the curse - 1 - [rottmnt - COMPLETED]

#32

"Dad, in the kitchen earlier you said there is a way…?" Mikey broke the heavy silence in the room and everyone turned to Splinter with hopeful eyes.

"Yes, I have a suspicion that there could be another way out… Since she has not yet fallen into the hands of the descendants, there is still the possibility of cutting the connection to her ancestors. Then they can no longer reach them in their dreams and…”

"Wait a second, what do you mean by 'other way out', what is the first one?" Despite the last few days, Donnie's mind was as sharp as ever.

Splinter looked at him and then said with a shake of his head

"That's not up for debate, I guess."

"Shouldn't we consider all possible ways out?!" April asked and Leo nodded in agreement

"We should at least talk about it."

"Believe me, you don't want to…"

"Dad, would you PLEASE stop this secrecy?!" Raph was getting impatient.

"Her death." said Draxum with a plain voice.

Shocked silence. Donnie became cold and he looked over at her. Her hair wild, her face relaxed. She mumbled in her sleep, and a wave of affection washed over him. The little flame danced up and down.

"Well, THAT'S really not an option…" Mikey admitted

"Okay, then we've settled that. Now, if I may continue…!?”

Embarrassed looks and mute nods. Donnie looked at his father. He was curious to see what solution he had in store, the old rat was sometimes full of surprises.

“AS I SAID… since she hasn't fallen into the hands of the descendants yet, there is the possibility of severing the connection to her ancestors. Then only the descendants would be a problem, so to speak - but she could awaken her Ninpo and then these would only be a trifle for her. Her mystical powers are VERY strong, she must learn to awaken and use them. Until then, we will protect and train her."

"Wow, that's a great plan!" Raph clenched both fists and his eyes shone.

"Sounds good Dad!" Leo exclaimed, high-fiving April who shouted "LETS GO TEAM!"

Casey sat there and seemed relieved, but still very nervous.

Donnie ventured a smile and Mikey gave him a wink. 

Then a quiet voice came from the back of the room.

"And if she has already fallen into the hands of the descendants…?"

Everyone froze and slowly turned around. Draxum frowned.

She woke up and no one noticed. Not even Donnie. Draxum realized that the connection between the two was starting, but not yet controllable.

They looked at her. She had straightened up and looked young and naïve with her wild white hair and big hoodie. But her eyes belied that impression. They had already seen far too many things.

"You're awake." stated Leo

"Your combination skills are admirable, Leo" Donnie said as he walked over and crouched in front of her. "How are you?"

But she ignored Donnie and fixed Splinter with a sharp gaze.

"Tell me. What if I've already fallen into the hands of the descendants?"

Splinter, in turn, ignored the urgent undertone in the young woman's voice. She had to be referring to something else. If the descendants had already captured her, she would be dead, or they would have united their powers and the world would be different. So it wasn't possible.

Draxum, however, came to a different conclusion, and with an incredulous look he said

"You escaped them…?"

Donnie and April looked at each other. The scars…

"Hamato Yoshi, kotaete kudasai!” her voice was impatient and desperate.

Splinter swallowed and looked over at his son, who was sitting with the young woman and had a worried and confused expression on his face. Donnie caught his fathers gaze and returned it.

"Dad…?”

“Then you would lose all your memories of your previous life. Everything would be erased. As well as the connection to the Hamato clan…” his gaze met Donnie's again and Splinter looked away.

She had guessed. The young woman took a deep, trembling breath and clenched her fists. Her mother hadn't told her everything. She had kept it from her on purpose so that she would not hesitate to sever the connection with her ancestors. All the precious memories that kept her alive, she would lose them. She thought of her brother, her sister. She would lose her family all over again. Her mission was a kamikaze, she would only be an empty shell.

Donnie sat with her and didn't dare touch her. His father's words hit him like a punch, and he could feel the desperation that gripped her and sensed an overwhelming hopelessness in her that seemed to spread to everyone in the room.

All but one.

Draxum turned to the young woman.

“You escaped them? They had caught you, and you were able to free yourself?"

She looked up at him. He was an impressive sight. She could sense his magical abilities and knew who it was from Mikey's tales. The second father of the turtles. The one who changed sides.

"What does that matter now?" she said in a bitter voice.

“Please forgive me my incredulity, but that is not possible. Your ancestors are as powerful as thousands."

Her resistance to any authority cut through her hopelessness. With an angry face and ignoring the pain from her wound, she switched the position on the couch, turned her back on everyone, and pulled hoodie and shirt together down to her arms in one motion. Everyone saw Donnie's vitals capsule glowing around her torso. She deactivated it.

The air suddenly seemed a few degrees colder.

"Please forgive me my discourtesy." she said dryly, half-glancing over her shoulder at Draxum. "Then I probably inflicted the scars and the clan tattoo myself?"

She put the shirt and hoodie back on and turned to Draxum with a challenging look. Now he can freak out about her disrespectful behavior towards him. She knew that type of choleric despot, and he didn't scare her.

She looked at Donatello, who was staring at her with his mouth open, and could feel his shock. Oh, damn. The tremor was spread across the room on all faces.

She hadn't wanted that! Oh damn, damn! Now everyone was drawn into this hopelessness! She should have left! She should have…

Draxum started laughing, snapping her out of her mental spiral.

"I underestimated you, although I didn't think it was possible. My apologies."

He bent down to her and put a hand on her shoulder. Donnie's eyes widened even more. The young woman looked at Draxum with a surprised face.

“You are the one with the will of thousands. Don't stop believing in yourself because I'm giving you my word here today: there is hope."