Zodia's POV
Zodia was just getting settled into her dorm nextdoor to Megumi when she heard a crackling noise from the metal cylinder her scythe was folded into. She pulled it from the small pocket of her skirt and pressed the button to make it unfold to see what was going on, her voice sounding panicked, "No, no nonono, please- I do not know enough about tech-"
She was cut off by a familiar nerdy sounding voice, "Come in, Zodia- I repeat: this is Donnatello. Come in, Zodia."
Zodia gasped in shock before quickly pressing the communications button as she sat on the small bed in her room, "Donnie? Donnie, is that you?! How in the world did you manage to connect across worlds?"
"Well, I managed to create a form of connection between my tech-bo and Starshine using the quantum particles to create a quantum entangl-" the genius began before the voice of his hot headed brother cut him off with gruff urgency, "Nevermind that, Don- we got a situation-"
"The mafia is on your tail, Zo!" the youngest turtle piped up quickly, "You gotta run-"
"Yeah," Leo spoke sarcastically, "Because someone(not to call anyone out, but Mikey) told them you were back in your world."
There was a moment of silence before Zodia snickered and Donnie spoke up in confusion, "I don't understand- what's funny about this? You're in danger, Zo..."
"It's funny cuz I'm not in my world," Zodia snorted in amusement, a grin spreading across her scarlet lips.
"What do you mean 'you're not in your world'?" questioned Leo in a suspicious tone.
"Well, that portal Mikey opened didn't lead to my world," Zodia explained and she could almost hear the brothers turn to glare at Mikey. She rolled her eyes, letting out a warm chuckle, "It isn't his fault- I was the one directing the quantum energies(genius move entangling our weapons, by the way), and I'm still new to it, so it was my mixup, not his."
"You know quantum mechanics?!" Donnie gasped, but Leo cut in with a hint of annoyance, "Not now, Don." Then he spoke to Zodia, "So, where are you, then, if you aren't in your world?"
"I'm in-" she started to reply, but stopped herself as a thought hit her, "It's best if I don't tell you- if the mafia come to your world looking for me, they could extract the answer by force... I don't wanna put you guys at risk."
"They've already been here, Zo," Raph told her through the link.
"What?! When?! They didn't hurt you guys, did they?" Zodia's heart dropped at hearing that, praying that the turtles hadn't been harmed as cold anxiety spread up her back.
"No, no- we're fine, Zo" Leo cut in before she could freak out, his tone holding a rare hint of softness, "They left right after Mike told them you'd made it back to your world- you don't need to worry about us, but you do need to watch out cuz they're looking for you- and there was something weird about the kid..."
The kid? Zodia perked up at that, her mind racing, "Was he blonde with green eyes?"
"Yeah, how'd you know?" Donnie replied with confused curisity.
"That's Zach- his dad is the one after me," Zodia explained as she leaned against the headboard, holding the tech-scythe next to her, "Zach is the one who told me about my starseed DNA-"
"He's the one you snuck out to meet up with?" Raph exclaimed incredulously, "What were you thinking, Zo?!"
"He wants to help stop his dad!" Zodia replied defensively, sitting upright, "That was why he told me in the first place!"
"Yeah, but how do you know you can trust this guy?" Raph asked with clear skepticism and she could almost imagine the way he would cross his arms with that questioning and worried look. She couldn't help the warm smile on her lips, the words slipping out before she could stop them, "God, I miss you guys..."
There was a moment of silence before a sob could be heard through the communications link and Mikey exclaimed, clearly touched by her words, "We miss you, too, Zo!"
"Alright, alright- let's not get sidetracked," Raph spoke up, though his tone was a bit softer now, "Zodia, this guy- Zach or whoever- he seemed kinda..."
"Fishy?" Leo finished and she could almost hear the raised eyebrow in his tone.
"Suspicious," Donnie agreed with certainty.
"Yeah, Zo," Mikey added with worry in his tone, "These guys are definite bad news, girl-"
"But they can't get to me, if they don't know where I am," Zodia points out, her tone comforting. A thought begins to form and she slowly stands up, "And that gives me the element of surprise- if they're looking for me, then they can't be carrying out their plans..."
"Which gives you time to find a way home and stop them altogether," Donnie finished as he realized what Zodia was getting at, "But how will you stop them?"
Zodia paused, biting her lip in uncertainty before admitting, "I don't know, but Go... Senseii will be help me find a way home, I'm sure..."
Before the turtles could respond, Zodia heard footsteps approaching her door. "Guys, I gotta go- someone's coming!" She quickly pressed the button to retract the scythe into its smaller, cylindrical form before stashing it in her skirt pocket. At that same moment, there was a knock on the door. Zodia got up to open the door, peering outside tentatively. She let out a breath of relief at seeing Megumi's grumpy expression beneathed his fluffy, mussed hair, "Hey, Fushi, what's up?" Inside, she was praying he hadn't heard anything that was said.
"Don't call me that," Megumi replied quickly in annoyance before brushing his dark hair back. His dark eyes dart around the room with a calculating glance before speaking again, his tone gruff and annoyed, "Could you keep it down in here? I'm trying to get some sleep."
"Yeah- my bad," Zodia chuckles awkwardly, scratching the back of her head, "I'll try to be quieter."
Megumi looked like he wanted to say something else, but he just huffed in annoyed acknowledgement before walking away. Zodia felt a pang in her chest at watching his reaction, remembering that Megumi was the most observant of the first years. She took a deep breath to calm her anxiety as she shut the door before walking over to her bed and flopping down on her back with her arms spread out.
A feeling of anxiety washed over her as she thought about trying to make it home to her world and what might await there. A million questions swam through her head as she lay there, worried about the turtles. She let out a heavy sigh, rolling over on the bed, "Just rest for now, Zo... take it one step at a time..."