Author's note and disclaimer: The one bad thing about conventions, is being broke afterwards. I probably bought a lot of art work for my wall. Do I regret it? Maybe a little. But it's small price to pay for wonderful fan art about the things that I obsess over. Did I mention that this is my first convention in six years? I also probably bought a lot of doujinshi porn because I wasn't old enough to buy any at the time (I was in high school and the conventions always happened before my birthday). Where was I going with this? I had a point. Oh! I'm doing chibi and bust commissions for five dollars each. If you're interested I'll send you a link to some examples.
I do not own TMNT.
Something felt off the moment Haley woke up. The air in the house was cold, odd for the middle of spring. Maybe she was just imagining it? Maybe it was lack of sleep telling her to go back to bed. But that wasn't about to happen. Not with Mikey making so much noise downstairs.
As soon as she entered the kitchen April and Haley shared a look. The red head must've sensed the oddity within the house as well, because she looked constipated. Casey wasn't his usual loud and obnoxious self as he quietly ate his cereal. He probably got his head bitten off by April for being too annoying so early in the morning. Or he was depressed because they had to return to school the day after tomorrow.
That was one thing Haley didn't miss. School.
As the day went on, Haley couldn't help but feel like she was being watched. Whenever she turned to catch the spy no one was there. When she was training with the others she noticed how Tiger Claw was intently watching the forest.
The large land did carry an unusual amount of creepy creatures and mutants. Like Big Foot and five foot walking and talking frogs.
At lunch time April ran into the living room, using the back of the couch for support while she caught her breath.
"What's wrong, April?" Donny asked.
"I...I just realized…something." She panted and then pointed at Haley, "It's your birthday!"
Haley, who was alert and attentive, turned around in her chair and began to eat her food. "It can't be. My birthday is—"
"March 21st. And it's the 21st of March!" April shouted, running over and shaking her by the shoulders.
Haley sighed and pushed April off of her before her sandwich went flying. "Can we not celebrate it this year?"
April's shoulders sagged, "But why not? Last year you were…um…dead? So we have to celebrate this year."
Haley struggled with April's pouty blue eyes, but in the end gave up. "Fine. But I want booze."
"You sure your body will be able to handle it?" Karai teased, "You haven't had anything alcoholic to drink in a year."
"Actually longer than that." Raphael added.
"Um guys, have you forgotten the one minor detail that will set back this plan?" Donatello asked and waited a few seconds before he continued. "Who's going to go get the drinks? Tiger Claw, the giant mutant tiger. Or Master Splinter, the giant mutant rat. Oh I know! How about four teenage mutant turtles dressed like ninjas!"
"Or you can leave it up to Casey Jones." Casey smirked, whipping out his wallet and showing off his I.D.
"How is that going to help?" Donatello asked.
Haley snatched the plastic and looked it from front to back. "Who made your fake I.D, Jones? It's pretty good."
"This guy I know." Casey answered, his toothy smug grin spreading from ear to ear.
While Casey and April made a trip into town the others prepared to make another bonfire. Haley noticed Tiger Claw was falling behind everyone, carrying the most wood and picking up the twigs Mikey dropped.
"Is everything okay?" Haley asked, taking a few branches off the top of his stack.
"Everything is fine." Tiger Claw replied.
"You're terrible at lying." Haley laughed.
Tiger Claw chuckled, "We trained you too well."
"Or you're just really bad at lying."
"I promise it is nothing." Tiger Claw dropped the stack at his feet and sighed, "If I were to tell the truth. I am conflicted by being here. I betrayed The Shredder, The Foot Clan. I have nowhere to turn to."
"You can always stay here with me." Haley offered.
"You are not returning to New York?" Tiger Claw questioned.
Haley shook her head, "I'll have a hard time explaining to people how I'm not dead."
"I see your point." Tiger Claw turned his attention to the brothers who were horsing around the fire pit. "Have you told them yet?"
"I'm not really sure how. They'd probably invite me to live with them, but I don't see how I can jump back into everything."
"Perhaps a new identity? You can color your hair and dress like one of those dancers Hun likes to go see." Tiger Claw offered.
Haley burst with laughter, her pile of wood falling to the ground before making it to the fire pit.
"What just happened?"
"Tiger Claw said I should become a stripper!" Haley replied in between breaths. She was hunched over, her arms holding her stomach; thinking that her lungs were going to explode.
Haley was taken off wood collecting duty and was forced to sit in her spot at the fire pit. But she had to admit that Tiger Claw had a point. She needed to think about what she's going to do once all of this ends. She couldn't return to her home. Haley felt closed off in the sewers. Her co-workers and classmates thought that she was dead. So how could she return to the world of the living?
"Hey! No sad faces from the birthday girl!" Mikey scolded, plopping down next to her.
"Sorry I was just…uh…thinking." Haley apologized, her voice withering when Mikey placed a large and lumpy object in her lap. Looking at the wrapping, Haley guessed he found the paper in basement. It was Christmas paper, old Christmas paper. The dark red matched her mustard yellow cardigan perfectly. "I'm afraid to open this."
"Don't worry dude, it won't attack you." Mikey reassured her with a wide smile.
Hesitantly, Haley pulled at the string and let the gravity peel the paper away from the object. Haley covered her mouth, smothering the sob that managed to escape to throat. It was her mother's jewelry box with her crystal ring holder on top.
"Do you not like it?" Mikey asked, looking up at Haley. "April couldn't find all of your stuff after the C.I.A dudes packed up your apartment, but she managed to snag this before they put it with your—"
In one motion, Haley placed the objects on the ground and wrapped her arms around Mikey's next.
"Dudes! What is happening?" Mikey panicked as Haley tightened her hold on him.
"I think she's trying to say thank you." Donatello guessed.
"You should be proud Mikey. Haley doesn't just give out her hugs." Karai joked.
After Haley put in her ear rings and ear cuffs, decked her fingers out in some rings and tied one of her mother's necklaces around her neck and paired it with one of her own she beginning to look like her old self.
"Now that Haley can set off a metal detector, let's get this party started!" Leonardo cheered.
A few drinks in and Haley was still holding her own, making a few of them lose the bet they had placed earlier that day.
"Gotta say it's pretty impressive that you've had four beers and you're not at all drunk." Casey pointed to the four empty cans at Haley's feet.
She was currently nursing her fifth one, "And I still don't feel a thing."
Donatello's brow furrowed, "Really? Because after four and half beers you should be feeling something."
"Not even a buzz." Haley frowned. Master Splinter and Tiger Claw shook their heads as Haley chugged the rest of her beverage.
"Maybe The Shredder did more to you than we first initially thought." Donatello mutter, poking Haley in the cheek.
"Don, I love you, but if you don't knock it off I'm gonna put that finger where the sun don't shine." Haley threatened and Donatello drew his finger away from her bubble and then slowly backed away.
Karai and Haley shared a glance with each other before falling against each other, laughing. Haley playfully punched the brainiac turtle in the arm, "I'm joking Don! I would never do that to you, maybe Raph, but never you."
Donatello smiled, "Good to know…I think."
After her seventh beer Haley started getting grabby and oddly affectionate towards everyone. Karai and Leonardo helped her back into the house before she got out of control.
Before they entered the house, however, Haley turned towards the camp fire where everyone was cleaning up and screamed, "Good night losers! I love you bunches!"
Tiger Claw sat outside under the cover that he wanted to quiet his mind before calling it a night. He listened to Haley singing to herself before shutting off the lights and curl herself around the quilt. The mutant cat waited a few more minutes before standing up and stretched before heading inside.
Except for the few loud snorers, the house was quiet. Deep into their intoxicated sleep, no one sensed ease energy shift to malice. Karai and Haley were sharing a bed, sound asleep, when something entered their room. Suddenly, they were being pulled from their bed and dragged towards the living room.
A blinding light shielded their captures for a moment, giving them time to realize that the turtles weren't behind this prank.
"We found Karai in bed with this one." Xever reported, forcing Haley's face in the upward position.
"Shredder." She hissed.
Everyone froze.
"I could have forgiven your betrayal Kara, but this..." Shredder spoke harshly, "I cannot forgive or codon such actions."
"I wasn't looking for forgiveness." Karai retorted, "But how did you find us?"
Shredder laughed, his metallic helmet making it sound more evil than it really was. "If you wish to know how, look to your right."
This followed his instructions and gaped at Tiger Claw who stood with The Foot; his arms crossed over his chest and wearing bored expression.
"You betrayed us? Why?" Leonardo asked.
"Foolish pup, I was never on your side. Maybe I was in the beginning, but I now know that you have no place in our world." Tiger Claw replied, his face remaining stone and cold.
"I will give you a choice." Shredder spoke, "Come back to serve me and I will spare your friends. I will even let you continue this…phase with my daughter."
"That's a lie." Mikey chimed in.
"Or I will kill all of you."
"That's also a lie…oh wait. He's telling the truth."
"Shut it Mikey!" Haley and Raphael shouted in unison.
"What do you decide?"
"I refuse." Haley broke free, tossing Xever over her shoulder and into Shredder. Kicking a Foot Bot out of the picture, Haley stole its sword and charged Shredder—sending them through the window.
The team followed Haley's lead, taking out their robotic captures one at time before facing off with the enemy mutants. Master Splinter took on Tiger Claw, keeping him away from his family as they fought their way out of the house. They immediately stopped when they entered the clearing.
Haley and Shredder were going at each other, their hatred for each other sparking from every clash of metal. Their movements were hard track and every time one of them pushed the other back they were at it again in a millisecond.
"Duuuuuude." Mikey blinked slowly, "Can anyone keep up with them?"
"Barely." Leonardo muttered as his eyes struggled to keep up with the fighters.
"Me thinks Haley has been holding back. Way back." Donatello's eyes squinted, "I actually think she's still holding back."
"She doesn't want to kill him." Karai spoke softly, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at the fight. "She can't do it."
"Of course she can't kill him. Haley is a good guy." Mikey said as a matter-of-factly.
"Yes she is, but not all of her is good." Raphael hinted ominously.
"Oh…yea…" Mikey focused his attention on the fight. He noticed what his brainiac brother noticed. Whenever Haley approached Shredder to attack, she drew her sword back a few inches—avoiding fatal injuries.
Haley saw an opening in one of his attacks and took her chance. She stabbed the ground with her sword and charged Shredder—taking everyone by surprise. He went to strike her with his razor covered glove, but she jabbed him several times in the arm before it fell to his side. Haley grabbed his better arm, bending it backwards until he screamed in agony.
She dropped him to the ground, her knee pressing into the middle of his back and grip on his arm tightening as he struggled against her.
"Enough!" Haley shouted. "I am so fucking tired of this fight, of you and your stupid, egotistical, self-righteous drama! I am done! I'm done fighting you!"
"You…are weak." Shredder muttered.
"No I'm not. Showing mercy isn't weak. Do you know what is, though? Anger. Hatred. Jealousy. Everything that defines who you are, you giant ass prick, makes you weak!" Haley shouted, grabbing a knife out of his gauntlet and held it to his disfigured face.
"Do you have any idea what your monster is telling me to do?" Haley dug the blade deeper into his skin, causing blood to trickle down his flesh. "She wants me to take your face, so that everyone knows how truly hideous you are. Like the burn scars aren't enough of a reminder."
Haley glanced up at Karai and her friends. They were watching the fight with wide eyes and unhinged jaws. Master Splinter looked like he was ready to step in to help his used to be brother. She shook her head, smiling warmly at her family.
"I pity you." Haley got off her opponent and stood a few inches away from him as he struggled to get to his feet. "You're going to live a miserable and lonely life because of your refusal to let go of your hatred."
Haley turned her back towards him, facing her family confidently. She was only a few feet away from them when Shredder finally got to his feet. His screaming and stomping towards Haley shook the earth. The others began to run towards Haley, but as she turned around to defend herself Shredder ran straight into his own blade.
Shredder stumbled backwards with the knife still lodged into his body. Haley held her hands in front of her body, staring in horror at the blood that coated them. Raphael caught Haley by the shoulders when she collapsed. Karai and Splinter went to the enemy's side just as Tiger Claw and the other mutants arrived on the scene. Karai held his hand as Splinter checked his pulse. His ears bending at the realization of the death of Oroku Sake.
"It's not your fault, Haley." Raphael whispered. "It's not your fault. It's not."
Author's note: So he's dead. He's not coming back. Ever.
