Chapter 21 -Hikari's Revenge-

Master Hakari walked over to Donatello who was nearest. He drew back his foot, and kicked Donatello. I flinched at the dull thud. Donatello grunted, but did not shout or plead with Hakari to stop.

"You're a big man, you are, kickin' a guy while he's down. I don't believe we've had the pleasure. My name's Raphael. I already know who you are. You're the scumball who's been after Saishi. Takes a big man to beat up on a kid like him. Untie me, and I'll show ya how ta pick on someone your own size for a change." Raphael sneered as if he weren't helpless, lying bound on the pavement.

"You've got a big mouth, turtle." Hakari stepped over Donatello and leaned down to glare at Raphael. Donatello swung his legs, knocking Hakari down before he could reach his brother. Hakari scrambled to his feet and backed out of reach with a snarl.

"Saishi, I wish…"

I flinched. "Please, Master, wait…"

"No! I will not wait. You've caused enough delays. I want them destroyed, now!"

"No, Master, please!" I lifted my eyes. Hakari towered over me, glaring in fury.

"You will obey!"

"Yes, Master." I lowered my eyes, trembling.

I heard a thud and a grunt, and looked up in time to see Master Hakari leaning over Michelangelo this time. He drew back his fist. "I remember you, turtle! I'll teach you to interfere with my business!" Despair flooded me. He was hurting my friends, and I could not stop it. I was bound, slave to whomever possessed the bottle… Another thud, and a grunt from Michelangelo. It was too much. I lunged forward plowing into Hakari, and knocking him off-balance. He spun, flinging me away in a rage.

"Why you little wretch! I'll teach you!" He was on his feet. He charged toward me. I leaned aside, just as Leonardo taught me, and rolled, avoiding him. Hakari caught my vest, but I slipped out. He crashed to the pavement, over balanced. I snatched an empty liquor bottle from the ground, and brought it down with all my might on the pavement, breaking the bottom.

"You little…" Hakari roared with rage, scrambling to his feet. I snatched a piece of the broken bottle.

"No. No more, Master. You will not use me to harm my friends!" I slipped past him, and knelt at Michelangelo's side. "I am sorry, Michelangelo," I said. I slashed at the ropes binding his hands with the broken glass, but magic ropes do not cut easily.

"Traitor!" Rough hands grabbed my shoulders. I dropped the glass as Master Hakari pulled me away. He threw me backward. I crashed into the wall, my breath driven out. He towered over me. "You're dead, Saishi! You hear me? You're dead!"

I moaned, holding my head where it had bounced off the wall. "Please, Master, let them go. Do what you will to me, but do not harm the turtles, I beg you. They are my friends!"

"You're going to destroy them, Saishi, one by one. And then I'll kill you with my bare hands. You wretched, stupid little…" He slapped me, hard.

"No! I won't!" I held my hands out in front of me, and levitated Hakari away. The glow flashed like lightning, and bounced back. I cried out as it seared my hands.

"Hey, leave the kid alone, Hakari. What kinda freak beats up on little kids, anyway?" Raphael taunted.

Hakari turned toward him. He seemed distracted by having two targets for his rage. "You will find out, my reptilian friend," he growled. "Saishi, I wish…" He never finished the sentence. Nunchucks whistled.

"I don't think so, Dude." Michelangelo's weapon clattered on the pavement, and Hakari slumped to the ground, unconscious. "Bro, loan me a katana?"

"Sure, Mikey, anything you want." Leonardo laughed.

"Slick work with that 'chuck, Mike. Now cut us loose." Raphael growled.

"Yeah, come on, Mikey. These ropes are cutting off the circulation to my fingers," said Donatello. "Hurry it up." Michelangelo drew his brother's katana, and sliced through the ropes binding his legs with one quick stroke. I cowered, pressing myself against the wall, and cradled my stinging hands in my lap. My head was pounding. I felt dizzy, weak and sick.

"Mikey's slice-n-dice, at your service!"

"Watch it, Mike! My katanas are sharp!" scolded Leonardo.

I cringed, trying to make myself as small and inconspicuous as I could. I heard the katana swish, and the turtles' shells scrape the ground as they got to their feet.

"Now what, 'Fearless Leader'?" Raphael was sarcastic as ever.

"I say we get the shell outta here," said Donatello.

"Not yet. Raph has to get that bottle back," said Leonardo. "Hakari used it to make Saishi bring us here and make those ropes, somehow. We can't just leave it."

"What about Saishi?" Michelangelo asked. "We can't just leave him, either."

I cringed as he spoke my name. It had been too much to hope for that they would forget about me. I heard their footsteps, and covered my head with my arm, pressing my cheek against the gritty pavement. A hand grasped my shoulder. A cry escaped me as I was lifted up. I found myself facing Leonardo once more.

"Mercy… please! Please, let me go," I cried, shaking. He set me on my feet. I shrank away, feeling the rough brick against my back through the thin silk of my shirt. I was trembling so hard I could barely stand.

"I've got Saishi. He's a little banged up and scared, but I think he's ok. Did you find the bottle?"

"I got it," said Raphael.

"I am sorry, Master," I whispered. My legs were too weak to hold me. I sank to the ground.

"Why don't ya take the kid back to the Lair? I'll just keep this guy company until he wakes up." I could see Raphael kneeling next to Hakari. His sai glinted in the dim street light. Raphael's expression was grim and terrible. I could not bear it.

"No! No, please," I whimpered. "Please, no more. Don't hurt him. Please!"

"What? You're defending this whack-job?" Raphael turned to face me, his sai in his hand. He was furious.

I cringed, trying to shield my head with my burnt hand. "Please… please, do what you will to me, but let him go. I was the one who stole the bottle. I ran away. I suggested using my magic to bring you here. It was my idea, my fault. Please…"

"Why are you defending him?" shouted Raphael. He leapt over Hakari's prone form and grabbed my shirt. He pushed me back against the wall, rough in his anger. I could smell the sharp scent of sweat and blood as he leaned close to my face. "Or didn't you notice he just tried to make turtle-soup outta us?"

"Please…" I whispered. "It wasn't Hakari… The flash, it was my magic…"

"Raphael, don't. Let him go." Leonardo caught Raphael's hand.

"Raph, man, chill! Ease up." Michelangelo grabbed his brother by the back of the shell, hauling him back. "Saishi, Dude, what the shell happened?"

"Hakari found me in the tunnels," I sobbed. "I said I'd bring you to him… He was hitting me… Please, Master…"

"Don't call me 'Master'!" shouted Raphael. I fell back against the brick wall and pressed my body against the ground, instinctively trying to make myself as small a target as possible.

"Ease up, Raph. Geez, give the kid a break," said Michelangelo.

"I'll give him several," growled Raphael, but he stuck his sais back in his belt. "Don't you get it, Mikey? This Hakari guy almost had us, and the kid was helping him. How did Hakari do this, Kid? You were in on it the whole time, weren't you? Tell the truth this time."

"It's true. Master Hakari was using me," I whispered. The pain in Michelangelo's eyes was more than I could bear. "I'm so sorry."

"But how did Hakari find you?" asked Donatello.

"It was the amulet. He was using it to track the bottle. He wanted me to take the bottle to your Lair, so he could track it and find you. He was going to steal me back, and… and tell your enemies how to find you." Raphael growled low in his throat, and I cringed, but he didn't strike me.

"You mean he used this weird necklace to find you?" Michelangelo picked the amulet up from the pavement where Hakari had dropped it. It glowed eerily.

"Does Hakari have any other way of finding you, Saishi?" Leonardo asked. "Or any more magical objects we should know about?"

"N…n…no, Sir," I quavered. I head sirens approaching from several blocks away. The turtles heard them, too. They exchanged glances.

"If Hakari can't use Saishi's powers, he's no more threat to us. We can leave him," said Leonardo. "Let's get back to the Lair. It's getting late. Splinter will be worried."

Raphael tucked the amulet into his belt. "Come on, then. Let's get the shell outta here." He caught me up, tucking me under his arm like a sack.

"Please… please Raphael, leave me. Or just kill me now. Get it over with," I whimpered. Raphael ignored me.

The others disappeared down a nearby manhole. Raphael held me over the hole, dangling. "Leo, catch," he called. Before I could beg him not to, he dropped me. I bit off a scream as I dropped into Leonardo's arms.

"It's ok, Saishi, I've got you," he said.

Raphael came down the ladder and dropped to the tunnel floor beside us. The four ninja warriors moved swiftly and silently through the tunnels. Leonardo carried me. I dared not struggle. I was sure I'd never see the light of day again.