Note: There's a reference to my earlier TMNT fic 'A Warrior's Journey' check my page to read it if you haven't already.

Also there are references to Tyroth's fic 'A Sister's Plight'

Chapter Seven

"So it's not just the Venomous Five, Dr Arden and Arashi we have to be careful of now?" asked Jack.

Raphael nodded.

"Nope!" he said "Shredder's back, and things really have gone to shit!"

"No kidding!" Donatello said "With the Shredder back, things are going to go from bad to worse."

"And we must be careful as well." Splinter said "Since we have what Shredder wants, his granddaughter, he will do anything to catch us off guard and get her back."

"It was bad enough when our old lair was invaded and destroyed." Michelangelo said "We thought we were truly done for, and that's when Arashi and Dr Arden were at the helm."

As he spoke he touched his plastron where he bore scars of third degree burns where Arashi had tortured him with a flaming torch.

Donatello at the same time stroked his shoulder where Gila Monster had bitten him.

In fact, all the turtles, Splinter and Mona felt areas of their body where they had been cut in battle or tortured, feeling some phantom pains, even if it had been years ago.


"You don't think they'll come here to search for Mutopia do you?" asked Sarah nervously.

"No, of course they won't!" Tyroth said quickly "When I was captured and tortured those years back, Arashi and Arden never found out, never got a peep out of me!"

"You were brave and strong enough to withstand their torture!" Sharky said "Well you would be, given how strong you are!"

"There were times I almost spilled the beans." Tyroth admitted "But I didn't, as I knew it would hurt more knowing everything here would be discovered, the one place we all feel safe!"

"I hope it never comes to it, that we're discovered by anyone." Percy said "After everything I ran away from and came here, I feel like I belong."

"Likewise." Sarah agreed.

"And me!" Heather added.

"We're all in agreement." said Jack.

"Okay guys." said Tyroth "Now we know we have another enemy, we're going to need to listen to Leonardo and Master Splinter if we are to know more about them, as they said, the Shredder is a dangerous foe, and there is more to him that meets the eye."

Percy hummed something when Tyroth said that causing the others to look at him in confusion.

"What?" asked Percy, "It's the theme from 80's Transformers, the scene change theme."

Kate rolled her eyes.

"Words fail me." she said.

"Knock it off Percy." Tyroth said with a sigh then turned to Leonardo and Splinter "Over to you." he said.

"Thanks big T!" said Leonardo and he handed Kemeko to Mona who took the baby into her arms. Kemeko did whine a little as she was separated from her father, but soon relaxed as she rested on Mona's chest.

"Okay, I know a lot of you have heard stories of the Shredder before." said Leonardo "But now he's returned, you need to know more about him and what he's capable of."

"And we thought Arashi and Dr Arden were bad!" Jack commented "Not to mention the Venomous Five."

"Shredder's mercilessness knows no bounds." Splinter said "He had no honour, he fights for no-one, only his personal gain."

"Bastard!" Kate hissed to which the other Knights agreed.


An hour passed and Everyone sat quietly and listened as Leonardo and Splinter spoke more about the Shredder and the Foot and that should the Knights return to New York for whatever reason that they had to be extra careful.

"He was dangerous enough when we first encountered him." Leonardo said "But now he's returned, he's more hell bent than ever."

"The Foot when under Arashi's command were always out in the city, spies were everywhere, night and day, they never rested then, and they will never rest now."

"Arashi and Dr Arden despite being human, they are not easy to kill, especially since Dr Arden has his many serums."

Mona winced as she thought of Dr Arden, as did Sephie and Amber.

All having gotten up close and personal with the Foot's evil Doctor, they would never forget such monstrosities and horrific experiments.

Mona especially, since she was one of said experiments when the Doctor used her DNA to create his healing serums.

Amber herself shivered as she thought of how she too had been a subject to the Foot and Dr Arden's twisted mind which had lead her to where she was now.

"Shredder will be a whole different story." Leonardo said "Since he is an alien in a suit, nothing can hurt him."

"Doesn't mean he's not invincible." Tyroth clarified "No-one is invincible!"

"Not even you boss!" Jack said "Unless you're confronted by a lot of water!"

Tyroth nodded, knowing his one weakness and he shrugged his shoulders making his wings move slightly.

"But the Foot don't know that." he said "Not like they'd be able to defeat me anywhere there isn't a huge pool."

"Thus makes him hard to defeat!" Michelangelo said "No wonder the Foot lay low with you in New York Big T!"

"True." Tyroth said "But still, the point is, that we need to be ready if he tries anything, and we need to be more careful to make sure he doesn't find out about Mutopia."

"Well no-one has ever found out about our home before." Sharky said "So we better keep it that way!"


"So what will we do if we're captured and tortured?" Percy asked "The Foot found it hard to get a peep out of you Boss, yet we might not be as strong."

"If one cares enough about their home." Kate said "They will not breathe a word! I sure as hell wouldn't!"

"You say that now!" said Donatello "But they have ways of making you talk, and even if they don't want you to squeal, they'll do it anyway."

"Donnie." Mona said in a worried tone as she saw how uncomfortable the Chicago Knights looked. Only she, Splinter and the turtles had known of what torture the Foot would do, and she didn't want the Mutopians to be afraid of something that hadn't happened yet.

Tyroth shook his head.

"Okay guys." he said "We have so many questions, yet we have no answers to them, so far apart from me, Amber and Sephie, none of us here have been prisoners of the Foot and I don't intend on it happening again to us, or to any of you for that matter!"

The Chicago Knights went quiet and looked at Tyroth.

"None of us know what's going to happen now." the Dragon said "But all we can do is be prepared, and put our trust in each other that if anything does happen, then we are ready as we'll ever be! We had to stick together when the demons invaded Mutopia! We did it before and we'll do it again!"

"Hear hear!" Sephie said.

"Well said Tyroth!" George said.

"Wise words Boss!" Jack said clapping his hands to which the other Knights joined in.


Leonardo smiled as he saw the Chicago Knights stand together and applaud at Tyroth's speech.

He felt glad that with Tyroth's help he was able to tell them about the Shredder's return and he was grateful that they would stand with him and his brothers to help him and his family protect Kemeko and stand up to the Shredder should the evil man ever try to attack whether in New York or Chicago.

He sat down again and Mona gently handed Kemeko to him to which he gratefully took her and held her close.

"Hey Lily Flower." he whispered softly to her "The good news is we have more friends helping us now, and I feel glad knowing you'll be protected by more people, not just me and your family, but your family here too!"

He kissed Kemeko's head again and the little girl snuggled more into him and curled her fingers on his plastron.

Leonardo sighed again.

"I only wish I could tell Karai." he thought to himself "I wish I could find a way to show her that I'm honouring my promise to her, I dream of seeing her again, I've even tried to meditate, but I can never be sure if she really knows?"

Leonardo thought back to that night that he almost died at the hands of the Foot due to Arashi stabbing him fatally in the stomach, yet due to Mona's healing serum sample she had stolen and injected his wound with it, he had survived.

"I did pretty much die." he thought "I found myself in heaven, or some kind of afterlife, and I met Hatamo Yoshi and Tang Shen, I still remember it like yesterday, I...I wonder if Karai and Dr Chaplin made it there? I do hope they did."


As he was pondering, he was suddenly brought out of his thoughts as Louie, Mutopia's Chef came over carrying a couple of plates of sandwiches.

"Lunchtime!" he called cheerfully to which the Chicago Knights and the turtles cheered gleefully.

"Thanks Louie!" Tyroth called over.

"No problem Tyroth!" Louie called back "I have more on the way! Dig in!"

Leonardo felt his stomach growl and he reached for a sandwich, his mind still pondering.

"If only I could reach Karai." he mouthed softly to Kemeko "If only, maybe she'll be able to see how pretty a little girl you're turning into."

Little did he know that Tyroth was looking at his thoughtful face and he raised an eyebrow as he saw the blue masked turtle's lips move.

So the Chicago Knights have had time to let it sink in that they along with the New Yorkers have a common enemy and a dangerous one at that.

Meanwhile, Leonardo still ponders on Karai and whether she knows Kemeko is in good hands. I wonder what Tyroth's thinking now he's spotting Leonardo's musing?