AN: Well this was a long time coming. I'm getting myself back into writing, but with my scheduling right now I can't really devote time to a regular upload time. I'm mainly using this as a way to relax in my downtime, so it won't go away. It'll just take a while to complete.
They had secured themselves in the back of their home, hidden inside the maze of walls and rooms. Grimly, the one who was chased thought that it was only a matter of time before they were found. The four male mutants would most likely split up and search the rooms and halls, never far enough for backup to be of no use. They would use teams of two, and send one team a little further down the twisting halls to begin their search. Absently, she remembered that her room was a mess and they would most likely stumble across it. It was a strange thing to think about, but she supposed that was where minds in a panic tended to wander. She turned to the three figures crouched beside her.
"Alright, I have a plan," she said. "Listen closely, 'cuz we prolly don't have a lot of time." The other three, similar yet different from her in so many ways, leaned in closer. It struck her hard, then, how scared she was for her family. They had come to rely on her so much, and she had no clue if she could protect them. Pushing past the lump in her throat and the panic clouding her brain, she relayed to them her thoughts on their adversaries' likely movements. They would be in twos, she stressed; that would be their only chance.
"I'm thinking, if we can get the jump on one of the teams, we can use them against the others. It's a little scummy for my tastes, but we got no choice." The others nodded in agreement.
"Good. Now, we're at the very back, and I don't know how much time we got before the first team makes it back here. I'm not even sure if we can get up to a good position before meeting them. We need to stick together and use the shadows. We can at least do that, right?"
One of the other girls, sporting a dark gradient and two dewlaps under her chin, spoke up. "Masks on, girls. We're going in with fists and silence. The weapons are in the front room." The tremble in her hands and the waver in her voice belied her strong words. Despite this, the three who had been pushed to the back pulled masks from safe-keeping places on makeshift belts. With a signal from the one who had been chased, they slunk down the hallway, two glued to each wall, searching for the intruders. Slow and unnervingly quiet, they prepared to ambush whichever unlucky souls passed close to them.
The brothers were also preparing, plotting to flush out their quarry. Upon seeing the sprawling labyrinth in the building's foundation, they huddled up to plan it out.
"It's best to split up to cover more ground. Teams of two, watch each other's backs," Leo said, laying out his plan. "From what I can see, it's one hallway, and I'm guessing it twists back with rooms off of it. Any other hallways should be short dead ends."
"So, first team checks the first rooms, second team continues down tha way ta check otha rooms?" Raph filled in.
"That's the plan. Raph, you're with Don, and you two will go farther down. I'm pretty sure she would have holed up in the back, and Don needs to tend to her wounds. So far, you've been the only one to be able to restrain her for any length of time."
Raph only grunted in agreement, staring stalwartly down the hallway. A fire was in his eyes, ready to settle a score. Donnie placed a hand on his shoulder, though it was quickly shrugged off. He ignored it in favor of signaling for them to start down the hallway. Weapons drawn, they stalked ahead, keeping low and quiet. Leo and Mikey started off slightly behind, immediately turning left to check out a room blocked off by a heavy curtain.
It seemed to contain nothing but junk and food containers, with an old beaten up couch in the corner. Rather unassuming, with no places to hide. Even the couch was poor cover with how low it sagged into the floor. With a disgusted sneer, Leo nudged some old Chinese take-out cartons with his foot. Mikey took to it much better, sniffing about like a bloodhound for scraps. Simply rolling his eyes at his brother's antics, Leo grabbed Mikey's attention and directed them to the next room.
Even more uneventful was Raph and Donnie's journey into the depths of the hole in the wall. They skipped over quite a few rooms, but found no small hallways. It seemed like it was going to be a straight shot to the back, and the doors became farther apart the deeper they ventured. Eventually, Donnie stopped Raph with his bo staff and nodded towards one of the doors, indicating they should check it out before continuing on. He placed a discreet chalk mark on the floor to let the team behind them know it had been checked. Then, the duo made their way through the tattered rice paper screen marking off the room.
The room was near pitch dark, and completely barren. Donnie quickly ran a hand over the nearest wall, feeling for any signs of a light switch or traps. Finding nothing, he moved cautiously into the room, Raph following close. His bo staff served as a walking stick, searching the floor before him and the walls around him in a search for hidden compartments. The room was as empty and disappointing as it had seemed.
"Well that fuckin' sucks," Raph said lowly. Donnie shot him a flat look of agreement before turning around and heading towards the door.
"Time to move on to the next one," he replied. The two maneuvered themselves through the door into the hallway, continuing down the path. The next door was barely visible, quite a ways down.
Inside the room, the four girls crouched on each side of the opening. They had seen the two brothers coming, their eyes much more adjusted to the darkness of their home, and had ducked into the room. It seemed that the chased girl's assumptions had been correct so far, and it was highly likely the team would check this room next. Now it was just an exercise in patience and anticipation. The smaller and more rounded one of the four was fidgeting excitedly, while a slender one was shivering slightly in nervousness. The dewlapped one looked ready to bolt. There was no time to calm them, however, as the girls heard the two intruders exit the previous room and continue their way down the hallway. Poised and ready to strike, the girls trained their eyes on the opening to the room.
Raph and Donnie made their way carefully to the next room. Before entering, Donnie made another mark by the opening and allowed Raph to enter first. Just as he fully entered the room, a small figure launched itself onto his shell, grappling around his neck. He let out a cry and stumbled forward.
"Raph!" Donnie called out, rushing in as well. The chased girl frantically held up a hand to prevent the other two girls from launching as well, grimacing at the small one's timing. That cry and shout had probably alerted the other two farther behind, and they didn't have much time to subdue these two before backup arrived. They had to get it right, which meant waiting until the two intruders were sufficiently distracted.
"Gerroff!" Raph grated out. Donnie latched onto the shoulders of the small one and used her forward-shifted balance to help Raph roll her over his shoulders and off his neck. She landed heavily on the ground, a gasp of air escaping her as she contacted the floor. Raph promptly placed a heavy foot on her chest and Donnie held his bo staff at her neck. Raph rubbed his sore neck as he examined his attacker. His eyes went wide.
"Don," he said, ceasing his rubbing and leaning down slightly. "She ain't the one we chased here."
Donnie's face shifted into one of alarm as he too took note of what physical differences he could see in the dark. Even the mask was strikingly different.
"Oh shit…h-how many are there?"
The chased one gave the signal, leaving no time for the two to turn around before they had leaped onto them and taken them to the ground. Swiftly, they were knocked unconscious and tied up with the makeshift belts.
"Tsukiimi," the chased one started. The small one gulped and looked towards her. "What were you thinking? You nearly exposed us. We're lucky the other two didn't arrive right after they called out."
"Sorry, Kaigisune," she responded meekly, eyes downcast. Kaigisune rarely used her full name; Tsukiimi knew she fucked up.
"Yurokami, Naryuu, watch the door. They're probably on their way right now, and we're out of ties. You need to incapacitate them quickly so we can use these two as leverage with little risk. Now quiet and be on guard." They nodded and took up positions by the door, with Kaigisune and Tsukiimi ducking into the shadows, leaving the brothers in plain view. A low groan came from one of them as he came to after the attack.
Kaigisune missed when the other two slunk into the room, and was only alerted by the faint shine of metal in the center of the room. Her eyes widened – how did they slip past Yurokami and Naryuu? A glance at the door showed her the two were still on guard, watching the doorway. She tried to signal them discretely, let them know their plan was compromised, but it went unnoticed. If she wanted to save them, she'd have to act fast. Tsukiimi looked to her with wide eyes, asking for direction. Kaigisune observed the two newcomers, watching as they eyed the walls and began working at the knots tying their brothers down. They weren't sufficiently distracted for a sneak attack, and without her other two sisters an initial, all-out assault would likely fail. Clearly, the brothers outmatched them. Even just two could take them out easily.
But it seemed there were no other options. Either they try to incapacitate these two, or they lose any hope of winning. With a quick nod, Kaigisune leapt forward onto Leonardo, slipping off his mask and wrapping it around his neck in one smooth motion. He let out a strangled cry and stumbled backwards under her weight, reaching for his neck. Michelangelo was ready when Tsukiimi attacked only a second behind. They traded blows for a brief moment, but there was no real fight. Mikey outpaced her in every aspect and secured her with little effort. Leonardo was also ending his battle, having already been on guard when Kaigisune launched herself at him. Throwing his weight forward while simultaneously pulling her arms down, he threw her over his head and slammed her into the ground. Kaigisune let out a pained cry as she bounced on her shell and knocked her ankle on the cement floor. By this time, Yurokami and Naryuu had noticed the commotion and were rushing to their sisters' aids, sweeping the boys' legs out from under them. The four sisters positioned themselves between the two still-bound brothers and the two able-bodied ones, on guard and shaking.
This was it. They had been found by those that could best them without lifting a finger. It was over, and highly likely that they would not make it out in one piece. Their plan had failed, leaving two injured and captured in their care with the other two extremely pissed. There was no telling what would happen next, and they were scared. Terrified. Petrified. It was like the lab all over again, but this time there was no getting out, no going back. This was a corner they could not fight their way out of. Eyes wide, almost completely white with panic, limbs shaking uncontrollably, the four sisters held their ground tightly together, waiting for the end.
Mikey was ready to jump into action, bursting with energy. These girls were hardly a fight, but his brothers were behind them and they'd just attacked for no reason. Sure, they'd kinda followed one of them in without permission, but like, no need to get so defensive about it. He hardly registered the fact that there were more turtle girls. No, that could wait. Brothers, danger. He had his priorities straight. Leo, however, seemed to have them all sideways. He held his arm in front of Mikey and sheathed the one katana he had out.
"Dude, what the fuck?" Mikey asked, sparing the briefest glance at his brother. Leo said nothing in return, instead slowly raising his hands in front of his plastron placatingly.
"We aren't going to hurt you," he said. "We just want to help. If we managed to follow you here, I'm sure others have. You," he pointed at Kaigisune, "need medical attention. We can keep all of you safe in our lair, since this place is basically compromised now."
Kaigisune breathed heavily as she gazed at Leonardo. With a wary look, she motioned for her sisters to relax and huddle closer. Not much tension left their shoulders, but they did tighten rank and relax their battle-ready stances. Slightly. It was enough for Leo to sit down on the floor.
"You followed me here," she said. It was not a question, not a statement, but an accusation. "I'm sure you can see how you four doggedly stalking me home does not make me feel safe. Forgive me if I'm skeptical of you strangers."
"I know you're all scared," Leo continued. "Just, let's talk. Untie our brothers, sit down, and I promise, you'll be able to trust us."
Kaigisune gave him a look that simultaneously said it all and gave away nothing. It was clear that none of them would be trusting the brothers any time soon, and Donnie – still bound on the floor – could practically see their chances of saving these girls dwindling into the single digits. Leonardo was a master negotiator, but these girls were guarded, and now that he thought about it, breaking into the home of the girl they were chasing, posing a potential threat to her family and pretty much taking away their only safe spot was a really bad move. Unforeseen situations are great at throwing wrenches into the machine.
So, what happens when a stubbornly unstoppable force meets a terrified, unmovable wall?
Donatello hoped only good things, but he was pretty sure it would be only bad.
"You followed me," Kaigisune repeated. "If what you've said is true, you've compromised our base. Our home. You've put my family and myself in fucking danger by possibly leading a tail this way. And you expect me to fucking trust you?!"
Leonardo winced slightly. "None of that was our intention. There was no tail – if there was one, we would have noticed fairly quickly. Whether anyone else knows about this spot, you'll still be safer with us. If we were able to follow you and find the entrance, others can too. Others who won't hesitate to kill you."
Kaigisune narrowed her eyes at him and let out a small growl. "Why should we even believe you? We have no idea who you four are – you cut down those Foot ninja like they were nothin. Who's to say you aren't just as bad?"
"Hey, c'mon!" Mikey piped up. "We aren't anything like them! We're cool, they're lame, we're good, they're bad, they want to kill us, we want to kill them…. Okay maybe we have that in common, but, like, nothing else."
Leo rolled his eyes, as did Kaigisune. She cut her glare back to Leonardo, then to the two bound turtles. Quickly, she stepped back between her sisters and grabbed a kunai out of Raph's belt.
"H-hey now," Donnie said. "W-what're you planning on doing with that?" She sent a sneer his way that made him flinch majorly. He was slightly ashamed, but that look in her eye…she was unstable in that moment. The room held a collective breath as Kaigisune lowered the blade to Raphael. It hovered much too close to his neck for comfort, but with his limbs bound there were few proactive actions he could take. He was at her mercy, and he hated it. With one more glare at Leo and a sharp, released huff of breath, she cut the ropes on first Raph, then Donnie.
The room breathed again.
"One. You get one chance to show us that you won't hurt us. Then maybe we'll consider your offer."
Still plenty of chances for bad, but Donatello thought those chances were increasing. She had given them more than just one chance, she had given them an act of trust. The proverbial olive branch had been offered, and Don knew Leo would take it. Leonardo immediately unsheathed his katana and threw them across the room, his own show of trust. Even though it made the girls recoil in fear at first, they soon saw the act for what it was. Donnie's and Mikey's weapons quickly followed. After a few nudges, Raph reluctantly did the same.
"I don' even think I want to help yous guys," he spat. "Pretty shitty whatcha did."
"Pretty shitty compromising the one safe place we have," she shot back. He had the grace to growl and pout to the side. Kaigisune gazed at the group critically, keeping her sisters behind her. Trusting anyone was an issue. Trusting ninjas was even more so. Even the fact that they were mutants couldn't calm her nerves – mutants weren't immune to treachery and betrayal. They had followed her here, broken into their home, and then thrown away their weapons and offered to keep them safe, despite having the upper hand and getting back the two captured brothers. She didn't know what to think. So she asked.
"What are you offering, exactly?"
Leo brightened slightly, seeing part of her armor fall away. "We can keep the four of you safe back at our lair. There are plenty of spare rooms, so you'll have your own space. It's safe, no one knows about it besides our circle. Our master is kind and understanding, and would not object to you staying for as long as you need. I would prefer if you stayed until we knew it was safe for you to go. The Foot are dangerous – I don't want to release you right into their hands."
The other three girls were looking between Leo and Kaigisune expectantly. He seemed to be truthful, but the statement that he had a master unsettled Kaigisune. Even though she'd had no doubts before, they were now confirmed ninja. Not to be trusted. Kaigisune saw her sisters looking to her for guidance. They'd been doing it more and more lately, leaving her to gather supplies and not daring to venture out themselves. Too many close calls and injuries had chased all but Kaigisune into their hide-out. With how often she had to go out to gather food and how little they moved, it was only a matter of time before they were tracked down. Dangerously is how they had been living, and it was pure luck that it was these four and not someone else who found them out. If her sisters were going to look to her like she was a leader, then she was going to act like one. She raised herself up and out of her ready stance, facing Leonardo head on.
"Up," she told him. He obliged and held eye contact, waiting for her decision.
"What of food and water?" she asked.
"Provided for. You won't need to go scrounging for it."
"How can we trust we won't be harmed? Or betrayed?"
"Only my words and what you see." Kaigisune and Raph scoffed at that. She leveled a rough stare at him. Turning to her sisters she asked the silent question. Naryuu leveled her with a steady, stalwart stare. It was full of bravery and a promise to watch her back and keep those sharp eyes on anything that moved. Tsukiimi's look was full of trepidation, but a willingness to follow her sisters. She would be ready should anything happen. Yurokami, however, was petrified. Her eyes were wild and her posture tense, mouth open every so slightly in a silent plea. She knew much better than her sisters how badly trusting someone could end up. Kaigisune placed a three-fingered hand on her shoulder, a promise to hold her steady and pull her away from danger. With one last glance at the brothers, the dewlapped turtle nodded.
With a swift pivot, Kaigisune returned her attention to the brothers. "We'll go," she said. "But I have a few conditions. First: we meet your master immediately. Second: we reserve the right to leave until we've decided if its worth staying. Third: our space is our space; stay out of it."
"You've got a deal," Leo said with a smile and an outstretched hand. Kaigisune gave it a cursory shake before quickly withdrawing her hand.
"YEEESSSSS!" Mikey said, punctuating it with a punch to the air and an exuberance enough to startle everyone. "FOUR girls in the lair! Score!" The sisters turned wary eyes on him.
"Fourth: keep him away from us," Kaigisune added.
"Will do," Raph replied, dragging Mikey out of the room by his bandana, grabbing their weapons as he went. Leonardo finally replaced his own over his face, and he and Donnie collected their discarded weapons as well.
"Follow us," said Donnie. "We can get to an entrance just around the corner. We're located in the sewers, away prying eyes. The labyrinthian-like tunnels are perfect for staying hidden."
Tsukiimi made a face at that. The sewers were disgusting, and a possible place for mutants. So they'd avoided it. Seems they were right, though with any luck these mutants would be better than the others. Hopefully. Warily, they started after the four brothers, keeping a good amount of distance in between them at all times. If this was a trap, then there would be room to maneuver. Despite her instinct to bolt in the opposite direction, Kaigisune was anxious to meet their master. There was only one master she had ever known, but if the four were truly against the Foot, then they're master had to be different. Maybe good, kind. Perhaps, they could use it to their advantage. But first, they needed a new home. Following the four boys seemed like the best shot they had at the moment.
With eyes narrowed in determination, Kaigisune lead her scared sisters to what she hoped was safety. They were counting on her now. Once they were safe – if they were safe – she could work on getting them back to their old selves. Living life on the run was taking its toll on them, and it hurt her to watch, to feel so helpless as her sisters slid down a steep slope with no fight left to stop themselves. She forged on, for the sake of her family.
It was when they leapt down through that manhole, boxed in with two brothers behind and two brothers in front, that she began to lose her confidence. They made her jittery, with an uncontrollable desire to pull her sisters close to her, under her plastron like she used to. Yet she continued to forge on, her sisters gathered tightly around her. She would follow and handle her anxiety if it meant saving them. Dealing with the aftermath of ignoring her instincts could wait until after they were safe. If she was the only one left who could, then she had to hold herself together.