"How does it feel, Raphael?" a voice whispered in his ear.
Raphael looked up to see a figure more terrifying than his brother standing over him. The red eyes of the Shredder glared down at him. Was this another hallucination? He didn't know what was real and what wasn't anymore. The green smoke had dissipated. The warehouse was once again filled with Foot ninjas. He didn't know where Donatello and Michelangelo were.
"You didn't answer my question," Shredder said. "It's rude not to answer when someone asks you something."
Raphael closed his eyes and shook his head. "You're not real," he said lamely.
He gasped when a strong hand grabbed him by the throat. Shredder lifted him up off the floor and slammed him into the forklift. Raphael grunted as his head hit off the edge of the lift's roof. White lights burst across his vision. Shredder lifted his right hand and placed a claw against Raphael's cheek.
"I am very real, Raphael," Shredder told him, running the blade across the turtle's cheek.
Raphael yelled in pain, making Shredder chuckle darkly. Underneath the helmet, the Foot leader smirked.
"I like that sound. Make it for me again."
Raphael roared as Shredder dug his gauntlet blades into his left side.
"Get away from our brother, Shredder!" Donatello screeched.
Shredder turned to see the younger brothers run towards him. "Ninjas, deal with them. I have business to discuss with their fearless leader."
Foot ninjas cut Donatello and Michelangelo off from their brother. Shredder turned back to Raphael who was gasping and panting for air. With as much force as he could muster, Shredder slammed his fist into the turtle's stomach. He let go and Raphael crumpled to the floor in an ungraceful heap.
"This was almost too easy," Shredder said, examining his blood coated claws. "If you had wanted to see me again so badly, all you had to do was ask."
He slammed his foot into Raphael's stomach when the turtle tried to get up. Raphael collapsed again, holding his stomach. Shredder rolled his head from side to side, stretching his neck. He looked over to where his ninjas were keeping the other turtles busy.
"All that trouble just to find little ol' me, and now that I'm here, you can't even find the strength to talk, let alone fight," Shredder mocked. He reached down and took Raphael by the throat again, lifting the turtle up. "You wanna fight? Then fight!"
Shredder threw Raphael across the room. Blood poured from the wound in the turtle's side, staining the concrete floor red. Raphael looked around for his weapons. Everything was fuzzy, swimming in hazy colors. He felt around the floor until his fingers wrapped around one of his sais. Gathering his remaining strength, Raphael swung around, swinging blindly at Shredder as he approached. Shredder easily dodged the wild attack. He laughed when Raphael collapsed again, energy spent.
"This is just pathetic," Shredder taunted. "You're the great Hamato Raphael. Leader of the mighty Hamato clan. You've put away multiple Foot soldiers, killed countless others, and you can't even find the strength to fight while wounded." He shook his head. "A shame Yoshi wasted his talents on you."
"Shut up," Raphael groaned.
"Why? Because I speak the truth?" Shredder asked. "What is it that you saw, Raphael? What did my hallucinogenic smoke make you see?"
Raphael shook his head to clear his vision. "None of your damn business," he growled.
"Did it remind you of what a complete failure you are?" Shredder continued, walking around the turtle. "They were so young. They looked up to you. And, when it really came down to it, you couldn't save them."
"I said shut up!" Raphael shouted.
He tried to move, screaming as pain tore through his wounded side. Shredder laughed, kneeling down and grabbing the back of Raphael's neck.
"I took Titian and Andrea, and now I'll take Donatello and Michelangelo," he hissed in the turtle's ear. "You took my men, now I'll take your brothers."
"Raph! Heads up!" Donatello shouted.
Raphael ducked just as a flash grenade went off. Shredder yelled out in surprise, falling back. While the Foot ninjas were stunned, Donatello and Michelangelo rushed over and grabbed their wounded brother. The brothers ran out of the warehouse, disappearing down the first manhole they came to. Halfway to the lair, Raphael lost consciousness. Donatello and Michelangelo half dragged half carried their brother the rest of the way home.
"Leo! Get the first aid kit!" Donatello roared as they passed through the threshold of the lair.
Leonardo rushed out of the dojo and ran to the lab, grabbing the first aid kit. Splinter appeared, his eyes widening in horror when he saw Raphael. Donatello and Michelangelo placed Raphael on the couch just as Leonardo ran up with the kit. Donatello took it and opened it, rummaging around for the proper equipment.
"My sons, what happened?" Splinter asked, hopping up to the couch.
Raphael mumbled something under his breath. Donatello and Michelangelo looked at each other.
"What'd he say?" Leonardo asked.
"Ti...Andy..." Raphael gasped.
"Who?" Leonardo pressed.
"Leonardo, leave us," Splinter commanded.
"Who are Ti and Andy?" Leonardo asked.
"I said leave!" Splinter shouted.
Leonardo turned to leave, but he paused when he heard Raphael speak again.
"Leo," Raphael breathed. "For...give...me..."
Leonardo hurried off to his room. Donatello fought to stop the bleeding from the wound in his brother's side. The gash was deep, almost striking bone. He told Michelangelo to sterilize a sewing needle and get the stitches ready. Michelangelo did as he was told, handing the needle and stitching thread to his brother when Donatello was ready. With delicate, careful movements, Donatello stitched up the wound. Splinter placed a hand on Raphael's cheek. His son's skin burned with a slight fever.
"Come back to us, my son," he whispered.
"What did he see?" Michelangelo asked, his voice low. "In the smoke, what did he see?"
Donatello tied off the stitches and cut the thread. "Probably the same thing we saw," he answered.
He gazed at Raphael's still face. He picked up a piece of gauze, folded it in half and gently taped it to the cut on his brother's cheek. Raphael never stirred, lost in the depths of unconsciousness.
"Will he be okay, Donnie?" Michelangelo asked.
"Only time will tell," Donatello replied. "All we can do is make him comfortable and wait for him to wake up." He addressed Splinter. "I'm sorry, sensei. We had our chance to finish off Shredder and we blew it."
Splinter remained silent, keeping his eyes on Raphael. Donatello and Michelangelo walked away, leaving their father alone. From his place in his bedroom, Leonardo watched from the doorway as the scene unfolded down below. Who were Ti and Andy? And, why did Raphael ask him to forgive him? The blue masked turtle closed the door and went over to a small desk where his swords sat in their holders. He put a hand to his throat, feeling the scab from where Raphael had cut him in their earlier spar.
"What's going on with you, Raph?" he whispered. "What secrets are you not telling me?"
Reviews are welcome, flames are not