd be useless later.

When Rachel was done, I opened the door again, letting her out first and following her.

(Where to?)

"This way" I whispered, moving as silently along as I could, crouching here and there. In spite of the cameras being off, we still had to be aware that there might still be security guards wandering around this place.

I finally saw the cafe, relieved to see the boys coming from the opposite way, standing up and going to fast walk to meet them.

I saw Donnie smile in relief-

Before any of us could react, something that looked like a vine came out, wrapping itself around Donnie's neck, knocking him to the floor. I saw some of his gear scatter.

"Donnie!" I yelped, running towards him and finding there was a body behind what had first appeared to be a vine.

An adult Chanaiben female was suddenly on his chest, her tail wrapped tightly around his neck, choking the life out of him. Her eyes were angry as she looked from Leo, then to us girls.

"I will not let you take me!" She snarled, watching as Donnie squirmed frantically, trying desperately to pull at her tail.

"Stop! You're killing him!" In spite of the look in her eyes, I dove over, trying to help pull her tail off Donnie enough to even let him breathe.

"Let him go!" Leo said, and I could hear the metallic clink as he pulled out a Katana.

"No! I will n-"

"He wasn't going to hurt you! Let him go!" I cried desperately, looking up at her and feeling Donnie's movements start to get weaker.

The look in her eyes suddenly changed to one of shock.

"Jade?"

Now it was my turn to look at her, watching as she moved her tail, letting Donnie go and moving back off him. As soon as she did, Donnie started to gasp for air, holding his throat and coughing. Instantly my attention was back on Donnie.

Leo was now on the other side of his brother, dropping his Katana as Donnie rolled onto his side, trying to take in air again.

"Why would you attack someone who didn't even know you were there?!" Rachel suddenly snapped, and I looked up to see she had demorphed, heading towards her. The Chanaiben backed up a little, looking from me to her.

"How do you know my name?" I demanded, my hands on Donnie's shoulder as he finally started to take air in properly, Leo patting the side of his shell.

"Jade... I am..." She seemed to compose herself, then "I am sorry for your friend. I thought he was one that was coming after me"

"He's not a Yeerk, and neither are we" Rachel grumbled, glaring at her and folding her arms. She now looked even more shocked.

"Are you okay?" Leo asked Donnie, and we both helped him into a sitting position. He was still holding his throat.

"Yeah" He croaked out, looking up at our new... friend.

"Jade, you may not know this face, but..." She closed her eyes, starting to shift, and my jaw dropped a little.

"You're... Serah's mum?"

I'd had a feeling it could be her, but I wasn't going to jump to conclusions. She shifted back, looking sadly at me.

"My name is Mihra. And yes, I am Serah's mother"

"Next time, don't attack first, then ask questions later" Rachel grumbled, turning to us "You okay big guy?"

Donnie nodded, and I put my arms around his shoulders. That had been terrifying to see...

"You almost killed him" I turned to look at her now. Her ears were folded back.

"I did not mean to harm-"

TSSEEEW!

We all yelped, ducked as a light shot past us, looking down onto the next level to see Dracon beams aimed at us.

"We gotta move!" Leo yelled, grabbing his brother under the shoulders and hauling him up, barely avoiding being hit again.

"This isn't good!" We all started to run down the corridor, Donnie finally getting his bearings again, running on his own now. I could hear them trying to follow us from below.

"How is it you know of the Yeerks?" She ran beside us, and we dove into a little hall off the main section, all of us taking a moment to breathe. They'd be up here soon enough, and we'd have to fight back. From what I could tell, there weren't too many. But that didn't mean more would be on their way...

"Long story, we'll tell you when we're all safe" Leo muttered, and I looked over at Donnie. I could see a deep bruise beginning to form around his neck.

I tapped my earpiece, then brought my watch up. Finally, Ithiell answered.

"Ithiell, we're under attack!"

"Got it, we're on our way. I'll call the others, just hang on!" Then he was gone, and I shared a look with Rachel.

"Ithiell..." I heard Mihra mutter, ignoring her and feeling a little angry. She'd almost killed Donnie with her reckless actions.

"All right, time to get ready girls" Leo said, and we both nodded at him.

I heard a sound of shock coming from Mihra as I closed my eyes and began to shift.

There was no time to explain, she would just have to deal with it until we got out of here.

If we got out of here...

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Next chapter... will be fun!

And as always, Constructive Criticism appreciated :D