Chapter Four

The Trials Begin

Michelangelo

Michelangelo swung his nun chucks as he stared down at the warrior with the doubled bladed staff.

His heart beat fast in his chest.

Normally when playing a video game he would be hyped and laughing as he hit the controls, but this wasn't a video game! This was the real thing!

If he lost he didn't know what Shang Tsung would do to him!

"If this is the real Mortal Kombat..." he thought "That would mean the Fatalities would be real! Oh crap!"

"I can smell your fear turtle!" said the warrior "Prepare to be defeated!" he then ran towards Michelangelo swinging his staff.

Michelangelo instantly got into action and began to fight back by avoiding the swinging staff and aiming his nun chucks at the warrior as soon as he got an opening.

As he fought, Raiden bit his lip in worry.

"He seems terrified" he said.

"That's Mikey all over" commented Raphael as he watched his baby brother fight the warrior "He doesn't realise how serious things are until he's faced with them"

He gritted his teeth seeing his brother fight the first round in the trails.

"Come on Mikey!" he said softly "Kick his butt!"

Mona clenched her fists and silently cheered Michelangelo on.

Splinter gritted his teeth and silently prayed for his youngest son.

"Remember all I taught you my son! Please remember what I taught you!"

"Come on little brother!" pleaded Leonardo and Donatello together as they shook their fists in anticipation.

Michelangelo swung his nun chucks and leapt around as he tried to avoid the bladed staff, he managed to whack the warrior in the chin and shoulder causing him to stumble backwards.

(The turtles and Mona cheered him on at that bit)

Michelangelo then leapt in the air to fly at the warrior but he lifted his staff and the blade caught his shoulder!

Michelangelo yelled in agony and fell head over heels onto the arena.

"Mikey!" cried the turtles and Mona "My son!" cried Splinter.

Raphael drew his sai and prepared to run into the arena to help his baby brother but Raiden stopped him.

"We cannot interfere!" he said.

"What!" cried Raphael "That's my baby brother!"

"I wish we could interfere but it's the rules!" said Raiden "You will face terrible punishment if you break any of the tournament rules!"

Raphael growled but Splinter held his cane up to shook his head.

"Raphael" he said "Listen to him!"

Raphael looked back at Michelangelo who was bleeding from the shoulder but he got up before the warrior could attack him more and did a round house kick at the warrior causing him to fall backwards.

Michelangelo then ran up and before the warrior could use his staff on him, Michelangelo kicked it away and pinned him down placing his nun chuck over his throat.

The warrior was shocked but he was so dazed he couldn't push Michelangelo off him.

Shang Tsung then clapped his hands.

"Michelangelo wins" he announced.

The turtles, Splinter and Mona cheered and Raiden smiled.

Michelangelo grinned then stood up and got off the warrior who pulled himself to his feet.

Michelangelo then showed respect for his opponent by bowing to the warrior who looked up at Shang Tsung with terror!

Michelangelo wondered what he was looking so scared at until suddenly the warrior's soul was pulled out of him in a green essence form!

The Warrior screamed in agony as his soul was ripped out of him then he fell to the ground and never moved again.

Everyone stared in horror at the scene that took place and Michelangelo yelped in shock.

Despite his bleeding shoulder he tried to walk back to his family but Shang Tsung clapped his hands.

"You must fight a second fight before you can join your family Michelangelo" he said as the body of the dead warrior was moved off the arena by two other warriors.

Michelangelo looked up at Shang Tsung, the colour had drained from his face at the sight he had seen and he didn't know who his next opponent was going to be.

"Understand this!" said Shang Tsung "If you do not kill your opponent, I will take their soul myself"

The turtles, Mona and Splinter looked at each other in shock and Michelangelo looked sick at the thought.

"I don't know what's worse" said Raphael "Being killed by your opponent or having your soul ripped out by that evil bastard"

"I can agree with you on that Raph" said Leonardo

"Yeah" said Donatello.

Splinter just shook his head in disapproval but he knew they had to follow the tournaments rules.

"Now" said Shang Tsung "Your next opponent" he clapped his hands and a large terrifying Tarkatan warrior appeared!

As it saw Michelangelo it snarled and gnashed its horrible teeth!

Michelangelo's heart beat faster and his stomach did several flips and he saw the Tarkaten snarl then make its blades appear out of his arms.

"This just keeps getting better and better!" said Leonardo sarcastically as the other's stared at the Tarkaten in horror.

Michelangelo swung his nun chucks and thought back to when he fought the foot ninja with blades.

He had become good at dodging attacks from swords and other bladed weapons but seeing this savage Tarkaten who drooled and snarled obviously hungry for his flesh made him wonder if he would be able to fight and not get a scratch.

"Come on focus Mikey!" he told himself as he gripped his nun chucks "Just stay calm and fight!"

"FIGHT!" he heard Shang Tsung shout.

No sooner did the sorcerer shout than the Tarkaten run at Michelangelo and start slashing the air with his blades.

The turtles and Mona gritted their teeth and grasped their hands in fear as they watched Michelangelo fight the bloodthirsty savage.

"Please be ok Mikey!" begged Mona "Stay focused!"

Michelangelo gritted his teeth in determination as he fought the Tarkaten, he managed to block its blades but he yelped in pain as the sharp blades caught his hands and arms when he failed to dodge them completely.

Mona cried out in fear as she saw Michelangelo get slashed a couple of times and Raphael hopped about a little as he tried to fight the urge to jump in-between the Tarkaten and his baby brother and stab the savage monster to death with his sai.

Leonardo and Donatello were also trying to fight the urge and Splinter was gripping his cane in worry.

"Focus my son!" he whispered "You can fight that monster!"

Everyone then cried out in horror as the Tarkaten kicked Michelangelo in the chest and sent him flying onto his shell.

"Mikey!" cried everyone in shock as the Tarkaten leapt on Michelangelo and opened its mouth drooling and growing.

Michelangelo screamed in terror but he saw his nun chuck still in his hand and held it up towards the Tarkaten who had its jaws open and wedged it between its upper and lower jaws!

Everyone cried out in shock as Michelangelo pushed the nun chuck against the Tarkatens open jaws and forced it to stand up.

"Whoa nice move Mikey!" cried Donatello.

"Yeesh!" said Raphael "That looks painful!"

Michelangelo pulled a face as he pushed the Tarkaten back smelling its nasty breath.

He then wrenched the nun chuck out of the Tarkatens mouth and swung his nun chuck around into its jaw with all his strength.

As he did the Tarkaten fell back with blood flying from its mouth and landed on his back.

Michelangelo stood still swinging his nun chucks and waited for it to get up again but it didn't.

Shang Tsung clapped announcing Michelangelo the winner then waved his hands about pulling the Tarkatens soul from its body.

Michelangelo grimaced as he saw Shang Tsung take the Tarkatens soul.

"Congratulations Michelangelo" said Shang Tsung "You have proved yourself strong enough to fight in the Tournament for the safety of Earthrealm"

Everyone cheered and Michelangelo instantly jumped off the arena to join his family and Raiden.

"Well done Mikey!" praised Leonardo.

"Great work little brother!" said Raphael as Donatello and Mona patted Michelangelo on the back.

Raiden and Splinter also praised Michelangelo.

"I got some band aids and medicine in my bag" said Donatello holding up a bag which he always carried around with him on missions "I'll get you patched up"

"Thanks Donny" said Michelangelo.

Shang Tsung floated down from his throne and stood before the turtles.

Raphael snarled at him seeing the Sorcerer come close to them. If there were no rules on the tournament he would have gone and impaled the sorcerer with his sai.

"Very good Michelangelo" said Shang Tsung "But now, it is time to test the next combatant"

The turtles eyes widened in fear wondering who the next one would be.

Shang Tsung smirked then turned his eyes to Monalisa.

"It was very rude of me" he said "But I wanted to see how the cocky one would act" he turned his eyes to Michelangelo who was being tended to by Donatello.

Raphael's stomach lurched as he saw the Sorcerer look at his mate with that evil smug smile.

"I should have said...ladies first" said Shang Tsung extending his hand in a presenting gesture to Mona then over to the arena.

Raphael growled and stepped towards Shang Tsung.

"Leave her alone you bastard!" he growled.

"Raphael!" said Raiden "You must abide by Shang Tsung's rules"

Raphael snarled but Mona turned to him.

"Raph...baby" she whispered cupping his face with her own "Please...calm down, I'll be ok"

Raphael grasped her shoulders "Mona..." he started to protest.

"Raph I'll be ok" said Mona "I promise" she leaned her forehead against Raphael's before kissing him passionately

"How touching" said Shang Tsung wrinkling his nose at the sight of the two lovers.

Leonardo growled at Shang Tsung, he was gripping his katana so tightly his knuckles were turning white.

After a few seconds Mona and Raphael slid away from each other's lips and Mona walked over to the arena.

"Good luck Monalisa" whispered Raiden as he hoped she would succeed in her trial.

Raphael started to fidget in fear for his mate but Leonardo stood near him and tried to keep him calm. Michelangelo started chewing his fingers in worry for his big sister, Donatello put his hands around his shoulders to calm him despite feeling worried himself and Splinter again gripped his cane in stress.

They all knew Mona was a capable fighter and very dangerous in fights with the Foot and the Purple Dragons but after what they witnessed earlier they were very worried.

Shang Tsung floated back to his throne as Mona took few deep breathes and took her bladed fans out of her belt as she prepared to fight her first opponent to determine her place in the tournament.

So Michelangelo was able to defeat his opponents and is worthy to fight in the main tournament!

But now it's Monalisa's turn! How will she do?

Find out the the next chapter!