Myths Become Reality - A TMNT Fanfic

Chapter 18: Meditate

"Sigh... I knew this would happen eventually," Donatello groaned under his breath. I curled my body tighter. Raph gently petted my hair, and I had to admit, it was pretty soothing.
"Why can't I feel my face?" Vern grumbled.
"Because you've got a lot of neurotoxin in your bloodstream," Donnie explained.
"A lot of what?" A confused expression covered the human's face.
"Neurotoxin. This one in particular temporarily paralyses the victim," the turtle pushed up his glasses. I released from my balled up position somewhat. I kept my tail in front of my face, however.

"Skollña, may I speak with you?" Master Splinter walked out from his room. Silence filled the lair. I slowly stood, and walked with my head bowed, tail curled close, wings limp. I followed Splinter deep into his room. The scent of bonsai trees filled my senses. They were elegant things. "Sit," I sat as he commanded. "You will meditate until you gain control of this side of you," My eyes widened at the possible amount of time. Mediating non-stop until I had beaten my inner demon? "You may begin now," Thankfully, Leo had been teaching me how to meditate after our sparring sessions.

I found a pipe that jutted a fair way from the wall. Flapping my wings a few times, I settled atop the pipe, my three-taloned feet wrapping comfortably around it. I tucked my wings in and let my tail naturally hook below me, enabling me to keep my balance. I rested my hands on my knees, and breathed evenly. Closing my eyes, I slowly entered the trance.

Deep inside...

I opened my eyes, to see my inner mind. It was dark here. It reminded me of all of the loss and negative feelings I've had over the years. My green eyes tried to pierce the black cloak, but only a red pair stared back. My instinctual side. A mirror image of me stepped out of the shadows. Their scales were a dulled, greyish-black. Eyes like mine, but red. Wings and tail fins tattered. Horns a shiny obsidian. This side of me was evil.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I asked.
"Hahahaa," the doppelgänger hissed out a laugh. "I do thisss becausssse I am the true ssssside of you!"
"Well, now we must see who will be dominant. Human, or beast," I let my claws slide out of their sheathes. Instinct mirrored me.

We had at it. Every claw swipe, every bite and blast of fire. I hit Instinct more than Instinct hit me. When they did, I felt a wound open on my real body. Eventually, Instinct's need for survival kicked in. They went ballistic, shrieking and screeching. But my human determination miraculously beat it.

"Gasp... You have... gasp... sssucceeded," Instinct closed their eyes, and slowly began to fade.
"Wait," Instinct looked up at me. "I may still need your help," Instinct looked relieved that they would get to survive. "You will merge with me, but I will still be dominant," I explained. The beast hesitated, then nodded. I touched Instinct in the centre of their forehead, locking my emerald gaze with their ruby one. Instinct began to fade again, but into me.

*

"Oh my God she's bleeding!" The turtles watched Skollña meditate to be rid of her inner demon. They watched as numerous wounds began to appear.

After six hours, they stopped appearing. Skollña was breathing quite heavily by now. She mumbled something under her breath, before the wounds began to heal themselves. Donnie's eyes widened. He had grabbed the med kit when the wounds first appeared.
"It is a battle of mind, not a battle of body," Splinter had later explained.

*

I slowly opened my eyes. I felt exhausted. I looked around to see Master Splinter asleep, and a concerned Leonardo watching me. "Hey, you okay? Do you need anything?" he asked, standing from his position on the floor. I shook my head. Leo passed me a glass of water that he had gotten earlier. I swallowed the water in one gulp, then passed the glass back to him.

I slowly edged myself off the pipe. Every muscle was stiff. "How's Vern?" I croaked.
"He's fine. He recovered halfway through your session. It was funny too. At first he could only move the tips of his fingers, then slowly crawl around. The first time he tried to stand, he practically became jelly and fell down again," I laughed along with Leo. I ended my laugh with a sigh. "So, how was your meditation?" he asked conversationally. We had seated ourselves at the dining table at this point.
"I won," was all I said. Leo looked confused.
"Won?" he echoed. I explained how my instincts had taken a form, and we had fought. Finally, I told him about my deal with my instincts. Leonardo nodded with approval.

"Well, it's late. Let's go to bed, yeah?" Leonardo stood from his seat and left to his room, a pipe that faced out into the lair. It was a clean, organised space. Raph had filled his with weights and boxing gear, Donnie's doubled as his lab, and Mikey's was messy with a spray-painted artwork on the side.

I climbed a wall to a small pipe that hung lower than most. I hooked my wing claws, my 'thumbs', over the pipe, sliding them along to move myself. After reaching an ideal place away from other walls and pipes, I swung my taloned feet up to the pipe. I latched on, then released my wings. I let my body fall into an upside down position.

Before the strain in my legs could become too much, I flicked my tail over the pipe, and let my feet release the pipe. I now hung, suspended from the pipe, by my tail. The fins near the end of my tail hung near my face. Closing my eyes, I fell into a deep slumber, not knowing what was coming next...

*Imagine how Toothless from HTTYD slept in that drawing scene. Kinda like that. And also, anyone notice a basic principle from an anime?! I'll give you a hint... Strawberry. That's your clue. Can anyone guess?!!*