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Serena

Sweat formed droplets against my forehead. Saltiness filled my mouth. Every part of me ached and I could barely breathe any more. A large part of me wondered if I could really say the same for my opponent.

Our game had turned to one of just offense against defense. Constantly Oroku Saki threw blow. I did my best to defend, using all that I had learned from him in the beginning, but it was easier said than done. Almost everything I knew, I had been taught by him, but that didn't mean that he taught me everything he knew. So, I began to try and beat him with words.

I spun backwards, low. One of my tessen kissed the ground with a metallic hiss. I rolled my shoulders out of it and stood again, shaking, but with some distance between us again. "You raised me from childhood, how can you write me off so quickly?"

"You betrayed me, girl. You became a traitor to become a mere whore for my greatest enemies! You have earned your death and the death of the one who poisoned you!" he snarled. Anger was his weakness. It made him over confident and reckless. The words hurt, but the view of Raph risen behind, struggling to free himself was enough to push them away.

I threw myself back into the fight. Spiraling into his chest, he took hold of my left arm. I bent under his arm that held mine just as he swung the other at my head. Pulling his arm back behind him to, I thrust my knee into the chink in his armor. He crumpled down onto one knee just as he whipped my arm back around. My shoulders slammed first into the cement before the rest of me did. I groaned and rolled from where he planted his foot firmly, nearly crushing my chest. "I did not betray you! You betrayed yourself when you threw away honor and family."

"Lies from a creature turned away by her own family!" Roaring, he continued to chase me as I dashed away. Back on my feet, I continuously circled him. Hits reflected off my tessen, but each one sent my arms backwards roughly. This was going to be it. I couldn't keep up much long. I planted my feet firmly for one last stand, my back towards Raphael.

"I lost my true family. I gained another. Now, finally at last I have found one that will be faithful and good. I will not give them up: no matter what, Shredder!" I threw myself at him and we were locked in close combat. Claws ripped through the air too close to my body. I exchanged with left and right cuts of my fans and legs, but I was exhausted.

Metal sliced into my forearm and thigh. I stumbled, while defending myself. "Now you die for it!"

"Not on my watch!" Raphael yelled before his large frame surged past me. He threw his shoulder into Shredder, buying me a moment. Trying to catch my breath my vision split into doubles. I began to tip just as I realized Raphael had reappeared at my side. I leaned into him, holding his arm and letting my forehead fall into his tough shoulder.

"Are you alright?" he asked in his deep voice. A sai was ready in his other hand and a new cut was open on his forearm a few inches above the ones on his wrists.

"As much as I can be," I nearly cried, straightening as Shredder sauntered back before us. Raphael partially put himself between us as I readied myself to fight beside him. What really broke me was he didn't look much better than myself.

"Fools… you both choose to die slowly and agonizingly. Lay down your weapons and save yourselves the misery."

"Never," Raphael's voice was strong and confident. I gave myself the gift of glancing up at him. The image of his handsome face and passionate eyes seared itself into my memory. Pain rose through me as I thought of us never having more time in the dojo, another skateboarding lesson, one more night in the same bed. "I would die a hundred times over to be with her. I will fight to my last breath because she is a treasure you throw away."

Together we readied ourselves. Slowly I broke connection with him. And at once, we charged side by side into the battle.

Raphael

Serena and I fought like we had only a few hours ago. As we took turns blocking, lunging, falling back, and pushing ourselves back up, I selfishly thought about being in the dojo. I picture her pinning me down again, and the way she had smiled. Now her face was set in a constant grimace. Fury and loss contorted her appearance.

My sai swept near his face just as she kicked into his side. We met in the middle, rotating around one another to change direction. Shredder bellowed with every move. Slowly I could see more openings as he too finally began to wear down. In between slashes, I took Serena's waist and lifted her. She took the advantage of the extra height to avoid a sweep of the leg and deliver a knee into his shoulder.

His left side was tossed backward followed by the rest of him. She landed safely beside me, one of my hands remaining. Her body heaved under my touch. Serena's posture fell more and more. Shredder staggered once back to his feet. "It's over Shredder. No more."

"You think the possibility of you living is still existent? You are too weak. I still have the strength to fight. You will not see another day!" his voice carried strong through the air between us.

I saw the first movement clearly. He stepped heavily towards Serena, posed to strike. I knew too well she couldn't take anymore. I threw myself between them, hoping to throw Shredder off his feet with the pure weight of my shell like before. It was like he was counting on it though. His body turned around mine. A leg connected with the knee Karai had beat on earlier just as a hand knocked into my back.

I lost my balance and tumbled to the edge of the rooftop after pushing Serena the other way. I couldn't see where she went as I moaned on the roof. My head had hit the wall hard, and blood trickled down from my scalp. Any movement caused my leg to throb. I was desperate though. One of my arms slide among the gravel to push myself up.

The sight made me sick. Serena was nearly defenseless as Shredder grabbed her by the throat. He lifted her so her feet dangled inches off the ground as her hands pried at his arm. In slow motion, I caught every detail of his next move. His right foot slide back. The elbow of the arm holding her bent further. Light shown in long lines down his steel armor.

The next thing I knew, she was down against the cement again. Silent and unmoving, she showed no signs of rising again. Anger boiled within me as his now empty hand hovered away from her neck. It rose in the air once more. Shredder paused in the movement, but it didn't matter. I was too slow now.

Tessen lay discarded around her body. "I give you back to your family now."

The swing of his arm continued. Her eyes opened at the last possible second. Serena's hand raised as her weak voice cried out, "Daddy!"

My fist bit into the cement while his blades pause just above her brow. He hesitated and stepped back slightly. The master's posture was completely wrong, and I began to see a chance. Limping, I stood just as Serena began to recover herself. My heart pounded as Shredder stared down at her. His hands sat open at his sides.

"No… You, you… my amai ko." He reached his hand again towards her in a different manor, but I wouldn't trust him.

"Leave her alone!" I rushed him, leading with my elbow. It connected with his shoulder, sending him forward and myself back. Shredder turned to me. Any tenderness he may have had was gone. He roared and attacked, an arm raised with deadly force. I knew I would be too slow to stop it now, and so did he.

"No!"

In a split second a white flash appeared between us. His strike never slowed as I watched her body shudder. Below his helmet, his dark gaze widened in shock. Thunder in the distance shook the world with one more horrible clap. Serena's arms held her father's arm at the elbow. Her breath was pained and shaky as he drew back his hand. A grotesque wet sound unsettled my world more than the thunder.

Serena fell back into me as Shredder's hand glistened dark red.