Kara and Leo were staring at Mikey who was on the ground, tears streaming down his face. After explaining to them what happened with Raph and Dragan he couldn't hold it in anymore. Renet bent down next to him trying to comfort him but it seemed, for once, her words weren't reaching him.
"Mikey.." Donnie said softly but stopped when Leo walked towards him. Donnie moved to interfere but Kara shoved her arm in front of him, stopping him in place. A light gasp escaped his lips and he looked down at her but couldn't see her expression due to the hood over her eyes and she showed none with her mouth either.
Mikey sniffled, leaning his head up to look at his older brother, eyes wide in worry, thinking he was going to get it for sure but blinked when Leo dropped to his knees and brought him in an embrace. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. I know how scared you must of been having to fight your brother, Dragan wanted to protect you from that. You have nothing to feel sorry for because we're going to get both of them back and our friends and the people of the city and we'll make sure that they pay for what they've done." Leo gently pulled him away and stared at him, eyes steely with resolve but also sympathy for his little brother.
Mikey stared at him in awe, fresh tears falling then he looked a little past him to see Kara walking to him, bending down to her knees, and reach up wiping away his tears. "We've all been that scared before, so scared that your body wouldn't listen to you and all you could do is watch.. You have to remember though," Kara grabbed the ends of her hood and lowered it down her eyes on his, "They are not your family, not while they're under Dracula's curse. They are being forced to hurt the ones they love and you as well as I know they would never do that. You are strong enough to deal with this pain and brave enough to let us in and help you. We will get everyone back. Together." She placed her hand on his shoulder and gave it a firm yet gentle squeeze.
Mikey stared at the two and threw his arms around them, crying more. Kara and Leo pulled him closer to them, stroking the back of his shell.
"Come on, we need to teach those monsters a lesson for messing with our loved ones." Kara stood up and grinned down at him, holding her hand out, Leo following suit.
Mikey wiped his nose on his arm and smiled, taking both of their hands and was pulled to his feet.
"So, you wouldn't happen to know where we are, do ya?" Kara turned to Renet but blinked when she heard thunder off in the distance and turned around to see a castle. "Oh..goody.." She deadpanned with her shoulders slumped.
"We're in Germany in the year eighteen eighteen, and that, my friends is Frankenstein's Castle." Renet pointed to the castle with her scepter.
"Aw, man. Frankenstein? We got to take on Frankenstein too? Noooooh.."
"Technically, Mikey, it's Frankenstein's monster..but yes." Kara crossed her arms and sighed.
"Not just that. We got to save Raph and Dragan and turn them back to normal."
"Not to mention the Time Scepter is running super low on power." She looked down at the battery life to see it draining til it was completely empty. "Annd there it goes.."
"Alright, guys, we knew what we were getting into."
"Let's get to Frankenstein's castle and stop Savanti, and then we'll figure out how to get home. Or not. And then we're doomed."
"Way to keep the team spirit up, Leo." Kara's voice was void of emotion as she and the others began to follow him.
Donnie walked up to Kara, gently pulling on her arm to slow her down, getting some distance between them and the group to talk. "What do you mean when you said you've been scared before?" He asked quietly, concern in his eyes.
She glanced up at him for a moment then down to her feet, hugging herself with a sigh. "Remember when we first encountered Shredder? The very first time? It was my first time seeing someone fight the way he did with such precision yet so much hate and rage. I was scared of him that I stood on the sidelines watching you guys fight and get hurt and I felt so useless and weak. I was eventually able to snap out of it but in those short moments I understood what Mikey went through. We all have."
Donnie grabbed her hand and brought her close, wrapping his arms around her and gave her a squeeze. He buried his head in the crook of her neck, squeezing his eyes shut as he remembered Kara being under Shredder's control. She wrapped her arms around his neck bringing him closer when she noticed the guys were getting ahead of them. She removed her arms, touching his cheeks and took his hand leading him back to the others.
Dragan was laid under a dying tree in the cemetery while Dracula and Raph rested in the unused coffins waiting for night to fall. She stirred awake and sat up, moving her hand over her eyes, rubbing the tiredness away.
"So glad you could join us, my dear." Dracula stood in front of her, a small smirk on his face while bending down some, his hand reaching out to her.
Dragan removed her hand revealing glowing blue eyes and stared up at him, smiling. "Master." She whispered in a soft voice as if being reunited with a loved one after so long, taking his hand and being pulled to her feet. "Where are we, Master?"
"Do not worry about such things. You will obey my every command. That is it." He stared down at her making her lower her head in shame. "Forgive me, Master. I will follow your orders without hesitation." Dracula moved his hand under her chin, lifting her head for her to look at him. "Good." He let her go and floated away with her right behind him.
"Master. I get to drink more blood tonight, right?" Raph crawled over a tombstone staring at Dragan with a grin then back to Dracula. "Rats and spiders aren't doing it anymore. I need sustenance. I need more."
"You and Dragan will indeed feast tonight, Raphael, when the time is right."
"It's about time! You're holding me up, Dracula." They turned their heads towards Savanti who was standing over the cemetery gate. "Seriously, man. I have monsters to recruit and worlds to conquer."
Dracula turned to face him, an unamused look on his face, and opened his mouth to speak til Dragan moved in front of him, glaring daggers at Savanti. "Ye will not speak tae ma master in such a way, filth!" Dragan hissed at him, baring her fangs. Savanti was taken back at her reaction but glared down at her. Dracula waved his hand dismissing her, she stepping to the side when his facial features changed. "Do not irritate me, demon."
The device on Savanti's arm sounded off. "What's this?! Renet and those disgusting friends have followed me again."
"They won't give up, Savanti. We have to destroy them quickly. Send me, Master." Raph turned towards Dracula eyes wide and his grin wider but stopped when Dragan stood between them. "No, send me, Master. Let me prove tae ye ma worth under your reign." Dragan bent to one knee, bowing her head low. Dracula smiled down at her and nodded. "Very well, but take Raphael with you."
Raph walked up to them, bowing besides Dragan. "With our knowledge and the mummy's magic, we'll annihilate them!"
"Torture them. Torment them. Make them suffer slowly, specially the hooded girl with the blue eye. Bring her to me once you are done." He waved his hand out to them and they transformed into bats, flying off into the sky.
Kara sighed placing her hand over her eyes while Mikey complained. Atleast he was back to his old self. It wasn't til she heard him behind her that she noticed Mikey went from complaining to excitement.
"Who's messing with me? Who stole my tree pizza?!"
She blinked in confusion, turning around to look at him. "Tree pizza?" She jumped back when everyone suddenly began screaming. "What's wrong guys? Why are you screaming?" She looked around the area wondering if Dracula or any of the other monsters were nearby but saw no one. "Guys?"
Dragan and Raph were watching the guys run around screaming through the Ankh on the Pharaoh's staff.
"Yes. Torture them with your magic, Pharaoh. Make them suffer." Raph and Dragan grinned in excitement at their misery but Dragan noticed Kara wasn't acting like the others. She narrowed her eyes remembering her training. "Ye will need somethin' stronger for her, Pharaoh." She pointed at Kara and let out a soft gasp when Kara's eyes were now on them making Dragan growl.
"No, wait! I defeated you! You can't be the real Pizzaface!"
Kara turned and smiled at Mikey, him being the first one to break the spell. "I knew you were strong, Mikey."
"Dudes, it's the mummy! He's using magic to mess with our heads!"
One by one everyone broke free of the spell and they soon joined Kara at her side.
"Ah, my head!" Donnie groaned, Kara placing her hand on his arm in worry.
"You fools!"
They blinked hearing a small voice and looked in front of them seeing Raph in his bat form. Before he could continue or anyone could react, Kara bursted out in laughter, pointing at him. "You look ridiculous!" She dropped to the ground laughing more til they heard someone clearing their throat. She immediately stopped remembering who else was there and stood to her feet just as Dragan landed next to Raph.
"Why must ye fight us, Kara, Leo? Why not join us? The power, the strength, an the world on our side." Dragan slowly ran her hands up her torso, her right arm laying over her stomach and her left reaching up to her face, staring at Leo. "We'd be together for eternity. Don't ye want that, ma love?" She asked him in a playful, seductive manner making his face light on fire.
Kara sighed and smacked him across the face to snap him out of it. Raph changed to his full form and held his arms out. "Don't you see? We can be a family again and rule together!"
"Do you really want that? Does the real Raph want to force his brother's into a life of darkness and servitude? Would that make you happy?" Kara asked softly, staring at him in sorrow.
"Yeah, and would the real Dragan hurt the ones she loves? No! The real Dragan would want to stop it and protect them!" Mikey added in.
"That's not you, talking, Raph." Leo added.
"Fight it, daddy-o!"
Raph's eyes lifted up for a moment before he closed his eyes then glared at them. "If you won't join me, then you will be destroyed!" Raph and Dragan hissed, ready to attack them, when the sun began to rise; the sunlight touched their skin causing them to shriek in pain, steam rising from their bodies. They changed into their bat form and flew into the doorway with the Pharaoh and werewolf close behind them.
"Aw, man! If only the Time Scepter was charged up I-I'd zap 'em here and kick their monster butts back to Transylvania."
"Come on, we got to get to Frankenstein's castle while it's still light out."
"What about Raph and Dragan?" Donnie asked, running up to them.
"I don't know, man. Unless you or Renet comes up with some bright idea, they may be lost forever."
"They'll find a way. Don't you worry." Kara smiled at Leo. "Now, let's go."
Kara groaned when they finally reached the doors to the castle. "One has booby traps. One has a long bridge and the other has stairs. Can't one castle have a trolley or elevator or something?" She turned her back to the castle, leaning against the wall and sit down for a minute to catch her breath while Renet knocked on the door.
A short, disfigured man with a humpback answered the door.
"Um, greetings, Mr. I-gor. We, uh, need to see the doctor right away. These three boys have, um...green warts all over their bodies." Renet shoved the door open to reveal the guys. Igor exclaimed in disgust. "Ooh! Agh! Ok. Hurry then, the Master is busy but always willing to help the afflicted.
Igor led them to the doctor's lab where the doctor was staring at his chalkboard.
"Master, you have visitors."
"I'm sorry, I'm quite busy and I can't accept new-E-GAD! What in the name of science are you?!"
"Whoa, take it easy, pal." Leo began til Mikey shoved in front of him.
"Yeah! I'm known as super cute in many circles." Mikey bobbed his head side to side while wagging his finger.
Kara snickered on the sidelines and watched them curious to see how Renet would handle this.
"Dr. Frankenstein, these young men are...um..suffering from..turtle toe shellitis! It's uh..really rare. Can you cure them?"
"Cure them? But these people are turtles. I can't cure turtles." Dr. Frankenstein descended the stairs towards them.
"Saw right through your ruse, Renet. Sounds like he's a genius." Kara smirked at her when Renet gave her an annoyed look.
"Doc Frank, we heard you're doing experiments to bring the dead back to life." Donnie stated.
"How would you know this?" He question curiously.
Before Leo could explain everything Kara stepped in. "It's the villagers. That's all they've been talking about; rumors of seeing a small creature carrying bags of rotten limbs into the castle." The Doctor went to glare at Igor but she held out her hands. "But fear not, we have not come to stop you or bring harm to you."
"In fact, it would be an honor to help the esteemed Dr. Frankenstein on this reanimation project."
The Doctor seemed uncertain but once Donnie began to work his doubts were soon cleared and seemed to be enjoying the help.
Kara stayed off to the side not wanting to look at the rotten corpses, barely able to handle the smell, but instead leaned against the window keeping watch for Savanti and the other monsters.
The sun had soon set when The Doctor and Donnie had finished building the creature.
"Donatello, you are the best assistant I've ever had. I'm quite impressed with your knowledge."
"That's my boy." Kara mumbled to Donnie giving him a playful nudge.
"Thanks, Doc. I want to ask you about your synthetic blood too. See, I've these friends, and it might help them." He blinked when he heard thunder and turned to the side. "Alright, time to hoist him up!"
Mikey and Leo began turning cog wheels that lifted the table the creature was on into the air towards the top of the castle where the storm was beginning to sound.
It was as if Kara and the others were experiencing the movies for the first time, watching in amazement and awe as the lightning crashed onto the creature, electricity coursing through it.
The Doctor's eyes widened in excitement while leaning forward. "Yes. Yes! Give my creation life!"
The mechanism holding the table up suddenly snapped, sending the falling down to them at an alarming speed but due to the chains it stayed afloat in the air, back in it's original spot.
Kara reached and grabbed Donnie's hand nervously as the Doctor stepped towards the table. The bulb over his heart lit up and the machines in his back began to work and soon the creature lifted itself off the table, stepping hard onto the ground.
What stood before the Doctor wasn't what he intended to create though. The skin around the upper lip and nose of the monster was burned off leaving nothing but bone.
"E-gad! The lightning scarred him, Master."
"My perfect being, ruined!" The Doctor shouted, stepping back from it.
"Fa-Fa-Father?" It said softly almost like that of a child.
"No. You are a monster; an abomination!" The Doctor shouted til Kara and Mikey stood in front of him. "No, he's not! He just wants love. Your love."
"You can't create a person and then toss them aside like trash! Anyone who discards life like that is the real monster!" Kara glared at him while Mikey turned to the creature.
"It's cool. My name's Mikey. You're Frank. Fffrraaank. Say it with me." He smiled.
"Fa-Fra-Frank?" He stood up some, a smile crossing his face.
"There you go, buddy." Kara smiled and gently placed her hand on his arm, her body immediately shuddering remembering that she was touching dead body parts but she shook it off, smiling at him.
"Well, I must thank you for helping the good doctor. Now I don't have to do any work."
"That's nothing new." Kara rolled her arms while leaning her weight against one leg, crossing her arms as she turned her head to look up at Savanti and the other monsters.
Savanti glared at her before turning to the creature. "I just have to recruit the most powerful being the world has ever seen." He heard Dracula clear his throat and turned around, Raph and Dragan by his sides, "I'd like to zink that I am the most powerful." He narrowed his eyes at Savanti before turning them on the Doctor, his eyes glowing white. "Dr. Frankenstein, if you please."
The Doctor turned around, pointing at the guys, his eyes glowing, and screamed; "Destroy the Turtles!"
Frank roared at them, throwing his arms around and tossing everything in his path away trying to reach the guys.
"Frank, it's me! Mikey! Your new pal, remember?!" Mikey and the others jumped out of the way of his rampage. Kara glared at the Doctor but blinked noticing his eyes were glowing like Dragan's and Raph's. "Guys, look! Doc is under Dracula's control!"
"Yes, how easy you are to sway. Like sheep."
"That are meant for fodder tae the strong."
"Pitiful mortals." Raph narrowed his eyes at them all.
"Snap out of it, Doc!" Donnie ripped a wire out of a machine and ran to the Doctor, zapping him with it's electricity, the power sending him flying against one of his machines and knocking him out.
Kara jumped onto Frank, grabbing his arm and holding tightly while he tried swinging her off. "Frank! You don't..nngh..have to fight us! We can be friends!"
"Leave me alone!" He slammed her into a wall causing her to squeeze her eyes in pain then threw her away, landing on a table filled with beakers and other glass containers. They shattered on and around her getting small cuts here and there on her arms.
Raph and Dragan's eyes widened smelling blood and their heads turned to Kara who was slowly picking herself up, groaning in pain. She felt the pressure of being watched and narrowed her eyes, refusing to look at them and ran back towards Frank. She happened to glance their way and saw them watching her like a hawk after it's prey.
Donnie stayed by the Doctor's side when he came to. "Doc?"
"I'm fine. I'm fine, Donatello." Doc let out a cough. "I'm alive."
"Not for long! Now Savanti Romero has all of the monsters under his command."
"No. Not my creation." Donnie helped the Doc to his feet and he stepped towards Frank. "My friend, do not harm the Turtles." Frank stopped what he was doing and stared at his creator in remorse. "It is these wicked monsters you wish to destroy!"
"Yes. Bad men!" Frank shouted and roared while making his way up to the monsters. "Frank will smash!" When he reached the top of the stairs Raph and Dragan stood protectively in front of Dracula til Igor came out of nowhere waving a lit torch at Frank. "Stay back, monster! Stay back!"
While the torch was holding Frank back some embers flew from the fire and landed in the spilt chemicals at the monsters feet. When it burst into flames Dragan moved Dracula out of the way while the Pharaoh's whole body was engulfed in fire. It didn't seem to hurt him as much as scare him for he hobbled around in a panic, causing him to fall over the edge and onto a machine; the machine exploding and starting a fire in the lab.
Frank shouted in fear and fled from the fire, running up the stairs to the top of the tower, Mikey hot on his heels. "Frank! Come back! It's too dangerous up there, dude!"
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about what's up there."
"It's dangerous down here too." Raph and Dragan grinned before the monsters ran at the guys to attack.
Raph placed his hand on Igor's shoulder and looked down at him. "Good-bye, Igor. Thanks for the help." He then picked Igor up and tossed him out the window. Dragan chuckled at him and they ran off to join the fight.
Savanti stomped down in front of Renet, blocking her path. "Give me the Time Scepter, girl. It would make my monster invasion so much easier!"
"You'd have to do something in order for it to be yours!" Kara shouted from the second floor before letting out a yell, Dragan right on her tail.
Savanti grumbled under his breath about her while Renet tightened her grip on it. "Too bad it's out of power, but it still makes a sweet weapon!" She flipped it to her other hand and smacked him across the face with the hourglass and ran to the stairs while he dropped to the ground. "Grrr, Renet! You cannot escape me!" He shouted out in anger following after her.
"You need more training, Leonardo." Dracula kept his composure while floating away from the danger of Leo's stakes as if it were traveling at the speed of molasses.
"Oh, I've been practicing, Vlady." Leo rolled away from Drac and began firing in different directions. Dracula continued floating towards him, the stakes flying past him without missing a beat til he grabbed one mid-air and crushed it in his hand. "Really?" Just when he was over Leo a stake ricochet off the ground, stabbing Dracula in the back. He let out a strained yell and fell to his knees in front of Leo, his hand over his shoulder. Dracula reached around and pulled the stake from his back before grabbing Leo and lifting him off the ground. "Not good enough! I am the Lord of the Undead! The Kind of uallachia! No one has EVER defeated me!" He threw Leo across the way landing on the stairs just as Kara and Dragan ran past them.
"Gosh darn it, Dragan, you just had to get yourself turned into a vampire, didn't you?!" Kara climbed onto the stair railings, jumping up to the next level to try and reach Donnie when Dragan came out of nowhere, tackling her just before she could hit the floor. "Ya sound upset. Jealous? I could turn ye too an make myself a full vampire." Kara narrowed her eyes and headbutted her then shoved her off, standing to her feet. "I'm fine the way I am, thank you very much." She pulled out her blades and blinked when she remembered something. Giving a quick glance at her belt she turned, running the opposite direction. Dragan held her nose and glared, growling at her fleeing figure and gave chase.
Kara hid in the shadows between a bundle of pipes trying to catch her breath.
"Kara~ I can hear ye, ya know. I can hear your heartbeat. It's oh so loud an very fast; almost as if I can dance to it." Dragan giggled, clapping her hands as fast as Kara's heartbeat.
Kara closed her eyes and lowered her shoulders to relax, able to sense Dragan getting closer. Dragan's smile soon began to fade when her clapping slowed to a calm 'one,two. one,two'. "You're not foolin' anyone, Kara. Ye think you're in control o' yourself but I know the real ya; scared o' monsters an things different from ya, things more powerful than ya. Join us, Kara. It'll be just like old times."
Kara jumped out of her hiding spot, her arms crossed over her chest, just as Dragan was about to pass her up and sliced down and outwards, cutting Dragan across the chest. She let out a shrill scream, her body shaking in pain as she stared down at the cuts that were sizzling. "What is this?!"
Kara held up her blades, water dripping from the tip. "Holy water." Dragan moved to flee but Kara tackled her to the ground, pinning her with all her strength. "You're staying with me! We can cure you!"
"Mas-"
Before Dragan could call for help, Kara shoved a whole garlic clove that she kept in her pouch in her mouth, Dragan going limp underneath her. Kara panted heavily, waiting for just a moment til she pulled the garlic out and placed it in her shirt. Unbuckling Dragan's belt she tied it around her wrists when she noticed the flames were growing higher. With a heave, she picked Dragan up and over her shoulder, sneaking out of the castle to find somewhere to hide her til she could get the others to safety.
Leo was the first one she saw and ran to him. "Come on, we need to get out of here before the place burns down on us." She grabbed his hand to pull him towards the door when they heard yelling above them. They looked up to see the table falling towards them with Raph underneath. She grew worried thinking he was going to die til he turned into his bat form and vanished into smoke, landing safely next to the other monsters.
Kara pulled his arm harder. "Come on, the others will be ok!" He finally gave in when the roof the castle exploded; stone rubble, and Donnie falling towar-"Wait, Donnie?!" Kara's head snapped to the ceiling and he was indeed falling towards them. She ran to one of the contraptions in the lap and jumped off it, hoisting herself in the air and caught him in her arms. They stared at each other, smiling, til both of them were now falling.
Landing hard on the ground on his back, Donnie groaned but looked up to see if Kara was ok. She climbed off him, giving him a thumbs up and helped him out of the lab, Renet, Mikey, and the Doctor floating down safely in her bubble.
Seeing Frank nowhere in sight Kara lowered her head in sadness, thinking he had perished.
"Is everyone alright?" Renet ran to them when her bubble popped.
"We're ok, I think." Leo dusted himself off looking at Donnie and Kara.
"Yeah, except the lab got trashed. All of the Doc's synthetic blood is ruined and Raph and Dragan escaped again. I thought we could use it to save them."
"We'll think of something else,D." Mikey patted his shoulder as Kara walked up to them. "Not everyone escaped." She waved her hands for them to follow her and led them to where she was keeping Dragan, who was still unconscious, the cut still sizzling from trying to heal itself but due to the Holy Water, it was taking longer than normal.
The Doctor stood off to the side, his head lowered. "My..my creation. Gone. Destroyed. Obliterated." He buried his face in his hands but turned when Renet began speaking to him.
"Maybe not, Doc. The Time Scepter says he's still out there, somewhere, along with all the other monsters. But, hey, at least I got the Time Scepter partially charged up again, which means we've got one last shot at stopping Savanti and Dracula."
"Put some garlic on Dragan. We're going back to the future."
"I actually already did, Leo, it's in her shirt, but a necklace of garlic would work too! So, get on that." Leo blushed and cleared his throat. "Oh, ok then..then let's head home."