Panic in the Sewers (F.K.A: Mojo Rising).
Eleanor's POV.
It's been a day since the Turtles and I tried to rescue Kirby, defused the Mutagen bomb, faced Shredder's henchmen, faced Shredder in-person, and I got mutated into an anthropomorphic lizard.
Unlike the others that got mutated, I wasn't angry. Why would I be? It felt normal to me. The deep green scales, the tail, even the muzzle makes me look a little cute.
My eyes and inside of my mouth haven't changed though. My eyes are still amber-brown. I still had that gap like Donnie. Same blue inside of my mouth. Same fangs. At least they blend with my mutation, instead of making me look like a freak.
But what's better, I don't need my glasses anymore. The Mutagen must've fixed my eyes. However, I still need braces for my legs. So Donnie fashioned a pair for me. He made them out of the leftover scraps of the Kraangdroid he used to create Metalhead, which increase the strength in my legs and mobility.
It felt like I was meant to look like this. Like Uncle Splinter, I still have my humanity.
Anywho, the Turtles were scouting the city for Shredder, or anyone that is a member of the Foot Clan. The strange thing was, the entire city was deserted, the streets were covered in fog and I was nowhere to be found. How am I able to know what's going on? Unless...
"Shredder could be anywhere. Stay frosty guys." Leo told his brothers.
"FYI: Frost can cumulate in less below freezing except during process called-" Donnie explained the precipitation of frost, however he started rambling.
Mikey sighed in annoyance, "Maybe he's got off-switch somewhere."
Raph hit Donnie at the back of the head and Donnie yelped, "Ow!"
Raph smiled, "Found it!" Mickey chuckled.
Suddenly, Shredder's voice spoke from nowhere, "And I've found four pathetic turtles with only seconds to live."
Mikey smiled, "Wouldn't wanna be them."
The other boys got their weapons ready, "We are them." Raph answered.
The boys braced themselves, looking around for any sign of the Shredder.
Upon the rooftops, I saw myself... just walking by, looking at the boys. Something felt off.
Mikey backed up a little, until his shell bumped into Shredder. Shredder grabbed Mikey and dragged him into the mist. Mikey was able to drop one of his nunchucks, before he disappeared.
Donnie noticed Mikey's nunchuck and saw Shredder in front of him.
"Mikey!" Donnie shouted, as he dashed toward Shredder and tried to attack him with his staff.
Shredder blocked, snapping the staff into pieces. The attack bounced back on Donnie. While Donnie was in mid-air, Shedder dashed behind him and kicked his shell. Donnie fell to the ground and didn't get back up.
"Raph, take him down!" Leo told Raph, as he dashed toward Shredder, to distact him.
Raph ran up the wall and dove toward over Shredder's head, sai pointing toward him. However, I appeared and attacked Raph in mid-air.
Why am I attacking my own cousins, my friends? No, this can't be right!
I continued to attack Raph in the stomach, until I was able to hit him with enough force, that he flew further into the alley and disappeared into the mist. Leo tried to reach for him, but he was already gone.
"No!" Leo cried. Then Shredder and I chuckled as the cool, midnight mist turned red and hazy.
Leo turned around and gasped. He put his arms in front of his face in an 'X' form, but he got hit with enough force to hit his back in the end of the alley. Leo prevented himself from hitting the ground and looked at Shredder and I with fear stricken on his face.
"There is no place you can run, no place you can hide, where I will not find you!" I said in an evil deadpan tone, as Shredder and I walked closer to Leo. Both our eyes glowing in a maniacal red.
"You think you are ready to face me?" Shredder asked, then he laughed and delivered the final blow to Leo, killing him.
"No!" I screamed, shooting upright from my bed, taking heavy breaths and cold sweat dripping from my forehead. Thank goodness it was just a dream. Or was it a vision?
I balled my hands into tight fists, "No... I'm not like him. I won't let it happen. Not again!"
Oh, I forgot to tell you guys. The boys offered me a place to stay. Since I can't go back home, after what happened at the Wolf Hotel. I mean, come on. A Mutant living out in the open? That's crazy! So, Master Splinter and Leo came to an agreement that I will stay in the Lair, with them. They did have two spare bedrooms they weren't using. Thinking it over, I agreed.
"Come on!" Raph's voice shouted, breaking my train of thought.
I hastily grabbed my bandana, turtle choker and ninja gear, which was a black and dark green wetsuit with sleeves half-way my upper arms, and leggings reaching my knees. What was left of my mother's dark green kimono top. Leather straps, belt, my new leg braces and sports tape similar to Donnie's, put them on and exit my room to catch the boys making their way to the toll gates.
"Where do you guys think you're going?" I asked, catching the boys' attention.
"Heading out for our evening patrol." Leo answered.
"There will be no patrol." Uncle Splinter spoke up from behind me.
"Sensei/伯父さん(Oji-san/Uncle)?" Leo and I asked in unison.
"Last time you fought the Shredder, you barely escaped with your lives." Uncle Splinter said. I went deep into thought about that battle. I was unconscious. How did...
"But Sensei, next time, we'll be ready." Raph said with a confident smile.
I frowned at Raph. I know the Shredder very well. He's ruthless and has mastered ninjutsu way longer than the boys. He'll kill them.
Uncle Splinter's aura tensed. "Yes." He said, as he grabbed Raph's arm and twisted it behind him. "Because, you will stay down here until you are ready. No patrol, no games, no rest. There is only training." Splinter finished. He threw Raph toward his brothers, "Starting now!"
Okay, aside from the boys, I'm worried for Uncle Splinter. Did he have the same nightmare as I did? This can't be good.
*A few weeks later.*
It's been a while since Uncle Splinter put the boys and myself on constant training. We've hardly had any sleep and the boys were looking tired and worse for wear. I was a little unfazed.
Why?
Miyamoto-Sensei and Shredder had me go through the same thing. But for a different reason than Uncle Splinter; to see how far my limitations can go. I was able to train for two months straight, before my body gave in.
Tell me that's not a record.
At this moment, Uncle Splinter had the boys and I excercising a shoulder-throw.
"More, Sensei?" Mikey asked.
"Yes, more!" Uncle Splinter answered.
Mikey and Donnie charged at Raph, Leo and I. Me, Leo and Raph grabbed them and threw them over their shoulders. Mikey and Donnie landed on their backs.
"There is no intention in your strikes." Uncle Splinter pointed out, the instructed sternly, "Do it again! We will practice all night if we have to."
Donnie got back on his feet and told Uncle Splinter, "We have been practicing all night."
We heard snoring and looked over. Mikey was still on his back, sleeping, "Pizza." He mumbled in his sleep.
"Wake him up!" Uncle Splinter told Raph.
Raph smiled and cracked his knuckles, "Gladly."
Raph picked Mikey up and threw him to the ground. Mikey woke with a startle and screamed, "Shredder's here!"
Leo placed his hand over Mikey's shoulder, and said in a calm tone, "Relax. You were just having a nightmare."
"Aren't we all?" Raph asked retorically, as Mikey stood up.
Donnie raised his hand to speak, "Sensei, can we rest for a sec?"
"Rest?" Uncle Splinter asked, thought in sarcasm, then answered, "The Shredder will not rest until you are all dead!"
I had enough Uncle Splinter's paranoid talk about the Shredder's actions and decided to speak for the boys.
"伯父さん, we've been training nonstop for weeks with hardly any sleep. They need a break." I told Uncle Splinter.
Raph looked at me with a raised eyebrow, "Oh. Like you don't, Eleanor?"
I nodded my head and glared, "That's right, Raphael. I don't."
Raph glared back at me, "Ah, well then, I'll give you a break."
Without warning, Master Splinter attacked all of us. I was able to dodge the attack, while the boys landed on their backs.
"If I were the Shredder, none of you would be breathing right now. Understand?" Uncle Splinter told us in a stern tone.
Mikey fell asleep and rested his head on Leo's shoulder.
Uncle Splinter thought for a second, then reconsidered, "Perhaps a brief rest is in order. We will resume later."
Uncle Splinter walked into his room and the boys fell asleep. As I watched Uncle Splinter walk off, I noticed something in him and his voice tone. Despite being stern and hard on his sons and myself, there was an obvious reason behind this behavior.
He was afraid for us.
I don't blame him for reacting this way. He lost one family, as I have. With Shredder's forces lurking the streets, trying to hunt us down, Uncle Splinter can't afford to lose another one. Nor can I. While the boys were sleeping, I took it upon myself to talk to my uncle.
I knocked on the door and heard nothing. "伯父さん? It's Eleanor. I would like to talk to you. Mind if I come in?" I said, then asked.
Again, I heard nothing. I opened the door and saw Uncle Splinter, sitting on his bedmat and looking at the portrait of his family.
"伯父さん?" I gently called.
Splinter's ears perked up, indicating that he heard me.
I entered the room and sat in front of him. "伯父さん, I think you should go easy on the boys. I know Shredder is too strong for them, but you reacting on your own fear is only gonna make things worse. Your boys are exhausted and sore. If they face him now, they WILL be dead." I told my scared uncle.
Uncle Splinter lifted his head slightly. My words are reaching him.
"But, I do agree with one thing that you said earlier. Staying down here until we are ready to face Shredder is a good idea. There's no telling where he is up there, and if he showed up... Please, be a father and protect them the way you used to." I finished.
Uncle Splinter looked at me and nodded, "You speak with wisdom beyond your years, Eleanor. Stay true to that."
I nodded, and began to leave Uncle Splinter to his thinking. As soon as I reached the door, Splinter spoke up again, "Did your mother ever tell you that?"
I nodded my head, "It was the last thing she said to me."
*Later...*
My words of wisdom have reached Uncle Splinter. He gave the boys the rest of the day free from training. Leo and I were sparing with our weapons, Mikey was in the kitchen, Raph was in the lounge with Leo and I, reading his comic book, and Donnie was in his lab, working on his new form of transport.
Leo and I stopped sparing when Space Heroes was switched on. Today's episode was on Captain Ryan's crew fighting a group of 20 feet tall, red and black robots. The center robot shot a ray and it hit Captain Ryan.
"The Panicons hit me with an anxiety ray!" Captain Ryan exclaimed, then the ray took its toll and Captain Ryan paniced, "We're all gonna die! And I think I left the food replicator on! The ship might burn down!"
Then, a calm member, Grundch, told Captain Ryan, "Get it together, Captain! You're our leader, so act like one!"
Captain Ryan calmed himself by slapping himself in the face.
"I'm sorry, Grundch. That was the anxiety ray talking." Captain Ryan apologised and explained, then an idea hit him, "I've got it. I'll use the thermal charge."
Captain Ryan threw, what looked like, a small, blue and grey thermos at the robots and the thermos exploded, taking the robots down. Before the episode can continue, the TV was switched off by a shuriken star.
"What? Hey, what are you doing?" Leo asked, looking at Raph.
"Oh, sorry. It was Spike's idea. He said Space Heroes is too stupid for him." Raph apologised, and explained with a sarcastic tone. Spike appeared on his shoulder.
"That's saying something, considering he hangs out with you all day." Leo said, sheathing his katanas, whilst I sheathed my eskrima sticks.
That struck a nerve with Raph, "Nice going, Leo." Raph said, as Spike walked off his shoulder and started eating the leaf on a plate. "You made him angry. So I'm gonna mop the floor with your face!" Raph shouted, getting off the couch and pointing angrily at Leo.
I pushed Raph's hand away from Leo, "All right, Raph. Cool off."
"I can help with that!" Mikey's voice spoke up from the other side.
Leo, Raph and I looked and saw a water balloon coming toward us. It hit Raph and soaked his face.
"Doctor Prank-enstein strikes again!" Mikey said with a huge smile and four water balloons in his hands.
Raph growled angrily at Mikey. "Dude, you should see your face right now. You look so mad!" Mikey teased with a smile.
"Okay, Spike. You'll like this show. It's called, 'Does Mikey Bend That Way?'" Raph said to his pet turtle, cracking his knuckles. Mikey dashed off. "Come here, you!" Raph shouted chasing him. Then, Raph caught Mikey and began beating him up.
Leo watched, as I shook my head. Once everything calmed down, Leo, Raph, Mikey and I decided to see what Donnie was up to. Leo, Raph, Mikey, and I entered Donnie's lab and saw Donnie with a welding mask on and using a blow-torch on a five-seated go-cart.
"You're still working on that go-kart?" Raph asked Donnie.
Donnie deactivated the blow-torch and lifted his welding mask, "It's not a go-kart. It's an all-terrain patrol buggy with detachable sidecars."
He showed the blueprints of the patrol buggy. Leo and I looked through them. Very impressive design and features.
"Dude, hasn't Splinter been riding us hard enough? You gotta find a way to relax." Mikey asked, then suggested to Donnie.
"We all deal with stress in different ways, Mikey." Leo explained.
"Yeah, and this is how I deal." Donnie included.
Mikey smirked, "And this is how I deal." He threw another water balloon.
Leo and I ducked, and the balloon hit Donnie square in the face. Mikey laughed, and Donnie lost his temper. Donnie threw his welding mask on the ground and began chasing Mikey.
"You and Elle are next, Leo! Doctor Prank-enstein makes house calls!" Mikey called, as he ran.
Once everything calmed down with Donnie and Mikey. Leo suggested that we resumed training. The boys and I walked into the dojo and waited for Leo's instructions.
"抱圍の構え(Hoko no Kamae/Embrace Posture)." Leo said, with his arms in the air, like an attacking bear. Donnie, Mikey and I mimiced Leo, but Raph just folded his arms. Leo looked at him, "Raph, 抱圍の構え!"
"Hoko no way. It's bad enough Splinter's driving us into the ground. Now you too?" Raph shouted, then asked.
"We have to keep training. Because, right now, we don't stand a chance against Shredder." Leo pointed out.
"Yeah, and he's up there..." Mikey added, then continued with a creepy tone, "Somewhere... Waiting for us!" Then he started shaking in fear, "I just freaked myself out!"
"I hate to say it, but the fact that we've been laying low might be the only reason we're still alive." Donnie admitted.
"Exactly. So until we're ready, we stay down here." Leo pointed out.
"Unfortunately, that's not an option." April spoke up from the entrance. The boys and I looked and saw April waving her phone.
Mikey went off to fetch Master Splinter. He really needed to hear this. April explained, that she gave the Purple Dragons a pizza with a spy-radio. We grouped up in the lounge and listened to the radio with the Purple Dragons.
"We're meeting Shredder tonight. He's got a plan to destroy the Turtles and that traitor, Eleanor." Fong said.
"How? He doesn't even know where they are." Sid asked and pointed out.
"He says they're in the sewers somewhere, and that's all he needs to know to wipe them out." Fong answered. With that, the signal went quiet.
"Our home is no longer safe. The Shredder must be stopped." Splinter told us.
"How can we stop a plan we don't even know?" Leo asked.
With a bored and annoyed expression, I popped Mikey's water balloon, that was meant for Leo, with my tanto.
"We have to go topside, and find out what they're planning." Raph said.
"Raph's right. There's no other way." Leo agreed.
The boys and I got our ninja gear ready and we made our way to the city. Following the co-ordinates of the meeting place of the Purple Dragons and Shredder, we arrived at a cathedral. The boys and I hid in an alley just across the street from the cathedral.
"This is the place." Leo said, pointing to the building.
The other boys and I kept behind Leo.
Raph looked behind him and saw that Donnie was too close, "Donnie, you're crowding me."
"Sorry." Donnie said, as he backed up a little.
However, he bumped into a trashcan and the noise startled Mikey. Mikey jumped and kicked Raph in the chin.
"Sorry. All that Splinter talk, about how we're not ready, has me thinking. Maybe we're in over our heads." Mikey apologised and explained.
Raph hit Mikey on top of his head, "You're always in over your head."
Mikey rubbed his head and shouted, "I'm saying now we all are!" Then whimpered, "And that scares me."
Leo placed his hand over Mikey's shoulder, "It's okay to be scared, Mikey."
I reassured with a smile, "Leo's right. Raph is scared, too."
"I am not scared." Raph argued, pushing in front of me, so I had to stand next to him.
To prove my point, I snuck behind Raph and gently blew at the back of his neck. Raph jumped, yelled with a startle, and looked behind him to see me. He faked a cough and regained his composure. Leo and I chuckled at Raph. However, the sound of heavy thuds caused the Turtles and I to freeze in fear.
From the corner, appeared a large, anthropomorphic Akita Dog. It was 8 foot tall, had red eyes with black sclera (A/N: Like Gambit from X-Men), and wore a familiar pair of shinobi pants with loincloth. Its left arm was larger than its right, and had jagged spikes producing from the back, shoulder, forearm and knuckle area. Its right hand was encrusted with the same material as the spikes. It looked like a type of calcium.
"You should be." The dog said in a gruff, but recognizable voice.
"Bradford/Rad-Brad!" Mikey, Leo and I recognised in unison.
Bradford smirked, "Look what I found, four soon-to-be-ex-turtles, and the traitor."
"I'm sure glad it's okay to be scared." Mikey said in a shaky voice.
"You and me both." Donnie replied in the same tone.
Leo drew out his katanas and said to his brothers, "This is no time to panic." Then, he changed his mind when he realized how large Bradford was, "Okay, maybe a little."
Bradford kept advancing toward us and it looked like he was getting taller by each step.
"He keeps getting taller!" Mikey said.
"Then I'll cut him down to size." Leo replied.
He dashed toward Bradford, and tried to attack him, but Bradford blocked his attacks and threw him away. Leo, luckily, landed on his feet.
"Uh, let's stick together on this one." Leo said.
Trying to fight as a unit, the boys and I tried to attack Bradford, but his new form made it quite difficult to land a hit on him. Donnie was able to jab him under the chin, but that was as close as he could get. I tried to use my agility to confuse Bradford, but he grabbed my tail and threw me into Mikey and Donnie.
"This is hopeless." Donnie said.
"Keep your head in the game." Leo told him.
Bradford slammed his large hand into the ground, but the boys and I dodged.
"I just want to keep my head on my body." Donnie told Leo.
"Come on. What are we retreating for?" Raph asked.
He dashed at Bradford and tried to attack, but Bradford threw him into the nearest dumpster.
Raph popped out of the dumpster, "That's a good reason."
Leo looked at Mikey, "Mikey, smoke!"
Mikey smirked mischievously. He got out a green water balloon and quickly threw it at my face. The water soaked my face and Mickey chuckled in humor.
I shouted at Mikey, "Mikey! Now is not the time for pranks!"
"Oh, right." Mikey got his smoke bomb, but his grip slipped and the egg fell on to the ground, with little smoke.
"What was that?" Raph asked.
"I'm stressed! Excuse me if my aim's a little off!" Mikey shouted, in a paniced tone.
Bradford continued to attack. Donnie, Leo and I tried to keep him busy and away.
"How hard is it to hit the ground?" Raph asked, as he threw his smoke bomb. However, his got caught in a grate. Raph tried to get it, but it fell into the sewers.
"Not so easy, is it?" Mikey asked as a retorical question.
Okay, I've had it. "Oh, for the love of-" I got my smoke bomb and threw it at the ground. The egg created a large smokescreen and the boys and I were gone.
*Later, back in the Lair.*
The boys and I returned to the Lair, but we were ashamed of how the battle went. Bradford was too strong for us to handle. Uncle Splinter entered the lounge and looked at us.
"We couldn't take him." Leo answered.
"Dogpound was just too powerful." Mikey said, giving Bradford a new nickname. It was better than 'Rad-Brad'.
"'Dogpound'?" Leo asked.
"What? 'Cause he's a dog, and he pounded us into the-" Mikey asked, then explained, but I cut him off.
"We get it." I told him.
"I don't see how we're gonna get close to that meeting now." Leo said with a sulk.
"What do we do now?" I asked in wonder.
"Well, maybe we just need to find a new place to hide." Donnie replied, showing up a postcard of Miami, "I hear the sewers in Florida are nice this time of year."
April closed Donnie's laptop, "No. I'm not letting you guys give up." She stood up and looked at us, "I'll spy on the meeting."
"No way!" Raph shouted.
"Nuh-uh." Mikey protested.
"Not a chance!" I replied.
"You can't." Donnie argued.
"Forget it." Leo disagreed.
"Absolutely not!" Uncle Splinter sternly told April.
"I can do this." April defended, she looked at Uncle Splinter, "You've been training me to be a Kunoichi."
"For a few weeks." He pointed out.
"What choice do we have? Shredder's gonna attack your home, and we need to find out how, and I'm the only one who can do it." April summarized then pointed out.
The boys and I looked at each other. I have to admit it, she is the only one of us that's still human. But, it's too dangerous for her to go alone. Even Splinter thought it was a bad idea. But, April is stubborn, so we can't change her mind. There was no other choice.
*Later that night, at the Cathedral.*
The boys and I followed April to the Cathedral, via the rooftops, and watch her try to get a pizza spy-radio into the building.
"I don't like this." Donnie said.
"Me neither. Giving the enemy a free pizza? Pssh, never a good idea." Mikey replied.
April knocked on the door and a Foot Ninja answered the door. After a few seconds, the ninja slammed the door on April. April ran into the alley and got her phone out. Leo did the same.
"Looks like the Foot Clan are smarter than the Purple Dragons." April reported.
"They have to be. Shredder never appreciated slackers or idiots." I explained.
"Thanks, April. You did your best." Leo replied to April.
Suddenly, the Cathedral's bell rang, indicating the meeting was about to start.
"At least we've still got the pizza." Mikey smiled.
April chuckled, "Oh, I'm not done yet."
Donnie noticed and asked, "Wait, what is she doing?"
April threw the pizza into the dumpster, removed her hood and walked over to the door of the condo next to the Cathedral.
"Not the pizza!" Mikey cried, then shook his head, "She's gone rogue."
April knocked on the door and Zhao opened the door. She spoke to him then walked into the building.
Donnie smiled, "She's so cool."
April exit the building using the fire escape and made her way to the roof of the cathedral. Of course, her jump was a little short, but she made it over. She entered the meeting room through the broken glass window. She must've put her phone on speaker, because the boys, I started hearing Shredder's voice on the phone.
"Listen carefully. Six of you will hijack a tanker truck on Houston in approximately 15 minutes. The chemical is extremely rare, so you will not have another chance." Shredder began explaining his plan.
"Chemical? What chemical?" Raph asked.
"How about we listen and find out?" Donnie suggested, glaring at Raph.
"How about I break your shell on my knee?" Raph argued, glaring back at Donnie
"How about you two shut it for a minute, while we try to hear Shredder's evil plan!" Leo told his brothers.
However, we only were able to hear the last of Shredder's plan, "Which will destroy them once and for all. Now go."
"We missed it!" Leo exclaimed, then sighed in annoyance, "Oh, great. Nice going, guys."
"We've gotta get April out!" Donnie said, ready to jump off the roof.
Leo stopped him, by placing a hand over his shoulder, "No, if we rush in there, we put her at risk. We wait."
After a few seconds of waiting, Bradford, Fong, three Foot Ninjas, and an anthropomorphic arctic fox left the building and started walking toward the black van, parked outside.
The fox wore a magenta scarf, a black tank top, a pair of hakama pants, bandages around arms, arm gauntlets and bandages around feet. There's only one person I know that wears that colored scarf.
One person was missing from the group. Where was Xever?
"I'm gonna hitch a ride, see where they go." April told us.
"No, you've done enough. Now get out of there!" Leo told April.
However, I noticed Bradford's ear twitching and he turned to look at the corner.
"Bradford heard you! April! Run!" I told April, but it was too late.
Bradford found April and knocked her out. He put her in the black van. The boys and I made our way to the street, but we were too late. The van and Bradford sped off to the corner of the street.
"No! We're too late!" Donnie exclaimed.
Leo tried to reach April over her cell phone, "April. April! Are you there?"
"She's not gonna answer, Leo." Donnie told Leo.
"What do we do?" Leo asked, then started rambling as panic and worry took hold of him, "We gotta get April out of that van. But- but Dogpound's in there, and we're not ready to fight that guy. Aw, Splinter was right! We should've stayed below."
I took a deep breath and made my voice gruff and raspy, "Get it together, Captain. You're our leader! So act like one." I told Leo.
Like that, the panic and worry was gone. Leo looked at me and smiled, "You're right, Elle. That was the anxiety ray talking."
I smiled back at him. There's the Leo I know.
"What, that's it? You're not gonna slap yourself?" Raph asked with a smile.
Leo scoffed and smiled, "Let's save April."
"And our home." Raph included.
"But we'll never catch him on foot." Donnie pointed out.
I smiled, "We're not going on foot."
I touched the screen of my cell phone. Within a few seconds, Donnie's patrol buggy showed up.
I scratched the back of my head, "I hope you don't mind, Donnie. The tracking app also acts as a homing signal."
Donnie smiled at me, but then it turned to worry. The boys and I got our helmets on, strapped ourselves to a seat and sped after Bradford.
"Yeah, this is rad!" Mikey shouted in excitement.
"It's not ready!" Donnie yelled.
We turned a corner and continued down the street.
I smiled and shouted in excitement, "This is so metal!"
"Does it have a radio?" Mikey asked.
"No, it doesn't have a radio!" Donnie answered, then told Leo, "I'm telling you it's not ready!"
Leo changed gear and smiled, "Seems ready to me." He pulled on the steering wheel, and it came off, "Whoa!" He put the wheel back and smiled sheepishly, "Eh, okay, don't pull on that, and we'll be fine."
The boys and I made our way down the street and a few corners, until we were right in front of Bradford and the tanker. The tanker drove straight toward us without any hesitations.
"Raph, get ready." Leo told Raph.
"For what?" Raph asked.
"This!" Leo answered, as he activated a trigger.
With a couple of metallic noises, my cart was separated from the back and the cart split in half. The tanker drove right past us. Raph, Leo and I turned 180 and sped after Bradford and the tanker.
"Leo! You could've been a little more specific." Raph shouted at Leo.
"Where's the fun in that?" Leo asked jokingly.
We were closing in on the tanker.
"Get ready." Leo told everyone.
Donnie got a good look at the label of the tanker, "Chlorosulfonic acid?"
A dark and dangerous thought went into my mind. Shredder is a maniac to think this, "Oh no." I quietly grimaced, then I shouted over to Leo, "Leo, I think I figured out Shredder's plan! That acid is highly explosive, when exposed to water!"
"So if he dumps it in the sewer..." Leo began to summarize.
Donnie nodded, "It'll all be incinerated in seconds, including the Lair!"
Leo gasped, "And Splinter!" Then went serious, "We gotta stop them."
As we drove closer to the van and the tanker, the black van turned a corner and the tanker kept driving straight.
"Donnie! You and Raph stay with the van and save April. Mikey, Ellie, you're coming with me. We have to stop that tanker!" Leo instructed his brothers and I on a new plan.
"You got it, Leo." I replied with a thumbs up.
"Uh, if you haven't noticed, I'm stuck with Raph." Mikey pointed out.
Raph smirked, "No problem."
Raph activated his trigger and Mikey's kart was released. Mikey screamed and shouted as he fell behind.
"Well, that was fun!" Raph smiled in humor.
Leo smiled, "Told ya!"
Donnie activated his trigger and his kart was released. Donnie and Raph turned the corner, while Leo, Mikey and I stayed on the tanker.
"Mikey, Ellie, let's slow this thing down. Fire grappling hooks!" Leo told us.
"Got it!" Mikey and I said, as we fired our grappling hooks at the bumper of the truck. We slowed down, but the ropes snapped.
"Donnie did say they weren't ready!" Mikey reminded Leo.
"I know!" Leo answered with a sigh.
The tanker reached the part of the street where a manhole covering can be found. Bradford jumped off the tanker, picked up the manhole covering and threw it toward us. The covering flew toward Leo. Leo dropped his helmet and jumped off the kart.
"Is that all you got?" Leo asked, sheathing his katanas.
Sam jumped off the tanker and joined Bradford, with her kamas drawn and ready for a fight.
"I'd say that's a 'no'." Mikey said.
Mikey and I dropped our helmets, drew our weapons and joined the fight.
Sam, Bradford, Mikey, Leo and I dashed at each other and got locked into combat. Bradford was making short work on Mikey, Leo and I. Sam was using her newly enhanced agility to her advantage. Bradford threw us into a construction site. Thinking quickly, Leo threw a smoke bomb to distract Bradford and Sam.
We reappeared on top of the site. We heard a sound of a truck unloading, looked over and saw the Foot Ninja bringing a large hose into the manhole. Bradford climbed his way up and continued attacking us. Sam followed suit.
"Don't let him dump that acid!" Leo told Mikey.
Mikey nodded, made his way to the Foot Ninja and hit him before he could turn the valve. Bradford and Sam noticed this and turned their attention to Mikey. Leo and I couldn't let it happen.
"Hey, Bradford! Samantha! Pick on someone your own size!" I shouted at the canine duo.
This time I wasn't gonna hold back, even if it is my own blood. Leo dashed at Bradford, keeping him distracted, and I threw shuriken stars at Sam. Bradford tried attacking Leo with a car, but Leo was too fast.
Sam dodged the stars and glared at me. She was angry. Sam dashed at me. I stood my ground and took the stance of 抱圍の構え. When Sam got close enough, I rolled over her back and gave her a leg-sweep. Sam landed hard on her back, and she was groaning in pain.
By surprise, Bradford grabbed me by the tail and threw me into Mikey and Leo. Bradford tried to pound us with his large hand, but Leo, Mikey and I dodged. Leo tried to attack Bradford, but Bradford caught him and stabbed his katana into the tank. The tank started leaking yellow liquid. Leo released his katana and the leak became a spill.
Bradford picked Sam over his shoulder, smirked and started to walk away. I thought for a second, and an idea hit me. I'm really gonna hate this.
I looked at the young turtle, "Mikey, throw the water balloon!"
"Uh, what water balloon?" Mikey asked, looking away from me, playing dumb.
"The one you were gonna hit Leo with." I told him.
Mikey looked behind him and there was a water balloon in his hand. He smiled, "Dude, you are good."
Mikey threw the water balloon at the leak. The acid began to react.
"Hit the deck!" I shouted, grabbing Leo and Mikey's hands and dashed for cover.
The tanker made a massive explosion and I covered my ears and eyes, as the back of my head felt really warm. This indicated fire. I felt my blood run cold and my brain freezing up.
"Nice shot, Mi-" Leo was about to praise, but Mikey hit him with another water balloon.
"Doctor Prank-enstein for the win!" Mikey cheered.
"You had two? Where do you keep them?" Leo asked out of astonishment.
Donnie and Raph showed, only to see the flames engulfing the truck. "Eh, looks like we missed the fireworks." Raph joked.
Leo looked at Donnie and smiled, "Donnie, the go-kart worked great. Nice job."
Donnie smiled, "Thanks, Leo." Then, his smile fell, "And it's a patrol buggy."
I felt a hand tap my shoulder, as Raph's voice spoke, "Ellie, you can get up now."
I stood up and shielded my eyes, by covering my face. "Just keep my eyes away from the flames." I said, my voice cracking in fear.
I felt Donnie put his hands over my shoulders, guiding me through the street. I could tell. "You're pyrophobic?" He asked.
"Long story." I answered.
*Later, back at the Lair.*
The boys and I made it back to the Lair, and Mikey brought a box of pizza to celebrate.
"Nothing says victory, like the sweet taste of pizza." Mikey said, as we all took a slice.
I took a bite of the pizza. It tasted strange. I sniffed and the pizza smelled like it was sitting in a dumpster for a few hours. "This pizza smells kind of funky." I commented.
"Ellie's right. Where'd you get it, Mikey?" Donnie agreed, then asked Mikey.
"It's the one April threw out." Mikey answered.
The boys and I spat out the pizza in our mouths and started gagging. What was Mikey thinking?
"What? We live in a sewer. Now you're clean freaks?" Mikey asked out of surprise, then shrugged, "More for me."
Uncle Splinter walked in and spoke up, "My sons. Eleanor. I owe you my gratitude and an apology."
Leo looked at his mentor, surprised, "An apology?"
I looked at Master Splinter in worry, "伯父さん?"
"Fear clouded your minds. However, it was not the Shredder who fueled that fear, but me. You overcame that fear, and performed admirably." Uncle Splinter explained, then he smiled, "No training today."
The boys and I cheered, as Master Splinter turned his back.
Then Uncle Splinter spoke up again, "Unless Michelangelo throws that balloon."
The boys and I turned to see Mikey ready to throw a water balloon at Uncle Splinter.
The boys got annoyed and angry. Raph voiced all the boys' thoughts, "You are so gonna get it!"
And the boys dog-piled on Mikey. I folded my arms and smiled.
I'm glad I chose the right path to follow.