Golden Angel

“Drop yer weapons! Or princess ‘ere will cut yer leader into lizard cutlets!”

Artemis glared, feeling a headache as the annoying voices of the announcer’s buzzed around her head.

“Do…Do as he says…”

The others went to pick up the dropped blasters, and Raph was handed one as Leo started pacing.

“So what do we do now, Fearless Leader?”

“I don’t know! I’m trying to think through all that racket overhead!”

BAM!!!

“That help?”

“Actually…Yes.”

Artemis sighed, rolling her eyes.

“If you needed help with a plan, I’m always available.”

“What’s my favorite sister’s plan?”

“…Mikey, I’m your ONLY sister…”

“That’s why you’re my favorite!”

She gave the grin on the orange-banded turtle’s face a slightly irritated look…

“Whatever…Why don’t we just head to Honeycutt’s lab and take this horn-head with us?”

“…You are GOOD at this…” Don noted.

“I try…”

“Alright, then. Professor, take us to your lab. You’re coming with us. And everybody else stay back and don’t follow us.”

Backing up towards the hallways, making sure not to take their eyes off the guards, the turtles, Fugitoid, and Prime Leader created distance.

Some of the guards retrieved their guns, and opened fire as they turned the corner.

One lucky shot grazed Artemis on her arm, and she gritted her teeth to hold back a hiss.

“Artemis!”

Leo took hold of her wrist, examining the burn, as Raph growled to Zanramon.

“Call off yer goons! NOW!”

Pushing the Triceraton around the corner, he held up his blaster.

“Hold your fire! And pull back!”

The red-banded turtle pulled their hostage back, and Artemis looked fiery-eyed by this point, growling in near pain and still-repressed anger.

“I’m THIS close the ripping off your horn and stuffing it up your ass.” She growled.

“Now, love. Let’s not get descriptive…That’s never a good sign…”

“Leo, she’s PISSED. She could do worse!”

Eyes widened as crimson eyes narrowed to slits, and the brothers could almost SEE the gears turning in her head…

“NO!!!!” They shouted in unison.

“What?”

She smiled innocently, but they saw the dangerous gleam in her eyes…

“I wasn’t going to DO anything…”

“RIGHT…” Raph muttered.

“Which way to the lab?” Leo asked, getting back on track.

“Well, there are actually several routes. The Triceraton Home World, with its interconnecting asteroids is a bit of a maze, really…” Honeycutt answered.

“Show us the fastest way, Spike. NOW.” Raph ordered.

“Or I’ll let princess have a field day with your tail…”

“Really?”

“No.”

“…DAMN IT.”

“As you wish…”

Artemis snorted, but followed the others to a wall.

Zanramon pressed a button, and the wall opened before a strong wind pulled them in.

With a cry of surprise, she closed her eyes as they tumbled down a chute, all of them landing unceremoniously in a pile on the lab floor.

“You wanted fast, didn’t you?”

“…THAT’S IT!! THAT’S THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE TURTLE’S SHELL!!”

“Artie, we need him as a bargaining chip!!!”

“Donnie’s right, Artie!!! I DON’T WANNA DIE!!!”

“Princess, don’t!!!”

“ARTEMIS!!!”

Even Honeycutt seemed startled at the rage in the gold-banded turtle’s eyes, and the only thing stopping her from pouncing was three brothers on her shell.

Leo tried soothing the fire that threatened to escape her, and Mikey and Don jumped back as fire escaped her fingers.

“ARTEMIS!”

Holding her down as she struggled to regain control, the blue-banded turtle gave her a sound kiss before she seemed to relax.

“…You were acting, weren’t you?”

Another innocent look, tipped off by a slightly sly smile.

“Why, what would you give you that idea?”

Mikey grinned.

“Our sister, the actress…”

She stuck her tongue out at him as she stood, straightening out her mask.

“Ha-Ha…VERY funny…”

SMACK!!!

“OW!!! ARTIE…”

Leo sighed, standing up and ready to give orders.

“Mikey, give me a hand welding the doors and hatches shut. Donnie, help Honeycutt gather
anything he’ll need to build his Teleportal.”

“You got it!”

“Uh-huh!”

“Raph. Artemis. You’ve got guard duty.”

“My pleasure.”

Adjusting the flask on her back, she breathed out, searching the building with the vibrations coming in through her feet.

Closing her eyes and zoning out a bit from sounds, her eyes snapped up when Honeycutt put a blaster to his head.

“PROFESSOR!”

“I’m afraid the only sensible solution is to blast me into scrap metal right now…”

She took hold of the gun, giving him a slightly stern look.

“Pull that trigger, and I’ll have to go after you…”

“Artemis…”

“Please…You’re our only hope…” Leo reasoned.

“…Alright…But you must promise me one thing.”

The Professor handed the blaster back to Raph, and Artemis released her hold.

Her fingerprints seemed slightly engraved in his arm, her Metalbending accidentally having come forth.

“If all goes wrong, if it seems we are going to be captured, then you must destroy me so that my knowledge will never be used for evil and destruction.”

“It won’t come to that.” Leo assured.

“But if it DOES, will you swear on your honor to destroy me?”

The siblings shared a glance, and Artemis sighed, crossing her arms loosely over her stomach.

“We swear…”

The crimson-eyed turtle snapped to attention when she felt Zanramon start moving, and kept a solid glare on him.

When he stopped, leaning on something, she felt a frown cover her features.

‘What is he up to?’

“Where’s the fastest ship out of here?”

“Hmmm…Now let me think…”

She could’ve SWORN he did something, she felt the slight vibration…

“You five turtles and Professor Honeycutt will have to make your escape in my personal cruiser. It’s in my private space dock hanger.”

Still looking wary and suspicious, Artemis took hold Leo’s free hand as they headed for the hanger.

On the floating platform, the gold-banded turtle scanned her surroundings…

There it was.

A flash of orange.

“GUYS, IT’S AN AMBUSH!”

Lasers were fired, and she almost jumped down to fight them off when Leo put a hand on her shoulder.

“Stay and protect the others!”

“LEO-!”

But he already jumped down, katana deflecting lasers.

She cursed soundly under her breath, and brought up a gust of air to help redirect lasers.

“Mikey, fire overhead!” Don ordered.

The ceiling came down, taking down a majority of the Triceraton soldiers.

The platform stopped, ready to go down into the ship as Leo ran to join them.

“Order yer troops ta stand down! NOW!” Raph growled, aiming the blaster as Leo jumped onto the platform.

“Stand down! I order you-!”

A stray blast hit the platform, and the Prime Leader fell off as it shook with the force.

“What ‘bout our hostage?”

“No time! Leave him!”

Honeycutt lowered the platform, and Artemis waved to the soldiers.

“Buh-bye.”

Once inside, they ran into the control room.

“This looks pretty nice…”

Mikey jumped into a chair.

“Mr. Soling, ahead! Warp factor!”

SMACK!!!

“OW!!!”

“Not now!”

Honeycutt tapped into the system, piloting them a bit haphazardly into space.

The gold-banded turtle almost flew back, and managed to seat herself in a chair.

“Apparently, cruisers and tanks BOTH suck…”

Soldiers were already on their tails, and they flew around quickly, weaving and ducking.

Feeling sick, she ground her teeth and closed her eyes.

“Yahoo! Strike one!” Mikey cheered.

Another soldier was blown to oblivion…

“Strike two!”

And the last was soon gone…

“Strike three! You’re outta there!”

“…LAME…”

“…Meanie.”

Unfortunately, the seemingly safe moment was shattered when they were faced with the entire Triceraton army…

“Attention, Professor Honeycutt! This is Commander Mozar! Return at ONCE to the Triceraton Home World with Artemisia, or face the wrath of the Republic’s fiercest warriors!”

Looking a bit defiant right now, she looked out the windshield.

“Fiercest warriors, huh? Well, I’d like to see how tough they are…”

She smiled at her brothers.

“Well, what do you say?”

“Can’t say I’m happy with our choices…”

Leo pushed the thrusters, and the cruiser raced for the army.

Lasers were fired, and Artemis ducked her head.

“Master Splinter always said ‘there is no greater weapon than the unexpected’.”

“I really must meet this Master Splinter someday…”

The cruiser shook as shots landed.

“NOW’S NOT THE TIME!”

Mikey and Raph jumped to get to the guns.

“We ain’t outta the woods yet!”

“Better get the shields up and running!” Don stated, fingers flying over the controls.

“Feeling confident in your piloting skills?” Leo questioned.

“Oh, yes. Rather.”

“Good. Let’s try to lose them in that asteroid field.”

“ASTEROID FIELD!?!”

But it was a bit too late for that…

“OH, I feel space-sick…”

“Just hold on, love. We’ll make it.”

“Well, I’d say the difficult part is over.”

A strange portal opened, and the Federation army came through…

“Oh my…”

“And the REALLY hard part is just beginning…” Artemis finished.

“Hello, Professor Honeycutt. I believe you have something that belongs to me.”

General Blanq smirked on the hologram.

“Or should I say ‘you ARE something that belongs to me’?”

“Let’s stick with the first one. The last one makes you sound like an egotistical asshole. Wait, you ARE an egotistical asshole!”

“OH! BURN!” Mikey cheered.

“Did you really think the Federation would give up its most brilliant scientific mind without a fight?”

“…I think he went selectively deaf…Jackass…”

“They want a fight? Let’s show them where we can find one!” Leo stated determinedly.

Looping around, they headed back.

They were fired upon, asteroids blasting to smithereens and smoke filling the air.

The two armies collided in immediately heated battle, and they managed to get out of the crossfire.

Artemis breathed a sigh of relief, closing her eyes.

“I think it’s time our ‘friends’ get reacquainted.”

“We can’t avoid them for forever.” Don noted.

“We don’t need forever. Just long enough for you and Honeycutt to build that Teleportal.”

“That planetoid should supply an ideal place to construct the Teleportal device.”

They landed easily on the moon-like surface, and the turtle’s pulled on baggy atmosphere suits.

By pressing a button, four of the suits adjusted to fit them just right…

Mikey’s, however, still had a tail…

Don, Honeycutt, and Raph went to make the Teleportal, while the rest stayed inside to be sure no one was coming to attack.

“Guys, I’m picking up massive energy signals on the scanner!” Mikey informed.

“It looks like the Federation and Triceraton fighters are all coming our way!”

“We need more time!”

“You’ll have to stall them!”

“How?” Leo questioned.

“We could get Artie to do her thing…”

SMACK!!!

“OW!!!”

“I’m not going to strip or something, Mikey!”

“AWWWW…”

“MIKEY!”

SMACK!!!

“OW!!! LEO…”

“Just keep them talking. ANYTHING to stall them from attacking!”

Mikey typed away.

“I hope this thing has three-way calling…”

Artemis settled in a swivel chair, propping up her feet as Leo took a seat in the higher chair.

She REALLY didn’t want to listen to the fighting, arguing, lying, back-stabbing, or all-around horrible things right now, so she tuned it out…

‘All they say is bullshit anyway, and I’m not buying it…’

She was almost meditating, in a place between oblivion and rest, when someone seemed to enter her mind like water through sand.

‘Artemisia…’

She almost jumped, startled.

‘Wh-Who are you?’

‘I’m your past-life, also an Avatar. My name is Avatar Kinsei.’

‘Why are you here?’

‘You will put to the test soon. You will need all your strength, all your skill…You will find power beyond your imagination, but be warned…It is dangerous…’

‘Why are you telling me this now?’

‘You don’t meditate as often as you should, young Avatar…’

‘…Oops?’

‘Some will say it is best to lose all connection to the world, but others will say to keep a strong bond with those you love…Don’t lose that bond…’

Artemis felt something like a cool hand on her cheek, and she relaxed.

‘I think I understand…’

‘I will try to speak with you again, but you must be careful in the meantime…’

Someone shook her shoulder, starting to pull the gold-banded turtle from her deep state of meditation.

‘I will…’

Crimson eyes fluttered open, and she saw Leo’s slightly panicked face.

“Leo?”

“Love, we’ve got to hurry! The Triceratons and Federation are attacking!”

Jumping up, she followed them out the door as fast as they could go.

Mikey and Leo toted blasters as they ran to the Teleportal, and Artemis lagged a bit behind.

Her normally fast speed was hindered by the lack of air, and she struggled to keep up.

Leo took hold of her hand, and she almost stumbled.

“Don’t fall behind!”

He blasted a Triceraton coming at her from behind.

“Thanks…” She stated, breathless.

The group crowded around the door, and Artemis stopped, bringing up a wall of earth to defend them.

As lasers chipped away at it, she felt sweat wet her skin.

“Guys, get inside!”

“But princess-!”

“GO!”

A large crack formed, like a chip in a tooth.

“NOW! BEFORE IT BREAKS!”

‘I hope this thing works…’

Once everyone was safely inside, she followed suit quickly, closing the door before the earth wall crumbled.

The Teleportal glowed brightly, seeming ready to speed them back to Earth, when it seemed to suddenly lose power…

“Aw, shell…”

“I’m guessing it’s not supposed to do that…”

“Gee, ya think?”

They got back out, ready to return to the cruiser and escape, but it was blown up by a mini Triceraton Home World…

“…BACK INSIDE!”

Lasers were still fired, and Artemis moved the water from her pouch, blocking and redirecting blasts.

The glass inside couldn’t take much more abuse, and Artemis brought the water over them, freezing it as a shield from the sharp fragments that rained on them.

“I’m afraid we have no choice now!”

Honeycutt took something from his hand, and everyone looked confused.

“You must destroy me and the knowledge I possess! This is an EMP failsafe control. It will overload all of my circuitry and wipe clean my memory core.”

He handed it to Leo, who looked unsure.

“If you don’t kill me now, the weapon will fall into the hands of lunatics who won’t hesitate to use it!”

“I…I can’t…”

“But you SWORE. On your HONOR.”

“Leo, love…” Artemis muttered, looking between them worriedly as the many soldiers closed in on her shield of ice.

His thumb was over the button, and the gold-banded turtle was ready to snatch it from his hands.

Suddenly, a familiar beam of blue light hit the group, paralyzing them as it grew larger, taking in the soldiers.

“But how can this be? My Teleportal didn’t work.”

“Well, somebody’s did!”

“This feels kinda familiar!” Raph noted as they started coming apart, traveling back across the universe…

“Yeah, and I didn’t like it the first time!”

Artemis closed her eyes, feeling herself flying through space…

‘We’re coming, sensei…We’re coming…’