Within an of hour of being dropped off in the desert they had already eaten all their food and drunk all their water.
"Ahhhh, my tummy is finally full!" said Rocksteady, patting his stomach. Bebop slurped the last of his water.
"Yeah, dis desert makes a guy awfully thoisty too!" They walked on for a couple of more hours. Both tried to keep their eyes off the sky. Neither of them liked the red sky of Dimension X, to them it was rather creepy. The bleakness of the landscape, with nothing to look at, encouraged them to get lost in thought. Usually, thinking too hard made their heads hurt, but they couldn't help it. They both thought about their life in general, their childhood, meeting Shredder, and how it all led up to this point. Rocksteady's reverie was broken by the tiredness that wore on him. He was in somewhat worse shape then Bebop, and had less resistance to the heat.
"I'm tired. Let's rest over dere," he panted. They stopped to rest in the shade of a sand dune. Bebop gazed out into the sands. After awhile, Rocksteady realized Bebop hadn't moved at all. He waved his hand in front of his eyes.
"Youse okay?" asked Rocksteady.
"Huh?...Yeah I'm okay, just tinkin'," Bebop took off his shades and wiped the sweat out of his eyes with his forearm.
"Bout' what?"
"Bout' da boss. And da toitles and all da stuff we've done," he looked at Rocksteady. "Da boss always took care of us. He was always so mean ta us, called us names and says we is stupid. And sends us ta get pummeled by da toitles!" Bebop looked away. "But still he took care of us, and now we is on are own for da first time," He looked right into Rockteady's eyes. "I'm scared, Rocksteady,"
"I'm scared too, Bebop. I don't know what we is gonna do," sighed Rocksteady. The thought of making it on their own scared them silly. They were dumb as posts, right? Everyone said so. How could they possibly make it on their own? Bebop put his shades back on and stood up.
"Guess we should start walkin' again,"
"Yeah," said Rocksteady as he got up. They had just started walking when Rocksteady had a thought.
"Hey, youse know..." he said as he noticed sweat trickling down Bebop's face. "I heard dat pigs don't sweat, so why do youse?"
"I'm not a pig, I'm a warthog," said Bebop, irritated.
"Den how come youse don't have any warts?"
"I dunno!" He grabbed Rocksteady's snout, holding it closed. "Just shut it!"
"Joo know dat di hate dat!" said Rocksteady's in a muffled voice. He grabbed Bebop's snout.
"Hey! Leggo!" said Bebop.
"Not 'til youse leggo!" said Rocksteady. They both walked this way for awhile arguing before finally letting go of each other's snouts and continuing to walk, now in silence.
After a while, they noticed the sun starting to set. They were hungry again, but they had no food. As darkness set in they decided to rest awhile. That's when they noticed it was suddenly getting cooler very quickly. They both started to shiver.
"Why's it gettin' so cold all of a sudden?" said Bebop, wrapping his arms around himself.
"Deserts are supposed ta' be hot!" said Rocksteady. After a while they realized they needed to find shelter so they dug a pit in the sand to huddle in. They spent an uncomfortable night like this before setting out again in the morning.
They continued to plod across the sand. They were still hungry and thirsty as well. Bebop was noticing Rocksteady's increasingly cross face.
"What's eatin' youse, buddy?" he asked.
"I'm tired of it!" he growled, clinching his fists.
"Of what?" asked Bebop.
"Of everybody sayin' we is stupid! Our parents, da old gang, da toitles, da boss and Krang, everybody says we is stupid! It ain't our fault! We didn't get ta' finish school!"
"But we hated school," said Bebop. Rocksteady sat on the ground with his elbows on his knees, propping his head up.
"Yeah, but I wish we stuck around a little longer and got smarter,"
"It never bothered youse before,"
"I know, but dis desert keeps making me tink of tings. And da more I tink of it, da more it ticks me off!" he pounded the sand with his fist. Bebop extended his hand to Rocksteady.
"Okay, how about dis: if we gets out of dis desert, we'll make ourselves smarter!"
"Great idea!" said Rocksteady as Bebop helped him up. "Uh, but how is we gonna get smarter?"
"Well, dere's...books," Bebop shivered as he said the word 'books'.
"Ugh. Nothin's ever easy," sighed Rocksteady.
"Dere's plenty of time to tink of ways ta get smart later, let's just get outta dis desert foist," said Bebop. Rocksteady nodded, and they resumed their trek. They soon came upon some lavender plants that resembled cacti.
"Hey, lookit dat! Dey say dat cactuses have wadda in dem!" said Bebop. They both rushed to the cacti but stopped when a needle suddenly shot at there feet.
"Uh oh," said Rocksteady just before a barrage of needles shot at them forcing them to duck and dodge, not always successfully. They spent the next 20 minutes pulling needles out of their skin before attacking the cacti hungrily. They were slightly sweet and very juicy, so the two of them eagerly ate their fill, tearing off some pieces to eat later before leaving. Eventually darkness fell and once again they dug a pit to sleep in to keep warm. They next day was similarly filled with walking, stopping for the night, and setting out again.
This particular day was bad. They hadn't had anything to eat or drink for two days now. For hours they both trudged wearily across the burning sands, the merciless sun bearing down on them. Occasionally they would see shimmering water ahead of them but as they got near it would disappear. Bebop was in slightly better shape then Rocksteady, who definitely suffered the worse under the sun. Still they walked on, Bebop sometimes having to go back and help Rocksteady up when he stumbled. As they walked, Bebop could hear the sound of Rocksteady breathing heavily behind him. He turned around.
"Rocksteady?…" he said concerned. Rocksteady collapsed in the sand. Bebop rushed over to him.
"C'mon man, we gots to keep movin'"
"Can't…can't walk anymore," wheezed Rocksteady.
"You gotta keep walkin' are youse is gonna die out here!"
"I can't…" said Rocksteady, his voice hoarse. "Feet hurt…so tired…hot," Bebop kneeled down and lifted Rocksteady onto his back. Rocksteady put his arms around Bebop's neck while Bebop held his legs under his arms.
"Bebop youse dummy. If youse carry me you'll get tired and we'll both die,"
"If we gots to die, we die togedda," said Bebop. Rocksteady smiled to himself. His pal was going the extra mile just for him. Bebop himself was surprised that he said that. Carrying Rocksteady on his back, Bebop began to walk through the sands. He thanked the increased strength and endurance that came with his mutation. He walked. And walked. The unrelenting sun bore down on them. Bebop felt his back ache with the strain. He continued to see water ahead of him but they were just mirages. Trudging up a dune he stumbled and fell. He just lay there on the sand with Rocksteady on top of him.
"I'm sorry…" choked Rocksteady. He would have cried if had any moisture to.
Bebop himself wasn't feeling so good. Breathing heavily he whispered to himself:
"God, I know I don't talk to youse much, but just give me da strength ta help my buddy…" he struggled to his feet with the heavy Rocksteady on his back through a Herculean act of will. "Can't go on much longer…gotta have wadda," His feet and back ached horribly. Waves of fear rushed over him. They were out in the middle of the desert. They had no water, they were dangerously dehydrated and they had no sense of direction or where they needed to go. He continued to make his way up the dune, his feet occasionally slipping and stumbling in the soft sand. When he reached the top he once again saw water in the distance surrounded by weird vegetation. Bebop shrugged it off like he had the others but as he got closer it didn't disappear. He couldn't believe their luck.
"Rocksteady, look! Wadda!" he said almost giddy with joy.
"Wadda…?" said Rocksteady weakly. Bebop now broke into a run, stumbling and falling to the ground once again as they reached the vegetation. He helped Rocksteady drag himself to the pool's edge before he allowed himself to dunk his snout into the cool waters. They both drank greedily. Satisfied at last, he splashed water on Rocksteady to cool him down. Rocksteady smiled at him.
"I'm feeling bedda now," said Rocksteady, sitting up and allowing the cool breeze that was blowing to cool the water on his skin. This was not enough for Bebop. Stripping off his clothes, he entered the pool, dunking his head under the water and tossing it back, splashing Rocksteady.
"Heeeyyyy!" said Rocksteady in a mock angry tone. He too took off his clothes and entered the water, laying on his back and floating on the surface. They lay in the water awhile just staring up at the sky.
"Dis feels great," sighed Bebop. Rocksteady nodded.
"Lucky for us dis was here…" his voice trailed off, not wanting to acknowledge what could have happened if it hadn't been.
"Youse know, I'm really hungry," said Bebop as he climbed out of the pool.
"Me too. Hey! How about dose?" he said pointing at a tree. Hanging from the tree were some weird blue fruits.
"Mebbe dere good eatin'!" said Bebop as he reached up to pick some. After gathering several he bit into the flesh of one.
"How is it?" asked Rocksteady as he walked up.
"Pretty good! And juicy too!" Bebop handed one to Rocksteady and resumed hungrily tearing at the fruit as juice dribbled down his chin. Rocksteady tore at the fruit, ripping and gulping pieces off to satisfy the gnawing hunger in his gut. After eating their fill, they relaxed under the shade of the trees. Looking up, the sun was starting to set. They watched it go down under a brilliant display of reds, blues, and indigos in the sky. Rocksteady was the first to notice the stars coming out. He looked at them, the wide indigo sky so full of them, with nothing but sandy wastes around him. A wind with a slight howl blew against him and off across the sands. He felt very small all of a sudden as thoughts went through his mind. He shivered.
"Youse okay?" said Bebop, concerned.
"Yeah, I was just tinkin',"
"Hah!" laughed Bebop. "Dat's gettin' to be a bad habit wit' us!" He sat down closer to Rocksteady. "Whatcha tinkin' about?"
"Just tinkin' about all da' stuff we been tru',
"Youse mean here in da desert?"
"Yeah, dat and all dat udder stuff wit' da boss. Youse know, helpin' him take over da woild and stuff," Rocksteady looked Bebop right in the eyes. "What was it all for, Bebop? What was it all for?" Bebop was silent for a minute.
"I dunno, I just dunno," he said, averting Rocksteady's gaze. He wished he knew the answer himself.
"And know we're stuck here in da middle of da desert," Rocksteady looked at Bebop fearfully. "We almost died today. What's gonna happen to us?" Bebop had no answers. He was as scared as Rocksteady at the thought of what might lie ahead of them. But he had to calm down his buddy. He put his arm around him and gave him a squeeze.
"Hey, we're pallies right? We'll get tru dis,"
"How?" Rocksteady asked pleadingly. Bebop stood up.
"I dunno. Let's just sleep on it tonight, I'm tired," he said as he walked into the trees. Rocksteady followed him and put his hand on Bebop's shoulder.
"Youse saved my life today," said Rocksteady. "I dunno how I'm gonna repay youse,"
Bebop smiled. "Don't worry 'bout it! Like I said, we is pals, and dat's what pals do!"
"Hah, yeah," said Rocksteady, rubbing the back of his head, a little embarrassed.
"It's getting kinda cold," said Bebop as he picked up and shook the sand from his clothes. He and Rocksteady got dressed.
"We could use dees big leaves ta make a bed and a little tent," suggested Rocksteady.
"Good idea. Youse is smart, Rocksteady!"
"Heh, heh, tanks," And so they took down the big leaves down off the trees and laid them down were the trees blocked the wind. Then they laid some of the leaves over the bed to make a crude tent. Crawling inside they promptly fell asleep side by side. They slept all that evening and into the night. Bebop woke up just before dawn.
"C'mon Rocksteady," he said, trying to rouse him. "We gots to start..." Bebop gulped hard. "...gettin' ready ta' leave,"
"Okay, but why now?"
"It's cool now, right? So it'll be cool when we's start walkin',"
Rocksteady nodded. First they ate a breakfast of the fruits. Bebop went about filling their canteens while Rocksteady filled their packs with the juicy fruits. Showing remarkable foresight, Rocksteady suggested they use two of the big leaves from the trees to make a shade for themselves for when it got hot. The sun was starting to peek over the horizon by the time they were ready. As they stood looking out over the sands they would have to cross it was Bebop who felt the most trepidation at first. He was broken out of it by Rocksteady.
"Well Bebop, let's do dis,"
Bebop gave him a nod and they strode out into the sands. They walked briskly, afraid of again being caught in the burning afternoon sun. As they walked they continued to brood over Rocksteady's question: What was it all for? No answer was forthcoming. They walked all morning, until it was past noon, coming to tall outcroppings of rocks sticking out of the increasingly rocky sand.
"Let's get in da shade of dat one and take a break," said Bebop, pointing to one large rock.
"Good, my feets is tired," said Rocksteady as they got comfortable in the shade. "I'm kinda hungry too," he said as he took a fruit out of his pack.
"Youse know, I'm gettin' sick of dese tings," said Bebop as he did the same.
"I still like um'," said Rocksteady with his mouth full.
"Youse know, fruits usually gives me da runs, but not dese. I wonder why?"
"Mebbe dere one of dose fruits dat is really a vegetable! Like a tomatah!"
Bebop smacked his forehead. "I didn't t'ink of dat! Youse really is smart Rocksteady!"
"I know," smiled Rocksteady. They finished eating, a silence between them.
"Hey, Rocksteady,"
"Yeah?"
"Do youse ever feel, ya know, bad about da tings we did for da boss?" asked Bebop. Rocksteady was silent a while. "I didn't used ta, but lately..." he looked up at the sky. "I've been feelin' tings I haven't felt inna long time,"
"Me too," said Bebop as he put his hand over his chest. "It's like I got dis achy feeling inside me, I don't know how else to put it," Rocksteady nodded. The things they were feeling they almost couldn't put into words. Guilt. Regret. Remorse.
"We always said we loved bein' bad guys," said Bebop. "But all dat's gotten us is dumped in dis stupid desert,"
"Yeah," said Rocksteady. Neither of them were quite aware of it, but something had begun to change inside them. Working under Shredder, all their needs were taken care of, and they really felt no reason to question their actions. They were dependant on him. But now, the shock of being on their own has caused them to think of things they never bothered with before.
They waited in the shade for some time more before continuing on. They stopped to rest several more times by the time it got dark. They noticed now that the terrain was steeper, with red rock under their feet. Looking for a place to sleep, they saw that several rocks laying over each other had created a cave. It was so small that they had to squeeze themselves into it, but it would do for shelter. They slept through the night and once again left just after dawn. They were now out of water, but they still had some fruits left. Finally coming to the top of the rocky escarpment, they looked down and saw a great plain full of brilliant blue grass, a few trees here and there, and a jungle off in the distance.
"Huh, dere's a jungle over dere," said Bebop, pointing.
"Phooey. I tought dere would be a place to get some decent food for a change," replied Rocksteady.
"Mebbe dere's a place past da jungle. And dere's gotta be more food in dere then here, right?" observed Bebop. Rocksteady agreed. Then they both saw they would have to walk across the plain to get to the jungle, and it was still hot. Sighing, they stoically made their way, encountering a stream along the way with which they refilled their canteens. Night began to fall so they stopped to rest. Under a willowy tree they pulled up grasses to make blankets to cover themselves as they laid down to sleep. They awoke in the morning, ate the last of their fruits and continued their journey. They occasionally saw strange animals, like a purple bird with two heads and a snake tail that fled at their presence, and a large aqua blue creature with four legs and two arms with which it reached into trees for fruits to eat. Continuing past these sights, they finally entered the jungle. It was not like any earthly jungle. Trees of reds, blue, pinks, and purples dominated the landscape.
"It's awfully pretty here," said Bebop. Rocksteady grunted, not really listening. He got the sense that there was something watching them. He saw a black shape out of the corner of his eye. He looked quickly. Nothing was there. Bebop too was feeling uneasy.
"C'mon, let's keep goin'," he said.
"Y-yeah," agreed Rocksteady as they briskly walked deeper into the jungle.