Chapter Nine: The Gauntlet

A/N HardyGal: Here you are Becky and Erica Phoenix! I'm sorry for not updating as soon as you possibly wanted, ManyGamePlayer, but our family is getting ready for a trip, and seriously, free time is a little less than usual. Also, after getting traumatized when I was younger, I have finally started seeing Criminal Minds, and it's truly addicting. Isn't it scary to realize that one (fanfiction writers) can write a very, very twisted unsub? I'm sure we all have a little unsub in all of us.

Sleepy Rainbow, I in no way thing that your last review was harsh! I appreciated it so much. Also, thank you for saying that Andi isn't much of a fifth wheel, I really appreciate that. That is one of the things I'm really scared of when writing Andi (and it's something that Andi is sort of worried about herself; Mousers Attack might expand on that). That and I'm afraid she doesn't have a solid personality. Honestly, the only times I know for sure that Andi is a fifth wheel is when I'm really tired while writing and not putting too much effort into it.

Thank you for your review, Panda :3

One favorite pastime of Andrea's: watching her brothers spar while she stayed to the side, reasonably safe. This time, it was Raphael versus Leonardo.

"Check it out, guys!" Donnie walked in, holding a couple white things in his hand. "We are about to take our ninjutsu to a whole knew level!"

"Cool!" Leo quickly swept out his leg, flooring Raph.

"Like, tech new level? Or…?" Andi shrugged.

Donnie smirked proudly, holding out one of the round, white objects. "Last night, I figured out how to make… ninja smoke bombs!" With that, he threw the object to the ground, and disappeared in a puff of sparkling purple smoke. He then appeared right beside Andi in another puff of smoke, grinning widely.

"Woah…" Leo, Andi and Raph looked impressed (the latter being a big accomplishment for Donatello).

"Now, to make 'em," said Donnie. "I carefully drilled two holes in an egg shell, without cracking it, slowly blew out the contents, waited for the inside to dry, then poured in flash powder, and sealed both holes with wax."

Raph made a talking motion with his hand. "Bla bla, science, bla. Do it again!" he said excitedly, bumping Leo aside.

"Man, I need a piece of that action!" Andi reached for one of the smoke bombs in Donnie's hand. Her brother pushed her away, holding his hand gingerly in the air, out of reach.

"Andi, stoppit," Donnie said. "What I'm trying to tell you guys is that they take a long time to make. So use them sparingly."

"I'm making breakfast!" called Mikey's voice from the kitchen. "Who wants omelets?"

Donnie glanced at the smoke bombs in his hand. "Omelets…? Mikey, don't!" He made to run into the kitchen.

Too late, in a puff of purple smoke, their youngest brother appeared in the dojo, coughing, and holding an entire bowl of 'eggs'. "Ugh, I think that was a rotten egg," said Mikey.

Andi bit her lip, grinning, while Leo laughed, leaning helplessly against Raph. "Those aren't eggs, Mikey," said Donnie. "They're ninja smoke bombs."

Mikey's eyes widened. "Shut up…!" With that, he threw another smoke bomb. "This…" He appeared in the dojo tree, and threw another. "…is the best day…" He appeared leaning against the tree, throwing another. "…of my life!" He dropped yet another.

"Mikey, stop!" Donnie shouted.

Mikey grinned like a devil, and dropped another. He appeared behind Donnie. "I love you man!" he said, grabbing his brother by the shoulders and kissing him on the cheek. "Seriously!"

Donnie glared furiously at him.

"Guys!" That was April's voice in the lair.

The turtles quickly ran into the main room, where April sat down in the pit, arms wrapped around herself in a helpless manner.

"You're never gonna believe what happened to me…" April said.

"Calm down, April," Donnie said soothingly, kneeling next to the human girl. "Just tell us what happened.

"I am being hunted," April said. "By a giant pigeon!" She grabbed Donnie by the arms, looking a little frantic.

Andi turned away so nobody could see her laughing. Raph, apparently, did no such thing. He laughed openly, before cutting off. "What?" he said. "I can't be the only one who finds that funny."

Andi did laugh, and she could feel Leo's glare on the back of her head. "Well," she said, gaining control on her face, turning around, and leaning an elbow on Raph's shoulder. "It does sound funny when you say it like that."

"See?" said Raph, gesturing to Andi. "At least kinda funny."

"It's not funny, Raph," Donnie said, helping April to her feet. "There's a creature out there trying to hurt my April."

April cast a side glance at Donnie, and Andi had to keep from face palming. Donnie seemed to realized what he said, and grinned nervously. "Our April…" There was still no shortage of stares. "April."

"This is serious," Mikey spoke up. "I'd better get Splinter." He lifted a smoke bomb.

"We don't really need-" Leo cut off when Mikey disappeared in a puff of smoke, and in his place was Master Splinter.

"Michelangelo said you wanted to see me?"

A couple minutes later, they were gathered around April, who sat on the pit step, hugging her knees. "His talons were razor sharp," she said. "He would've torn me to pieces! If he hadn't slammed into the glass."

Raph, of course sitting to the side, reading a comic book, started laughing again. Even Andi shot him a look (she knew better than to laugh about it now, and also Splinter was hovering over her), and he cut off again.

"Really?" he said. "Just me?" He grunted when Splinter's staff whacked him upside the head, and Andi was really glad she hadn't laughed.

"Raphael," Splinter said reprovingly. "Clearly April is upset."

"Andi thought it was funny," Raph muttered, going back to his comic.

"Well… Until April explained the whole thing, it sort of sounded funny," Andi said, rubbing the back of her neck. "But I know better now…"

"Yeah, dude," Mikey said to Raph, sitting next to Andi. "That's so insensitive." He turned to April. "Do you need a tissue?"

"I think I'm ok," said April.

"I'll get you a tissue." He dropped a smoke bomb. April's eyes widened, and then Mikey appeared on her other side. "We don't have any tissues," he said. He brought out another smoke bomb. "Can I make you some soup?"

"Stop it," Donnie said exasperatedly, standing up to pull the smoke bomb out of Mikey's hand. He looked down at April. "Don't worry, April, we won't let anything happen to ya."

"Donnie's right," said Leo. "We're going to set a trap for this… pigeon man and make sure he never bothers you again."

"Well, I know what we can use as bait," said Donnie.

"Bread crumbs!" Mikey said. He realized he was being stared at. "Pigeons eat bread crumbs," he explained.

"Yeah, and turtles like worms," said Andi, crossing her arms. "Mutants don't always like the diet of their animal origin, Michelangelo." Andi shuddered, remembering the worms and algae that they used to eat only a couple months ago.

Donnie nodded at her, then turned to Mikey. "I meant April."

April jumped to her feet, Andi shot Donnie a sharp look, and Mikey's eyes widened.

"What?" Mikey jumped in front of April. "You're gonna let him eat April? I thought you liked her!"

"Yeah!" April agreed.

"Man, the bread crumbs thing was better than-! Wait, what?" Andi turned to look at April.

"Don't sweat it," Donnie said confidently. "We got your back."

"Alrighty, Mighty Mutants," said Leo. He punched a fist into his palm. "Let's do this."

Andi face palmed, momentarily distracted from April.

"Mighty Mutants?" Raph repeated. "What, Dancing Dorks was already taken?"

Leo scowled.

"What are we waiting for?" said Mikey. "Let's go!" He sped towards the lair, exit/entrance, his siblings and April following close behind.

"Wait!" They froze, and turned at their Sensei's commanding voice. "You do not yet know what you are facing," Splinter said warningly. "Perhaps you should study your enemy before confronting him."

"With all due respect, Sensei…" Leo said slowly, clasping his hands. "It's a pigeon…" He shrugged in a grave digging manner.

"What you know is dangerous to your enemy," said Splinter. "What you think you know is dangerous to you." He tapped his staff on Leo's plastron. "I fear you are all becoming overconfident."

Andi exchanged a look with her three other brothers.

"Sensei," said Leo. "In the past few months, we've taken down giant spiders, plant creatures, alien robots, and an army of ninjas…" He counted these off on his fingers. Andi fist bumped Raph, while Mikey and Donnie high threed. "Maybe we're not overconfident," Leo continued. "Maybe we are just that good."

With that said, Leo leapt over the entrance bars, and his siblings (and April) followed him towards the sewer exit.


Andi clenched her eyes tight, pinching the space between her eyes, listening to April being 'bait'.

"Here I am! Walking around in the big city! All alone! Oh, I sure hope no crazy pigeon man sneaks up on me! That would be the last thing I want!"

Andi had to suppress a low groan.

"What are you doing?" said Donnie's voice.

"You wanted to be bait," April said irritatedly. "I'm bait!"

"That's not how bait talks!"

"How do you know how bait talks?"

"I know bait doesn't talk back!"

Andi's mouth dropped, and she poked her head out of the dumpster she was hiding in. Raph looked out from underneath the manhole cover, Leo pushed open the dumpster opposite to Andi, and Mikey hung from a fire escape. All four were staring at Donnie. "Oooooh…"

"Oh, no you didn't!" Mikey added, shaking a finger.

They all quickly retreated back into their hiding places. Andi could hear Donnie laughing nervously. "Just… act natural…" Donnie retreated into his own hiding place.

April sighed. "Here I am… Acting natural. Just, totally defenseless against any, I don't know, any hideous mutant pigeon guy who might happen upon me."

Andi face palmed. The pink clad turtle stiffened suddenly when she heard the squawking. Then, April screamed. Andi peeked out of the dumpster just seeing an enormous, humanoid pigeon being electrocuted by Donnie's home made stun gun.

"Now!" At Leo's signal, he, Andi, Raph and Mikey pounced on the pigeon man.

Andi curled her lip at the enormous green pustules on the pigeon man's body. "Ugh…" Raph apparently thought it was gross too.

"Ok, ok!" The pigeon tapped out on the ground with his free hand… wing… thing. "Uncle! Geez Louise!"

Donnie and April stood over him, Donnie holding his stun gun like a boss. "And you said I wasn't good bait," April commented to the purple clad turtle.

Andi shook her head, helping Raph hold the pigeon down as Leo and Mikey stood up.

"Ok, start talking, pigeon man," said Leo, glaring down at the mutant pigeon.

"I have a name!" the pigeon whined.

"Yeah, we just don't care what it is," Raph said bluntly.

Andi bumped his shoulder reprovingly. The pigeon turned his head all the way round, like a normal pigeon, to glare at Raph. "It's Pete."

"Why were you trying to hurt April, Pete?" Leo asked.

"I wasn't trying to hurt her," 'Pete' protested. "I was just bringing her a message." Andi leaned back when he thrust his head forward conspiratorially. "From her father."

April gasped. "Let him up!"

Andi and Raph stepped away, and Pete stood up, turning to April. "We were both guests of the Kraang," Pete said.

"And by guests… I take it that's a very bad thing…" Andi said slowly.

"Of course," said Pete. He drew both hands across his face. "They poured some ooze on me and turned me into this!"

"Ugh," April said, with either fake or genuine sympathy. "That must've been horrible… being turned into a… pigeon."

"Actually, I started out as a pigeon," Pete explained.

Mikey crossed his arms. "Told you the bread crumbs would work." He yelped slightly when Pete grabbed his shoulder.

"You got bread crumbs?" he asked excitedly, turning Mikey around, as if hoping to find bread crumbs on him.

"Um…" April spoke up. "My father?"

Pete looked up from shaking Mikey upside down. "Oh! Right!" He dropped Mikey on his head ("Ow!") and took out a phone, handing it to April.

Andi moved to look over April's shoulder. "Something terrible is about to happen," said April's dad a phone video. "I don't know know what, but it's extremely important that you get out of the city as soon as you can. Save yourself… And remember… I love you…"

April looked as though she were about to cry, and she pressed the phone to her chest. "I love you too, daddy…" Andi pat her on the shoulder, slightly awkwardly.

"Do you have any idea what he's talking about?" Leo asked Pete.

"I'm just the messenger," said Pete.

"Kill the messenger," Andi muttered. She stepped back when Pete and her brothers turned to stare at her. "Just kidding!"

"We have to get you out of the city," said Donnie, putting a hand on April's shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere without my dad!" April snapped, turning to him.

"But you heard him!" Donnie said in protest. "Something terrible is about to happen!"

"Then we better hurry," April retorted.

Andi grinned slightly. "Can you tell us where the Kraang are holding him?" Leo asked, still talking to Pete.

"I can…" said Pete, getting into Leo's face. "But it's gonna cost you a lotta bread…"

"We're talking about… actual bread… right?" said Leo.

"Yep!" Pete said brightly. "Sourdough!"

"Done!"

Mikey lifted a smoke bomb. "Let's roll!"


Donnie stood on Mikey's shell, trying to open a possible entrance into the Kraang building, who's rooftop they were standing on. Donnie succeeded, pushing away the metal lid.

"Piece of cake!"

"Let's do this!" April said excitedly.

Leo stopped her with a hand as she tried to move forward. "You are staying here, April."

"Are you crazy?" April said incredulously.

"Was that a rhetorical question?" Andi commented.

"My dad's in there!"

"Along with who knows how many Kraang!" Leo retorted. "This requires stealth, and mobility. Leave it to the pros."

"Ugh!" April gave a small sharp sigh of irritation. "I can't just do nothing!"

"You won't be doing nothing." Leo grabbed the rope from Raph's hands, and handed it to April. "We need you to lower this rope when we give you the signal."

April sighed. "Fine."

Donnie jumped into the building. Andi jumped after him, rolling silently behind a crate, Leo coming down right after her. Mikey's landing was a little less elegant. In fact, his landing attracted the attention of a nearby Kraang-droid, who turned to him.

"Mikey!" Andi hissed in annoyance, as the droid aimed its gun at the orange clad ninja.

Raph landed on the droid, his sai stabbing into its shoulders, taking it to the ground. "Thanks, man," said Mikey, giving a thumbs up.

Leo made a 'come on' gesture, and moved towards a hallway, Donnie and Andi right behind. Andi heard Mikey give a little 'Ow!' and turned to see him rubbing his head, glaring at Raph.

A little ways down the hall, Leo suddenly froze, holding up a fist. He turned back to his siblings, holding a finger to his lips. "Shh…" Unsheathing his katanas, Leo turned the corner.

Andi's jaw dropped slightly when she heard the sound of metal slicing metal, and peeked over the corner. Leo gestured for them to continue following, standing over half a Kraang-droid. Andi somersaulted over, her other brothers close behind, and they moved on.

They eventually ended up following a couple Kraang-droids to a room. Leo snuck up on them, and as soon as they opened the door, bashed their heads together. Raph threw his sai at the head of the Kraang-droid already occupying the room.

Andi entered it after Donnie and Mikey, looking around at the blue lights streaming down the console in the middle of the room. "Huh… sweet disco."

"It's a computer," said Donnie, looking up and down the console core.

"Yes, that's what I meant…" Andi muttered.

There was a squalling sound, and the sound of flesh hitting brainy flesh. Leo and Raph entered the room.

"Brain problems?" said Andi, as Raph helped Mikey move the offline Kraang-droid aside.

"Solved," said Leo. He turned to examine the console. "Donnie, hack into the system and see what you can find out about the Kraang's plot. Raph, Andi, you're with me. Mikey, stay with Donnie."

"Why do I always get stuck with Mikey?" Donnie said irritatedly.

"Hey," Mikey said, looking hurt.

"Donnie…" Andi crossed her arms, glaring at the ground.

"I don't want him…" said Leo. "And I'm in charge!"

"Hey…" Mikey said again.

"That… is the most childish use of the leadership card I've ever heard," said Andi, looking up.

"Well, I am!" Leo said indignantly.

"Well, then make Raph take Mikey," said Donnie, gesturing to said brother.

Raph crossed his arms, turning away. "Over my dead body! Give 'im to Andi."

"Ra-aph…" Andi went back to glaring at the ground.

"You know," Mikey snapped, glaring. "I'm starting to think nobody wants to be with me!" Andi turned to him in surprise. "Fine! I'll just go off on my own!"

Andi lifted a hand to stop him, just when the orange clad turtle threw a smoke bomb, and disappeared in a puff of purple smoke.

There was a clatter nearby, and the four older turtles turned to see a different door open, exuding purple smoke, from which Mikey emerged. He giggled sheepishly. "That's a closet."

Andi rolled her eyes. "Have fun you two!" Raph called as he, Andi and Leo exited the room.


The point of the three older turtles leaving Donnie (and Mikey) was to search for April's dad. Kraang signs actually proved to be helpful in this case as to where they ought to be heading.

Leo pointed at a possible cell candidate, and Andi and Raph nodded. Leo rolled forward, landing in a crouch in front of the cell door, his brother and sister coming up behind him. Raph drew his sai, eyes narrowed as he watched for any Kraang-droids, Andi doing the same with her kama.

"Mr. O'Neil?" Leo whispered. "Are you in here?"

When Andi looked over her shoulder, she saw a man with red hair, the same man from April's video message, the same man who had been kidnapped so many months ago, appear in the cell window.

Seeing Leo, he said, "You're one of the turtles who rescued my daughter. Is she ok?"

"She's fine," Leo said quickly. "She's right outside." He began looking for the lock to the cell, and Andi face palmed.

"He didn't need to know the last part," Andi muttered to her brother.

"You mean she's still in the city?" Mr. O'Neil said incredulously. "That girl is stubborn."

"Yeah," Leo said wryly, removing the cover from the electric lock. "We've noticed." He began fiddling with the wires.

After a few minutes, both Raph and Andi were getting bored with watching Leo's shell as he worked on the lock.

"You were listening to Donnie when he was telling us about picking locks, right?" Andi said irritatedly.

"Yes," Leo replied cooly. "Were you?" He stuck his tongue out slightly as he continued flipping the wires.

Andi scowled at the back of his head. Only a little later, she started talking again. "Try swapping those two black wires," she suggested, pointing in the box.

"They're all black," Leo said shortly.

"Since it's taking Leo forever to pick that lock," Raph said irritatedly.

"I'm working on it," Leo said, sounding irritated and exasperated. "Just tell Andi to shut up, and it'll go faster."

"Maybe you could tell us what the heck's the deal with the Kraang," said Raph, turning to Mr. O'Neil. Andi scowled at Leo again.

"They're aliens from another dimension," Mr. O'Neil explained. "When they came here, they brought the mutagen with them."

"Why?" asked Leo, at the same time continuing to work on the lock. "What's the point of turning people into monsters?"

"That is us you're also talking about, you know?" Andi said.

"The mutagen doesn't work the way they thought it would," said Mr. O'Neil. "Apparently the physical laws from their universe are different from ours."

"So they're grabbing scientist to help modify the ooze!" Leo said, in his own 'eureka' voice.

"Wow!" Raph said, obviously sarcastic. "You figured it out! How's that lock coming?" Andi rolled her eyes.

Leo shot him a look, before going back to the lock, pulling out the ends of two wires. "So, what do they want the ooze to do?" he asked Mr. O'Neil.

"I wish I knew," the human man replied, looking depressed.

"Leo!" Donnie came running around the corner, looking frantic. "Andi! Raph!" Leo was pulled from the lock as he, Andi and Raph looked at their younger brother. "They've planted a mutagen bomb downtown! They're gonna use it to disperse ooze over half the city!"

The three older turtles winced in alarm. "Can there ever be a time when New York won't turn into mutant city craze?" Andi said exasperatedly.

Donnie wasn't listening though. "Oh, hi Mr. O'Neil," he said, waving at the red headed man in the cell, grinning widely. "Your daughter's really nice."

Andi had to keep from face palming as Mr. O'Neil raised an eyebrow.

"Ok," said Leo. "We have to disarm that bomb… Now if I could just get this stupid door open!" He grit his teeth frustratedly, scrambling the wires.

"I don't think you're going to get it open by mixing up those wires like spaghetti," said Andi.

"Do you want to try it?" Leo said, turning to look at her.

"Have you tried this?" Andi has almost forgotten about Mikey until just now. She looked over her shoulder just when the youngest turtle pressed a random button.

"No!" the older turtles shouted frantically.

Too late. The alarm sounded. Mikey just came to grips with what he had done, and laughed nervously.

"And that's why no one wants to be with you!" Raph shouted, poking a finger into Mikey's plastron.

"Got it!" Leo announced suddenly.

The door opened, and April's father stepped from the cell. "Leo!" Andi shouted, jumping to her feet. "Kraang-droids at four o'clock!"

Leo ducked a laser shot, he and Donnie taking Mr. O'Neil by the arms. "Let's go!"

Andi deflected a couple laser shots with her kama, before following her brothers through the halls. "Scram, scram, scram!"

Finally, they made it back to their exit point. Donnie, Leo and Mr. O'Neil dove to one side, Raph and Andi dove to the other. Mikey, of course, tripped. Raph grabbed him, and pulled him aside. Raph showed his concern by smacking the younger turtle upside the head. Andi peeked from her hiding place, and yelped when a laser shot nearly shot a hole through her head.

"Where's that rope, Leonardo?" Andi called. She stiffened when she heard the horrible imitation of a pigeon.

"What are you doing?" Raph snapped at his older brother. He looked up. "April! Throw the rope!"

"Dad!" April could be heard calling down.

"April!" Mr. O'Neil shouted up.

There was a slap as the rope hit the floor. There was also wirring as the Kraang-droids approached. Raph kicked over an oil barrel, and which crashed into the coming droids. As soon as that was done, Raph stabbed a droid which had managed to make it past the barrel attack. It's gun clattered to the ground.

"Ok, I think it's time to go," said Andi.

"I concur." Donnie nodded.

Suddenly, Mr. O'Neil seized the gun that the Kraang-droid had dropped.

"Mr. O'Neil, what are you doing?" Leo shouted.

Instead of replying, the human man started shooting at the Kraang-droids, who were just recovering from Raph's oil barrel attack. He then turned to Leo. "Save my daughter," he said. "Save the city."

"Daddy, no!" April could be heard screaming.

Mr. O'Neil continued shooting at the Kraang-droids. Leo ducked as the laser fire resumed.

"Go!" he ordered.

He and Donnie ran for the rope, Mikey, Raph and Andi right behind. Donnie seized the rope, but hesitated, turning back to Mr. O'Neil.

Andi screamed as she just barely missed being grazed by a laser shot. "Donatello, move your shell, please!"

"We can't just leave him here!" Donnie protested.

"We don't have a choice!" Leo snapped.

In a few seconds, the five turtles shinnied up the rope. Andi, being last, looked down before climbing out. Mr. O'Neil was being dragged away by the Kraang. The kunoichi closed her eyes, and climbed out.

April was sobbing quietly into Donnie's shoulder. Donnie pulled her back slightly. "We'll get him back, April," he said quietly. "I promise."


One of the weapons they didn't often use was the bow and arrow. But Andi loved it when they did. According to Donnie, the Kraang mutagen bomb was set on top of a hotel downtown. The Wolf Hotel.

Enter the arrows. Andi jumped to the top of the mutagen bomb, carefully aiming arrows at each Kraang-droid that wasn't already being targeted by her brothers. Almost too late, she heard the powering of the gun behind her. But there was a familiar yell, metal slicing metal, and the Kraang-droid fell from the bomb, cut clean in half, the Kraang brain squalling in protest all the way down. Andi turned, and high threed Leo, before the two of them jumped from the top of the bomb.

Raph yelped as a Kraang crawled between his legs, and stuck his tongue out at the thing.

"So…" Andi looked up at the bomb. "Wow… You would think someone would notice this, right?"

"Ok, Donnie…" Leo sighed. "It's up to you."

Andi pat Donnie on the shoulder. "No pressure."

Donnie opened a control panel, and his first words weren't encouraging. "Uh, oh…"

Leo peered into the panel. "Uh oh?" he repeated incredulously. "Donnie! You said you could do this!"

"I didn't count on a design this complex, Leo!" Donnie snapped back.

"They're aliens from another dimension!" Leo shouted. "What did you expect? A big, round ball with a lit fuse that said 'bomb'?"

"No!" Donnie retorted. "But this-!"

Raph pushed Leo aside. "Boy, I sure hope this argument goes on for another forty minutes and fifteen seconds!" he said sarcastically, before smacking his younger brother upside the head.

"Ok, shut up!" Andi shouted, getting between her brothers. "Donnie, just do your thing, will you?"

Donnie cast a glare at Raph, before going back to the bomb panel. After a few nervous whimpers and growls, he finally began to reach in gingerly, his siblings hovering behind him; he was starting to sweat a bit.

"Careful…!" Leo warned anxiously.

Donnie's head whipped round, his mask tails whacking Andi in the face, glaring furiously. Slowly, he went back to his work. As he reached his hand in again, Raph spoke up. "Watch out for those wires."

"You guys are not helping!" Donnie snapped.

"What if we just push this button?" Mikey suggested, reaching his hand into the panel.

Raph seized his wrist, pulling his hand back. "Don't you think you've pushed enough buttons tonight?" he snapped.

Andi let out her breath in a slow, audible, windy whistle, trying to calm both her nerves and her brothers. After taking a couple deep breaths, Donnie returned to the panel. He tapped his mouth, humming tunelessly.

"Donnie!" Leo said suddenly. "You're going to have to speed things up!"

"I cannot work, with all this pressure!" Donnie shouted frantically.

"Staying calm," Andi said in a slight sing song voice. "No pressure. Just diffuse this bomb, save the city… No problem." She stiffened at a clattering sound behind them.

"Um… That might be a problem," said Leo.

They turned. Chris Bradford and Xever stood on the Wolf Hotel sign. Andi drew her kama, crouching low, her brothers also drawing their weapons.

"Andi, stay and watch Donnie's back," said Leo, and they charged.

Xever grabbed Mikey, and threw him over his shoulder. Before Xever could do anymore damage, Leo charged him.

"You guys picked a really bad time for this!" Leo snapped, blocking a blow.

"Oh, sorry for the inconvenience," Xever said sarcastically. "When would you prefer to breathe your last breath?"

"Oh, I don't know," Andi called. She dodged Bradford's sword as he swung at her head, and swung the hilt of her kama into the side of his face. He stumbled back, glaring at her, before he was accosted by Raph. "How 'bout, never?"

"If that thing goes off, it'll wipe us all out!" Leo said, blocking another attack.

Bradford lifted his sword. "I'd rather die with honor," he said. "Than live in shame."

"Oh, great, he's one of those guys," Andi muttered.

He brought down the sword, which Raph just managed to dodge. Raph bounced off a metal beam, and punched Bradford in the face, backflipping over the guy, and landing on his feet behind him.

"Would you hurry up and diffuse the bomb!" Raph shouted at Donnie. "We're dealing with a couple nut jobs here!"

"Be quiet!" Donnie screamed.

Xever blocked both Leo and Mikey, before kicking both of them in the chest. Raph blocked Bradford's sword blow. Bradford broke the block, grabbed Raph by the shell, and threw him aside.

"Hey!" Bradford turned, to get Andi's foot in his face. Moving quickly, she kicked the guy back in the chest. She turned to Donnie, who seemed to be counting the wires. "Donatello…?"

"I don't need anymore noise right now, Andi!" Donnie shouted.

"Ok, ok!"

"So close," Donnie whispered. "So close…"

Andi turned to see Mikey blocking Bradford's sword with his nunchuk chain. Leo attacked the guy from behind, but Bradford anticipated him. Turning, he blocked Leo's katanas, before pushing him back.

"Down to two wires," Donnie whispered in a shaky voice. "Which do I cut? Black… or green?"

"Go for the green!" Mikey called, before receiving a blow to the face.

Andi whirled around when she heard the beeping. Donnie's hands were shaking, the wire cutters in them. He set them around the black wire. The beeping accelerated. He clenched his eyes tight. "Eh, why not…?" The wire cutters moved down to the green wire, and cut.

Andi felt like hiding in her shell, but she restored clenching her eyes tight tight. There was the sound of powering down, and she opened one eye.

"It's off?" she squeaked.

"It's off…" Donnie whispered. He began to laugh slightly. "It's off!" He turned, still laughing slightly (as a result of extremely frazzled nerves). "Guys! Guys! Mikey… was right about something!"

"Ready to kick some butt?" Andi somersaulted onto the bomb ledge, where Bradford was still beating Mikey and Leo's shells. Hearing Donnie right behind her, Andi pulled herself onto the second ledge, and charged Xever, who was against Raph.

"Hey!" Xever turned, and just caught Andi's kama by the blades. "Oh, come on…" She was thrown against Raph.

"Gee, thanks for the rescue," Raph said sarcastically, getting to his feet. He threw a punch at Xever, who blocked.

Growling, Andi lashed out her kama, sweeping Xever off his feet. "Whoo!" Andi jumped to her own feet, only to have Xever recover himself by kicking her in the face when he did his signature fighting style of standing on his hands.

"Ow, pain…" Andi opened one eye, and saw Donnie rushing Xever from behind, before a punch to the face caused Raph to fall on top of her.

Donnie swung his bō staff with a yell, and Xever turned just in time to catch it, and kick the purple clad ninja in the plastron. He let out a short, satisfied laugh. Andi got to her feet, and held a kama to Xever's throat. Xever grabbed her, and threw her over his shoulder. She just barely missed Donnie, who Xever charged, jumping over the downed kunoichi.

Donnie blocked Xever's blow, and walked backwards, drawing Xever around the corner. Just as quickly, Donnie came running back to Andi, who he nearly tripped over, and Raph, who had now recovered his bearings. Xever ran after him. Andi got to her feet, and she and her two brothers struck defensive positions.

It was their turn to drive Xever backwards. They weren't aiming to actually hit him yet, and if they did, then that was a bonus. Soon, though, Leo and Mikey had driven Bradford to the second bomb ledge, and both bad guys were now back to back.

"You are worthy adversaries," Leo said in his 'hero' voice, grinning. "But the fight is ours." He pointed his katana at Bradford. "Lay down your weapons."

"Never!" Xever said angrily.

"You don't have a choice," Leo pointed out. "You've lost."

Bradford spoke up. "If I'm going down…" He paused. "I'm taking you with me!" He lifted his katana, and stabbed it into the glass.

"No!" Donnie shouted, but too late.

The mutagen burst out in a flood, emptying the bomb, and washing Xever and Bradford away. They did seem to have a habit of being defeated that way…

Andi and her brothers leaned away from the wave until it had emptied, then jumped down from the bomb. The mutagen washed away with a gross, slurping sound. The turtles watched as the bomb officially powered down.

"So to sum up," said Leo, hands on his hips. "We kicked the butts of the Kraang, and Shredder's top henchmen, while diffusing a bomb, and saving the city."

"Who's awesome?" Andi sheathed her kama, and put a hand on her hip. "We are."

"Yeah, we aren't overconfident!" said Raph.

"We're just that good," Leo said with a confident wink.

They whooped, all going together for a high three. With that motion of celebration over, they started to move away, ready to go home. But their sounds of celebration were cut off by a voice which made all of them stiffen.

"Your skills are impressive…" They all turned. The tallest, scariest human they had ever seen by far stood on top of the mutagen bomb, covered mostly by spiky armor, a helmet covering his face. With a grunt, he jumped down, and landed in front of them. "But they will not save you…"

"Oh, man…" Donnie said timorously. "Do you think that's… the Shredder?"

"Well, it's definitely a shredder!" said Raph.

They all drew their weapons, striking defensive positions.

The human walked towards them, and yes, he was most certainly tall. It was ridiculous how many people were taller than them (with the usual exception of Donnie), but this was something new. But what distracted Andi the most were his eyes. One of them was a milky white, and the other one was brown, flashing with malevolence.

"I'm sure there is a fascinating story on how my old nemesis came to teach ninjutsu to five mutant turtles," Shredder said in a low voice. "Perhaps I will let one of you live long enough to tell it."

"You're gonna have to catch us first!" Leo retorted. "Mikey…"

Mikey lifted a smoke bomb. "So long, sucker!" The egg hit the ground. And it was most definitely an egg. "Oops…" Mikey grinned nervously. "Alright, that one's on me."

"I have that we're screwed feeling again," Andi muttered.

Blades were unsheathed from Shredder's metal gauntlets with a quick and ominous sching, and he charged. He clashed with Raph first, sai striking blades as they blocked and struck at each other. Raph slashed his sai, and Shredder crossed his gauntlets, creating a shield. The latter thrust his gauntlets downward, taking the sai with them, leaving Raph's chest unprotected. Shredder kicked him back. Raph hit the Wolf Hotel sign. Sparks flew, and electricity whirred.

"Raph!" Leo shouted, as his brother fell to the ground, beaten, and electrocuted.

Leo then just barely dodged Shredder, who punched the ground where Leo had just been. This man was extremely fast, though, and he swept his blades at Leo. Fortunately, Leo was also fast. Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough. Shredder punched him down, and kicked him away, where he lay still.

"Leo!" Donnie ran forward, crouching next to his older brother.

Andi turned to Mikey, only to see that he was already rushing to get to Raph.

Satisfied, the kunoichi moved next to Donnie, just when he stood up, glaring. He charged Shredder, swinging his staff. Shredder jumped over it, and Donnie spun around, and swung his staff again. Shredder caught it, and punched the end repeatedly into the younger ninja's face, before punching him with his own fist.

"Hey!" Andi aimed a kick at his head, which the Shredder just managed to dodge. She landed in a crouch, glaring, breathing audibly with more with anger than fear. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

With a shout, she leapt at him, wielding her kama. She rolled to the side as Shredder swung his blades at her, and jumped to her feet behind him. She instantly leapt at his back, slicing her kama at the man's armor. Before they landed, Shredder reached behind, seized the kama blades, and threw her over his shoulder. Andi gasped, stunned.

Shredder raised a fist, and she clenched her eyes tight. There was the sound of metal clattering around metal, and she opened one eye. Mikey's kusarigama chain was wrapped around Shredder's gauntlet. Before the orange clad ninja did anything more, Shredder pulled him forward, and then punched him away. Mikey rolled, throwing shurikens, which rebounded off Shredder's armor, before rolling off the building.

"Mikey!" Andi squeaked, pushing herself up.

Shredder moved towards the edge of the building, looking over the edge. He turned when he heard the sound of slicing metal, and just dodged Leo's attack, only for Donnie to actually land a blow to his helmet. Shredder fell back slightly, and narrowed his eyes at Leo, Donnie and Andi, who joined her brothers.

With a shout, Andi sped forward, somersaulting over the Shredder at the last moment. He turned to her, eyes flashing dangerously. He swung a fist, which she just managed to block with her right kama. She thrust her weapon upward, planning to deliver an uppercut with her left kama hilt. But Shredder caught her wrist with his free hand just before the blow could land. He swung her against Donnie, who was about to charge.

He turned to Leo, who leapt into the air, katanas above his head, planning to bring the blades down on the man. Shredder caught him, and threw him aside. Growling, the blades unsheathed from his gauntlets, and he charged Leo. Leo blocked, and moved the block down, away from his face.

Andi and Donnie rushed Shredder from behind, and Donnie swung his bō staff. It was sliced on the spikes on the man's armor. Shredder turned. Donnie gasped when he was caught by the back of the shell, and thrown into Leo, both of them collapsing in a heap. Andi threw a punch at the man's head. It landed, but it did more damage to her fist than to the Shredder. He grabbed her by the neck, and threw her to the ground next to her brothers.

Shaking her head painfully, Andi looked up when a tall shadow fell over them. Shredder clenched his fist, allowing the double blades in his left gauntlet to unsheathe. Suddenly, Raph appeared right behind the guy, jumping onto his back and delivering several hard blows to his head. Shredder grunted with each blow, before grabbing Raph around the shoulders, and throwing him over his head and to the ground. Raph yelped as Shredder stood over him, a fist raised.

Suddenly, a chain dropped down from above, wrapping around the Shredder's wrist. Mikey jumped down from the sign support beams, and as he fell downward, holding his kusarigama chain, Shredder moved up. There was a painful sounding crack when Mikey hooked his end of the chain to a lower support beam, and Shredder let out a painful shout.

Andi, Leo and Donnie helped each other to their feet, before going to check on Raph. The sound of unsheathing blades made Andi look up. With a yell, Shredder sliced at the sign with his free gauntlet.

"Mikey!" Andi screamed, as the sign piece fell on top of her youngest brother.

The older turtles ran forward quickly, and started to lift the enormous sign piece. Andi pulled Mikey out from underneath it, and the older boys dropped the sign. Mikey looked alright for someone who had just been crushed, except for the injuries already dealt to him by the Shredder, but he gasped suddenly, looking over Andi's shoulder. Andi turned. Shredder stood over them, the sparks from the sign, flashing around him, certainly heightening his scary factor. The turtles struck defensive stances, breathing heavily.

Shredder's eyes narrowed, and he charged. The turtles charged. They clashed. In quick succession, each of the turtles were taken down. Andi collapsed, holding her chest plastron painfully, on which an enormous gash trumped the ones already covering her body. She looked up weakly when she heard Leo groan. He dropped his katanas, falling to his knees, holding his side. Shredder grabbed him by the back of the shell, lifting him off his feet, and pressing him against the sign.

Andi screamed when the Shredder unsheathed the blades of his free gauntlet, and stabbed them at Leo. But the blades simply stabbed into the wall on either side of his head.

"Tell me where Splinter is and I promise your demise will be swift," Shredder growled.

Leo tried to turn his face away as a larger blade slowly unsheathed from the middle of the gauntlet, stopping only inches from stabbing through his head. Andi's breathing began accelerating, and she frantically pushed herself up, desperately wanting to take Shredder down, away from her brothers, away from their entire family. Suddenly, a gasping sound made her jump slightly. It had also distracted Shredder, who dropped Leo.

They wasted no time. The other four turtles helped their leader to his feet, and backed away slowly. But Shredder was still distracted.

An enormous, red, mutant fish reached out a hand - yes the fish reached out a hand, albeit webbed - towards Shredder. It was dripping with mutagen. "Help… me…" it gasped.

"What is this?" Shredder demanded. An even larger mutant emerged from the mutagen. An enormous dog, covered in spikes. "Xever?" Shredder said incredulously. "Bradford?"

The teen ninjas had seen enough, and taken enough. They scrammed from the building, just as Shredder's yell of rage followed their disappearance.


Dejection. Just so much dejection. That was the atmosphere that covered the lair. Mikey lay on his plastron on the pit step. Andi leaned on the wall, hugging herself. She looked up when Leo walked in. He definitely looked the worst when it came to dejection.

Donnie, who sat on the pit step, looked at April, who leaned her head on her knees. The arcade beeped cheerfully, and Raph punched it with a grunt of frustration, before sinking to the ground.

Andi turned away, and Leo sighed.

"You were all very lucky," said Master Splinter, walking into the main room. Leo had been telling him about what had happened.

"I think we defined that word differently, Sensei," Raph muttered.

"Few have ever faced the Shredder and survived," Splinter said.

"He was just so fast…" Mikey spoke up.

"It's like he was everywhere at once…" Donnie put in.

"He almost…" Andi faltered. She wiped her eyes.

"You were right about us being overconfident, Sensei," Leo said, looking at the ground. "There a some things we just aren't ready for."

Splinter placed a hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps… But that no longer matters…"

'No longer matters? I almost lost my life… I almost lost my brothers…'

"It is clear now that the Shredder is a problem that will not go away," Splinter continued.

'Oh…'

"So prepare yourselves my sons, my daughter… Because as of this moment, we are at war…"

A/N HardyGal: Yes, I got a little lazy by the end of this one, but I was in a full living room with kids everywhere. Up next, the ninjas and kunoichi have got to get their mojo back.