Fic: 1-2 The Raven Chapter 2/4
The Raven Chapter 2
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She arrived on foot, having landed in an alley and run the rest of the way. Her black coat wiped in the wind caused by the blaze as she approached. Fire trucks roared in the distance and people were running from their houses. Several people were in the street, clutching to one another and in shock. Pulling up the hood of the sweater she had put on under her coat she pulled the strings tight to protect her hair and as much of her face as she could. Without much more deliberation she ran into the flames, leaping over them as high as she could, the sounds of people’s screams sounding behind her.
The flames were devouring the front of the store, burning up the paper work and the office. The acrid smell of burnt plastic, food, and cigarettes filled the air making her cough. She couldn’t do this as her self, the mortal in her would never survive. With a sigh and as deep a breath as she would risk, she focused on something deep inside, feeling the cool lettering on the tattoos on her back, her eyes going from their normal sapphire to a glowing red, a blackness moving down her shelves and over her hands like clawed gloves. She began to search the aisles, staying low. The sprinklers were going and trying in vain to douse the flames. What was ever in the thing had a lot of propellant that burned hot. Already her shoes were melting to the floor. Her sight looked past the flames and the smoke, showing a different view of the world. Everything looked grey, spots with blood looking brighter. She spotted a hand truck with spots of red on the end, taking only a moment to pause by it before moving on. Her foot crunched on something and she looked down, finding a broken white mask under her foot. Despite it being inanimate, the residual glow of someone’s emotional imprint made it shine like a star. Grabbing it she looked at it momentarily. Images of the man behind it fighting, the rush of the battle, flying into the store, watching a large man put his friends in the back. Being knocked out, as well as the subsequent emotions and feelings behind it nearly threw her to the floor in sympathy pains.
“So they took you… meaning one less body here.” She muttered before coughing. She ran towards the back moving through the double doors that were already melting despite the flames being only half way in the store. It was hot in here and her shoes were now a hindrance. Kicking them off her feet slapped against the cement of the back room, the same darkness enrobing her hands moving to protect her soles. Her sight caught something behind thick doors, but it was the sense of Wrath, his chi, that drew her to the freezer. It was relatively smoky here but she let her sight slip back to normal, the red fading to a glowing blue.
“Wrath!” she pounded at the freezer door. Someone had smashed the hinges so they wouldn’t open and jammed the handle with a crow bar. The door was not going to cooperate nicely. “Wrath answer me!” she pounded again and was rewarded with a weak knocking from within. “Get clear of the door!” She backed up, the blackness extending on her hands and forming into longer claws, which she used to slash at the door. “Wolverine eat your heart out.” The metal screamed in protest as it was ripped apart, before she bent it back enough to leave a gaping hole. Her second sight was immediately back up, spotting the dully glowing life force of the two turtles inside. “Says the Raven, never more.”
“Yer’ funny…” his sarcasm was weak, as was his voice. She knelt down, checking Wrath’s pulse then Pride’s. “What took ya?”
“I was watching Buffy.” She said rolling Pride over and scooping him up. “Can you stand?”
“Not really.” He admitted, barely making it to all fours. “Get him out… he’ll never make it…” he began to cough now that the smoke was filling the freezer. “Hurry.”
“No way sinner boy. You had Puck call me in the middle of the God damned night to save your sorry carcass and you’d better be saved or I’ll have hell to pay.” She knelt down with her back to Wrath. “Grab on tight, I got you both.”
She felt his weight settle on her back; his hands wrap around her neck and gripping at her coat. He probably was too out of it to notice the dark shadows clutching right back at him from below, or the way he nuzzled into her neck as she stood. “Hope Puck listens to orders from women better than you two.” She grunted as she began to move into the loading dock, spotting the small garage door and the smaller side door. It opened outwards, thankfully. With a kick the door went flying wide open and she ran out, leaping down off of the dock onto the ground and taking off, breathing hard the whole way. They cleared the alley way just as the flames began to eat at the back windows of the second floor, and the sounds of sirens grew loud enough to give them only a few seconds more. Running down the side walk she spotted a moving van peeking out of a side street, her second sight telling her exactly who was waiting there in. “Good boys.”
She ran into the side street, and turned to the back of the truck as the door opened. Wrath had mentioned they had a sweet ride…
“Hey boys, late night delivery.” She said with a wide grin, turning her back to the back of the truck and setting Wrath down. “Take him first he’s heavy.” Hands grabbed at Wrath pulling him back. When he was clear she turned and jumped into the back, still cradling Pride like a bride across a thresh hold. “Sirens closing in let’s get moving.”
“What about Casey?” Puck asked, pleading with wide eyes. She shook her head as she laid Pride down, being mindful of his head.
“They took him. He wasn’t in there.” She said with a shake of her head, frowning slightly.
“How do you know?!” Puck sounded desperate and her eyes flashed into his, earning a meep.
“Call it women’s intuition. Drive.” Arch was behind the wheel and pulled out as she reached back and closed the doors. They pulled out and down the street in time to see the calvary move in. “Do you have a medical kit or something back here?”
“Yes, right side, down low.” She looked and spotted the large box, pulling it out. “The side panel beside it has blankets.” She grinned and pulled them out too. Putting both turtles in the seats and tipping them back she wrapped Wrath up first before attending to Pride. He looked terrible but concussions did that to people. She’d had enough to know. “Pride here looks no worse for ware. Bad concussion by his temple, his balance will be shot for a few days and it might need stitches. That and a little freezer burn.” The crack got a little giggle from Puck as she worked on cleaning up the injury and bandaging it, feeling Puck’s intent stare on her back the whole time.
“Leo?” Wrath’s voice was soft, probably to keep his own headache down. “He ok?”
“Leo’s fine, knucklehead. You’re ok too.” She turned her attention to him, checking his pupils and putting a bandage on his head as he groaned and tried to swat her away. “Suck it up, sinner boy, this is gunna hurt for a while.”
“Casey?” he was trying to get up and look around. Normally emerald skin had a bad tone to it, frost formed around his lips and eyes. “Where’s Casey?”
“MIA. I’ll get him though.” She smiled and gently pushed him back
“No we gotta… it’s our fault an… an…” he trailed off, shutting his eyes tightly as he tried to regain control and stay awake. She pulled the seat belt tighter around him and gave him a light tap on the shoulder.
“Shut up dumb ass. You called me from my nice warm apartment to come save your shell. I got one more on the line and you’re going home to get mother hened over and lectured and you’re gunna deal with it.” The two glared at each other for a moment, her hand still on his bare shoulder. Mike could see something going on between the two before Raph sagged and settled down, letting her pull the blanket up higher.
“You suck.” He grumped as she turned her attentions back to Leo. It earned a little laugh from her.
“Not that you’d know.” She leered at him, smiling some.
“Heh.” He made a move to roll his eyes and she saw him think better of it.
“Go to sleep Wrath.” She shot him one last look before he closed his eyes and did as he was told. Checking over Leo, Pride, whatever, one more time she sighed and pulled her hoodie down. “God is he always like that?”
“Nah usually he’s more chipper.” Puck said, giving her a weak smile as she put away the med kit. “You used to patching people up?”
“Normally I’m doing the patching on little ol’ me, it’s nice to see what I’m doing for once in regards to head trauma.” She shrugged before moving up closer, spotting the space heater mounted to the floor. She gave it a tenuous touch and was glad to see it rotate. Turning it behind her so it was warming the back of the truck she leaned over the front bench. “What now?”
“How about who and what you are, and how you know Raph?” Arch’s voice was cold and clinical, but rather than be intimidated by the turtle she shrugged.
“Raph is Wrath… heh close enough.” She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, Mike watching the blackness move off her hands and back into her coat. “Raph and I met a few months back, after the Maxwell fire. I thought he was one of the guys who had done the job come back to admire his work. We fought, I kicked his ass, and we talked.”
“You beat Raph?” Puck gave her a wide eye look. “hehe he got his ass kicked by a girl.”
“Hey give the guy some credit. It took three hours.” She rubbed at her shoulder where said turtle had been hanging from. “Guy’s a beast when he wants to be. Anyway we’ve seen each other on and off. I won’t mention doing what because it isn’t my place to say.” She shot Mike a poignant look. “Glad you heeded my warning, little Puck.”
“Hey since we can know you now, it’s Mikey.” He grinned at her then looked to Don, who didn’t look pleased. “And that’s Donatello, or just Don or Donnie or…”
“Yeah, I get the picture shorty.” She patted him on the head, hoping it would still his mouth. She turned her attention to Don. “I want you to get them home and warmed up. I’m guessing since you’ve patched them up before I don’t need to bother with medical jargon and what not.”
“No I know how to handle concussions and near hypothermia. They just won’t enjoy it.” Don replied, his voice tense and expression tight. She didn’t bother trying to touch him, not wanting the emotional back lash he’d give her.
“What are you gunna do?” Mikey looked at her with a very worried expression. “You aren’t going after Casey alone.”
“No choice. Your brothers need you, and you’ll freeze out here.” She turned and moved towards the back again, brushing a hand against Leo and Raph. Mikey watched their faces soften from grimaces of pain to much more placed expressions. And you’ll just get in my way.
“Neat trick, what did you do?” his voice sounded in awe but she didn’t turn, their grimace had become her own. God she’d need some Excedrin after this night.
“Took the pain, made it mine. I’ll explain when I save Casey.” She took something from her coat and settled it on Raph’s chest. “Just get them home safe. I’ll call you later.”
“But you don’t…” he had a million questions and by the looks of it only seconds to ask them. He looked at the mask on Raph’s chest and gulped.
“You called me remember? It’s in my phone.” She waved the little black thing in the air before putting it away and opening the back doors when Don stopped at a sign. “Don’t wait up.” She hopped down and shut the doors behind her. In the rear view, Don could see her run then leap into the air, coat fluttering as she lifted off the ground into the night.
“Mikey?”
“Yeah.” Mike turned his attention from the broken mask on his injured brother to Don, not liking the look he was getting.
“Start talking…”
TBC…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She arrived on foot, having landed in an alley and run the rest of the way. Her black coat wiped in the wind caused by the blaze as she approached. Fire trucks roared in the distance and people were running from their houses. Several people were in the street, clutching to one another and in shock. Pulling up the hood of the sweater she had put on under her coat she pulled the strings tight to protect her hair and as much of her face as she could. Without much more deliberation she ran into the flames, leaping over them as high as she could, the sounds of people’s screams sounding behind her.
The flames were devouring the front of the store, burning up the paper work and the office. The acrid smell of burnt plastic, food, and cigarettes filled the air making her cough. She couldn’t do this as her self, the mortal in her would never survive. With a sigh and as deep a breath as she would risk, she focused on something deep inside, feeling the cool lettering on the tattoos on her back, her eyes going from their normal sapphire to a glowing red, a blackness moving down her shelves and over her hands like clawed gloves. She began to search the aisles, staying low. The sprinklers were going and trying in vain to douse the flames. What was ever in the thing had a lot of propellant that burned hot. Already her shoes were melting to the floor. Her sight looked past the flames and the smoke, showing a different view of the world. Everything looked grey, spots with blood looking brighter. She spotted a hand truck with spots of red on the end, taking only a moment to pause by it before moving on. Her foot crunched on something and she looked down, finding a broken white mask under her foot. Despite it being inanimate, the residual glow of someone’s emotional imprint made it shine like a star. Grabbing it she looked at it momentarily. Images of the man behind it fighting, the rush of the battle, flying into the store, watching a large man put his friends in the back. Being knocked out, as well as the subsequent emotions and feelings behind it nearly threw her to the floor in sympathy pains.
“So they took you… meaning one less body here.” She muttered before coughing. She ran towards the back moving through the double doors that were already melting despite the flames being only half way in the store. It was hot in here and her shoes were now a hindrance. Kicking them off her feet slapped against the cement of the back room, the same darkness enrobing her hands moving to protect her soles. Her sight caught something behind thick doors, but it was the sense of Wrath, his chi, that drew her to the freezer. It was relatively smoky here but she let her sight slip back to normal, the red fading to a glowing blue.
“Wrath!” she pounded at the freezer door. Someone had smashed the hinges so they wouldn’t open and jammed the handle with a crow bar. The door was not going to cooperate nicely. “Wrath answer me!” she pounded again and was rewarded with a weak knocking from within. “Get clear of the door!” She backed up, the blackness extending on her hands and forming into longer claws, which she used to slash at the door. “Wolverine eat your heart out.” The metal screamed in protest as it was ripped apart, before she bent it back enough to leave a gaping hole. Her second sight was immediately back up, spotting the dully glowing life force of the two turtles inside. “Says the Raven, never more.”
“Yer’ funny…” his sarcasm was weak, as was his voice. She knelt down, checking Wrath’s pulse then Pride’s. “What took ya?”
“I was watching Buffy.” She said rolling Pride over and scooping him up. “Can you stand?”
“Not really.” He admitted, barely making it to all fours. “Get him out… he’ll never make it…” he began to cough now that the smoke was filling the freezer. “Hurry.”
“No way sinner boy. You had Puck call me in the middle of the God damned night to save your sorry carcass and you’d better be saved or I’ll have hell to pay.” She knelt down with her back to Wrath. “Grab on tight, I got you both.”
She felt his weight settle on her back; his hands wrap around her neck and gripping at her coat. He probably was too out of it to notice the dark shadows clutching right back at him from below, or the way he nuzzled into her neck as she stood. “Hope Puck listens to orders from women better than you two.” She grunted as she began to move into the loading dock, spotting the small garage door and the smaller side door. It opened outwards, thankfully. With a kick the door went flying wide open and she ran out, leaping down off of the dock onto the ground and taking off, breathing hard the whole way. They cleared the alley way just as the flames began to eat at the back windows of the second floor, and the sounds of sirens grew loud enough to give them only a few seconds more. Running down the side walk she spotted a moving van peeking out of a side street, her second sight telling her exactly who was waiting there in. “Good boys.”
She ran into the side street, and turned to the back of the truck as the door opened. Wrath had mentioned they had a sweet ride…
“Hey boys, late night delivery.” She said with a wide grin, turning her back to the back of the truck and setting Wrath down. “Take him first he’s heavy.” Hands grabbed at Wrath pulling him back. When he was clear she turned and jumped into the back, still cradling Pride like a bride across a thresh hold. “Sirens closing in let’s get moving.”
“What about Casey?” Puck asked, pleading with wide eyes. She shook her head as she laid Pride down, being mindful of his head.
“They took him. He wasn’t in there.” She said with a shake of her head, frowning slightly.
“How do you know?!” Puck sounded desperate and her eyes flashed into his, earning a meep.
“Call it women’s intuition. Drive.” Arch was behind the wheel and pulled out as she reached back and closed the doors. They pulled out and down the street in time to see the calvary move in. “Do you have a medical kit or something back here?”
“Yes, right side, down low.” She looked and spotted the large box, pulling it out. “The side panel beside it has blankets.” She grinned and pulled them out too. Putting both turtles in the seats and tipping them back she wrapped Wrath up first before attending to Pride. He looked terrible but concussions did that to people. She’d had enough to know. “Pride here looks no worse for ware. Bad concussion by his temple, his balance will be shot for a few days and it might need stitches. That and a little freezer burn.” The crack got a little giggle from Puck as she worked on cleaning up the injury and bandaging it, feeling Puck’s intent stare on her back the whole time.
“Leo?” Wrath’s voice was soft, probably to keep his own headache down. “He ok?”
“Leo’s fine, knucklehead. You’re ok too.” She turned her attention to him, checking his pupils and putting a bandage on his head as he groaned and tried to swat her away. “Suck it up, sinner boy, this is gunna hurt for a while.”
“Casey?” he was trying to get up and look around. Normally emerald skin had a bad tone to it, frost formed around his lips and eyes. “Where’s Casey?”
“MIA. I’ll get him though.” She smiled and gently pushed him back
“No we gotta… it’s our fault an… an…” he trailed off, shutting his eyes tightly as he tried to regain control and stay awake. She pulled the seat belt tighter around him and gave him a light tap on the shoulder.
“Shut up dumb ass. You called me from my nice warm apartment to come save your shell. I got one more on the line and you’re going home to get mother hened over and lectured and you’re gunna deal with it.” The two glared at each other for a moment, her hand still on his bare shoulder. Mike could see something going on between the two before Raph sagged and settled down, letting her pull the blanket up higher.
“You suck.” He grumped as she turned her attentions back to Leo. It earned a little laugh from her.
“Not that you’d know.” She leered at him, smiling some.
“Heh.” He made a move to roll his eyes and she saw him think better of it.
“Go to sleep Wrath.” She shot him one last look before he closed his eyes and did as he was told. Checking over Leo, Pride, whatever, one more time she sighed and pulled her hoodie down. “God is he always like that?”
“Nah usually he’s more chipper.” Puck said, giving her a weak smile as she put away the med kit. “You used to patching people up?”
“Normally I’m doing the patching on little ol’ me, it’s nice to see what I’m doing for once in regards to head trauma.” She shrugged before moving up closer, spotting the space heater mounted to the floor. She gave it a tenuous touch and was glad to see it rotate. Turning it behind her so it was warming the back of the truck she leaned over the front bench. “What now?”
“How about who and what you are, and how you know Raph?” Arch’s voice was cold and clinical, but rather than be intimidated by the turtle she shrugged.
“Raph is Wrath… heh close enough.” She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, Mike watching the blackness move off her hands and back into her coat. “Raph and I met a few months back, after the Maxwell fire. I thought he was one of the guys who had done the job come back to admire his work. We fought, I kicked his ass, and we talked.”
“You beat Raph?” Puck gave her a wide eye look. “hehe he got his ass kicked by a girl.”
“Hey give the guy some credit. It took three hours.” She rubbed at her shoulder where said turtle had been hanging from. “Guy’s a beast when he wants to be. Anyway we’ve seen each other on and off. I won’t mention doing what because it isn’t my place to say.” She shot Mike a poignant look. “Glad you heeded my warning, little Puck.”
“Hey since we can know you now, it’s Mikey.” He grinned at her then looked to Don, who didn’t look pleased. “And that’s Donatello, or just Don or Donnie or…”
“Yeah, I get the picture shorty.” She patted him on the head, hoping it would still his mouth. She turned her attention to Don. “I want you to get them home and warmed up. I’m guessing since you’ve patched them up before I don’t need to bother with medical jargon and what not.”
“No I know how to handle concussions and near hypothermia. They just won’t enjoy it.” Don replied, his voice tense and expression tight. She didn’t bother trying to touch him, not wanting the emotional back lash he’d give her.
“What are you gunna do?” Mikey looked at her with a very worried expression. “You aren’t going after Casey alone.”
“No choice. Your brothers need you, and you’ll freeze out here.” She turned and moved towards the back again, brushing a hand against Leo and Raph. Mikey watched their faces soften from grimaces of pain to much more placed expressions. And you’ll just get in my way.
“Neat trick, what did you do?” his voice sounded in awe but she didn’t turn, their grimace had become her own. God she’d need some Excedrin after this night.
“Took the pain, made it mine. I’ll explain when I save Casey.” She took something from her coat and settled it on Raph’s chest. “Just get them home safe. I’ll call you later.”
“But you don’t…” he had a million questions and by the looks of it only seconds to ask them. He looked at the mask on Raph’s chest and gulped.
“You called me remember? It’s in my phone.” She waved the little black thing in the air before putting it away and opening the back doors when Don stopped at a sign. “Don’t wait up.” She hopped down and shut the doors behind her. In the rear view, Don could see her run then leap into the air, coat fluttering as she lifted off the ground into the night.
“Mikey?”
“Yeah.” Mike turned his attention from the broken mask on his injured brother to Don, not liking the look he was getting.
“Start talking…”
TBC…