TMNT- The Lost Danger

Shocking Ice

Liz paced back and forth. Her mind was racing with worried thoughts on what was taking her sister so long to return. "Arg!" Liz pinched the bridge of her nose, and closed her eyes as she exhaled heavily. Leo stood from his former sitting position on the couch. "That's it, I'm going to find them." Liz turned to face Leo. "I should've gone with her-no, she should have told ME, that she was going topside with that hothead. Rrgh...." Mikey-not looking up from his comic, spoke in an enthusiastic voice, "Chillax.... I'm sure they're fine...." Liz turned on him, a snarl on her face, before her left ear twitched. 

Laughter echoed down the tunnel entrance to the lair. Two long, distorted shadows stretched out across the lairs floor. Two green figures stumbled into the lair. 

Lia's eyes widened. Ash's hair was sopping wet and plastered to her skin. The tail bands of Raphael's mask were also plastered to his wet, green skin. Raph was grinning and had an arm draped across Ash's shoulders. Ash was leaning against the male mutant, smiling brightly. Her amber eyes glowed with a strange light, that even liz, after all of her years with her, had never seen.  Ash had an arm around Raph, and the two were drenched with water. Raph tilted his head closer to Ash's ear, and whispered something. Ash giggled, and blushed slightly. 

The sight was...unexpected... And concerning for Liz.

All eyes were suddenly on the two mutants. Ash froze, and Raph made eye contact with a rather angry looking Leo. Lo frowned. "And just where, have you two been?"

Raph glanced down at Ash, who shivered and moved closer to him. It wasn't particularly warm in the lair, and it most certainly didn't help that they were both wet. 

"You said that we could go for some air topside, Fearless, or did you forget that?"

Leo glared at Raph, who rolled his eyes, and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her even closer to him. His green eyes held a challenging light. 'I have her now Leo, she's mine now, back down, or get beat down.'

Liz growled from beside Mikey and Leo. Ash tensed under her half sister's hard gaze. Leo raised his voice, having either not noticed Raph's unspoken warning, or he didn't care.

"You were gone topside for an hour." Ash winced at Leo's tone. She ducked her head. "Sorry..." 

"SORRY?"Liz growled, inceduoles. Ash flinched. 

Liz stomped up to her half sister, and pointed an accussing finger at her. "You, were gone for an hour. AN HOUR. I WAS WORRIED SICK! I was afraid that something bad had happened to you!"

Ash winced. 
Liz, I-I... I'm sorry..." Liz rolled her eyes. "Is that all you have to say? You left without telling me! You left for an entire hour! And you left with HIM," here she pointed at Raph, " who you barely even know!"

"What do you want me to say Liz? That I'm not sorry!?" Liz's eyes narrowed to thin slits, and Ash's fists clenched. Liz snarled, and Mikey regarded the blond with a stunned look. Leo's jaw dropped, and Raph's eyes widened in surprise. They had heard the lizard mutants snarl before, but never at each other. "You're becoming careless! You're always telling me to be careful, and to not trust others, but here you are, going back on what you said!"

"Liz-" Ash began. "No Ash, I don't wanna hear it. You said we were close. You call us sisters. Well true sister's stick together! 

Ash trembled, as Liz seemed to tower over her, her gaze cold and hard. 

"If you're not going to tell me where you're going, and with who, then, then maybe we shouldn't be together! Sisters tell each other these things!"

Thunder crashed overhead. Ash cowered beneath the younger mutants rage. Never had she seen her half sister in such anger. It ... frightened her.

'That anger...

That...glare...

That stance...'

Ash trembled. It reminded her of...of...him...

'The Man.'

"Liz, what are you trying to say?" Her voice trembled ever so slightly, despite her best efforts to keep the tremor out of her voice. 

Liz growled. It was strange. hearing Liz growl. She was normally so...gentle, and silent. "I'm saying, that maybe we shouldn't be together. I was going to suggest that we leave today, like you'd wanted when we first came here." Liz's cold gaze settled on Raph, and his shifted closer to Ash, silently lending her his biased support. 

Miky gasped from where he was currently sitting in front o0f the T.V set, blue eyes wide. "No way, did you really want to go Dudette?" Ash shifted, uncomfortable. "Yes. I-I don't deny it."

Leo hesitated, feeling slightly fearful of the angry blond. "It's-understandible." Liz didn't turn away from Ash. They stared into one another's eyes, unblinking. Something passed between them, a silent challenge. A challenge for Ash to deny Liz's earlier words. 

Ash blinked, and turned her head away, as she did so, something unseen-something unspoken, seemed to break. Whatever challenge-whatever had passed between the two, Liz had forced Ash to shatter it. Their bond...it felt so...broken. Liz whirled on her heel and stormed off, before she paused in front of the shabby door leading to their newly made room. 

Liz hesitated, before glancing over her shoulder, eyes cold. "That, is why Maria died."

The door slammed shut, and Ash crumpled to the floor, sobbing.