Episode 4: A New Serpent in Town – Part 1

Loud, yells echoed up through the column of cement, bouncing off of glass cages that glowed in the green light of mutagen that hung in a giant bulb at the center of the vast laboratory. Animals shied away from the glass, hiding in the far corners of their cages. A single teenage girl struggled against her metal restraints.

Her battle armor gleamed, sickly green.

A ninja.

Golden hair tapered into midnight black bangs that hung on the sides of her face. Nothing like the semblance of Shredder.

The first thing Karai remembered when her scales had receded and humanity had resurfaced to her mind was Shredder. The man who now stood behind a control panel, the Kuro Kabuto gleaming, his eyes darkened under the shadow that his metal mask cast on his face. Him being there only fueled her anger, as she threw her energy into struggling against the metal band that held her fast to the cool table.

The second thing she remembered was Leo. She could remember the last time she had seen him, he had placed his hand on the side of her face, sadness in his eyes that she was forced to say goodbye.

She thought of the other turtles as well. Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo.

She needed to get back to them.

Two great big, bulbous fly eyes stared at her from across the room, a pair of metal prongs holding a big, fat, monstrous worm was in the twisted, gnarly hand of Baxter Stockman. He had once been a very incapable human. Now he was a very incapable fly.

The worm thrashed, green, purple and blue splotched across it's black, slimy body as it squirmed, not unlike Karai, stuck in her own restraints. Flaps opened where it's mouth was to reveal gleaming, sharp teeth and it gave off a squealing, angry noise as it protested.

The fly turned to Karai, flying over in her direction. His two wings protruded, ripping through his usual pink sweater and sprouting out his back, flickering eagerly. The mutagenic light seeped through the wings as if they were made of tissue paper. His leathery skin that stretched over his bulbous head was dotted with thin hairs, like the feelers that sprouted from the sides of his mouth. One of his hands was an insect-like claw, the other, held the tongs in which the worm writhed in fury.

"Karai, I'm going to help you, just like I finally turned you human again."

She glared at him and stopped struggling long enough to say, "Stockman, if you don't let me go, I'll tear your wings off and stuff them down both of your mouths!"

Stockman buzzed angrily and, with a furious grunt, slowly brought the beastly worm to her ear. She struggled against it, but could only lean her head away so far. The creature roared in her ear and she felt her stomach turn to ice. She could feel it's slimy body touch her ear lobe and she screamed, both out of horror and nausea. "NO!"

Shredder glared from behind the control panel, watching. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Storango had come to watch. The lumbering rhino had a look of disgust displayed across his face. Golden metal that had melded into his body covered his shoulders in spikes and his knuckles in permanent weapons.

When at last the deed was done, Shredder turned back to Karai and Stockman. She had become silent, her eyes closed. The prongs that Baxter Stockman held in his hand now sat empty of any worm. "Did it work? I demand proof."

Stockman turned to Shredder with his huge eyes and hissed lowly, "Yes, Master. The parasite has sent her mind to be totally obedient to you and you alone." he pressed a large red button on his control panel and with the sound of gears and mechanics echoing in the silence, Karai slowly fell forward onto her feet. She opened her eyes, now marbled green, like glimmering emeralds, the pupils reduced to long black slits.

Shredder turned again to look at the huge rhino. He narrowed his eyes at him. "Karai, attack Ivan Storango." he commanded.

The large rhino sneered, taken aback for only a moment. "Snake lady no troubles for Rocksteady. Let us do this like the Brutus, eh?" he slammed his huge gray fist into his palm as if to emphasize his point.

Before he had hardly finished his sentence, Karai hissed and like a striking snake, jumped with expert agility and precision, launching from Stockman's insect head and for a single moment, seemed suspended in mind air.

With a cry, she launched a blade that she unsheathed from her back.

The blade spun through the air and slammed into Rocksteady's horn. He hollered in anger and covered his nose in fury.

Ricocheting off his long horn, Karai snatched the blade from the air and using her momentum in the air, she twisted and crescent kicked Rocksteady, landing expertly on the ground, crouched for another attack. "Big mistake!" Rocksteady snapped, wrenching a golden hammer from the holster that sat on his back. "Now Rocksteady dropping the hammer!" He shouted in defiance and slammed it to the ground, shaking the laboratory, but Karai had already moved out of the way and lunged through the air. Shredder watched, amused, his arms folded in front of him.

Her fist connected twice as she moved like a serpent, throwing her whole body upward and with another bloodthirsty hiss, Karai slammed both of her feet into the Rhino's head and he dropped onto his back with a loud thump! Karai placed the blade of her short sword to his throat, perched on his large chest.

"Stop." Shredder demanded. He walked slowly over to Karai, Stockman buzzing along behind him. Karai slowly sheathed her blade again and stood, perched on Rocksteady's massive chest. No more memory of Leo remained. Only anger.

The rhino heaved a sigh of relief.

"You've done well Stockman." Shredder said, pulling out a candy bar and handing it to the huge fly. He greedily ripped the paper off and with a squelching sound, vomited up green acidic slime and then stuffed the melting bar into his mouth. "But the true test remains."

Karai turned to Shredder.

"Karai, destroy Splinter, the turtles, and their pathetic human allies. Eliminate them." he commanded.

Karai smiled, her snake-like eyes shining in the darkness. "Yes, father."

Ethan felt wide awake. He had waited all morning for their early training exercise. The night before, Master Hamato had told them that they would be starting at six in the morning. Ethan had gotten up at four. He could hardly wait from anticipation. Kaela had been lying in her futon, but Ethan was pretty sure she wasn't sleeping. Jess on the other hand, had been snoring through the night.

With only twenty minutes left, Ethan had showered and strung his white bandanna around his head. He lifted his shirt to check out the bruising. It had almost entirely left. Now, only a dull blue spot shone on his rib cage. Finally. He thought. He desperately hoped that Master Hamato would finally let them on patrols again. Ethan had made sure not to mention anything about the dream beavers. He doubted that adventure would help their chances.

Buckling his belt across his middle and over his shoulder and grabbing his naginata, he headed back into the bedroom. Kaela nodded to him groggily as she took his place in the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind her.

Jess was sitting up now, rubbing one of her eyes sleepily, her normally straight hair had wrestled with itself all night it seemed and was standing up on end in random spots. "See you outside." Ethan said, opening the bedroom door. Jess grunted to show that she was listening.

Master Hamato knelt at the table, mixing something in a large glass bowl. Without looking up from his work, he smiled. "Good morning, my son." he stirred the liquid and immediately Ethan caught a whiff of what smelled like lavender, vanilla and peppermint. It hung in the air blissfully.

"Good morning, Sensei." Ethan replied.

Master Hamato looked up at him, the circles under his eyes looked deeper than usual. He motioned out to the backyard. "If you wouldn't mind waiting outside, we will begin the lesson as soon as everything is ready."

Ethan bowed quickly and, his anticipation carrying him to the door, went outside. The air was just beginning to warm up and the shadows of night were receding. The sound of trickling water played softly in his ears as the little creek that ran through the backyard bubbled along it's way. White sand bordered it, polished black stones placed in what one would think to be a random spread. But Master Hamato knew the reasons why each stone was placed where they were and just looking at them seemed to calm Ethan's nerves. A large leaning tree with dark, old and scarred wood leaned over the river, prickly pine needles pointing in every which direction.

Walking slowly, Ethan moved until he was in the shadow of the tree, the lowest pine needles prodding at the top of his head. He ducked down, sitting on the ground and watched the water as he waited for Jess and Kaela. He didn't have to wait long as they soon both joined him. Jess leaned against the crumbly trunk of the tree, arms folded across her chest, her brown hoodie blending in, the green bandanna around her head matching the pine leaves. "Is Master Hamato coming?" she asked impatiently, tapping her foot against one of the bumpy roots of the tree that protruded from the ground.

Kaela chuckled, looking up at Jess as she sat in seiza by the river, her legs tucked under herself. "We've been waiting for like five minutes."

Before Jess could answer, a shadow passed across the window and the back door opened. Master Hamato emerged in his white gi, his hands clutching the glass bowl he had been mixing a concoction in earlier in one hand, the other had two long sticks that looked like sparklers you would buy on the fourth of July. He motioned to the soft sand by the stream and smiled at Jess. She quickly complied from his action and knelt down with Kaela and Ethan.

Master Hamato took one look at them and then said, his eyes drawing to the weapons they had holstered, "You can take your weapon's out and place them behind you. You will not be needing them today." Ethan felt his heart sink a little as he pulled the naginata from the holster on his back and set it behind him, out of sight. This training was already beginning to look far less entertaining than he had hoped. Master Hamato leaned down and picked up one of the round, black, glassy rocks and set it in front of the four and then sat on the other side of it with a groan, placing the glass bowl of fragrant oils in between them.

He slowly sat Indian-style and placed the two sticks into the bowl, as if they were chopsticks stuck in a bowl of rice. He then looked up and his eyes wandered to each of their faces. "My children," He began quietly, "The time for you to learn how to properly meditate is now."

Ethan suppressed a groan, but Master Hamato seemed to have sensed the change in atmosphere between the three's eagerness. "Everything I have found out about you three has been from meditation. One can reach out to the cosmo's if you are centered, with a blank mind and a pure soul. Such meditation can open the gates to enlightenment." he paused, and then a sadness permeated his smile. "I will not always be around to find out everything for you. These dreams that you have, and your origin – why I found you in the streets without any memory – will become clear via this channel. I cannot find it on my own."

Ethan paid attention. A seriousness had entered Master Hamato's voice. It was one he had before, one that he was familiar with, but one that always made his stomach do a flip. When he got serious, it usually meant that something big was about to go down. Master Hamato then looked down at the ground, "My children," He repeated in an almost a whisper, "I have seen the lightening. It is only a matter of time before we all hear the thunder that follows. I fear that the shadow that I warned you of has drawn closer, and multiplied into multiple shadows that need to be defeated." He paused for a moment, "It will be up to you three to do so."

The words that Master Hamato had said to Ethan rang in his ears. Leadership meant the responsibility to help them make decisions that would lead to defeating their enemies, the Kraang and Shredder. The three slowly bowed their heads at the silence, "Hai, Sensei."

Ethan had never let himself acknowledge it, but Master Hamato was old. At the thought of leading the family alone, Ethan shoved those ideas away harshly. He would think nothing of that. Master Hamato would live and would be there to help them. "Are you ready to begin?" Master Hamato asked.

The three nodded again, "Hai, Sensei." Ethan exchanged nervous glances with the others.

Striking a match against the black stone and with a nod of his head, Master Hamato slowly lit both of the two incense sticks and long tendrils of beautifully scented smoke surrounded them, sucking in through their lungs and calming their nerves. "Close your eyes." he said it quietly, his voice combining with the gentle sound of the moving stream.

Ethan obeyed.

As he closed his eyes, the backyard vanished into darkness. "Now," he could hear Master Hamato, but it was as if he had become distant. "To find memories of your past, as well as to learn the meaning of this dream, you will have to relieve the experience. If you can objectify and fall deeper into your own subconscious, doors that you didn't know were there will present themselves." For some reason, as Master Hamato spoke, although it was soothing, Ethan could feel that a wall was being put up inside him, as if something inside him didn't want to know his past. What if I actually am a Kraang! He thought ridiculously. Before he could go any further on that messed up train of thought, Master Hamato was speaking again. "Picture the very first moment you can possibly remember."

The scent of lavender and peppermint seemed to become more acute as Ethan breathed in deeply through his nose and exhaled through the mouth – just as he had always been taught to meditate. As he breathed, the scent became more potent. "Breath deeply." Master Hamato said, "Use the scent to move you back to where you once were." Ethan could picture the street that they had been found on. It had been night time. Sirens and the noises of crowds had echoed all around him. It all sounded familiar, and strangely foreign at the same time. He could remember the searing pain that stabbed his mind when he opened his eyes and a flood lights entered them. Street lights – LED signs – headlights – colors of red, green, orange, yellow and pink shone all around him.

The memory of how painful it was to stand was clear to him as well. The pain in his legs and ankles made it feel as if he had just run a mile. The feeling of disorientation had utterly confused him, throwing him every which way. He saw Kaela and Jess stand up and a word entered his mind: Sisters. He knew, already, that these two were his family. Yet they both looked incredibly different from one another. They too were groaning and standing up with him, the folds of their hair moving across their face in a messy wave as they tried to comprehend with Ethan what exactly was going on.

Ethan knew his name was Ethan.

He knew his sister's names were Jess and Kaela.

But with all of the noise and the lights and the action – what terrified him more than anything else, was the sense that although facts appeared in his mind as clear as day, other things – incredibly important things – alluded him. How had he gotten to this street? What were they doing here? Where did they even come from? Everything was gone. No memory of a mother, a father, a home . . . things were terrifyingly blank in those departments.

The first word that he read upon waking up was in big green graffiti letters: Cowabunga! Somehow he knew that word, even though it sounded foreign to him.

Kaela said something. Ethan couldn't remember what. He strained his mind against that as hard as he could, but it didn't seem to budge in the least. It felt like he was pushing at a brick wall, trying to break through to something just beyond. He shoved, letting the smell of the incense coordinate his mind's effort, like he had plugged his mind into a power outlet. The memory seemed to budge. "How did we get here?" Kaela had said. The words appeared clearly in Ethan's memory.

Ethan's eyes snapped open.

The backyard immediately came back into focus and Ethan felt a sense of dizziness settle over him. Master Hamato looked back at him, unblinkingly. Jess and Kaela's eyes were already opened and they were watching him nervously. "What was the last thing you heard me speak?" Master Hamato asked Ethan.

"U-uh . . ." Ethan stuttered, letting both of his hands fall to the grass on either side of him to help him get his barrings back. "To breath I guess?"

Kaela raised an eyebrow, "He said a lot more after that." She said, half intrigued, half confused. "Like, after you breath your supposed to—." She was unable to finish her sentence as Master Hamato raised his hand to silence her. Nobody said a word and Ethan suddenly felt an extreme level of awkwardness settle in, his cheeks getting hot. Everyone was looking at him as if he had lost consciousness or something.

The fire snuffed out as Master Hamato placed his fingers on the long incense sticks, but the scent did not leave. It wafting upward past the skyscrapers and into the sun that had peaked over the top of the buildings and illuminated the back yard. How long was I meditating? Ethan thought wildly. Master Hamato nodded his head approvingly, but did not take his eyes off Ethan. "You are beginning to understand." he said. "You managed to enter your memory in a more substantial way then simply recalling it." Kaela and Jess had turned their attention back to Master Hamato who with a grunt and a large amount of effort, stood up. "That will be enough for today. You three are to practice this form of meditation every day from now on, among your other training exercises and drills." No word of complaint came out against that order.

"Dismissed."

"Sensei!" Ethan quickly pipped up.

Master Hamato turned to Ethan as the three stood up. "Yes?"

Ethan turned to look at the other two nervously and then said, "I think I have healed enough and was wondering . . . can we begin nightly patrols again?"

Master Hamato smiled. "Yes, you may."

Ethan resisted pumping his fist into the air, but he could not stop the smile that spread across his face. "Thank you." He said, trying to keep out the elation as he bowed deeply. Kaela and Jess followed suit. Jess had a grin that matched Ethan's.

They were back in business.