Heroes in the Half-Shell

Chapter 23 – TMNT vs. the Shredder Part Two

Disclaimer: I do not repeat DO NOT own TMNT and crew in any way cause they belong to Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird (Only knows as the Greatest Guys on Earth!). Other characters like a certain OC that happen in these fanfic rightfully belongs to me and only ME!

Announcement from the writer: Hey guys! Sorry to leave you guys hanging. Let's get on with the next part! But first,…REVIEW TIME!

From the reviews/PMs that I got, I will answer them:

To ChelleNorlund

Wow! This story is sooooooooooooo very good, I like it. :-) The turtles inside the elevator is really funny, it did made me laugh. :-) When it comes to the turtles, I do like how Michelangelo says, "Cowabunga!" which that brings a lot of good memories, if the turtles say, "Turtle Power!" that will also bring a lot of good memories as well. ;-) I do like how the turtles work together as a team & stay together as a family.
Keep up the good work, I hope you will update soon.
Thanks,
ChelleNorlund

Thanks! The catchphrase does bring back memories for every fan of the franchise.

And thanks for Marcus S. Lazarus for adding me and the story to their favourites. Love to have my fans to come around all the time.

Part Two, here we come!

(Sacks Tower, Manhattan, NY – 9:13am)

Sacks fired a few bullets; trying to keep the fools back from stopping him and from getting his mutagen. The three fools who are doing the right thing ducks their heads from the shots.

The counter, so far, has acted as their barrier from the deadly shots. But for how long for April, Vern and Sally? They need to move somewhere where Sacks would not catch them and shoot them down like dogs. They simply can't catch a break. All they need was a distraction. Something to take Sacks off for a second to finish him off.

That is when something caught Vern's eyes. Raising his eyebrows, he gestures his head up. April and Sally turned their heads at where Vern is looking to see a yellow button and red knob. Above them are two signs.

HALON ABORT PUSH AND HOLD.

MANUAL HALON 1301 DISCHARGE STATION.

Halon 1301 is a gaseous flooding agent. It is installed into the ceiling in any and all lab. A compressed, liquefied gas that can stop the spread of fires and has no effects on humans. Just like a simply fire extinguisher.

Great. They have something to distracted Sacks with and then someone can take him down. But how can one person reach the button without getting hit.

"I understand a girl with dead daddy issues. I do," Sacks reassures April. He wants the young woman to be on the same page. Someone who lost a male figure in their lives at a young age. But there was no way that April wouldn't relate to anything to Sacks. Not after what he has done to the city. To them. She has trusted him. "But you're not gonna stop me."

Vern looks around for another path to the same room. Looks like just around the corner from the other end is just what he was looking for. But only April and Sally payed attention to what Sacks is saying. He has got something to say that he has kept for exactly fifteen years. Something that April needs to know.

"This is history repeating itself."

History…repeating itself? Like that Japanese folktale that he told them at his mansion? Where a warlord poisons the village? Very similar to what Shredder is about to unleash to the whole city.

"Your father and Hope walked in on me, April, just like you and Sally did."

Of course. Both April's and Sally's fathers came to Sacks to help with a government project. After finding out the whole I-work-with-the-Shredder-while-putting-on-a-good-guy-image act, it was for their own selfish deeds. But why would Sacks bring this up?

Sacks will not regret on what he says next that will shock them to the core. "It took a few less bullets to take him down, though." Sacks malevolently lifts the gun and fires the next shot.

As soon as he fired that shot, so did the remaining trust that April had in him.

That…that is why. Because Sacks was there.

He was there when her father started the fire. And he was there…to finish him off. Dr. O'Neil didn't just perish in the blaze. A bullet wound took him down too. Back when she was a young girl at the lab, she didn't hear the gunshot. It must have happened after she left the place to save Splinter and the Turtles.

Her father trusted him. Sally's father trusted him. The whole city trusted him. April trusted him.

Gritting her teeth together, April grew tremulously bitter at the egotistical man that she once looked up to. Not anymore.

"You killed my father."

Sally was in absolute shocked to hear this. She just barely heard what her best friend at this sudden news. Letting a small gasp, Sally covers her mouth. That bastard!

Splinter was right. Sacks was never a friend to begin with. He was willing to do anything to not only satisfied the Shredder but to himself as well. That man does not have a sympathy bone in his whole body. It was all just an act to get what he wants. If it was her own father in his place instead of O'Neil, Sally would have grown up without a father. Or a mother. She would have been an orphan. April has endured the pains of losing her father in the fire and now has to suffer a lot more now that she knows the truth.

As much as he wants to be there for April in this dire of need, Vern needs to take care the crook. Sally looks over at her older man friend. She nods at him. Sally was giving him the go. Give him the position to be the bait while they turn on the smokes.

He hates to leave the girls at the moment. But he knows what he needs to do. Vern stands up and quickly and quietly goes around the corner.

Barricades were quickly set up almost around the riotous building and some Police officers has push back the rest, making sure that no one gets through.

The Shredder watches the commotion down below on the streets. Guess he and the Turtles have drawn in a crowd thanks to the ruckus that they have caused. Too bad that they have all arrived to watch the show and just in time for the main event. They will have the first taste of what he has in stores for them. Once the toxin is release, it will be too late to escape.

Shredder sees that the Turtles are in a pickle. He was in no rush to slay them all. He wants to savour it.

He leaves the Turtles be and heads back to his machine. The ninja master was the last person to touch it the console as it has not been tamper with. He flicks a few more switches while seeing the remaining time on the screen. Only five minutes left on the clock. Will it be enough time for the Turtles to make a comeback? The Shredder hopes not.

"Move! Move!" the leader of the SWAT team orders. "Go, go, go!" A group of soldiers have all piled out of the van with Anti-riot shields. They were used to keep back any ruffians or innocent to make them stay clear of the danger. A few of them have armed machine guns in their grasps. The civilians were looking up at the action on the side of the building. A lot of them have their phones; trying to get the best angle of the commotion as they can get.

If they stick around for the next five minutes if the Turtles don't stop Shredder, they would regret it.

This has to work. It has got to!

Leo has only got one shot at this. The pillar was starting to break away.

"Come on, guys!" Raph pleaded. His left arm was out in their reach. All Leo needs to do was create enough distance for them to reach their brother.

With one mighty swing, he shifts his brother around in a semi-circle until he was right above him. That is when the pillar broken off of its foundation; along with another one, and they started to drop. Donnie extended his make-shift pole out but it was lock into its small form. With the press of the button, the end extends out allowing Raph to grab hold of it. "Got you!"

Since he was the strongest turtle around, Raph was in charge of lifting his brothers back up to the roof if this works. If not,…better to leave that scene a mystery.

The strong turtle swings them back and forth with great power. Once they were at 10:00, he releases his grip on the pole as they were sent flying. Smiling effectively, Raph watches two of his brothers sail all the way up the top before disappearing onto the roof. All of his weightlifting has finally paid off.

Shredder turns his head to notices the rolling turtles in the air. These Turtles just won't stay down. They are only two of them. Shouldn't be too difficult.

Leo and Donnie landed in a forward roll on the grated ground as the Shredder charges at the team of two. Leonardo pulls out one of his swords as he and Donatello attack Shredder. But the steel monster blocks both attack and spins around to whacks them both in the face. Only Donnie got hit and was sent to the ground. He barely missed Leo who spin around to miss the blades. Now it just leaves them standing on the battlefield.

Leo goes in for another swipe at Shredder's but his feet gets to him first when he gives him a nasty kick to the face. Thanks to the power, Leo was off his feet and twirls in the air. He lands on the ground and rolls over; light-headed. He loses his grip on his lone weapon.

Shredder builds more momenta to do a barrel roll. During the jump, his blades scratch the floor; emitting sparks and sharpening them.

It was time to slay the turtle. Once he is done, the others will soon follow. Shredder does another barrel roll and lands closer to Leo; ready to slash the mutant's face off.

Flat on his shell, Leo sees him coming. But with one sword still in his gauntlet and the other far away from him, how can he protect himself now? Leo closes his eyes and covers his head; ready for the agony.

Raphael races up the wall and noticed that the leader was in danger and defenceless. What he is about to do is why he is loyal to the fault. Yelling at the top of his lungs, he rushes over to Leo's aid and slides his Sais juts above his brother's face right before Shredder gives him a new scar to match the one under his mask. Talk about close calls.

Raphael flings the blades up away from his unarmed brother. He drives his Sai back and thrusted forward; more than ready to stab the monster. But Shredder side-steps the attack causing Raph to miss it. He tries to go in with a left hook but Shredder's knee blocks the attacker with his folded arm pushing him back. Shredder karate chops on Raphael's shoulder causing the giant to fall down. Going back to the blue turtle, Shredder grabs him by the ankle and easily throws him in the air.

Fortunately for Leo, he lands right next to his sword. Just what he needs at this very moment. He picks it up, stands up and swing it around; working out the kinks of his sore wrist. Now he is armed and ready for Shredder to make his next move.

Shredder sharpener his blades together before charging at Leo once more. He leaps up, holding his blades up high and brings them down. Leo was prepared for that move as he position his sword in a blocking technique; protecting his head. Shredder tries to push him down as Leo was brought down onto his knee. He then eventually uses enough force to push him off. Shredder than tries to stab the turtle in the face but the turtle then grabs Shredder by the wrist and pulls him forward, causing him to stumble forward. Leo switches over to the baddie's side and rest on his knee once again. Leo tries to cut the master down but Shredder quickly kicks him in the chest that sends him flying across the platform.

Instead of flying off the building like last time, Leonardo hits the metal fence. He doesn't go through it. Only makes a big dent out of it. Once again, Leo lose his sword but lands not too far. At least he lands where his brothers are.

Nearly clumped up in a pile lies the exhausted Turtle Brothers. Shredder looks at his what he thought were potential adversaries. But he now finds them…pathetic. With his enemies on the ground; defeated, Shredder slides his blades back into their holds. He then returns back to the machine.

"ENOUGH! The lesson…is over."

After a tiresome climb, Mikey finally reaches the top and re-joined his family. The other three were too puffed out. Not just from miraculously swinging up to the top but getting more blows rom Shredder.

Raphael gruffs as he sits up. "We're getting our asses kicked out there." He was getting really tired of this.

Leo rolls off his shell and back onto his stomach. Even turtle has trouble rolling off their shells. " We only got 50 more seconds before the toxin's released."

So…what can they do now? The Shredder…is too powerful. Even with all four of them, they can't beat him. They were too tired. The ninja master knows every fighting style, every skill. Guess there is nothing that will surprise him.

With less than a minute to stop the machine, they were nothing that they can do. It's all over. For them. For April, Sally and Vern. The city.

Mikey's face just suddenly lit up. "Hey." It's either that he has a great idea for a new pizza topping or by some miracle that he has a plan. He looks to his brothers. "Who wants to play Buck-Buck?"

Okay, has Mikey completely gone bonkers or something? Guess he wasn't on the head by Shredder even more than them?

"Buck-Buck?" Raph repeated, getting onto his knees. They ain't got time for that!

Leo dumbfounded looks at Mikey. "What?"

The smart turtle was almost seeing stars as he sits up. "Buck-Buck. Tony-on-a-Pony. Some people call it Jonnie-on-a-Rock," the dazed Donnie explained the different names of the game that they played when they were kids.

The Fearless Leader watches the Shredder at the console. Why would Mikey bring something up that Shredder…might not know…

Confused at first, Leo actually realised something. Shredder is a ninja master. He must have spent his entire life training to be the deadliest of warriors. He would never have the time to play child's games.

Maybe Mikey's got the right idea. It was just the miracle that they need.

Shredder here may have never heard of a simply game like Buck-Buck, let alone the rules. A simply children's game. That only the Turtles know. Maybe Shredder would like to play their childhood game. Up close and personal.

"Yeah." He looks at Raph. "Let's play Buck-Buck."

Looking in his eyes, Raphael starts to get the point here. Only a normal kid would play games like Buck-Buck but Shredder would find this very ridiculous. They may be trained ninjas but they are still kids at heart. It's playtime.

The starts were gone but Donnie seems to be the only one confused. "But why would we—"

Raph quickly holds his hand up with his Sai in his grip. "No. We do what Leo says." He looks at Shredder before looking at his older brother. As much as Raph wants to take orders here, Leo will always fit the bill.

"Lead the way." He holds his fist to Leo as the smiling leader fist bump in return before standing up. Will do. For once, Raph doesn't question his older bro. He is going to follow his orders. It was the only way to stop Shredder.

It has become strangely quiet for Sacks.

The only sound that was made was the machine working its magic on the second small vial of mutagen. It is almost complete done so Sacks has to replace another vessel. Maybe the big reveal was too much for April and decided to haul out of here with the rest of her posse.

Judging by the reflection of a young woman and her friend, guess not. He takes a few steps forward.

Like a deer in the headlights, she and Sally can easily spot the terrifying man with the loaded gun in his grip through the clear glass fridge too.

Vern reappears just behind the businessman. He has absolutely no idea that the cameraman was right behind him. With no steel pipe, or a wheel chair that Sally pulled on the lady with the gun from before lying around, there has got to be something that he can hit Sacks with. Catching a blunt object to Vern's left is what the doctor order. Just sitting on the shelf on the level of his shoulder was a handheld microscope. He picks it up as Vern looks at the man before him. He is not aware of the cameraman's presence in the room.

Sacks aims his gun at the girls' direction…

"O'NEIL!"

Vern's cry catches Sacks' attention as he turns to face him. He was surprised to see him there. How did he get there without his knowledge? Sacks aims the gun at the man and fires a shot. Luckily for Vern, it missed.

Since he called out her name, April was closest to the switch. She stands up from her hiding spot and makes a break for it. Sacks splits around to see April running. She is on the move. He aims the gun at her. But Sally grabs the unbroken beaker from the counter and does a fastball throw with the glass as the ball. The flute object quickly flies at Sacks' face; smashing it into bits upon contact. The business takes a surprise tumble from the sudden smack in the face; making him miss his target.

This gives April the clear shot of slamming the red button in.

The sirens were set off. On the ceiling, small holes were built around the lab as it releases white smoke at a pressured speed. Unfortunately, Sacks was right underneath one.

The evil businessman was caught in the tense fog as he crouches down. He was trapped. It continues to spray out the fog until April can completely shut it down with the abort button. And her distraction was an opening for Vern to move in. He quickly walks through the smoke with the large weapon in his grip.

Seeing through the haze, Sacks sees the other guy coming this way. Taking the chance to take him out, Sacks aims the gun at him and fires the shot. It went in Vern's direction but the man keeps on going. Did the bullet hit him? Well, he will never know.

With a mighty swing of his make-shift weapon, Vern appears out of the line of smoke and smacks the science object onto Sacks' noggin. The force of that blunt objects knocks the business out cold and crash landed on the cold ground.

And so did Vern.

This…could be the only shot. But what choice do they have left? No attack seems to work against Shredder. If this doesn't work, the whole city is doomed.

Drawing their weapons together in a tight circle, the TMNT is ready to play Buck-Buck. All at once, they lifted their weapons. They break from the circle and started the game. And this time, they counted Shredder to join in as they all advances on him.

Still at his console, the ninja master turns his head and body to face the mutants. "Hmm?" he mutters. Charging…again? This was getting pretty old now. Nothing can surprise him anymore.

Well, the Turtles do have something up their ninja sleeves. And Shredder is in for a surprise.

With both of his weapons in hand, Leo was the first in line to start the Buck-Buck and charges right at Shredder. Since he has suggested the game, Mikey decided to go second. Donnie volunteers to go third. Which only leaves Raph to go last. Mainly, he wants the last strike. It's going to be just like how they play their version of Buck-Buck. Instead of the buckets that they always aim for, it was Buckethead himself.

Leo gets closer to the Shredder before leaping up and does a barrel roll in mid-air. With his blades, he cut them down towards Shredder; does a battle cry. As predictable, Shredder blocks the attack with his gauntlet. But Leo was hoping for that. And it does not end here. They still have three more Turtles to go!

Once his turn was over, Leo bops down onto his knee position with his right fist pounded down to the ground. Mikey was up next. And he too does a barrel roll of his own. Once he is in the air, Mikey presses his left foot on his brother's shell for support; produced his own scream, while his right foot…slams into Tin-teeth's face!

The impact of the flat-footed kick breaks off the sharp ends of the foot-shaped blades on his helmet. Not to mention that it rattles the head from the inside causing Shredder to take tumble backward. He didn't do anything to counter it. He intentionally let that happened because he was never trained to counter it.

Now, it was Donnie's turn. Once Mikey's feet were back on the ground and his back bent down low, Donnie comes soaring over his brothers. The smart turtle bellows a cry as he too does a barrel roll, bringing his staff high above him.

Clouding his wooden pole right above his head, Donnie now directs it to sweep under the Shredder's feet after he lands back on the ground. The Shredder was the one who is now flying. Donnie crouches down. But this torture was not over yet. There is still one more turtle. And they have save the best for last.

Raphael takes up a running start before placing a foot on Leo's Shell, then Mikey's and lastly, Donnie's. When he got to the last one, Donnie gives him the thrusts that Raph by pushing himself up high in the air.

Bending his right leg, Raph gives out the biggest cry that he has ever made so all of New York can hear him. He is ready to deliver the final blow to Shredder. When he got closer to the Japanese warrior, Raph thrusted his foot into the metal armour; pushing the ninja with great force. Shredder slides onto the ground. The master tries to dig his blades into the ground to stop him from skimming but he only created sparks. He keeps on going until he slides right off the ledge; falling to his own demise. Only three sliced marks were made when the metal maniac has left the tower.

The Shredder has been shredded.

After securing a nice landing, Raphael pulls the small toothpick out from his pouch and places it back into his smiling mouth. "Cowabunga."

Who knew the game that they played as turtle toddlers would be Shredder's downfall?

Alright! Another chapter down, a few more to go! The epic conclusion to the fight is just around the corner in:

Heroes in the Half-Shell: TMNT vs. the Shredder Part Three

Author's Notes: HEY! One villain down, one to go!

I can't believe that we are almost done here! Can you feel it? The final chapter approaching!

In this chapter, I wanted Sally to press the button instead but I have something else in stores for her in the next chapter. So, I made her throw something at Sacks. She pulled the same move on Karai, she did it again and this time at Sacks. Maybe because she was right about him and for what he has done to April's father.

Please forgive me if the action in this scene was a little rough. It was hard to watch that kind of scene. Although, the Buck-Buck moment was definitely a highlight. Hope you guys actually liked it.

Also, I wanna congrats to the Tiger at the AFL Grand Finale! It was such an intense match and a great one indeed. And I know a few people who are very pleased with the results. One of them hasn't seen Richmond in the finals in his life and the other feels like a teenager again when he saw them in the premiership the last time around.

Before I forget, I made some changes on my profile if you guys haven't noticed. The reason behind the change is that this weekend is my dance competition in Sydney. Meaning I won't have the time to finish off the finale chapter. Sorry about that! But I will finish it ahead of schedule or when I have the chance while I'm up there.

With one more big-battle chapter to go and another right behind it to close this story up! I got nothing to say hope you are having a great holiday and ta-ta for now!

Until we meet again,

The DragonLord2912