From the Shadows: Warriors || BOOK 2 (TMNT)

Chapter 5. Preparations

     Raphael woke up early in the morning. He had grown restless and found himself unable to stay asleep.

     The lair was dark and cold. The only light came from the candles lit within the dojo. The dojo was his destination.

     Inside, Master Splinter sat in front of the cherry blossom tree in deep meditation. Raph kneels in front of him and lowers his head. Silence befalls the room. It isn't an awkward silence. It's the thoughtful kind.

     "What's on your mind, Raphael?" Master Splinter finally says.

     "Why can't you talk some sense into Leo?"

     "You can't talk sense into someone who doesn't want to be."

     "He's not thinking at all. I don't understand. What happened to Carrie, it's hard on all of us. We failed that night but that doesn't mean to rest of us just mope around all day."

     "You can distinguish the difference between your individual failures and the teams. Leonardo cannot."

     "If he would just listen to me and-"

     "You must understand, Raphael, that your brother carries the burden of being the leader."

     "Burden?" Raph scoffs.

     "The team's failures become his failures."

     "It doesn't have to be. That's the point. I don't understand why he can't just see that." Raph clenches his fists. "He's just making me so angry."

     Master Splinter nods. "I understand your frustration. I must admit, Leonardo's reaction surprises me."

     "How do you not get annoyed?"

     "It's not a matter of not getting annoyed or angry. Your feelings are validated, Raphael. It is how you choose to manage them."

     "I want to punch him."

     "Have you?"

     "No."

     "Then you have managed."

     "I don't feel 'managed.'"

     Just as Splinter is about to offer more glorious words of wisdom, the doors of the dojo creak open. Both turn and see Leo in the doorway. Raph is quick to turn away.

     "I didn't mean to interrupt," Leo says. "I'll come back later."

     Splinter smiles. "Join us, Leonardo."

     Raph grumbles and rolls his eyes. Talking about his feelings with Master Splinter brought his anger to his conscious awareness. Not to mention these kinds of discussions were strictly private.

     "I just wanted to apologize," Leo says. He stands next to Raph, looking down at him.

     Raph bites his tongue.

     "I know I've been... less than pleasant lately."

     "Yeah, that's a word for it," Raph mutters.

     "I know I'm in the wrong here. I can't change how I acted. We can't change that we haven't been out patrolling and planning our next move."

     "As much as I'd love to believe you, I know you're not all of a sudden coming to this realization." Raph locks eyes with his brother. "So what was it? Donnie figure everything out?"

     "Quite the opposite, really," Leo whispers.

     Raphael doesn't respond. He stands and leaves.

     Master Splinter grins. "Perfectly managed."

     Leo bows his head and exits the dojo. He hoped to be able to talk to Raph more, but he had already disappeared. Instead, he heads back into the lab.

     "Do you have a solid time frame?" Leo asks.

     Donnie taps his pencil against his desk. He stares at his computer screen and sighs. "End of the month."

     "So we only have a couple of weeks?"

     Donnie nods. "Carrie's responsiveness gets worse and worse by the day. If I understood her condition, there may be a chance that I could force her awake but I don't. I'm predicting that, by the end of the month, her brain will completely shut down. Once we get there, even if I knew what was happening to her, there would be nothing I could do."

     "Okay," Leo murmurs. "We should start preparing for tonight."

     "We need to find a way to communicate with Athena," Donnie says. "If she wants help like Casey thinks she does, we won't be able to do much by just running into her on patrols."

     "Do we have any spare T-Phones?"

     "Of course we do."

     "Can we get her one?"

     Donnie taps his chin. "If we run into her tonight I could probably slip her one. We'd be able to contact her that way."

     "Then let's get that ready."

     "Already on it."

     The Foot were planning their preparations for the nights ahead. Karai hadn't seen Casey Jones in months. His return only told her one thing: the turtles would too return to the surface. Most of her time was now spent continuing the recruits' training. Great strides had been made in the lair. The recruits were no longer locked in their rooms. They had the privilege of wandering the lair (although many areas were prohibited). It was the small things that made the recruits feel safer despite their horrible situation.

     Master Shredder knew his plans would have to move much more quickly. In the month the turtles went silent, the Shredder had managed to get Noah to break ever so slightly. Although the full formula had not been developed, a small breakthrough had occurred. Master Shredder was to receive a shipment of the basis for the formula in a couple of weeks. Once Karai had told him of her theory, that date was quickly moved closer. In a couple of days, Shredder would receive his shipment and he had the perfect test subjects for this experimental formula.

     As Athena wandered the approved areas of the fortress, she came across the entrance to the throne room. The room was, technically, not off-limits. Athena intended to enter but she could hear voices coming from the other side. She didn't want to interrupt or even eavesdrop. She was trying to gain their trust, after all. Athena had, however, heard very interesting words and decided to listen in.

     "My shipments will arrive in a matter of days," Master Shredder begins. "Our strongest recruits must be prepared."

     "What shall we do in the meantime?" Tiger Claw asks.

     "Continue your patrols. Continue the training." Shredder narrows his eyes. "This is a battle those turtles cannot win."

     Karai nods. "We will begin preparations at once."

     Athena ran from the door. She hadn't been there at the start of the conversation but she had heard everything she needed to know. In all honesty, Athena did not care for whatever it was Shredder was expecting to arrive. She simply just wanted to be there. Athena felt as though she had already proven herself strong and capable. She also knew Karai did not like her much and that she didn't make a great first impression. Regardless, she had a couple of days to prove her worth and that is what she was going to do.

     Athena raced down the halls and stairs towards her quarters. She grabbed her tanto and began to make way for the dojo. For the next couple of days, she would spend her free time here, practicing. Perhaps what she lacked in trust, she could make up for with dedication.