TMNT - Worlds Change

Six

Leo POV:

I stumbled up to the door of my home., feeling no relief in seeing the familiar archway, or in the door that slide open as I entered. She was gone. I hadn't even had the nerve to tell her the truth. That in the month we had known each other, trained with each other, talked to each other... I had fallen in love with her. I heard the shouts before I could enter the main room.

"How could you? I can't believe you'd let her go back there! Have you forgotten everything we've been through?"

"I haven't, Athena! Have you forgotten how protective Venus is of Iris? Of Us? There was no way to stop her." Bellona looked at Athena, eyes filled with grief. Athena was only filled with anger. Donnie tried to calm her, but she brushed past him. She made towards the door, but I stepped out to block her. She looked up at me, seeing in my eyes my greatest weakness. I had failed. Failed to bring home her sister, and the woman I love. 

"Leo?" Athena spoke it softly.

"There's no use going outside, Athena. She gone, it's pouring rain. There was nothing I could do to stop her. Nothing." I turned, walking down the hall to my room and closing the door, just needing to be alone.

Venus POV:

"Rise, my child." I stood at his command. "You have no need to be afraid of your consequences. You were trying to fulfill your mission."

"It is not my punishment I fear. My sisters, they came after me. They were only trying to help me when they were captured by the turtles. I was captured as well, but I escaped. I seized back my weapons. Iris had begun to feel the effects of the bug in her system. The one you told me would hurt them if I didn't return. I had to do something to protect her." Master Shredder looked at me. I could not tell if he was seeing right through me or if he was pleased.

"You did the right thing, Venus. I will have the devices turned off for their safety." He spoke a quick line in Mandarin, one of the foot scientists that stood nearby went off to adjust some systems. Athena would have understood what they meant. I only hoped that it was good. "Now, since that is taken care of, let us get you a cup of tea. You must tell me of your adventures, where the turtles kept you, how you escaped."

"As you wish," I glanced away as he rested his hand on my shoulder, "Father." I glanced up at the window to see his outline on the roof top. I knew it was him. Leo.

Athena POV:

It had been one night since Leo had returned without Venus. I stumbled into the kitchen of the guys' lair to pour a cup of tea. quietly, I moved to the couch. Even in the wake of all that had happened, our recent home held little comfort compared to the guys.  Especially... Donnie.

"Athena?" I glanced up from my place on the couch. I didn't blame Donnie for what had happened, but for some reason I felt like I was punishing him. He sat beside me. "I'm sorry. I should have gone with Leo to bring her home. We will find another way to save her and get her out of there." I pulled him close, feeling terrible.

"It's not your fault, Donnie. I know where she is. She is safe. He won't hurt her without healing her. She was always his favorite. He treated us like... daughters."

"A real father doesn't chose favorites. He loves them all equally." He looked up to where Master Splinter spoke with Mikee and Iris in the kitchen. She looked healthier. "Like Sensei does." I watched them for a moment and my eyes drifted to piece of technology that lay on the mantel. I stood and walked to it, looking at it curiously. "Athena?" Donnie came to stand beside me. 

"This. Its Foot clan tech, isn't it?" I glanced up at him.

"It was made for the foot clan through Utrom technology. That's why we thought Shredder was dead. The Utrom that controlled Shredders human form was gone." The gears started turning. I picked it up gingerly and took it over to the same room we had taken Iris for scans. I pulled up her scans as the machine scanned the robot. Don hovered by my shoulder as I studied the two sets. He gasped softly when he caught on to the same thought train. "The machines are-"

"Utrom. That is how we get rid of them. We can try to contact them." Donnie stopped me.

"We promised that we wouldn't interfere them unless it was seriously necessary. But if it is Utrom in origin, I can figure out how to remove them." I threw my arms around him, slightly giddy. We might have her back. Soon. I took off to tell Leo as he began his research.

Venus POV:

My sword came down, pinning him.

"You are stronger than when you left. That means some good came of this." As he rose, I bowed. He rested a hand on my shoulder. "Go. Take some time to meditate and prepare yourself for the cleansing. You will need to meditate after the operation as well to heal faster."

"Yes, Father. I will." 

I walked down the hall to the small room I had been staying in. I used to share a large room with my sisters, long ago. Now I was alone. I knelt, breathing, wishing I could reach out to Athena. She would just try to bring me back... but I missed them. I opened my mind to call out to her.

Athena POV:

"Athena?"

I gasped, dropping the pencil that was in my hand. Donnie and Leo looked up at me. I didn't hear what they said as I opened my mind, hoping I hadn't miss heard. 

"Venus?"

"It's me. Are you guys alright?" Hearing her voice again, I had to sit down. The link was hard, but I had to speak with her.

"Venus, listen, we are fine. But we have a plan! You can come back. We have a plan that will take the tech out of us." I explained our idea to her and she was quiet for a long time. I had closed my eyes to make talking faster.

"Just calm down, ok? Here is what I know. The tech is dormant right now. Iris not having any more seizures is proof of that. He took the tech out of me already, but he's implementing the brainwashing again tomorrow. Get the tech out of you guys, then come for me. You will have to leave me here to make sure the dormant tech isn't reactivated. Ok?"

I took a shaky breath and whispered. 

"Venus, I'm scared for you."

"I know, Athena... can I ask a favor? Can you be my eyes? I know how difficult it is, but I... I'd like to see and speak to everyone. Let them know I'm ok myself."

Leo POV:

I watched Donnie hover around Athena, who had moved and sat quietly. I knew she was speaking to her. I was desperate to hear anything. She spoke softly.

"Guys? Is everyone here?" She wouldn't open her eyes. Donnie whispered to her, confirming that. She slowly opened her eyes. But as she looked at each of us, her eyes changed from their natural blue, to the stormy gray I'd only ever seen in Venus. She looked at me for a long moment and smiled.

"She's letting me speak and see," She glanced over at Bellona and Iris, "I don't have long before it's too much so Athena will fill you all in on the plan later. I just wanted to tell you all personally that I am ok. Don't come after me yet." 

"Has he hurt you?" I asked. She looked back at me, smiling very faintly. 

"No. Only training and meditation. I'll be ok. I promise." She turned away, seemingly in pain. "I have to go or I will hurt Athena. See you soon." And with that she was gone.

"Athena? Athena are you ok?" Donnie knelt in front of her, making sure she was ok. She nodded slowly, her eyes the pale blue again. I watched as Donnie and Bellona helped her out of the room to lay down. Mikee went to check on Iris, who bolted after Venus was gone... Leaving Raph and I alone for the first time since he let her walk out of the door, running to Shredder and away from me. 

"Can we talk?" 

"What do we have to talk about?" I stood, moving to walk away. Raph caught my arm.

"Look. I didn't want to let her go. Neither did Bellona. I only let her because I knew that if it had been you, there was no way if hell froze over that we could have stopped you if it had been Mikee hurt. Or Venus." He looked me in the eyes. 

"You could have told me. You could have stopped her leaving, you could have let me-"

"Let you do what, Leo? Let you see her cry? Let you fight the inevitable? She was going. Whether you wanted her to or not." He let go. I watched him a moment, looking into myself to see when I had become the hot headed one, and Raph the calm one. The thought terrified me.