Chapter Five: Let's Talk
***
Aura sat on the fire escape ladder outside her window. She was still rather annoyed at herself for letting that human sneak up on her like that. She sighed. Defeating the Dragon Lord was going to be harder than she anticipated.
"Hello, beautiful."
Aura winced at the high pitched voice. "Go away."
Wick walked right up and sat at the foot of the ladder. "I just want to talk."
"Right," she mumbled under her breath. She pushed up the thin strap of her top and leaned back on her elbows.
"I'm serious!"
Aura laughed. "I think the Dragon Lord sent you to spy on me. I hardly think he'd appreciate you playing nice with the woman trying to kill him."
"Who's going to tell him?" Wick asked.
Aura smirked. "Such a loyal dragon. All right short stuff, what's on your mind?"
***
"Where are you going?"
"Out."
"When are you coming back?"
"Later."
Leonardo growled as Raphael rode off on his motorcycle. His brother was so undisciplined, so disobedient. It annoyed Leo to no end. Why couldn't Raph be more cautious at least? Almost every time he went out, something happened. Leo knew this time would be no different.
"Hey, Donnie, is the tracking system back up yet?"
Donatello crawled out from under his desk. "Nope. I blew a fuse when I hooked up Quease's machine to the computer. I'll need to replace it. Fortunately, I think I have what I need."
"Well, try to hurry. Raph just rode off again."
Don gave Leo an exaggerated salute and ducked his head back under the desk.
***
Well lookie here.
Raph pulled into an alley and walked back a block to check out what he saw. He crawled up the fire escape of one building and leapt to the roof of another.
"I think you should take your rightful place as the ruler of the dragons," he heard Wick's familiar voice say.
"Flattery will get you thrown off this fire escape," he heard another voice say. It was definitely female. He peered over the edge of the roof, careful that they didn't see him. Yep, Wick and the dragon lady. He chuckled silently. She's wearing jeans! I like her attitude, though.
"You would do a much better job," Wick went on to say. "You know, fresh blood, a young outlook on life. You could easily beat the Dragon Lord, given the right opportunity."
"You're setting up the Dragon Lord?" Aura asked carefully. More like setting up me.
"For the good of all dragons!" Wick exclaimed. Yep, definitely a set up, or else this guy really has a screw loose.
"Let me get this straight," Aura said, pressing her fingers to her temples. "The Dragon Lord kills my great-grandfather and steals his throne, banishing my family. Then what's left of my family teams up with the Shinobi to trap him, you, and the Rank in the magick mirror. Now, he's back, and we're fighting over who gets to rule the dragons. And you're going to betray him."
"Right," Wick replied.
"Why?"
"For you," he answered simply.
Aura stared at him with a blank look, with no idea of how to reply to that. Wick gave her a toothy smile. "I'll let you think about it." And then he was gone.
Aura pulled a chocolate Tootsie pop out of her pocket and unwrapped it.
"Nice story."
Aura looked up at the turtle on her roof. She stuck the sucker in her mouth and reclined back on the ladder.
"Venus tells a different version, but then again I know how 'reliable' her Shinobi information is."
"What do you want?"
Raphael leapt down to the balcony. "Nothin', 'cept maybe your name. I don't think we've been formally introduced."
"I wouldn't think you'd be so nice to me after everything that's happened. By the way, how's your beak? I hope you didn't crack the wall," she chuckled.
"It's fine, I…wait. You broke into our den!"
Aura shrugged. "I don't think 'broke into' is an appropriate team. More like 'snuck into'. I needed information. Stuff from Venus' scrolls. Ugh, I can't believe she still has scrolls! I updated to digital a long time ago."
Raphael chuckled in spite of himself. "Name please."
"Aura. Pleased to meet you, Raphael."
Raph was taken aback. "How'd you-?"
"Know your name? From Venus' writings. Do you want to know what she really thinks of all of you?"
Raphael balled his hands up into fists. This girl was seriously beginning to piss him off. And as tempting as that last question was, he found himself saying no. "I've never hit a lady before, but there's always a first time."
Aura stepped towards him, so close he could feel her breath on his skin. "I'm not much of a lady," she whispered. She stuck the lollipop back in her mouth and sat back down.
It was several seconds before Raph trusted himself to speak again. "Good, cause I ain't much of a gentleman. So you'll excuse me if I leave this party early." He climbed down and made his way to the street below.
"Hey," Aura called down to him. "Just for the record, my fight is with the Dragon Lord. I have nothing against you or your family." She paused, then added, "Just stay out of my way."
"Thanks for the warning," Raph called back, not quite hiding his sarcasm.
Aura leaned over the bar. She watched his motorcycle turn the corner and fade away into the night. She gently banged the palm of her hand against the cold metal and stared down at her fingers.
***