Ch.8: Taming The Beasts
Reptilian eyes came awake focusing upon the unfamiliar surroundings pooling in their yellow glow. Dr. Chaplin could feel that his new alligator body was in serious pain, and the touch of cold metal could be felt clamped onto his wrists, linked to heavy chains that bound him on the floor.
" Traag," growled Chaplin for a moment, thinking that the villain had recaptured him and put him in a new cell. Then, he got a closer look at his surroundings.
Wherever he had ended up it didn't have the straightest sense of TCRI. In fact, it looked completely like a home, constructed underground and sharing all the commodities of a normal, human life.
A tantalizing smell suddenly drifted into Chaplin's nose, awakening the gator's taste-buds to the succulent flavor of meat.
"Okay guys!" said Mikey, stepping out of the kitchen with food in his hands " Pizza's ready, time to chow down! Hey, you're awake! Nice to finally meet you Leatherhead,"
"Leatherhead?" said Chaplin confused, snapping out of his hunger faze " Why would you call me that?"
" Well Raph pretty much picked the name and I found it cool" said Mikey, pulling off a slice of pizza " Pizza dude?"
Knowing that he had very little option, Dr. Chaplin ate the slice looking at the turtle as he chewed. Everything in his usually rational mind wanted him to believe this was all a dream. He was still human and at home, working peacefully on his projects, sitting at a nice, cool late while basking in the sun.
Instead, here he was right now, surrounded by a sudden curious group of four mutant turtles and their fatherly rat, all looking for answers from him to say who or what he was. Splinter and the other turtles had walked in just as Chaplin had finished his last bite of pizza. Introductions were made, and then the interrogation began.
"Okay pal" questioned Raph " just what is the big deal between you and TCRI?"
"I used to work for them as a scientist" said Dr. Chaplin, slightly growling at Raphael " I was working on a special project with my partner Baxter Stockman when we discovered something hidden. Traag discovered us, and I turned into this. I do not remember what happened to Stockman,"
"Did he escape?" said Leo, helpfully.
"I think so" said Chaplin " After I was transformed into…Leatherhead, Traag pushed me in a cell and tortured me to no end. I'm afraid of that strange ooze they hide on the top floor. If it can turn someone like me into a monster, what it can it do to the rest of New York?"
"Well let's not find out" said Don "If your partner escaped, he may be able to help us understand what's going on in TCRI,"
"To bad we can't investigate it ourselves," said Mikey.
"Not true my son" said Master Splinter " after all you and Raphael can both persuade tickets inside TCRI,"
"That's right!" said Raph, realizing his sensei's plan " Traag is expecting the Nightwatcher and Turtle Titan to return with Leatherhead in tow. We can get ourselves inside and scope out the place."
"Uh" sighed Dr. Chaplin "I still don't like the name Leatherhead, and I don't think it's a good idea for me to go back to TCRI,"
"I have to agree there" said Don " taking Chaplin back to TCRI right now wouldn't be right. We'd never get answers if we put him back in captivity,"
"Well we can still search for clues right?" said Mikey, excited for another chance to play Turtle Titan " Nothing to stop us from that,"
"I guess not" said Leo, thinking over the option for a bit " Okay, its settled then, Raph and Mikey will check out TCRI while Don and I help Leatherhead find Stockman. Sorry for the nickname Mr. Chaplin, but it does feel right to call you Leatherhead,"
"Heh" sighed Chaplin " it will grow on me I guess. Now, let's get on with our search,"
Meanwhile, in the confines of Shredder's fortress, Baxter Stockman stood in awe next to his new employer, staring through a window into the metal-sided Foot dojo. Sitting up, awakening slowly in few feet of an iron cage, a beautiful golden fox pushed herself off the floor, strolling back to the conscious world.
"So she was the one who was blocking the air ducts," thought Baxter Stockman in wonder.
The scientist had been down in the basement lab, working on a special design for the Shredder, when the villain called him upstairs to see Ninjara.
"A new playmate for Slash" said Shredder, holding the unconscious kitsune towards Stockman " make sure she is welcomed."
Now, here they were, all standing in anticipation for Slash to achieve his first kill, and fall deeper into Shredder's insanity.
Ninjara groaned as she shook off the pain throbbing in her head, blue eyes flashing to the chamber that surrounded her. Her body was tired and bruised from the assault that resulted after she got tossed out of the air vent. Landing in front of Shredder, Karai, and Alopex was definitely not the safest place to be.
Alopex grabbed Ninjara before she could even get up to fight, and Karai held a sword at her throat. The Shredder looked down at the golden kitsune, recognizing her instantly. He immediately pushed Karai aside, and pointed his own blades towards Ninjara, demanding why the fox had invaded his fortress.
Ninjara held her tongue. Her will would not fall to this man, or any tortures his twisted mind could congregate. Shredder grew impatient for answers, and ordered Alopex and Karai to deal with the pest.
Ninjara broke free of Alopex's hold as she and Karai closed in for their assault, and fought back with all her strength. The fight seemed to be proceeding in her favor until Alopex activated the Cursed Charm, awakening the powers of the first samurai, and amped up her attacks.
White claws and kicks pounded in with lightning speed, striking at Ninjara so fast that the golden kitsune barely had anytime to dodge. Soon, a hard kick sent her sprawling down across the floor, and a last shot to the chest knocked her out completely.
"Now" thought Ninjara, scanning the room she was in " I'm in here, and there's no telling what lies in the cage beyond,"
A few silent seconds passed, and a click shot through the air, allowing the door of the cage to raise upward, revealing the dark shadows beyond. Sharp, green eyes glared outward, and haunting growl whispered throughout the room as a massive beast began to emerge.
Taking up a defensive stance, Ninjara immediately got ready for whatever horror about to unleashed before her. Shadows faded as the beast emerged into the light, revealing the body of a massive, spike-shelled turtle, with a dark, black mask, and long, yellow, nail-like claws.
"Slash" echoed Shredder's voice throughout the room "destroy her!"
Nodding that he understood, Slash let out an eerie roar and charged towards Ninjara, claws out and ready to slice. Ninjara deftly dodged the first few strikes, managing to escape most of the pain.
In her mind she wished that her katana was with her, but it now in the claws of Alopex. With no weapon to aid in her fight, and her body to the physical efforts it could throw, Ninjara knew that if she was to survive this clash, she would have use her mystical training from the Elders, and wield magic as a tool.
Mumbling a chant under her breath, Ninjara avoided Slash's next three swings, and moved in close, her hand reaching towards the turtle's head. White energy sparking from her golden fingertips, Ninjara placed her hand on Slash's head, and continued to vault over the turtle as he crashed into the metal of a nearby wall, shredding out an escape.
A roar of pain erupted through Slash's throat as he thrashed violently from whatever Ninjara had done before finally blacking out onto the floor. Holding her head from power being drained, Ninjara forced herself to escape through the hole Slash had created, and race out back into the dark streets of New York.
Shredder and his allies let out screams of fury as they watched her get away, and turned their eyes back on Slash. Alopex looked upon the unmoving turtle with equal fury and a tiny bit of intrigue.
"His first mission was a failure" thought Alopex in her mind " but with a power boost from Masakodo, he'll be an unstoppable toy for destruction."