I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to. I wanted to prolong tomorrow as long as I was able.
Here I lied in the bed I slept in ever since I arrived in America. The room was bare save for the weapons and wisdom on display. Even then, the room was still colorless and bland. With katanas in black sheaths and shuriken reflecting the white walls, I silently wonder how I could stand for it for so long.
Though I had two rooms in two different countries, both were just as ordered as the other. I had lived like this for years. Coming back now, I realized how different I was from the girl who lived here.
The girl who resided here was stiff and angry. She was as bland as her room. And she grew to be just as vengeful as her father. I come in and see this girl missing. It is still my bed, but I feel like an intruder.
I changed. I learned that my father was my murder and that my true father was the one I had been plotting against. Hamato Yoshi, the man I had grown to hate. I had dreamt about ending him, about dominating his students, once in a lifetime ago. Now I felt sick with guilt about what I had done.
I was born as Miwa, but I only ever was Karai.
Vengeance, this was something that I grew up with. This was a feeling that drove me more than anger, praise, or accomplishment ever could. A beast that I cared for, tended to, and relied heavily on. It wasn't until too late that I realized that revenge wasn't satisfied with just one soul.
I wanted to be Yoshi's daughter Miwa, I wanted to be a big sister, I wanted a more wholesome family, but Karai was persistent. If I wanted this new, better life I needed to get rid of Karai. She existed for only one thing, and I was more than happy to follow through. How I wish I could go back in time, I would go back and stop myself from leaving. I would heed my father's warning.
I never wanted this to happen.
Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, I have hurt them far more than I ever intended to. Mikey was the first one to call me his sister, Leo was the first one to trust me, Yoshi had welcomed me with open arms, Donny and Raph had finally accepted me, and what have I done? I ran away. I ran away and shattered my father's second life.
Splinter had sounded so heartbroken. He sounded so angry, yet anguished all at once. He screamed a war cry, calling out for blood, while also crying out a plead to end his life. I can't imagine what it was for him, watching his sons fall and change into something else. At that time I was experiencing the pain of losing something I had just gained.
Shock had taken hold of me, then anger, finally settling on that familiar grip of revenge over me. I wanted to turn all my hate on the Shredder, to make him suffer what he had forced Yoshi to suffer. I wanted so much to silence him, never wanting such a monster to live in my life ever again. Miwa was too weak to fight against Karai.
But all that hate is gone now, leaving an overflowing puddle of guilt for me to wallow in. Once I heard that the Shredder had used me as bait, I then realized how much danger I had put the turtles into. If I had only stayed away, if I had only listened to my father's wisdom, if only if only!
I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to. I was too afraid to see what exactly I had done.
"Watch it stink-man!"
"Keep your claws to yourself!"
Stupid, primitive, co-workers! If I wasn't so intimidated by them, I would make them pay!
But I was, so I complied with their demands. I flew up and felt my pulvillus padded limbs cling to the wall. I, along with the others, where ordered here this morning to help analyze the turtle specimens. Shredder wanted us to help him make sure the reptiles were battle ready.
I couldn't wait to see them! My previous studies of the mutagen were of a drastic form of metamorphous. To turn a mammal, a human in all my cases, into something outside of their respected phylum was a phenomenon. Yet, I had never witness such a change with creatures of the same class.
Ah, here they are now!
Through my compound eyes, I could see and sense the limbless carnivores coming in. The androids pushed along the subjects, lining them up side by side by the entrance. Shredder walked up to one of the serpents and ordered for his release.
The snake was curious, not very bothered by its circumstances. He only watched as Shredder circled him. As time passed, the reptile then realized the presence of anther predator, and enemy. The snake coiled on himself, his forked tongue smelling what he could.
Another second passed before Saki attacked. The two retaliated blow per blow. Like the animal it is the reddish-brown snake stroke back with fangs bared. Whenever it couldn't attack, it would leap into the air to strike from above. My eyes didn't miss anything.
Intriguing, the agility shown is not very common within the class, but not unrecognizable. It obviously is a viper from the atropoides genus, commonly known as a "jumping viper." It seems to prove the exaggerated rumors were true. Then again, the mutagen could be reacting to the trained muscles from the previous body.
They eye color is off as well, blue instead of a yellow. I could vaguely recall a snake that was reported to have blue, hazy eyes, but they were from a type of non-venomous snake. This one being a pit viper was most certainly venomous, the visible frontal fangs proving such. I must request Saki to allow me to milk them. One strike and a misstep are all it takes to send us six feet under.
This viper didn't seem as stout as most atropoides, an A. picadoi maybe? Or was this another reaction to the turtle it was before? If my memory is right, then the orange one was the one with the blue eyes. He was also the smallest of them, not the leanest, not the tallest, but the smallest.
Interesting, did their personalities decide on what type of species they would be? How was this so? Did it have to do with the similar class? Did it have to do with the brain at all? Or was this a physical reaction to the mutagen? So many questions and so little to base them all upon!
Saki appeared to be finished with his observation, and quickly knocked out the creature. The androids then carried it away, placing it back into it's cage before bringing out the second viper.
This one has not willing to come out though. It remained still, coiled beside a corner in the cage. Shredder, not wanting to waste daylight, proceeded to draw closer to the opened cell. And there he stood neither him nor his combatant moving.
A flash of purple movement was sighted, and then the viper stroke. I had heard from the others that this serpent used this same tactic before, so it was no wonder that it didn't catch Saki by surprised. He leaped to the side, waiting for the snake to follow.
Yet, there was no further movement. The brown-eyed snake kept still, mouth closed.
Heh, never thought I'd see a day where something thought that the Shredder wasn't a threat. Big mistake on the serpent's part.
On to more important matters, it appeared that this one was a Death Adder. Highly venomous, noted to have a potent neurotoxin. Dangerous when it was only 70 cm, one could only imagine the suffering a person would go through with a ten foot viper.
Another pit viper, with hinged fangs this time. The fangs on this snake was noticeably large than the first, one bite would be able to penetrate a limb.
The snake still refused to be swayed, and remained in the cage. This forced Shredder to approach in order to continue the fight. And every time he was close, the viper would flick out it's purple tail to distract him. Though, it seemed that the creature figured out that Shredder was another predator like he. It bared its fangs, but still didn't move from its corner.
Typical behavior from the species, preferring to hide before attacking. This was Donatello was it not, the smart one? Fitting, he always seemed to wait and think out his attacks before he strikes.
Though, it is interesting on how he is using his tail. Normally, a Death Adder would use its yellow tail as bait. By mimicking the movement of a grub worm, prey would be in striking range to get an easy meal. Instead, Donatello here is using it as a distraction before he strikes. He keeps it hidden until he puts it to use. Does this mean that, somewhere in that animal's head, Donatello continues to plot out his plans? Is he still in full control or is the serpent merely using his intelligence? Questions… so many questions…
Losing patience, Saki ended the fight by closing the cage. With steel separating them once more, Donatello visibly relaxed.
The last fight was with the longest, and largest of the serpents. Once his cage was open, the snake wasted no time in surrounding Saki. In a matter of seconds, a good amount of the room was carpeted in scales.
A constrictor. Non-venomous. Tthe real danger with this one was its sheer muscle mass. With the subocular mark underneath its eyes and blotched marking, I would say that this was an African Rock Python.
Like his brothers, the species fit the personality of the turtle. The Rock Python was infamous for its aggression, and feared for its reported attacks against humans. Not to mention the other reports on finding a corpse of said python that attempted to bite more than it can chew. No other snake could fit more perfectly with the red-banded turtle.
This python is already considered to be one of the world's largest, but this mutant easily surpassed the average sixteen feet. The python could possibly be reaching forty feet, sixty at the very least.
Taking this one out was trickier than the others. Finding the head of the python in the swarm of muscle was rather difficult, and challenging when Shredder nearly had him leg trapped. Thankfully, his sharp pads provided protection and kept the constrictor from using its full strength. Still, it put up a rather good fight. Even if it couldn't squeeze Saki, it could still shove and push with all its might.
One slam of its tail was enough to break through the glass and crack the pathway. It would have taken refuge in the water if Saki didn't strike a pressure point. Strong it may be, but it was rather slow when compared to the other snake's fights.
With all three observed, Shredder commanded the androids to put the serpents back into their cell. With the three threats out of sight, I buzzed back to the ground. Saki moved, his neck flicking to face me. I twitched and willed myself to not fly away.
"Stockman, I presume you have an adequate analysis?"
His voice, commanding and intimidating, made me fidget even more. He was too close, now standing in front of me. I rubbed my arms on instinct.
"Yes~~ Master Shredder. I managed to gain a vague~~ idea. B~~ But I must as~~k your permis~~sion to obs~~erve them at a clos~~er range." Though my sentences were frequently broken by that stubborn buzz, I took small pride that I was able to speak in English.
I was scared. Shredder could interpret my request differently. He could think that I was a nuisance, and order my demise. He didn't need me, he was a threat all on his own. He was bigger, stronger than I. He could squish me. He could flatten me. With each and every thought, the need to get away grew stronger.
"Permission granted. I expect something of use to come up when you return." And off he went.
I didn't relax, though I was relieved. I still had Bradford and Xever here in the same room with me. I was still in danger.
I flew away.
Out of the room.
Away from the danger.
You cannot fight your way out! Get away! Get away!
Safety.
I found myself clung to the ceiling of my lab. Looking around to conform that I was alone, I flew down on the floor and stood on my two feet. I searched my lab to find baggies; I planned on gaining samples from the snakes.
Exciting! I'm looking forward to seeing the changed made in their DNA. They looked proportional enough, looking nearly exactly like their natural species. But those eyes, and the off-coloring, I wonder why they are there. Could it be a mutated mishap? Or was intentional?
They acted so much like their respected serpents. Which was…odd actually. From what I gathered with my own experience and from the reports given to me by Bradford and Xever, they shouldn't be acting so animalistic. Surely, their humanity must be fighting for control… Right?
What does it matter? All in all, their behavior would benefit me when I gain venom samples.
With my sample bags and jars at the ready, I took off. But before I left, I could smell decomposing produce from the numerous dumpsters in the alleyway.
Hungry.
Food.
Perhaps I can delay the project for a moment…
TigerClaw roamed the prison cells. In his arms was a large rat, a stray from the swarm that took place a while back. The rodent's snout was covered in strange lumps, like a cancer lump or a deformed horn.
A part of his mind wanted to horde the corpse for his own needs. It wanted to consume the meat, wanted to eat what it could before the next hunt. With years of listening to these random urges, the humanoid tiger easily blocked out the voice. This kill wasn't for him, he reasoned, but for the prisoners.
Facing the cage holding said prisoners, he opened the gate to toss the rat inside.
"Soup's on." Without looking back, TigerClaw left.
Inside the bars, the three snakes looked at their offering. Each gazed hungrily at the meat before them, each wanting to consume the body whole, but still they did not fight for it. A silence took place, waiting for something to happen.
The green-eyed serpent slunk forward, wrapping his thick body around the mutated rodent. Its tail gripped tightly to the hind legs while the rest of its body tugged at the corpse's neck. Here the python pulled in different directions. With a few more forceful tugs, a sickening wet tear could be heard in the cell.
The brown-eyed snake consumed half of the body, while the python swallowed his half. The blue-eyed being stayed by his corner, contently eating the algae pile next to him.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belong to Nickelodeon.