Golden Angel

The creature roared, going straight for the group of turtles, and Artemis felt her heart clench.

Using her teeth, she bit into the chains, trying to rip through them.

Leo was smacked away, hitting the ground hard, and she felt the fire break free.

“LEO!”

The chains snapped with the force, and she jumped over the balcony railing before anyone could react.

Landing in a crouch, she spun as she stood up straight, the air smacking into the monster and causing it to notice her presence.

“Hey there, ugly. Want to mess with someone who can mess back?”

It roared, seeming to charge for her.

A smirk graced her features, and she brought up her hands.

“This’ll be fun…”

A pillar of earth came up, smacking it under the chin and forcing the exposure of its belly.

With a spin, she used Airbending to smack the creature into the far wall.

It cried out as dust surrounded its form, and she stood up again.

“Artie, you are the TURTLE!”

She smiled.

“Yeah, I’ve been told…”

A roar, and she brought up her hands as the creature pounced.

Moving her hands, she used a gust of air to keep it aloft above her, allowing it to smash head-first into the wall behind her.

“Not good enough, big guy. I have the reflexes of a ninja.”

A tentacle flew out, wrapping around her waist and lifting her into the air.

“HEY!”

Breathing in, she grinned.

“Hope you like barbecue…”

Breathing fire like a dragon, the monster shrieked shrilly before throwing her away.

“SHELL!”

Leo jumped up to catch her, and she looked up at him with a smile.

“Thanks, love.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“We’ll take care ‘a this, princess.”

Leo put her down on her feet, and the four turtle brothers shared a glance before running at the simmering monster.

Mikey was knocked aside, but the others were grabbed out of thin air.

“Shell!!” She cursed.

“MIKEY! AIRBENDING SLICE!”

“GOT IT!”

Both jumped up, she Airbended Mikey onto its back before giving sharp kicks.

It got its face cut up pretty bad, and reared in agony.

This caused Raph and Don to be released, and they rolled once their shells hit the dirt.

Artemis landed under the chin, and used a large pillar of ground to throw it into the air.

“ARTIE!!!!” Mikey screamed, falling off into thin air.

Spinning, she boosted herself into the air, catching him easily.

“You’re such a baby…”

“But I’m your baby brother!”

He gave the cutest Chibi Turtle Eyes, and she couldn’t help but smile.

“Unfortunately.”

“HEY…”

Leo managed to free himself before the monster made a crash landing, and the five turtles regrouped.

“Artemis, do you think you can crush it?”

“I think so…”

Widening her base, she brought her hands up.

The ground started quaking, and everyone looked at her in surprise.

Her eyes were closed, and she had a furrow in her brow from concentration.

There was silence, surprise, and she brought a foot up to slam it into the ground.

Bringing her hands together, chunks of wall came loose and crushed the creature.

It fell motionless, and she relaxed so the rocks fell down.

“Ow…I have a headache…”

Leo hugged her around the waist from behind, nuzzling her neck.

“You did great, love…”

Relaxing fully against his plastron, she smiled lazily.

Soldiers flew in, and she tensed again.

Lasers kept hitting the ground in front of their feet, and the five turtles started backpedaling.

Strange wristbands were thrown out, chaining her wrists together and pulling her straight off the ground and Leo’s arms.

“ARTEMIS!”

But the four fell through a trap door, and her eyes widened.

“LEO! GUYS!”

The ground started getting further away, and she struggled in vain.

Wind flew from her feet like blades as her legs flailed, and she attempted to break the chains binding her to the flying machine.

“OH, someone’s gonna die for this…”

Twisting and pulling, she cried out when she was flung into a special metal cell and the
bars came down, crackling with electricity.

‘Like this’ll hold me…’

Putting her palms on the wall, she gripped it tight.

As it bent, she closed her eyes, breathing deeper.

Pulling down, it came away like crumpled paper.

Artemis was a bit surprised, however, to see angry Triceraton guards on the other side…

“Hello, boys…”

She smiled, bringing her hands up into a defensive stance.

“Are you going to bring me in or what?”

They raised their blasters, and she jumped up, doing a roundhouse kick that made the air knock the guns aside.

Someone shocked her, causing the gold-banded turtle to cry out in pain and jump back.

“Why you sneaky son of a-!”

The butt of a gun hit her in the head, and she fell forward, unconscious.

When she woke up, she was lying on hard bricks, with Leo hovering above her in worry with the others.

“OW…Do I really look that bad?”

Mikey grinned.

“Not really. You look the same as always.”

SMACK!!!

“OW!!! ARTIE…”

“Practice dummies, get over here!”

Sitting up, she rubbed her head, glaring at the overweight Triceraton with the electricity whip.

“Who are you calling a dummy? If you mean Mikey, I’m okay with that…”

“ARTIE…”

The whip went for her, and she brought earth to her hand before grabbing hold of it.

“How rude.” She scolded, wrapping it around her protected knuckles.

“That’s no way to treat a lady.”

“Artemis.”

Catching the look from her brothers, she sighed, releasing the whip.

“Oh, alright…”

Standing up, she stretched as the earth fell away from her skin.

“Weapons training! Whoever can take down the five off-worlder’s gets extra food rations!”

Quirking an eye-ridge at the gladiators as they charged, she shrugged.

“Bring it.”

Side-stepping an ax, she ducked below a hammer and then did a windmill kick to knock
one on the chin.

Her brothers joined in, and she found it rather easy until a large ax-wielding Triceraton faced off against her.

He swung for her, but she brought her feet up to kick it away as the other one hit him across the face.

He fell hard, and she landed with one foot on his chest.

“Finish me. It is your right as victor. And you will be doing this slave a favor.”

There was silence, and she brought her foot off, offering a hand to help him up.

“But…Why?”

“I don’t like shedding blood…And you don’t deserve it.”

He seemed to absorb that, and took the offered hand.

There was a crackle of electricity, and she turned to see Grool going after Raph and Mikey as they defended a fallen Don.

Bringing up a pillar of earth, she stopped his advance.

“We look after our own, horn-head!” She growled, jumping up to kick him square in the chest.

He fell into a mound of purple gunk, and she flinched in mock-sympathy.

“EW…That smells worse than Mikey’s room!”

“HEY…”

Grool managed to pull himself free, and she smirked in amusement.

“Aw…Are you mad?”

“You little freak! You’ll pay for this! GUARDS!”

“Did he just call me a freak?” She growled lowly.

Leo put a hand on her shoulder, helping her relax.

‘OH, I’ll get him for that…’

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“Food…Here, a culinary disaster gone wrong…At home, a masterpiece…”

They were at the end of the line, trays in hand as it moved slowly forward.

“I wish we were home…” Mikey muttered.

“I wish I could beat somebody up…” Artemis agreed.

“Ya two sure want a lot…”

“Don’t tell me you don’t want to bust some Triceraton heads, tough guy.”

“…No, I do wanna do that…”

“Look. Grool’s serving gruel.” Don joked.

“What’s that smell?” Leo questioned, wrinkling his beak.

Artemis smirked.

“I hope it’s Grool and not the food…”

The boys snickered at the jab, and reached the front.

“Oops. All gone. My apologies.”

The crimson-eyed turtle glared, and she thought she saw fear flash through his eyes at the color of her own.

However, she didn’t realize her eyes were glowing with anger…

“That’s fine. As long as I don’t have to see your ugly mug.”

“You GO, girl!” Mikey cheered.

“Why you little-!”

“Ah-Ah-Ah.”

She smirked, wagging her finger at him.

“I don’t think Zanramon would be happy if he found out you cut me up too bad to fight.”

He glared, and they were caught in a staring contest until Leo put an arm around her waist.

“Love, let’s not start something…”

Churring softly in agreement, she snorted and followed her brothers to a free spot at a table.

“MAN…I’m so hungry, even that ugly slop looks good!”

“You sure are hungry, bro.” The gold-banded turtle agreed.

The large Triceraton Artemis had fought before, whom she found was named Traximus, gave some of his food.

“Eat. You will need your strength.”

Others offered some of their portions, and she quirked an eye-ridge.

“Thanks…” She offered, taking a bite.

“No, thank YOU. We have been fighting as slaves for so long, I almost forgot what it was like to fight with honor.”

“I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, Traximus, but what is a Triceraton like you doing down here with us?” Leo asked.

“Because I believe in the Triceraton Republic, the REAL republic. Once, we Triceratons valued truth and honor above all else. Now, we have a dictatorship that craves victory at any price.”

Artemis leaned on the blue-banded turtle, looking truly sympathetic.

“That’s horrible…”

“It is…Greed and corruption had robbed us of our noble warrior heritage. I spoke out too often and too loudly against our honorable Prime Leader and ended up here. Locked away as a slave. But you…You have reminded me of honor in battle.”

She smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.

“I couldn’t have done that much…”

“But you have. And I hope to find a way to repay you.”

Mikey finished slurping his meal, and grinned.

“Seconds would be nice.”

Rolling her eyes, Artemis pushed her plate over to him.

“But Artie-.”

“Just eat. I’m not hungry.”

Traximus watched the exchange with interest.

‘Fighting for each other, protecting each other…Not once thinking of yourself…That is what it means to be a warrior…’

Turning back to his food as she smacked her youngest brother upside the head, he smiled slightly.

‘She may not realize it, but she has the makings of a true warrior…’

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“Alright, meat! Prepare yourselves!”

‘I wish he’d stop shouting! My head’s throbbing…’

The other gladiators were suiting up, and Artemis felt a bit bare without even her water flask or small fans.

“Hey, Grool. How ‘bout some weapons?”

“Weapons? Why prolong the inevitable?”

“I’ll show YOU the inevitable, you cocky horn-headed basturd!”

Leo and Don held her back, but she still snarled, sparks escaping her teeth.

The turtles walked with the other gladiators onto a platform that started heading to the surface.

“Farewell! We shall not meet again!”

She glared down.

“GOOD RIDDANCE!”

“I still have some friends in the Triceraton armed forces.” Traximus stated, pulling a wrapped bundle from her back.

“I managed to get these for you.”

Unraveling it, he revealed their weapons and her water pouch.

“…You are the best Triceraton EVER!”

Clicking the strap in place and putting her fans on her belt, she grinned.

“I love these things…”

“My babies! Daddy missed you! Did you miss daddy?”

“…”

SMACK!!!

“OW!!!”

“We owe you one.” Leo stated gratefully.

“We gladiators look after our own.”

They reached the surface, and she flexed her fingers.

The crowds were roaring in cheers and thundering applauds, and she felt the mighty vibrations in the earth because of it.

Zanramon started shouting things to the audience, but Artemis couldn’t have cared less.

Personally, she wanted to Earthbend his tail so far up his rear it would come out of his throat.

Then again, she also wanted a nice ice cream sundae…

Either would work…

“I have some excellent news as well! I have decided that the beautiful off-worlder, Artemisia, will be my bride!”

“WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!?!”

The ground quaked like the earth was about to split open, and fire seemed to simmer on her skin.

“LIKE F%*&^ING HELL I AM!!!!!!!”

“Like HELL she is!!!” Leo agreed whole-heartedly, katana drawn.

Mikey hid behind Raph and Don, scared of the rage.

“Guys, are they going to kill someone?”

“They’ll probably kill ‘im, yeah. ‘Specially princess.”

“She’ll probably rip the Home World in two while she’s at it…”

“…WE’RE DOOMED!!!!”

The Fugitoid arrived, and Artemis tried to calm the fire under her skin.

“I’m gonna kill him…I’m gonna kill him…”

Leo managed to keep himself under control, and took hold of her hand.

“It’s alright, love…We’ll get him…”

“We’d better.” She growled.

“Tonight’s special event will be all gladiators against the four male terrapin warriors! A fight to the death!”

They turned to the gladiators, and Artemis widened her stance.

“Let The Game’s begin!”

Traximus winked, and she seemed puzzled for a moment.

“We will not fight! We will no longer die to amuse the Prime Leader! His time is at an end!”

Guards came, probably to subdue them, and she snarled.

The gladiators were forced into a special room by laser fire, and she ground her teeth.

“TRAXIMUS!”

“Saurians, I give you Monzaramon and his All-Star Warriors!”

The four Triceratons were in shined metal armor, with large, sharp-edged weapons.

Artemis cracked her knuckles, and the flask popped open so the vine of water came out to surround her.

A gong rang, and the two groups, weapons drawn, charged at each other.

Bringing the water low, she froze the ground, and two Triceratons skidded.

Grinning, she jumped up, doing a split kick and knocking both back.

The others found it a bit more difficult, but Artemis evened the score pretty easily.

Finally, the four gladiators turned on her all at once.

“Ganging up on a lady? How rude!”

Jumping up, she let fire loose from her feet and made them back off a bit.

Landing on her feet, she spread her feet apart and brought up pillars of earth.

The gladiators were down and out, and she stood up straight, smirking.

“Greatest Triceraton warriors, huh?”

“Go, Artie! You are the TURTLE!” Mikey congratulated, high-threeing his sister.

“Aren’t you glad to have me for a sister?”

“Not all the time…” Raph joked.

She punched him playfully in the arm.

“You wouldn’t say that if I wasn’t here, tough guy.”

Zanramon, not happy, gave them a thumbs-down, but the audience disagreed.

They started chanting, “Live-Live-Live!”

“…Is it just me, or does the Prime Leader want to kill you guys?”

“I don’t think he’s gonna let us live!” Don answered.

“Let’s not leave it up ta ‘im!” Raph stated.

The camera machines got pretty close, and Don seemed to get an idea.

“Hey, Mikey. How about a little slingshot action?”

“Got ya!”

Using his ‘chucks, him and Raph boosted Don onto the machine, where he knocked the Triceraton off and took control.

The others got onboard, but the guards were soon chasing them.

“Keep moving, Donnie! Don’t worry about them!”

Artemis jabbed her palm forward, and a blast of wind smacked one guard off-course.

They started blasting them, and one lucky shot hit the engine.

“CRAP!”

They crashed into a wall, and jumped down onto the Prime Leader’s balcony.

Freezing the water around her, she made an ice sword and put it to Zanramon’s neck as his guards came to apprehend them.

“Hold your fire!” She snarled.

“Trust me, I’m pissed enough to cut his head off. Don’t tempt me.”

“You’ll never make it out of here! Your brothers will shot down like dogs, and you’ll be dragged back whether you like it or not!”

Leo put his own katana at the Triceraton’s throat, looking angry.

“She’s not the only one tempted…”

“MAN…I hope they’re all really fond of this Zanramon guy!” Mikey stated, hiding behind Artemis.

“Really, REALLY fond…”

‘I hope so, too…’