Names Raphael, and you know lately, Leo's been a real pain in my shell.
The short version is that the city itself seems to be at war. The Turtelli Mob, the Purple Dragons, Hob's mutants, and the Foot Ninja are locked in a four way squabble over the pieces of Shredder's empire now that he's gone. Which has led to a lot of fighting, and a lot of innocent people getting caught in the crossfire.
It's a bad situation to be sure, but it's bigger than what we can handle. I just wish someone could tell Leonardo that. He's somehow got it in his head that this is somehow our fault, cause we're the ones who took out the Shredder in the first place. And if that weren't bad enough, the mother of all wild cards, Karai shows up, and actually makes the situation even worse. What makes it even crazier, is that she actually has a plan to stop this, and has promised to end our fight with the Foot if we help her.
The only good thing I can say about Leo right now is, when he picks a fight, he really picks a fight.
…
After Karai had delivered her offer, the turtles had fallen silent. The prospect of their lifelong battle with the Foot coming to an end was a dream come true. In fact, it was a little too good to be true.
"Karai, are you serious?" Leo asked.
"To be honest, fighting against you guys has proven to be more trouble than it's worth." Karai admitted. "And honestly, I'm not quite sure it's the right thing to do anymore. Pulling out of New York and sending the Foot back to Japan would be beneficial for both of us."
"Just… give us a moment." Donnie told her.
The four turtles then circled up to discuss their latest development.
"So what do we think?" Donnie asked.
"I think she can swim her butt all the way to Japan." Raph voiced.
"Let's not be too hasty here." Leo chimed in. "We've been handed a golden opportunity here. A chance not only to end this war, but end the feud between the Hamato Clan and the Foot Clan."
"It does sound pretty cool." Mikey admitted.
"If not a little too good to be true." Donnie admitted.
"I know it seems a little sketchy," Leo relented. "But you said it yourself Don, we can't fix this problem on our own. If Karai has a way to fix it, I say we try it, for now at least."
"I don't believe this!" Raph let out. "There ain't no way I'm teaming up with little Miss Foot over there."
"You do realize I can hear everything you're saying, right?" Karai spoke up.
"Raph, just cool it for a sec." Leo told him. "Karai's giving us an out. A chance to have our lives back."
"You really are this dense, aren't you?" Raph retorted. "The minute she gets control of the Foot, she just gonna come at us full force. She's using you, Leo!"
"I'm doing no such thing!" Karai interjected.
"Hey, butt out of this!" Raph called out.
"Raph, if you'd just get your head out of your shell and listen to me for a second," Leo continued.
"Listening to you is what got us into this mess in the first place!" Raph threw back.
"No one made you come!" Leo yelled. "No one's forcing you to stay!"
"Fine, good luck on your little crusade." Raph dismissed. "You guys coming?"
Both Mikey and Donnie looked back at Raph, then over at Leo and Karai.
"I'm staying." Mikey announced. "This can't go on, Raph."
"I'm staying too." Donnie agreed. "This may be our only chance to save our home, and protect our family."
Raph just growled in response.
"Fine!" He let out. "You guys can be the Foot's little toes if you want, but not me. I'm out of here!"
With that, he stormed out of the tower and dashed off the rooftop. The turtles watched him go as Karai approached, rubbing her arm nervously.
"I'm sorry." she apologized. "I didn't mean to cause a rift between you and your brother."
"Eh, it's not the first time he's tried ditching the team." Mikey reassured.
"Yeah, actually, this is kinda tame in comparison." Donnie added.
"Alright Karai, we're in." Leo told her. "What's your plan?"
…
In a rather seedy part of town, in a rundown brownstone marked as condemned, young Cody and his pal Danny were going through the loot they'd pulled from Irma's apartment.
"The laptop will get us a couple hundred from that pawn shop downtown." Danny reported. "We'll just need to scrub it clean before he hawk it off."
"That shouldn't be too hard." Cody replied. "I'm just shocked at how much was in the safe. Who knows what we could do with this much money."
"Easy." Danny told him. "Get the heck out of this dump. Maybe get some tickets to LA and live like kings."
"Yeah, that'd be sweet." Cody agreed. "Now keep digging. Let's see what else we got worth selling."
Just then, the door to the brownstone was kicked open, much to the two's surprise.
"Cody!" Casey's voice called out. "I know you're in here!"
Cody's eyes flew open as he jumped to his feet.
"Aw man, not him!" he shouted.
"Who is it?" Danny questioned.
"Casey Jones, that's who!" Cody replied.
"That nutcase with the hockey mask?!" Danny let out.
"Just give back what you stole and no one gets hurt!" Casey promised.
The two boys began sweeping their loot back into the bags they'd carried it in, trying to get it up before Casey reached them. Once they had it all bagged up, they made for the fire escape, hoping to give him the slip. Unfortunately as they reached the fire escape, April was waiting for them.
"Hi boys." She greeted. "You have a few things that belong to me."
Cody swung his bag at her, trying to knock her off her perch. She easily jumped over the swinging sack, bringing her tonfa down on the boy's hand. He yelped and dropped the sack, allowing April to catch it.
"Casey!" she called out. "The fire escape!"
"I'm there!" Casey called out, running towards them.
"I got this guy!" Danny boasted, grabbing a nearby pipe and running at Casey.
He tried swinging at him, but Casey quickly ducked under the swing.
"Kid, you're making me mad!" Casey told him, swinging his hockey stick to knock the pipe out of his hand. "So make it easy on yourself and stop."
"You're not the boss of me!" Danny snapped, trying to use his sack as a weapon.
It had about as much success as Cody's attempt did, Casey dodging easily.
"Keep at it, and you're gonna get a slap shot to the face." Casey threatened.
One of the swings actually hit Casey in the face, sending him stumbling back a bit.
"I warned you." Casey told him.
A quick swing at him with his hockey stick knocked Danny to the ground easily. This kid had a broken nose, and was clearly dazed. Casey aimed his hockey stick in his face.
"Just stay down, kid." he warned. "Trust me."
Deciding he'd been hit enough, Danny wisely stayed down.
"Now, to deal with your friend." Casey declared.
…
Back at the sight of the battle, after much hard work and digging, Stockman finally broke through the massive amount of rubble. He and Turtelli them made their way back to the street.
"Yes! I'm alive!" Stockman declared. "Once again, Baxter Stockman has made a mockery of fate."
"Yeesh, cool it with the dramatics, will ya." Turtelli told him, pulling himself free as well. "I'm happy to be alive too, but you don't see me make a big production out of it."
"Oh, I have quite the production in mind for you." Hun threatened as he and the Purple Dragons appeared. "Death of a freak show."
"Hun." Stockman let out, terrified.
"Relax." Turtelli reassured. "I'll make em an offer they can't understand."
"You can keep your offers." Hun told him, aiming a gun at him. "You might need them where you're going."
"Correction." Old Hob interjected, climbing onto the top of a pile of rubble with his buddies beside him. "You're all gonna need help when I'm done with ya."
"Aw great, you freaks again." Turtelli lamented.
"Hate to rain on your parade, Turtelli." Hob mockingly apologized, brandishing his claws. "But we got some business to settle."
Just then, a cloud of smoke appeared, signifying the arrival of the Elites.
"The mangy cat speaks true." One of the elites declared. "This war has gone on long enough. Now, it is time to end it!"
"Well then," Hob spoke up. "Let's end this, here and-"
Hob was caught off guard by the sight of something on an adjacent rooftop.
"No way." he let out.
The others turned to see what he saw, and what they saw shocked them to their very core. Standing before them, casting a shadow of fear and intimidation on them all, was the menacing, chuckling figure of the Shredder.
"Master Shredder..." The Elites gasped.
"Aw Crud..." Hun cursed.
"Shredder? Here?" Stockman let out, horrified.
"Boss? You're alive?" Bebop asked.
"How'd that happen?" Rocksteady questioned.
"That is not your concern." Shredder dismissed. "All of you, follow me. I have work for you."
He then disappeared back behind the building, vanishing from sight. The Elites didn't even hesitate to obey, taking off after their master with the foot clan in tow. Bebop and Rocksteady exchanged looks, then turned to Hob.
"Hey, it's been nice hanging with ya." Bebop told him. "But uh- Shredder scares us more than you do."
"Yeah, later!" Rocksteady added.
"Traitors." Hob snarled.
The mutants then took off, following after the Elites. After a minute, Hob let out a yowl of anger, taking off after them with his gang.
"Purple Dragons, move it out!" Hun ordered.
The dragons quickly followed after Hun, leaving only Turtelli, and Stockman.
"We're going to live?" Stockman realized. "We're going to live."
"That freak doesn't know when to stay down, does he?" Turtelli remarked. "Well maybe we can see he goes back into the morgue for good."
As soon as he said that, another car pulled in front of them, opening up for Turtelli. He climbed in, looking back at Stockman.
"You coming or not?" he questioned.
"If it's all the same to you, I'll sit this one out." Stockman insisted as he reached for something. "But if you insist on going up against Shredder, I suggest you take this."
Stockman then handed him a canister of mutagen. Turtelli looked at it, then at Stockman.
"What am I supposed to do with this?" he questioned.
"Use your imagination." Stockman told him.
With that, the car drove off, leaving Stockman alone in the street. He prepared to walk off when a figure intercepted him. Stockman froze upon seeing him.
"You!" He exclaimed. "What are you doing here?!"
The figure said nothing, closing in on Stockman as the cybernetic doctor cried out in fear.
…
Back down in the lair, Splinter sat alone in meditation, hoping beyond hope that his sons were safe in all this madness. About that time, the door to the lair slammed open as Raph came in. He grunted in anger, heaving his sai at his punching bag. They embedded themselves into the eye sockets of the dummy as he approached in, wailing away in pure rage.
"Idiots!" He cried out. "All of em!"
"Raphael, where are your brothers?" Splinter asked.
"Shell if I know Sensei." Raph remarked, flopping onto the couch.
"What does that mean?" Splinter demanded.
"Karai got the guys involved in some moronic scheme for her to reclaim control of the Foot." Raph explained. "She sold them some bogus story about putting an end to the feud between us and them. And like sheep to the slaughter they believed her."
"So you left your brother alone against impossible odds?" Splinter questioned.
"What was I supposed to do?" Raph asked, sitting up. "Go along with it?"
"Of course you were!" Splinter snapped, slamming his stick on the ground and causing Raph to stand up straight. "You are family. You live together, you fight together, and you face the impossible together, regardless of who directs you."
"But Sensei, you don't honestly believe Karai's for real on this, do you?" Raph asked.
"Whether Karai's intentions are true or not is irrelevant." Splinter told him. "Your brothers have chosen to make their stand against the war in this city. Are you really willing to let them stand alone over petty spite?"
Raph just stood there for a moment, letting Splinter's words wash over him. Finally, he clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, finally coming to a decision.
…
Meanwhile, in the remains of Foot headquarters, the turtle were sitting in the throne room waiting. While Donnie and Leo were perched on the steps, Mikey sat in the remains of the throne, mocking their former nemesis.
"I am the Shredder. Bow before me." Mikey mocked, doing an evil laugh.
"Will you knock it off?" Donnie insisted. "I feel like we're going to invoke his wrath by doing that."
"You should listen to your brother, Michelangelo." Shredder's voice interjected.
They all looked up to see Shredder entering the room.
"So, how'd it go?" Leo asked, walking towards Shredder.
"Better than I thought." Shredder relayed. "They have all taken the bait and are following me here now.
He then began twisting his helmet, pulling it off to reveal Karai underneath.
"They'll be here in a matter of minutes." she reported, her voice normal once again.
"Nice work on the voice synth tech, Don." Leo commended.
"Eh, nothing to it." Donnie dismissed. "Just a little rewiring of an old walkie-talkie mixed in with some old recordings of Shred-head's voice, and we have a Shredder voice box.
"Man, hearing Shredder's voice again gives me the willies." Mikey commented.
"Believe me, I know." Leo told him before turning to Karai. "Now, care to fill us in on the rest of your plan?"
"It's pretty simple." Karai elaborated. "I'll get control of the Foot and the Purple Dragons pretty easily. Then I'll have then take out Hob's crew and the mob in one fell swoop. The war will be over, and no more innocent people will be hurt."
"Yeah, and what about when the plan goes complete and horribly wrong?" Mikey asked.
"Well, that's where you come in." Karai told them.
"Right." Donnie replied. "So we're plan B. got it."
"I gotta say Karai, you're really going above and beyond for all this." Leo commented.
"I have to." Karai insisted. "None of this would have happened had I not shirked my duties as Shredder's heir."
"No offense," Leo cut in, "but I don't think being heir to a monster like the Shredder is-"
He was cut off by Karai turning back to him, scowling a little.
"Sorry." He corrected.
"I get it, Shredder was never one of the good guys." she told him. "He was far from perfect, but he was still my father. That may not seem like a lot to you guys, but to me, he still someone I felt was worth following."
"Shredder raised you, sure, but that doesn't mean you're fated to be him." Leo insisted. "Master Splinter's always taught us we are free to choose our own paths in life. So are you."
"Maybe someday I will," Karai hoped. "But tonight, my path seems clear."
She then put the helmet back on, her voice returning to that of the Shredder.
"It is time that the city's crime syndicates are reminded of their place in this world." She declared, the voice box making her words sound more menacing then they were probably intended. "Now, hide."
The three turtles nodded before vanishing into the shadows, awaiting the final outcome of this excessive war.
…
Across town at the brownstone, Danny was down for the count, but Cody was still fighting. After a narrow escape from April and Casey, the kid was booking it out of the alley, hoping to escape with his half of the ill-gotten loot. Unfortunately for him, Casey landed on the other end of the alley, waiting for him.
"Nowhere else to run kid." Casey told him.
Cody backpedaled, trying to go back the way he'd come before April landed in his way.
"Just drop the bag, and this all ends." she promised.
Cody looked back and forth between April and Casey blocking either side of the alley. Seeing no other options, he quickly pulled out a knife from his boot and turned to April. She went wide-eyed, tightening her grip on her tonfas.
"Don't do this kid." she warned. "You won't like what happens."
"Shut up!" Cody shouted. "Just stay back!"
"Last chance." Casey declared. "Hand over the loot, or we take you down. Your call."
Cody didn't waste words. Instead, he let out a yell and ran at April. She easily sidestepped his attempted stab, bringing her tonfa down hard on his wrist. He dropped the knife in shock, and April quickly kicked it away. She then swung hard, her tonfa connecting with Cody's nose. There was a loud crunch as he fell, moaning in pain as he held his face.
"Sorry about that Cody." April apologized.
"You broke my nose!" Cody exclaimed. "You psycho-!"
"Finish that sentence, and you'll have more than a broken nose to deal with." Casey snarled.
Cody went quiet before falling back on the ground.
"You ok, April?" Casey asked.
"Fine." April dismissed. "Come on, let's go get Danny and call the police."
They nodded and quickly scattered to do what needed to be done.
…
Back in Foot HQ, the gang forces began to arrive. First, Turtelli and his crew, entering through one side of the room. Next was Hun and the Purple Dragons, entering from the opposite side. Then Hob and the mutants, breaking a window and entering from there. Finally, the Foot crashed through another window, with the Elite's appearing in a puff of smoke. On the top of the steps of the throne room, "Shredder" stood overlooking them all. All this was being watched from the rafters by the turtles.
"I sure hope Karai's plan works." Donnie whispered.
"It should." Leo replied. "Once the mob and the mutants are dealt with, the Dragons and the Foot should stand down. The war will be over in minutes."
"Yeah but if it doesn't," Donnie responded. "It'll be the three of us against all of them."
"I'm just gonna say it." Mikey spoke up. "This plan kinda sucks."
This war is at an end!" Shredder declared. "I have returned to resume my rightful as master of this city!"
"Master, we thought you dead." The Trident Elite spoke up as the elites bowed. "We serve you, always."
"Master, I remain your loyal servant." Hun promised. "As does the Purple Dragons."
"We're with you two boss." Rocksteady added. "Provided you don't… you know, hurt us."
"Though you strayed from the Foot to join the likes of Old Hob and his mutants, you return to your rightful Master." Shredder told them. "You are welcome back, provided you don't make the same mistake twice."
"We won't boss!" The two promised. "We won't!"
"Good," Shredder replied. "Now… eliminate these pests!"
He gestured to Hob, Turtelli, and their respective entourages. Suddenly Dragon Face perked up.
"Hey, wait a minute." He let out. "This ain't right! We wanted to take over Shredder's empire, not get it back for him!"
"Traitor!" Hun declared.
"Seems to be a lot of that going around lately." Hob remarked, brandishing his claws once more.
"Shredder, we have a saying in our family…" Turtelli told him. "But you'll never live to hear it! Waste em!"
With that, Turtelli's men opened fire on everyone. Bebop and Rocksteady pulled out their guns and started shooting at Hob and his men, causing them to scatter.
"Protect the master!" Hun ordered.
"Forget Hun!" Dragon Face yelled. "Every man for himself!"
All the Purple Dragons start shooting randomly, hitting whoever they could. The Foot used their swords and other weapons to block as many shots as they could. In the rafters, the turtles were doing all they could to keep themselves from getting caught in the crossfire.
"Oh man, this isn't good." Mikey squeaked.
Hun fired a rocket at a wall near some mobsters, causing it to collapse on them. Turtelli ducked out of the way of the debris, causing him to hit the ground and the canister of mutagen to roll towards Hun's feet. Seeing the volatile substance on the ground, he picked it up and placed it on his belt before turning towards Dragon Face, who was shooting everything in sight.
"Yo, Dragon Face!" Hun called out. "Catch!"
Hun then fired another rocket at him, causing Dragon Face to duck out of the way. As he got back to his feet however, he saw the floor beneath him start to crumble and crack. He got up and tried to run, but his second step caused part of the floor to give out from under him. Dragon Face fell through the floor, down the massive hole left by Stockman in that climactic battle, screaming all the way. Bebop meanwhile was trying to gun down Fishface, who was dodging every shot directed his way.
"I've heard of shooting fish in a barrel!" Bebop let out. "But I thought they'd be easier to hit!"
"You talk way too much!" Fishface called out. "And that is saying a lot coming from me!"
Fishface then leapt up towards Bebop and spun his legs around, both knocking the gun out of his hands and kicking him in the face, knocking him to the ground as he landed.
"That's better." He commented. "I can finally hear myself think again."
As Fishface turned back towards the battle, he saw the turtles hiding in the rafters. A twisted smile graced his face.
"Hey, Dogpound!" He called out. "Looks like we got company."
After punching Rocksteady to the ground, Dogpound looked up and saw the turtles as well.
"Well what do you know?" Dogpound remarked, grabbing a nearby boulder. "Tonight just got a lot more interesting."
Dogpound then heaved the rock towards the turtles, much to their dismay.
"Incoming!" Donnie cried out.
The turtles then leapt out of the way before the boulder hit them, causing them to land in the middle of the battlefield.
"The turtles?" the Axe Elite let out. "Here?!"
"These freaks are the reason this whole stinkin war started!" Hun declared. "They took out the Shredder, they filled us with delusions of power! Here's what I say! We can rule this city together, or split it up in accordance to the master! Just as soon as we get rid of these freaks!"
"He's quite the motivational speaker, isn't he?" Mikey remarked, chuckling nervously.
"End them." the Spear Elite demanded.
"No!" Shredder ordered. "Forget the turtles! Eliminate Turtelli and this mutant pestilence."
"But master-" the Double Blade Elite spoke up.
"You dare question me?!" Shredder let out.
"This is getting too tense, boss." Weasel spoke up. "We should get out of here."
"Right." Turtelli agreed, before reaching into his coat pocket. "Oh by the way Shredder, before we go, a little gift from your old friend, Baxter Stockman!"
Turtelli then pulled out a grenade and threw it at Shredder. Shredder tried leaping out of the way but the shockwave knocked him down the stairs. The impact on the ground caused his helmet to fall off, rolling at Hun's feet. He picked it up, prepared to hand it back to him when he froze.
"Master… Shredder?" he let out.
Karai looked up, cursing her luck.
"Karai." Hun snarled.
The Elite saw the face of who they thought was their master with shock and disdain.
"You!" the Trident Elite let out. "You renounced your birthright when you abandoned us and allied yourself with the Shredder's greatest enemies, but to impersonate our master, is sacrilege!"
"I had to do something to get you to listen to me." Karai remarked.
"Sounds like you have some personal issues to deal with." Hob noted, backing away. "We'll leave you to it."
Hob let out a whistle, signaling the mutants to take off, leaving the turtles and Karai alone against Hun and the forces of the Foot.
"So much for plan A." Donnie noted.
"Then we go for plan B!" Leo declared.
The turtle then scattered out to fight the Foot head on. Donnie vaulted over the Double Blade Elite and tried swinging his staff at him, only for the elite to block the attack with his weapon and took a turn swinging at him. Donnie leapt out of the way of the blow and swung his staff at him again, causing the two to lock weapons.
Leo braced himself as two ninjas swung their staffs him. He quickly sliced through them with his swords and leapt in the air, split kicking them in a snap.
Mikey batted away several ninjas with his Nunchucks before the Spear Elite ran up. Mikey ducked under the swipe before back flipping out of the way and extending his chain towards him. The elite quickly grabbed the chain and brought his foot down on it, pulling Mikey towards him. As the elite aimed his spear at him, Mikey quickly flipped around, causing the blade to scratch his shell as he kicked the elite in the face. Mikey landed on the ground relatively unscathed as the elite flipped back to his feet, much to the turtle's dismay.
"Man, what was the Shredder feeding you guys?" Mikey asked, backing away.
"Mikey, now is not the time to be wise cracking!" Leo snapped.
"Well I'm sorry, but that's how I cope with stressful situations!" Mikey shouted back.
Karai meanwhile, was having her own problems, fending off both the Trident, and Axe Elite's at once. Her blade darted back and forth between them, but with Shredder's armor weighing her down, it was clear who held the advantage. Finally, the two kicked her in the stomach, sending her slamming into the ground.
The Double Blade Elite then shoved Donnie off and spin kicked him across the face, sending him tumbling back. The Spear Elite jabbed Mikey with the blunt end of his weapon, knocking him backwards as well. Leo moved backwards, fending off various sword attacks from various ninjas, until a stray kusarigama chain wrapped around his legs, tripping him up, after falling, his cut himself free and circled up with his brothers and Karai, increasingly becoming overwhelmed.
"Ok, we're outnumbered, outweaponed, and outmatched." Mikey observed. "What do we do now?"
"We fight, until we cannot fight any longer." Karai answered. "Then we take as many with us when we go."
"You do realize the odds against us are like a thousand to one, right?" Donnie reminded.
"I don't care!" Karai replied. "I'm gonna see this through to the bitter end!"
"The Shredder may have raised you Karai, but you're nothing like him." Leo told her.
"How so?" She asked.
"You understand honor in a way he never could." Leo said, smiling.
The comment caused Karai to smile as well.
"Hun, eliminate these insects." the Spear Elite ordered. "And we will not forget your help when the Elite rules this city!"
"Sounds like a plan to me." Hun grinned. "I've wanted to waste this little girl since the first day we met."
Hun aimed his gun at Karai and the turtles, ready to fire and end them. Just then, several shruiken flew in from nowhere and clogged up the gun. The weapon began sparking as Hun held it, causing him to throw it aside before it exploded. The explosion filled the room up with smoke as a familiar figure entered the fray.
"Didn't your mom ever teach you it isn't nice to threaten a lady?" Raph quipped.
"Raph!" all four of them called out.
"Kill him!" the Axe Elite cried out.
The Foot charged towards Raph, who drew his sai in readiness. The others ran towards him and began fighting off the Foot alongside him.
"I didn't expect you to return." Karai spoke up. "You made it quite clear you wanted nothing to do with this fight."
"Well I calmed down, thought about it," Raph explained, kicking a few Foot ninja aside. "And realized I was-"
He then spun around and punched out another oncoming ninja.
"Being an idiot." he finished.
"You figured that out all on your own?" Mikey asked, wrapping his chain around the Spear Elite's weapon and pulling it aside before kicking him in the face.
"Well… I had a little help." Raph admitted.
Just then, from out of the smoke, Master Splinter leapt out and kicked the Axe Elite aside before batting away three more ninjas behind him.
"Master Splinter!" Leo, Don, and Mikey called out.
"My sons, I feared we may be too late!" Splinter replied, knocking another ninja aside.
"You're just in time, Sensei." Leo assured him, blocking the Double Blade Elite's attack.
Leo then shoved him off before Raph came up and kicked him from behind, allowing Leo to strike him in the stomach with the blunt end of his sword, causing him to fall to the ground.
Karai meanwhile was duking it out with the last Elite standing, the Trident Elite.
"Come on guys!" she called out. "Let's finish this!"
She was met with a chorus of cheers as they swarmed the group, the tide of battle in their favor once more. As Karai clashed with the Elite, Leo came up and sliced his weapon in two. Raph and Donnie quickly leapt up and kicked him into a beam, where Mikey tied him up with his chain. Once the Elite was properly restrained, Karai walked up to him, weapon clenched in her hand.
"I am Oroku Karai," She declared. "daughter of Oroku Saki, heir to the Shredder, and rightful master of the Foot Clan. And you will follow me."
"Never!" The Elite insisted.
Enraged, Karai took her blade into both hands and raised it over her head. The turtles all flinched as she brought it down. However, rather than split the unfortunate Elite in two, she merely split his hat down the middle, allowing the two pieces to float to the floor. She met the Elite's eyes, giving him the coldest stare she could manage.
"Swear fealty to me, or your life, and the lives of your brethren, are forfeit." she promised.
"I… swear it." the Elite finally relented. "Tiasen!"
The three other Elite's bowed in response. She then turned to Hun, aiming her tanto in his direction.
"Your turn, unless you want to join Dragon Face."
"Never!" Hun yelled, grabbing a fallen beam and smacking her aside.
As Karai fell to the floor, Hun stood over her, with the beam overhead.
I will never serve you!" he declared.
He then felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He turned around and saw Leo and Raph standing behind him before punching him in the face. Hun stumbled back a bit before trying to swing at them again. While Leo ducked under the beam, Raph leapt on top of it before bouncing of and kicking him in the face. This caused him to stumble back towards the broken window. He scrambled to try and gain his balance, even grabbing a nearby banner to stabilize himself, but Raph just walked up and used one finger to push him off, tearing some of the banner off with him.
"Aw crud!" he screamed, falling to the street below.
He landed onto a nearby car with a crash, causing the onlooking turtles to wince.
"Ooh, that one hurt him." Mikey joked.
Leo turned back to Karai, who was walking towards him with a smile on her face.
"Thank you." she told him before turning to the others. "All of you. I couldn't have done this without you."
"Of course." Leo replied. "I trust you will keep your word?"
"Of course." Karai promised. "The vendetta against you and your family is lifted. Our feud is over."
"Just like that?" Raph questioned.
"Just like that." Karai replied before bowing. "It was an honor fighting alongside you."
"Here's hoping we do it again soon." Leo responded, bowing back.
"Here's hoping." Karai repeated, walking towards the window and leaping out.
The others looked out, but found no sign of her.
"Now that's what I call a ninja vanish." Mikey commented.
"Master Splinter," Leo said as his sensei walked up. "I'm sorry, I… I just felt like I had to do something."
"There is a time where a student listens to his master." Splinter said sternly, before softening and placing a hand on Leo's shoulder. "However, there is also a time where a student follows his heart, even when others tell him otherwise."
Leo was surprised by Splinter's reply, but smiled regardless.
"So, what about Karai?" Donnie asked.
"I still don't trust her." Raph admitted.
"Seriously?" Leo let out. "After all this?"
"Look, she may be Hamato Yoshi's daughter, but she was raised by Shredder." Raph reminded him. "She just as much his kid as he is Yoshi's."
"She does still seem hesitant to believe the true origins of her parrentage." Donnie admitted.
"Perhaps one day she will accept the truth." Splinter hoped. "But that is her decision. For now, let us go home.
"Finally!" Mikey let out.
"I gotta admit, home sounds real good right about now." Leo concurred.
…
Down below, on the roof of a crushed car, Hun lets out a groan of pain as he places the hand with the torn cloth over his face. All of a sudden, his body convulsed, twitching and twisting in ways that shouldn't have been possible. His face also burned, as though the cloth was fusing with his skin. He tried to tear it off, but to no avail. He tore at it as his fingers became swollen, fusing into two massive digits.
"What… What's happening?!"
…
After calling the police to collect a tied up and bruised Danny and Cody, April and Casey watched their arrest from the nearby rooftop.
"By morning, the cops will call Irma about all her stuff." April deduced. "She'll get her equipment back, and I'll have all the money I saved."
"A happy ending all around." Casey noted.
"Yeah." April replied. "Thanks again Casey. For… everything."
"Hey, don't mention it." Casey dismissed. "I know how much having that place means for you. Something to remind you of your dad. Kinda makes me wish I had somethin like that…"
"Well," April spoke up. "I think your father would be proud of you."
With that, April pulled Casey into a hug. While taken aback by it, Casey wasted no time returning the notion.
...
Karai watches as the last of the Foot ninja boarded a barge set for Japan. As it sailed away from the harbor, she sighed.
"Stopping an entire intercity gang war." a voice marveled.
Karai whipped around to see Nakumo emerging from the shadows.
"I must say, I'm impressed." He commended.
"Nakumo!" Karai scowled. "Where the hell have you been?!"
"Dealing with pressing matters." Nakumo replied.
"Pressing matters?!" Karai repeated. "Your 'pressing matters' nearly destroyed the entire city!"
"Something I was trusting you to handle." Nakumo responded nonchalauntly. "Looks like you were able to after all."
"So you knew this would happen?" she questioned harshly. "You knew I'd end this war? Why not step in sooner BEFORE the Foot splintered?!"
Nakumo remained silent for a moment.
"Come with me." He told her, before leaping off the roof.
Hesitant at first, she eventually followed after him, watching as he led her deeper into the shipyard. After a bit of traversing, Karai found Nakumo walking towards a massive red and black ship. He went inside, and she followed, surprised to see that it was a fully stocked bunker, as well as a science lab and training ground.
"Is this what you've been working on all this time?" she wondered.
"Partially." Nakumo answered. "But there is one project that has required my more immediate attention."
The two then walked into a room reminiscent of Shredder's throne room in their old headquarters. At the end of the room, Nakumo walked towards a table and pressed a button, opening up the rear wall. What Karai saw in there shook her to her very core.
"F-father?" she gasped.
Inside was a massive medical lab, with Oroku Saki's body, broken, scarred, and missing his hair, suspended in a tube of strange liquid. He had a breathing apparatus over his face, as well as various sensors across his deformed body. Karai stumbled towards him, pressing her hands against the glass as she stared at him.
"How is this possible?" she questioned. "I saw his body. Leonardo cut off his head. How is he alive?!"
"You know how Dr. Stockman dabbled a bit in genetic cloning while he was still employed with us?" Nakumo responded.
"Yeah, I…" Karai replied before realizing what he meant. "Wait. you mean that the Shredder that Leo killed-?"
"Was nothing more than a clone." Nakumo finished. "A duplicate created in the unlikely event that something should happen to the master."
"Him." Karai pieced together, turning back to Saki.
"We salvaged his body from the remains of the Technodrome, and have been keeping constant vigil over him ever since." Nakumo explained.
"The Technodrome?" Karai realized. "He's been here all this time and you didn't tell me?!"
"Would you have acted the same, knowing the man you were fighting alongside wasn't real?" Nakumo countered.
Karai paused, the final piece falling into place.
"You knew I would react the way I did." she let out. "You knew I'd go on a revenge spree, drawing the turtles' attention towards me… and away from you and Father."
"I know it wasn't ideal," Nakumo told her. "But it was the only way to ensure his recovery could go unimpeded."
"So… how is he?" she finally asked, turning back toward Shredder's tube.
"Not much change I'm afraid." Nakumo lamented. "We're doing everything he can, but the damage he received was extensive."
Karai visibly drooped at that. Her hand curled into a fist, still against the glass as she looked down.
"I can't ask you to do any more than you already have." she sighed. "Just… do what you can. I want my father back..."
"You have my word." Nakumo promised. "I know you wish to stay with him, but…"
"Yes, the clan needs me." Karai agreed. "Call me if there's any change in his condition."
"Of course… mistress." Nakumo replied, bowing.
Karai then walked out of the room, leaving Nakumo alone with Saki.
"Ka..rai…"
Nakumo perked up as he turned towards Saki.
"Master?" Nakumo questioned.
"Ka...rai…"
"She was here." Nakumo explained. "She is relieved you are alive, and has taken her place as your heir."
Nakumo paused for a moment.
"We… may have a way to help you." He told him as a Kraang droid walked in. "The Kraang have creatures. Worms brought from Dimension X that are said to heal the flesh."
"The creatures the one called Nakumo has spoken of are adapted for Kraang that have been adapted for them." The Kraang droid explained. "Humans such as the one called Shredder have not and will be in pain that is known as excessive pain."
"It's a risk to be sure, but-"
"Do it." Saki insisted. "I want… my strength back…. I want… revenge…"
Nakumo turned to the Kraang and nodded, signaling him to walk up to the tank.
"Kraang warns the one called Shredder. The one called Shredder will be in a state that is known as extreme discomfort."
The Kraang then injected the worms into the tank. They swam around a bit before darting towards Saki and eating at his flesh, causing Saki to cry out in pain. Nakumo flinched as his master's cries filled his ears, driving him from the room. As the doors closed behind him, he let out a breath, hoping that Kraang could deliver on their promise and return the Shredder to his former glory.
