A shorter chapter than we've had in a while, but I feel like y'all will enjoy this one...
April 16, 2012
Shredder sat on his throne in the church the Foot Clan had claimed and repurposed as their lair. The moonlight glinted off of the water on either side of the walkway leading to where he sat. Dozens of Foot soldiers stood at attention along the edge of the walkway. The triangle shaped doors which lead into the room slid open.
"My daughter... " Shredder growled. "How kind of you to join us."
Karai quickened her step, bowing as she arrived before the Shredder. "Apologies, Father. I was getting acquainted with the city. I didn't realize you called a Clan Gathering."
Shredder tilted his head. "While you were getting acquainted with the city, did you make any new friends?"
"Nope…" She said slowly. "...Just wandering around…" She quickly knelt into a submissive pose as her father leapt to his feet.
"DO NOT LIE TO ME, Karai. I was informed that you had the opportunity to dispatch one of Splinter's turtle pupils."
Karai frowned, her eyes still trained on the ground below her. Is he having me followed? Or did one of those guys Blue took out snitch on me? She dared meet Shredder's gaze. Now caught, her best bet was to twist the facts in order to minimize the damage. "That's not true! He escaped." Shredder stalked down the steps leading to his throne. Karai hastily looked to the ground as he approached, but he jerked her chin up so he could get his message across.
"Well… if the boy can escape unscathed from my best kunoichi, maybe I need a new lieutenant. TIGER CLAW!" He bellowed.
The door whooshed open again. A six and a half foot Bengal tiger stalked into the room… on two legs. He had the look of a bounty hunter, with a vest shirt combo with the sleeves rolled up. He wore a jetpack across his shoulders with pockets upon pockets for all of his ammunition and pistols. The mutant - Tiger Claw, Karai wryly thought - knelt next to her in front of Shredder.
She wrenched her chin from her father's grasp, gesturing to the cat next to her. "Seriously, Father? You leave me alone in Japan for 6 months, finally call for me to join you and then find a new Number Two because I had a conversation?"
Shredder's eyes narrowed beneath his helmet. "I thought you said he escaped,"
Karai gulped, realizing her mistake. She lowered her gaze to the ground again, her face heating up. She flinched as the edge of Shredder's retractable blades barely grazed the side of her neck.
"The next time you come across any of the turtles… you WILL finish them. Understood?"
"Yes, Father." She whispered weakly.
Shredder retracted his blades, moving to reclaim his seat on the throne. "Very good. Now, take Tiger Claw to the barracks. You haven't had time to settle into the lieutenant's quarters yet, have you?"
Karai's fist tightened, the rest of her shaking in anger. "No sir." She ground out. She stood as Shredder dismissed everyone from the room with a wave of his hand.
xXx
Karai kept her eyes forward on the way to her room - wait, not her room. His room. This new freak with his stupid scarf and tail… hang on… Karai checked her peripheral vision. Did this cat not have a tail?
"I did not hear your name, child." Tiger Claw had shortened his stride so as to not over take her. She rolled her eyes.
"Didn't you hear all the yelling before you came in? I guess my name's 'Failure' these days…" She muttered angrily.
The large cat's whiskers twitched as they made their way deeper into the fortress. "Did you truly let the turtle cub escape?"
Karai huffed. "I was testing him, his limits," Tiger Claw did not miss the dusting of pink on the girl's cheeks. "He hesitated. Why kill just one when some easy manipulation can lead us to the nest?" Tiger Claw glanced around the hallway before gently pulling Karai into a small nook hidden within the shadows. She protested before he held a large fuzzy finger to her lips.
"You remind me much of my sister, Alopex." He sighed. "We were experimented on in our childhood by the Kraang. They turned me into what I am today." He gestured to his large striped body.
"Okay... Is she an international assassin too?" Karai asked sarcastically.
"She did not survive." Karai fell silent. She felt the pang of her mother's loss before quickly shaking it away. "I now live for the both of us. I loved my sister, but there is one thing I regret not telling her; I regret not telling Alopex to not let her anger consume her. She had become so bitter in her life that I barely recognized her by the end." Tiger Claw placed a comforting paw on Karai's shoulder. "I do not mean to replace you, child. I am sure that you are quite skilled for someone so young. How old are you? 17?"
Karai shook her head. "I turned 16 just before I left Japan," She whispered. She missed the pity in Tiger Claw's eyes.
"I am here to do a job. Stick with me, cub. I do not agree with all of your father's methods or with his connection to the Kraang," He growled. "He is simply the highest bidder at the moment. But I would like to try and do some good while I am here. This way to the barracks?" Tiger Claw pointed down the hallway.
Karai blinked before nodding. "Go down that hallway, down the steps. It'll be the last door on your left."
"Thank you, cub."
"It's… It's Karai."
Tiger Claw smiled as he left to settle in. Karai wrapped a hand around her waist as she slid down the wall. She refused to cry, but could feel the storm of emotions raging within her. When was the last time her father - heck - anyone in her life cared about her enough to give her advice or want to look out for her instead of just their own interests? She massaged her inner wrist. Maybe some mutants weren't so bad...
Quick question for everyone reading: Would you rather have one more mega-chapter to finish off the "New Girl In Town" arc (2-3,000ish words) or 2 more averaged sized chapters before moving on? I can leave the next chapter as is (it SHOULD be done by the time this one goes up...) or I can chop it up if y'all would like some more manageable chapters. Please let me know in the reviews!