Episode 6: Doomsday Dealings – Part 2

When the three of them walked in the door, they could see that Master Hamato was waiting eagerly for them, but he was not sitting down as he usually did. Instead, he was pacing, hands behind his back. As usual, his face was solid as stone in concentration. He turned as soon as they shut the door and then he mustered a smile. "Welcome home, my children." he nodded towards the back door.

"Sensei," Ethan began eagerly, stepping up onto the tatami mat, "There is something that we just found out that we need to tell you!"

Master Hamato was quiet for a moment and so Ethan took that as leave for him to continue, but then Master Hamato spoke, making Ethan stutter on his first word before it even got out. "There will be time for that after training." He said. "Hurry out, so we can get started. You will not need any of your weapons." He noticed that Jess' eyes had gone to the weapons cupboard. Ethan's was the only one that wasn't kept in there anymore. He wore it around most of the time, now that he never got to go outside in the daylight. Ethan was thankful that Master Hamato hadn't asked him anything about why he was with Jess and Kaela outside in broad daylight.

The three filed out and Ethan bit his tongue to make sure that kept his mouth shut concerning the incredible things they had learned from Mr. O'Neil. They still swam in his head insistently. He could hardly believe that April, the funny, smart, red-haired girl had been kidnapped by the Kraang. Why on earth would they need a random high school girl to help them terraform the earth into another Dimension X? And then, there were the turtles. How did they meet her? Could their master really be Hamato Yoshi, turned rat? Ethan felt that Master Hamato would want to hear that in particularly, but knew that there was no use arguing, so, with these thoughts still swirling in his head, he walked out into the backyard.

Fall had settled in on New York. The sun was warm, but the breeze had a crispness to it that felt exhilarating. Ethan tightened the white bandanna around his face and with Jess and Kaela on his heels, they crossed the bridge over the tiny river and stopped by the shade of the tree. Master Hamato came soon behind them, his hands behind his back, in his usual pose. He stopped once he reached them and the three went to sit down on the ground as they always did to start training, but Master Hamato shook his head, no.

Feeling awkward, Ethan bounced on his feet and waited for orders of some sort. This was all new to him now and he felt like a fish out of water. Master Hamato smiled, clearly enjoying the fact that all three of them were feeling off about this new routine. From behind his back he pulled a long blade, decorated with a red ribbon that was wrapped tightly around the handle, tails blowing in the slight breeze. Ethan, Jess and Kaela stared at it curiously. Master Hamato then lifted it. Ethan flinched as he threw it. It moved through the air like an arrow, accurate and deadly and with a resounding slam, it hit the brick wall at such an angle that it sunk into it.

"Wow." Jess gasped in awe, "You just threw a piece of metal into a brick."

Master Hamato seemed to ignore her comment. "Today's practice is simple and straight forward." He said, his smile still not leaving as he looked up at the dagger admirably, as if pleased by how well he had thrown it. "The first person to get the dagger out of the wall and hand it to me is the winner." He then turned, walked back across the bridge and sat seiza on the ground, hands on his knees and watched them expectantly.

Turning, Ethan gazed up at the dagger. Master Hamato had thrown it high enough that it had to be at least fifteen feet in the air. The ties on the end waved at them mockingly. Already he was trying to calculate a way up there – but Jess was already sprinting towards the wall. With a holler to throw more momentum into her step, she jumped, her feet slamming against the wall several times, as if she was trying to walk up it. She reached her hand out, but fell backward, losing her momentum and landed on her butt. "Ow!" She groaned, rubbing her backside. "I was close!"

Ethan smirked. She had been a good eight feet off from it. Not close at all. He looked at Kaela nervously. She was staring up at the dagger, her eyes squinted, brow furrowed, arms crossed over her chest, deep in concentration.

Jess shoved her feet into tiny cracks in the brick and tried to start climbing, but it was slow moving and it was clear that she wasn't going to make it the whole way. Ethan wasn't worried about that. I'm going to get to it first. He committed to himself. He glanced at the tree. Maybe I could . . . no – no – the branches are too far away. Even a running leap wouldn't get me there.

He looked nervously over at Master Hamato. He watched them, unblinkingly, his face, unreadable.

"I wish I had my weapon." Kaela muttered under her breath. Ethan couldn't let himself get distracted. He looked around the yard – maybe there was something here that he could use as a way to get the dagger, but as he drew a few steps nearer, he could see that it had sunk into the wall pretty far. Tugging on it alone would not be a solution. Jess fell backward again. She hadn't gotten much further than her jump had taken her. She looked around, her face sweaty and red, her breath coming out in huffing puffs. She wasn't giving up. She grabbed one of the smooth rocks and tossed it up at the knife. It hit the end and bounced off, not even causing the dagger to wiggle and came plummeting down. She screamed and dived out of the way as it thudded where she had been standing.

Ethan chuckled and walked over to the wall, placing his hand on it and reaching his fingers into the cracks. Kaela stayed behind and continued to look up at the dagger and the surroundings. Ethan was beginning to feel frustration creep into his stomach. Why on earth would Master Hamato give them something that was impossible? There had to be a way to win.

The three tried different things for what seemed like an hour or longer. Ethan changed his tactic to the one Jess was employing – actually trying things. He used branches, chucked a stone himself, tried climbing up the side of the wall, using his claws as advantage – nothing was working. Although his claws had gotten him closer to the dagger than Jess, he was still far away enough that reaching up still didn't get him close. Kaela finally joined the fray and soon all three of them found themselves reduced to throwing rocks up at the dagger in frustration.

Finally, Jess spoke up. "Master Hamato!" She said turning to him, exasperated, "This is ridiculous. There's obviously no way to get that dagger!"

Kaela wiped sweat from her forehead and gave out a big gasping sigh.

Master Hamato slowly stood back up and looked at Ethan who looked solidly back. Finally, Ethan shrugged. "There's just no way to do it." he said, defeated. Master Hamato slowly walked up to them and then reached his hand out, palm down and brushed the top of each of their heads. "Curious." He said, with a note of sarcasm. "I would say that you are all between five and a half feet to six feet tall. If you stood on each others shoulders, I am sure that getting the dagger would be simple."

Ethan stared at Master Hamato for a long while, trying to make sense at what he just said.

Kaela vocalized his concern: "But, only the person standing on the top that grabbed the dagger would win."

"True." Master Hamato said. "My children. Of all the lessons I have taught, it seems my most important one has alluded you. Notice that in every battle up to this moment, you have been forced to flee. Although this is a wonderful tactic when needed, it need not always be necessary if you are winning the fight."

Ethan hung his head, "Sensei, we just aren't good enough to win yet."

"Individually yes," Master Hamato continued, "And that is the issue. All of you practice, train, and fight only for yourself. But you are a team. If any member of this team is a victor, all of you are victors. If any member of this team loses, you have all lost." he turned to the dagger and motioned to the wall.

Not letting the feeling of failure fester anymore, Ethan turned to the other two. "Kaela, you are the most flexible. You will go on top. Jess, you are the sturdiest, you will be the foundation at the bottom. I'll be the one in the middle. Let's go." Jess immediately jumped to action and ran to the wall. Ethan followed close behind her and with a leg up, he quickly stepped onto her shoulders. Kaela was next. She smiled and burst forward, getting a leg up from Jess and then Ethan, climbing up their forms until she was on his shoulders. She reached up and with a quick snatch, pulled the dagger from the wall, holding her balance perfectly on Ethan's shoulders. She then flicked it from her fingers and it landed at the feet of Master Hamato, sticking into the soft grass.

Master Hamato was beaming.

Kaela then made her way back down, followed by Ethan and then Jess trailed the two back to Master Hamato. He nodded and for a moment it looked like his shoulders were shaking. Ethan thought he saw wetness on his cheeks, but then a moment later, it was gone and he wasn't sure whether or not he had imagined it. "A task that seemed impossible suddenly was rather simple when you worked together. This is the most important lesson of any I have taught you. When I am gone, it will require your teamwork to defeat the many shadows that have fallen over the city."

"Hai, sensei." They all bowed low.

"Dismissed."

Ethan nodded to Jess and Kaela and they scurried out of the backyard to get ready for the fight that was sure to come in a few hours at the docks. "Can I talk to you?" Ethan asked cautiously.

"Yes, you may now tell me what you needed to say."

Ethan proceeded to go through the details of April, the school, and the conversation they had with Mr. O'Neil. He specifically went into the turtles and then finally – he told Master Hamato about Splinter, the rat, and his likely identity as Hamato Yoshi, his son. Master Hamato listened without asking questions and then when Ethan finished he had closed his eyes, deep in thought.

"Very interesting." He finally muttered after an incredibly long pause. "Destiny is a funny thing. Already it shows it's face to us." He slowly opened his eyes. "I must meditate on this – then perhaps we will be able to learn more about your connection to these turtles and Splinter." Ethan had the feeling that Master Hamato was not yet ready to believe that his son was not only alive, but a mutant. He reached out and patted Ethan's fur. Ethan let his ears fold back onto his head. "Prepare for tonight and I will meditate and fast until tomorrow. Then we will find out what needs to be done."

"Hai, sensei."

Master Hamato did not leave the backyard with Ethan as he went back inside and when Ethan looked out the window, he watched Master Hamato sit down under the shade of the tree and close his eyes, focusing his energy, his fingers out in front of him, entwined together, his index fingers pointed up.

"So, what's going on?" Kaela asked, tying her yellow bandanna around her face. "Is he going to be okay?"

"He'll be fine." Ethan replied. He couldn't help but begin to feel what Master Hamato was talking about. A shadow was descending on the city and it suddenly felt dangerously close to him and his sisters. He shook away the thought and then smiled and turned to them. "Let's rock and roll."

The docks were empty.

Huge metal crates stacked on top of one another covered the whole area. No boats sat in the harbor tonight and the place was eerily quiet. A single lamp by one of the long wooden bridges that led out to the water glowed, lighting the whole place in white light. The only other light was that of the full moon above.

Ethan, Jess and Kaela had managed to get there by 11:30 and Ethan had strategically placed all three of them with each other behind one of the large metal crates, looking out over the docks without being anywhere near the main road that the Foot Clan would likely use to get there. "Is anyone coming?" Jess asked impatiently.

"Not yet," Ethan whispered, "Shh."

Jess rolled her eyes – but Ethan knew that they all had their teeth on edge.

Each had their weapons already out and ready.

Ethan was pleased how well he could see in the dark – his new eye sight was certainly more helpful than he had imagined it would be. Kaela spat, her tongue between her lips, "Ethan, could you please stop doing that." Ethan turned to see had been putting his tail in her face which was moving back and forth nervously.

"Oops."

"There." Jess suddenly said, perking up.

Ethan turned.

Shadows were coming out from behind some of the crates and his heart skipped a beat. A multi-spiked helmet, long blades running from the shoulders, huge metal gauntlets tipped with spikes, a long cape.

Shredder.

Apparently, sending a messenger was not his style. Ethan could only see half of his face in the dark. His mouth was hidden behind the metal plate he had been wearing when they first met him, and the scarred part of his face seemed to vanish into shadow.

Besides the sound of Shredder's clunking feet, a low buzzing followed him. The next to emerge from the shadows was a huge disgusting looking bug man. Although he had the chest of man, clothed in a pink sweater, he had leathery flesh, huge bulbous fly-like eyes and long transparent wings that burst from his back. Jess fake dry heaved next to them. The strange fly man landed next to Shredder who had stopped halfway down the dock.

A third figure emerged from the shadows and this time, Ethan's heart beast faster. Her blonde highlights in the back gleamed and her black bangs hung loosely, framing her pale skin. Karai had joined the crowd. Kaela and Jess both glanced in Ethan's direction but he ignored them. "Where is he?" When Karai spoke, Ethan had a strange urge to go out and talk to her, but decided that would be a pretty poor decision to make right now.

Shredder did not turn to acknowledge Karai, nor did he reply to her. The fly buzzed impatiently next to him and the three stood in resolute silence Ethan held his breath, not wanting to make even the slightest sound and give away their position. He quivered with anticipation.

Then, from the shadows near the water, a figure emerged. Whether that person had been there the whole time or not, Ethan wasn't sure, but when they stepped into the light, he felt a wave of confusion wash over him. "Is that—." Jess hissed.

"Herma." Kaela finished.

Ethan raised an eyebrow. He definitely recognized her. She was usually hanging out with April at school. She was short, wore a plaid skirt and had black hair with long purple highlights. A pair of trendy glasses sat on her nose and she walked slowly towards Shredder, pausing a few feet away from him. "She went to our school didn't she?" Ethan asked quietly.

Jess and Kaela nodded in affirmation.

A sound burst through the night air. It sounded like steam being let out of a machine and suddenly Herma's legs began to separate. "What the—." Jess muttered, wide eyed, as Herma's legs spread outward, revealing shiny metal beneath it. Her waist extended, her arms ripping apart to reveal more mechanical gears. Her head stretched up towards the sky, a blank expression on it's once human-like face and soon, they were staring at a monstrous, eight foot machine, random human body parts located throughout it. In the center was a blobby, pink Kraang. But one unlike any Ethan had seen before. A huge gash ran from it's top to it's bottom, diagonally, like a huge chunk had been torn from it. In the light, purple tattoos that looked like blades surrounded his right eye, and his left was completely replaced by a strange jumble of scopes.

"Well, well, you are running late Shredder." This Kraang could talk proper English.

Ethan, Jess and Kaela exchanged glances.

"Kraang Sub-prime," Shredder said slowly, his eyes narrowing into a glare. He made it sound like he was talking about some kind of disgusting bug. "Where is the mutagen that you promised me?"

Kraang Sub-prime scowled at Shredder, the strange contraption that had replaced his left eye spun in it's socket, the little scopes extending and retracting back again. "Don't get your underwear in a wad!" He commented, his voice whiny and condescending. Ethan's mouth dropped open. He was surprised that Shredder didn't stab Sub-prime in the face right then and there. "Before we give it to you, Kraang Prime demands and explanation. We just gave you mutagen three weeks ago." The huge, Herma droid moved, it's blank expression staring down at Karai, Shredder and the fly as if it could see.

Shredder turned to the fly, "Stockman. Enlighten Sub-prime of your miserable failures." He demanded and Ethan remembered him mentioning that name the first time they met. He was the one who had been given the mutagen by the footbots. The fly stepped forward, his disgusting hand and claw working in front of him nervously. "Much of our mutagen has gone missing." He admitted to Sub-prime. "We believe a ninja clan called the Shinotomo have stolen it." Stockman had a slight buzz in his voice.

Sub-prime looked bored. "Does it look like I care about that?" he asked. "No. No, I don't." Again, Ethan flinched, expecting Shredder to strike and shove his blade into Sub-Prime's blubbery flesh, but Shredder held back.

"You will hold your end of the bargain, Sub-prime. I demand my mutagen." With a sharp pang, the blades extended from his gauntlet and he pointed them in Sub-Prime's face. "Or you will pay."

Sub-Prime looked like he had been slapped across the face and glared at the two blades, inches from his surviving eye. "We have your mutagen, geez! And as a nice little favor, Kraang Prime is going to give you a new defense system. We can't keep replacing your storage like this."

"Defense system?" Shredder asked suspiciously.

Sub-Prime grinned, sharp teeth showing through the flaps of his pink flesh. "Oh yes, it's a bit big though, so we will have to special deliver it to you. Trust me, Shredder, it will keep your mutagen safe."

Shredder slowly lowered his blades. "The mutagen. Now."

"Ah, ah, ah!" Sub-Prime said, waving one of his tentacles as if he were disciplining a child. Ethan was starting to get just as annoyed as Shredder with the stupid pink blob. "First, Kraang Prime want's something from you."

"We have already given you enough help." Karai snapped, her usual sassy voice ringing out in the empty dock. "Just give us what we asked for."

"Nobody included you in this conversation, you stupid girl." Ethan felt his face flush and suddenly he wanted to take on Sub-Prime and make him take that back.

"What is it you want then?" Shredder asked.

Sub-Prime snickered, "Kraang Prime has been having visions as of late. Odd dreams. Dreams of the demise of the Kraang. We want to know what they mean."

Shredder laughed and it boomed around the dock. "Frightened of dreams? We know nothing of this."

Karai shook her head a coy smile on her face. "Maybe you should just go buy some NyQuil?" she offered.

Sub-Prime didn't seem to think that was very funny. "We want April O'Neil." he finally said. "Find her and bring her to us. She should be able to tell Kraang Prime what we need to know."

Well, I guess the Kraang don't have April. Ethan thought to himself. But then, where did she disappear to?

Shredder finally nodded, "Very well. We will find April O'Neil. Now, give me what you promised."

Sub-Prime seem satisfied and turned, pointing a human finger that hung at the end of a series of mechanical cogs and whistles at several of the crates at the end of the dock, but didn't say anything more.

Ethan turned to Jess and Kaela, "We need to stop them from getting that mutagen." he said.

"Why?" Kaela asked. At Ethan's expression she quickly said, "Okay, I know why, but there is no way we are going to be able to do that without being caught. I mean – how can we stop them without a confrontation?"

"I'm fine with confrontation." Jess added, "Shredder needs payback for what he did to us and Master Hamato."

Ethan went silent and his heart froze. The docks were way to quiet.

"Whose back there?" Sub-Prime's voice said.

Then came the sound of gathering energy. "LOOK OUT!" Ethan cried and with a blast, he dived, throwing himself at the other two to get them out of the way. The crate that they had been standing behind exploded behind them. pink flames leaping up like a wall behind them, hedging the way to escape.

Ethan groaned and slowly straightened himself. They were all flat on their faces on the dock and as he got to his feet he could see that Shredder, Karai, Stockman, and Sub-Prime were all looking directly at them.

"Look at that, it looks we have more mutants on our hands." Sub-Prime grinned down at them, the hulking body turning to face them.

"Well, this sucks." Ethan said.