Chapter 9 - Find Your Center
(Leo's POV)
I raced across the rooftops with my brothers. The moon shone down on us, giving us just enough light to see where gaps between buildings were. We were silent and stealthy. On our nightly patrol. It was normal for us to go out and fight crime. Beat up gangs and stop the occasional robberies. Except it was anything but normal.
So much had happened in the past month and it was a lot to take in. We met two human kids who turned out to be the offspring of our most hated enemy. Now my suspicions for the children had been explained. That look in their eyes was that the look of the Shredder. I shuddered as I thought about it. Now, one good and one evil; the two siblings had been turned against each other. Yin and Yang.
Nobody knew what the future held but we knew only one thing. We had to save Antonio from Shredder's clutch and convince him his father was lying to him. It had been a week since we found Katrina in that alley. Her wounds had begun to heal but her mind had not. She had nightmares of the past and future, reliving memories over and over again. I heard her crying at night but every time we tried to comfort her, she shooed us away. Her time in Shredder's lair had hurt her greatly. She was no longer the determined city girl we met. She was as fragile as a flower and though desperately wanting her friend back, she was too weak to do anything.
"Hey Leo!"
My brother's voice snapped me out of my thoughts and brought me back to reality. I saw Raph in front of me, emerald eyes annoyed
"Yes Raph?" I asked.
"Didn't you hear a word I said? I said there's some Foot down at the docks! Look!" Raph pointed and only then did I notice where we were. Down below I saw a lot of Foot Bots, Rahzar, Fishface, Tigerclaw, Karai, and even Shredder himself!
My sapphire eyes widened, "Woah…"
"Dudes… even Shred-head is here…" Mikey said softly. 'What could this mean?'
I watched as Karai walked over to some crates and stuck a crowbar in the side. I observed closely, expecting a new shipment of weapons but I was proven wrong. Inside the crate was vial upon vial filled with a yellow substance.
"What's that?" Mikey asked but was soon shut up by a hard slap.
The young kunoichi handed a single vial to her father and he examined it.
"This is just enough DNA to create our mutant army. Get the shipments and move." Shredder ordered with narrowed eyes.
I heard a sharp gasp behind me and I watched as the band of mutants picked up the crates. I felt movement beside me and lashed out my hand to grab Raph's arm before he jumped down to the floor.
"What are you doing Leo?! Let me go! We have to stop them!" He hissed angrily.
"We can't go down there now!" I argued, "We'll be killed in less than five minutes!"
"But-!"
"No Raph. We need to tell Master Splinter and let him decide what to do." I said sternly, making it clear my decision was final. Raph shot me a hard glare then turned away and started towards the city, Mikey and Donnie following him. I sighed and shook my head before running after them.
(Katrina's POV)
I poked my head into the dojo and saw the four brothers kneeled before Master Splinter. I tilted my head, curious of what had happened on their patrol.
"Master Splinter, they're planning on making a mutant army. They have hundreds of vials filled with animal DNA." Donnie reported. 'Mutant army? Who?'
Master Splinter stroke his beard with his eyes closed. He seemed to be deep in thought, "This is most troubling." He spoke at last.
"Yea it is!" Raph spoke up, "We have to stop them Sensei! Before they create this mutant army and take over the city. Because they WILL take over the city."
"You are impatient Raphael. If we strike without any thought on the situation you could wind up defeated." Master Splinter said wisely.
Raph sighed and didn't reply as Splinter continued, "From now one we will train harder. You must be ready for the challenges ahead. You patrols must be restricted to one thing. You must observe the Shredder's plans and repost them back to me. We will decide our strategy later on." 'Shredder!'
"Hai Sensei." The turtles said in unison.
"We begin now."
'This is it!' I thought, 'This is my opportunity to get Antonio back!' I took a deep and took a step in the dojo, "Can I train too?" I asked in a small voice. Immediately, all eyes were on me and I flattened my tufted fox ears.
"You?" Raph asked, sounding completely shocked, "You want to train?"
I nodded once, "Yea. I want to be able to defend myself so I can get Antonio back."
Leo sighed and walked up to me. He placed a hand on my shoulder and shook his head, "I'm sorry Katrina but you're not ready for this. And you certainly aren't leaving this lair."
I yanked away from him and glared, "I've fought before! I'm not made of glass! I can do this!"
"We could have another girl ninja on our side!" Mikey exclaimed and I heard Leo sigh.
"It wouldn't be a bad idea, but it wouldn't be a good idea either" Donnie put out there.
"What do you think Sensei?" Leo turned to his rat master and gestured to me.
Master Splinter stroked his beard with his eyes closed for a few moments before opening his eyes, "I believe Katrina is in right to know how to fight and to get her brother back. She shall start training tomorrow."
"What?! But Master Splinter! She can't-" Raphael protested but was cut off by Splinter.
"Enough! I have made my decision. Raphael, wouldn't you want to go and save your brothers from our enemy as well?"
Raph opened his mouth then shut it and crossed his arms with a sigh.
I had to contain my excitement. 'He said yes!' I grinned. 'Hold on Antonio! I'm coming!'
I stood in the dojo in a black crop top and shorts. I looked around the room, ears and nose twitching. I felt something brush against my legs and I looked down at my fluffy white tail. I growled in annoyance. I hated being a mutant. It was so annoying, so unnatural. My own body was foreign to me, as well as the instincts and senses I possessed. I felt the urge to run in a forest on all fours, I wanted to hunt and dig holes. With my new abilities, I could identify more scents and sounds. It came in handy sometimes but I still couldn't wrap myself around that I was now, an animal. A mutant. And more importantly, Shredder's daughter.
I flicked my ear as I heard approaching footsteps and looked up at the door to see the turtles enter the room.
Leo acknowledged me with a slight nod of greeting and I nodded back. Mikey gave me a goofy grin and Donnie smiled, while Raph just walked by with his arms crossed. I sighed and kneeled beside them at the end of the line. They bowed their heads as Splinter entered the room and I quickly followed their lead.
"Today my sons, you will be fighting me. You must fight me. Do not hold back. Pretend I am the Shredder." Splinter told the turtles then looked at me, "Katrina, you will watch us and then I will begin to teach you."
I nodded and I heard Raph scoff from my left. I winced and flattened my ears a bit, feeling out of place beside them.
"We begin now."
The turtles stood up and walked to the middle of the dojo. I stood and walked to the edge of the room. Sitting down, I crossed my legs, getting comfortable to watch.
Master Splinter stood in the very middle and the turtles stood on either side of him in fighting stances.
"Hajime!"
It was like a switch went off. One minute they stood as still as statues, and the next they were aiming for their Sensei.
I watched in awe at their fluid motions. It was almost like watching a graceful dance. They moved in sync and I noticed each turtle had a different way of fighting.
Leonardo's moves were graceful and smooth. He held a hard stare as if his brain was just turned off. His katanas seemed to work with him. They sliced the air with loud swooshes, revealing the true power and the strength of the weapons.
Raphael fought completely differently. His moves were powerful and stiff. Just one hit from his fist could leave an enemy dazed. His eyes were constantly narrowed into slits of white. There seemed to be fire in his eyes as well as determination. He threw his weight around and while he was the biggest of his brothers, he was also the shortest which proved useful for dodging attacks.
Donatello used his mind to fight. I could almost see the equations and calculations in his head as his eyes flicked around the battlefield, searching for a strategy. He could never fight without thinking. He thought every move through. All his attacks seemed to be planned out ahead of time
Michelangelo was the most open minded. His way of fighting was almost creative. He seemed to mix certain moves together and goof off a bit. Though his face held determination, his baby blue eyes betrayed his excitement.
Master Splinter evaded each of their attacks and blacked them. He ducked and jumped and sidestepped, avoiding them. It was amazing to watch. 'I wonder if I could be that good someday…'
It wasn't long before Splinter had them all down on the ground, "Very good my sons. That is enough for now."
The turtles groaned a bit, standing up and rubbing some part of their body from being beaten. They walked over to me and I stood up, taking their place in the middle of the large room.
"Now. Attack me." My eyes widened in shock. 'Fight… him?'
"But Sensei-!" Leo protested but was cut off.
"No my son. She will do what I say." He said sternly.
How could I fight Master Splinter?!
I copied the Turtles fighting stance; legs apart, one fist held close to my face, the other extended. I took a deep breath to relax myself and stared ahead at the giant rat before me.
"Hajime!"
I shot forward without another thought and threw a punch. Splinter easily caught it and pushed me back. I stumbled a bit and looked at him. He was definitely going easy on me.
I looked for a way to get him, a strategy. I ran at him again and I jumped one way then the other. I rushed behind him and tried a roundhouse kick to his back. He simply moved away then turned to me. He grabbed my arm with both hand and my eyes widened. Splinter twisted my arm and managed to push me to the floor on my back, pinning me. It was over.
"You must observe your enemy and put more strength into your attacks." He told me. I blinked, still shocked. He let me up and I scrambled to my feet. I heard a few snickers behind me and I blushed, embarrassed.
"Now. In line and we will begin."
I sighed. 'This is gonna be harder than I thought….'