Golden Angel

“Professor Honeycutt. Turtle. You honor us with your esteemed presence.”

Artemis snorted.

“Well, thank you, I…Wait, how you know who I am?”

She had to agree, but kept the curiosity from her face.

The strange plastic holding her wrists and hands together strained as she tried to free
herself.

“We learned your identity from an old friend of yours. General Blanq. We know you have the blueprints for the ultimate weapon inside that robotic brain of yours.”

He reached for the robot, but the gold-banded turtle got in the way, a fire in her eyes and a growl rumbling through her chest like a tigers.

He smirked in amusement, not used to someone so small having such a warriors fire, but still continued.

“The Triceraton Republic must have it. One way or another.”

He grabbed her arm, and she almost bared her teeth in pain as he started pulling her along.

Honeycutt, worried for her safety and his own, followed at her shell.

They were ‘led’ onto a platform on a larger ship, facing an open window that showed a large piece of asteroid made into an upside-down cone shape.

“Behold. The Triceraton Home World! Glorious, is it not?”

She scoffed, looking away.

“It’s not so great…”

“Come. The High Council awaits.”

She HATED being pulled around like a disobedient puppy…

Glaring at everyone they passed in the halls, she noticed them avert their eyes when they saw the color of her own.

‘They probably think I’m some kind of demon…’

They were put in the light of a large room, facing the wide end of a triangle-shaped table
surrounded by Triceratons on two sides and the point.

“I can offer you protection from your Federation pursuers, and all rights as a citizen of the Triceraton Republic. You will no longer be a fugitive robot.”

Artemis took this time to study the Home World, feeling the vibrations in the ground and the footsteps…

“And you?”

Fiery eyes landed on the considerably small Triceraton, and her muscles tensed.

“How are you involved with the Fugitoid?”

“None of your business.” She replied curtly, keeping her expression aloof and bored.

“Even your name?”

There was a moment of silence, and the Prime Leader almost thought he wasn’t going to get an answer…

“Artemisia.”

He looked up at the averted eyes and slightly embarrassed look.

He didn’t realize it was because she never liked her full name very much…

“My name’s Artemisia.”

Honeycutt intervened now, to get back on the subject.

“That’s very kind of you, Prime Leader Zanramon. But I can not in good conscious create a device for such destructive purposes.”

There was a BAM, and Artemis tensed again, eyes narrowing at the hostility.

“You will be crushed into submission!”

Flexing her fingers, she felt heat building up under her skin as she took a slight step in front of the Professor.

“I mean…My friend, the Triceratons only seek stability, not conquest. Your Teleportal will be a weapon of peace, not war.”

“I only wish I could believe that…”

“It’s a load of bull.” Artemis added, snorting in contempt.

“You’d have to get me up pretty early to pull that trick on me.”

A hologram appeared on the table, showing a Triceraton holding some familiar weapons under his arm…

‘No…’

“Excuse me for the interruption, sir. But we found something on the scout ship.”

“This had better be good. Put it on screen.”

The hologram spread to a screen, showing four Triceratons and her brothers.

‘Shell…’

“We found these stowaways in the hold.”

‘Oh, Leo…What have you guys gotten yourselves into now?’

“I assume you know these creatures, Artemisia?”

She almost bared her teeth in warning as she felt where this was heading.

“You hurt them, and I’ll be forced to kill you.” The gold-banded turtle growled darkly, eyes swirling like an inferno.

“And what do I get if I don’t?”

Trying to calm herself, she bit her cheek.

“What do I have that you could possibly want?”

“Your…services. Fight with us against the Federation.”

She felt his eyes on her body now, and would’ve bristled if she could.

“And perhaps…Other things…”

She was ready to refuse, spit out fire and shout, but…

Her brothers…

Leo…

“…Just don’t hurt them…” She ground out, closing her eyes.

“Keep the turtles alive…For now…”

The hologram died, and it felt like her heart was shaking.

“Let’s skip the diplomacy, shall we? You have on orbital cycle to begin work on your Teleportal. If you refuse, your friends will be executed.”

Her eyes shot open like fire.

“What about our deal?!” She snarled.

“It will be upheld…As long as both of you cooperate…”

Biting at the tube in her mouth, she tried to bite back the fire simmering in her throat.

She wondered what Honeycutt would do, but knew she could probably pull something off.

“…Then let me see them.”

Keeping her eyes down, she tried not to sound more begging than she needed to.

“…Very well…”

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Walking through the halls with a Triceraton guard on each side, she felt as much like a prisoner than the aliens around her.

They were apparently heading to eat, and she kept her eyes open for her brother.

Fortunately for them, she caught sight of them as a large, muscle-bound, pink alien threatened to bash Mikey’s skull in.

With a quick push of her foot and a slight upward thrust of her hand, a short wall of earth separated them.

The alien seemed more surprised than her brothers, and turned to her with murder in his eyes.

“Try it. I dare you.”

He seemed to study her, wondering if she had the strength to take him on, and seemed to shrug it off with fake nonchalance, walking away.

“Yeah, you’d better walk!”

“ARTIE!”

“AHHHHH!!!”

Both tumbled head-over-heels until Artemis’s shell hit the wall.

“Where have been? Are you okay? Did they try to eat your brains?”

He spoke so quickly she didn’t understand HALF of the words that came out of his mouth.

“Mikey-MIKEY-MIKEY!!!!!”

He finally stopped, an innocent smile on his face.

“Yes?”

“…SHUT UP!”

“…Okay!”

He snuggled into her stomach, still grinning like a little child.

The others came up, probably equally as excited to see her but not as likely to tackle her.

Though Don did join in on the hug, and Raph grumbled something before offering a hand to help her up.

Once she’d pried her youngest brothers off, she was surprised by a hug from Leo.

“Leo…”

“I was worried about you, love…” He whispered into her ear.

Wrapping her arms around his shell, she buried her face into his shoulder.

“I…I did something wrong…I can feel it…”

“Love, you did it to protect us. That’s never wrong.”

“…I’m sorry…”

He was about to ask what she was apologizing for when the two soldiers that had accompanied her came up to pull her away.

Apparently, her time was up…

“Stay out of trouble, you guys. I can’t always bail you out.”

She locked eyes with Leo as one grabbed her arm and started dragging her off.

“Be careful…”

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Artemis was stuck in a rather plain-looking room, with the biggest bed she’d ever seen and a small bathroom.

Boredly looking at the far wall, she kept trying to strain the plastic restraints on her wrists, hands, and ankles.

‘Damn things…’ She thought darkly.

All she wanted right then was to be with her brothers, to make sure they were safe…

She kept repeating a lullaby she remembered singing when they were all little, when she didn’t care how she sounded…

The words escaped her lips with the lightness of air, filling the room with petal-soft sound…

Hush now, my baby
Be still love, don't cry
Sleep like you're rocked by the stream
Sleep and remember
My lullaby
And I'll be with you when you dream

Drift on a river
That flows through my arms
Drift as I'm singing to you
I see you smiling
So peaceful and calm
And holding you, I'm smiling, too
Here in my arms
Safe from all harm
Holding you, I'm smiling, too

Hush now, my baby
Be still, love, don't cry
Sleep like you're rocked by the stream
Sleep and remember this river lullaby
And I'll be with you when you dream
I'll be with you when you dream

Closing her eyes, she heard the door open.

“Artemisia.”

Crimson eyes gazed up lazily, a blank expression on her face.

“Zanramon.”

“You have a beautiful voice…”

Looking away, she snorted.

“Flattery doesn’t work on me…”

“Well, that’s a pity…A beautiful creature that doesn’t accept compliments…”

Such compliments on her appearance always left her self-conscious and embarrassed.

Even when Leo would call her beautiful, she’d blush.

But this rush of blood was followed with a glare this time, and she snorted.

“Is there a reason you’re here? I’m sure you have other people to threaten instead of trying to get in my good graces.”

“Actually, I thought you should know what has become of your brothers…”

Her eyes snapped up, focused in an instant.

“They’ve been taken to The Games.”

Now, the tone he used made her fear the worst, and her heartbeat raced.

“The Games?”

He smirked.

“For your brothers, it’s certain doom.”

She felt the fire under her skin roar, and the air almost wavered around her.

‘No…’

She was taken to the arena, chained down in a seat in the Prime Leader’s balcony, and saw the giant monster her brothers were to face.

‘No.’

Struggling against her restraints, Artemis almost snarled.

‘I can’t just sit here and watch them die!’

The monster roared, tentacles flying.

‘I have to save them!’