Karai looked directly into Shredder's eyes, unfaltering and controlled. Her muscles were tensed, her stance tall and firm. The corners of her mouth were constricted; behind her lips her teeth were clenched. The only thing that wavered was the hood and tail of her cloak and the front strands of her hair. She held her blade at her side in a tight grip, low but still in sight for intimidation.
Shredder glared at her, gradually overcoming his astonishment at the interruption. "Karai," he groused, "I grow tired of your games." He stepped forward. "Now stand aside."
At his first step, Karai's blade was up, her arm and sword extended in the direction of his head. "Not another step, Shredder." She spat his name, but her stern voice was otherwise void of all but her fortitude.
The room was silent. Shredder's former kunoichi – his main weapon against Hamato Yoshi for many years – was all that stood between him and Leonardo. It would be a swift and easy battle if he used force. But instead, he abided and used reason, "Daughter, your mind has been poisoned against me. Let me finish what I have started so we can be rid of this nuisance-"
"Enough."
Shredder's eyes narrowed.
"Can't you see the damage you've caused?" she vaguely nodded her head to her surroundings. "All you have to show for any of it is a disgraced Foot Clan. You've reduced your own people to nothing but expendable means to your selfish end, instead of the honorable warriors they once were." She looked towards the damaged robots scattered about. "And that's of what's left of them."
"You were once my second-in-command, my daughter," Shredder sneered. "I would have left all that we've gained to you."
"Gained?" she demanded. "What will you have gained? All my life you had me so bent on revenge that I never saw through your lies, that all you had me worked up over was your own mistake. And then you try the same thing on another." She gestured towards Raphael, who was still obviously dumbfounded, albeit relieved, by her presence. "Your desperate need for allies is rendering you weak."
"Hardly, child." This time, Shredder stepped forward. "If you will not stand by my side during my victory, you will-"
Karai immediately grabbed Shredder's outstretched hand and spun around. With a firm grip on his wrist over her shoulder, she rammed her opposite elbow into his gut, and then her foot into his ankle. Quickly, as he was still reeling, she spun again, this time her leg extended, and kicked him again in the gut, sending him stumbling backwards again.
Shredder regained his footing in time for Karai to be back in her firm stance, this time lower and ready to attack again.
"I said, stand back," she growled.
Raphael, all the while, looked about ready to join in. He writhed in Tiger Claw's grasp, who also seemed eager to fight judging by the low growling he heard from the lousy feline. But Raphael knew it was Shredder with the advantage, so Tiger Claw had no reason to release him and rush to the aid his master. Still, he waited for to moment to strike while his defenses were down, as Splinter would certainly instruct him in a situation like this.
His eyes wandered between the exchange and his brother, who quietly began to stir in his unconsciousness. His mind raced, wondering if Karai would manage to fend off Shredder and his soldiers with enough time for him to get Leonardo to safety. Likely not, at least not without sacrificing herself. Still, that was his priority. She would understand.
"You will pay for this insolence," he shouted, angrily coming towards her again, this time ready to strike.
Now.
Raphael yelled at the top of his lungs, catching both Shredder and Tiger Claw off-guard, as he drove his foot down against the mutant tiger's shin before twisting himself out of his grasp. He leapt backwards onto his hands and thrust himself forward, legs first, slamming his feet into his furry face. Tiger Claw fell backwards, dizzy from the impact.
Karai immediately lunged forward, raising her sword. Shredder responded by raising his talons defensively as her blade came down towards his head. He shoved her back and threw his fist in her direction. She knocked it away with her arm and prepared to strike him again with a round kick, but as she spun around, he grabbed hold of her calf and threw her back towards the Foot Bots standing by.
"Restrain her!" he ordered.
They would fail, of course, as Karai immediately responded by taking three out with a single blow and was unrelenting with those that followed. But Shredder cared not so long as she was distracted. And his target remained prone and in the clear.
He advanced forward. That is until another holler came from behind him. He turned in time to see Raphael hauling himself at him, knocking them both several feet back.
Raphael showered him with a series of punches, which only lasted a few seconds until Shredder grabbed an incoming fist and hurled him to one side, slamming him onto his shell. Raphael groaned as Shredder leered over him.
"Imbecile," he roared at him, "I gave you an opportunity to rise to your true potential. Instead you choose to be bogged down by this make-believe brotherhood." He spat the last word in disgust.
Raphael scowled and kicked Shredder in his gut, sending him stammering back in time for him to rise to his feet and grabbed his Sai off the ground. He spun both now-recovered Sais between his fingers before grasping the handles, assuming a defensive stance.
"This fantasy you're harboring will only lead to your own defeat," Shredder continued. "Your loyalty should be directed towards the strong."
"My loyalty's to Splinter. And my brothers. That makes me strong." He was about to lunge for him until he sensed somebody coming towards him. He leapt and spun, kicking Fishface once again in the face and sending him flying to one side, hitting the wall with a splat.
When Raphael landed, he braced himself against Shredder's talons as they came at him. His first Sai held up against it, but his second was knocked out of his grasp and away from the battle. Shredder's elbow then came down forcefully into his shoulder, sending him to the ground. His head hit the floor hard.
Meanwhile, Karai had managed to fight off the Foot Bots and was dealing with Rahzar. His claws managed to catch her cloak, so she quickly unhooked it from her shoulders and grabbed both ends tightly, trapping his claws in it. Rahzar whined in panic when she did a tight flip and thrust him forward. He landed face-first into the floor.
She reattached her cloak to her shoulders. With a quick glance around the room, she deemed it temporarily safe and ran in Leonardo's direction. She fell to one knee by his side and grabbed his shoulder, preparing to turn him onto his back. She didn't though, cautious of some unseen injury upon noticing the visible ones. "Leo," she whispered, shaking him lightly.
Leonardo responded with a pained moan, his face scrunching as he tried to regain full consciousness. Karai gently stroked the side of his face to let him know of a friendly presence.
Shredder, perceiving this, watched with an angry flame in his eye before pulling out three shuriken between his fingers, and then threw them with a force that would break concrete. None of them struck their target, instead each deflected by Karai's blade. With one hand remaining upon Leonardo's limp shoulder and the other clutching the handle of her sword tightly, she braced herself for whatever Shredder's next attack would be.
Instead, Shredder's eyes shifted before he began to laugh. She looked around to see Tiger Claw and surviving Foot-bots regaining their composure and reestablishing their battle stance.
Raphael, rubbing the back of his neck where Shredder had struck him, pushed himself up off the ground with his elbow. He glared in the many directions of those which posed a threat, particularly towards Fishface and Rahzar, who surrounded him along with several Foot-bots.
"What now, child?"
Raphael saw, in Karai's eyes, a glimmer of uncertainty, but no signs of letting down her defense. Given what Shredder was prepared to do, both of them knew surrender was not an option. But even still, when Raphael finally caught her eye, he reflected Shredder's question in his expression.
Tiger Claw stepped towards her, signaling the Foot bots to do the same. "By your orders, Master."
Shredder paused for a moment, attempting one last time to non-verbally appeal to her. Her expression remained hard. With the knowledge that she was content in her defiance, he narrowed his eyes and nodded his head to Tiger Claw.
Raphael immediately shot to his feet. Fishface and Rahzar threw themselves forward. Karai's defensive stance fortified as Tiger Claw rushed towards her. Foot Bots lit up in a great cacophony of activating gears and mechanics.
Then three arrows ceased everything:
The first arrow came down in front of Tiger Claw, halting him and subsequently many of the Foot Bots in their tracks.
As Rahzar was about to bring down his claws at Raphael, another arrow narrowly missed his snout and landed at Raphael's feet.
A third arrow was in Shredder's grip, its head centimeters from his. He snapped the shaft with his thumb as he looked up to see the origin of this new intrusion.
What met their eyes was, quite possibly, the most pleasant image both Raphael and Karai had ever seen. The three archers reached for second arrows, two of them wearing different uniforms from the third. Behind them, more ninjas became visible through the darkness, their uniforms matching those of the archers. These uniforms bore one of two emblems: a flower in a circle, or a foot.
"What is this?" Shredder demanded.
"The end of your tyranny, Shredder," came a familiar voice. And through the darkness, an equally familiar figure stepped forward closer to the ledge. Splinter's eyes flashed with anger as he glared at the man who very nearly destroyed his family. "Your time as leader of the Foot Clan is over."
Raphael grinned widely when more familiar, friendly faces emerged, including his remaining brothers, Casey and April, Leatherhead, and Slash.
Shredder, after a moment of registering the presence of his mortal enemy, laughed. "Hamato Yoshi," he sneered. "You think you have the power to make such a decision?"
"Not me," Splinter asserted.
Another figure stepped forward, his uniform bearing the Foot symbol. He was maskless, looking to be in his early thirties. "By your orders, Master," he said, seemingly mocking Tiger Claw, who quietly growled.
Shredder's brow furrowed in confusion when he saw the gaze of this assembly of mutiny was not directed towards him, but rather behind him. He realized, even before turning around, who they were awaiting the command of.
~ Four Days Ago ~
Raphael dragged his feet into the lair, eyes red, head drooping after another disappointing night.
When Raphael had regained consciousness three days ago, he found himself in the darkness of his bedroom. Upon blinking away the haze, he eventually dragged himself out of his bed. Before leaving his room to find his family, a quick glance in the mirror revealed his maskless face. He was unable to find his usual one, so he reached into a drawer and pulled out a spare. His movements felt slow, his mind still reeling as he struggled to recollect all that had happened.
One thing he knew for certain: He was home.
He was tying the bright red, far less shabby cloth around his face – it seemed foreign compared to his usual one – as he walked into the main area of the lair. He was greeted by the sight of his brothers sitting in the TV pit, Splinter standing over them. They all looked at him with pained, concerned expressions. Michelangelo had an ice pack pressed to his temple. Donatello was rummaging through his first-aid kit.
And Leonardo was nowhere in sight.
As soon as Raphael had learned of Leonardo's disappearance, he led his remaining brothers in a frantic search to find him. Returning to the burnt-down warehouse proved futile as not only was it still being investigated by police, but even if Shredder by some slim chance had left him there - assuming he hadn't made it out on his own, there would surely be some new conspiracy theory on 'Grody to the Max.'
The next place they searched was Shredder's lair. After exercising caution breaking in, they were shocked to find that not only was there no sign of Leonardo, but there was no sign of anybody. The building once home to Shredder's villainy was now entirely void of life, organic or robotic. Raphael, in his confusion and frustration, kicked the residual head of a Foot Bot across the room.
This is where the Turtles began to properly worry. Michelangelo in particular began to throw out absurd yet horrifying theories, ranging from Shredder moving to the bottom of the sea, or to the Antarctic, or even to Dimension X. Donatello had to smack him upside the head to get him to calm down.
After that, anything went. They called Casey and April to join them in their search. By the second night, even Master Splinter had joined them. Raphael also called to Slash and the rest of the Mutanimals to help, while Michelangelo did the same with Mondo Gecko and Muckman. April asked her father, Kurtzman, and Mr. Murakami to keep an eye out.
By the third night, Raphael was growing desperate. It was his second time hustling Fong from the Purple Dragons, who sang the same disappointing, cowardice tune. "I'm telling you, I don't know nothing!" Casey, who was partnered with Raphael that night, had no luck with Hun either. "Even if I knew," Hun scorned, "I would not tell you." A sucker punch from Raphael proved he was telling the truth.
Eventually, as they were standing atop the Byerly Building scanning the horizon, Casey's hand came down on Raphael's shoulder. "Come on, man," he muttered gently. "Let's call it a night."
Raphael pulled away. "Not yet. Let's check the North side. We missed that old school building over there."
"Dude, Rockwell and Mondo have their day shift up there. I'll tell them to check it out." He moved in front of him when Raphael continued to scan the city. "Go home, man. Get some sleep."
Reluctantly, he did. As he hopped over the turnstile in the lair's entrance, he glimpsed towards where Donatello and Michelangelo had passed out on the floor and bean bag chair, respectively, in the TV pit.
He sighed. When he wasn't searching, Raphael was checking his phone for any messages. He instructed his team to contact him even if they slightly suspected something. Unfortunately, it became a "boy who cried wolf" scenario for Pigeon Pete and Mondo Gecko until he decided to pair them with Slash and Dr. Rockwell.
But the only message he had gotten since was one from Michelangelo, insisting he come home. In truth, he had silently hoped that meant they had found something; but upon seeing him sound asleep on the bean bag chair, he frowned disappointedly.
"Raphael." He jumped slightly at the sound of Splinter's voice from across the lair. When Raphael met his eyes, Splinter gave him a quiet nod. "A moment of your time. Please."
Raphael, eyes red and damp, nodded as he walked to greet him.
"What is it, Sensei?"
Splinter smiled at him. "I have found somebody who can help us."
Raphael furrowed his brow.
Splinter placed his hand atop Raphael's carapace. "My son, I know you have been struggling to come to terms with your encounter with the Shredder," he said, his voice filled with concern and sympathy. "I would like for you to speak for a moment with someone who understands your ordeal."
Raphael sighed. "I already talked to Slash. I don't need to hear-"
"I don't speak of Slash, Raphael."
Upon being led into the dojo, his eyes immediately made contact with the person in the room. They wore a familiar cloak – Raphael quickly remembered the figure hovering over him the night Leonardo went missing. Only this time, the hood was off, and their back was to him. But he saw the blonde-dyed hair, now a little longer and merged with naturally dark hair, and immediately recognized her.
"Daughter," Splinter called.
Karai turned quickly, obviously being distracted from troubled thoughts, and rested her saddened eyes on Raphael. A look of concern was washed over her face, through upon meeting his gaze, in became a look of hope and reassurance. She appeared about the same since the last time he'd seen her. Only her armor was now gone, although she kept her black uniform. Her makeup was the same except for the red above her eyes. The earrings were also gone.
By far the biggest change was nothing visible, but rather the air of quiet confidence and decorum that radiated from her, even at this dismal time.
Raphael finally spoke, albeit it was barely intelligible. "You."
She hung her head momentarily before returning her gaze to him. "I'm sorry. I couldn't risk Shredder finding out."
"It was…you? From the fire…?"
Her brow furrowed in confusion. Raphael narrowed his eyes in contemplation.
"Please, my son," Splinter interjected. "Karai has something important to discuss."
Karai stepped forward cautiously. "It's about Leo."
Finally, Raphael snapped back into reality. "Let me guess," he scowled. "You want to help us find him."
Before she could answer, Raphael closed the gap between them.
"Didn't I warn you, Karai? Didn't I say that I wouldn't go easy on you if you ever hurt my family again?" Raphael was livid now. "What did you do to rile Shredder up, huh? Or is this another trap you're about to lead us into?"
"Raphael, enough."
"No, Sensei!" Raphael surprised himself this time, turning so he could glare. "You just don't get it! I know she's your daughter, but this whole mess is because of her! You trained us so we could get revenge on the Shredder for what he did to your family. Your real family," he cynically added.
Raphael didn't realize it at the time, but he had just plunged a knife through Splinter's heart with those words.
"Now that we know she's alive, it's been about nothing else but her. And all she's ever done is trick us, lie to us, and try to take us out. Why should I care?" Raphael spun around back to Karai. "Why should I ever trust you?"
"Enough!"
Splinter's voice rang through the entire lair.
While Raphael was still fuming, he kept his mouth shut. He could feel his fists trembling as he held in his anger. The last thing he wanted to do was lash out at his Master.
Splinter was also silent, so Raphael slowly turned his gaze to him. Their eyes met, both filled with anger. But if there was one person Raphael could never stare down, it was Master Splinter. Nor did he want to. He may have had his self-control issues, but he would never dishonor his Sensei. Never intentionally.
Splinter sensed Raphael's defenses faltering as he regained his wits, and only then did he approach. Raphael lowered his eyes to the floor, still quivering mildly in his place. Splinter stood directly in front of him. He raised his hand and slowly brought it down over his head.
Raphael closed his eyes at his touch.
"My son," Splinter whispered. "I am sorry that I put you and your brothers in the middle of my dispute with Shredder. But you must understand: You are as much my family as my former." He was becoming emotional. "Do not ever question my love for you, or the lengths I would go to protect you. I did not train you for vengeance, but for self-preservation."
Only then did Raphael look up at his Sensei, eyes large and damp.
"You must also realize that Karai is as much a victim of circumstances as all of you," Splinter continued, now more stern. "Please, for the sake of your brother, let us at least give her an opportunity to explain herself."
For a moment, Raphael averted his gaze. But he eventually nodded, albeit almost unnoticeably.
Splinter nodded in return, finally turning to face his long-lost daughter. "Karai," he said, "if you are indeed certain of Leonardo's location, we trust you to lead us to him."
Karai nodded to him, thankful to be getting back to more pressing matters.
"Where exactly is he?" Raphael demanded. Learning of his location was one thing, but accepting her help… He didn't want them to get ahead of themselves. "We've looked all over the city, with no sign of him or Shredder."
Both Karai and Splinter exchanged a short look before she looked back to him. "That's because they're in Japan."
His eyes widened. "Japan?" Raphael almost exclaimed.
She nodded.
"But why?"
"Because Shredder doesn't want anybody to follow him," she said, a hint of concern in her voice. "There's no trap this time."
He suddenly glared, doubt returning. "How can I be sure this isn't one?"
Raphael felt Splinter's hand on his shoulder, but his Master didn't say a word. He instead looked to Karai expectantly.
Karai gave a subtle nod before lowering her gaze. "I can't prove right now that I'm no longer loyal to Shredder. Not with anything other than my word."
Raphael remained hard, folding his arms.
She sighed and continued, "I've been alone for a long time. When I was with Shredder, and even after you guys rescued me, there was always something missing. I…didn't feel like I could trust anybody anymore." She rubbed her forearm before she finally met Raphael's gaze. "But if there's ever anybody I can always count on to stand up for me, it's your brother."
She turned to her father. "I don't know why you kept the truth from me for so long, father." She quickly added when she saw his confident expression falter into that of remorse, "although I'm sure your reasons were noble."
Another quiet sigh. "But Leo…He gave me a chance I didn't deserve."
"So you feel like you owe him for saving you, is that it?"
She averted her gaze, her eyes glazing over for a moment. "Partly."
Splinter turned to Raphael. "I understand your hesitation, my son. While I do believe Karai will help us retrieve your brother, I will leave it to you to decide."
Raphael looked down, then back at Karai after a moment. Normally, his mind would be screaming at him to quit being naïve and reject any "help" she had to offer. But something inside him told him that Karai had indeed changed. This time for the better. Something about her presence gave off the aura of a person humbled by experience. She looked at him with eyes different from when she originally begged him and his brothers to believe her supposed change of heart. They weren't urgent now, but peaceful in their silent plea, as though she had enough faith in her own nobility to not be emotionally affected by whatever his decision.
Finally, Raphael sighed loudly. "All right, fine."
Splinter grinned proudly at him.
"But if we're staging a rescue on Shredder's home turf, I'm getting a team together."
Karai smiled and nodded. "Perfect. But don't worry too much about numbers."
"Why?" Raphael asked skeptically.
"Because I've got a team of my own."
Karai relented from her defensive stance to stand up straight as Shredder turned to face her.
"Look around you, Shredder," she instructed, gesturing towards the dozens of uniformed ninjas. "These are the surviving members of the Hamato clan you tried to exterminate. And these are the noble men and women you so readily replaced with mindless robots."
"Robots you helped me train," Shredder interjected.
Karai paused, and there was a flicker or self-reflection in her expression, before continuing, "That is something I have to live with after I set things right."
The talons on one of Shredder's gauntlets extended. "And how exactly do you plan to do that, child?"
The archers raised their arrows to this, but Splinter gestured them to wait.
"I don't believe you're beyond saving," she told him, her voice more gentle now. "You loved my mother, and I know, in some deranged way, you still love me as your own. So please," – now her sword was hanging loosely in her grip as she extended her opposite hand in his direction in an offer of truce – "for the sake of what honor is left in you. Call off this battle so we can all finally be at peace."
Raphael wasn't sure, but he could have sworn there was a moment of consideration flashing in Shredder's eyes. A moment where all the wear and exhaustion from years of harboring anger, resentment, and thirst for vengeance suddenly came to the surface, and all he wanted to do was put an end to this feud.
But in a moment, it was gone, and the fire returned to his eyes. The other gauntlet's talons grew in length with a shrill sound echoing in the silence. His lack of response replaced with grunts and growls as he lunged towards the one he called "daughter" indicated that Shredder had gone savage.
And that was their cue.
As Karai fended him off with her armored arm pushing up against his talons, Splinter leapt down from the ledge and landed directly behind the Shredder, knocking him away with his tail before following suit. Karai stayed behind to fight off a quickly advancing Tiger Claw.
It wasn't long until everybody else had joined in. Donatello did a forward flip, Bo staff spinning overhead, before bringing one end of it down against a Foot Bot's head. Michelangelo landed nearby, legs split, crushing two Foot Bots beneath him.
As Raphael braced himself for Rahzar's second attempt to claw at him, he was intercepted by his old friend Spi- Slash. He swung his weapon at Rahzar, but Rahzar quickly recovered and charged back. Raphael had complete faith in Slash, and so instead focused on the Foot Bots surrounding him. That is until four Hamato and Foot soldiers beat him to it, defeating them with ease before moving on to the next wave of robots.
Raphael smiled in satisfaction. Normally, he would protest being denied an opponent. But after the few close calls at the cost of his family, he felt no right to object.
Speaking of which, Raphael's eyes surveyed the scene until finding Michelangelo battling a group of Foot Bots with little effort, taking out several of them by the single swing of his Kusarigama chain. Not far from him, Casey Jones thrust his hockey stick at a Foot Bot, who was propelled backwards, only to be knocked in a different direction by the swing of Leatherhead's tail.
Behind them, he saw Karai continuing to fend off Foot Bots with expertise Raphael only now began to admire now that he saw her fighting alongside his family and friends. Particularly as she was protecting Leonardo, who was currently being looked after by Donatello.
"How is he, Donnie?" April asked urgently from beside him.
Donatello lightly pressed his finger against Leonardo's jugular. His eyes were large and doleful as they scanned the unmistakable physical abuse Leonardo had endured between now and the last time they'd seen him. "I can't say for sure," he eventually replied, "but he's breathing at least."
He and April ducked as Raphael threw two shuriken at the Foot bots approaching from behind them. Raphael leapt over them to throw the final punch. April quickly joined in the defensive by pulling out her Tessen and swinging it at another incoming Foot Bot, slicing its robotic head clean off.
"Let's get him out of here then," Raphael shouted over his shoulder. "April and Casey, can you guys handle it?"
Casey decapitated a Foot Bot with his baseball bat before shouting back, "Oh so now you need us, do ya." He was both sardonic and sassy, letting out a gleeful snigger when he managed to bat another decapitated head directly at Fishface's.
"Yeah, dude, not cool ditching us," Michelangelo added. He sounded much harsher in comparison, aggressively knocking his Nunchucks at two Foot Bots at once.
Donatello, however, was distracted when Leonardo moaned and briefly lifted his head. His arm moved down to his side so his palm was pressed against the floor, in his semi-consciousness attempting to push himself off his side.
"Leo," April gasped, stroking his forehead tenderly.
Donatello had a hand on Leonardo's shell, preventing him from moving too rapidly. "Easy, Leo. It's us," he added when Leonardo groaned uncertainly and his eyes blinked away the haze before him.
"Donnie…" he breathed.
"Yeah, Leo, we're all here."
Almost immediately, Leonardo was shifting and pushing himself up off the ground, his arms and legs shaking in their struggle to maintain his weight. Although April glanced in Donatello's direction in question, Donatello made a point not to stop him. As he did not know the extent of his injuries, this was the most effective assessment he could do without challenging Leonardo's stubbornness.
Which is why he sprang into action when Leonardo stumbled attempting to move from his knees to his feet. "You're all right," Donatello assured, situating himself behind him when Leonardo nearly fell back onto his shell. "Can you stand?"
"Donnie, is he okay?" Michelangelo shouted back in his battle with three Foot Bots attempting to hold him down.
Before Donatello could answer, Leonardo beat him to it. "I'll be all right, Mikey," he reassured his brother, smiling genuinely. Donatello did the same. Their reunion left them wafting in the rarified air of joy and relief amidst the battle raging around them.
"Good," Michelangelo grinned, breaking out of the Foot Bots' grasp, jumped high into the air so as to avoid a stampeding Leatherhead flattening them to the ground.
Casey knocked away one last Foot Bot before following it up with a quick surveillance. Finally, he turned away from the battle and rushed towards where Donatello and April were maintaining Leonardo's balance as he struggled onto his feet.
"Will he be okay, Don?" he asked when he noticed Leonardo's head hanging and knees shaking.
Donatello, frustrated with being asked this repeatedly, grumbled. "I don't know yet. We need to get him back to the Nest."
"M-No, I can fight," Leonardo asserted dizzily. His arm left April's shoulder to reach back for his Katana, which he was only then reminded of their absence. He lost his balance and would have fallen forward had Donatello and April not caught him.
"Yeah, great, impress me by standing on your own first," Raphael snapped. Quickly realizing Leonardo may see that as a challenge, he immediately added, "Casey?"
"On it." Casey slipped between Donatello and Leonardo, shifting the injured turtle to take on his weight along with April. Thankfully, Leonardo was able to maintain his footing, so it was not too difficult between the two of them.
Raphael round-kicked two Foot Bots away and pointed in the direction of a corridor. "Through there," he instructed. "Make a left through the second doorway, and then straight on. Don't wait for us, whatever you do."
Donatello nodded when April glanced in his direction for confirmation. He added, "Take one of the vans. Get Satoshi to start a prognosis until I get there."
Casey nodded. "You got it."
April placed her free hand on Leonardo's chest as they advanced forward. "Come on, Leo," she said gently.
Leonardo, surprisingly more accommodating than they would have expected, followed April and Casey's lead.
~ 12 Hours Ago ~
Casey poked his head out through the doorway leading outside, watching as April sat cross-legged and completely still upon the cobblestone ground. Her back was straight, arms resting against her knees. She was facing an erect statue of what looked like an urn. There was some Japanese writing beneath it, so of course Casey remained oblivious to its significance.
"April?" Casey said cautiously.
She didn't even acknowledge his presence as he stepped outside towards her.
The sun was out, high and bright in the sky. He was still a little jetlagged from the long journey, but his relentless adrenaline and concern for his friends kept him compos mentis when necessary. They'd been welcomed into the temple and sanctuary the Hamato clan called the Swallow's Nest. He'd wondered why it had been built upon the side of the mountain in plain view of the Foot's headquarters. They claimed that it remained holy ground Shredder dared not touch. Nobody asked why when Splinter walked away with his head down. But he overheard a monk whisper to the Turtles something about a person named Tang Shen.
Anyway, so long as Shredder remained unaware of their presence, they were assured they were in no danger. Somehow, that involved taking refuge in one of the more conspicuous parts of the small Japanese town.
He eyed April tentatively, now standing over her, seeing that her eyes were closed and her expression serene.
"Are you- uh…praying?"
"Go away, Casey, I'm meditating," she shot irritably.
He threw his hands up defensively. "Sorry."
Her facial muscles relaxed again, eyes remaining closed, focusing again on her breathing.
Casey couldn't help himself. "Does it work?"
"Seriously, Casey, leave me alone. I'm trying to do something."
He furrowed his brow. "Really? Isn't the whole meditating thing supposed to be just doing nothing?"
"I'm not just meditating, okay?" Eventually, she added, "And no, there's more to it than that."
"Oh."
April finally relaxed again.
"So what are you doing?"
Casey dodged the pebble April tossed at him. "Enough, Casey, I'm serious. I'm getting close, I can feel it."
"To what?"
She groaned. "Never mind, just be quiet."
He was from then on. Slowly and silently, he sat down a few feet from her, remaining discreet the entire time. He wasn't into the whole meditating thing, but since watching Raphael get so good at it the past few days, he was starting to feel he may be missing out on something.
Perhaps this might be an opportune time to take it up, if for no other reason than to impress April. After all, he couldn't be on more spiritual ground. Atop a holy mountain on the front porch of a monastery, listening to the tranquil sound of the waterfall and stream in front of him. His eyes were slowly closing as he focused on his breathing.
That is until the totally unexpected happened.
April shrieked, almost as though in pain, and a bright light emitted from her forehead. Casey had to brace himself against the strange, invisible force that pushed him off his balance. He thought he even felt the shake of the earth beneath him.
The blinding light eventually dwindled.
"Whoa!" Casey exclaimed, unshielding his eyes. "April, wha-"
Casey's jaw dropped when he saw her. Her pupils were gone, eyes entirely glazed over appearing wholly white. He'd seen this before, back at the farmhouse. But this frightened him. She was completely still, seemingly unfazed by what had just happened. Like she was in some sort of trance.
"What's happening?"
Casey glanced back to see Donatello rush outside from the monastery, soon joined by Raphael and Michelangelo. Karai and Splinter followed suit, followed by one of the monks and a small group of Hamato soldiers. They were all shocked to see pebbles levitating a few feet off the ground around April.
As Donatello rushed to April's side, the monk gasped, "She is possessed by kami!"
"No, we've seen this before," Donatello assured the shocked soldiers and monk. "April, can you hear me?"
At first, April didn't respond.
"Is she okay?" Karai asked, worried.
Suddenly, the pebbles dropped, the strange ring in the air suddenly noticeable as soon as it was gone and the soft sound of the running stream resumed.
April, eyes still white, gasped sharply.
"April, what happened?"
Her head turned to face his voice. "Donnie?"
"I'm right here. H-how did this happen?"
"She was meditating when this huge…force thing came out of her head," Casey exclaimed. "It was insane!" He turned to her now-hunched form. "Is this what you were trying to do?"
Her response was a strangled, pained moan. Both Casey and Donatello held onto her, keeping her from falling forward.
Michelangelo kneeled in front of her in concern. "Donnie, what's wrong with her?"
"April, what do you see?" Donatello asked.
Through another anguished groan, they heard her breathe one distinct name: "Leo."
The Turtles and Casey froze in their place, eyes widening.
"I-It's Leo. I can feel him." She was clutching her shoulder.
Karai's brow furrowed in confusion. "What's she talking about?"
Donatello blinked as he overcame his bewilderment. "April must have able to meld her mind with Leo's. It's a sort of psychic connection; she sees and feels everything he does," he explained.
Karai was about to follow up with another of many questions on her mind until she was interrupted.
"This is perfect!" Raphael quickly proclaimed. "We can find out exactly where they're keeping him."
Splinter stood in silence behind them, expression quiet and patient as he watched the exchange before him.
"April," Donatello said softly, not to startle her. "What's going on? Do you see anything?"
"It's dark," she replied in a whisper, "and cold. Ugh!" She was still grasping her shoulder, now raising her other arm to hold the opposite one. "My arms are killing me. Like they're…strained or something."
Donatello frowned upon understanding.
"Do you see anything?" Raphael urgently repeated. "Anything at all."
April shook her head. "No. It's too dark." Her eyes squinted. "There's a little light from under a door, I think. But-" She gasped again. "Wait! It's opening!"
Their hearts were racing now, waiting for her to continue.
"Who is it?" Now Karai was leaning in anxiously.
April squinted again. After a moment, her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh no," she wheezed, her breath catching. "Tiger Claw."
Their blood ran cold.
One of the Hamato soldiers snarled behind them. "That wretched, beastly descendent of the Nue," he sneered, clearly harboring years of resentment for this enemy. "His alliance with the Shredder was a dismal day."
"Hush, Yuito," hissed another Hamato soldier, nudging his arm with the back of her hand.
"Come on, April, fill us in. What's he doing?"
April was raising her hands in front of her in self-defense, a frightened expression on her face. "I…don't know. He's just standing there." Her voice was subtly shaking in fear. "I don't like the look he's giving me."
Nobody noticed, fascinated and startled at what they were witnessing, but Raphael gritted his teeth and silently stormed away towards the precipice of the mountainside.
Donatello, after glancing towards a concerned-looking Michelangelo, leaned in towards her. "Okay April, you have to break the connection. Now."
"No. I did this to help us find him."
"We already know where he is. Trust me, we'll manage once we get in there."
"No, Leo…" she trailed off, breathing heavily, clutching Donatello's arm tightly.
"April," Splinter finally spoke, walking over lowering himself down onto one knee and placing a hand on April's shoulder in Casey's place. "Child, I do not wish for you to suffer as well. Please listen to Donatello and break this connection if you can."
April fell silent at first, hopeful expression faltering at Splinter's decision. However, suddenly, her eyes widened and she cried out in terror, "No!" lifting her hands defensively in front of her face.
"April!" Donatello caught her as she fell backwards unexpectedly with a tormented yelp.
The others huddled around her as she held the side of her face tightly with her hand, moaning in pain.
As Donatello fell silent, inwardly debating what to do or say, Casey placed his hand over April's as she kept it over where she was supposedly struck. "Come on, April, you're okay."
When April's eyes opened, her pupils were there, albeit constricted to pinpoints so her blue irises stood out starkly. She had to blink a few times for her proper vision to return, her pupils dilating to normal size. She lowered her hand slowly and cautiously as her eyes darted between those standing over her.
"April?"
She stared at Donatello, heaving in unnerved breaths as her mind caught up with her new, safe surroundings. She then turned her attention to Splinter. "Master Splinter, I-I…"
"It's all right, April." Splinter smiled, but it was clear he too was distressed.
Raphael, having done his best to maintain self-control for this long, finally tore his eyes away from the Foot sanctuary in the distance and spun around to face his team. "We need to act now," he insisted.
For a moment nobody said anything, still stunned by the events that had unfolded. To their surprise, Karai was the first to calmly respond. "No, we're not ready yet. We need to wait for-"
"No more waiting! No more meditating, no more talking or planning. We've got enough of us here ready and able to break in there and take Shredder down."
"Raphael," Splinter asserted. "You cannot allow this to cloud your good judgement." He approached Raphael, eyeing his clenched fists shaking by his sides. "April succeeded in learning of Leonardo's survival. We must be grateful for our good fortune. With this knowledge, we can proceed with your plan accordingly."
Raphael hung his head as Splinter placed a gentle, comforting hand on his shoulder. "You have come this far, my son, and I could not be more proud of you. Do not lose yourself now."
Raphael's eyes squeezed shut and he avoided Splinter's gaze.
Splinter, whispering this time, said to him, "Your brother is strong." Raphael distinctly heard his Sensei's voice quiver as he spoke. "We must trust him to fare until we come for him."
That was the last thing Splinter said to them before eventually retreating to his room to meditate, moving silently past his family and allies, a look of quiet despair on his face.
And those were the words that Raphael remembered when he left the Sparrow's Nest that night.
Tiger Claw's attempts to lash out were prevented by the strong grip of Leatherhead and Slash as Foot and Hamato soldiers worked together to bind him.
Raphael had a quick surveillance of their surroundings. Michelangelo was helping Splinter to his feet, while Donatello aided some soldiers in restraining Rahzar and Fishface.
Karai rushed over to where a Hamato soldier was struggling to keep Stockman grounded. "Fools!" he cried, "You have no-" He was silenced by Karai's foot coming down on his head as the Hamato soldier finally managed to bind his deformed hands behind his back.
"You have no idea how much I wanted to do that," she quipped.
"You and me both, sister," Raphael mused. He kicked the head of a Foot Bot in the fly's face, causing him to yelp.
Michelangelo, still acting as a crutch for Splinter, couldn't help but notice his Master's frantic struggle to regain his wits. "What's the matter, Sensei?"
Splinter moved forward. "Much, my son," he replied. "After he struck me down, Shredder escaped."
The blood pumping through their veins turned to ice. They were surprised that they had not realized Shredder's absence until now.
"We have to go after him," Raphael exclaimed.
One of the more mature Hamato soldiers stepped forward. "If I may be permitted to speak, Master Yoshi," he said. Splinter nodded. "Shredder's army's been incapacitated. He poses no more threat."
"The Foot Clan's honor has been restored," chimed in a Foot soldier. "Let him live in shame and exile as we restore balance."
"Oroku Saki has no more concept of honor," Splinter interjected. "He is so transfixed on vengeance, he has lost himself." Although he was being cautionary, there was a hint of sadness in his voice, enough for Michelangelo to instinctively bring his hand to Splinter's back in a vague attempt to comfort him. Splinter continued, facing Karai, "I know you believe he still loves you, my daughter, but his idea of love has long been cruel and narcissistic, even his love for your mother. I do not believe there is much hope left for him."
Karai's expression softened, her eyes glazing over as she took in his words.
Donatello had taken to pulling out his T-phone.
"Here was a great victory," said Leatherhead as he and a Hamato soldier finished binding Tiger Claw, who now hung his head in his accepted defeat. "It is cause for celebration, my friends."
Karai shook her head. "No, father is right. Shredder will continue to be a danger until he's captured."
"Sensei, did you see which way he went?" Raphael inquired.
Splinter nodded. "Down that corridor."
At that, Raphael's heart skipped a beat. He didn't even need to look to know the direction Splinter was pointing. He exchanged a look with Michelangelo, who clearly shared his sudden concern.
"Guys," came Donatello's low, panicked voice. He kept his T-phone pressed against the side of his head as his widened eyes met with his brothers'. "April's not answering."
After only a second of registering what was just said, the three brothers led the charge towards the corridor.
The wooden door opened violently against Shredder's kick. He stepped onto the lookout terrace, rain pelting down on his armor. He dragged Leonardo by the stern grip of his carapace. Leonardo's weakened muscles did little for him as he grasped Shredder's arm in an attempt to pry it away. But his efforts to regain proper footing so his shell wouldn't be scraping against the ground distracted him. All he could do was grunt and writhe in defiance.
"Silence!" Shredder demanded, tossing Leonardo to one side as though taking out a bag of trash to the curb, as he proceeded towards the edge of the terrace. For a moment, all he did was stare at the horizon, dark and clouded over. The endless sea of greenery had never once brought him tranquility upon his throne up here in the mountain. But now this once peaceful temple he had transformed into an empire suddenly seemed empty. His power and pride had been stripped from him.
At the corner of his eye, he saw Leonardo struggling to get up, head hanging down as he focused all his energy on stabilizing himself on his elbows, then his knees. Shredder's eyes narrowed at this. If the Hamato Clan could rise against him after being crippled by his hand, he would not allow this turtle the same opportunity.
Not again.
"I should have destroyed you when I first had the chance," he sneered as he stepped towards him. Leonardo had just balanced himself on his hands and knees when Shredder kicked him violently in the gut. Leonardo cried out in pain and doubled over. "It's because of you that I lost my daughter. That I lost everything." Another kick, this time to Leonardo's head, caused him to nearly lose consciousness as he rolled over to his side, away from Shredder.
Even through all of his failures, Shredder felt a sense of satisfaction, knowing that perhaps he may destroy Yoshi after all. "If my empire is to fall," he said to him, "you will go with it."
His talons extended, and Leonardo flinched at the sound.
"Allow me the pleasure of ending you slowly, Turtle."
Six rings in, and Raphael now began to properly panic. "Casey's not picking up either," he shouted, continuing to run as fast as he could alongside his brothers.
"Maybe they're driving," Michelangelo offered. Judging by his faltering voice, even he was not able to convince himself that this would be reason not to answer their phones.
"Which way, Raph?" Donatello demanded, running up ahead of all of them.
"Straight on," answered a Foot soldier instead from behind them. "It will be a left at the large corridor."
But as they were about to pass through another one of the smaller chambers, Karai came to a quick halt. "Wait!" she shouted. They all did, and upon following her gaze, their eyes widened at what they saw at the corner of the room.
Sprawled across the floor were the Turtles' two most trusted human allies. April was only just coming to, as Casey still lay unconscious against the wall.
"April!" Donatello cried, rushing towards her. The others all followed, careful not to crowd.
April groaned, massaging her temple as she pushed herself up off the ground. Donatello grabbed a gentle hold of her other arm and her waist to help her to her feet. In the meantime, Raphael came to Casey's side and attempted to shake him awake.
"Dudes, what happened?" Michelangelo said. But in their hearts, they all knew.
April held Donatello until her balance was restored, groaning. "Donnie…" Then, like a ton of bricks, it came back to her. She gasped loudly and roughly grasped Donatello's shoulders. "It was Shredder!" Her voice was frantic, "Donnie, he took Leo!"
Casey, who had finally come to and was rubbing his injured head, looked at Raphael with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry, man, I tried to fight him."
Raphael responded with a forgiving and dismissive look, realizing the urgency. "Which way did they go?"
Casey looked around uncertainly.
"Through there," April said, pointing towards a small doorway at the other end of the chamber.
One of the Foot soldiers, closest to the door, peered through. "This leads to the lookout terrace."
Karai unsheathed her sword. "Let's go," she instructed, leading the charge.
Leonardo grunted as his carapace hit the ground hard. His breathing hitched when he tried to take in the air he had lost. He clutched his lower arm, convinced one of the bones there had broken as it was white-hot agony to turn it even slightly. Raindrops splashed onto his face. His eyes were closed, but he easily sensed Shredder looming over him, breathing heavily like an angry bull about to charge a matador.
A strong grip on his holster strap lifted him up off the wet cobblestone into a partial sitting position. He opened his eyes cautiously, but then quickly regretted it when he received a solid blow to the face in response, stinging his eye and cheek. He strongly disliked those steel knuckles on Shredder's gloves.
"You are like a poison, Turtle," he growled. He slammed Leonardo back down onto the ground before lifting him up again. "You and your rodent Master." This time he lifted him high enough to thrust him across the terrace. Leonardo rolled in his landing before coming to an anguished rest on his side.
Shredder continued as he walked towards him, "I don't know what hold you have over my daughter. It pains me to see her succumb to the same hex that befell my dear Tang Shen."
Leonardo's eyes widened at this, but did not dwell on it when he saw the doorway only feet away as he was pushing himself up off the ground. Before he even had time to consider an escape, Shredder had again rammed his foot hard into his gut. Already tender, Leonardo could not stifle a cry. This time he realized the pain was much sharper, and only then did he notice the short blade that was now elongated from the tip of Shredder's boot.
He was growing concerned and impatient. At first, he believed Shredder was intentionally prolonging his end. But now, he sensed Shredder was hesitating. Uncommitted. Leonardo understood: Shredder, a warrior devoted to great plans of vengeance and schemes to increase power, was trying to figure out his next move. One that would salvage what was left of his sovereignty.
His impatience also extended to himself. He had enough strength to push himself up off the ground; he could therefore gather enough strength to retaliate. Splinter taught him to wait for an opportune moment, and those had come and gone frequently. He would not miss this next one.
"I failed with your Master, but I will not fail with you."
Leonardo slipped the concealed blade from under his wrist wrappings. He sharpened his senses and, with a loud cry, swung his arm around just as Shredder was reaching for his shell. The blade apparently struck his face as Leonardo heard Shredder's mask bounce off the ground a few feet away.
The scowl was now unhidden, and a low growl grew into an enraged roar. He seized Leonardo again, this time by the back of his shell, and threw him across the terrace with all the strength he could rally.
Much to Leonardo's luck, he struck one of the battlements of the edge of the terrace before crashing down onto his sore plastron. He groaned, this time less suppressed, realizing that something else may have just broken during that blunt landing onto his chest. If it was a rib, he heeded Donatello's previous advice on remaining still should he risk puncturing a vital organ.
With each blow, Leonardo felt his ki diminishing. When Raphael had come for him, he was slowly gaining it back, and then again when he was greeted with the sight of the Hamato and Foot clan coming together to fend off the Shredder. But when he couldn't stop Shredder from attacking April and Casey, followed by being dragged off like an animal, shame and indignity came over him.
Splinter's voice came into his head then and there.
"Keizoku wa chikara nari."
It was a phrase Splinter taught him that he would repeat to himself in any disadvantageous situation. Anything from a brawl with his brothers to a battle with the Kraang. Perseverance, in its own right, was his power.
He looked up to see Shredder approaching once more.
Under his breath, he muttered, "Keizoku wa chikara nari. Keizoku wa chikara nari."
Shredder saw Leonardo's lips moving, but paid no heed, instead taking pleasure in his victim's irrational behaviour. "Losing yourself yet, Turtle?"
Leonardo silently urged his family to hurry. He feared that, the longer this continued, Shredder may be right.
The staircase to the lookout terrace would render the average person breathless at a rushed pace, but the Foot and Hamato soldiers were filled with enough adrenaline to get them to the top in no time.
"Maintain vigilance, my students," Splinter instructed, technically addressing Donatello and Michelangelo who were in close proximity, but extended it to all those who could hear him.
Karai stormed through first, on guard but eager. Raphael stopped beside her, Donatello and Michelangelo on either side of them.
Shredder spun around, only then realizing his face was maskless, revealing his scars more significantly. He was both shamed and angered by this, more so than by the fact that he was severely outnumbered.
"Stay back!" Shredder shouted, stepping back himself.
Splinter, from behind his sons, watched Shredder intently. Something had changed in Saki. Immediately he could see that his movements were more erratic, less smooth and calculated. Even his stance was unusual: He was hunched, almost self-protectively, and his legs were spread at an awkward angle that would not permit a proper defense – even a mild shove would knock him off balance.
Shredder had no more strategy. His actions at present were nothing more than out of fear and madness. It was what Splinter often feared for when he observed Raphael train that his impulsive student would submit to. Indeed, he dare not admit to his sons how many times he would think of his own former adoptive brother whenever Raphael would lose his head and lash out at his brothers.
But much as he always believed in Raphael to remember his unconditional love for his family, he prayed every day that Saki would as well.
"Saki," Splinter said, disobeying the order by stepping towards him, slowly. "Please, brother. End this madness."
"That is exactly what I intend to do," Shredder retorted. He trudged over to where Leonardo lay across the cold, drenched cobblestone. Ignoring his enemies' advances, he then grabbed Leonardo by his neck and forced him onto his feet. Leonardo grunted and grasped Shredder's wrist with his good arm while his legs quivered under him.
"Leave him alone!" Michelangelo cried both in anger and desperation. "Don't hurt him anymore!"
"We do not wish to cause any further harm tonight, Saki. Release my son, and surrender yourself peacefully."
Shredder looked directly towards the Foot soldiers standing around Karai. "You would allow the child of a Hamato to lead you?" he demanded. "You would disgrace the memory of my forefathers, those who returned to the Foot its pride and power?"
"Your line destroyed the good name of the Foot," returned a Foot soldier, stepping forward so he was next to Karai. "If it takes a noble Hamato to help us restore our honor, then I will gladly oblige."
"Hai," said the other Foot soldiers in unison.
Splinter looked to his daughter in pride. Karai smiled humbly.
Shredder snarled. "Traitors! All of you!" He stepped back towards the edge of the terrace, dragging Leonardo with him. They feared for him, but they realized that Shredder seemed to have forgotten all about him in his rage. While the Turtles were ready to use this to their advantage, Splinter grasped Raphael and Donatello's shoulders, dreading that this would make any advancement even more dangerous.
Splinter took it upon himself to appeal to whatever man was left in him. "Brother, please, listen to m-"
"You are no brother of mine!" Shredder exclaimed in such raw wrath, Splinter's heart broke for him. "You're nothing to me, Yoshi. You're a coward and a liar. You betrayed me the day you stole Tang Shen away."
Splinter could not hold back his own outrage. "Look at yourself! Do you not see that you are doomed to repeat history? In your blind rage, you destroyed all that you claimed to love."
"No. You lie." Shredder's voice was infuriated but trembling. "It's because of you that Tang Shen is gone. And I do not intend to repeat history, but to fix it." He jabbed his index finger in Splinter's direction. "It was you who should have perished that night."
Splinter glowered at him.
With all the strength she could muster not to react out of her own raw emotions bubbling to the surface, Karai, for a moment forgetting her own personal involvement, kept her voice as composed as possible. "You have nowhere left to run, Shredder," Karai declared. "Not from yourself, not from anybody. It's over." Her voice was tender, like calming a wild stallion.
Shredder was silent for what seemed like ages. His breathing was heavy, chest heaving in and out with every breath. He maintained a strong grip of Leonardo's neck, fingers digging into and bruising his green skin, pinning him back against his armoured side. The rain pelting down on top of them seemed to move in slow motion as they waited with a slight glimmer of hope that Shredder would consider peaceful surrender. For the gleam in his eyes as he looked upon the one he called "daughter" may perhaps bridge to his former, honorable life.
But all hope for redemption dissipated when Shredder broke into a twisted, malicious smile. "Yes, it is."
Talons shrieked. His fist was raised.
Splinter was the first to react, reaching forward frantically. "Saki, no!"
Shredder brought down the blades, lashing them deep across Leonardo's chest.
Michelangelo cried out in horror for his brother. Raphael was frozen in shock. Donatello had flinched, and the action was so quick that he was unable to tell for certain if the blow would have been fatal.
What they knew would be fatal was Shredder then thrusting Leonardo over the edge of the terrace.
This time, Donatello joined Michelangelo in screaming for their brother. Raphael remained frozen, his mouth hanging open, his eyes wide as he absorbed the image of what would be the last he'd ever see of his brother alive, watching him disappear over the edge. It all happened so quickly. No time to act. He'd failed. He couldn't save him after all.
Or so he thought.
Raphael felt the rush of wind as a body hurried past him, almost as quickly as what he'd just witnessed. He watched Karai unhook her cloak mid-run, letting it drop behind her as she sprinted in Shredder's direction. At first, it looked as though she was going to attack him as an act of vengeance. All the more reason they were surprised when she ran right past him and dove over the edge of the terrace.
"No!" Splinter shouted.
"Karai!" Shredder cried.
Raphael was the first to rush forward after her, Splinter close behind him, and then Michelangelo. Donatello aimed his Bo staff at Shredder's feet, tossing it so it would be wedged between two stones in the wall. Shredder, in his hysteria, did not notice it and stumbled. Foot and Hamato soldiers swarmed him like bees on a hornet.
Karai plummeted down the side of the mountain. She managed to push off protruding rocks mid-descent to accelerate, quickly catching up with Leonardo.
Almost immediately, as Raphael watched them fall, his memory clicked. With a loud grunt, he pushed off the ground and somersaulted over the wall, following Karai suit.
"Raphael!" Splinter cried.
"Raph, don't!" Michelangelo screamed.
Raphael's heart broke at the sound of despair in their voices, but there was no time to explain. He angled his body vertically to attain maximum speed in his descent. As he plummeted, before his speed had reached the point where the rushing air irritated his eyes – he hoped Karai would complete her stage of the plan before then – he saw Karai had reached Leonardo.
Karai acted quickly once she'd levelled herself with the debilitated turtle. She managed to wrap a rope through Leonardo's belt, securing it to her waist, and now moved on to pulling out the grappling hook Raphael had lent her.
When she looked up, at first she was surprised to see Raphael had jumped after them, but quickly knew why when she saw that the curvature of the mountain would not allow her to attach her grappling hook to a solid terrain. With a tight grip under Leonardo's arm as they rapidly descended side-by-side, she aimed the grappling hook towards Raphael and fired.
Flipping to alter his position only slightly, Raphael expertly caught the hook. Tightening his grip of it with one hand, he used the other to pull out his own grappling hook and fired at sturdy-looking tree growing horizontally from the mountain. It hooked on successfully to a thick branch, and both of them braced for what would be a sudden halt in their descent.
Fortunately, the rope had some stretch to it, and the angle they were stopped at allowed for some swing. It was awkward at first, with two axis attempting to straighten to a vertical stop, but eventually it settled. Raphael's fist was like rock in his grip of Karai's grappling hook. He finally looked down over his shoulder to see Karai with Leonardo in her grasp. The rope tying the two together certainly proved helpful as her grip under his arm was only used to steady him.
For a moment, they hung in silence, catching their breaths, waiting for their heartbeats to steady. Raphael's grip of his own grappling hook could have been stronger, but he would manage.
Karai was adjusting her grip under Leonardo's arm, pulling him closer to her to ease the burden off her waist. The weight was taking a toll, though, as she was struggling to keep proper hold of the grappling hook. She would not be able to hold on for much longer, looking towards Raphael to let him know of this, squinting as the rain splashed down on her face.
However, when their eyes met, they slowly but surely broke into a smile – almost laughing with relief. They had survived.
Suddenly, there was a jolt that nearly caused them to lose their grip. Raphael looked up, eventually noticing that the branch his grappling hook was attached to was cracking at its base.
Panic struck, and Raphael's eyes darted around in a hysterical attempt to come to a last-minute solution.
They jolted again.
"Raphael!" Karai shouted.
Raphael looked back down, into Karai's concerned eyes as she struggled to maintain her grip.
He then realized, looking past them, the small lake that resided almost directly below them. The one he'd seen fisherman quietly on their boats floating patiently for the trout they would sell at the market or take home to their families.
He shouted back down to her, "Karai, swing out and let go!"
Karai's eyes widened before looking below. When she caught sight of the lake, she quickly realized what he intended.
Without hesitating, she tightened her grip on the grappling hook and began to swing herself back and forth. Raphael adjusted his own grasp as she did so, swinging his own arm to speed up the process. Eventually, garnering enough momentum, Karai let go and she and Leonardo plunged down towards the lake. They hit the water with a quiet splash, with nobody but Raphael within range to hear.
Raphael did the same after tossing Karai's grappling hook aside. He had farther to fall, but he had his shell to take on the shock of the impact. He released his grappling hook the moment he was above the lake.
He struck the cold water and immediately sank to the bottom, thankful that there was sand and seaweed to greet him rather than rocks. He pushed off the bottom and swam up to the surface.
After taking in a large gulp of air, he immediately searched his surroundings for any sign of Karai and his brother. It didn't take him long to find Karai struggling to keep herself and an unconscious Leonardo above the surface.
"Karai!" Raphael called before front-crawling towards them.
While registering Raphael swimming towards them, Karai was too preoccupied to verbally acknowledge him. Her legs were exhausted as she treaded water with the eggbeater kick. With Leonardo resting against her chest, his head on her shoulder, she only barely managed to keep both their heads above the water. She was still coughing up some of the water that she'd accidentally swallowed.
Raphael finally made it to them. "Karai," he wheezed between breaths. "I got him."
She coughed, "I'm fine, just-"
"Swim to shore, I'll follow you." He treaded over to Karai's position, looping his arms under Leonardo's.
Karai eventually complied, carefully maneuvering so Leonardo's head moved to Raphael's shoulder. As Raphael adjusted, she looked around for the closest shore. "This way," she instructed, front crawling away. Raphael followed, grunting, kicking his legs so he and Leonardo moved after her.
It seemed like ages, but eventually, Karai crawled up onto the lake's shore, panting from exhaustion. She glanced back to find Raphael struggling to gain his footing as the water shallowed, still carrying his brother backwards. She hurried back to help him, legs splashing the surface of the water, grabbing one of Leonardo's arms. In time, they collapsed onto damp grass after laying Leonardo down gently, lying on either side of him as they caught their breaths and shivered in the cold air.
For a moment, they just lay there, only then noticing the quietness of the night. Raphael was greeted again by nothing but the sounds of crickets chirping and falling rain, moonlight shining down on them even through the mild cloud cover.
Karai was the first to push herself up off the grass and look over Leonardo, who was still unconscious and frightfully still. "Leo," she whispered. Her hand moved to his cheek, then down to his jugular as she searched for a pulse. "Leo." Her eyes moistened. "Please, Leo, give me a sign."
Raphael joined her, scrambling to his knees and hovering over his brother. "Come on, bro, we made it. You're okay." He wasn't sure of that last part as he eyed the wound to his chest. It was deep, but their plastron was pretty thick, so it tended to be more difficult for them to properly discern just how far the wound extended. He wondered how long Donatello and the others would take to get to them.
Karai sighed in relief upon finding his pulse. At the same time, Leonardo shifted his head subtly at the sound of voices around him.
"Hey," she said softly, smile widening as his eyes slowly blinked open.
Leonardo's eyes gradually adjusted and met her face inches away from his. "Karai…" he breathed.
She nodded.
Eyes still half closed, Leonardo's mouth moved into a small smile. "Hi."
"Hi," she laughed, stroking the side of his head.
"What happened?"
"Don't worry, you didn't miss much," Raphael joked.
Leonardo's head slowly turned to face the other familiar voice. "Raph?"
"Here, bro," he replied, hand resting on his shoulder.
Leonardo grunted when he tried to sit up, hand moving to his chest. Karai and Raphael eased him back down.
"Easy, Leo."
Before Leonardo lay back fully down on the grass, Karai quickly moved so he would be resting his head and shoulders on her lap. She held his head gently as it came to rest on her thigh. Raphael didn't protest, realizing that her body heat would warm him in the chill of the night. He fought off the urge to nuzzle up the way they and their brothers would as toddlers on particularly cold nights in the sewers.
Leonardo groaned as he clutched the wound on his chest, the rain pelting down doing little to soothe the raw, open lesions. Raphael placed his hand over his while Karai massaged his temple.
"Karai…"
"I'm right here, Leo," she assured him.
A few seconds passed. "Leader…Foot Clan?"
Karai glanced up at Raphael uneasily, a half smile plastered on her face. Raphael returned the uncertain look.
"I'll tell you all about it when you wake up," she said. "Rest now."
Leonardo complied, shifting his head in her lap, eyes slipping closed.
"Raph…"
"Yeah man."
Instead of a verbal response, he watched Leonardo's hand clumsily slide towards the side of his belt. Raphael nearly choked out a cry when, from the pocket between his plastron and carapace, Leonardo pulled out a familiar red cloth.
"In case you wanted…your old one back."
Thankfully the rain made it difficult to tell, but tears rolled down Raphael's cheeks as his eyes darted from his worn-out mask to his brother's worn-out face. Had Karai not been watching with a smile, he would have pulled him into a repentant hug as the memory of throwing that mask defiantly at Leonardo came flooding back.
He instead settled for grasping his hand, pressing the damp mask between their palms, and squeezing it gently. "Thanks, bro."
From then on, they waited in silence as Leonardo drifted off to sleep and Raphael replaced the newer back-up mask with his old one. Karai removed her glove and stroked Leonardo's forehead with soothing fingers. Raphael leaned back against his palms, watching the path leading down the mountainside for any sign of his or Karai's Clan. Had Leonardo's injuries not been at the forefront of his mind, this would have been very peaceful. Once in a while, after checking on his brother, he would glance towards Karai. Their eyes would meet, and they would exchange relieved smiles.
The sun was just beginning to rise, clouds finally clearing, when they heard the faint call of their names, eventually followed by Michelangelo running into view in the distance.
He and Karai grinned as the Foot and Hamato clan rushed towards them.
"What took you guys so long?" Raphael mused.
Cover image by RadioJane on DeviantArt