Golden Angel

“You’re attention, please! Let the ceremony begin!”

Everyone looked up at the tarp-covered machine as Don held a carton of milk on a rope.

Mikey pulled the cloth off, revealing a green submarine.

“I christen thee-!”

The milk hit the side of the metal.

“The Shell Sub!”

“…Why is everything cool we own have ‘shell’ in the name?”

“…Coincidence?”

“SURE…”

“Excellent work, my son. It makes one think of the giant under-sea turtle of Japanese mythology.”

“Now that the underwater access way is complete, it’s time to take the Shell Sub on her maiden voyage.”

“CAN I LAUNCH HER?! CAN I?! CAN I?!” Mikey asked excitedly, pressing buttons.

“CAREFUL, Mikey! If you put even one scratch on it-!”

SPLASH!!!

The two benders lifted their hands, stopping the impending wave of water.

Sure, THEY stayed dry…

“Thanks a lot, Mikey…”

“Just what I needed…Another bath…”

Artemis smiled sheepishly, using her Waterbending to take the water from her sensei’s soaked fur.

“DIBS ON THE FIRST RIDE!” Mikey exclaimed, jumping onto the sub.

“First mate Michelangelo ready to launch, sir! DIVE! DIVE! TORPEDOES AWAY!”

Once the orange-banded turtle was lost from sight, Artemis’s eye twitched.

“…Take him far away from this place…”

“Mikey’s my first mate…That might be hard…”

“Can I go, too?”

Dark eyes turned to the black-haired girl, who smiled uncertainly.

“If there’s not enough room, I understand-.”

“That’s not it!” He hurriedly cut in.

“I just…didn’t think you’d want to…”

Her smile widened.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world…”

Blushing a bit, Don took her hand.

“Ladies first…”

Cheeks hot, Mizu giggled, water coming up to be her stepping stones.

“That’s so sweet…”

Once all three were safely in the subs belly, it submerged itself fully into the river water…

“…I hope they don’t drown…”

Mitsukai seemed to laugh rolling onto her side, and Artemis patted the leathery underbelly.

Splinter seemed the only one to notice the small hitch in her movement as Leo went to the dojo, like a rock caught in the gears and wearing away at them.

Raph seemed to sense it vaguely, like a blip barely on his radar, but it was enough for him to know something was bothering his sister.

With her, you had to nip things in the bud, or it would brew and rot and fester until she couldn’t take it anymore.

She would apologize once the deed was committed, but you could see the guilt weighing on her.

Another thing to hide away…

She’d been like this since the gang war…

Quiet, defiant…

Distant…

Whenever Leo even tried to sit beside her, she’d spook and make an excuse to leave.

Even her giant bison felt something was up, and spent her waking hours comforting her charge.

Splinter had said not to interfere…

“Worrying you will only add guilt to the fire in her heart. We must show we are here for her, and she will talk in time.” Had been the elderly rat’s exact words…

But it wasn’t HELPING…

She seemed to only get worse…

Raph decided right then that he was going to talk with her about it.

When Artemis headed for her room, probably to clean her now-decorative fans, he followed, though he stopped at the threshold.

If he stepped in without permission…

“You can come in.”

‘Crisis averted…Great, now I soun’ like a stupid army movie…’

“What do you need?” The crimson-eyed turtle asked, carefully lifting a large fan off the wall.

‘Why is that ‘lways ‘er first question?’

“Just wanted to talk wit’ ya ‘bout somethin’…”

“What’s bugging you?”

Dropping the fan on her mattress, he heard the springs squeak as she gave him a curious look.

“If Mikey stole your pudding again, I don’t want to see a black eye.” She joked, referring to an incident from about three years prior.

That had been the last time he’d tried to talk to her like this…

No wonder she thought something was troubling HIM…

”Nah…It ain’t ‘bout me…”

She quirked an eye-ridge.

“Mikey?”

“Nope.”

“Donnie?”

“No.”

“Leo?”

“Nah?”

“Sensei?”

“No.”

“April? Casey?”

“Nope.”

“Angel?”

“No.”

Artemis sighed in frustration, one hand on her hip as the other massaged her temple.

“That’s basically everyone we know, bro. Who’s this about?”

“Ya.”

She blinked in surprise.

“Me? What about me?”

“Ya’ve been…DIFFERENT…ever since that gang war…”

Seeming to piece two and two together, her eyes became guarded.

“I’m perfectly fine. Nothing’s wrong.”

Thinking, he smirked a bit at a thought.

“Are ya jealous ‘a Karai?”

“Jealous?! I’m not jealous-!! What would make you think I’m jealous?! How could I EVER be jealous of that…THAT…That evil little JERK!!”

“…Ya are SO jealous…”

After a moment, her eyes softened.

“I know…”

“…Ya need ta tell ‘im…”

“I can’t…”

…

“When ya said I hated ya…why would ya say that?”

“…I always got that feeling…because I would always steal the spotlight…I never meant to…”

“I don’t hate ya.”

She looked up from her fan, searching his face for lies.

“Yer my sister an’ I love ya. That’s why I think ya should talk wit’ Fearless ‘bout this.”

She didn’t move for a moment, processing, when a light entered her eyes.

With a smile, she hugged him, though it seemed a bit awkward.

“Thanks, tough guy...I needed that…”

With an awkward pat to her shell, Raph let her release him.

“Yeah, yeah…Go on ‘fere I get any mushier…”

“Got it.” She teased, giving a mock-salute and running out.

He reached for a diary on her dresser.

“TOUCH THAT AND YOU DIE!”

The red-banded turtle recoiled.

“How does she DO that?”

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Artemis stood outside the dojo, hidden behind a column, and trying to think of something to say.

‘Sorry for being jealous of the evil ninja’ didn’t seem like a start to a pleasant conversation…

“Artemis?”

Starting, she peeked around the bricks to see Leo stopping his kata, giving her a curious look.

“Oh, uh…Hey, Leo…”

Mitsukai, from another part of the room, seeming to snicker at the turtle’s uncomfortable look.

“Don’t make me go over there!”

The Sky Bison put on her best innocent look, and Artemis glared.

Leo sheathed his katana, and noticed her expression shift back to an awkward smile.

“Artemis…is something wrong?”

“I just…Um…Raph annoyed me into talking to you…”

“Is this about why you’ve been acting so strange?”

“…Maybe?”

“If something’s wrong, you can tell me.”

“…Then why didn’t you tell me?”

He blinked in surprise, looking confused.

“About what?”

She seemed to hug herself, averting her eyes.

“During that gang war…You wouldn’t talk to me…And it hurt…”

Guilt gnawed at his heart…

“I didn’t mean to hurt you…”

‘That was the opposite of what I wanted…What I was trying to do…’

“But it did…”

She looked up at him, as if afraid to look him in the eyes when he answered…

“Leo…do you still love me?”

“Of course I do!” He replied automatically.

“…Then why do I feel like your trying to pull away from me?”

He hardly realized he was stepping towards her until he put his hands on her shoulders.

“If I ever do anything, it’s because I don’t want you to get hurt.”

A weak smile.

“Well, you sure did a great job on that one…”

“I’m sorry…I didn’t want to make you feel guilty, too…”

She took hold of his hand, nuzzling the skin comfortingly.

“I was guilty, too…But what scared me most was losing you…”

Cupping her cheek in his palm, he pulled her into a kiss.

It was the first deep kiss they’d had in a while, and she churred, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“I see ya two ‘ave gotten o’er whatever it was ya were fightin’ ‘bout…”

Separating for air and out of surprised embarrassment, both turtles gave a sheepish smile.

“Well…That’s what we're trying to do…”

‘I wonder how the others are doing…’

MEANWHILE…With Don, Mikey, and Mizu…

Waking up slowly, Mizu groaned at the throbbing in her skull and the horrible smell as she was dragged after Don and Mikey.

Someone had hit her head when they realized she could control water, and she didn’t even know what was going on now…

“Mizu?”

Looking up with blurred vision, she smiled slightly at the purple-banded turtle.

“Hey, Donnie…Where are we?”

“I don’t know…”

A throne loomed over them like a mighty tower.

“But I have a feeling we’re about to find out…”

The two men holding her arms pulled her to her feet, and she wobbly followed as they pulled her by her wrists.

When they suddenly stopped, Mikey ran into one.

“EW! Which one of you is wearing the Ode de Fish? It’s kinda nasty…”

“Mikey, look!” Don pointed out.

Looking ahead, the turtles spotted their old enemy the Garbage Man.

MIZU, however, SMELT him before she saw him.

With a gasp, she wrinkled her nose and covered it with both her hands.

“Oh my gosh…”

“YOU…”

“DONNIE…Do you guys know him?” The Waterbender asked, moving behind him.

“The Garbage Man?”

“But he went into the river! …In THIS river…”

“Yes, this river. MY river.”

“What is all this?”

“Silence!”

Rods came forward, shocking the turtles.

At the sudden cries of pain, Mizu’s instincts jumped into action.

Water came up, blasting the two guards away, and she brought it around in a spiked whip.

A metal claw shot out, grabbing her hand and yanking hard.

She cried out, the water falling to the ground as she hit it with her knees, gritting her teeth as the metal threatened to crush her hand.

“First rule, my friends…I talk, you listen.”

Now, Mizu wasn’t known for her temper, but patience be DAMNED!

Eyes almost glowing, the water moved violently around them, making tentacles around her fallen form and knocking away men.

“You can’t make me…”

A snap, and the water fell with a crash, echoing her scream…

“MIZU!!!!”

Catching her breath, she slumped on the floor as her broken hand was released.

“Actually, I should thank you for setting me on this path. Dumping me into the river opened up a trove of hidden treasure just waiting to be salvaged. So thank you.”

“You’re not welcome…”

“I’m actually pleased that you are here. I’ve often wondered WHAT you are…Now I’ll be able to find out.”

“Sir, the dock says our target has made anchor.” A ‘soldier’ stated.

“Excellent! Everything is on schedule. Assemble the men. I wish to speak to them.”

Don kneeled beside the black-haired girl, seeing the nasty break in her hand.

“Take these three to the brig and hold them there! I want to dissect those two later…”

There was evil laughter as they were led away, and the blue-eyed Waterbender brought liquid to her hand.

It glowed brightly, and she flinched a bit as the bones snapped into place and mended themselves.

They were passing cells by then, and the three teenagers shared a glance.

The three were led into a cell, small and rusty from the water.

“Mikey, now might be a good time to do what we talked about earlier…”

There were only two guards…

How hard could it possibly be?

Some swift kicks and punches later, the guards were unconscious heaps on the floor.

The three took suits, pulling them on as disguises, along with the electric rods.

“Come on. We’ve got to find a way out of this mad house.”

Twirling the staff, Mizu followed as quickly as she could.

Coming up behind the main group of guards and salvagers, the Garbage Man’s rant/speech became background noise.

APPARENTLY, his next target was a cruise ship…

“A cruise ship…”

“All those innocent people…”

“We have to stop him.” Mizu whispered decidedly.

Cheers rang out around them, and the Waterbender felt the blood pumping through her veins powerfully.

It was a sign of some dislike, maybe anger, but she bit it back like a sour taste.

Soon, they were outside the very machine that would commit the heinous deed.

It was exactly like the one that had pulled them in here in the first place…

They marched in with the others, undetected…

“Hey, there’s the Shell Sub! We can take it and get out of here!” Mikey whispered.

“We have to stop the Garbage Man from sinking that cruise ship.” Don answered.

Mizu agreed whole-heartedly, and the orange-banded turtle dragged his feet, outnumbered.

They were safely inside, anyway, as it took off into the water.

The cruise ship came into view, and claws came out like tentacles as they snapped, ready to tear the metal hull asunder.

“Better make our move…NOW!”

Pulling off her disguise, Mizu brought up a large wave of water to wash the soldiers into the water.

“Guys, GO!”

More came in through the door, but the turtles took care of it as they ran for their exit.

The stairs seemed so LONG right then, and she reached out for Don’s hand when she stumbled.

“It’s alright, Mizu! Come on!”

They were in the control room, where the Garbage Man and the rest of his men were getting ready to disembowel the cruise.

“We’ve got to turn this thing around!”

“Somehow, I think that’s going to be a LOT harder than it sounds!”

The men tried to surround them, and she brought up water to become spiked knuckles on her hands.

“Get this trash off my bridge!”

Everyone jumped into the fight, and it didn’t take long before the three ‘good guys’ got the upper hand.

“You freaks! This time, you won’t escape me!”

The Garbage Man came down, and his claw went out, grabbing Don right off the ground as he struggled.

“DONNIE!”

Water cut the metal appendage clean off, and the girl who commanded it jumped for the fat, sedentary man.

“Mikey, get the oxygen tanks!” Don shouted as Mizu held off the metal contraption housing the smelly Garbage Man.

“Got it!”

The Waterbender was surprised when the large man flew into the ceiling, crashing back down.

That seemed to have knocked him out, and Don ran to the controls.

“We’re about to hit that ship!” Mikey shouted.

The purple-banded turtle seemed to be having trouble, so the Waterbender lifted her hands and froze the water in front of them.

Anchored it to the sea floor, and it slowed the contraption down.

It broke free, but Don managed to steer it away.

It breached like a whale, and slammed back into the water with a splash.

“Okay, that was good…How about stopping it?”

“I’ve got a better idea…”

“What is it?”

“Let’s bag two birds with one stone. A little change of course, and…”

Mikey and Mizu looked out of the windshield…

And saw they were heading straight for ‘Junklantis’…

“You’re wicked…I like it!”

A cry of strangled rage, and they spun around to see the Garbage Man.

On instinct, she pushed the turtles out of the way, and the blow to her stomach seemed to crack ribs as the claw kept going, skewering the controls.

“MIZU!!! MIZU, ARE YOU OKAY!?!”

It was like she was drifting away…

A current of SOMETHING was pushing her away despite her troubles…

As darkness ate at her blurring vision, she let out a sigh…

‘I’m sorry, Donnie…’

When she woke up later, Mizu looked up at Don in the Shell Sub as they were heading home…

“Hey, Donnie…”

“Are you okay? Does your stomach hurt? Did you hit your head?”

He seemed so worried and flustered…

She found it cute…

“No…I’m fine…Don’t worry…”

Sleep, warm and comforting, wrapped around her like a blanket…

Snuggling into his plastron, she gave a content smile…

“Night, Donnie…”

“…Good night, Mizu…”

‘Sleep tight…'