Hello again, gentle readers. We apologize for the wait. Unfortunately, Lioness-Goddess, the GL in Wire Glip, can no longer be a part of us. This story was put on hold while we searched for a replacement, then resurrected when we had bad luck finding one.
Many pieces you will see will still have been written under her hand, for much had already been completed before this point. We just did not wish to get ahead of ourselves. Hopefully, there will be more updates soon.
The first part of this, told from Don and Mike's point of view, was written by Pi90katana. Casey was done by engelina, Master Splinter, the Leo flashback within that part, and Mikey done by LG, Don and Raph, plus Mikey, done by innocent-rebel, and the Shadow by Wan.
(bows) Please enjoy.
Disclaimer: Perhaps we don't own the TMNT, but they own us! So it almost works out.
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Don's POV
The sun was beginning to rise, but with what had happened, it was only now time for them to go to bed.
Raph had eagerly volunteered to keep watch for the first few hours. It made Donny nervous- he prayed his brother wouldn't try anything and swore he would kick his shell all the way to Japan if he did.
Upstairs, in the bedroom the four of them shared, the purple-banded turtle stretched out on his bed. As he turned, he could see Leo had moved around a little since they'd left him.
He was still now, though; asleep once more. Soon, Don followed in his path.
He woke up two hours later, far before it was his turn to switch with Raph. From the sounds downstairs, his brother hadn't left the house. A car passing by had drawn him from his sleep.
It was likewise with Mike and Leo. Mikey nearly bolted out of bed upon hearing the sound, but so tired he was, fell right back to sleep, whimpering softly. Getting to his feet, Don walked over to check on him, relieved when his little brother appeared no worse than he had earlier.
Leo on the other hand, was pale. He was drifting back into sleep, but looked terrified. Don knelt by him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's all right, Leo," He assured him. "Just go back to sleep."
"...Is it still out there...?" He mumbled.
"What?" He tried to recall what Raph had told him. Recalling the noises he'd heard downstairs, he had to conclude that whatever it was had left. Otherwise, Raphael, not listening to him of course, surely would have gone after it. "No, it's gone, bro."
"Don't go after it..." Leo reminded him once more. "...Kills. Mikey didn't see what I saw... I probably didn't see what he did either..."
And like that, Leo was out again.
Frowning, Don drew the blanket further up to his shoulders, doing likewise with Mikey. Sure they would be all right, he went back to bed.
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Mikey's POV
He was in the water. They'd thrown him in first. It was so cold, the second he was in, Mike couldn't feel his toes. He resurfaced, but the... thing... held him under. A splash and disturbance in the water beside him meant Leo was getting the same treatment. Mikey was scared out of his mind, thrashing as much as he could. He didn't think they'd be getting out alive. And then, Leo's foot went up; above Mike's head. It hit the hands of his assailant hard, setting the younger turtle free. Quickly, he swam out and up, away from the hands. Leo surfaced as he did; still held though. "Go!" He yelled out to him, before being forced back under. Completely ignoring that, Mike tried to swim back and help him. But then, two of those things were coming and he had to avoid them. By the time he got to shore, no one was holding Leo under anymore. But there were air bubbles rising. Before he could choke out a cry, Mikey saw the three of them right on his tail. Screaming in surprise, he ran as fast as he could, cold tears falling down his face. His progress was slow and getting slower. They were going to catch him. And then, there was a shadow being directly in front of him. There was blood on its fingers, and something Mikey didn't want to identify in its hands. Another one came out of a tree and struck him fast as lightning in the chest. The blow knocked the wind out of him. And then there was only darkness.
When Mikey awoke again, he was in a cold sweat, curled in the fetal position under the table inside the farmhouse. How he'd gotten there, he was unsure. He remembered being in a bed last, told that Leo had lived. But right now, it was hard to distinguish the nightmare from the reality.
After all, he knew that at one point in the past several hours, the two had coexisted.
However, when Raph and then April's faces appeared, looking at him worriedly down there, he knew he was safe.
For now, he was safe.
Crying, he weakly crawled out from under the table and into their embrace.
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Casey's POV
A few hours earlier Casey had left to pick up Splinter. He had stopped at a near-by gas station to fill up the car, and to get himself a cup of coffee to keep himself awake. After driving for a few hours, he had reached New York. When he pulled the car into the warehouse where he would pick up Splinter, he yawned wide. Splinter was already waiting, and he had a thermos with him, as well as what looked like a few sandwiches. Casey looked at the thermos, and then at Splinter. "I hope there's coffee in there," He said, pointing at the object.
"Yes, there is, Mr. Jones. I thought you would like some," Splinter answered, while getting in the back of the car. He closed the door, and handed Casey the thermos and the sandwiches. "I also took the liberty to make you something to eat."
"Thanks! I could use another cup."
Master Splinter nodded. "Not a problem, Mr. Jones."
Casey put the sandwiches aside for the moment, and he filled a cup with coffee, and quickly emptied it. He closed the thermos again, and put it aside too. "Time to get on the road again," He started the motor and slowly started to drive out of the warehouse. The first part of the way back to the farm was spent in silence. Out of boredom and to stay awake, Casey turned on the radio. After searching a few minutes, he found some music he liked, and turned the radio louder, forgetting how the old rat might view his selection.
Splinter immediately folded back his ears when the loud music started, and after trying to tell Casey to turn down the sound a few times, which the human vigilante did not hear, he simply used his cane to turn off the radio, earning a surprised look from Casey. "I would appreciate it if the radio stays off, or that the sound is kept much lower, Mr. Jones."
Casey had just been singing loudly and off-key with the current song on the radio, when the music stopped. After looking around surprised, he realized that Splinter had turned it off. "Um, sorry. I kind of forgot you don't like loud music," Casey turned the radio back on, but turned down the volume a lot, so it would not hurt Splinter's ears anymore. "This better?"
Splinter nodded, and after a few minutes, in which Casey started humming with the music again, he started thinking about what Donatello had told him over the phone, and about how his two wounded sons were doing. He was lost in his thoughts for a while, until sudden jerking movements of the car made him look up. Casey was rubbing his eyes sleepy. "Mr. Jones? What happened?"
Casey had dozed off for just a few minutes, and had looked back up just in time to miss hitting a tree. "Um, nothing much, Splinter. But could you do me a favor, and get me another cup of coffee?" He rubbed his eyes again while Splinter poured him the coffee he had asked for, then drank the cup of coffee- slowly this time, hoping it would help him stay awake. After everything that had happened after they had found Leo and Mike, he had been up for a long time.
Splinter spent the rest of the journey talking with the vigilante about a lot of subjects, and he ended up getting an explanation about various sports. He was glad when the farm came into vision for more them one reason, and from the look on Casey's face, he was not the only one.
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Master Splinter's POV
Master Splinter was met at the door by a relieved looking April. The old rat took one look at her face and raised a furry eyebrow.
"I wish to be informed as to what has happened," he suggested, making it clear that they didn't really have a choice.
Raph came around the corner then, brightening slightly as soon as he saw his sensei. "I can tell ya what I know," he offered to his father.
The rat nodded and motioned to the couch nearby.
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Leo's Flashback
Leo jerked backwards as the truck screeched to a stop. The engine was still running though; they must have hit a red light. As if on cue, Mikey began to moan softly and move a bit, sure signs that he was coming to. "Mike? Mikey?" Leo called out, hoping to help his brother along. Mike woke up to cold, dark surroundings with his hands restrained in front of him and his brother's similarly restrained hands around him. "Wha…what happened?" "We were captured," Leo informed him grimly, "After we tried to stop those…things." Mike started to look to the side, and Leo immediately brought up his arm to prevent his brother from looking that way. Where the body was. Leo was about to say something else, when a low mumbling caught his attention. Frowning, he scooted closer to where the truck bed met the cab, straining his ears. He could just make out the sounds of the driver and the passenger. "Boss will be mad…let… escape." "I know…but…thing was…" "Better than…turtles…reward!" The blue-clad turtle frowned again. From what he could gather, the two men were part of the group that had been attacking...something…and had let something escape that they were supposed to deliver. But what? He didn't have time to figure out the answer though, because the truck came to another sudden stop, and the engine switched off this time. Leo couldn't quite squash down the panic that was rising in his stomach; couldn't quite miss the soft whines of his brother. The doors were thrown open and the two turtles squinted in the sudden sunlight being reflected off the snow's surface. Two men – Leo assumed they were men, at least; their faces were covered – stood there. "So," said one, crossing his arms, "You saw us kill her." He nodded toward the body. Leo said nothing, hoping Mikey would have the common sense to do the same. The second one stepped forward, surveying them in a way Leo didn't like. Especially the way his eyes lingered on Mikey. "It's really too bad…" he said in an oily voice. "You are such…magnificent creatures. Seems like such a waste we have to kill you." Suddenly he reached in and yanked Mike from Leo's grip. Before Leo even had time to protest, the first one was dragging him out of the truck as well. Leo was forced to watch as they threw the bound Mikey into the frozen pond, crackling through the ice. His little brother surfaced, only to be pushed back down by the enemy. Before he knew it, Leo too was hurtling through the air and into the water.
And then they were gone. But something still held them beneath the icy water.
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Master Splinter's POV
"So Leonardo and Michelangelo have not been much help in solving this mystery?" Splinter asked, once Raph finished his story. He had to admit, he was quite worried about this.
Raph shook his head. "It's like they're speakin' in riddles or somethin.' Whatever happened, it was bad."
Splinter nodded, taking in this information. "I would like to see them."
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Mikey's POV
Mikey shuddered as he was gently ushered back into bed by Don, streams of tears still running down his face. He didn't think he would ever stop crying. Leo still lay on the next bed, breathing normally, but refusing to wake.
There was a sudden tilting of the mattress as Don sat on the side of the bed. "Mikey," he said, fixing his brother with a calm but knowing look that only he could provide, "I know that what happened to you and Leo was horrible…whatever it was…but you know that we're here for you, right?"
Mike's breath hitched and he nodded. Don smiled. "Good. Now-"
He was interrupted by the arrival of Splinter in the room. "It is good to see you are awake, Michelangelo," he said warmly, coming around to the other side of the bed so he could stand in between Mike and Leo, "and that you are well."
The orange-clad turtle still said nothing, merely stared at his sensei with huge brown eyes. Splinter's ears folded back a little, but said nothing. Instead he moved over to Leo and placed a hand on his head. "So much pain…" the old rat muttered, shaking his head, "But it is over now, Leonardo."
Leo curled up more as he felt a touch. Had those men come back? Was he going to die now? No…the voice was warm and familiar, not cold and strange like the others had been. Reassured, he let himself drift once more.
Under the water, Leo managed to reach his brother with two powerful kicks. He supposed he should be grateful the men had decided to tie his hands in front of him instead of behind. This way he was still able to get to the shuriken hidden in his belt. Starting to feel like he was running out of air, the older turtle quickly sawed at Mikey's bonds with the star, then waited as his brother did the same for him. As soon as he was free, Leo grabbed his brother's arm and kicked for surface. As long as he was here, his brother would NOT die.
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Don's POV
It had been hours since Splinter arrived and still there were no further signs of improvement in his two sons. Michelangelo had been awake several times, but for usually no more than a few minutes. Fifteen if they were lucky enough and each time he refused to answer their questions, almost is if he didn't hear them, rather than by defiance.
His sunken brown eyes had always remained locked on his eldest brother when he was awake. The words they got from him were few on the matter but whenever they did come out it seemed that he was always looking for certainty that his brother was not in this lake. That his brother was somehow still with them, and despite how many times he was assured of this; sometimes he would just ask once more if it were true.
The frightened cries of his dreams were breaking his families' hearts, but at the same time confusing them. His cries were indeed real and full of an untouched pain. Yet… when Leo awoke, though his time was far less than his brother and even farther spaced, they could get little out of him either. Only that he also had to be assured that his brother had not been killed.
That somehow they had made it, they were really at the farmhouse. The last time the turtle woke up he had to be restrained despite his wounds by Donatello. His cries were pleas for his baby brother's life, screamed until he finally collapsed back down on the bed breathing harder than ever; but eventually it calmed down. It left him in a half awake state for a few more minutes in which time they gathered only words and pleas.
But also something else… Leo and Michelangelo's stories mirrored each other's in only minor details. They both spoke of a truck, a lake, and watching someone drown. But in Leo's version it was his brother who had drowned first leaving him with a lifeless body that he got to the surface.
In Mikey's tale, however, things were just the same but equally different. He wasn't the one underwater watching Leo come for him, instead he was the one who had his attackers broken from him and gotten to the surface with his brother. The leader had then ordered him to run before being shoved down again, only bubbles rising to the surface afterwards.
It was during these times that he had broken down, claiming that it was his fault. That if he had stayed with Leo his brother would still be alive, that maybe they would have had a chance instead of him just running! It was also during these times however when they heard just a bit more of what he saw.
His description of black creatures, fanged beasts with blood on their hands terrified him almost as much as his brother's near death. There seemed to be something else to every aspect of the story that no one could understand… however that didn't mean they weren't trying. So far, Michelangelo's whimpers had been the most detailed, the ones that seemed to reveal something about the attacker. And the fact that he had seen something out of the water that he was not supposed to have seen.
Donatello clicked a pencil against a notepad as quietly as he could, trying to still his thoughts as light from the afternoon sun streamed in. He sighed a bit, rubbing his head and taking another sip of coffee that sat on the bedside table near Leonardo's sleeping form, before turning back to Raph's notes. After the last time Leo woke up, they figured it'd be best if someone stayed by him until he did so again, or if he needed something.
The purple turtle had volunteered the first shift and found over the past few hours his brother did little more than stir or mutter incoherent things that sounded more like child's gibberish than language. But gibberish or not, the blue clad turtle's words always came back to him.
"Don't go after it...kills. Mikey didn't see what I saw... I probably didn't see what he did either..."
Had his brother known something wasn't right with what they saw? Known that their own stories were so broken they weren't making sense…or had he simply been saying he had seen more or less than their brother? He didn't know for sure, he wasn't even positive if his brothers were just delirious or whatnot, but he did know that when they were awake enough to talk he would listen.
Giving a yawn the second youngest barely heard his red masked brother coming in.
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Raph's POV
"Reportin' for duty." Raph tried to offer at least a small smile at his brother as he yawned again waving him off.
"Nah. I'm…OK Raph," he muttered more to himself than his brother, another yawn seizing him and forcing him to stretch a bit, rubbing his eyes, only to meet the concerned yet smirking ones of his elder. "Really, I'm not even tired, besides I have these things to go over."
Raph rolled his eyes coming over and lightly patting his brother's shoulder taking the pad and pencil away from him and setting them down. "C'mon Donny- move yer shell. You wont be doing anyone any good if you make yourself sick. 'Sides, we agreed I'd switch with you now."
"Yeah but…I got all these things to do, compare and…and just figure out what happened." Don protested tiredly being helped up and led over to a spare bed.
"I know, I know, but if it makes you feel any better, I'll go over some of 'em." Raph said as Don moaned as he was helped into the bed. "What? You don't trust me to do it? I'm hurt," He teased a bit, trying to keep his raw emotions in check and wondering how Mikey did it all the time.
"It's…not that…" Don slurred snuggling into bed. "Its just…some things I wrote you might not understand is all…" He protested before sleep claimed him, leaving Raph the only conscious one in the room.
Giving a small shake of his head, Raphael sighed, going over and finding the paper; trying to stem a somewhat concerned chuckle at the squiggles that went over loose ended doodles that Don probably thought were words.
"That guy's gonna work himself to death one of these days, I swear it," He spoke setting it back down and taking his seat next to his younger brother, lightly squeezing the shoulder as he tensed at his presence.
"Mike, what happened to you guys?" He asked, wishing his brother would wake up and tell him as he reached again for the note pad and began going over several things.
Yes…indeed what had he been through…
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Mikey's POV He was alone on the shore and racing to try and figure a way out; a way to get back to his brother, when all he saw was bubbles emerging from the cool water. But he couldn't get to him, try as might, the more he struggled to reach his brother the more he felt these shadow beings jump on him- wracking him with pain he hadn't known since their final fight with the Shredder. And making it twice as worse, they ripped through him, driving him to his knees as he tried to claw and scrape them off of his body. They had claws though, claws that dug into his flesh, raking against his shell as he tried to get back to his brother, eyes losing their focus as more hit him. Hadn't there been more men there on the opposite shore? Now all he saw were two shadows…then one as his vision steadied and came to rest on an individual that seemed to command his attackers stood out among them. The figure was completely grey and black; big and bulky, he wore no clothing whatsoever. He remained positively featureless besides that- not even his eyes showed as finally the air bubbles ceased and he pulled the other turtle out of the water, laying him on dry ground. They didn't bother checking for a pulse on the ninja when their unseen eyes met Michelangelo's. More and more shadows leapt on him, pinning him to the ground as the figure drew closer. Had he been able to see, Mikey imagined he would have seen a large smirk on the face, but all he saw was a sudden hand coming for him, grabbing him around his neck and hauling him up off the ground. Suspended in mid air as the shadows seemed to cheer, his eyes unseeing, Mikey could sense one as it raised his right arm higher than the one that held him. The turtle closed his eyes and waited for the blow, probably something the figure would celebrate with his colleagues over. Minutes later, however, the blow didn't come and he felt himself fall to the ground, the figure rolling around with something. "Don't you dare!" Came hissed breaths. They were cold, and from what Mikey could tell, near death, but they were still Leo's. The bout between the two was finished in the amount of time it took Mikey to get to his feet again, the shadows gone for the moment and his brother racing towards him, blades out. One was coated with his own blood, the other the assailants', as he put it away leaving only one out for defense as he grabbed his brother's wrist, jerking him forward. The figure was not getting up, and for that, Mikey was grateful- his pace coming to a stumbling motion. His head turned once to look back….only to gasp in horror as he tried to move faster and failed, in the end having to be scooped up by his brother as dizziness and consciousness began to leave him. His brother had been under longer but those shadows…somehow they stole his will from him. His very ability to move. They did not steal however his ability to cry silently as the shadow that had fallen got up again and Mikey could have sworn a smile appeared on his black coated face as he watched them stumble more…stumble here. Right here….behind a bush at the farm house.
Shadows were suddenly all around Michelangelo as he ran. Big shadows, hideous shadows- things that pulled screams from him no matter how hard he tried to hide them.
A sudden chill went through the turtle, feeling his brother's hand tighten on his as he moaned, and then lurched up again into almost trained and waiting arms.
"Mikey, what?"
Mikey didn't answer right away; instead, he weakly pulled back a bit, locking eyes with his brother before speaking. " I…it knows…It knows we're here Raph…it saw us…he's here! He's…coming…I can feel him…he's waiting." He sniffed, coughing a bit against a sore throat.
That was the first his brother had spoken with that much clarity since he'd awoke. "Who's here Mike? Ya got a name?" He tried as soothingly as he could.
Small tears crawled down the turtle's face as he hugged his brother again, shaking his head. "He likes the shadows, Raphie. He…he wants to play in them, he owns the shadows….they're his world." He tried to explain, unsure of what he was saying, but knowing he had to get something out. "Please…don't go near the shadows Raph…don't go outside…not now- not at night…he, he'll be waiting for you, for us…"
"Mike, relax. It's morning, alright? No shadows- nothing's here; it's gone."
Mikey shook his head, shooting Leo a glance as his brother moaned as well, turning a bit and shivering despite the blankets on him. He wanted to believe his brother, he so desperately did…but he just couldn't. He couldn't let go…he could feel it. "He's coming Raph…he's coming. He wants us…please don't go out…not the shadows…he likes the shadows." He managed out before his voice dropped into a heavy coughing fit that lasted for a few minutes before he lay back down. This time though…he didn't search for sleep. There were too many things there…too many shadows to be relived in the realm of sleep. This time, he merely looked up at his brother, trying not to sob- his lungs burning from the previous coughing as he tried to beg Raph again to simply not go outside.
After all…when night came he knew all too well…the shadows would be waiting.
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The Other Shadow's POV
It hated the day, and not because it couldn't hide anymore. It hated the day because It thought differently. It knew it had to rest. It had been wounded slightly by Blue. It smiled. It had never been wounded in the shadows before. No one had ever escaped it before... Until now.
It's illusions were perfect in the darkness and yet... It had the feeling that they had somehow seen past them; if only for a single glance. It felt It's life-blood dripping down It's arm. It had forgotten it had blood. It could feel its cool and runny texture. It could smell its unique and pungent odor. But It could not see it. It had found a shadowy place to hide in for the duration of the day. It was curious though.
Blue's blood was red, even if it was blue on the inside. Was it the same? Fighting off the strange panicking feeling inside, It went towards the light and reached out It's hand. The light revealed a solid pale-gray arm, stained with black and red. It simply observed in fascination for awhile--forgetting where the blood came from. It moved its fingers slowly and seemed entranced by the solid movement.
"F...For..." It murmured, involuntarily
It quickly pulled its hand back into the shadows and the once solid hand became amorphous and opaque once again.
It couldn't rest. It was too excited, too wounded, too thoughtful, too something. It tried to push away the annoying thoughts, but it couldn't. They always came back during the daylight hours.
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Shadow's POV
Sometimes it dreamed of a different life--a life he didn't have. Or maybe it did... Maybe that life was his and he had covered it up in shadows to forget. Maybe he was that man...
'Laughter and sunlight--so much sunlight. Several Voices… "Wait a minute… you," A laughing pause. "Got a job?"
"Yeah so?"
"You?"
"Why is this so surprising?"
"You have been a slacker your whole life."
"Slacker?!? I've done more with my life than you could even begin to try!"
"Yeah, yeah... So government, right?"
"Yeah…"
"Area 51?" A playful shove.
"Stop being stupid." A shove back.
More smiles and laughter. Sunlight. Desert.
"Then why are you feeding me this crap about working at the DMV?"
No! That wasn't it. Those ones were dead. It had ripped into their flesh. It remembered didn't it? Of course! Just like it would remember Blue, Orange, and the others. Sometimes it kept some things of its favorite ones. It found the katana again and studied it in the darkness. The cold steel grazed against the shadowy being. They had all been injured, but no by the blade, just it's carrier. It was beautiful really. He would keep this one.
Because it couldn't sleep, it had nothing else to do but think. Words and phrases always seemed to come to its mind. Words it had never said to anyone nor had been said to it; he didn't understand words. They were just words- meaningless.
It was the Heart of Darkness. It was the Shadows of the End.
"We live as we dream, alone." He hissed, not liking the effect it had on his mouth.
More words. They were familiar in the daylight, but not in the shadows. The shadows covered everything eventually. It only had to wait and it would wait. Once the light was gone it would return to Blue and Orange. It only had to wait.
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Yes, we understand that some parts of this story seem to contradict themselves. Simply know, it is all intended. It will make sense soon.
We hope you enjoyed! Please be so kind as to leave us a review.