Ever since the guys had their awakenings last June Wednesday night has become elemental night. After daily training with splinter the guys would take a short break and then, they were mine.
Training started with meditation, linking with the spirit of the elements. When linkage had occurred each of the Turtle’s elemental marks would glow in the corresponding color. Yellow for the eastern winds, Green for the northern earth, Blue for the western waters, and Red for the southern flame. Once all four elements had been called a ring of silver cordoned off the sacred circle. Once my own energy, deep Purple for the spirit of the self, was called the silver circle was sealed in gold and practice could begin.
Placed at the four cardinal directions were items dedicated to each specific energy for the guys to practice manipulation on a small scale.
Mikey had feathers of various shapes and sizes, he was tasked with manipulating the wind to move them in specific ways. building his sense of control by reigning in his boundless energy.
Donnie was given a small sand garden with buried crystals. His task was to manipulate the sand to reveal the crystals without manipulating the crystals themselves or scattering the sand. Focusing on releasing energy gradually instead of in extreme bursts built by bottling his energy. This was intended to help him find balance instead of bouncing between extremes.
Leo had a simple bowl of water. To help him learn to relinquish control I tasked him with dipping his hands in the bowl and letting the water flow where it wanted, allowing the element to bind with his energy without him being in direct control. To feel and learn the natural flow.
Raph had his penny candles. Controlling his more volatile emotions to direct the flame to burn the target object hanging above without burning the others surrounding it. or melting his candle into a useless puddle of wax as he had many times already.
As they worked I stood guard, ready to act should anything go wrong. My hold on each colored soul loose yet ready to pull it from the form of its vessel and break the connection to the element should things get out of hand. The disconnect between body and soul acting as an emergency shutoff switch. Luckily I hadn't had to use it yet.
Mikey had been the first to crack the secret of control on the second practice session at that.
“I've got it! I've got it look!”
He had picked up a single feather with a breeze, making it flip end over end. His arms moving as if he were hitting the feather with his nunchaku instead of performing with visualization alone as I had instructed. We all learn control in our own way I suppose. And if you think about it the fluid yet rapid motion of nunchaku isn't much different from the motion of wind.
From there he had been tasked with learning to further manipulate the element, performing different “Tricks" with the feathers before moving to less and less aerodynamic objects.
Soon after Donnie followed suit. Learning to use his voice to manipulate the sand as it would behave if it were placed in a subwoofer. From there he experimented with other methods of sound making, relying on his sense of touch to feel the vibrations he couldn't differentiate by ear. He even used tools such as his bow staff to produce the specific vibrations needed to control his element, keeping the flow of energy steady and constant to manipulate the material. Soon we will be ready to experiment with large stones and begin work with the more organic aspects of the element such as plants.
“After Beethoven lost his hearing he cut the legs off his piano so he could feel the vibrations to differentiate between notes. Though I'm only tone deaf I figured a similar technique would help me pin down the resonant frequencies of the stone.”
Raph was the most recent, just last week he managed to lift the tip of the flame to its target and the smile on his face was just as bright as the fire. All week he had been sparking little flames along his fingers and making them roll and jump across his skin. After splinter got after him and sent him to the hashi for accidentally torching his new altarcloth we finally convinced Raph that keeping a fire extinguisher of some sort around was probably a good idea, And to not practice around flammable objects. Let's just say I've started tying my braid into a bun at the base of my neck, just in case.
The only brother yet to manage his task was Leonardo. Every week he would sit with his bowl and meditate with his opal only to get increasingly frustrated. He was trying to coax the water to flow across his skin and would often times get a small rivulet to run up his arm, only for it to burst and send water across the dojo floor. It was like watching a child try to tame a skittish pet by repeatedly picking it up and wondering why it struggled to get away.
Well I was going to get him properly bonded to his element before I left for school if it killed me.
That’s where we were now, the guys clustered behind leo as he focused on the calm pool.
“Water is an extremely dynamic element, often displaying much of its own will. You have to learn that you do not control the mischievous nature of the creature, you simply learn to utilize it as it is. You can dig a new bank for a river but its course will always shift in its own way.”
His hands dipped into the pool causing slight ripples across the surface and not much else before stilling again. Time passed in silence leo’s eyes never leaving the surface as he kept his breath calm and meditative. After a while though the eldest became impatient, the glow of his element mark growing in intensity as he urged the water to begin to flow up his arms. When it reached his elbows however it burst from his control and splattered over the dojo floor. In his frustration Leo flung the bowl and began pacing around the room muttering under his breath and rubbing at his face with his still damp hands. Drops of rampant fluid drained down the razor edge of his katana to gather unnaturally at the tips, giving me an idea.
He stopped in his tracks, instinct telling him to pay attention to his teacher.
“I have an alternative plan. Would you entertain me to attempt it?”
The defeated look on his face softened and he nodded, eyes still glued to the spilled water on the floor.
“Grab one of the overhead sprinklers from the greenhouse and bring it to the main room for me?”
“Yeah sure thing, Come on Mikey, ill need another set of hands to keep it from getting banged up on the tunnel walls.”
“What do you have up your sleeve this time Myojo?
“Just watch Red, you'll see.”
Once everything was gathered i set my plans in motion.
“Allright Leo, i want you to stand in the pool at the bottom of the entrance slide, ready your katana and close your eyes. Ok Donnie, start up the sprinkler. Now leo i want you to go through your katas, don't pay any attention to the water beyond keeping your connection strong.”
With a steadying sigh Leo started going through the familiar motions, his feet planted securely in the flowing chanel as the pricking of falling water kept his mind scattered from focusing on any one source of his element. After a few minutes the water at his feet inexplicably stilled, retaining a glassy smooth surface despite the movements of the katana wielding kappa or the raining droplets coming from above.
“Well i'll be damned, the son of a bitch actually managed it.”
“Quiet Raph, OK Leo, keep doing that but slow down, focus only on keeping your motions as smooth and calm as possible, as you would if you were doing tai chi.”
As his speed decreased and his breath evened out to the point of being nearly undetectable in his chest the water at his feet began to gather, lifting above the surface proper in a smooth mound. A thick rivulet about as big around and as long as a human arm started to form, flowing up one of his legs to slither over his shell and his left shoulder. The falling droplets helped give the creature form, long spikes supporting flowing fins sprouting from the writhing curling mass of its body as its tail thinned out to a trickle of a point and the squarish face took shape and sprouted its own fins. The creature looked like a mixture of a fancy koi and an eastern dragon, twirling along Leo’s arms and down the length of his blades with its translucent and wavering body.
“Uisce, the spirit of water. A mischievous trickster of a creature who does not take to rigid orders, the ancient japanese called her mizu.”
Mizu continued to follow the motions of her host for a while before losing form and becoming a strong torrent that followed the tips of Leo’s katana like a set of divining rods.
“Leonardo continue your motion but do not open your eyes until i tell you, when you do you will not stop, you will not hitch or falter in your breath, you will remain calm and finish whatever motion you are currently in before reacting. Do you understand.”
I did not wait to be given an answer signaling for him to do as i had instructed. When his eyes opened he was greeted with the sight of twin torrents, dancing from the ends of his blades like a gymnast’s ribbons.
“Good focus only on suggesting the path, do not force your element. Speed up, let's see if you can hold it.”
His nod was slight, sharp eyes trained on the swirling and crashing water. I picked up an apple from the table and threw it at him so that he would be unable to block it with his blades. The water moved against it's flow to sweep up the fruit, rolling and bobbing it amongst itself.
The rain stopped and the water fell back to settle in the pool but the apple still bobbed as if being played with by a cat. Leo looked at me and I gestured to the now partially eaten fruit.
When he pulled the apple away the water burst forward to follow it, taking the form of the water spirit again as it attempted to snatch it from Leo’s hands.
“No, it's mine now. You've had enough.”
It perched on his arm and just sat there looking at him for a moment before spitting a jet of water into his face.
“Ah! Ppphhhhh! You little…”
The creature disappeared again but not before Leo managed to knock the apple away to roll across the floor and rest at Raph’s feet. A spark jumped from his fingers as a wavering canine form fell on the fruit in a spreading bloom of flame before taking a more solid shape to gnaw.
“Lasair, that isn't yours… oh no Leo stop her!”
The water spirit jumped on her brother and a burst of hot steam filled the room, revealing a third competitor for the prize. It had a body like a serpent with three sets of wings and a razor beak.
“great now Goath is after it too, Mikey, Leo, Raph get ahold of them before i do.”
“WHAT THE FUCK ARE THOSE THINGS!!”
Really thought they’d be used to this by now, really didn't want to have to do this today but with three fighting chaos beasts threatening to destroy the lair i'll have to.
What in the hell? When you think you’ve finally seen it all you see three supposed elemental spirits battling it out for a half eaten apple in the middle of your goddamn living room. I can't even be surprised anymore, i didn't know what to even start doing about this and on top of it Elasia just up and disappeared. She was the one who knew how to deal with all this shit.
Great now there’s another one, this one was so dark it looked like it was just a hole in reality with sharp gold eyes and wide wings. When it landed one three toed foot grabbed the apple and stared the others down. This one was bigger than the others, and not as weird lookin. It was just a shadow shaped like…. Really? A damn raven, she was behind this.
The raven took the apple in its beak and broke it into four chunks, dropping one piece in front of Me, Mikey, and Leo. the creatures followed and started crunching at the bait. Now they were well behaved, figures. The raven took the fourth piece and hopped to the couch, it dropped the piece and nudged it behind and a thin vine wrapped around it and pulled it into its hiding hole. The raven fluffed itself all self satisfied and cawed like it was bitchin at us before it took off for the shadows of the tunnels.
“What are you waiting for get a handle on your spirits! Do i have to do everything?”
“Mikey, Goath isn't going to bite you. If anyone should have control of their element its you. Now just grab the thunderbird.”
The smokey bird serpent slithered right up his arm and wrapped itself around his neck where it promptly fell asleep.
“Awwww, he’s so fluffy! Who's a good bird.”
“See, now get a hold of the others before they act out again.”
Leo’s jumped back in the water and crawled up on the retaining wall to sit next to her master. Otherwise ignoring him until he came to her, sitting on the wall next to the Koi dragon and reaching out to stroke its fins. Raph’s just looked up at him with the same look of fed up confusion as his master.
“What did you say his name was again?”
“The celts call him lasair, it literally means flame so whatever tongue you want to use.”
The hellhound looked at the floor in shame as he shifted closer to his master. He looked like a doberman with way too many teeth but he was acting absolutely pathetic as he gazed up longingly at Raph. it didn't take long for the big softie to break.
“Don't give me that face….fine, up! Good boy. Ah don't, gah! God what’s with dogs and lickin my damn face!”
Donnie was tugging on one of the vines trying to dislodge his spirit from its hiding place.
“That’s because she doesn't understand. Crann is shy so you have to be gentle. You know how to handle your element, its part of you.”
Donnie got down on all fours and peered behind the couch, taking a minute to breath and try and get a good look at the creature. He made a low rumbling sound almost too low to hear and held out his hand, waiting for the creature to make the first step. A thin vine edged out of the darkness, soon followed by an eldritch abomination of various plant parts that wound itself around his arm.
“See, she’s a sweetheart.”
Donnie looked like he was expecting her to bite his limb off.
“She’s a yateveo, a devil tree.”
It looked at Donnie with what could only be described as it's face, a single purple orchid about the size of a tennis ball. The blossom tilted this way and that before slowly moving to rest on his shoulder, the mass of vines following and wrapping to get a hold on most of his upper body.
“I think she likes me? Hey hey heyheyhey! watch the vines Ki! And give those back I need those….”
Ki dropped Don’s glasses back on his face and started in on some other method of curiously exploring her new master.
“So what are these things.”
“Mizu was laid back over Leo’s lap, every once in a while trying to snap at the long tails of his mask.
“They are the spirits of the elements.”
“But I thought you said we were the elements?”
“No I said you were the Guardians of the elements. You are mortal, the elements have to be around even if you’re between lives so they take the forms of elemental spirit beasts. When you are alive they are bound to your souls by nature and that is why you can control them. There are five, one for each of the elements air, earth, fire, water, and spirit. When you figured out how to control your element you in turn tamed your beast and by building your skills you work to train it.”
“Yes, I never quite thought of it like that but the process could be considered similar.”
Mikey looked down at his elemental and gently ran it's long smoke tail through his fingers.
“I was going to name you Kaze, but now I have to call you zapdos.”
“Do they go away or are they permanent, like pets?”
“They do go away, they can only manifest when you are connected to your element. When you break the connection they are released back into the aether. They won't come every time, usually only when they're called, but Mizu drew them out this time and just had to start a fight.”
The water dragon cowered behind her master’s arm.
“I think you're leaving one little question unanswered babe…”
Raph was looking at me through squinted suspicious eyes, still petting kaen so he obviously wasn't too upset yet.
“I don't know what you're talking about?...”
“Elasia, do you think I'm a fucking idiot. The thing was a black hole in the shape of a raven.”
“I've told you that before.”
He crossed his arms in front of his chest and rolled his toothpick between his teeth.
“Well delight me with a re-telling then.”
Great, I would have to word this just right. I spun my ring around my finger to center my train of thought and spoke to the open air, not really looking at anyone in particular.
“Do you guys remember how I said in our mythology Elasia is the guardian of stars, which in turn are the spirits of our people? Well it's more than mythology, my mother is the angel Lunis and I'm literally the guardian of the firmament, the resting place for souls out of circulation. The Black hole raven as you put it is what I look like when my mortal form is between lives. I'm the spirit and the guardian in one package where you are the Guardians to your individual elemental spirits, connected but not one.”
“Which means, come on I'm sick and tired of not getting the whole damn story. Kick the mystery shit. Explain how that relates to us, and these.”
He gestured a bit too roughly toward Kaen and the poor thing whimpered. Raph immediately started to scratch behind its ears in silent apology to the innocent beast.
“The four earthly elements were born when the earth was formed, first in earth and fire, then water, and finally air. Spirit however came much later when the earth and the heavens met and formed the firmament around the time of the start of intelligent life. When spirit was born into a mortal body and the 200 year cycle of souls began the elements became a problem, a threat to life. Their first forms were those of monstrous beasts who carried the full power of their element within themselves, you would know them as titans. They fought constantly and brought chaos to the earth so the highest power separated them into two forms, mortal guardian and immortal elemental. one to perform the duty of the element and hold the majority of the power and the other to hold the living mind, the connection between the conscious world and the natural order. The element of spirit because of the direct tie to the soul couldn't be separated from her body completely so she was tasked with watching over all intelligent life and maintaining the cycle of souls in her firmament along a cycle congruent to her own life. To do so her form was split into one mortal and one of her mother’s ether connected by the soul of spirit. The mortal form was tasked with guiding and teaching the guardians of the elements. The five are supposed to act as a governing force, being reborn every 200 years to guide the realm of intelligent life, which once included humans, to balance and prosperity with the planet. It is my duty to make sure you can handle your elements or you could lose control and harm someone, or worse expose us all and ruin any chance of restoring the balance.”
Leo spoke first, making the connection I feared my friends would make.
“So is that why you're here? some sense of duty, you feel obligated.”
“Elasia wouldn't do that shit bro, She’s our friend. Look at all the stuff she's done, she showed us we weren't alone, we don't wear patchwork scraps from the junkyard anymore. We have real jobs, we aren't freeloading off April and Casey. We have people like us. Elasia gave us dignity, showed us we didn't have to grow up loner street rats!”
“Grow up Mikey and stop with the rose colored glasses shit. It's obvious she’s been manipulating us, anything for her precious people. She couldn't even tell us what she was, let alone what she did to us to make us even bigger freaks!”
He looked at me like he didn't even know me, like I had stabbed him in the back, and then he wouldn't even look at me. I felt heartbroken, was he that mad at me? Over this?
“Raphael, just listen please. This means nothing, you're still my best friend, my sparring partner, my bonded. I wanted to be all those things long before I knew what you were, screw prophecy, screw mythology.”
At least he stopped, he was listening.
“I love you Raphael Hamato. Me, Jazz the 21 year old girl, not the star loving the flame. I. love. you! Leo, Mikey, Donnie, you brothers are my closest friends!! I give you my word by my soul. You feel that at least right? You know that? Guys?”
“I believe her, you wouldn't do half of what you do if you only felt obligated by your nature. You treat us like family E.”
“Donnie…. I promise I'll always be your family.”
I felt Mikey’s hand grab mine and I looked behind with tears in my eyes at his smiling face.
“Super awesome gaming buddies?”
“The best gaming buddies. Thanks Mikey.”
He gripped my hand in our special handshake, eyes sparking with loyalty and friendship. I was blubbering like a baby but my grin was nearly exploding.
“Ah stop that, you know I love ya like a big sis Jazzycakes.”
Leo was next, his eyes stayed on the floor.
“I apologize for doubting you Elasia, don't cry due to my insensitivity. I should have known better than to think you regarded us as any less than friends.”
“I'm crying because I'm happy Leo, you guys are my best friends. I always wanted friends, don't ever think I don't care, that I think you guys are an obligation.”
Mikey wrapped me up in a hug and Leo went far enough out of his comfort zone to squeeze my hand real quick.
“Mikey you're squishing me….”
“feel the all mighty power of my friendship!!!”
“gah! I'm going to have plastron shaped bruises for an hour! Noooo let go!!!”
Mikey had licked all up my face before dropping me, gasping for air, for Don to catch.
“You already said you love us can't take it back!!”
“Get ready E, he’s never going to stop, You're family.”
“Great…..Thanks for the lift Don but can I get down now?”
He put me down and went to pet my head. I grabbed his neck and pulled him down to my height and tapped his cheek to my own.
“That's how family shows affection where I'm from, it's like a hug.”
He tapped me back, whispering as he gestured over his shoulder.
“I think there's still someone you have to speak to.”
Raph was staring at the wall across the room, Kaen mirroring him. None of the elementals had left, choosing to stay and comfort their masters.
“I think that's been enough training for today.”
“What do we do about the elementals?”
“Keep them around and get to know them or send them back to the ether to do their jobs, it's up to you. Just keep them out of trouble.”
The guys took the hint to disperse leaving me alone with Raphael, who was still staring at the wall.
“Raph, Big Red please just talk to me. We both know you stewing in this will only make it worse.”
Before I could touch his arm he pulled away, sulking his over to the edge of the pool where he sat heavilly on the cement retaining wall. I wasn't giving up, instead I followed him, jumping up on the wall and balancing on my toes as I made a show of creeping up beside him. When I plopped down beside him he didn't get up so that was a good sign.
“Raphie, please talk to me.”
Nothing, but he didn't pull away when I took his hand. He was still wearing my studded choker necklace on his wrist, I lined up our hands by the matching bands, two of my clawed fingers to each of his. His hands were always so cool, absorbing energy like a sponge. Their smooth calloused texture was addicting to run my fingers over, I always enjoyed playing with his hands.
“There's just one more thing that I need to know. If this is love, why does it scare me so? Well, it must be somethin that only you can see? 'Cause I can feel it, baby, when you look at me.
So tonight I'll ask, the stars above
How did I ever win your love?
What did I do, what did I say
To turn your angel eyes my way?”
We just sat there for a while, him staring off in thought letting me lean against his arm, humming our song with his big hand clutched in both my own.
“Why didn't you just tell me?”
“Because I knew you would react exactly how you are now. You would doubt the fact that you even meant anything to me and think of yourself as just a mission or an obligation. And I was afraid, afraid that when you found out about my lineage that you would turn me away, treat me like a goddess above your station like everyone else. I was afraid you would force yourself to forget how much I care about you under some delusion that you aren't good enough for me.”
He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me up onto his lap, burying his chin against the base of my neck and pressing his face into my wings and hair.
“Nothing since we met you has been normal. I just feel like I'm being swept down a river with no way of seein the rocks on the bottom or where I'm going. I don't even know what to do or think anymore because every damn day it seems like another off the wall thing happens. Last night I was a mutant turtle with fire powers and shit and you were my bird human hybrid girlfriend that could work with souls, I can deal with that easy. Today I discover that my brothers and I are titans of creation reincarnated and you're literally a goddess of death and the afterlife. Apparently it's our job to lead a whole race of people across the world and we barely manage to keep New york from some major apocalyptic tragedy every other year! I'm scratching the ears of a hellhound made of fire for Christ's sake! It's a little much to take in at 10:00 in the goddamn morning!!!”
I laid back against him, wrapping him in my feathers and tucking my head up under his chin. Maybe a little teasing would help.
“If it makes you feel any better Mr.Titan, the term is demi-angel, reaper works too, I'm far from being a goddess…..And Raph, you don't have to worry about this all on your own, you've got your brothers, and you've got me. Between the five of us what can't we manage?”
He was looking at me again, sizing me up as he thought things over, the edge of his lip jumping with a smile that didn't know if it wanted to form.
“What the hell am I going to do with you?”
“Why don't we just start with the understanding that we aren't hiding things from each other anymore and go for a nice drive to the dog park. I bet Andromeda would love a nice run with her new brother, we can pick her up from April and Casey’s on the way.”
“Sounds damn good to me.”
I jumped up off his lap and shook out my misplaced feathers, beaming at him over my shoulder.
“Well come on you big pain in the ass, we’re wasting moonlight!”
There was that smile, he knocked me out of the way with a playful shove as he tried to get a head start to the garage. But he didn't notice the shadow that flew past his head until he found me waiting for him, laid over the back of his bike like a showgirl with my wings spread and fluffed.
“What took you so long loverboy…”
“Get on your own bike and we’ll see who can ride harder. Oh and Myojo?”
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me roughly against his plastron as he kissed me so roughly I saw supernovas behind my eyes.
It took me a few moments to work through what had happened, until I heard his engine roaring away from the shop.
“You cheating motherfucker! Get back here Raphael!!!”
“BOYS! WHAT HAPPENED IN HERE? IT LOOKS LIKE A TORNADO CAME THROUGH MY LIVING ROOM!!!!!! IT HAD BETTER BE CLEANED IN FIVE MINUTES OR YOU'LL SPEND THE NIGHT IN THE HASHI!”
“How much do you want to bet Jazzy knew dad would find out about the mess and that's why she and Raph took off.”
“Oh I know that's exactly what happened mikey.”
“Come on guys, just let the two have their fun. Help me fix this table Leo.”
“Still not fair they get to go have fun and we’re stuck cleaning. I was going to the skate park with Mondo and Alley Cat tonight!”
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