Golden Angel

Facing the great numbers, Chi couldn’t help a smirk cross her face as she lifted her hands.

“This’ll be fun…”

Mizu couldn’t help smiling a bit at her friend’s cocky arrogance, though it HAD taken the Avatar herself to defeat the fast-acting Earthbender.

“We must protect the Daimyo!” Usagi stated.

“And if we can’t?” Don questioned.

“We shall perish with honor.”

“…Let’s try and leave the whole ‘perish’ bit out of it, okay?”

The assassins jumped for the four warriors, and boulders of earth flew to knock a good portion back.

Water proceeded to lash out like whips at others, keeping some occupied with the Waterbender.

Leo was starting to wake up as the fight turned in their favor, and Don instinctively turned to see if he was alright.

Anyone could imagine what Artemis would do if something had happened to Leo…

“Leo?”

An assassin jumped for the distracted turtle, but a shield of ice guarded his shell from a majority of the force.

The ice cracked, shattered, and he was thrown shell-first at a column.

“DONNIE!”

Mizu, distracted by her worry, barely dodged a blade, which left a cut on her cheek.

“The Daimyo!”

Chi was there to greet the four slippery assassins…

“Hello, boys…”

Rocks as large as she were levitated around the petite girl…

“Let’s rock…”

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Looking up and seeing the Ultimate Ninja next to the gnocchi instead of the Daimyo made a fire start spreading through her veins…

Mikey, looking for protection from Kluh, the giant alien he’d angered, hid behind his sister’s shell.

He’d done that whenever he was scared for his very survival, and Artemis had always managed to get everyone out in one piece.

“Friends, warriors, and noble creatures! It is a sad office I must perform, but the healers say my father, our revered Daimyo, will not live!”

Artemis clenched her fists, eyes narrowing.

“Bullshit.” She growled under her breath.

‘With the healers and Mizu there, he should be walking around just fine soon…’

“But we must continue the Battle Nexus Tournament. It is what my father would have wanted. It is with a heavy heart that I assume his place and his duties.”

‘Yeah, I bet you’re REALLY unhappy to be Daimyo, you spoiled little-!’

“We have our final four combatants competing for the Battle Nexus Champion! And so, in honor of my father, let the Battle Nexus Tournament proceed!”

The gnocchi appeared before them, and made a portal appear beside him.

“Step through the portal. Fate will pair you randomly.”

Mikey stopped, and Artemis paused in her step in order to look back at him curiously.

“Mikey?”

“What if I get paired up with that big purple guy?”

She smiled reassuringly.

“Don’t worry about him, Mikey. Leave it to me.”

“Really?”

If he knew one person who would stand up for him till the end, it was his sister.

She only left the liberty of teasing to family and close friends, but would whip others into a bloody mess.

If someone questioned his intelligence seriously, she’d be the first there with a scalding tongue and rock-hard fists to prove them wrong.

They knew each other so well that she knew when he was truly scared, or hurt, and always came to his rescue.

He’d always said that his favorite superheroes were Silver Sentry and Stainless Steve Steel, but his REAL superhero would be Artemis, the adoptive-mother of the family.

“Of course. I won’t let anyone hurt you if I can help it.”

And he believed her.

She never once said something she didn’t mean.

“Alright…”

With a small smile, she nodded to him and walked through the portal…

“Well, speak of the devil…” She muttered, looking up at Kluh.

“Guess this is good for Mikey…”

“How’d a little girl like you make it here?”

She smirked, water rattling in her flask.

“You of all people should know not to judge someone on their size…”

Throwing his strange weapon blade-first, he was surprised when water knocked it off-course as a whip of it flew for him.

Managing to stumble out of it’s way, he was surprised by a boulder of rock in the chest.

Tumbling back, he was faced with a spiked-knuckled jade-skinned turtle, and barely rolled out of the way of her punch.

Jumping for his weapon, Kluh was stunned to find air pull him off the ground and fling him into a wall.

Grabbing his weapon, he charged for the crimson-eyed turtle.

She jumped over his attack, landing behind him, and he disappeared in a blue blur as a blade of air rushed through him.

With a sigh to relieve the tension in her muscles, she turned to see how Mikey’s own battle was going.

Rather well, if his victory was any indication…

“Hey, bro. Guess who.”

Mikey’s victory grin fell, and he didn’t know whether to congratulate his sister or cover his shell…

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Rocks flew and walls flew up to protect the Daimyo and Chi as she fought the assassins off single-handedly.

The Earthbender held her own rather well, and looked in no need of assistance.

Usagi still jumped in to help, feeling that ten on one was rather unfair.

Don and Mizu came once the other assassins were down and it seemed Leo was holding up alright.

“Time to skewer the rabbit…”

Earth flew up in a platform, knocking the assassins back, as a shard cut the chain binding Usagi.

“Thank you, Chi-san.” The rounin stated gratefully, picking up his swords.

“No prob.”

A sword still flew for a distracted Chi, but two katana stopped the blow.

“Leo?”

“Glad you are feeling better, Leonardo-san.”

“Maybe not better…but at least I’m breathing.”

“Good. Now let us finish these foes.”

“Donnie! Incoming!”

The purple-banded turtle caught his Bo staff as Mizu rose up on a wave of water that became a hurricane, lashing out at the man assassins with blasts of the clear liquid.

The assassins seemed to flee, but no one relaxed until Chi gave the signal.

Mizu sighed, feet touching the ground softly.

The only thing left to do was see how the Daimyo was holding up…

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The gnocchi appeared between the two turtles in a slight flash of light, and Artemis smiled hugely, hands behind her head.

“Come. It is time.”

The arena changed to a circle, rimmed with torches, with water on the edges.

“The final two contestants in the Battle Nexus Tournament are Artemisia, of dimension Third Earth, and Michelangelo, of dimension Third Earth.”

Both waved at the audience at the mention of their names, and Artemis couldn’t help an easy grin.

“Begin!”

As the gnocchi disappeared, Mikey gave her a worried look.

“Artie…Are you going to try to hurt me?”

“Nah…But I won’t hold back just because you’re my little brother.”

‘Chucks spinning, the orange-banded turtle nodded.

“Right…”

Water came up around her feet like a small tornado, and some of the liquid blasted out.

Dodging and jumping around, Mikey nearly panicked.

He SURE had prayed he’d never have to fight his sister…

Earth came up to try and catch him, but he jumped into the air, getting caught in a tornado.

Artemis stopped, looking around in confusion.

‘What’s that sound-?’

Something smacked into her shell, and she tumbled head-over-heels until she managed to stop herself at the edge.

Glaring, she registered what the projectile was…

Or, rather, WHO it was…

“Get your ass off of me, you little spoiled brat!!!”

Kicking him off, she stood, eyes still hot with righteous rage.

A large, bipedal, dragon-like creature jumped down, War Staff in his clutches.

“Drako, you fool! That War Staff is my birth-right!”

“Just like my fist hitting your FACE is MY birth-right!” Artemis added with a growl to the Ultimate Ninja.

The gnocchi appeared between the two groups, and the gold-banded turtle stilled.

“Hold the contest! The Battle Nexus rules clearly state-!”

He was blasted out of the air, but the large dragon was surprised by an earth-encrusted fist to the face.

“Why not fight someone who can fight back? Or are you scared of losing to a girl?”

He slashed at her with the War Staff, but she blocked the blow with her earth glove.

However, she didn’t see his other hand come to grab her around the waist.

Yelping in surprise as she was lifted off her feet, she struggled violently.

“Put me down, or I’ll take pleasure in ripping you apart!”

The War Staff’s violent glow was pointed at Mikey, and she stopped, a savage snarl in her throat.

“Don’t you DARE…”

Eyes starting to glow, she was surprised by a sudden bite for her neck.

Managing to avoid the teeth sinking into her jugular, she still cried out as they sunk into her shoulder.

Kicking out, her feet found his chest and pushed so she could pull herself free.

Rolling on her shell until she found her feet, she gripped her bleeding shoulder tightly.

“…NOW you’ve pissed me off…”

The dragon lunged for the wounded turtle, but a blade of water deterred him.

“Mizu?”

Both benders stood between the Avatar and the blood-fanged dragon, and Artemis realized the Daimyo and the others were there as well.

“Leo…”

“Artemis! Are you okay?”

She tried to look reassuring, but her body was starting to shake from blood loss.

“I’m…fine…”

Falling to her knees, she closed her eyes to regain her woozy senses.

The light from the War Staff turned bright red, and turned volatile.

“What? What is going on here?!”

“No, Drako!”

The War Staff opened a strange rift in the air…

“With his evil heart, Drako has opened a rift between the worlds! A multi-dimensional wound that will destroy all it touches!”

Artemis felt the air start trying to pull them towards it, and yelped a bit in surprise.

Chi used earth to anchor her feet, and caught hold of Mikey as he flew past her.

Mizu froze ice around her own feet, and Don wrapped his arms around her waist to keep anchored.

The War Staff shot at it’s holder, and was flung away from the dragon’s body.

Raph managed to save it from being sucked in, and anchored himself.

The poor gnocchi was sucked in, and Traximus managed to make a chain of turtles, Usagi, and the Ultimate Ninja.

Artemis was just starting to be pulled off her feet, and something in her flared to life.

‘Artemis…You can close the rift…’

‘But…how?’

‘Just concentrate your chi…It’s connected to everything and should heal the wound…’

Nodding slightly, she suddenly stopped moving forward, and arrows glowed on her skin.

“Artemisia!”

Something gold/white glowed on her hands as her eyes glowed brighter, and she couldn’t help the strange pain constricting her muscles.

Raph managed to toss the War Staff to the sidelines, and Splinter handed it to the Daimyo.

He looked up at the glowing Avatar, and she nodded.

Unfortunately, their blasts didn’t heal the wound in time to keep the Ultimate Ninja or Drako from being sucked in thanks to their stubborn fighting…

Everyone fell to the ground but Artemis, who slowly came down on a soft tornado of wind.

The glow died once her feet touched the ground, and she swayed, blood still seeping down her arm and plastron.

“OH…Make the world stop spinning…”

Falling back, she was caught by warm arms and held close.

“Artemis! Artemis, are you okay?”

“Yeah...Just dizzy…”

Her eyes threatened to close, but she forced them open as Mizu put her glowing hands on her shoulder.

“So…Did I win?”

Leo chuckled as the wound closed, leaving the lightest of scars on her skin.

“Not yet…”

Standing up, she swayed a bit, grateful that Leo helped her stay up.

“I can do it…Can the ground stop spinning first?”

Mikey, knowing now that he was going to have to defeat her, but…he couldn’t…

She looked dizzy and lost and he couldn’t hit her…

He knew, if the positions were reversed, she’d refuse and be done with it, let him win…

Mikey shook his head, ‘chucks limp in his hands.

“I can’t…”

She smiled reassuringly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“I don’t mind, Mikey…You can do it…”

He shook his head stubbornly.

“I don’t want to win just because you’re too weak to fight back! …You wouldn’t do it…”

There was silence, and he could almost see the gears turning in her head.

“…Then you won’t have to.”

She smiled at his confused look, and brought up a kunai-shaped piece of ice.

“We’ll do it at the same time. A tie. Then neither of us will have lost.”

After a moment, the orange-banded turtle nodded, a ‘chuck spinning now.

“On the count of three?”

Artemis nodded, poising it over his neck.

“One…two…”

Both closed their eyes as they prepared themselves to strike…

“THREE!”

They both disappeared in a bright blue light, disorienting them both, and they were in front of the Daimyo on his balcony.

Laurel leaves were placed on their heads.

“Michelangelo and Artemisia, of Dimension Third Earth, you are both Battle Nexus Champions!”

They were handed a trophy, which was too heavy for Artemis’s still-weakened muscles, so she let Mikey take the weight.

Mizu and Chi congratulated her on her victory, and she shared a ‘victory kiss’ with Leo.

Chi then congratulated Mikey, and was confused at the blush she felt on her skin when he grinned at her.

They had to say goodbye to Usagi in order to head home, and the turtle couple bowed respectfully.

“It was an honor battling alongside you and your siblings, Leonardo. I hope that someday our paths will cross again.”

“It is I who am honored, Usagi. You saved my life.”

Artemis gave the most sincere, grateful smile she’d ever had.

“Thank you, Usagi. For saving him while I was…busy.”

“It was no problem, Artemisia-chan.”

“Farewell, and good battle to you all.”

The trophy glowed along with the War Staff, and they were teleported back home.

“We’re home…”

“Wow…it’s like it never happened…”

Mizu smiled, kissing the purple-banded turtle.

“Now you gave Mikey ideas…”

When Mikey started bragging, Artemis rolled her eyes and pulled on some headphones, pulling Leo into a kiss to distract from the youngest brother.

Chi just tuned out the orange-banded turtle, and only looked up when Raph threatened to attack.

Managing to redirect him harmlessly, she was surprised by a grateful hug.

“Thanks, Chi! Now RUN!”

Mikey pulled her along around the lair, an angry Raph following them.

She couldn’t help the heat on her face at the hand around her wrist, and furrowed her brow.

‘What the hell is this?’