Heya readers, sorry for the late upload, had some writers block on this fic.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Travellers Return
Whilst Tyroth was looking over the evidence Raphael and Monalisa had found in their lost Daughter's room, Cam and Barry were waiting outside the gates of Chicago Airport to welcome Leonardo and Kemeko back, yet they stood outside their van feeling uncomfortable and wondering what to say to their friends.
They had been given word from Tyroth that Leonardo and Kemeko weren't too far away from landing at Chicago Airport and had taken the van, that was still showing where it had been battered from the explosion at the warehouse to the area outside the airport.
Cam waited in the van whilst Barry watched from the side making sure no-on was watching and he observed the many planes as they took off and landed wondering which one Leonardo and Kemeko were on.
He sighed and wondered how much longer he was going to be until he saw a flashing light on the other side of the gates, and he narrowed his eyes.
The warthog then saw two figures running towards the wired gate and at first, he was worried it was airport security until he saw in the shadows that they were two individuals carrying luggage on their backs and as they came into the light, he saw it was a mutant turtle and a young Asian girl!
"Leo! Kemeko!" the Warthog cried then looked to Cam in the front seat "Start the engine! They're here!"
Cam instantly turned the key in the ignition and Barry ran to the fence just as Leonardo and Kemeko approached, both looking pale and stricken.
"Barry!" Leonardo cried as the Warthog ripped the fence up from the ground so they could get under it to get to the van.
"Is it true?" Kemeko gasped desperately "Is Pandora really gone?"
Barry chewed his lip, he didn't know what to say as he hadn't been given all the details by Tyroth and seeing Kemeko so distressed broke his heart as he knew how close she and Pandora were.
If one were to describe them, they were more like sisters than cousins.
"We don't have any more information as of yet Lotus." Barry said in a comforting voice "So far Pandora's only missing."
He opened the back doors of the van with some difficulty and Leonardo and Kemeko quickly climbed in.
"What happened to the van?" Leonardo asked as Cam climbed in and shut the doors.
"We were blasted back by the bomb that went off in the warehouse where the guys confronted Hanako and Boss Kodama." Cam explained as he started to drive the van and Leonardo and Kemeko were shocked.
"It blasted the van back?" he asked to which the Rhino and Warthog nodded.
"James and Dahlia were in the back, and they got knocked around as well." Barry said, "Yet despite how powerful the bomb was, everyone survived!"
"All but Pandora..." he mumbled under his breath.
"Impossible." Kemeko whispered.
"Give how strong we Mutopians are, and Tyroth practically a God in mutant flesh, it came as no surprise, and they shielded your brothers and sister," Barry said looking at Leonardo who took a few deep breaths trying to take it all in.
He looked at Kemeko then at Barry.
He couldn't believe that all this had happened whilst he and Kemeko were away in Japan, and he was desperate to know more information from Tyroth when he saw him.
When he and Kemeko left for Japan, he had hoped they would return happy and at peace, especially Kemeko after healing from her trauma, but now they were returning to something they deemed unimaginable.
Kemeko sniffled as she thought about Pandora.
"Oh Pandora." She whispered, "I was so excited about coming home, I've missed you so much, I wish I had known what you were going through, it seemed I wasn't the only one traumatised, but you were too, and I don't blame you, after seeing your parents almost killed."
Kemeko looked at her adoptive father.
"Do you think Uncle T might have answers?" she asked.
"I hope so Lotus." Leonardo said, "By Shell I hope so."
Back in Mutopia, Splinter sat with George at the table in the mess hall as he listened to Tyroth reading excerpts of Pandora's journal.
He had been shocked to hear of the events before than had transpired such as Pandora managing to stop the hostage situation in the supermarket, the wife beater getting hit by the van and the two men who tried to rape the girls, yet Pandora stopped them in her Huntress disguise.
Yet he had been equally horrified when he had learnt from his adopted daughter and the dragon what they had seen in their vision and the fact that Diablo had Pandora.
"No... No, No!" he had lamented "The Raven has my granddaughter, how could this have happened?"
"I'm so sorry Master Splinter." Tyroth said looking up from the journal, "it's all written here and her hand as you can see...and we cannot deny what Monalisa, and I saw in her vision."
George stroked Splinter's back comfortingly as the rat looked over the pages of the journal.
"Oh my dear child, my granddaughter..." he said softly as a few tears fell "How could you?"
George sighed yet said nothing as he continued to comfort Splinter.
"I have no idea if Pandora is in the Raven's possession as a Prisoner or as a willing Disciple." Tyroth said "none of us do, but I'm actually furious that Diablo hasn't even tried to return Pandora to us."
"I have often tried to understand the Raven's mind." Splinter confessed as he looked at his paws and twiddled his thumbs as he thought hard, but even I do not have the answers."
"Once I'll gotten more information." Tyroth promised "We will track that traitor down and bring Pandora back!" he placed his paw on Splinter's in comfort "That's a promise!"
"I trust you." Splinter said with a weak smile.
"Tyroth!"
The Dragon, Turtle and Rat looked over to see Patch running over to them, "Cam and Barry are back, and Leo and Kemeko are with them." She reported.
"They're back?" Tyroth cried.
"My son! My granddaughter!" Splinter exclaimed.
"Ask them to meet us in here." Tyroth requested to which the Badger nodded and within five minutes Leonardo and Kemeko arrived looking pale and tired.
"Uncle T!" Kemeko cried as she ran over to the Dragon who opened his arms to her, and she wept into his chest.
"Oh Uncle T!" she wept "Is it really true? Pandora? She's gone?"
"Kem..." Tyroth comforted as he hugged the young Asian girl, so small and delicate in his arms.
"Please Uncle T!" Kemeko sobbed "She can't! She can't be gone! It's not fair!"
Tyroth hugged Kemeko close.
He wanted to tell her what he and Monalisa had found out, but he wanted to make sure everyone was together so he could break the news to her and Leonardo as well as discuss his plan.
Leonardo meanwhile approached Splinter, normally the eldest turtle would bow to his sensei in respect, but all formalities were out the window as he hugged his Master and adoptive father.
"Oh my son." Splinter breathed as he hugged Leonardo "How glad I am to see you again, yet you return to such sadness and worry."
Leonardo hugged his master close.
"Oh sensei." He said, "We never imagined we would hear this, that such a fate had befallen Pandora."
Splinter nodded.
"It has broken our hearts..." he started then he looked up to see Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael and Monalisa arrive at the mess hall.
"Leo!" Michelangelo cried "Kem!"
"You're back!" Donatello exclaimed.
At once Leonardo and Kemeko greeted their family and Leonardo saw how devastated Raphael and Monalisa looked, seeing the dark circles under their bloodshot eyes.
"Oh Raph, Mona!" Leonardo hugged them both "I'm so sorry..."
Raphael hugged his brother and looked down and Leonardo realised with a sinking heart that Raphael was still incapable of speaking.
"Oh Leo." Monalisa wept "It's been nothing short of a nightmare, and it's only gotten worse."
"What?" Leonardo asked in worry "How? How had it gotten worse?"
He looked at Raphael who looked down in stress, Michelangelo and Donatello looked pale and sick and Tyroth who was still holding Kemeko close looked like the world had ended, he had that look on his face which told Leonardo that the worst news was to be delivered.
"What is it?" Leonardo asked agitated.
Tyroth squeezed his eyes shut and he looked at Monalisa who sighed before looking at Leonardo.
"I used what you taught me to try and locate Pandora, and I had to use Tyroth's magical abilities to search deeper, and we now know what happened to Pandora."
"WHAT!?" Kemeko looked up from Tyroth's chest "Where is she Aunt Mona?" she cried desperately.
Leonardo sucked in a breath.
"I found out Pandora had been thrown into the river when the bomb went off in the Warehouse." Monalisa reported "She was washed up on a rock in Lake Michigan, yet still alive, but she found and taken away!" she broke into sobs again.
Leonardo felt his knees buckle underneath him and he quickly sat down before he could collapse in devastation.
"Who has her?" he forced out "Who took her?"
"Yes who?" Kemeko asked fearfully.
"We didn't want to believe it..." Tyroth muttered "But what Monalisa saw was true."
"Who has her?" Leonardo demanded "For the love of the Gods tell me!"
"Diablo!" Michelangelo blurted out without thinking and Raphael glared at him.
"WHAT!?" Leonardo shouted and Kemeko's jaw dropped.
"The Raven?" she cried "The Mutopian Traitor has her?"
"No! NO! It's not true!" she started to scream "You're lying! You're all lying!"
"Kemeko!" Tyroth tried to settle the Asian girl as she flew into a rage.
"it's not true!" she wept as she hugged Tyroth again "She can't be in the hands of Diablo! She just cant!"
Leonardo looked at Monalisa silently.
"You're not kidding?" he asked to which Monalisa shook her head then explained what she had seen in her vison to which Leonardo blinked silently and looked at the other turtles who all silently gave their confirmation that all they heard was no lie.
"No..." Leonardo breathed "But she can't willingly be Diablo's follower!" he said, "Something must have happened to have stopped her from returning home, the Ravens either got her a prisoner or has manipulated or brain-washed her!"
"Right now, we have many questions, yet no answers Leonardo." Splinter said sadly "We know not if Pandora is a willing follower or a prisoner."
"Not as yet Master Splinter." Tyroth growled.
"But I swear, on my life, on my honour, and on my sword!" so saying he took Ruijin off his back and held it up before him.
"I will find that Raven and his Disciples and bring Pandora home! She will be found and returned to us! That's a promise!"
Leonardo and Kemeko have returned to Mutopia! Now the Hamato Clan are together, looks like the next step will be going on a search together, once they have a clearer idea of where Diablo and his Disciples might be.