RAPHAEL:
When I returned to my cage, it was obvious they had seen to its care while I was absent. A new bed, new food dishes, and a clean floor, as well as something I hadn't noticed before: a bucket against the wall. I knew immediately what it was for by its lingering smell.
The man had left moments ago with the leash. My neck still had the damned collar though. It was uncomfortable, but my thoughts were somewhere else. I paced for some time thinking over the possibility that my brothers were here. The last thing I remember was being drunk off my ass. They must have caught me while I was down or I'm forgetting something entirely…that happens sometimes with those really stiff drinks. How would my brothers get caught though? Was he bluffing? In my frustration, I nearly kicked the tin filled with water, but leaned down instead and took greedy gulps. The water was metallic tasting, but my throat was so dry. Once it was gone, I immediately chucked it at the electric bars. It gave a sizzling crack and rattled on the floor. I turned back to my bed, ready to rip it apart again until an idea struck me. The man had said my brothers were in some sort of med care. The only way I could get out of this fight and see them would be to put myself there too. I looked around the pen with a new purpose in mind. The bars. I faced them. This was really going to suck. I stepped close and grabbed them with my left arm. Electricity arched and coursed through me. It hurt like hell! My fist clenched around it with involuntary jerks. Now I was worried. I couldn't let go! I started to smell something funny…like my own flesh burning, and I could hardly think straight any more. The bars must have shorted out though, because it all stopped suddenly and I collapsed to the ground.
DONATELLO:
I woke to voices. Blinking my eyes, I looked around. It seemed I was in a cement cell of some sort with bars and a small cot. I sat up from the cot and gave a moment for my light-headedness to pass. Something wasrestraining my neck. I lifted a hand feeling it aband there. A collar. In confusion,I looked over and suddenly a stranger and…Raphael? I jumped up and leaned against the bars calling out, "Raph! What-"
Rapheal looked to me. There was something in his expression. Dread. My voice failed me. I don't think I'd ever seen Raph with that look. He was always so tough. The man looked as well and gave me an unsettling empty stare. It seemed he had Raph on some kind of lead with a collar like mine. I strained to keep them in sight after they passed by. What was going on? How did we get here? Were Leo and Mike here too? A voice answered my latter question.
"Let us go!"
That was Leo. The voice came from the neighboring cell to my right.
"Stay back, Leo!" Raph responded.
Then an electrical zap. I could pinpoint that sound from anywhere. I looked at my cell bars and noticed a box just outside of it where I was trying to see further. The bars had an electrical current. I stepped away, having been dangerously close. I've had my share of that stuff. I didn't want repeats .I winced. Then my thoughts paused hearing Mike as well.
"Who are you? Raph, what's going on?"
His voice was a little shaky. This was bad. Giving up on getting a visual, I moved and sat on the cot again, listening as a metallic gate as opened and shut.
"You will fight. This only delays the inevitable. You didn't believe me did you? That your brothers were here?"
That was the human. There was a following silence.
"Answer me!"
"No," Raph said.
"Now you know, and my promise still stands. I'm going to punish one right now for your stunt."
"Leave them alone!"
A zapping noise. A smaller charge I guessed though. What was going on? They want Raphael to fight?
"Raph! You okay?" Mike's voice asked. Leo must have been the one shocked by the larger zap earlier because he said nothing more.
"I'm okay, Mikey," was Raph's subdued reply.
"I've just begun!" The human's voice flared with anger. I heard another cell door open and a strange sound, like something being dragged.
"No…," Raph's voice quivered. Now I was getting scared. I strained again to see what was happening.
Leo cried out all of a sudden and my heart nearly stopped. Did the human just do something to him?
"Leo? What's going on!" I called out before I could stop myself.
At first I thought Raph was crying, but then I recognized it as Mike. God, what hell did we land ourselves in this time?
RAPHAEL:
The crowd called out wildly at my entrance. I scanned the arena. It was all covered with a large dirty tent. People seemed to be overflowing in the bordering stands. The ground was loose dirt. On the other side I recognized the monster that had walked passed my pen being brutally whipped. He was at a distance for now though and restrained. I looked to my captor as he unclipped my leash.
"Now you are injured and have to fight. See what you have done? I hear many placed high bets on you. Don't disappoint them," He smiled.
That smile set me off more then anything else he had done. I wanted to knock out every one of his pearly whites and then some! He must have caught my hostile look because he backed up and pulled a whip from his belt. Wicked spikes branched from the end. He gave it an experimental snap, then pointed to the center. I think he planned to use it if I refused, but didn't look at all put off by my murderous glare.
I rubbed my arm. It was still numb and useless. My legs worked on their own though as I trudged to the edge of ring.
"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" the throng chanted.
An announcer suddenly boomed over them on some sort of poor audio system, " Ladies and gentleman, welcome! Please find your seats, the battle will soon begin!"
They cheered. I gritted my teeth and scanned the mass of bodies.
Moments later, the announcer started up again, "Once again, welcome one and all! Please remember to keep in the stands, customers are NOT allowed in the arena!" a chuckle, "Also don't forget the concession stands on your way out. Now, are you ready for a fight?"
They cheered louder then ever.
"I said are you ready for a fight!"
The crowd was ravenous now. Spot lights immediately fell on me and I blinked. How was I suppose to fight if they were blinding me?
"On the left is Spitfire, our newest addition! Part human, part turtle. Let's hope his reflexes are faster then an actual turtles!" he laughs.
The spot lights move away and I blink in relief, still clutching my injured arm.
"To your right, the all time champion, Alloy! A skeleton and nerves of steal!"
I looked up as my enemy gave a loud yell, stomping forward in a rage to try and get at me. Chains that held him suddenly snapped and recoiled hard with all the tension. The crowd was loving it.
Alloy charged straight for me. I watched, hardly believing any of this was real any more. My defenses finally kicked in, and as he got close and I stepped out of the way. Alloy was big, but he was clumsy. He roared and turned to face me again, a row of razor blades shooting up from of his knuckles. I jumped back as he slashed and missed. The people booed at this. Clearly they wanted blood to spill.
I moved from defense to offense. I let Alloy get just close enough that I could launch a round-house kick into the air, aimed at his helmet. The blow left a terrible ache in my ankle, and I staggered to the ground, unable to catch myself with the limp arm. Alloy stumbled in a daze then gave a roar again. The razors came right at me and bit into my shoulder. I gasped. They cheered. Now that he had me down, Alloy brought his foot down on my shell, smothering me into the dirt. I could hear my shell joints begin to stress and separate. The pain was blinding. He pressed harder. I finally hooked my leg with his other, tripping him to the ground. I leapt up and charged. This was survival now. I had no doubt they would let the metal man kill me. The union of my shell and his armor gave a loud crack. The razors raked across my thigh, but I ignored it and reached my good arm out to throttle him. I found flesh under the chin and squeezed. Alloy groaned and began to struggle. The crowed was awed into silence now. This new comer was winning! Oh, I'd give them a show alright. I released and kicked Alloy in the chest, knocking him down again. He seized my bad arm as he fell back and threw me to the ground along side him. The razors pressed up under my chin and above the collar.
"STOP," a voice called out suddenly without the aid of a microphone. All eyes turned to my captor. He stepped out with the whip, immediately swinging it at Alloy. The metal man gave a growl, but backed off. I could feel blood trickle down my neck from where the razors had retracted just in time. He snapped at Alloy until he was on the proper side of the arena to be restrained again. The crew hurried to do just that. Alloy groaned with misery at being imprisoned once more. He wasn't used to his kills being taken from him.
The man turned his to attention to me, "Get up!"
I didn't understand, but I obeyed. He clipped the leash on and walked away with me in tow. I could hear the confused voice of the announcer fading behind us.
"Not the ending we expected, but there you have it. Almost a killing stroke, Alloy wins!"
The crowd didn't seem pleased with the interruption, but I had a feeling no one dared cross this man, whoever he was. When we left the arena entirely, he looked to me with a glare.
"You must fight, or you WILL die, Raphael. I know you can do better."
"How is that you know so much about me?" I dared to ask.
"I've been watching your family. Students of the former Hamato Yoshi."
I jerked the line, resisting only by sheer surprise. He knew more then I was comfortable with. He yanks back and continues to walk me back to the med area. When we reach it, he nods to a table in an unfamiliar room, "Sit."
I sit, too tired and bewildered to fight any more today. Keeping the leash in hand, he begins to clean my wounds. Once they were bandaged he added, "Now lift your injured arm."
I tried. It was a little more responsive, but not much. He pressed the muscle there, inspecting the burn marks.
"It will heal in time. You'll fight again soon," he said.
I didn't want to. The blood thirsty crowed had disgusted me. My pain would not be the source of their pleasure. I would escape this somehow with my brothers' help.
"They are hard to please," he said as if reading my thoughts, "You'll learn to love the roar they make, the sound of their applause."
"No," I said weakly. I would never stoop to that.
He just smiled knowingly and tugged the leash. We walked back to my cell. Donatello immediately got up from his bed and looked out as we passed. His eyes widen seeing my battered body. Next to him, Leo was still out of it from when my captor had broken his hand as punishment for hurting myself. He was rocking and groaning feverishly. It had been a sickening act. Did they intend to make my brothers fight too? God, I hoped not. Then there was Mike. He was in the back of his cell in a corner. He looked so scared and hopeless. When his eyes caught sight of me, he leaned forward a little with a deep frown. He must have realized how forlorn he looked because he then gave a sad smile and a wave. I gave a small smile too. He, Don, Leo, and I would only fight for our freedom. No one else.