Song: Right There - Disciple

"What exactly did you dream of?"  I ask irritably as I follow Elizabetta down the dark streets of New York City. It's night and the sky is clouded over. It makes it even harder to see than usual. But I am grateful for that, since it provides me with extra cover from curious citizens.

    Elizabetta seems to know where she's going. She knows which turns to take and never once have to double back. But I still haven't heard the whole story to why we're on such a strange adventure. And I have never been considered 'patient' by anyone.

   The girl seems to fluster a bit, like she doesn't want to tell me the truth. "It was of my brother," she finally answers.

   I stop in my tracks. "You mean, your dead brother?" I question further, narrowing my eyes.

   She pauses as well, facing me with an embarrassed expression. "Yes."

   "Great, so we're on a wild goose chase," I groan, throwing my hands up.

   "Raph, you don't get it," Elizabetta says, her eyes pleading. "It wasn't just a dream. It felt real. It felt like he was actually there."

   "That doesn't matter!" I retort. "We're out here in the middle of nowhere, risking my discovery for someone who's dead!"

   Elizabetta flinches. I feel a pang of guilt; she hasn't accepted her brother is gone yet. She's still grieving.

   "I didn't mean-" I start to apologize, but she interrupts me.

   "I didn't ask you to come with me," she suddenly snaps. "If you want to go back to the lair, then go. But I have to do this. I have to know for sure if he's gone." She goes on without waiting for a reply.

   I can easily turn around and head home. But I can't leave her alone, especially if she's going mental. She needs a trained ninja to look out for her, whether she agrees with that or not.

   I give into my better nature and run to catch up with her.

   We walk in an awkward silence for several more minutes. I can sense waves of annoyance rolling off of Elizabetta. I really upset her.

   The problem is, I'm not good at sounding remorseful. So I stay silent, knowing that I will only make things worse if I talk.

   Elizabetta seems to be following an invisible leader. The confidence in her steps and the way her eyes look straight ahead convinces me of that. Did she dream which way to go, too? Or does she know something I don't? Whatever it is, I hope it doesn't lead us straight into trouble.

   Suddenly, I feel a change in the atmosphere. It has nothing to do with the rain clouds above. It's something around us that seems to shift.

   I look at Elizabetta. "There's someone around," I warn her, but I don't have to. She's already aware.

   "I know. I can feel it." Her green gaze scans the area, stopping on an alley entrance a few feet away. "They're down there." Her voice drops dramatically.

  I tense and grip my sais tightly. "Stay here. I'm gonna go scope it out," I whisper.

   "No way!" Elizabetta hisses softly. She steps in front of me and disappears around the corner.

   I growl in frustration. Females! Not having a choice, I slink after her, stealth mode taking me over.

   Elizabetta and I linger in the shadows. We creep towards the back wall in silence, until we're close enough to spot a figure. It's a human curled up in a ball, clutching a leg to his chest.

   "Edmund!" Elizabetta screams in shock.

  I jump. "You nearly scared the shell off me!" I snarl at her.

   If she hears me, she gives no sign. Instead, she darts over to the seemingly-injured person and bends down beside him.

   "Edmund," she repeats more quietly. She gently touches his shoulder.

   The fellow looked younger than Elizabetta; maybe about my age. He is scrawny and has obviously been abused. His face, probably once handsome, has a nasty burn across the cheek. As his eyes flicker open, I notice they're a vivid green, the exact shade of Elizabetta's eyes.

   Even though she said she was looking for her brother, I didn't think she would actually find him. But there is no mistaking the striking resemblance between the two.

   Maybe she isn't loony after all.

   The guy, who I assume is named Edmund, slowly focuses on her. "Liz?" His voice sounds scratchy and unused. He must have gone through a really rough time. Then again, he did supposedly die twice.

   Elizabetta lets out a faint sigh of relief. "You really are alive," she murmurs. "I can't believe it."

   "I can." Edmund releases a strangled cough, like he is laughing. "I'm younger than you. You're supposed to die first."

   Elizabetta giggles and helps him sit up. As he leans back against the alley wall, he winces.  He clutches his knee so hard that his knuckles turn white.

   Elizabetta frowns. "What happened to your leg?" she questions him gently, almost as if he's fragile.

   "If I told you the truth, you'd think I was mental," he chuckles breathlessly. I get the feeling he is someone who doesn't take things too seriously.

   Elizabetta smiles a bit. "No, I wouldn't. You have no idea what I've been through these past several months."

   Edmund looks up at her, a weak grin on his face. He lifts up a fist and holds it out towards her. "I missed you, Liz."

   Elizabetta's eyes start watering. She fist-bumps him. "I missed you too, Ed."

   I glance around. I get the feeling we're being watching, though I'm probably just paranoid. Still, there isn't any sense in being out when we don't need to be.

   "Not to break up this mushy reunion," I say tensely, stepping out of the shadows. "But I'd rather not stand around and wait for someone to find us."

   Edmund's gaze meets mine and they fill with fear. He grasps one of Elizabetta's arms tightly, panicked. "Get away from my sister!" he yells at me, his voice dying out on the last word, making him non-threatening.

   I am surprised. I put up my hands in surrender. "Whoa there, I'm not gonna hurt ya. Don't get yourself in a bunch."

   Elizabetta barely acknowledges my appearance. "We need to get you back to the lair," she informs her brother.

   "The lair?" Edmund echoes, raising an eyebrow.

   "It's where I'm staying at now," Elizabetta explains. She finally looks up at me, though she doesn't appear too thrilled about it. "I can't carry him myself," she admits.

   I'm skeptical about the idea of bringing her brother back with us. What if he does something to my brothers? My thoughts flicker to Master Splinter's old warnings, and I suddenly wonder if Edmund is the 'storm' the rat has been talking about. If Edmund is a spy of some sort, taking him back could be a catastrophe.

   "I don't know if this is a good idea," I grunt. "I think we'd better talk to the others about this first.  Especially Master Splinter."

   Elizabetta's eyes blaze with fire. "You want to leave him out here like this?! You're supposed to help people!"

   I roll my eyes. Why does everyone always have to play the guilt card on me? "If he's working for someone, then-"

   "Working for someone?!" She is furious. "He wouldn't do that! Look at the shape he's in! Obviously he was trying to get away from someone!"

   "Liz," Edmund mumbles, touching her arm. "It's ok. I'm not really comfortable with being around mutants anyway," he says.

   I narrow my eyes. How does he know about mutants?

   My mind flies backwards. He had been kidnapped by the Foot Clan, and possibly experimented on just like Elizabetta had been so long ago. He must have learned about mutants from them. Which leads me to be even more suspicious about him.

   Elizabetta doesn't seem to think about any of that, however. "They're nice mutants," she insists. "One of them- Donnie- can fix you up. You'll be good as new. Please, Ed, I can't leave you like that," she begs.

   Edmund sighs. He glances at me, ducking his head a bit to show respect. "I suppose," he agrees. "If this... Turtle will let me," he adds, after glancing me over to figure out what I am.

   I feel myself giving in. Leonardo would probably have a fit if I don't help her brother, anyway.

   "The name's Raphael," I respond. "And Donnie, my turtle brother, would be glad to fix you up." I keep an edge to my tone to show I don't particularly want to be friends.

   Edmund, sensing this, gives me a hesitant smile. "Alright."

   Elizabetta is overjoyed. "Let's-" she starts to speak, but a familiar robot sound interrupts.

   I look up and spot two dozen Footbots eyeing us from the rooftops. Their mechanical eyes glint deviously in the faint light. They release their many weapons and drop down around us.

   "Ambush!" I growl, tensing my muscles. I step in front of the siblings. We are outnumbered eight to one.

   But I'm not going down without a fight.