Chapter Eleven: Visits
***
Leonardo looked up from his book when Raphael came in.
"And where have you been?"
"Where do you think?" Raphael snapped back.
Leo grumbled and went back to his latest self-improvement book. Raph glanced at the title in passing. He shook his head and left.
Venus quickly shut her journal when someone knocked on her door. "Yes?"
Raphael pushed the door open. "Hey, Venus, how you doing?"
"I am fine," she said. Just keep telling yourself that.
"Good."
Venus just looked at him. He was smiling, like he always did when he returned from Aura's, and holding something in his hands. What does she have that I don't? Venus asked herself. That's easy. Raphael.
"Look," he held out a leather bound book. "Aura thought you might want this."
Venus hesitated before taking the book. She looked it over with shock. "Do you know what this is?"
Raphael shrugged. "She just said to give it to you. That you should read it."
Venus opened to the first page. Dark black writing flowed over the parchment. "It must date back to before the Dragon Lord's original reign," she whispered. History. Shinobi tradition written by those who started it. She clutched the book to her plastron.
"Thank you."
Raphael let out a laugh. "It's Aura's gift."
Venus jumped up and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, all the same. I wish to thank Aura as well."
"Sure, no prob." He smiled at her as he turned to go.
Venus looked down at the leather bound book in her arms. And after all the mean things she'd thought about Aura…
"Whoa!" Raphael cried out as Michaelangelo nearly collided with him. "Where's the fire?"
"Va…vamp…" Mike doubled over trying to catch his breath. Donatello was right behind him, slightly less out of breath.
Leonardo set his book down and came over. Venus and Splinter joined the group last.
"What happened to you two?" Leo asked.
"Vampires!" Donnie gasped.
Venus frowned. "Not again."
"We toasted the bitch," Raph exclaimed, earning a disapproving look from Splinter. "Are those two brats makin' trouble?"
Mikey finally calmed down enough to talk in semi-complete sentences. "Bing and Chi Chu…in the park…more vampires…"
"More?" Leo moaned.
Don nodded. "A group from here in New York. They're not like Vam Mi. They offered to take the kids in, but I think they refused."
"Did they hurt you?" Raph asked, bending down to look at Mike.
"Nah, just scared the crap out of us. The real victim was that guy…" Mike put his hand over his mouth and ran to the bathroom.
"Whoa," Leo said, hearing Michaelangelo hurling up his last meal. "Was it really that bad?"
Don was trying to forget the whole scene. "Yeah, Leo, really creepy. Sit down, I'll give you guys the long version before Mike gets back."
***
Aura was drumming her fingers against a parchment when someone knocked on her window.
"Raphael?" She looked over. No, it was Venus, in her cloak.
Aura unlocked the skylight and let her in. "To what do I owe the visit?"
Venus pushed back her hood. Aura herself was dressed casually in jeans and a man's tailored shirt, tied at the bottom. Venus brought out the book. "I wanted to thank you in person. I hope you don't mind."
"No, of course not!" Aura said, ushering her to the sofa. "I needed a break anyway. I never wanted us to be enemies."
Venus paused. "We're not…" she sighed. "You noticed."
Aura raised an eyebrow. "You mean the outright hostility or the underlying jealousy?"
Venus dropped onto the couch and set the book on the table. After several moments of silence, Aura cleared her throat. "I found that book while going through some records. I was trying to find something that would help me. I figured that particular book would help you more than it would help me."
Venus felt sick with guilt. Sitting here with this sweet woman, who was trying to help her, even after Venus had showed her no friendship.
"I'm sure the other's will be relieved that I will be learning better techniques for control."
They both laughed. The cheerful sound was interrupted by a knock on the door. Instinctively, Aura went from dragon to human, stunning Venus. Then Venus' own instincts kicked in and she headed for the open bathroom door to hide. A moment later, she heard Aura cheerfully greet the visitor.
"Venus!" Aura called out. "It's all right."
Venus walked out cautiously. She saw a tall man in a nice suit. Aura looked like herself once again. The she-dragon poked the man in the ribs and smiled. "Drop it!" she hissed.
The man grinned and closed his eyes. Just as Aura had, the man's appearance changed. Instead of dragon to human, he went from human to dragon.
Aura reached out for Venus. "Venus, I'd like you to meet my father, Ignatius. Father, this is Venus, Mei Pieh Chi."
He held out his hand, which Venus took only after a moment of hesitation. "The Shinobi. I'm honored to meet you."
"As am I to meet you, sir," Venus replied. "I must go now. Thank you again, Aura."
Aura picked up the book, making eye contact with her father as she did. He nodded. "You're welcome anytime, Venus."
After Venus left, Aura turned to her father. "So, you finally got around to checking up on me?"
Ignatius clicked his tongue. "I'm merely concerned for my only child. The joy and curse of parenting. You'll learn it soon enough."
Aura frowned. "I'm moving on to Plan B."
Fear crossed over her father's face. "Is that really necessary?"
Aura twisted the ties of her shirt. "The slow takeover wasn't working. I'm going to have to take the direct approach."
Her father frowned. "But Aura…"
"It's the only way. I can't let him get any stronger, learn to use the magic here, or I may never be able to beat him."
Ignatius pulled his daughter into his arms. "Wait out the term at least…"
"I can't!" Aura pushed away. "I know the risks. I have to do this, no matter the costs."
Her father stared at her in silence. "You aren't going to tell him, are you?"
***