Chapter 17
Confrontation
Donatello rubbed his tired eyes, having spent several hours looking into Shari's background, and finally, he was done.
"Any luck, Donnie?" Leonardo asked as he walked into the room, making the brainy turtle to turn around.
"You have an uncanny timing, Leo, I'm just done."
"And? What have you found?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary. Everything she has told us checks up."
"So, there's nothing wrong with her then. Mikey will be glad to hear that, but still, my gut keeps telling me that something isn't right."
"I hear you, but what? I've double-checked everything, she's clean."
"Check it all again."
"Leo, we all know how important it is to keep our lair a secret from the Foot and whatnot, but even I think that you're too paranoid about this."
"Maybe I am, and I hope that I am wrong about all this, but please, check everything one more time, just to be on the safe side."
"Fine, if you think it's necessary." Donatello sighed, and resumed working.
A few hours later, Donatello had gone over everything again, looking into the very code of the pages to uncover any and all secrets, and still had nothing to show for it other than Shari's clean records. Yet, despite that, Leonardo's gut-feeling still told him that something was wrong, and it was driving him crazy. Having exhausted all other options, he decided to seek his master's wisdom on the matter.
"Master, may I speak with you?" he politely asked as he approached the old rat.
"Of course, my son. Is there something that trouble you?"
"There is, but I'm uncertain of exactly what. It is about Shari."
"The girl that Michelangelo has fallen in love with? I see, do continue."
"As you very well know, we have to be very careful about who we trust with the location of our home, and I'm not certain about if we should entrust that information to Shari."
"And why is that, Leonardo?" Splinter asked, understanding his son's intentions but not his specific reason.
"That's just the thing, master, I don't know. She seemed like a very nice girl when we met her, having a certain charm of some sort, and after having Donnie do a background check on her, everything speaks for her being trustworthy. Yet, for some reason, I got this feeling that we shouldn't trust her. I can't explain it, but that's what my instincts are telling me."
"And a warrior does wise to trust his instincts, that is what I have taught you and your siblings."
"One of many lessons that I have take to heart, master. However, after the... incident after Mona chose Raph as her mate, I am not certain that I can trust my instincts in this matter."
"So you seek my advice, a wise decision if you feel uncertain. But, I do not think that you should doubt your instincts because of past events, if they tell you something is amiss, you should be vary."
"But what, master? That's what I can't figure out. And I don't want to stand in Mikey's way of being happy."
"I know, Leonardo, we all wish his best."
"Then, what should we do?"
"What does your instincts say?"
"That… I should be careful. So, we let her come here… but without knowing how to find us, perhaps by covering her eyes with a blindfold, at least in the beginning."
"An acceptable compromise, my son. One that I am certain that she will agree on if she is sincere."
"I will still keep my eyes on her, master, just in case, but I bet Mikey will be happy to hear this."
"Most likely." Splinter said with a smile.
And they were right. As soon as Leonardo told Michelangelo that was allowed to visit, even with the precautions, the orange-masked turtle cheered so loudly that everyone in the lair heard him, regardless of where they were. They would later discuss a date for when she would visit.
His happy mood didn't diminish one bit the next day, not even the long and hard training seemed able to dampen it, and Michelangelo made it through without any complaining, at least not from his side, as Splinter had to remind him to focus a few times. However, not even that was enough to make Michelangelo any less exited, and the next day could come soon enough for him.
Finally, it was time for him to be able to go and see Shari again, and give her the good news, so once their training for that day was done, Michelangelo immediately grabbed his skateboard and hurried out into the sewers, making his way to meet his girlfriend like he had promised to.
"That's one happy turtle." Sephie said as she and the other watched the youngest turtle leave the lair.
"Sure is. I don't think he's been this happy in, like forever." said Donatello.
"Let's hope that Shari doesn't take offence." said Leonardo. 'And that we can trust her…' he thought to himself.
As the mutants went back to their own tasks and activities, Kate glanced back at the exit, her eyes lingering there for several minutes. She sighed and went to her guest room, exiting it shortly after, with her whip at her side, making her way towards the exit. This was not unnoticed however, and just before Kate was able to open the hidden door, Tyroth approached her with a serious face.
"And where do you think you're going, Kate?" the dragon asked, making the viper stop in her tracks. She sighed and turned to face him.
"I'm going to confront Shari." she said.
"And you think I will let you do that? We know how you feel about her."
"It's not like it's a big secret, but yeah, I want to hurt her, kill her even, for taking Mikey from me, I can't deny that, won't even try. But I have to do this."
"Explain yourself." Tyroth replied intrigued.
"Leo has been a great help, even though it's only been a few days so far, but I think I'm healing thanks to his teaching, slowly at the very least. But, I think it won't work unless I do this. I have to confront her and tell her, tell them both, how I feel, to let them know that their love has actually hurt me, so that they understand why I am the way I am. I don't want to hurt Mikey, if he's really happy with her, then… then there's nothing else to say, I'll just leave them to their life, I just have to get all of this off my chest, then maybe I will have an easier time to find peace. You probably don't even believe anything of what I just said, but..."
Tyroth stood silent for a while, then he placed a hand on Kate's shoulder and nodded.
"I believe you, Kate, and I trust you. If you think you need to do this, then I won't stop you, but if you feel that there is even the slightest risk of you not being in control, come back right away."
"Okay, I promise."
With that, the viper left the lair, following Michelangelo's path to where Shari lived. Tyroth watched her leave, praying that nothing bad would happen. He wanted to follow and keep an eye on her, just to be safe, but if he did that now, after what he had said, he would be going back his word of him trusting her. As it was, he would just have to wait and see.
On the surface, Michelangelo had already reached Shari's house, having hurried as much as he possibly could, though this time, she wasn't meeting him on the top of the building, but rather in the alley where they last saw each other, back when she was introduced to the rest of the mutants. She smiled widely when she saw Michelangelo emerge from the manhole, though mentally she was grinning triumphantly.
"Hey, hope you haven't waited long, I got here as fast as I could." the turtle said with a wide smile of his own.
"I've waited a while, but I was early, so it's my own fault, and it's worth the wait to be able to see you again."
"Aww, you're gonna make me blush if you continue like that."
"Well, why shouldn't I? You're very special to me, Mikey." she said and gave him a kiss.
"Okay, now I'm definitely blushing."
"So how was you day… or night, yesterday?"
"Busy, really busy. We had an outrageous lot to do, training and chores, but it didn't feel so bad since I was thinking of you all the time."
"You did? Aww, that's so sweet of you!" she said, giving him another kiss, making him blush even more.
"You're gonna make me as pink as my sis' headband if you keep that up." he said, causing her to giggle.
"Who knows, you might look good in pink."
"I don't know about that. But I do know that I have good news, or, well, sorta at least. The others have finally agreed to let you come and visit. Took them long enough, the whole lot of them can be so paranoid some times. Anyway, I was to ask you when you'd like to visit, so they could plan ahead and all that."
"Hmm… how about this Saturday night? That works with my schedule."
"Sounds okay to me, hopefully the others will think so too."
"I'm sure they will, it's important that you all are careful, I understand that."
"Oh yeah, nearly forgot about that! Leo wants you to wear a blindfold when we take you there."
"A blindfold? Seriously? You weren't kidding when you said they were paranoid, but if that is what I have to do for them to realize that they can trust me, then I'll do it."
"Sweet! I'm sure they'll get over all this once they've gotten to know you a bit better, like I have, and I know that you can be trusted."
"Thank you, Mikey, that means a lot to me. But, you know, you could always draw me a map to your home."
"A map? I don't know..."
"We both trust each other completely, and the others don't have to know, it will be our little secret. Would you do that for me, love?" she said, batting her eyelashes at the lovestruck turtle.
"Eh… sure, why not, just make sure not to show it to anyone, okay?"
"Of course, I don't want to get you into trouble. Once I've memorised the map, I'll burn it to make sure no one else will see it."
"Cool. Got a pen and paper? 'Cause I left mine at home."
"Sure, I got a new notebook I got for my studies, a few pages less won't hurt."
Michelangelo started drawing the map instantly while explaining it to Shari, who concentrated hard on committing it all to memory. Her goal was being made right in front of her eyes, and she was having a hard time containing herself.
"… and that's where the panel is, just punch in the code and you're in. Easy as pie."
"Great! Thanks! Now, let me repay you for everything."
Before Michelangelo could ask what she meant, she reached inside her purse and pulled out a small can of pepper-spray, and sprayed him in the face, but rather than any kind or burning sensation, his entire body went numb as he inhaled the gas, and he fell to the ground, unable to move.
"W-what's going on?! Shari?!" he asked, starting to panic.
"Save your breath, freak, there is no 'Shari', never has been." she said, walking over to a drainpipe and removing a piece of it, revealing one of the many packages of weapons the Foot had hidden for her. Removing the clothe, she found a katana, as well as half a dozen throwing kunai and many more shurikens, all of which she placed in her belt while she drew the katana from its scabbard.
Fully armed, she walked back to the helpless Michelangelo and looked him in the eyes.
"I am Izo Ren, niece of Izo Arashi, leader of the Foot in our master Shredder's absence."
"… no… that can't be…" he said weakly with tears in his eyes. "… you said you loved me… you kissed me..."
"All part of the act, so that we could learn where you and the other freaks are hiding. As for the kisses, they were more revolting than anything I've seen in doctor Arden's laboratory, and I am glad to be done with this charade, and done with you."
She raised her blade above Michelangelo's head, aiming to execute him, so she could at the very least say that she had succeed where everyone else had failed, she had found the lair and killed one of the turtles. She could taste her victory.
"Don't you dare!" Ren heard someone yell behind her, and she quickly turned around, seeing Kate standing by the corner to another alleyway, her whip was uncoiled in her hand and she looked at Ren with fury in her eyes.
Kate had exited through another manhole and reached the corner just before Ren revealed her true identity, hearing everything. She had struggled to resist the urges of hurting the human for what she had done, but not any longer, now she could do what she had wanted from the start.
"You fucking, lying bitch!" Kate snarled. "You've made two fucking huge mistakes! First you stole his heart, then you broke it! I'm gonna send you straight to hell!"
"Oh yeah? Bite me!"
"Gladly!"
So Shari, or Ren, has shown her real colors at last, getting impatient but still getting results. But now Kate also knows the truth, and we all know she has been itching to get her hands on Shari. This is gonna be good.
It's been a while since I updated, and I got my reasons. You see, me and my lovely wife have just returned from our honeymoon, a wonderful week-long trip to London, never been there before, but we're already wanting to go back. We also took the opportunity to celebrate the birthday of our dear friend Bloodrayne666.
Now things are back to normal, and updates will be coming at a normal pace again. See you around! :)