The snow fell heavy on the mudded bricks of the skyscraper, almost as if it wasn't moving in the air before it painted the city in white- one single beam of neon light illuminating its path. The rapture of nervousness and uneasy wondering, barring witness to the battle long before it even started- not knowing what was going to happen.
He stood high above the empty streets, just below the still crawling swarm of light anxiously stumbling along the cemented concrete. Above the others, shivering perhaps, but victorious none the less. Clutching the vial tightly in his hands, his weapon in the other- close enough that he could still feel the vibrations of every swing. He watched as his brothers struggled on their feet, anger and sadness, betrayal overclouding them as they hoped- begged for him to think about this. To turn around. But he didn't.
He had the cure, right in the palm of his hand, the answer to everything. He could make the choice; he could end this. Once and for all, release it from his grip and let it shatter into a million pieces if he wanted to. He could take it for himself if he wanted, turn himself back, take control of this chaos. It was up to him and now he knew exactly what to do. What needed to be done. The only question remaining…
Who was going to stop him?
They'd stood for a while, processing, their minds raptured with the fact that only a few moments ago, they'd escaped captivity, successfully made a run for it after overmanning the majority of their captors- that being the subsequent victims of this whole ordeal- only to find that Raph was not with them on the other end… their rescue mission, least to say, not working out the way they'd hoped it would.
And while virtually everything in Leo was all in for climbing back up there and dragging him back with them while they still had the chance, the only problem with that being that that very much didn't stand a chance… Karai first and formerly reminding them of this, as the crate separating them from the flesh-eating mutants on the other side, was now repeatedly slammed against the bricks- Tatsu no doubt screaming on the other end for his henchmen to break it down before any of them escaped. He didn't understand… too caught up with wanting to go back for him, and getting to safety, to fully register what just happened. So, when Karai finally became the voice of reason, urging Leo to follow Donnie and Mikey scurrying half heartedly in the other direction, he didn't really see another outcome here. Arguing with his own reasoning…
I'm sorry, Raph…
Sure, he might've made it back a few steps before landing himself in his very own cell next to what he was hoping would be Raph's, given Tatsu had made it very clear his intentions were not to kill them personally, though he certainly could've fooled anyone these last few weeks- but what good would that do? He didn't want to go, he didn't want to just abandon him like that, fighting the pit in his stomach telling him that that was exactly what they were doing.
But with an already limb Mikey, the utterly devastated Donnie and the already panicked Karai who also happened to have a special warrant out for her head on a spike- Leo knew the only viable option here was to retreat, get Mikey the help he needed, regroup… again. Try to come up with something again, try to prove that he could be the leader they so desperately needed again. Leo saw the look on Donnie's and Mikey's face when they ran through the tunnel, both gazing back one more time as sounds of their brother was dragged away from the other side carried through. They probably wanted to go back just as much as Leo did, the dark looming threat of time closing in around them. It stayed like that all the while Mikey passed out- Karai securing them a safe passage back to the water tower, where they by some miracle, was able to use the empty metro carts still in function.
They carried Mikey inside, placing him on a spare set of blankets as his eyes squinted together under his furrowed brow. Just looking at his arm was enough to make even Leo want to puke, and he'd seen his fair share of injuries from the acute ward alone. He never thought anything would top Mrs. Hemmingway's back bended hip reaching out of her leg on his way to the cafeteria, but this… this was beyond anything he thought he could muster. Grateful that Donnie at least remembered to listen in bone-reconfiguration class, already gathering his told. In fact, he seemed like the only one out of the three even remotely skilled in the medical department, which, made the bruisings and markings on his forearm even more undiscerning to look at.
"Is he going to be, okay?" Karai asked, surveying the entrée way, blade close to hand. Donnie sat him down, carefully lifting his arm or- what was left of it- in a ninety-degree angle over his stomach, as Mikey let out a distressed groan, fighting the tears not-so subtly filling up underneath his eyelids. Leo felt like he was going to be sick, grateful to be sitting on the other side of the arm, though the view from there was still very much visible. How did Donnie stomach this…?
"His elbow's fractured. And his forearm… and the joint too, I'm pretty sure. Okay yeah, yep, definitely broken, okay what else? Humerus might be bend too if we're judging by this bump here-
"I can HEAR you!" Mikey yelped, almost shooting straight up before instantly regretting said motion as what sounded like bolts of pain jotted him down again immediately after.
"GOOD! Do I even need to explain how absolutely IDIOTIC that was just now?! You never listen! I TOLD you not to mess with those cuffs!"
"I almost had him!"
"Yeah, about as well as that time you almost had yourself falling from a skyscraper! How could you be so reckless?!"
Mikey paused, reaching for a comeback, "Well, wh- what was I supposed to do?! Sit around, let them just take us into those freaky cells again?! Not happening! "
"OBVIOUSLY! If you'd just waited ONE more minute, we could have made it out of there in one piece! But noOOOOOO! You just had to attack him!"
"Oh, so it's only okay when you do things outside of the team?! ARG-" he gritted his teeth, something that Leo could only guess was supposed to be an attempt to move his arm, despite his hopefully better judgement, telling him not to- and this in turn made the already prominent tears welling up in his eyes finally seem to spill.
"That's just- completely irrele- Look, just shut up and let me reassemble your arm- here bite down on this" Donnie said, folding out a small comic book into a wallet sized paperclip. Mikey scoffed, clearly not looking forward for this next part. None of them were.
"FINE! Maybe I will-" he said, biting his teeth over a very misplaced, albeit comedic dialogue bubble reading 'How could this possibly get any worse?' and Leo was wondering if Donnie had done that on purpose. Karai stuffed her blade back into her holster, eyeing Mikey's injury with the same look of sympathy and shared disgust as the rest of them- perhaps just from the sheer fact that this was Mikey who'd suffered the blow. The goofy, positively aloof, supportive to a fault youngest member of the team, right now with only half an arm to show for it and fighting to stop the tears from running down his freckled face. Though with her background, Leo could only imagine the things she'd already seen prior to this- shell, even the things she'd done herself to a person. After all, the same man who'd done this was the guy teaching her how to kill a person ever since she was little. Even so, she sat herself down beside Mikey's good arm and forced a smile, his gaze meeting hers and for just a split second it seemed to calm him down a tad. But then-
"Hang on, Michaelangelo. It'll all be over soon"
"It WILL?!" he exclaimed, Karai letting out a sigh soon after.
"I don't mean- just," she reached out her hand, Mikey silently going Oh… before taking it, clutching it tightly though the implications of this action was far from pleasant.
"You're gonna be fine" she said, reassuringly, and this seemed to have a ripple effect. Donnie looked to Leo for a moment, preparing himself to grab the joints, and Leo nodded- lump in his throat. Donnie took a deep breath, silently asking Mikey if he was ready- Mikey who at this moment was biting through the dialogue bubble of the comic book to the point that it would surely rip in half if the didn't hurry up. He nodded panicky, edging for this to be over most likely and this was Donnie's cue. He took a deep breath, bit his lip, counted to three, and then-
"ARGH! DUDE!"
There was a loud crackling sound grating through the air- almost like gravel stones going through a lawnmower. It still cackled in the air long after Mikey shot up from the blankets, screaming out in pain as Karai helped hold him in place. Whatever Donnie just did… at least his arm wasn't as… bendy as before. Although it was still very much reddish and slightly bumpy in places it most definitely shouldn't be bumpy. Once again Leo had to urge himself not to look at the injury too long, gagging once before seemingly able to contain his reflexes…
Donnie let out a sigh in relief, struggling to calm Mikey down still kicking and squirming, and the more Leo looked at it, the more spiteful he felt for everything Tatsu had done, and the list only seemed to keep growing.
"You're alright, you're alright, it's over! The hard part is over. Leo, can you grab that bag over there?" he asked, gesturing towards what appeared to be a first aid kit sitting in the corner, that he quickly fished a set of bandages out from. After he'd wrapped up the damage, applying a leash over his shoulder as well to keep it stable- Mikey stopping himself short from saying thank you last minute. "Yeah, well.. I'm still not talking to you… my arm.." he just muttered, as if only just now remembering he was supposed to be mad at him.
What followed soon after, seemed to be the same thing that always followed when ever the gang was at a discourse, wheels turning in everyone's heads as the realization that despite coming back alive and with most limbs intact, they were still one team member short. A fact that, slowly but surely seemed to linger around the room, empty air reminding them as much.
"Man, what did you guys get up to?" Karai muttered, as Leo's patience seemed to grind to a halt- given now that Mikey had effectively proven that even with a broken arm, he was immutable, this seemed like the opportune time to point out the elephant in the room,
"What happened back there…? Why isn't Raph here?! We were ALMOST out of there, so how did this happen?"
"That's assuming Tatsu and his goons aren't already on their way here." Donnie broke in, head tilted slightly, and this gave his eyes an unnerving red to it as they lit up, glancing towards Karai, "I mean, it's not like we're joining forces with his greatest adversary or anything… speaking of which, wanna maybe talk about that?"
"Hey, it's not like I didn't try! But looking out for four mutant turtles in New York city is a little difficult when they start to mutate into four human doofuses, don't you agree?"
"That's not an excuse!"
"Oh, it's not? Oh, okay, then how about the fact that, I dunno, while you four have been off playing the human card, I've been tracking down the foots locations?"
Another pause. Of course, though Leo already knew this, he noticed a spite in her voice that at least as far as he was concerned, hadn't resurfaced until now- further emphasized by the slight furrow on her brow and both Donnie and Mikey both looked at each other in a shared moment of mutual perplexity.
"Wait… you have?"
"Why do you think they moved the stuff around so much? You thought Popsy gum was bad? They had enough of that stuff to overflow Manhattan. Well, that's at least until Baxter taught him how to turn mutagen into a gas instead. "
Now there was a name they hadn't heard in a while- it surprised even Leo that he remembered it. Strangely recalling a certain scientist walking down the street in his oversized metal armor, but nothing beyond that. An adversary most likely buried deep in his mind for no other reason than he'd simply not seen him as much of a threat and going by the looks on his brother's faces this was very much the impression as well.
"Where's he now?" Mikey asked, Karai gulping before she almost hesitantly brought her hand to her inner pocket and showcased a small jar. She placed it on the ground, the light spouting out of it emitting from a small albeit, abnormally large firefly similar to that of the ones illuminating in the roof of the anti-foot's complex. They all simply starred at it, eyes dilatated, jaw agape and honestly horrifyingly dumbfounded- just allowing the continual buzzing of the creature hitting itself against the glass repeatedly to regurgitate.
"Oh…"
"Tatsu said he'd turn him into someone brighter. Guess he got his wish" Karai muttered, the hint of sympathy in her voice. After all, she did allegedly carry him around all this time, presumably also being one of few unlucky foot soldiers there to witness the poor scientist's untimely transformation… Guess that rules out Baxter as a culprit, Leo thought, silently grateful that the person responsible for the damage to most of the city was behind a barrier, or he might've not been so restrained. Despite this revelation, however, the guys didn't seem all that forgiving. And though Leo knew they had a good reason to- after all, if being human had taught them anything it was that lying wasn't the answer, and he wasn't entirely guiltfree if that either. But at the same time, when it came down to it, Leo's mind couldn't help but notice the knotless string of events all culminating in their fighting with each other, causing more problems than solving them… We're not the team we used to be. Karai's not the only one who sees that, but that still doesn't change the fact that if I hadn't gone behind their backs, this wouldn't have happened. But how the hell do you even begin to take responsibility for something you barely even remember? Would they even care? What would it mean to them who holds the blame? It doesn't. End of the line, the truth is, and Leo knew this- None of that is going to help us if we're dead. None of that is going to save Raph.
Karai stood up, noticing the unprecedented gloominess that appeared to have taken over all of them, "Look, I'm sorry I didn't come to you guys earlier. I swear I didn't know Tatsu was behind this, but you four haven't exactly been straight with me either. Ever since Sak- ever since Shredder was defeated, you guys' have been slacking off. And hey, I get it, when you save the world, there's bound to be some distractions along the way, but if we want to take Tatsu down, then we need to focus as a team for once-
"Focus isn't going to get us anywhere unless we get that cure in less than four hours. Which, as you might remember, we don't have… Raph was right. This was a terrible idea- we need a new plan"
Donnie sighed, the mention of him resurfacing make him lower his head, voice a tremor of what it was a few seconds ago, "It was my fault… if I hadn't argued with him, maybe we wouldn't have been… maybe he'd still be… "
Karai put her hand on his shoulder, "You're being too hard on yourself"
"Doesn't make it less true" he just muttered, removing her hand as Mikey tried to get back to his feet, looking to virtually anyone in the room for guidance. In other words… he was looking to Leo. They all were, though admitting it or not, he felt all their eyes on him even in the dim lit room, anticipating some magical solution to all their problems, waiting for him to say something that might spark hope in what was already turning out to be a losing battle, anxiously asking the same question,
"What are we going to do?"
Leo took a breath. That clawing itch in the side of his head was returning, a lot less prominent than it had before Karai showed up, but nonetheless just as prominent. Like it was baiting him on, promising that eventually everything would make sense in one way or the other, because it always did. Every black day they'd ever been out of their depth, Leo had always been the one to pull them out of it in the end. To turn the situation around last minute, somehow against all odds, managing to get his team through any crisis that might've come their way. That was just the way it was, the way it always had been, even if details of how escaped him, even now… with no past to show for it, and presumably no future either, he felt the same weight carry him forward. Asking that even if he couldn't fight the way he used to, even if he couldn't make the right decision because honestly- at the moment, he didn't even know what that was. No definitive answer in his mind standing highly above all else- nothing telling him that his position as the leader of this team, was going to be enough for him to trust that whatever they'd come up with would work. No, the truth was just this… He was scared. He felt weak, he felt lost, and searching desperately for answers from the one person he knew he couldn't possibly live up to- the one he knew his brothers so desperately needs right now. He was angry that Donnie had lied to them, he was frustrated that Mikey had endangered himself like that, that Karai had taken this mission upon herself, hell even Hopkins for betraying his trust, because even worse there was a time not long ago when he'd done the exact same thing- disaster as a result.
Honestly, how the heck did we become such a mess?
It was only a few days ago, Donnie and Raph had told him stories of when they were young. Of the trials and tribulations that came with their very weird, though very unique existence, and he'd thought, 'wow. Why would anyone want to go back to that?', thinking perhaps that what they had now was better than the alternative. But now he felt like he couldn't have been more wrong…
"no one says you have to stay with us. You can do your own thing. I mean yeah, you're our leader and all, you're the oldest, and honestly seeing you now, it almost feels like you're a different person, but… things have changed. The others don't see it but, that's the truth."
And Donnie had been right. It didn't matter how you looked at it. Things have changed. For better or worse, the only thing left to do now was survival. Leo asked- or more accurately he hoped that whatever happened from now on, they would at least be able to trust each other again. Maybe even move past all this… one way or the other. He let out a sigh,
"Well, we can't really do anything without the cure, so it's simple right? Get the cure, we can turn this whole thing around… Just gotta, figure out where it is right?" he turned around, "Karai. You said you'd scouted every corner of the sewers, right?"
"Every bit of it"
"But, what about the warehouses? I dunno, any, places I might go when I need to hide something? Somewhere I knew no one would find it but me"
Donnie shook his head, already looking defeated, "Leo, I don't think it's that easy"
"Donnie's right. I'm sorry Leo, but I've looked everywhere. Wherever you put that vial, it's not anywhere we would be able to find it" Karai pointed out, meeting his gaze but Leo wasn't having it.
"We can't just do nothing. We have to… something, this isn't how we… " he muttered, the last sentence coming out like a hissing whisper, "If I could just… remember, none of this would-
"Hey, we've been over this. Blaming yourself isn't helping anyone"
"Well, there's always plan B…?" Mikey pointed out, holding up the mystery vial Donnie had given them with his good hand- though he didn't look particularly intrigued by the idea all the same. That went for all of them.
"Yeah! Except, A: we don't even know if they'll work, and B: the idiot trashed his before we left" Donnie stated, despite himbeing the manufacturer of the thing, but this only seemed to further discourage them from the option all together, "Guys, whatever we do, Raph's in a tight spot right now. Sure, we might be able to get the cure, or even get another day to figure this out in if we're lucky, but he's still in there… so whatever we do next, keep that in mind. We need to get him out of there." He stated, and Leo could tell he was just as eager to get back to him as he was to apologize properly- even though Raph might possibly be the hardest person to seek forgiveness- he was at least thankful that there were on the same page.
But then came the ticking, the timer reaching twelve on the small hands carrying the clock, another hour gone solely to cement the fact that while the team had fought alien armies, giant mosquitos, robot assassins, and not to mention two of the fiercest kunoichi to cross blades with, time was an enemy none of them had accounted for.
"This is hopeless…" Mikey sighed, dumping back down onto the blankets, head on his knees. Leo soon joined him, scanning his brain desperately for something useful, feeling the strain on his injury tighten as the wall that blocked his memories only seemed to grow even bigger by the effort.
"I'm sorry. I thought I could… I thought I could lead the team again. I thought… guess not" he muttered, grip tightening around his wrist. Donnie looked up, opened his mouth to say something, maybe another apology? But was instead-
"Leo, I-
"SIMON!"
-ushered backwards into the nearest wall- recovering from Mikey's sudden outburst with a subdued groan and a bump to the head, "Mikey, I know, I want to cure him as much as you do, but we can't help him unless we help ourselves first-
"No! The mutagen! Oni said that the mutants was loyal to the cure, right? That's how he controls them! It's- it's spec-geni-luar!" he exclaimed, all the color leaving his face prior somehow unexplainably returning to him as even Karai seemed to catch onto something.
"Did you just mix the words genius with spectacular…?"
"You're not listening to me! I'm saying, if the glowy mutants respond to the cure, or whatever blind dude said, why don't we just follow them right to it?"
There was a pause. Everyone either stunned to find that this was something they hadn't thought of before now, or that it was simply because Mikey had been the one who said it- or very possibly both, at the same time.
"That… that might actually work"
Leo was the first to break the silence, utterly baffled as he was intrigued by the idea, because when he really thought about it, it wasn't entirely out of the question. Having for a long time now wondered how the victims mutated remained so loyal to Tatsu and the foot. How the PD's and their pawns stayed so utterly terrified of disobeying orders, yet remained dead certain that whatever happened, they'd be fine. Maybe if they were promised the cure as compensation…
"You can't be serious." Donnie suddenly spoke up, arms thrown in the air, "You do realize every mutant in this city is out to get us, right?! Why would anyone help us if they're trying to kill us let alone lead us to the cure?!"
"Fine! If you're gonna be all whiny about it, I'll just go by myself- argh- I'm fine!" Mikey said, stumbling his way toward the exit if Leo hadn't caught him left handed in his struggle.
"Mikey, you're still injured, are you- I mean, it's dangerous out there! Are you sure this is a good idea? Like, really sure? Just think about this for one second"
"No, but Raph needs us… Simon needs us. If he can help us in some way, the least I can do is give it a try. I know its stupid but… I really think I can reach him this time. I have to try" he said, and Leo was once again amazed at how utterly put together their little brother somehow managed to be, joggling with his friend's life when by all means, he'd have a right to be angry. And maybe he was, Leo admitting that using Simon like this gave him a bad feeling, Mikey probably feeling the same way- while the more logical side of his mind, told him that maybe that was the only way to find it. If Leo couldn't get his memories back before dawn, they'd all be screwed, but if there was another way here… wasn't it their best shot?
"I'm going with you" came Donnie's voice, Mikey looking just as surprised as the rest of them.
"You are?"
"Donnie- Leo began but was quickly caught off in the pursuit.
"What other choice do we have?" he said, glaring around the room, meeting his gaze at the end of it, asking for approval. And from him no less. Donnie never asked for approval. Not once ever since their encounter with Layton, not through everything he'd told him about their past, Donnie never did anything for permission- it was just the way Leo'd assumed things were with them. Sure, he was their leader, but until he'd become that version of himself again, why should he feel obligated to? It's not like he could actually stop him, a feeling he assumed derived even before they became human. But now… "…Leo?"
Took him a moment to fully realize this, before slowly coming into a nod, ignoring the pit in his stomach telling him that they should stick together, "Okay fine… if it's all we've got to go for, then we might as well"
"Going after a big glowing mutant with spikes in the dead of night to retrieve a vial of retro mutagen singlehandedly… what could go wrong?" Karai said, flinging her sword once in the air, as Mikey and Donnie scouted the outside.
"Be careful you two. I don't want to lose any more family tonight" Leo heard himself mutter, already dreading the outcome of this night severely, while simultaneously praying that Raph was doing okay.
"You always get so sentimental when you're not the one risking your life" Mikey pointed out, trying not to move his arm as he leapt down.
"Force of habit"
They looked back once, timer at the reader, and most likely, probably not the most optimistic about this plan, Leo reminded himself that at least they had one. Or the fragments of one…
"What will you do then…?" Donnie asked, cautiously, and no doubt a little concerned when Leo solemnly wrapped two sets of bandages around his hands- just as he'd done back when they were still mutants.
"If anything goes wrong, contact us over the communicators. Karai, you're going to help me remember where it is, anything that might work- that'll double or chances. If we don't get that cure before 5 am, we rendezvous at the metro station. Understood?"
Didn't take a second for all to respond with the same determined:
"Hai."
2 hours earlier
When he'd first made it back to the police station, Hopkins didn't know what to believe. He'd seen the lights go out little by little in each district, people starting to panic little by little and turning what was previously a ghost town of people, into a darkened corner stone. People going outside to ask around their nearest neighbors, and there were murmurs of people blaming it on the authorities. Some claiming it was just a simple power shortage, that this was very well not the first one New York, and that the lights would most likely come back on any minute. Regardless, when Hopkins wandered through the street, trapped between the crowds on cancelled train stations and shoving himself through passerby's and news reporters- that's when the screams began.
At first an almost confused rumble, after all, if something happened in the city not a lot of people would be surprised. Let alone concerned, the police could handle it just fine, that was after all their job, but even so, Hopkins still knew something was off. Something was very off. Call it decades of experience on the subject, perhaps the fact that the old man had since forced himself to grow accustomed to the fact that there were monsters roaming around them- and not just the ones he was used to. When Hopkins first set step inside the building, what he didn't expect was the sea of howls and shrieks that followed soon after. The ever-present sound of sirens roaring in the distance from police cars disrupting the peace, now replaced by the sight of every skyscraper in sight going out like wax candles. A wave of fear and panic that rose up around them, the lights that began to flicker ever so brightly- not from electricity or lightbulbs, but perhaps from something else entirely. Something in human, something he'd seen before now proving that he'd been right. That these things were dangerous, and whatever the cost it was now up to him to do something about it. Possibly the only sane cop left in all of NYC.
But as soon as he went inside, what he thought was going to be a hallway filled with his sea of his up in arms bewildered colleagues, was instead replaced with the empty hallways and the flipped over furniture turning his path into a parkour course. Windows broken in everywhere he couldn't find the moonlight shimmering through, the elevator unfathomably broken as he tried to venture upward- gun held very closely to hand. Papers scattered around, as well as the unquestionable lack of bodyguards or personnel- or anyone that might be able to tell him what happened here. Or what attacked here was probably more accurate.
He went upstairs, scouting every corner before taking another step. He noticed doors that shouldn't be open standing almost blasted in the gaps, chairs lying on the ground as if thrown from some poor desperate fool. For a second, he was almost naïve enough to assume this was the Purple Dragon's doing, maybe even Casey Jones. Thinking maybe they'd somehow managed to escape their what was supposed to be temporary confinement, overmanned the guards and started a revolt of some kind before escaping. But when he made his way through, what he saw instead was beyond anything he could've ever imagined. He looked around the room, staying with his knees bended and his finger close to the trigger, starring almost dumb founded at the display. The bars weren't just forced open by the lock, kicked in by an inmate with a surprising strength no- from where Hopkins stood, they'd straight up been bended into submission. Signs of the metal strained in each end, almost melted apart into a sculpture of what it used to be, blood visible on the ground. Something even more monstrous than the havoc outside turning this entire room into a one for all buffets. He noticed a chair splintered in the corner too, most likely used to keep whoever was on the other side from going in- the remains of guards who knew was even still alive abandoning their post. Little did the inmates know, the real danger was right in here with them. Hopkins couldn't help but feel bad for them- still, reminding himself that the silence around him could very well betray him as well. That whatever happened here or was beginning to happen was probably far from over.
He turned the corner, up the stairs further into his used-to-be office until a sound, somewhere hulking, gasping it sounded like, struggling for breath and he soon realized this came from his boss' office. His prohibited, no entry way or you're out of a job before you hit the ground entry way, now peeking wide open- only half of the door remaining. And as he shouldered against the wall, ever so carefully listening for anything dangerous waiting for him on the other side, he soon lost all patience and simply kicked the door in.
What he found however, perhaps not surprisingly, was a bundled up Kowlinski situated in the corner, gun in one hand aimed very prominently at the doorway, and the other clutching his stomach tight.
"Hopkins?" he called, lowering the weapon slightly though judging from his expression, he seemed anything than pleased by the fact that out of all the officers in the building, Hopkins was the one who came through the door. He only made it two steps, before once again his former boss aimed his weapon, shivering and bloody.
"Stand back! How do I know you're not one of them?!"
Without his desk and necktie to hide behind, seeing his old authority like this truly was a sight to behold… "Jesus, sir, I don't think mutants have the courtesy to knock" Hopkins muttered, entering anyway because no way was Kowlinski going to shoot him now, by his current state. He let down the weapon quietly swearing to himself as he struggled to keep down a cough ripping his lungs apart. It didn't take a genius to figure out whatever wounded him probably still lurked in the building.
"Where the hell where you…? Damn it, I told you to get off the case! " the old boss hissed, an action almost immediately turning into another coughing fit. Hopkins didn't answer, taking too much joy in seeing him like this- not bothering to hide this fact as he squatted down in front of him. The last one remaining from the looks of it- same guy who didn't even flinch by the mention of mutants, and this struck a certain chord in Hopkins' mind. One he'd already suspected in a while now.
"From the looks of things, maybe it's a good thing I didn't… you knew, didn't you?"
Kowlinski suddenly started to blink rapidly, mouth agape for a few seconds before he'd even said anything, "Hopkins, help me get out of here-
But Hopkins was far from done, ignoring his pleas, "You knew about the kidnappings. What they were doing to those people- what they turned them into- you knew… didn't you sir?"
"Hopkins, that's an order"
"I mean after all, why else would you be so keen to keep me out of the department? Hm? Trouble at the analysis team again? "
"You were supposed to stay on task- find that kid's parents, that is what we assigned you too. That was your only objective, and you still defied us. And here you are wondering why we didn't fire you already? Look at this place!" he yelled, cracking a bit in his rambling, almost as if he just remembered the gaping hole in his gutter, stopping him from being able to do pretty much anything other than irritate his subordinate further. Hopkins wasn't surprised really, moreover just annoyed with himself that he hadn't figured it out sooner. The only reason he got the missing parent's case… it wasn't just a clever diversion to keep him off the foot's tracks- they wanted him to find the kids. Leo's brother's, the one's claiming to have encountered Layton in the sewers- to have been one step ahead this entire time, to know about what was really happening behind the scenes. The things everything in this city so far had been very eager to keep Hopkins in the dark about. The things he'd sworn to be nothing but crazy conspiracies, now somehow tearing up the place he swore to protect.
And they wanted him to do their dirty work- which also coincidentally explained why they'd decided to elevate his position now, knowing they had a lead. Knowing he would do anything to keep it. And this bastard was working with them.
"How much did they pay you?"
"What?" Kowlinski paused, fear straining on his wrinkled little face. And Hopkins, started fiddling with his gun, rolling the barrel of bullets around and around in circles like it was a mere toy waiting to be put to use.
"Well, if you're so eager to provide an old ninja clan hell bend on turning this city into a murder fest with our supplies, you could at least tell me what's in it for you. Because from the looks of it, you're as screwed over as I am" he said, half chuckling as his old boss continued to back himself into the corner.
He let out a snarl, almost as animalistic as he looked, color draining from his darkened face and spite fueling his gaze as much as his desperation to get out of this room, "You should be grateful I didn't send you lot right back to filing. I gave you a start- I made sure you didn't get sent back to square one with your lunatic of a partner, and you went right ahead and proved why you were dismissed in the first place! Now do yourself and favor and help me get the hell out of here!"
Hopkins let out a sigh- couldn't help but smile a bit as his mind wandered back to old times. Wondering how the hell they'd ended up here, like this, his boss in a bloody puddle on the ground and Hopkins with a finger on the trigger. Back when all they had to worry about was runaway cats or second grade forgery in some backwards cooperation. Oh, if only they'd known.
"I guess Kurtzman screwed us both over" he heard himself mutter, rising from his feet.
"Hopkins-
"But you see, until I see some actual paperwork, I'm technically still an officer of the law"
Hopkins aimed his gun, not a grimace on his face, but just the pure cold expression of a man out of his depth- Kowlinski shrinking into the bookshelf he'd unceremoniously tried to hide himself with layers of books, as Hopkins with little effort kicked away his one-bullet pistol into the wall.
"Put that down. Hopkins! That's an order!" he yelped, the true terror of the situation finally lingering on his from the desolation of the department, not from the ruckus outside, a powder keg finally spilling over and turning this place into nothing but a memory of what it once stood for. It was laughable at this point. To think that Hopkins after all this time, all this effort, had been played for a fool- nothing but a sniffling coward to show for it.
He held a smirk, lowered the gun. Took Kowlinski a whole five seconds of processing power for him to realize that he was walking out the door, but Hopkins really wasn't too inclined to do anything than get away from that office for good.
"Enjoy your vacation days, sir"
"Hopkins! HOPKINS GET BACK HERE!" he heard him yelled, each yelp more desperate than the next as Hopkins made it for the basement.
…
When he made it to the rest stop, the street was scarcely deserted. Using the small drive of his flashlight to make his way to the entrance, listening for anyone nearby as he hastily made his way to the back entrance. Using his gun to get the lock open, blasting what he was hoping wouldn't be loud enough to draw him any unwanted attention, the cop proceeded inside carefully. Eyes fixated on every shelf abandoned by staff, one foot keeping the door open as he rummaged through every cannister he could find, until finally he found it. Bingo.
The thing was heavy, making carrying the gun as well a heck of a lot more difficult and so Hopkins decided to sacrifice the latter, getting away from the rest stop as fast as he could. He ran down the usually busy street of Greenwich, each step heavier than the last, and forcing himself to keep going despite the growing pain in his arms. Almost there, he thought, checking for the lighter in his pocket and looking over his shoulder repeatedly. Thinking about Kurtzman, thankful the crazy old fool wasn't crazy enough to have followed him here. Praying that Leo was okay, that whatever mess he'd gotten himself into wasn't worth jeopardizing his own safety. I should have stayed… thinking that maybe if he'd simply trusted him in the first place, they could've figured this out together. Not really sure if he was happy the kid found what he was looking for, or thinking that if he'd stayed with him instead, not just leaving him to his own devices, the kid would've been smart enough to realize the danger he was now in for going behind his back. But then again, wasn't that the exact same thing he'd been doing? Guilt weighing him down over the fact that maybe all of this could've been avoided if he'd just let him help with the case like he wanted to. Maybe this was a bad idea, he figured, not even sure if his theory was correct, but what else could he do at this point? Waltz around the city searching for a secret organization in the slight hope that he wouldn't fall victim to the mutagen's effects, especially now that he'd seen how it works firsthand.
Something big snapped him back to reality, hand instantly on the trigger as the big heavy crates surrounding the docks started to move. Or well, something behind it, resulting in what he could only assume was a bat coming full throttle for his head if Hopkin's hadn't ducked out of the way last second. Slamming against the crate as he dropped the container, and meeting, what he almost had to do a double check to fully recognize-
"W-whe..fa… find… it… t-t- Tak-e HI-mmM…"
The man tall approaching him in a sluggish manner, almost dragging his feet, head twisting like a glitched out ai trying to regain control. Half of his face, along with his pals slowly but determinedly joining him from behind, covered in the scraps of flesh not distorted by the mutagen's properties. The last traces of purple ink now glowing up in the shadowy corners of the platform, their veins overgrowing with blackish vines underneath the skin, and blood drippling from their imploded limbs. Perhaps the explosion was enough to have knocked them out of their cages- maybe the emissions itself, but whatever the case- Hopkins' never thought the Purple Dragons would've been able to track him all the way here. Not that he didn't expect it, given majority probably had a massive bone to pick with him, and if it weren't for their circumstances, he'd probably feel the same way, eying them in dread as their numbers backed him into a corner.
Or well… what was left of them, anyway.
Everything had happened so fast… one second, they were running towards the opening, so close to escape, the foot clan not far behind- and the next… Raph was on the ground. Something wrong, he'd sensed it even before Mikey got his arm turned into mush, something was making him feel dizzy. And not just the run of the mill, the world is spinning kinda dizzy where you can't even stand straight for more than a minute, no. Raph felt like his heart was slowing down. Like all that adrenaline supply he'd used to carry himself and the others as far away from that blind bastard, suddenly just grinded to a halt. He collapsed on the ground; he felt the light in the room suddenly start to dimmer. Like it was growing brighter and brighter in his field of vision, like someone decided that would be the perfect time to flash a blowtorch to his face.
And then, the pain again. Shooting up all through his spine, but it was different somehow. Almost familiar. Not just his back engulfing in what at the moment quickly became a numbing pain to his bones, but his hands started to almost pull themselves apart. His chest tightening to the point that all air was squeezed out of him, and again, his back. How did you even describe that? Like an entire new spine was crawling right out of it, digging through everything flesh and blood before contorting into something not unlike being shoved through a stretcher. The pain too abrupt for him to even let out a scream. This was just like before… exactly like it, as a matter of fact. Right after they'd taken that vial. Not unlike this time, Raph had been running along side Leo. Watching his little brothers disappearing behind the corner as he fended off the incoming mousers and soldiers. The explosions cracking the walls around them and making Raph wonder how in the shell anyone hadn't noticed yet. Everything above completely oblivious to their peril. But he supposed that was to be expected.
Why would anyone up there, care what was going on right underneath their feet? They'd been left to their own devices for a while- now it was Raph's turn to take the lead. Leo slowly losing consciousness and he had to carry him towards the opening. Not getting far as the same pain started to regurgitate through him as well. Trying to force his eyes open by any means possible, hoping that the red stripe of blood running from Leo's face wasn't anything but an unlucky scar in the making. "Come on, Leo… wake up! Wake the shell up!" he yelled, shivering because now his arms started to lose their grip. He felt his feet grow heavier and heavy, breathing a luxury he couldn't afford, and despite the onslaught of enemies rushing them, he still managed to save one last flash bomb buying them enough time. Coughing in the smoke, when his head started to join the pain party- that's also when Raph just couldn't take it anymore. He was so tired, everything was a blur, not even his surroundings seemed to make sense anymore, and though he tried not to scream, the pressure inside him made him instead clam his teeth together. Trying to stand his ground. He turned towards Leo, now leaned against the wall head tilted- compulsing. Like something other earthly was moving him and it made it seem like he was having a seizure or something, probably feeling the same uncomprehending throbbing tear at his shell. Raph turned toward him, determined to get the both of them out of there before his body caved in.
But just as he did, another explosion tore through the wall between, shards of rucks and stones blowing Raph backwards and away. On the verge of succumbing to whatever the stuff Donnie had put in them was, but still kicking at the wall of concrete now separating them like his life was depended on it. "LEO!" he'd yelled, knowing he couldn't hear him. Ready to punch everything his path just the get to him, each blow returned by another to his mind, then his spine, then his skin was starting to peel off it felt, making his endeavor meaningless. He was scared, frustrated, not even caring that his enemies could hear his cries. His yelling only further cementing his defeat. "LEO! Please! TALK TO ME! Please… Donnie? … Mikey….?" But there was nothing, lights amplifying in the dark lit room, not a sound but his own inept breathing turning into a pleading whisper. Sounds of footsteps as the foot soldiers got ready to strike, only stopped as Raph himself fell to the ground, unable to move.
And then it returned again, stronger, right as they'd reached it and it didn't take a genius to figure out that he wasn't going to make it through in time- as evident by the look on his brothers faces. Even Karai had made it through… figures. He wanted to move, wanted to get up, get out of there, this couldn't be happening again. Not again. They'd gotten out of there sure, nowhere closer to beating that masked freak, but safe… it probably wouldn't even matter in the grand scheme of things- they were dying anyway. Maybe he could put this annoying hindrance to use, buying them some time at least, since the universe had apparently decided that he wasn't going to make it out of here. So, what that said, in one swift motion fueled by his last ounce of strength- Raph closed the cover. Fell to the floor and smiled as Oni's furious steps came up next to him, fireflies the last thing he saw before he lost all ground beneath him.
"Find Karai. Whatever you do, you make sure she's taken to me, one head at a time- do whatever you have to make sure her companions won't get in the way anymore. The mutagen will take care of the others… isn't that right, red one?"
When he came to, he didn't know how long it'd been, only that whatever was happening to him, surely wasn't a good thing. He remembered Donnie saying something about his cells collapsing in on themselves, concluding that his body might not be all too jazzed about still being a human. So not much had really changed, except for a few things: firstly, he was in a cage in a dark room with nothing but those damned fireflies buzzing in the ceiling and definitely not helping him with the oozing headache trying to crack his skull open like a watermelon. Which led him to his second point; the fact that he was very much not in a position to get out of here by any means- his sai's as good as gone now. Hands tied together, the cage holding him like an animal, not providing him with any easily kickable lock. And even if it did, shell he doubted they'd come back for him now. Even if they were stupid enough to try to break him out of this dump, they had to worry about getting that cure first- probably on their way to decompose as well, if Raph were to guess. And Tatsu and his goons very eager to make sure the entire Hamato line was gone for good. Great…
Raph wanted to roar. He tried in vain to push the bars in, hoping their rusty exterior would at least provide him with some good news, but surprisingly they didn't budge. He tried to kick them, again and again the clanking sound making the fireflies in the ceiling scatter a bit every time. Biting his tongue as he kept kicking, knowing it would be pointless of course, but seeing no other way to get out his frustrations. I'm stuck in a cell, there's a psychopath ruling the city, who knows where the others are, and to top it all off- I'm not even going to live to see the end of it. He let out another roar, trying to punch himself out of his restraints or just anything that might do it, before he finally exhausted himself enough to lie down. He wanted to cry, feeling like when they were kids, and they'd lose their way in the sewers, calling for help. Feeling the bars with his hands as he'd down so often when they got lost, except now it didn't really matter. Either way, they'd lost. This whole human endeavor nothing but a waste of time. They'd failed- Donnie was right. They failed their duty. Their promise… Knowing deep down that everything couldn't possibly return to normal, and yet Raph felt like he'd lost something even worse. Remembering all too well the look on Leo's eyes as he punched that decoy's face in, his knuckles still bloody and bruised from the encounter. Same with Donnie, down in OLS basement. No matter what he said, there was no mistaking it- at the time too preoccupied with finding Mikey to really care or notice, but it was still there. Just as clear as when he'd nearly turned Mikey's friend into a pin cushion. Sure, he didn't know it was him, but that didn't change the fact that he'd almost done it.
They were afraid of him.
Afraid of what he might do, what his anger might turn him into- and not just the human sitting in that cage. They'd found each other again, and yet Raph still felt like the world was out to get them. Well, he wasn't exactly wrong about that, but it still pained him to know that he might not live to regret it enough. He couldn't be there to protect them, let alone make sure that they'd be okay. He would just sit here, by himself never knowing if the others would make it or not, if this whole stupid plan in the end would be the thing that finally did it… if his frustrations is what led them to this point. Instead of wasting time arguing, blaming everyone over things out of there control, he'd instead acted as the leader Leo needed him to be… what Sensei would've wanted from him in his stead. To prove himself that he could be responsible… that he could save their family before it was too late.
"Do you now understand the burden your brother must bear?"
Yeah, he understood... He'd done so for a long time actually, but nothing, not even that, could've prepared him for this. Now wondering if maybe Donnie had been right. Trying to form an image in his head about what would've happened if the foot never figured out their scheme… if they never got separated in the first place. If just for a moment, one single unfathomable moment of peace, there was no one left to fight. No one after them, no one trying to kill them simply for existing, but instead allowing them a piece of that life they'd always imagined themselves having when they were little. Peaking through the crates to the surface, sneaking out on Halloween when Sensei wasn't there to stop them, using their training to navigate a world seemingly a million times bigger than anything they were used to. What if no one was afraid of them? After so much time spend saving the world from exactly that, the thought never even crossed his mind. Not in the way Donnie wanted, not like that. Just a blind fantasy where they'd somehow fit in with the people who never even cared about them in the first place…
"For the first time since they got ya out of that sewer, you and your brothers have a chance at a normal life"
He remembered Casey's words as clearly as when he'd said them. If he even made it… Maybe they could hang around in public. Maybe Mikey would get a chance at a normal life, doing human things that Raph knew he loved to do, just without the fear of being seen turned into the mix. Hell, even Donnie would probably get the praises he deserved, some grand scientific discovery probably sending him halfway across the world by then… no safe space keeping them together. They wouldn't need anyone to protect them anymore. They'd just be… strangers. Their history of saving the world nothing but a distant memory probably, not even worth mentioning anymore… would they even still see each other? Could they be happy? And not just in the vague daydreaming sense that never provided them anything but disappointment for setting their expectations too high- but actually, properly happy…?
And then, Raph had an idea, as his eyelids started to grow heavy, threatening to pull him under, so many questions making him want to tear these bars apart and break through the walls if he had to because he didn't know what else to do. What could he do? Something he hadn't done in a very long time, and if he was being honest, only half-expecting for his mind to keep up. After all, so far, his futile attempts to communicate with him, to reach him, had only cemented the fact that Raph was the lesser pupil.
But even so, now, with nothing but his fading consciousness to keep him company, Raph kneeled down and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, then another, then another, each weaker than the next but he forced his body to keep going. Tried to drown out the sounds of the fireflies flapping their small wings, the sound of footsteps echoing over the metal surface somewhere in the distance. Tried to ignore his slowing heartbeat, focusing his energy on the empty space surrounding him instead. On the sea of blackness that seemed determined to keep him isolated, as Raph folded his palms in each other breathing still. He tried to focus on him, had to fight to keep his mind away from himself- from his constant worrying that his brothers would be okay, from the guilt he felt for not having apologized sooner, the dread that he might not survive this. His eagerness to get out of here because the claustrophobic walls only seemed to close in on him more and more.
He kept breathing, kept trying to empty his mind, to let his frustrations go, if only for just one moment. To pretend like maybe, just maybe everything was okay. Remembering the good times, the days when their friends and family had been all they needed to get by through good and bad days. When all they had to worry about was Mikey not burning the food again, or Donnie starting a fire in the dojo, or Leo walking in his sleep practicing katas. Sensei meditating in his room. Sensei… recalling a time when a simple mantra was enough to bring Raph back to the ground. To momentarily let it go in favor of keeping a level head, remembering what he'd told him, that he didn't have to bear the world on his shoulders all the time, even if he didn't believe it himself… flinching as the memory came back again, but choosing to push it to the side- reminding himself that it was all in the past now. That he'd done this before, that he wouldn't have wanted them to linger on what they couldn't change. What had already happened. It was something Raph had trouble with, for a large part of his life struggling to conform to the idea of finding peace in your failures. And right now? That proved even more difficult…
He took a deep breath.
"Sensei… I need you" he said, something stirring around him all of a sudden. Like a gush of wind, traversing in through the cage, not making a sound. The ground below feeling warmer than before, softer and Raph opened his eyes. Except he wasn't in the cage anymore. Not really. Recognize the dojo as not that of the lair, the one they'd grown up in, trained in as long as he could remember. This was different, situated by a field, he could look outside to find the tall buildings in the distance reminisce that of somewhere else entirely. This wasn't their dojo. This was Sensei's home.
"Raphael"
He turned around, as if on cue, sitting there on ground, a small table placed in the center as he started to pour the tea not a care in the world.
"Sensei…"
"Okay, coast is clear, we should be able to- hey wait!"
They moved swiftly and stealthy towards the downtown, 'ghost city' taking its name a little too literally as the entire thing looked seemingly abandoned. Mikey remembered the first time he came here with Simon, working on a project about the abnormalities concerning a lot of conspiracists looking for a story. Since he'd lived around the area, Simon had made it a point to do extra credit as Mikey had babbled on about the time he once had to chase a pair of mutant squirrels down these very alley ways. Still frightened to death by the memory.
As of now, he figured the best place to start looking for his friend, was most likely the place he already knew- a tiny barely noticeable apartment block he called home right along this street. It was a long shot he realized, but he didn't know what else to do. After all, if they didn't get that vial before dawn, he'd have more things to worry about than just a broken arm. Moving it was still a hazzle too, though that certainly didn't stop him from running on ahead as Donnie struggled to keep his eyes anywhere but behind them- making sure they weren't followed. He'd jumped the buildings one after the other, noticing the pain in his bones tweak a little bit more painfully for every jump, but not letting that slow him down either way.
"Slow down! You're not doing that arm any favors… We'll find him, Mikey" Donnie called whisperingly, but Mikey didn't stop running.
Simon is counting on me, he reminded himself, scaling the buildings below before sliding down the glass panels of the nearby roofs. He heard Donnie struggling to keep up behind him, and while any other night that consisted of "the end of the world as we know it and we're all doomed" would most likely have him wait up, Mikey was still too busy keeping to his word. Refusing to talk to him about anything that didn't concern finding Simon's whereabouts. And with that in mind, he nearly lost his grip of a nearby fire escape, clinging onto it with his one good arm as he'd nearly forgotten the other one wasn't available. It was in doing so, he also noticed something moving right underneath the nearest windowsill- the face of a young woman and a little kid whimpering underneath, eagerly pulling the torn curtains in front of it.
I hope Tyler and Mrs. Robertson are doing okay… that they got somewhere safe. Knowing Mrs. Robertson, she probably attacked every mutant in sight with a frying pan, Mikey thought, wishing to the pepperoni gods that he could've seen that.
"Come on, Mikey, talk to me. Look, I know you're angry, you have a right to be, but if we don't start-
"Shhh" he just said, not even looking at his bro before he pulled his hand over his mouth. There was something else moving from above, in the shadows. It was the same feeling he'd gotten when he scouted 37th for any foot soldiers. Of course, that was also right before one of them went out of their way to deliberately attack him, but what can you do? Donnie seemed to notice it as well, eyes following the moving shadows not far from where they were, running silently on the other end of the building.
"Oh great…" he muttered, letting out a whizzle-less sigh of exasperation. "We should stay close. Doesn't look like those guys are leaving anytime soon… we should hurry- Mikey?"
But he was already gone. Gone to the familiar, albeit cheesy, novel sets resting on the windowsill in the neighboring apartment block on the fifth floor, that is.
"Mikey! Mikey where a-
"It's here" he called, Donnie once again eyeing the area a second time before he leaped his way to the small balcony, slightly wavering in his technic though Mikey supposed that was to be expected when your body was hours away from taking an eternity long nap. He gazed inside, recalling every set of posters, books and unnervingly clean and orderly stacks of folded clothes, probably on their way to be taken to the laundry mat if it wasn't for… yeah. Only problem, Simon wasn't too keen on burglars, and had therefor made it his mission to ensure that no one, not even a ninja, would be able to open the window hatch.
"You uh… you still got one of those lock picks in your pocket?" Mikey asked.
There came a big pounding for a moment, followed by the entire thing turning into glass shards. Shattering into several pieces, and Mikey needed a moment to realize it was Donnie who'd kicked it open- stumbling backwards a bit in the effort.
"No time" he said, using the tip of his bo to sweep the remaining shards of glass away for them to safely wander inside. He held out a hand, though Mikey was a little too busy not taking it to really notice, instead clutching his nun chuck tight in his hand. It was dead silent, not a word spoken, shell, not even the floor creaked beneath them like in most horror movies Mikey had seen. If he'd known how similar his own life would be to an actual one, he would've taken notes when they were little. Well, probably not, but he would've made Donnie take notes for him- which he'd gladly do, because of course he would.
"You sure this is the place? How do we know he's even here?" Donnie muttered, looking under the bed as Mikey ventured into the abandoned kitchen.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe us freaks are just good at tracking other freaks. Not like we have a reason to not trust each other to know what we're doing" he whispered, half-hoping that his bro wouldn't hear it, but alas;
"So, you are angry…"
"Not angry, no, not me. Who's angry? Not the guy in the cast- that's who. C-can we just focus on finding my friend?!"
Mikey went into the empty living room, tables standing crookedly against the doorway, and an alarming amount of broken platters and abandoned magazines. And not the good ones either, the really tacky ones only old people read when they were looking for something they'd call 'sophisticated'. Not even Simon touched those, and as far as Mikey was concerned, nothing but his room gave any indication that he'd been here following his transformation. Not a sound, no one had entered that blocked hallway, coats were as they should, kitchen stood emptied in all shelves, but nothing that told him anything other than the last person here most likely stocked up on knifes just in case. He wasn't here. Mikey knew this, he knew this was a long shot, yet he didn't stop looking everywhere. Checked every corner, every crook and nanny, every unopened door, every empty shelf, looking for something, something that told him his friend was somewhere the foot clan couldn't use him for their own twisted gain. Donnie noticing his brother's distressed entered the room, guilt on his face as Mikey kept shoving everything out of their container.
"Mikey, I know you're upset, but we have to focus on finding the cure. After that I promise you, you can be mad at me all you want, but right now I'd really appreciate it if we could just focus on-
"What do you think I'm doing? I know Simon. I know where he'd go, and this is it. It has to be! Mutant or not… I hope." Mikey muttered, sinking down onto the counter.
"We don't even know if he's here, are you sure there's not some other place he might've gone to?"
"I thought you were the viooze expert, why don't you tell me?" he bit, not hiding the snark, and Donnie being Donnie of course didn't bite back this time. Instead, he just lowered his head, fishing up the small PlayStation-controller- looking device out of his pocket and scanned the numbers in the corner.
"I've tracked Metalhead 3.0 down in the lair, he's stationed somewhere nearby for transmitters. I told him to look exclusively for the DNA matching that of Simon's, from what we sampled in the tube. Though with every other mutant down there, chances are we won't get a clear-cut way to pinpoint him immediately" he explained, Mikey only really latching onto the words DNA sampled and pinpoint. Honestly, as much as he appreciated the extra hands-on deck, even Mikey had to realize that the metal toaster hand grabbing menace wasn't nearly enough to help them find his friend. This was too personal for that, and Donnie was too desperate to redeem himself to see the big picture.
Mikey got down from the counter, entering the other bed chamber cautiously, preparing for any unforeseen mutant waiting around the corner, even if one rusty nun chuck and a handful of glitter probably wasn't nearly enough to put it out. There came a squeak, from somewhere behind him. Turning out to be the big cupboard on the other side, something shaking inside it and Mikey made sure to hold his breath. Please be Simon, please be Simon, please be Simon, please be-
He opened it slowly, something jagged behind it keeping it only at a millimeter's length open, but just enough for him to notice the man hidden away on the other side. Huddled up against the door, legs curdled up in his chest, the man was looking up at him with big familiar eyes- though it wasn't him. He didn't say a word, probably too spooked to get as much as a greeting out of the way but continued instead to just shiver and shake. A scared human hiding from the monsters- his son now being one of them. Calling out for him, expecting him to pick up the phone because if he did, maybe then he could've been saved. He could've been okay…
Mikey swallowed a lump in his throat, not knowing what to say or do, just… standing there really. Wanting to apologize but he couldn't get speak either- every syllable tangled together in his throat as the guilt weighed him even more down than it had, that night him and Raph had found him for the first time.
He just stumbled backwards, regaining his balance as he made his way back to the other room again, where Donnie waited patiently in the corner, finger tapping anxiously on his chin. "There's no one here… he's not here. " Mikey said, instinctively trying out the way most of his brothers dealt with stress, by promptly kicking the nearest shelf with one solid motion. This proving very quickly to be a mistake, as the pain from his arm momentarily was run over by the hammer-like feeling regurgitating throughout his foot, "Ouch!"
"I don't think breaking more bones is going to help us find him"
"Don't you start!" he muttered, struggling to make his voice sound as angry as Donnie easily managed to sound on a good day, but to little avail. He let out a sigh, running through his brain for any scraps of ideas left, despite the zombie-infested outside telling him otherwise. But then he remembered something, a while ago during what was supposed to be their Wasteland Warriors marathon, instead turned into a martial arts demonstration Mikey did not sign up for. But if there was anywhere else Simon might go in his current state… maybe that wouldn't be too farfetched.
"I think there's somewhere else he might be. But… it's a long shot" he said, Donnie nodding along because even he had to realize they didn't have the time or luxury of being a hundred percent certain.
"If it's all we've got we have to take it" he just said, packing up the controller again as Mikey took one last look of the apartment, praying this wouldn't be the last time he'd venture here.
Don't worry Mr. Landry. I'll bring him back... I promise.
The first ten minutes of running was spent in silence, Mikey feeling something inside him growing weaker by the second, though he didn't want to think about that. Like his bones were shivering underneath the skin, not even the remnants of his broken arm coming close to the same sense of dizziness bowering through his feet little by little. An hour running above the rooftops usually leaving him slightly out of breath, by now already making him want to take a break- weren't it for the timer in his head reminding him that one pause could delay them too much. And Simon might've gotten away by then, taken by the foot soldiers most likely still following them close in the shadows. Oh, how Mikey wished they could just leave them alone, his ninja senses kicking in every time they rounded a corner, and it made him feel paranoid. Wondering if they'd ever get a moments peace when all of this was over. Thinking maybe Mikey could finally teach Simon the sacred art of maneuvering by rooftops instead of surface level, look out for bandits every now and again and probably how to fend for himself. Truth is, he never really gave much thought to it. Mikey figuring that as soon as his brother's found him and they'd defeated their enemies (again), Simon wouldn't have a reason to. It wasn't his style, more or less thinking of ways to get out of trouble instead of actively seeking it out. Guess this time trouble didn't give him much of a choice. He wasn't the only one.
"Do you think Raph is okay?" Mikey asked, thinking back to the sight of Raph collapsing in the hallway, completely out of it. Who knew what the foot was doing to him back there… probably doing everything they could to keep him out of the way, and in Mikey's experience, that probably wasn't going to be easy. Raph probably doing everything he could to give them a piece of his mind, if he was even still okay. Heart in his chest because he'd gotten a first-hand experience on how far the foot was willing to go and it terrified him beyond measure.
"Tatsu didn't want to take us out himself, he's way too prideful for that. I'm sure Raph is just… further along than we are. If he can just hold out until we get to him…" Donnie muttered, running up next to Mikey by the opposite street, as two mutants roamed inhumanly fast somewhere in the distance. Didn't help that with all the lights out, actually pinpointing where they were in the darkness wasn't the easiest task. They had to keep both eyes out at all times, staying close as something lurking made Mikey jump slightly, the pair making their way back to the nearest food stand for cover.
"Okay, no one's here. How much further?"
Mikey scanned the buildings. He must've wandered here so many times by now, that he couldn't even remember. Recognizing even the old basement level bookshops like the palm of his new human hand, even through the darkness.
"Not much" he whispered, leading them both further ahead, towards the big radio building shielding their path, and they climbed upwards- Mikey nearly slipping for a moment- too busy not acknowledging Donnie's existence to accept his hand held out, and he made it the rest of the way himself- ache in his good hand to the point that he was worried it would fall off any minute now. They starred ahead, Mikey finally spotting the cinema just a few blocks away and this seemed to catch Donnie's attention too, finally catching on to where they were going.
"Look, I'm not saying that you're wrong for being mad at me- I would be too. I lied to you. I, didn't tell you what was really going on. I know if I had, we probably wouldn't be in this mess but… I just don't understand. I thought you wanted this" he began, Mikey still resolute as ever in not talking- forcing himself to ignore the part of him that really, really needed conversation to take his mind off of the eeriness of the city. "I mean, I thought you wanted this too. I mean, you love being human. You're probably the most human out of all of us, you never complain, you always fit in so well with people… so… don't you want to stay this way too?"
Mikey sighed, at last, giving in, because honestly this whole not talking thing was a plan doomed from the very beginning. Instead, he just kept walking, answering silently, "I don't know"
"How can you not know?"
"Because it's not about that!"
"Then what is it about?"
And that's when Mikey officially couldn't keep it in anymore, not even caring that nearby mutant victims or deadly ninja assassins might hear him this time, because all that mattered now was this; "What it's about, is that we're a team! We tell each other this stuff! We don't go behind the others backs; we don't leave each other behind! We're doing this together, aren't we? That's how a team works- whatever we do we do it together…" He let out a sigh, realizing he might've gotten a little carried away there, and so instead of walking he just sits down by the ledge, hugging his legs as he wished all of this would just sort itself out somehow.
"I thought we were done with separating"
The last sentence came out as almost a distorted mutter into his knees, Donnie however, impatient as ever surprisingly not urging them to keep moving sat down instead. Pausing for a moment, not really knowing what to say, instead just starring over the blackened city- one single building still evident over the horizon and one they knew very well, reaching up into the skies.
"You're right... of course, you're right. I don't know what I was thinking- no that's the thing I wasn't thinking." Donnie said, voice low but resolute all the same. He put a hand on Mikey's, urging him to look up, "But Mikey, I swear to you, whatever happens from now on I got your back. All of you" he said, and Mikey nodded in response.
"Don't know if we'll still have backs by then…" he muttered, wondering if the effects of the mutagen was somehow going to turn them into something else entirely before ending them, or just making it feel that way for funsies before finishing the job. Mikey really hoped not, but at this point, optimism seemed a little too… well… optimistic. The sea of darkness in front of them evident of that.
"Good point" Donnie muttered, dropping his crooked smile as soon as he noticed Mikey's expression- at the moment fixated on that one point somewhere below them, lingering as he swallowed the pit in his throat the best he could. "It's okay to be scared, Mikey" he said, echoing Leo's words back when they were still new to all of this. Back when he'd actually believed it, because honestly, if Sensei was afraid as well, it had to be true, right? Didn't matter what they got themselves into, you couldn't just force yourself not to be scared- Mikey knew this very well by now. It was just hard to think that way, when there wasn't someone else taking up the mantel, telling them that everything was going to be okay even though that was a lie. Mikey sank back down head to his knees, the snow hitting heavy on the concrete below.
"I miss papa…" he muttered, Donnie nodding slowly, lump in his throat. He put a hand over Mikey's shoulder, sighing heavily out into the cold winter air.
"I miss him too, buddy. I miss him too…" Donnie said, maybe even forgetting for a moment why they were really there.
For all their disagreements and unresolved animosity these past weeks, if there was anything they could all agree on, it was how empty everything had become since that night. Sure, they'd defeated their greatest enemy, but truth be told, that hadn't even really dawned on them that that was the case, as the hollowness left behind from his passing, still remained. The empty room, a broken jade staff torn to pieces, the abandoned shelf now filling up with one more frame to complete it. Maybe Leo was right after all. Celebrating their victory as if everything was alright in the world was just naïve. A distraction from the fact that in the grand scheme of things, all they had left was each other now. And getting used to that wasn't easy. It certainly hadn't been for Mikey, for the others, even if they'd refused to talk about it before now. But if he was being honest, then Mikey was almost certain they needed him now as much as he did. Donnie probably embodying that feeling the most, and he hadn't even realized before it was too late. Before they were here, strapped themselves to what he was sure Sensei would agree was nothing more than a blind goose chase, taken to an extreme degree.
Suddenly something seemed to move behind them, in the process dragging both boys out of their momentary retreat.
They got on their feet, weapons at the ready as they eyed the area behind them for anything looming, only to find nothing but fallen boxes and broken glass probably having been there long before they'd arrived. When the coast seemed relatively clear, Mikey hesitantly continued down the path towards the movie theater, "Okay it's right over there, he should be close" he said, maneuvering over to the other side, letting out a small yelp from the cracks in his bones grinding together. Donnie opened his mouth, probably about to ask if he could help with the wound, but stopped himself short, instead diverting his attention back to their surroundings.
"What is this place?"
Mikey didn't know where to begin, glancing out behind the cinema's well-hidden get away spot- this coming in the form of a small albeit impressive mini park. Abandoned swings covered in snow, the unlocked gate into the cinema's old merchandize warehouse along with the countless of abandoned cardboard cutouts of various movie stars. Now, each abandoned popcorn machine or pile of old cassette tapes tattered in ice from fallen icicles. A shadow of the place it was when him and Simon first stumbled upon it- Simon so scared that anyone would find them there, and Mikey not understanding why this would be considered 'illegal' in any way, having done this countless times already. Looking at it now, he'd almost wished he'd listened to him. If he had, who knows? Maybe the foot wouldn't have caught sight of him in the first place.
"We always went here after school- it was like the coolest thing back when we first found it. Now… not so much" Mikey muttered, looking at the now damaged remains like it was a graveyard and nothing more.
"I remember this place"
"Hm?"
Donnie gazed around, eyes wide and there was something that seemed particularly to have caught his attention, as he looked out into the alleyway connecting the hideout from the rest of the street. He looked like he'd seen a ghost honestly, the already pale hue of his skin seemingly turning whiter than the snow as he approached Mikey. He took a deep breath, clutching the bo staff tight in his hands, like it was the only thing that could keep him from just turning the other cheek and dropping the subject all together. But instead-
"Mikey, there's something else you should know. I tried to tell you at the lab, but I just… couldn't" he began, Mikey getting a bad feeling in his stomach. Donnie too. He sat down on the swing, not looking him in the eyes and Mikey was wondering if maybe this had something to do with Simon- making him always regret not stopping him out of the will of his sheer curiosity. "When we first rescued you, that wasn't the first time I'd seen you" he finally said, Mikey letting out a sigh of relief before he fully registered what he'd just said.
"What? You're psychic after all? I KNEW it!"
"No!" Donnie yelled, head in his hands because apparently this was something he'd held on for a while. "I tracked you down to this theater a few weeks after the siege. You were down in that alley, I almost couldn't believe it was you, but I recognized the way you fight" he finished, stopping himself short as he anticipated Mikey's answer. Mikey, who at this point wasn't even fully aware that his brother was looking at him. He had to pause, recalling a lot of times Henderson and his gang had gone after him in a similar situation. The question really wasn't if this had been Mikey and not someone else Donnie must've spotted, moreover which fight he was referring to. With nothing more to really go on, all he could really afford to get out was just a simple, but relatively effective,
"Oh… that"
"I am so sorry, Mikey. I thought if maybe, I gave it some time I could figure out how to make a cure without forcing us to choose- I-I could figure this out on my own. I should've just stopped being so selfish and saved you when I had the chance… but I cannot tell you how sorry I am. I should've never left you like that- I don't know what I was thinking! Can you forgive me?"
Mikey paused again, brain working at probably half it's capacity right now because he only really got about fifty percent of that. Not understanding Donnie's distress because in all honesty, what Mikey was really worried about had nothing to do with the fact that his brother hadn't stepped in- why would he? He knew Mikey could handle himself, probably better than any of his brother's dared admit, so it was only natural if he'd let him handle it. Probably analyzing every move in his head to see if he'd done them, as he'd said, to perfection, before drowning the urge to correct him. But to Mikey, it really didn't make a difference.
"Did you see me at the end? Man, I cannot tell you how much I rehearsed that pose… I bet it looked sick"
"You… wh- what?"
Donnie looked absolutely dumbfounded. Mikey reading his expression as a definite, almost certainly, clear as day, no to his question. "Wha- You didn't see?! Are you kidding me?! It took me like- at least a katrillion weeks to master! Come on!"
Donnie couldn't believe what he was hearing, quickly getting back up to his feet as Mikey struggled with the popcorn machine stationed inside, "That's what you're mad about? Wow, I… that's… wow" -just to immediately sit back down in absolute bafflement.
"Duh-uh- dude I could've taken Henderson in my sleep if I wanted to! My sick ninja skills are not to be triffle with-
"It's trifled, with-
"-what you said- And besides, the dude spilled my drink! Dude had it coming!" Mikey said, checking inside for any light bulb that might light his way. He heard a light chuckle from outside, Donnie making sure the gates stayed open sine, well, the entire lair was just about ready to collapse at any day now.
"Welp, I don't think he'll cause any more trouble after his chat with Raph"
"Oh, shoot you're right! I should probably thank him once we take down Oni"
"I think he'd appreciate that" he called, Mikey turning just about every cardboard cutout, old arcade game collecting dust or just old cupholders left unturned. In the end, he'd checked the entire place, pretty much up to the last speck but there was no one inside here. Well, that was all except for the small pair of broken glasses lying suspiciously in center of the room, something sticky on the side though it was too dark for Mikey to see what it was.
"Donnie?" he called, making his way outside again but something was wrong. His incoming dread mostly stemming from the fact that Donnie hadn't called back and so, left Mikey with a feeling that maybe going in first was a bad idea. "Donnie?!" he called again, shoving past the different rows of unsold T-shirts and teddy bears until finally, his eyes caught wind of the light again, leading him outside where, as faith would have it-
"Don't. Move"
-there he was. But he wasn't alone. The unmistaken mutant creature approaching his brother slowly from the cinema roof to the snow-covered ground, sending quakes through the ground as he let out a growling howl from a black veined covered throat.
"S-s- Simon? Is that you?" Mikey muttered, not believing what he was seeing, if he hadn't already seen it twice now. Donnie stood at the ready, bo in hand, bended knees and very much eager to get both of them out of the hideout as fast as all possible- also probably most likely realizing this might've not been the best plan all things considered. Mikey went for his nun chuck, silently praying he wouldn't have to use it, as it dawned on him once again that he happened to be one arm short of being in his usual fighting condition.
"Mikey, when I say go, use that alley over there"
"What?"
"It's our only exit. We need to get around him, i-if I can somehow use my jacket to wrap around him, maybe we can contain him long enough to-
But he didn't get to finish- a spike suddenly and unceremoniously cutting through the air, leaving Donnie to jump to the side and Mikey to stumble to the ground. Simon let out a roar echoing throughout the area as he leapt forward, claws first aiming directly for Donnie's head if he hadn't rolled to the side last minute. Mikey ran to help him, pushed back by what he could only assume was supposed to be a tail- knocking the air out of him as he struggled to get back up on his feet. He saw Donnie out of the field of his vision, using the metal fence surrounding them to his advantage- leaping up into the air as high as he could, his bo staff at the ready, ready to strike but it was too late. Before either of them knew it, the bo was then knocked out of his hands as Simon promptly used three sets of spikes to contain Donnie- pinning him against the wall in a deafening scream.
"DONNIE!" Mikey yelled, ignoring the rips on his bandages as he forced himself in a standing position. Scraping his knee as he nearly leaped to get his weapons, Mikey approached his friend, fear in his eyes as all the air was close to being squeezed out of his brother, still fighting to get loose.
"Simon! STOP!" he yelled, waving his arm back and forth like a marshaller waving a plane to the ground. "SIMON! It's me, it's ME! You can stop!" he begged, though Simon only seemed interested in popping his brother like a grape. "You know… the Mikey-man? Your friend? Talk to me, please! IT'S ME!"
Simon turned his gaze shortly, something making his grip loosen slightly around his brother's neck, though it wasn't enough to snap him out of it completely, and Mikey was running out of ideas. Dodging as the creature let out another animalistic roar not at all resembling that of his friend's, before slamming Donnie against the concrete of the building one more time, something cracking in the endeavor and Mikey didn't know what to do.
"Mikey- get- get out of here!" Donnie yelped, almost squeezing out the words through his teeth, but Mikey wasn't listening.
"I can reach him"
"GO! You can't fight in that cast- get out of here NOW!" he insisted, though Mikey was too busy using the remainder of his glitter to make Simon drop him to listen. He let out another shriek, pain burning away on his back as he let go of Donnie- instead focusing his attention on Mikey whom he began furiously striking from all angles. Mikey dodging each blow with little ease, something sharp cutting his shoulder and he assumed it was one of the spikes, though he chose to ignore the pain, remembering the person inside struggling for help. He let go of his weapon, dumping it into the snow and instead held up his hand, eyes wide as his small figure was mirrored back to him through the creature's crystal-like orbs.
"Simon… do you remember me? Come on man, I know you're in there. It's me" he said, voice silent, calm, trying to let him know that he wasn't afraid. That he was real. Mikey took a deep breath, despite the being in front of him looking nothing alike his friend, still recognizing the innocence that shone through his darkened pupils. The small barely noticeable cry that came from every holler and shriek- like someone inside was desperately trying to get out, but to little use. The tiny but visible hesitance that came from every blow meant for Mikey's head, instead diverted to the wall behind him, screaming his lungs out because this was his friend. This was someone close to him, someone he didn't want to hurt. And Mikey recognized all this, as the thing that kept Simon anchored to his humanity. What little he had left, still in there… somehow. He knew it.
"I'm so sorry about all this. I didn't want you to find out this way- I never wanted to get you involved like this. But I promise, dude, help us, and we're gonna turn you back to normal, okay? I promise, just… trust me" he said, the creature seemingly calming down bit by bit heart rate slowing and the ferocity that compelled him forward dying out little by little- Donnie watching exasperated on the other end, tempted to attack him, but Mikey stood resolute. "Please… it's me. Don't do this-"
Simon blinked. Then he blinked again, shaking his head from side to side, shrieking and roaring, clawing at the ground below until he locked eyes with Mikey, causing him to stop. Causing him to see something he didn't before.
"M…m-kkkke-y…" he said, almost gurgling the word out, as if the effort to speak at all had completely been ripped away from him and turning the act into pushing a boulder up a hill.
"Yes! Come on I know you recognize me! This isn't you! Please! Listen to me, Simon…" Mikey approached him, slowly, keeping his eyes on his and he lifted his hand up. Donnie taking a step forward panicky, before Mikey managed by all odds to place it on Simon's head. Not attacking, just, waiting. Smiling reassuringly, as he forced his shivering down because he was very much afraid right now despite this- despite everything, not completely able to ignore that small part of his brain that told him that this was a bad idea… but even so, he stood still. The irony of the two not escaping even Mikey, because who would've thought this was how Simon would learn the truth. After all this time… now look at us. "You are who you choose to be, not what others make you" he muttered, as Donnie cautiously joined his side, mind most likely racing with five million different questions as to how this was even possible.
"You okay?" he asked, Mikey nodding shortly as Simon seemed to back away a bit, head tilted down like a confused child. "Did it work?"
Mikey shrugged, scared to say something wrong or frighten him. If that was even possible. He raised his head, got to his feet which, unsurprisingly caused Donnie to stand his guard one last time if he were to attack them, but that's not what happened.
"Simon…? " Mikey tried, approaching him slowly step by step, but before he could come any closer, that's when Simon without warning leapt to the nearest rooftop, glancing back at the two and lying in wait. "I think it did" he muttered, following him behind as Donnie- still hesitant- helped the pair to the roof where Simon scouted the city blocks in all directions. Mikey tried to calm him down again, sliding down in front of him as if the view from there would help them figure out what his friend was doing.
"C-Can you help us find the cure? I know you know where it is- we can use it to turn you back, if you just help us find it, I promise we're going to save you. I'm going to save you" he said, Simon looking at him once, as if to acknowledge what he just said, before leaping to the other building.
I'll take that as a yes…?
"This isn't working"
Leo opened his eyes. Feeling the cold hard floor beneath him as Karai kept hers closed on the other side, hands folded calmly in her lap. It had been a little under an hour since Donnie and Mikey left, in the meantime, resulting in Karai urging Leo that mediation would most likely be the best way to regain his sense of self, given that's how it went last time. Saying that if he wanted his memories back, then he needed to relax. The pair meditating in the small tower as echoes from the outside made their way in through every crack available. Leo had tried, he really had, closing his mind trying to focus. He'd shut everything out, every sound, everything that might cause him to lose patience, but he couldn't help it. This wasn't like before, he didn't know how or why, but everything going on circling in his mind on a loop, trying to somehow shove it to the side in favor of digging down into his own head, only seemed to make it harder for him to empty it altogether.
"Try to concentrate" Karai said, eyes still closed, and Leo couldn't understand how unnervingly calm she seemed about all this. Not even breaking a sweat.
"What if the others are in trouble? Maybe we should go after them-
"Leo" she said, looking straight at him. "For this to work, you need to try and empty your mind"
"I'm trying!"
"I know! But you can't help the others by sitting here worrying. We got the communicators- if anything goes wrong, they'll contact us. And you need to start worrying about yourself. "
Leo sighed, annoyed with himself for thinking like this, for struggling when the others needed him, even though he knew she was right, "But it doesn't work… I've tried, I have. It just- I can't get anything through. It's not like last time"
Karai sighed, seemingly accepting the fact that this might not work after all, and even if it did, they probably wouldn't have enough time to see it through to the end -instead searched her mind for a moment as Leo nervously started to fiddle with the loose end of his mask. "Well, how do you usually remember things?"
Leo scratched the back of his hair, thinking back to these last few weeks. Whatever it was that triggered his headaches in the first place. Ever since he stumbled into her in that alley way, thinking she was just another gang member out to no good. Had it really been that long? No, but she couldn't have been the one who triggered it… first thing he recalled, what was it again? Sensei…? Space Heroes? What did it matter? Leo let out a sigh, struggling for words.
"I don't know… I guess my head starts hurting? I start to feel dizzy, but i-it's never enough, it's never in the right order. All I get is images of events I know I should know about, but I just don't. And I can't control when it happens. "
"You said you remembered father… he reached out to you, didn't he?"
Leo wasn't sure why, but the fact that Karai said it so casually only seemed to make the fact more unnerving to hear. That this was a thing now, dead people reaching out to each other, no questions asked. For all the crazy things he'd seen so far, that somehow struck him as the most lucid.
"How do you know?"
"Because… you're the only one he talks to. At least, he used to. I once had a dream about. Before he… " she paused, closing her eyes for a moment before reverting them back to Leo. He wanted to console her, telling her that he understood, that he was his father too, but knowing that his lack of memories would probably just make it come across as insincere, he didn't. Listening to what she had to say instead.
"Try to focus on him. Maybe there's something we're just- missing here, something that's blocking your mind"
"Yeah, like my injury"
"I don't think that's all there is to it" she said, her tone of voice telling Leo that she really meant it, something having caught her attention.
"You don't?"
She paused for a moment before continuing, as if going over the subject matter one more time in her mind just in case, "Leo, you're one of the strongest minded people I know. I've seen you overcome worse than this, again and again and you always find a way. Injury or not, that hasn't changed, it's not you. But have you considered that maybe… there's a part of you that doesn't want to remember?"
Leo didn't understand- just about as confused as that time Donnie spend little over twenty minutes explaining to him how it was possible for mutant turtles to turn into human beings. "What do you mean? Wh-why would I not want to remember?"
Karai sighed, her voice calm in her register, and it was that calm that almost convinced Leo that there was only the two of them in the room- nothing going on outside. She looked down, eyes wandering somewhere away from Leo's gaze, as if she was looking into the past all of a sudden, too ashamed to face him.
"I've done a lot of bad things in my life, thing's I'd rather forget… and for a time, I tried to do exactly that. Focusing on the mission above all else, try to regain my honor somehow. "
Leo listened patiently, recalling everything Hopkins' had told him about her. Recalling everything Raph told him about her, but, despite all that, never actually believing any of it to be true. Not until now, the look of regret on her face telling him that whatever she'd done before, she was trying to do everything in her power to escape it. In some ways, the pure opposite of what Leo was doing, wondering all the time if his memories were worth it in the end. Wondering if Karai knew what it was like.
"Did you…?" he asked, curious.
"I'd like to think so" she said, smiling softly. "My point is, you went through a traumatic experience down in that tunnel- this isn't the first time, I know it's not… I just mean, would it really be so surprising if maybe the reason your memories haven't returned yet, has something to do with it? I mean who'd willingly want to remember near death experiences? The thing's you've seen… I don't think its out of the question that might be a part of what's blocking you"
It made sense. Leo knew it sense, somewhere deep down he hadn't dared go before, trying to escape back onto the surface. Maybe Karai had a point. All this time Leo had focused on trying to get the part of him back that his brother's seemed to latch onto so desperately. The part of him that he needed to be to protect them, to make sense of all of this, but there was more to it than that. Maybe more than he had originally thought he'd have to confront about himself.
"Then how do we un-block it then?"
Karai shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe we-
Suddenly something shook heavy on the ground, the light bulb illuminating the small space all of a sudden shaking rapidly from side to side. Karai got to her feet in the blink of an eye, sword at the ready as something else seemed to tap on the walls around them, moving at an ungodly pace.
"What was that?" Leo asked, his question soon answered shortly after, as a giant glowing spike stabbed through the ceiling right from above, Karai getting into position as the tower started to shake.
"Trouble"