Ch.10: Turn Scale
Metal footsteps echoed down the hallway as a grim Fishface marched his way slowly through the corridor. In his mind tumbled a wave of both envy and curiosity to what he had just learned about Slash.
Envy because Raphael had a new enemy, and curiosity to just how deep that enemy bond seemed to be.
If Slash had told the truth that he was Raphael's pet, it explained the reason why the large turtle didn't want his former master destroyed. But why did he also, want the other turtles to suffer?
"I mutated just for him" Slash's voice seemed to growl " to make his greatest wish come true,"
Realization hit Fishface in that instant. Raphael must have wished for his brothers to be gone, so that he could be on his own. And Slash was still trying to grant that wish by whatever means possible.
A sudden movement caught Fishface's eye, snapping him from his thoughts. Not far ahead, he could see the rush of two turtle-shaped forms slipping across the hall.
Sensing something was up, Fishface followed.
Opening up with a whoosh, the steel doorway allowed both Raphael and Slash to enter the room. Once in, Raph's eyes couldn't help but widen at the sight.
Weapons lay packed and stashed everywhere. Enough to supply an entire army for a year, and still keep them happy within the next decade. Slash grinned when he saw Raphael's shock.
"Amazing right?" said Slash " Shredder has been storing up all this gear just to get back at Splinter and your family. Once he is out of the way, these weapons will be at our disposal, then we can conquer some serious crime,"
Approaching a table nearby, Raphael quickly scooped up his weapons, which lay next to his brothers, and held a tight grip over his sais. The cold steel met his hands with warmth, and a feeling of power surged through his veins.
The moment lasted only a brief moment though when a howl of pain suddenly ripped in from his thoughts.
Turning around, Raphael saw the unmoving form of a beaten Fishface, lying out cold at Slash's feet.
"Pest" growled Slash at the villain, then turned to Raphael " Come on partner, we have work to do,"
With that said, the two turtles left, leaving an unconscious Xever behind.
Meanwhile, having just snuck inside the Shredder's fortress, Casey, April, and Master Splinter split up on separate paths to locate the turtles, and make it harder for the enemy to guess where they were.
Splinter took off to the left while April and Casey went right. In their minds, hope still flowed that when they found the turtles, all four would still be alive.
Spotting a familiar door, Master Splinter burst in through the entrance landing in Shredder's throne, where the cruel master and his heir, Karai, stood calm and ready to fight.
Eyes narrowing in anger in the face of his old nemesis, Splinter spat out his demands.
"Where are my sons?!"
"Yoshi" said Shredder, standing up " you should know better than to make from me. The lives of your sons are in my hands now, and soon your blood shall be mine,"
With that said, Karai unsheathed her sword and started charging at Master Splinter, with the Shredder right behind her. It was time to put an end to a bothersome pest.
Still trapped in their cell, and with two mutant guards watching the door, Leo and Don huddled together quickly discussing a plan to escape. They had to bust out and Raphael from Slash. Question was, how could they evade Rahzar and Tiger Claw?
"Aaahh!" screamed Mikey in desperation, surprising both his brothers and his captors " I can't take it anymore!"
"What's your problem?" asked Rahzar.
"I got to go man!" shouted Mikey " and I mean go! My last three pizzas finally caught up with me, and I can't go in here!"
Realizing what their prisoner was asking for, both Rahzar and Tiger Claw both looked at each other in embarrassment.
"Go ahead" said Tiger Claw to Rahzar " take him,"
"I'm not taking him, you take him!" shouted Rahzar.
"It would be a dishonor for you not to show him the ropes," said Tiger Claw cooly.
"Why you little…," said Rahzar, ready to slice Tiger Claw to bits. But the assassian saw this coming and pulled out one his most powerful guns.
"Now" said Tiger Claw, sporting a grin " you were saying?"
Grumbling about being outmatched, Rahzar opened up the door to the cell, and was about to release Mikey's chains from the wall, when a hard thwack suddenly bounced off the back of his head.
"What the…?" said Rahzar, spotting a steel fan fly down the left hallway " Who threw that?"
A hockey puck from the south soon answered his question, by slamming him in the chest.
"We got intruders" said Rahzar to Tiger Claw " fan out and find them,"
Taking off in the two directions, both mutants set out to search. When both their guards were gone, the turtles sat in silence, when a sudden rumble sounded from over their heads.
Looking up, a grating from an air vent soon crashed to the floor, allowing two forms to slip from its pipe. Leo, Don, and Mikey rejoiced at the sight of seeing two familiar faces, that of both Casey Jones and April O'Neil.
"Casey, April" said Leo, as the two started undoing their chains " just in time guys,"
"How'd you guys get rid of Rahzar and Tiger Claw?" asked Mikey, rubbing his wrists.
"A little misdirection and help from the heating company" said April proudly " Easier than just fighting head to head,"
"Though that would have been fun," said Casey.
"Alright" said Leo, immediately taking charge " we don't have much time before they come and realize we're gone. We need to grab our weapons, save Raph, and stop Shredder from whatever he's planning on doing with the mutagen,"
"Tall order" said Don " but let's go!"
With that said, the turtles and their friends rushed out of their cell and into the bowels of Shredder's fortress, ready to face whatever terror that may pop out of the next corner.
Woozingly dragging his feet across the floor, a weary Fishface stood slowly recovering from the harsh beating Slash had given him earlier. He had managed to drag himself out of the weapons room just minutes ago, and knew he must warn his comrades to Slash's planned betrayal.
The sight of Raphael with Slash was still ringing clear through Fishface's mind. Slash had no doubt turned his former master to his side. Brainwashed him into thinking that taking over Shredder's empire was a good plan.
Well, in that venture, they were not going to succeed.
Fishface was almost to the cell where the other turtles were being kept, but stopped in tracks when he saw to beaten, and unmoving forms lying still just a few yards away. Both Rahzar and Tiger Claw were knocked out cold, bleeding onto the steel floor.
They had failed to find anyone in the hallway while searching for Casey and April, but Slash and Raphael succeeded in finding them. And with their combined, both mutants never stood a chance.
The scene splayed out before Fishface was a horror to even describe. This was the fate that awaited them all. Slash and Raphael had to be stopped.
Back in the Shredder's throne room, the battle with Master Splinter was facing tiring odds. Both sides had been wounded, but both the Shredder and Karai were barely losing strength. Splinter however, was beginning to feel the stress of being forced to face two deadly opponents.
"This is the end Splinter," said Shredder, coming in for another strike, as the rodent fell to his knees.
"Not if I have anything to say about it," shouted Leo as he and his brothers jumped down from above, weapons now in hand. April and Casey were quick to join them, ready to fight as well.
"You'll have to deal with us first," said Donnie.
"What they said," said Mikey.
"Foolish whelps" said Shredder, extending his claws " you'll fall here,"
"Got that right," came an eerie voice from the shadows.
Stunned, everyone turned around to look, and saw Raph and Slash standing by Shredder's throne. Malice burned in each of their eyes.
"Slash," growled Leonardo, tightening the grip on his katanas.
"Raph, get away from that guy!" shouted Mikey.
"Earn your keep turtle" said Karai to Slash " you want them destroyed, then help us!"
"Oh" said Slash " I don't think we'll be helping any of you, right partner?"
Raph just silently nodded and twirled out his sais, while Slash brought out his mace. The good guys and bad guys were stunned. And before they even knew, Slash and Raphael started to attack.