Summary: Sequel to Redemption. 5 months after the accident, Raphael is slowly coming to terms with his disabilities and moving on with his life. But one night everything is about change. Caught in an ambush, Leo is the one who needs saving this time. But can Raphael get him home in time? Or will his disabilities mean death for them both?
Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles. All rights belong to their respective owners.
Author's Notes: Yay, I can't believe this sequel is actually happening! When I first started writing Redemption I never thought it would be followed by a sequel! But here we are my dear readers, at the top of a precipice. I guarantee this story will be a bumpy ride, and there will be many plot twists and steep paths. When you think you are safe, I will come back with a surprise to put you on your toes again.
Of course, all of this couldn't be possible without my amazing and faithful Beta readers, Amonraphoenix and DarkUnderwolrd. Thank you so much for sticking with me guys and helping me with this story.
I do hope you all enjoy this story as much as the first, maybe even more so. Please read and enjoy.
-Retribution-
Chapter One
-Raphael-
Raphael ducked beneath the oncoming sword stroke and leapt to the side, avoiding another blow from his right. Gritting his teeth in concentration, he spun around and lashed out at his attacker, his sais shining wickedly under the light. There was a grunt from his attacker and Raphael smiled in grim satisfaction. Pivoting from his left leg, he spun around to face his next attacker, never dropping his guard. Ducking under a blow, he feigned a right hook. His attacker backed up, just like Raphael thought he would, giving him more room to manoeuvre. From the corner of his good eye he saw the sharp glint of steel arcing towards his head with uncanny speed, and knew he didn't have enough time to leap out of the way. Raising his sai in defence, he braced himself for the impact. Steel rang on steel as the katanna connected loudly with the prongs of his sai. The force of the impact unbalanced Raphael, and he stumbled back on his bad leg. He grimaced in pain as his bad leg bent at an odd angle, causing him to lose his balance. Raphael hit the floor hard with a grunt as the wind was knocked out of him.
A pair of strong hands reached for him instantly as he recovered his breath. "Raph, are you okay?" Concerned hazel eyes looked down at him with worry and unease.
"I'm fine, Leo," Raphael grumbled, pushing his older brother's gentle hands away and struggling to his feet.
"Is something wrong with the prosthetic?" Donnie asked, coming closer to inspect Raphael's fake leg. "Did anything break?"
"No, the leg's fine, Donnie, I'm fine," Raphael reassured his brothers, hating the attention he was receiving. "I'm just not one hundred per-cent used to it yet, that's all."
"You're getting better at it," Leo encouraged his brother. "I can see noticeable improvement in your speed and foot work."
"Yeah, maybe so, but if this was a real fight against real enemies, I'd be dead; and I'd probably get all of you killed as well," Raphael groused, his good eye shining with obvious frustration and annoyance.
"Hey, don't say that, Raph," Mikey said, resting a supporting hand on Raph's shoulder. "You'd kick shell in a fight."
"No, I wouldn't, Mikey," Raphael sighed in tired frustration."You don't have ta' say that ta' make me feel better."
"It's only been five months, give it some more time," Leo said gently. "You'll keep getting better."
"And what if the Foot come back before then, or the Purple Dragons? What am I supposed to do then, just sit here and wait while you guys go off and save the day?" Raphael demanded.
"Yes," Donnie replied quietly, which earned him a heated glare from Raphael. "You're not ready yet, Raph, but you will be," Donnie said quickly. "But not yet. Like Leo said, it's only been five months, and only one month back at full training."
"Yeah, but that doesn't stop me from going out on my bike every night," Raphael mumbled.
"Because I designed the bike so you won't get hurt," Donnie said gently. "Fighting is a very different thing to riding."
"I think we all deserve a break," Leo said, cutting in before anything more could be said. "That's all the training for today."
"Don't stop on my account," Raphael growled. "I can keep going."
"Raph, four months ago Donnie said you wouldn't even be able to fight ever again," Mikey said softly. "But you are fighting, bro. It might not be for as long as you want, but you will continue to improve, just give it time."
"I swear, if I hear one more person say 'just give it time,' I'm going ta' explode," Raphael grumbled angrily.
"Come on, let's get something to eat," Leo prompted, hoping to take Raphael's mind off his disabilities.
"Did I hear someone say, pizza?" Mikey asked excitedly.
"Oh, I think you did," Don smiled.
"Awesome!" Mikey cried, racing out of the room to order the pizza.
"Come on, let's go sit down," Leo said, leading his brothers from the dojo and into the living area.
Raphael hobbled over to the couch and eased himself down gently. "Ah, that's better," he sighed, stretching out his prosthetic limb slowly.
"How's the leg feeling?" Don asked, taking a seat beside him. "Do you need any painkillers?"
"Nah, I'm good, thanks, Donnie," Raph said waving away Don's offer. "It's becoming more tolerable."
"That's great," Don smiled encouragingly, "but I think you should still keep icing it to help with the swelling."
"I'll get the ice," Leo offered, disappearing into the kitchen.
"Thanks," Raph called out after him.
"You did well today, Raph," Don said when Leo had left the room. "You've made incredible progress."
"Thanks, Donnie, but I wouldn't have been able to even walk if it hadn't been for you."
"You're my brother," Don said with a hint of a blush, "brothers help each other."
"Alright, the pizza has been ordered," Michelangelo declared happily, bounding back into the room.
"Whose turn is it to pick it up?" Raphael asked.
"I'll get it," Mikey volunteered quickly.
"Just don't go and eat it by yourself again," Raph warned.
"Me? Why, I would never do something like that," Mikey said with a sly grin.
"And try not to be seen!" Leo called after Mikey as he raced out of the room.
"Here, Raph," Leo said, handing him the icepack wrapped in a towel.
"Thanks, Leo," Raph said, sighing in relief as the cold numbed the pounding ache in his thigh. Leaning his head back against the couch, he allowed his eyes to slip close and his mind to drift off to sleep.
-Michelangelo-
Michelangelo snuck through the empty car park, sticking to the shadows and constantly scanning the area for any signs of danger. Their usual pizza delivery point was at the back of a small house at the end of an alleyway. There was a man-hole cover right in the middle of the alley, making it easy for one of them to pick up the pizza and then quietly slip away. They never came straight from the sewers to the man-hole cover; there was too much risk of being seen that way. Instead, they navigated from a man-hole cover a few blocks away and crept along the roof-tops until reaching a parking lot across from the alleyway. Directly beside the parking lot was an abandoned warehouse which years ago used to be some sort of factory. Now it was desolate and empty, and if Mikey were completely honest, a little bit creepy.
Making sure that there was no-one about, and that he was completely alone, Michelangelo ran across the parking lot to the empty mouth of the alleyway. The smell of hot, cheesy pizza reached Mikey's nostrils and he tried his best not to drool. He spied the steaming pizza boxes beside the man-hole cover and rubbed his hands in anticipation. Surely his brothers wouldn't notice a few pieces gone?
He was about to creep forward and claim his prize when a sudden movement caught his attention. Pressing himself deeper into the shadows, Mikey looked around, holding his breath so as not to make a noise. He spied a dark shape concealed in shadows moving across the parking-lot. Narrowing his eyes, Mikey saw more shapes emerge behind it and even more appear from the direction of the abandoned warehouse.
Mikey pulled out his nun-chucks and took a step backwards. He knew he had been spotted, there was no use hiding anymore. With a sinking feeling in his gut, Mikey realised that he had been caught in an ambush.
-Raphael-
Two hours had passed and Raphael was rudely awoken by his hunger.
"Where is he?" Raphael demanded, "I'm starving."
"It doesn't usually take this long to pick up the pizzas, not from where we get it from anyway," Leo said, a hint of worry creeping into his voice.
"Knucklehead is probably hiding in the sewers somewhere and eating the pizzas again," Raph snorted angrily.
Just as he said this, Donnie's phone began to ring.
"It's Mikey," Don said, looking at the caller-ID before answering the phone and putting it on speaker. "Mikey, where are you?"
"Guys, I need your help!" Mikey's terrified voice screamed from the other end of the phone.
"Mikey, what's happened?" Leo demanded, jumping to his feet.
"I got ambushed; Foot Ninjas!" Mikey shouted.
"Where are you, Mikey?" Leo barked anxiously.
"The old abandoned warehouse four blocks from here. Hurry..." Suddenly the line went dead, and the hiss of static filled the still air.
"Let's go," Leo said his face emotionless despite his worry over Mikey.
"Trust Mikey to get himself into trouble," Raphael growled, pushing himself to his feet.
"What are you doing?" Don asked, going over and pushing him back down on to the couch.
"What do you mean, what am I doing?" Raphael asked incredulously as he struggled against Donnie's firm grip. "We're going to get Mikey."
"Donnie and I are, you're going to stay here with Master Splinter," Leo said firmly but gently.
Raphael narrowed his eyes and glared incredulously at Leo. "If you think I'm going to just sit here while Mikey's in trouble, you're a bigger idiot than I thought," Raphael growled.
"He's right, Raph," Don said wearily letting his brother go. "You're not ready to fight yet and…and your leg will slow us down."
"He's my brother too," Raphael snarled, getting to his feet and pushing angrily past Leo and Don, making his way to the Battle-Shell. "If you want me to stay here, you're going to have ta' make me."
Leo and Don shared a wary glance. Finally Donnie shrugged. "Fine, you can come, just try to stay out of the fighting, okay?"
"Keep dreaming," Raphael snorted. "Now are you two ladies coming or not?"
Leo and Don sighed in defeat before quickly racing after their brother.
"I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid," Don murmured to Leo.
"It's Raph," Leo said grimly. "You know he's bound to."
"That's what I was afraid of," Don sighed tiredly. He just hoped that he wouldn't have to use his medical kit this time.
Author's Notes: So, what did you all think? Will the turtles make it to Mikey in time? Will there be danger? Will there be blood? Well, stay tuned and you will find out!
Reviews are greatly appreciated; I'd love to hear what you all thought!
Till the next time,
~Cat