A.N: Happy Valentines day! Or in the case of this story, Galentines Day!
I don't own TMNT
(Translation)
CHAPTER 24
Ulrich walked down a flight of stairs, using the light of oil lamps to see the two diagrams he had in hand. Yep, walked… down some stairs. Was he still in the Foot clan hideout? Yes, but no longer as a prisoner, sitting in a dankey cell a little less than a month ago. Coincidently he just left that little room behind to walk down the new set of stairs connecting to it.
He expected to get down to the bottom where he would find himself in a pristine science facility with many floors and glass cages. But once Ulrich got to the tall, round room, he heard nothing but chaos. Or to put it simply, Shredder screaming.
He was on the main platform which had in the middle of the room the giant round tank of mutagen level to it. Hovering next to the orb was Baxter who didn't seem to keen to get anywhere near Shredder at the moment. He just let the heavily armored rant as Footbots stood by motionless.
A sharp cough was heard on Ulrich's left and looked to see by the entrance to the stairway was Tiger Claw. He was laying back against the wall and arms crossed as he let Baxter get an earful. That's when Ulrich thought to look around to get a better idea as to what was going on. He noticed one of the glass cage doors open and slash marks on the concrete walls of the science facility. Both on the level they were on and the platform below. "I take it he made an experiment and it got loose?" Ulrich guessed.
Tiger Claw answered. "Worse. We captured Splinter and he got away thanks to the turtles breaking in."
"Oh yeah… I remember hearing about them in meetings back at Griffes headquarters and how they were your enemy. They weren't much of a problem to our plans so we didn't bother knowing more. Whatever happened to them during the invasion?"
"One of the turtles and Splinter were supposed to be dead, with the rest of them fleeing the city," Tiger Claw began, "But…" he explained how tonight not only were the supposed somehow found alive, but the turtles had returned as well. When Footbots found Splinter and brought him here, they lead the turtles to the science facility and they broke their master out.
"And all this happened tonight," Ulrich said almost surprised. "See, this is why I should have my lab here so I don't miss out." He looked back at Shredder finishing his constant screaming towards Baxter who now stood in front of the Foot Leader. "Why blame Baxter?"
"Why not?" Tiger Claw said with a smirk.
Ulrich rolled his eyes. "Your sense of fun is disturbing. As for your master's hindsight on who to blame…" the french man realized it got quiet and he faltered.
He looked back at Shredder to see the man standing straight and arms behind him. The armored man seemed to be doing his best to keep a calm temper as he asked, "Ulrich… do you have good news for me tonight as I seem to be lacking in the department of effectiveness." Baxter gulped knowing he was the one being referred to.
Ulrich looked down at his diagrams. Old factory blueprints faded but with fresh red marker making notes on construction. The other diagram was that of the anatomy of a bird and a lion. Written on the bird sketch was a list of required supplies. "As much as I resent the idea of using the Fly mutant's old lab on the surface as my new work station…"
"It's B-zzzz-axter Stockman, to you—" said flu mutant tried to correct before Shredder shot glaring daggers at him.
Ulrich continued, "I was able to find surviving materials. And your Footbots have been most helpful in clearing out debris and getting the place into shape again. I only require a few supplies that I myself can get with some online shopping. I only need one thing from you now. And with it, I can continue with what we discussed."
Shredder seemed to contemplate, but thanks to Ulrich's words he was no longer on the verge of losing his temper again. If Ulrich was going to provide more in an easier manner then what Baxter had done thus far, then by all means… "Tiger Claw," Shredder began. The mutant stood straight, hands to the side waiting for is orders. "Send the word out. Not only are we searching for Karai, but we will also need Ms. Lefevre in one peace."
)))))))))))))) Midtown Manhattan ((((((((((((
A few days had gone by since Fillien and Karai reunited. But being as she had been staking out in the abandoned apartment, it meant Fillien had to let some friends know of her whereabouts. "But it feels like you just became a Mutanimal," Pete whined at Fillien as they stood on the roof of a store.
Fillien shook her head but gave him a smile as she said, "I know, and it was fun. Tell the guys I give them my thanks. But I finally found my friend and she needs just me right now."
The pigeon man's shoulder visibly slackened and his head hung a little low. "Ok, well, you know where to find us if you need anything."
So Fillien returned to the abandoned apartment as the sun began to set that night. But as soon as she snuck in through the lobby doors, she was stopped by an unusual sight. "What are you doing?" she asked Karai who was by the lobby check-in desk. She was using the corner of the wood as a scratching post. Her back to it like a bear trying to get rid of a hard to reach itch. The snake girl gave the best smile she could in her snake-like form.
Fillien noticed on the ground were scales and a bit of dry skin. "Oh… right…. gross…" Karai's smile was soon replaced with a pout, her snakehead arms crossing in front of her chest. "I know, I know, you can't help it. That's why I'm saying you should do it outside."
Karai uncrossed her arms, slithering back a bit as she looked out the glass doors of the lobby entrance. The last of the sunset's rays were gone and it was dark out. Pitch black would be the perfect cover. But… She looked to Fillien with pleading eyes. The cat looked outside and then back at Karai again with a smirk. "Ok, I'll go with you. Besides, it's dinner time."
Using the Empire State building as a landmark to head westward, Fillien and Karai found their way easily through the streets. They checked every garbage can, every grocery store, every little market for any food. But everywhere they went seemed to have been empty in the first place or ransacked for every little crumb left. "There are definitely a whole lot of survivors out here if it's not only us picking the streets clean," Fillien said as she stopped at the corner of a street facing a crosswalk where two cars were overturned in the middle.
Karai agreed with a simple nod of her head before slithering to a stop at the corner of a building behind Fillien. Karai used the edge to get an annoying itch off her lower back. This probably could have been easier if she was in human form. But for some reason, she thought nothing of it. All she could think of was getting rid of whatever dead skin she had. Suddenly, she stopped when she heard a squeak in the alley behind her.
Licking her lips, she looked back to see a small rat inching its way out from a sewer grate. It looked like it attempted to make a break for another sewer grate across the alley. She was about to lower herself to get into position to pounce when she suddenly heard metal creek. She looked back to see Fillien now sanding on the wreck of cars, using it as a post to get a better look around. "Maybe if we head south we can find something. Near the Mutanimal's place, there were good places to scrounge for."
Hearing Fillien brought Karai back to focus, not caring as the rat made it to its next hiding spot and disappearing for good. The snake part of her mind…. Angry… wanted rat… hungry. But the human side that managed to break through new it best to put it aside. If her family was going to help her soon, she couldn't let the snake mind take over. Can't give into temptation. Especially if that temptation could feed into accidentally hurting… her father. No more rats.
"Let's go," Fillien finished.
They left midtown behind and were making their way to the edge of East Village when Karai and Fillien were almost spotted by Kraang. They quickly took to the roofs and laid low as a patrol of Kraang droids marched by. No big walkers, no stealth ships. Once the patrol was gone it was an easy clear. "Ok, let's go," Fillien said, her wings spreading out and looking to Karai.
The snake girl was already sitting up but waving one of her snake hands around fiercely. A large amount of dead spin was coming off. "Ew—ew—Karai really?" Fillien jumped down from the building they were on and glided across the street to an alley on the other side. When she landed she called back, "Join me when you're not shedding."
Karai just blinked confused. What was so wrong about shedding? Getting rid of old skin felt good… refreshed… cle—Oh no! That was her snake mind taking over. No, no, no—Karai turned her non-shedding snakehead hand into a regular hand so that she could peel off the rest of the dead skin easily. Even if this was normal for a snake, Fillien was right. It wasn't a pretty sight.
Fillien had pulled off the lid of a trash can and looked in by the time Karai caught up to her. As they looked in, a certain smell caught Karai's attention. It wasn't anything in the trashcan even though it was obviously horrid in there. It was something else. Karai looked up. Something from the direction they came from. That's when Fillien heard something too and looked to where Karai looked. Was it a conversation. They didn't see anything right away. But they trusted their senses. "We move…" Karai suggested.
Fillien nodded. They turned around and stalked towards the other end of the alley when they heard a couple sounds followed by someone cursing, "MOTHER RUSSIA!"
The two girls immediately went into hiding by ducking into the shadow cast along the wall of one of the buildings they were next too. Peaking their heads out only to look to where the sound came from. They spotted two people on the roof the girls had been on earlier. Right away they recognized one of them. "Steranko," Fillien said as she eyed the blond, caucasian skinned, muscular man wearing a black suit, gold spiked shoulder pads, and black Ushanka hat.
"Leave Karai alone!" Someone yelled.
Fillien raised an eyebrow "Who was that? What's going on?"
Karai's eye widened when she heard that voice though. It was familiar but somewhat not? She wanted to get a better look but the corner of the building they were hiding next to blocked their view.
All Karai could do was point to the small, lithe, and brown-skinned man behind Steranko. "Who…" She hissed as she took in the details of this newcomer's grey leather suite with metal shoulder pads, belt, and visor. He looked to be glowing only because of the purple wires built into the suite.
He suddenly began to yell at whoever was out of sight of the girl's line of vision. His voice pitch so high, and higher could break windows. Then his tall purple mohawk began to glow. He spun on his feet as if he was dancing before throwing his head down so that the electric build up in his hair let loose like a projectile of energy. The purple blast finally forced whoever was out if the girl's sight into view.
Fillien smiled as she practically rammed her shoulder into Karai side. "It's them, it's them!"
The turtles. They were here. They were back in New York City! Karai looked at each one of them up on the roof. Raphael, Donatello, and… Leonardo. For a slight second, Karai's snakeheads for hands turned to regular hands. She could see the fond memories that came with seeing blue cladded turtle. His constant will to help her no matter what. Whether she'd be fighting against him in a battle or stuck behind a prison door. She smiled. The turtles had returned and better yet they were here of all places around the city. Why?
Suddenly someone jumped in front of them, Karai hissing and her snake heads coming back. Fillien lowered her head and spread her wings. But then they relaxed seeing it was none other than the youngest turtle. "Karai! Fillien! You're ok!" Michelangelo yelled excited
"Mikey! Boy, you guys are a sight for sore eyes," Fillien sighed as she folded her wings and stepped to him. The sound of gunfire was heard and they all looked to see Steranko had pulled out a machine gun and was firing at the other turtles while the mohawk man was doing his own form of dance-fighting. "What's going on?"
"Don't know for sure," Mikey answered. "But it looks like they're after Karai."
"What, why? Is Steranko with Shredder again?"
"Maybe—" The sound of more gunfire cut him off and they all looked back to the fight getting intense.
Seeing him worried for his brothers, Fillien ushered him, "Go, I've got Karai."
The turtle nodded in gratitude before looking to Karai. She hadn't made a move of recognition since Mikey showed up. She had been too spooked to recognize him. "Karai, you have to stay here. Wait for us, understand?" She only blinked in reply, even though the turtle didn't wait for one. He took off back towards the fight on the roof.
Fillien sighed, "I guess we're just going to have to—oof!" She suddenly felt Karai's snake arms wrap around her waist and pull her to hide behind a dumpster. Fillien wondered what was with the sudden move when she saw pink light just on the other side of the dumpster. The cat went still, back laying against Karai who crouched as a Kraang spy-bot came near. Fillien could recognize the dome shape top of the hovering object, it's spider-like arms out and ready to grab whatever.
The girls did their best to keep from getting caught by the spy-bot's scanner as it hovered by. It stopped once to scan the alley they were in but never flew in to check the entire area. Not even the tiny shadowing corner by the dumpster the girl's ducked behind. It felt like a good while before it decided to continue its patrol down the main road.
Fillien sighed, "That was a close one." Something suddenly whizzed by Karai's shoulder and over Fillien's head, hitting the metal side of the dumpster. Fillien's ears lowered as she gasped, "And so was that."
The two stepped away from the dumpster to see Steranko had almost shot one of them with a dart gun if Raphael hadn't stepped in. The instinct to flee the moment danger was imminent struck Karai so quick, Fillien would have not seen the snake girl leave if she hadn't hissed in fear. "Karai!" Fillien yelled as she went after her friend.
A.N: YAY TURTLES! Which means Serpent Hunt. Time to see how the turtles take to Karai with Fillien there. More next week, I'm KikaKatTIOI, peace out!
