Aʋtʋɱŋ Wɩŋʛs ✸ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗗 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗢𝗥 (TMNT)

22| Land of Forbidden

8/25/18

Here's the new chapter, I hope you guys like it! And I've decided to change my updating schedule, it's still once a day but now I'll update at central time at night instead of around noon.

12/14/22 update:   ... I updated every day? 💀

Chapter Twenty-Two: Land of Forbidden

I wake up with a startled gasp, lurching upwards.

It took me a couple moments to realize that I wasn't in New York; I was surrounded by the meadow that me and Rosebud made camp in.

Relieved, I slowly sat all the way up, looking around me.

Rosebud was sleeping in the basket, apparently accidentally falling asleep during her watch. Right next to her was the horse, which reins were tied to a tree. It neighed when I looked at it, and I smiled.

When I stood, I realized the light feeling was gone. If anything, I felt even more real here then I ever have before.

That's kinda weird, must just be my imagination though...

I'll ask Usagi, when we find him and Karasu that is.

I woke Rosebud up, and we soon started on our journey. Knowing that Usagi and Karasu would be following the setting sun, we headed East.

After a few hours of traveling across hills, through dense forests, and meadows, we finally come to the end of a stretch of pine trees...

The site ahead sends shivers through my shell.

Before us was a vast stretch of land, fire and lava seeping through cracks on it's rocky surface. Among it were jagged mountains, dangerous looking trails along the sides.

"Woahhhhhh..." I whisper, staring at it with wide eyes.

Suddenly, the horse let out a startled neigh, rearing up. Me and Rosebud both let out screams as we toppled off of it, tumbling across the ground.

Anxious, I frantically looked up.

But our horse was speeding away and back into the forest, a terrified look on it's face as it left us behind.

After a few moments of stunned silence, I decided to speak up.

"Well that's not good." I laugh nervously, still staring after it.

I slowly got to my feet, turning to Rosebud, who was climbing out of the basket.

"At least we can still go around the fire stone volcano land thingy..." I give her a thumbs up, but my smile faltered when she looked at me with a disappointed expression.

"Without a horse, it'll take to long. We must go through there." Rosebud looked away, beginning to walk towards the scary landscape.

My jaw dropped, and I let out a whining noise.

Why do we always have to go THROUGH the danger, just to defeat ANOTHER danger??

Gulping, I scurried after her, not wanting to get left behind.

After a while of scouting the edge of the place, we finally found a relatively safe area that would allow us access to a small path leading through the landscape.

Almost thirty minutes later, I was still jumping at every noise, unable to even slightly hide my terror.

"We're almost half way there already, Orange! You're doing great!" Rosebud cheered, grinning back at me.

Smiling anxiously, I gave her a cheesy thumbs up. But my eyes were still lit with terror, and I couldn't stop shaking.

How in the world can she be so calm about this?!

"Soooo, what is place...?" I question, wearily glancing around.

"Oh, it's called the Land of Forbidden." Rosebud called over her shoulder, still walking.

I freeze in my tracks, giving her a shocked look.

"Well isn't that much of a reassuring name for a place we're traveling through..." I laugh nervously, anxiously rubbing the back of my neck as I slowly follow after her.

We were about to cross another stretch of rock, when a sudden- and awfully familiar- screech sounded from above us.

Oh no...

We both looked up, just in time to see one of the Akuma's hovering over us, batting it's powerful wings.

"AN AKUMA?! FROM THE LEGENDS?!" Rosebud yelped, freezing in place as she stared at it with terror.

"NOT AGAINNNNNN!" I scream, hurrying forward.

"RUN ROSEBUD!" I yell, and she snaps out of her trance.

We both let out cries of fear as we raced along the side of the mountain, safety of the path now forgotten as the Akuma gained on us.

Rosebud leapt across a small gap, landing with a thump on the other side. The impact of her former weight on the side I was on seemed to be to much, and the muddy rock began crumbling at the edge.

I skidded to a halt, eyes widening at the sight.

"Come on, Orange! Hurry!" Rosebud yelled back.

Before I could even attempt to cross the failing structure, I sensed a familiar presence above.

I whirled around, eyes widening even further when I saw the Akuma hovering just a few feet above me. I could feel it's stinky breath on my face, and it let out a low growling noise.

I whined in terror, covering my head with my hands as I awaited to be snatched from the ground...

"Shitagau watashi! Stand down!" A girls voice demanded.

I heard the Akuma let out a soft screech of disappointment, but then heard it flapping away. Rosebud gasped behind me. Confused, I slowly pulled my arms away from my head, opening one eye to look.

The sight before us shocked me.

A dark figure was standing a dozen feet away, on the path. The Akuma was beside her, and she had her back facing us as she stroked the demon creatures pointed beak.

"Who are you??" I question, staring at her in awe.

She whirled around, an angry look on her face.

The first thing I noticed is that she had dark skin, which looked like a burned reddish color. Her dark brown hair was like a wild mane, and two large black horns stuck out of her head.

She had on ragged clothing, and a long tail flicked around her feet, glowing as if on fire.

Her shining bright blue eyes, which had no pupils in them, glared into my own.

"Who the fuck are you, and what do you think you're doing in our land?!" She demanded.