Hey guys sorry about missing the date so here you guys are going to get two! Enjoy! And please tell me what you guys think!
Donnie helped April over to where everyone had gathered behind a fallen chunk of building they were using to hide behind. As the Demon Shredder continued to destroy everything and draw in dark energy. The Foot had long since left and the Kraang were still fighting, but they had moved onto the city leaving not many to fight up top. Leatherhead had happily followed them.
"Good work Donnie." Leo said nodding to him.
"Now we jus' need ta take care of bucket head." Raph said pointing with a dead pan at the Demon pulling dark energy from the city.
"There must be some way to do it." April said softly still a bit drained.
"There is." Master Splinter said turning to his sons. "You must become your soul forms."
"What!?" They all cried.
"We don't even know what they are! They could be a little bunny for all we know!" Mikey added.
"It matters not what they are. They are you and you are more powerful than that demon!" Master Splinter cried encouraging them. "You have the strength of love and family behind you. You have something you're fighting for! You are fighting to protect and safe lives! That is far more powerful than taking and killing lives!"
"Master Splinter's right!" Leo added with a smile. "We can do this!"
They cheered, but before anything could happen that all-consuming fear swept over them and everything became darkness.
Raph spun around trying to locate someone or something as all he could see was pitch black nothing. "Master Splinter!" He called hoping for someone's voice to come through. "Leo! Donnie! Mikey! ANYONE!" His voice echoed through the inky blackness showing that he was alone. He sighed, he really hated this, but he just needed to find out what was going on and he would be fine. Suddenly he heard a strange sound that instantly stopped him in his tracks. Raph's eyes widened as the skirting sound became louder and louder until he saw the most horrifying sight he could see.
Bugs. Thousands of bugs. Crawling, creeping, skittering, fluttering, flying, buzzing. All over him! They started swarming around him, circling him and starting crawling on him. Raph started panicking the moment they came too close. Letting out screams of terror, he was trying his best to run away and get them off him, but nothing seemed to work. They were still crawling all over him and they came out of nowhere. By now Raph had tears streaming down his face and he didn't even know what to do. He was so scared, but as suddenly as the bugs and darkness came, another sound began.
"Raphael, relax it's just a little beetle." The voice came to him and he looked up as he realized he was seeing Leo. In fact Raph remembered this. They had been in the bathroom when he was going to take a shower and had seen a beetle and flipped. Leo had been home and came in to see what happened. Upon finding out the truth Leo laughed. "Don't worry Raph, I'll get it!" He then took the beetle out of the room and winked at him. "Your secrets safe with me. And I'll always be there to help you out."
Raph opened his eyes as he realized that he had his brothers and his family to help him with his fear. With the bugs still crawling all over him he closed his eyes and concentrated on them. The ones he loved and cared for. They were what gave him strength. They were his power. Raph felt the familiar burn of his core as his Chi came to the surface. Feeling the power course through him Raph roared loud and the burst of power that came from him threw the bugs off of him and the darkness disappeared.
…::-::…
Mikey kept running as fast as he could trying to find someplace, some glance, some glimmer of light somewhere. All he saw however was darkness. He was barely able to see his own hand in front of him it was so dark. "Master Splinter!? Leo! Raph! Donnie!" His voice echoed in the nothing and left him feeling even more alone than before. "Master Splinter!? DAD!" Mikey cried tears now pouring down his face as his fear consumed him. His greatest fear was of the dark. He never knew what was in there and after being alone for so long, he couldn't go back to the nothingness.
"Michelangelo." Mikey looked up as heard the soft sound of someone calling his name.
With the tears still falling from his eyes he looked around and spoke softly. "Hello?"
"Michelangelo, there is no reason for you to be afraid." Mikey once more looked around as he recognized the voice to be Master Splinter.
"Master Splinter! Where are you!?" Mikey called standing up. "I don't see you!"
"There is no reason for you to be afraid. I am here, as is your brothers. We will not leave you." Master Splinter went on and Mikey realized he remembered when Splinter had said this to him. It had been raining outside and the storm drains were filling up. Mikey could hear the storm outside and it had caused the power in the lair to go out. Master Splinter had come to him and told him that. They had then spent the whole night together on the couch.
Mikey gasped as he realized he was no longer alone in the dark. He had his new family and they had never abandoned him. He wasn't on the streets anymore fighting for his survival. He had a home, a family, a real reason to be happy. And he might be scared, but he couldn't let it control him! He had a job to do.
Mikey then sat down and closed his eyes. He focused on his family and friends and how happy they made him. How safe he felt thanks to them and then he felt the fluttering in his core. With a cry of joy Mikey jumped to his feet as the darkness disappeared.
...::-::…
Donnie sat on the ground thinking, trying to figure out where he was and why it was so dark. Even if the sun had been blocked out by the moon, which wasn't for another several hundred years, he would still be able to see. And why had the sound seemed to mute itself was beyond him at the moment. He was nervous, he would admit, but just because it was dark didn't mean he couldn't function. He called for the others, but no one answered him.
"Donatello!" Donnie jumped in surprised at the sudden sound. He stood and looked around the darkness for the person who spoke. "Donnie, I can't believe you!"
Donnie's eyes widened as he saw a form walk through the pitch black. "April?" He asked softly.
April glared at him. "You let me down Donnie!" She snapped.
Donnie's eyes widened and his heart sunk at her words. "What?" He whispered.
"You let me down!" She snapped again. "You let the foot capture me! I was held hostage and forced to go through everything so they could use me!"
"Donnie!" Another voice cried and he turned to see his family suddenly there and glaring at him. "If ya had been smart enough we wouldn't have missed de opportunities ta catch de Kraang!" Raph yelled at him.
"You're the reason we lost to them that night at got April taken!" Mikey added.
"I… I'm sorry." Donnie said as he fell to the ground. He couldn't disappoint his family. That was his biggest fear. Disappointing his family or not being good enough. Donnie did everything he could for them. He never wanted to let something bad happen when he could stop it.
"If you had been better you would have saved me." Leo said coming out of the darkness.
"Leo." Donnie said staring at him tears flowing down his face.
"You aren't good enough for us!" They cried.
"No!" Donnie cried grabbing his head and shaking it.
"My precious gift." Donnie's head popped up as he heard the loving voice of his mother.
"Mom?" He called looking around at the now empty darkness.
"My sweet boy, please don't be sad." His mother went on and suddenly Donnie could see her. They were in their house when he was little. It was after his father had died. He had been so sad that he had failed his father, by not telling him that he had had to pick up the groceries. So his father had gone out again to make things easier on his wife. He had died on his way back. Donatello had blamed himself and had been so sad.
His mother had taken him aside and spoken to him. "Donatello. Sometimes bad things and there's nothing you can do about it, but that doesn't mean you give up or lose faith. The bad times are there to remind us of all the good we have. Of all the things we have been given. I know its hard now, and it will be hard for a long time, but it will get better. Your father is in a better place and he is safe and happy. Never think that this was your fault. You can't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. You must learn this and never blame yourself or think you aren't good enough, because you are."
Donnie gasped as his eyes opened from the memory. His mother had always been so full of knowledge and he gleaned all he could from her. She had helped him through his pain and he helped her. Now that he was thinking rationally he recalled everyone being supportive and helping him though his hard time when he was worried about his mother and the loss of April. They had never acted like this before… and he knew they never would!
Standing he glared the darkness. He was better than this! Donnie closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He concentrated on his mother and how much she had taught him. He thought about all he wanted to do to help his family and friends. He felt the familiar vibration of his core and with cry of triumph the darkness disappeared.
…::-::…
Leo hadn't moved an inch the moment that he had opened his eyes to nothing but darkness. He was staring down at ground from far too high up. He was literally shaking in fear and he continued to move higher and higher even though he stood still. Leo had a fear of heights ever since he was younger. He had been able to fight it with the help of his training and the constant rooftop battles, but this was way too high for him. He was paralyzed in fear and he could even feel the tears streaming down his face, but was too terrified to wipe them away.
"H…help." He choked out. "Master Splinter." He begged. "Someone… please." Leo then felt like someone was pushing him from behind. "NO!" He cried terrified of falling. "Stop! Stop!" He started pushing back trying to save himself, but nothing was working. He was still going higher and higher and was getting closer and closer to the edge. Just when he was about to fall over he heard it.
A voice with a sneer as it spoke. "Come on 'fearless leader'! Are ya really goin' ta let dat get de better of ya?"
Leo looked over and saw Raph standing there looking board with his arms crossed. "R… Raph?" Leo said confused.
"Don't be so hard on him bro!" Mikey said jumping up and wrapping his arms around Raph's shoulders.
"Really Raphael, some people have the fear of heights. It's nothing to tease him about." Donatello chimed in.
Now Leo remembered. They had been on a rooftop, one of the higher ones early on in their training and his brothers had found out about his fear. After Donatello spoke Raph scoffed. "I know dat!" He snapped. "And I ain't makin' fun of 'im!" Raph then turned and grinned at Leo. "Your braver den ya think ya are, Leo. You can do it."
"Yeah Raph's right!" Mikey added. "Just believe you can and you can!"
"Mind over matter has proven to be true." Donnie added with a grin of his own.
Leo smiled at them as he realized with his family by his side, he could fight his fear. He could beat it! Everything all but forgotten, Leo closed his eyes and focused on his family. On his purpose to lead them to protection and safety. He felt the familiar pulse of his core and with a cry of determination the darkness disappeared.