*Raph's POV*
I woke up dizzy and nauseous. What happened? I allowed my eyes to adjust and I saw Leo standing right over me. He put something on my face. Did he take my mask again?
"What...?" I began, but Leo interrupted me. He gave me the tightest hug in the world. Mikey couldn't even hug this tight.
"Don't ever do that to me again," he scolded.
"Do what?" I asked befuddled.
He released me from the hug. "You... don't remember?"
"Nothing but..." Then I remembered. "Did Mikey get back safe?! And where's Donnie?! We were locked in containers, and some type of smoke knocked us out... what the heck is happening?"
"Calm down, Raph. We're right here," Donnie's voice rang.
"Yeah, chill dude," Mikey followed.
(A/N: Yes, they have their masks on)
I sighed in relief and looked around to see April, Casey, Sensei and my brothers. But...
"Where's Kitanna?"
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*Kitanna's POV*
...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.....H...help.......
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*Leo's POV*
I felt a twinge of every emotion possible. Fear, anger, sadness, you name it. But what struck me most was guilt.
"Yeah, Leo. Where is she? You told us that we had to wait for Raph to wake up to tell us," Mikey said nervously.
"What? Leo, spill," Raph ordered.
I sighed. Out of everyone, I knew he would take it the hardest.
"Kitanna and I went on a rescue mission to get you guys, who were de-mutated, back but she... she..." I couldn't bare to finish the sentence. I hoped they could get it all by themselves.
"She... what?" Donnie asked fearfully.
I looked at the ground. "I... I don't know."
"You mean you think she's..."
"Don't say that, Mikey!" Raph hissed. "I know she's alive. She has to be! She's stronger than we think."
He was trying to deny it. But we had to check either way. "The best thing to do is go back and see if..."
"Owwwwww," a voice called behind me.
I turned to see April clutching her head. She looked at us with a scared face.
"April, what is it?" Donnie questioned.
"It's... Her!"
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*April's POV*
"What do you mean? Is she alright?!" Raph asked.
The sound in my head was like a static radio. All I could make out was a small voice.
"...............H...help.............." It was Kitanna's voice!
"I think she is! But... her communication is unstable... She's sending for help!" I called.
"There's no time to lose. C'mon guys," Leo stated running out of the lab.
Donnie, Mikey, and Raph all went and found their weapons before charging out after.
They're coming Kitanna. Promise.
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*Shredder's POV*
I looked over the limp body of the child. Pity that such power had to be wasted.
"Good job, Bradford. Now let's get out of here before the authorities report a disturbance," I acknowledged.
"But Master, shouldn't we gouge the child's...?" He retorted.
"Nonsense, did very well on your part. Now let's go."
We leaped out of the building through the window, ignoring the girl walking by the building. She would think it all a hallucination.
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*Karai's POV*
My ears rang from the loud roaring. Father and the other two were out of there fast, father and dog breath to the building tops, Stockman to the road.
I felt tears coming now. I heard the sickening cracks and bangs coming from the building. I just didn't want to see the aftermath.
But I had to. It was... in a way... honorable?
I climbed down through the window, being careful of the shattered glass. I kept my eyes on the ground. I didn't dare look before I needed to.
I stood, frozen in my spot. I slowly turned my attention to the lifeless form of my sister.
I ran over to her side, and turned her over so I could see her face. Pale and emotionless.
Hold it in. Hold it... I couldn't. I fell to my knees right beside her. I scooped up her shoulders and laid her head in the nook of my arms.
Tears fell from my eyes. Something that had not happened in forever. I had lost someone. Again. Mother, now my sister? How much was I to take?
I sat there, holding Kitanna for I don't know how long. Then a miracle happened.
Her chest moved. She was breathing! I couldn't help but hope. I laid her back down, shocked and excited. I might not have lost her after all!
Her breathing was very shallow... Barely one breath a minute, but she was alive. I smiled and the tears turned to joy.
I felt like a hypocrite. I had been talking about my sister and her death for quite sometime. But I never knew I felt this way about her.
What would father say? Oh no. Father always told that if I was to find the enemy he supposedly vanquished alive, I was to completely finish them off.
I looked around for something. What, I do not know. My eyes rested on two things. A knife and a tonic.
I walked over to them. The bottle read: Healing Tonic. Instinctively, I picked up the knife. I tilted it in the moonlight. Was I really going to do this?
I zombie walked over to my sister. Kneeling down beside her, I lifted the blade above my head. I went to bring it down, but I caught myself. I shook my head and did it again, this time it caught again.
I couldn't live with myself if I did this. No matter what father said, my sister was off limits. Even though a traitor, it had been proven that I still love her.
I dropped the knife and raced for the tonic. I opened her mouth and allowed a few drops in. I put some on her arms too. Then I laid part of mother's cloak over her arms.
Help would come soon. I knew it. That red masked turtle definitely had something for my sister.
I patted her shoulder and left the building. "Goodbye," I whispered.
As I left the building behind, I heard a faint cracking voice in the back of my head.
I love you too.
***End Twenty Four***
