Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT. Also, to everyone who was warning me about upping the rating for sexual content: I appreciate your concern, but I've done my research, and mild adult content and language is allowed in the T-rating. The scenes will not get more explicit/detailed than they already have done, so the story is still at T. Thank you, though.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Loud, intimidating footsteps brought Karai back to consciousness. She moved to sit up, but quickly found that her wrists and ankles were chained to the floor. The cuffs were thicker and heavier than the last pair she had worn, so she was forced to lie flat on her back.
She just about managed to lift her head enough to see the sturdy iron bars in front of her, glistening with the shine of new metal. There was a small skylight above her, but the glass was clouded and reinforced with a metal grate. The walls were sanded brickwork; there was no way she could climb it without any equipment.
The kunoichi frowned. He really hadn't spared any expenses this time. Apparently she had really worn out his patience. 'Not that he ever had much...'
Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw Tiger Claw appear at the cell door.
She scoffed. "Well, at least room service has improved."
He gave no reaction to her statement. Instead, he motioned to someone she couldn't see, and the cell opened.
"Wait, you're actually making it this easy for me to escape?" Karai was joking, but part of her was genuinely confused.
"Hardly," the mutant snarled. "I am sick and tired of searching this city for you. Babysitting is not what I joined the Foot Clan for."
"Not my fault," she replied flippantly. "I'd be more than happy if you didn't search at all."
"Perhaps, but your father would not."
"I think Hamato Yoshi would be just fine if you didn't search."
Tiger Claw sighed dismissively. "This parental dilemma of yours is of no interest to me, cub; I am merely doing my job."
"And if you don't mind me asking, what job are you doing?" she demanded. He wasn't holding a bowl, so she assumed he wasn't bringing her food.
Two Foot-Bots approached her, one welding a large syringe. Tiger Claw explained, "You have really pushed Master Shredder to the edge, child. He has ordered that we do not feed you, but instead-"
Karai cut him off with a surprised gasp as a Foot-Bot jabbed the syringe into her arm.
"-we merely inject you with just enough nutrients to survive. You will not have enough energy or strength to fight for escape this time."
She had hated injections since she was small; Shredder knew and was most likely using that fact. "What about water? Won't I die of dehydration?"
"He has that taken care of."
The second robot crouched beside her head, securing a plastic mask to her mouth. The mask was connected to a water tank behind her that she hadn't seen at first via a plastic tube. She sucked experimentally, and stale, lukewarm water filled her mouth.
She couldn't speak with the contraption over her mouth, and Tiger Claw grinned at the rare silence from her. The Foot-Bots exited the cell and he locked the door firmly. Shredder would not be pleased if she escaped again, and in all honesty, Tiger Claw was sick to death of standing guard in that damn dungeon in case she made a break for it.
Karai heard him walk away, and let her head fall back against the stone with a dull smack. The pain hardly even registered as she furiously berated herself, Shredder, the Foot Clan, Leo, and any deities she could think of for landing her in this position once more. Of course, her anger was only really directed at the first three, herself primarily; she knew she shouldn't have left the lair, or could have at least met Angel in the sewers or something.
Or just got a hold of yourself and talked it through with Leo in the first place.
Leo…
A pang of longing she hadn't felt since she had been reunited with her family for real struck her, and her eyes stung with tears she refused to shed. She noticed bitterly that she was now wearing one of her old black jumpsuits, instead of the jeans and shirt she had left the lair in. The girl could only hope that it was one of Shredder's subordinates that had redressed her, though she doubted it.
One thing she didn't doubt, however, was that her family would come looking for her, and would do everything they could to save her.
She was right, of course.
Despite the fact that it was daylight outside, the whole Hamato Clan was currently preparing to do the impossible: Storm the Shredder's lair to rescue Karai. Though, unbeknownst to the other three turtles, Splinter and Leo had arranged an ulterior motive for the mission.
Splinter surveyed his extended clan as they readied themselves for battle. Leo was polishing his already-spotless katana blades vigorously, with Donnie beside him sharpening the naginata blade in his bõ. Raph was wrapping his knuckles tightly in thick cloth, and was insisting that Mikey do the same instead of giving Ice-Cream Kitty a mission brief. Casey was explaining to Angel how his spare weapons – which he had given her as a defence mechanism after she declared she wasn't staying home – operated, while April practiced moving in the armour-laced clothes of Karai's she was borrowing.
Pride swelled in his chest at the family he had created in the ashes of Saki's attack. A family that Saki had once again separated. He scowled. This time, he would retrieve his daughter from that monster for good.
He addressed the group before him, "My family." All heads instantly turned his way. He sighed. "Before we begin, I feel I must outline the risks of this mission to you all, especially those of you who could easily choose not to partake. Know that none of us will judge you for doing so."
"Except maybe Raph," interjected Mikey, before the accused slapped the back of his head.
Ignoring this exchange, Splinter continued, "As I'm sure we are all aware, the Shredder is a dangerous foe. The stakes are high in any combat with him, and we will be engaging him in his own lair. There is a strong possibility that we may not all return, and even if we prevail, we will not emerge from this unharmed."
"We know, Master Splinter," April assured him. "That won't change our minds - right, Casey?"
"Right." The hockey player glanced down at Angel. "Even if I wish it would change yours."
The young girl frowned at him. "Sorry Case, but I'm part of this now whether you like it or not. She told me what he did to her; I couldn't call myself her friend if I didn't try to help."
"Angel, listen to me closely." Splinter's voice had a parental calm to it, but was still stern and unwavering. "I understand why you want to help and I am pleased that my Miwa found such a loyal friend during the dark times of the Kraang, but you are still a child, and you have no training."
"But I can't just stay here!" she protested.
"It is not something we will negotiate," he informed her. "You do not need to stay in our lair, but I am not going to allow you anywhere near the battle."
"But-"
"No."
Angel huffed in annoyance and stormed off in the direction of Karai's room.
As the awkward silence in the room began to dissipate and the clan returned to their preparation, Casey approached his friends' Sensei. "Hey, uh, Master Splinter? Don't worry about Angel; she'll calm down, she's just... impulsive."
Despite himself, Splinter smiled. "Much like you, Mister Jones?"
Casey chuckled nervously. "You could say that. My point is... I guess, thank you. I couldn't say that to her."
Splinter sighed heavily. "I have lost my daughter many times, Mister Jones."
"... Yeah?"
"I will not be responsible for your father losing his."
Karai was pretty sure her muscles were falling asleep from being stretched into the same position for a prolonged period of time. She only wished she could; the sky was dark above her, and she was bored out of her mind. Normally she would have enjoyed seeing the rare glimpse of the stars above, but she could only see a small fraction, so she quickly tired of them.
Thirst itched in the back of her throat, but she was trying to limit how much she drank until she worked out what system there was for her excretion. After all, having to be rescued by her brothers yet again was embarrassing enough without wetting herself beforehand. Raph and Mikey would never let her live that down.
The handcuffs around her wrists and ankles were rubbing the skin raw, and the cold stone beneath her was getting less and less comfortable as the seconds, minutes and hours passed. She wished someone was there to entertain her, whether it was Mikey joking around, Raph making fun of her, or even just Donnie babbling some science nonsense to her. In fact, she wouldn't mind Leo's presence, actually; the incident was eating away at her, and she wanted to resolve it. Leo was her partner, and she wasn't willing to give up the relationship they had worked for just because she was too stubborn to ask what happened.
If he doesn't have a good answer, then you can kick his shell, she thought to herself. A smile crept onto her face, but was quickly wiped away when she heard an all-too-familiar metallic clinking coming down the hall.
The Shredder's silhouette loomed over her as he approached.
If there was ever a time that Donnie was grateful for the frequent check-ups he gave the Shellraiser, it was as his family piled into it without a second to spare. Now knowing the extent of torture the Shredder would go to, everyone understand that getting Karai back as soon as possible was a priority. From what Leo had said and what they had all seen, the girl was enough of an emotional wreck inside from the last time Shredder got his hands on her; one of these days, she would break, and none of them wanted it to come to that.
As if reading his purple-clad brother's mind, Raph grunted in anger. "And just when she was easing up with us all, too."
"… I know," Mikey finally replied. "It was goin' so well."
"We were really making progress with her," agreed April. "I feel like… like, if…"
"If I hadn't screwed up, everything would have been okay?" Leo asked despondently. "I know."
"Don't blame yourself, man," Casey advised him. "You explained it to us; just explain it to her, and it'll all work out."
"He is right, Leonardo," Splinter assured him. "While I do not agree with the activities you nearly engaged Miwa in," Leo blushed and Splinter smirked, "I know you had no intention to hurt her."
"I really didn't, Sensei," the blue-clad turtle promised. "I-"
"We know, we know, you love 'er; don't make it all sappy, Fearless," Raph interrupted.
With determination in his eyes, Leo turned back to the road. "Fine. Let's just get her home."
A silence descended upon the group as Leo drove. Everyone was mulling over the possible outcomes of the mission. April was hit with the staggering idea that she may really never see her father again this time. Casey wondered what would happen to Angel if he didn't make it back, since his own father was often away on business. Raph, Mikey and Donnie pondered about if they would ever get their big sister back. Leo didn't allow him to think of anything other than driving.
Splinter, on the other hand, was thinking of something very different. Though he worried of his family's fate, he was also worried about the task he had to complete himself to end this once and for all. If he was unable to for any reason, then Leonardo would finish the job. But one way or another, the plan had to happen.
Tonight, Hamato Yoshi would finally kill Oroku Saki. Or die trying.
I figured there was no way Splinter would let a younger child with no training join a battle in which he intends to kill someone *shrugs* Also, sorry for spelling 'kunoichi' completely wrong all of last chapter :')
Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed. We're getting close to the end now, guys...
