Sequel: Angel's Child ›
Golden Angel
Chapter 71
The sun was setting in the distance, showering them in gold light as the group sat on a bridge.
Kasai was watching the horizon, lost in thought as a wind blew through her hair.
Mizu was swinging her feet as her gaze stayed lock on the peaceful river below, and Chi was trying to prepare herself for their raft trip mentally.
Artemis sat beside a distant-eyed Leo, glancing at him worriedly from time to time…
“What are we doin’ ‘angin’ ‘round ‘ere fer? The suns ‘bout ta set! Let’s go raftin’ down the river like we said we was gonna an’ get this campin’ trip in gear!” Casey griped.
“So what do ya say, Leo? What’s goin’ down, bro?”
“Down? The river, I suppose…”
“Uh…yeah…Okay, Leo…”
“Leave him alone, Casey.” Artemis advised, putting a hand on her mate’s shoulder.
“He’s just a bit out of it.”
“This is the final call for the U.S.S. Turtlerific! The most happening party this side of-! Um…uh…Casey’s grandma’s farmhouse!”
“…Nice try, baby…”
“Tickets, please! Tickets!”
“Oh, I got ‘is ticket RIGHT ‘ere!”
Raph did a cannonball beside the raft, soaking Mikey to the bone.
The orange-banded turtle even tripped over something escaping the splash, and flipped through the air.
Chi, once sure of where the raft was, jumped down and helped her boyfriend up.
Once everyone was aboard, Casey took a long, sturdy stick in order to propel the raft forward.
Darkness was setting in, and Mizu was smiling contently as she watched the stars and the water…
She got this strange feeling like the moon was pulling her towards something…
That the water was taking her there…
It perplexed her, since this feeling seemed so strange…
“Mizu?”
Blue eyes snapped up to Don’s face, coming back to reality.
“Huh?”
“I’ve been trying to get your attention for a while…”
“Oh, sorry…”
“Is something wrong?” He asked, concerned.
The three younger turtles seemed to be coming off their intense heat, and were returning to normal.
“It’s just…”
She furrowed her brow, trying to find the right words to explain…
“Have you ever felt like something was trying to tell you something you couldn’t understand?”
“I don’t think I follow…”
“It’s like…The moon is telling me something...And the water is trying to take me somewhere…”
“What makes you say that?”
“I’m…connected to the Moon and Ocean spirits…I think they’re trying to tell me something…”
Don couldn’t seem to grasp the concept, but decided comforting her would be best.
Everyone seemed to be relaxing as the water slowly rocked beneath them…
“Oh my gosh…”
Artemis look up, spotting the nuclear power plant.
“I didn’t know we lived so close to…one of those…”
“Stupid things…” The gold-banded turtle muttered.
“It looks like those cooling towers have been rigged for demolition.” Don noted.
“’Ey, Leo. ‘Elp me out ‘ere, bro. Up ‘head, on the left. Is that the turn ta that lake Master Splinter told us ‘bout?”
“Yeah…That should be the way…”
They soon reached said lake, and parked on the bank.
After setting up their tents and making a fire, they tried to enjoy themselves.
Mikey and Casey were telling jokes, but Leo was further off brooding.
Mizu was also separate, watching the lake…
Artemis wasn’t sure who she should talk to…
“Mizu’s fine.” Don assured.
“Leo I’m not so sure of…”
The crimson-eyed turtle had to agree, and she went to sit beside her lover.
“…Are you okay?”
“I’m fine…”
“I know you better than that.” She replied, looking up at him.
“Please…I just want to know what’s bothering you…”
“I…I don’t know…Well…I guess I do…”
Sensing that this was hard for him to put into words, she just took his hand in her own.
“It…I just can’t stop thinking about the last time we faced off against the Shredder…”
She tried not to flinch at the memory…
“That the only way we could’ve defeated him was by blowing ourselves up…I couldn’t protect them…sensei…You…”
He almost growled…
“I feel like such a complete failure!”
“Oh love…”
“And no matter how I try to rationalize it, to justify it…It all comes down to the fact that I wasn’t good enough!”
He was a bit startled when she took hold of his shoulders, a stubborn look on her face.
“Don’t even think that! It’s not true!”
“But-!”
“DON’T!” She insisted, eyes fiery.
“If it’s anyone’s fault…It’s mine…”
Her eyes shimmered with tears, and she nearly sobbed…
“It’s not your fault, love…”
“I’m supposed to be the most powerful bender on the planet, but I couldn’t even save my own family…”
A few tears came free, and he wiped them away tenderly…
“It’s not your fault…You did all you could…”
“I should have done something sooner…”
“But you didn’t.”
“…Then why are you beating yourself up about it?”
Silence as he tried to answer…
“I love you, Leo…But you’re too hard on yourself…”
Before he could reply, he saw something move in the water…
Mizu had already jumped to her feet, at the ready, when what looked like a strange mermaid walked out of the dark water, heading straight for the camp…
Then the poor thing collapsed…
“Mikey, quick! In my backpack! Get my first aid kit and my tech pad!” Don shouted as Mizu and Artemis ran to see what they could do for her.
“So what is she? Some kinda fish?”
“Maybe…” Kasai admitted as the two brought water to their hands and made it glow.
“She’s not breathing…” Mizu muttered, trying to jump-start the lungs…
“I can’t feel her pulse!” Artemis added, pressing down on the chest desperately.
“According to my tech pad, these markings…They’re burns…RADIATION burns…She’s been exposed to a massive dose of radiation.” Don informed.
“Help me, you two. I’m going to clear her throat and prepare her for mouth-to-mouth.” April stated.
“Uh…guys…I’d hate to be the bearer of bad news, but…there are more fish people…and they do NOT look happy!”
Chi ground her teeth…
“’E’s right…”
Artemis bit her lip, deciding what to do…
“Casey, you stay back and help April and Mizu. I’ll take care of them…”
The strange mermen seemed to growl and snarl, and she growled in return.
“It must look like we’re hurting her…keep them away. We need more time!” April noted.
Artemis pulled water up to make tentacles, flying like icicles to stop the enemy from getting closer.
Unfortunately, one managed to swoop into her guard…
She was about to elbow him in the shoulder when he grabbed her wrist and flipped her over his shoulder…
She fell into the water with a yelp and a splash, and sunk under the surface.
Mizu would have joined if she hadn’t known the female was still alive because of her…
A cool hand on her forehead, and her eyes focused on the mermaids face…
A vision in her mind’s eye, of a short dam breaking, little eggs in the river…
They died…
The water…
It was green…
‘You must stop it…’
Blue eyes widened…
‘Why me?’
‘Water is balance…And the Moon and Ocean…they said you would bring help…’
‘…You know of the spirits?’
‘Yes…Please…save them…’
‘Save who?’
‘Save them…’
‘WAIT!’
But it was too late…
The pulse ceased, her chest stilled, and her eyes slid closed…
She looked almost asleep…
“No…”
The others came out of the water dripping wet as the mermen retreated with the body…
Mizu’s eyes widened…
“Her eggs!”
“What?” Don asked, confused.
“She showed me a vision! Her eggs! The power plant is going to pollute the river and kill her eggs!”
“What’s with ya girl’s an’ knowin’ these thin’s?”
“It’s called a woman’s intuition.” Artemis replied.
“Yeah. We got that an’ bigger brains.”
“HEY…”
“Yer cute, baby.”
“…Okay!”
“We need to go!” Mizu insisted, pulling everyone to the raft.
She made a wave to speed up the trip back to the nuclear power plant, and they stepped onto the shore.
“What do ya thin’? Is this it?” Raph wondered.
“I can’t tell…It seems familiar…I just can’t be sure…”
“According to my readings, the workers have thoroughly cleaned the area inside and immediately around the nuclear reactor.” Don informed, goggles in place.
“Let me guess…This is a good news/bad news situation, isn’t it?” Artemis replied.
“UNFORTUNATELY…yes. It seems they neglected to clean anything beyond the plant itself. Especially over this way.”
A small river, glowing green, though it was stopped by a dam to keep it from the larger branch.
“This creek is completely contaminated…and worse…”
“I don’t think I like that tone…” Kasai admitted.
“That dyke over there…It’s about to burst.”
Mizu remembered that vision…
“Her eggs are in there! She warned me the dyke was going to burst!”
“If the eggs hatch and they swim through the radiation…”
“They’re good as dead.” Chi finished.
“Then what are we waitin’ fer?”
“We need a plan.” Leo noted.
“But with all this radiation, we’ll need a safe plan.” Artemis agreed.
“What do you think, Don?” April questioned.
“…When they take down cooling towers, they always rig them to implode and collapse inward…We might be able to re-rig one of these so it falls outwards and creates a new barrier. One that will block the leaking dyke.”
“What ‘bout the radiation?” Casey wondered.
“The cooling towers themselves aren’t radioactive. We won’t need bio-suits or anything.”
“Then we just need to sneak in.” Artemis confirmed.
“Right! And like the Three Musketeers used to say, ‘one for all, and all for ninja mode’!”
“…You are NOT my brother…”
“HEY…”
“I’m going to stay here. See if I can give you guys more time.” Mizu stated.
“Alright. Be ready.” Artemis assured as they others headed inside.
The Waterbender looked up at the moon, felt the light on her skin…
‘We can do this…’
Pulling water up from the river, she refortified the dyke with ice.
As she kept the ice from cracking or shattering altogether, she saw the others run out…
‘Where’s Donnie?’
He came out with Leo at the last moment, and the tower collapsed to make a new barrier.
Relaxing her arms, the black-haired girl smiled…
“Come on, guys!”
“We gotta get outta ‘ere!”
Everyone ran to the raft, and Artemis sped them forward this time…
“…Do you think we did any good back there, sweetheart? I mean…did we really save the last of the merpeople?”
“Well…I think we made a difference.” The Waterbender replied, smiling as she leaned on her lover’s arm…
“We did good today, sweetie…don’t worry…”
The sun began to rise, and her eyes threatened to close…
‘We did good…’
Kasai was watching the horizon, lost in thought as a wind blew through her hair.
Mizu was swinging her feet as her gaze stayed lock on the peaceful river below, and Chi was trying to prepare herself for their raft trip mentally.
Artemis sat beside a distant-eyed Leo, glancing at him worriedly from time to time…
“What are we doin’ ‘angin’ ‘round ‘ere fer? The suns ‘bout ta set! Let’s go raftin’ down the river like we said we was gonna an’ get this campin’ trip in gear!” Casey griped.
“So what do ya say, Leo? What’s goin’ down, bro?”
“Down? The river, I suppose…”
“Uh…yeah…Okay, Leo…”
“Leave him alone, Casey.” Artemis advised, putting a hand on her mate’s shoulder.
“He’s just a bit out of it.”
“This is the final call for the U.S.S. Turtlerific! The most happening party this side of-! Um…uh…Casey’s grandma’s farmhouse!”
“…Nice try, baby…”
“Tickets, please! Tickets!”
“Oh, I got ‘is ticket RIGHT ‘ere!”
Raph did a cannonball beside the raft, soaking Mikey to the bone.
The orange-banded turtle even tripped over something escaping the splash, and flipped through the air.
Chi, once sure of where the raft was, jumped down and helped her boyfriend up.
Once everyone was aboard, Casey took a long, sturdy stick in order to propel the raft forward.
Darkness was setting in, and Mizu was smiling contently as she watched the stars and the water…
She got this strange feeling like the moon was pulling her towards something…
That the water was taking her there…
It perplexed her, since this feeling seemed so strange…
“Mizu?”
Blue eyes snapped up to Don’s face, coming back to reality.
“Huh?”
“I’ve been trying to get your attention for a while…”
“Oh, sorry…”
“Is something wrong?” He asked, concerned.
The three younger turtles seemed to be coming off their intense heat, and were returning to normal.
“It’s just…”
She furrowed her brow, trying to find the right words to explain…
“Have you ever felt like something was trying to tell you something you couldn’t understand?”
“I don’t think I follow…”
“It’s like…The moon is telling me something...And the water is trying to take me somewhere…”
“What makes you say that?”
“I’m…connected to the Moon and Ocean spirits…I think they’re trying to tell me something…”
Don couldn’t seem to grasp the concept, but decided comforting her would be best.
Everyone seemed to be relaxing as the water slowly rocked beneath them…
“Oh my gosh…”
Artemis look up, spotting the nuclear power plant.
“I didn’t know we lived so close to…one of those…”
“Stupid things…” The gold-banded turtle muttered.
“It looks like those cooling towers have been rigged for demolition.” Don noted.
“’Ey, Leo. ‘Elp me out ‘ere, bro. Up ‘head, on the left. Is that the turn ta that lake Master Splinter told us ‘bout?”
“Yeah…That should be the way…”
They soon reached said lake, and parked on the bank.
After setting up their tents and making a fire, they tried to enjoy themselves.
Mikey and Casey were telling jokes, but Leo was further off brooding.
Mizu was also separate, watching the lake…
Artemis wasn’t sure who she should talk to…
“Mizu’s fine.” Don assured.
“Leo I’m not so sure of…”
The crimson-eyed turtle had to agree, and she went to sit beside her lover.
“…Are you okay?”
“I’m fine…”
“I know you better than that.” She replied, looking up at him.
“Please…I just want to know what’s bothering you…”
“I…I don’t know…Well…I guess I do…”
Sensing that this was hard for him to put into words, she just took his hand in her own.
“It…I just can’t stop thinking about the last time we faced off against the Shredder…”
She tried not to flinch at the memory…
“That the only way we could’ve defeated him was by blowing ourselves up…I couldn’t protect them…sensei…You…”
He almost growled…
“I feel like such a complete failure!”
“Oh love…”
“And no matter how I try to rationalize it, to justify it…It all comes down to the fact that I wasn’t good enough!”
He was a bit startled when she took hold of his shoulders, a stubborn look on her face.
“Don’t even think that! It’s not true!”
“But-!”
“DON’T!” She insisted, eyes fiery.
“If it’s anyone’s fault…It’s mine…”
Her eyes shimmered with tears, and she nearly sobbed…
“It’s not your fault, love…”
“I’m supposed to be the most powerful bender on the planet, but I couldn’t even save my own family…”
A few tears came free, and he wiped them away tenderly…
“It’s not your fault…You did all you could…”
“I should have done something sooner…”
“But you didn’t.”
“…Then why are you beating yourself up about it?”
Silence as he tried to answer…
“I love you, Leo…But you’re too hard on yourself…”
Before he could reply, he saw something move in the water…
Mizu had already jumped to her feet, at the ready, when what looked like a strange mermaid walked out of the dark water, heading straight for the camp…
Then the poor thing collapsed…
“Mikey, quick! In my backpack! Get my first aid kit and my tech pad!” Don shouted as Mizu and Artemis ran to see what they could do for her.
“So what is she? Some kinda fish?”
“Maybe…” Kasai admitted as the two brought water to their hands and made it glow.
“She’s not breathing…” Mizu muttered, trying to jump-start the lungs…
“I can’t feel her pulse!” Artemis added, pressing down on the chest desperately.
“According to my tech pad, these markings…They’re burns…RADIATION burns…She’s been exposed to a massive dose of radiation.” Don informed.
“Help me, you two. I’m going to clear her throat and prepare her for mouth-to-mouth.” April stated.
“Uh…guys…I’d hate to be the bearer of bad news, but…there are more fish people…and they do NOT look happy!”
Chi ground her teeth…
“’E’s right…”
Artemis bit her lip, deciding what to do…
“Casey, you stay back and help April and Mizu. I’ll take care of them…”
The strange mermen seemed to growl and snarl, and she growled in return.
“It must look like we’re hurting her…keep them away. We need more time!” April noted.
Artemis pulled water up to make tentacles, flying like icicles to stop the enemy from getting closer.
Unfortunately, one managed to swoop into her guard…
She was about to elbow him in the shoulder when he grabbed her wrist and flipped her over his shoulder…
She fell into the water with a yelp and a splash, and sunk under the surface.
Mizu would have joined if she hadn’t known the female was still alive because of her…
A cool hand on her forehead, and her eyes focused on the mermaids face…
A vision in her mind’s eye, of a short dam breaking, little eggs in the river…
They died…
The water…
It was green…
‘You must stop it…’
Blue eyes widened…
‘Why me?’
‘Water is balance…And the Moon and Ocean…they said you would bring help…’
‘…You know of the spirits?’
‘Yes…Please…save them…’
‘Save who?’
‘Save them…’
‘WAIT!’
But it was too late…
The pulse ceased, her chest stilled, and her eyes slid closed…
She looked almost asleep…
“No…”
The others came out of the water dripping wet as the mermen retreated with the body…
Mizu’s eyes widened…
“Her eggs!”
“What?” Don asked, confused.
“She showed me a vision! Her eggs! The power plant is going to pollute the river and kill her eggs!”
“What’s with ya girl’s an’ knowin’ these thin’s?”
“It’s called a woman’s intuition.” Artemis replied.
“Yeah. We got that an’ bigger brains.”
“HEY…”
“Yer cute, baby.”
“…Okay!”
“We need to go!” Mizu insisted, pulling everyone to the raft.
She made a wave to speed up the trip back to the nuclear power plant, and they stepped onto the shore.
“What do ya thin’? Is this it?” Raph wondered.
“I can’t tell…It seems familiar…I just can’t be sure…”
“According to my readings, the workers have thoroughly cleaned the area inside and immediately around the nuclear reactor.” Don informed, goggles in place.
“Let me guess…This is a good news/bad news situation, isn’t it?” Artemis replied.
“UNFORTUNATELY…yes. It seems they neglected to clean anything beyond the plant itself. Especially over this way.”
A small river, glowing green, though it was stopped by a dam to keep it from the larger branch.
“This creek is completely contaminated…and worse…”
“I don’t think I like that tone…” Kasai admitted.
“That dyke over there…It’s about to burst.”
Mizu remembered that vision…
“Her eggs are in there! She warned me the dyke was going to burst!”
“If the eggs hatch and they swim through the radiation…”
“They’re good as dead.” Chi finished.
“Then what are we waitin’ fer?”
“We need a plan.” Leo noted.
“But with all this radiation, we’ll need a safe plan.” Artemis agreed.
“What do you think, Don?” April questioned.
“…When they take down cooling towers, they always rig them to implode and collapse inward…We might be able to re-rig one of these so it falls outwards and creates a new barrier. One that will block the leaking dyke.”
“What ‘bout the radiation?” Casey wondered.
“The cooling towers themselves aren’t radioactive. We won’t need bio-suits or anything.”
“Then we just need to sneak in.” Artemis confirmed.
“Right! And like the Three Musketeers used to say, ‘one for all, and all for ninja mode’!”
“…You are NOT my brother…”
“HEY…”
“I’m going to stay here. See if I can give you guys more time.” Mizu stated.
“Alright. Be ready.” Artemis assured as they others headed inside.
The Waterbender looked up at the moon, felt the light on her skin…
‘We can do this…’
Pulling water up from the river, she refortified the dyke with ice.
As she kept the ice from cracking or shattering altogether, she saw the others run out…
‘Where’s Donnie?’
He came out with Leo at the last moment, and the tower collapsed to make a new barrier.
Relaxing her arms, the black-haired girl smiled…
“Come on, guys!”
“We gotta get outta ‘ere!”
Everyone ran to the raft, and Artemis sped them forward this time…
“…Do you think we did any good back there, sweetheart? I mean…did we really save the last of the merpeople?”
“Well…I think we made a difference.” The Waterbender replied, smiling as she leaned on her lover’s arm…
“We did good today, sweetie…don’t worry…”
The sun began to rise, and her eyes threatened to close…
‘We did good…’