-Turtle Prime-
Karai knew by now she was no match for the Turtle Primes. They were too fast - it was like they were everywhere at once. Blurs of gray that blended in with their drab environment. She did her best to defend herself, but couldn't get a hit in very often. Having grown up watching her father, the Shredder, practice his ninjutsu, she knew when she saw someone as skilled as him. She supposed these turtles weren't too far off.
She hadn't stopped moving since the turtles had engaged her in battle, and it felt like it had been for hours. She kept running, pushing herself forward, but she felt dizzy and light-headed. Her energy was almost completely gone.
Karai jumped and started climbing the side of a building, but Raphael leapt up and pulled her off by her feet. She dropped to the ground and felt the wind get knocked out of her. Leonardo Prime struck at her with her sword but she rolled away and stumbled back to her feet.
"Where has the cockiness you came here with gone?" Leonardo Prime. "All I see now is fear!"
Donatello Prime vaulted in front of her and Karai skidded to a stop. He swung at her and she blocked it. She tried to punch him but he caught her arm and pulled it behind her back. Karai gritted her teeth - hoping he wouldn't push hard enough to break her arm. She wasn't so lucky. Donatello pushed harder and harder and Karai bit her lip against the stinging pain. Any second now...
As the pain became worse and worse, all Karai could see was a blurred Leonardo Prime sneering at her pathetic position. She had come to this dimension imagining herself defeating the Primes with ease, but it all came out so backwards. She finally couldn't stand the increasing pain and embarrassment anymore and cried out.
Then, it all stopped. Donatello's arms, which had been firmly holding hers, went slack and his grip slid away. Karai instantly pulled her stinging arm away and turned just in time to see Donatello's expression go still as he slumped and tumbled to the ground.
"What the - ?" Karai asked, as the other Primes rushed forward to help their brother. She looked down at the turtles, panicked and scarred for their brother, the fearful warrior having completely gone from them. It seemed they had completely forgotten about her. She was in the perfect position to attack. There was already a wakizashi sword ready in her hand, the turtles were distracted...
...And yet, she couldn't do it. Looking down, especially at Leonardo Prime with his concerned expression, she saw the 2012 turtles rather than the Primes. She didn't know why, but these turtles felt familar to her, like they weren't as different from the 2012 turtles as it seemed. Nevertheless, Karai swallowed and prepared herself for what she needed to do. She imagined her father in this position - he would destroy the turtles instantly. It was right, as Hamato Yoshi had so horribly wronged him and his disciples didn't deserve to live just by being associated with him.
With that, Karai raised her sword, took a deep breath, and struck.
She had tried to hit Michelangelo Prime, right on the head, but was shocked at how fast he moved, without warning. Her sword grazed his shoulder and he jumped to his feet and slammed her away. At that moment, Leonardo and Raphael helped Donatello to his feet. The turtle rubbed his sore head. "Man, it was like I died for a second."
Michelangelo Prime's eyes widened at that statement. "Uh, Donatello..."
Donatello was still coming to his senses. Slowly, his half-closed eyes snapped wide open as the impact of what had just happened hit him. He stumbled backwards, suddenly off-balance. Karai came in for another attack, so before the turtles could discuss anything they ran back into battle, leaving Donatello to recuperate.
Donatello's bo staff, which Leonardo had handed back to him when he'd woken up, dropped to the ground. "...Someone died!" Donatello announced to the night. All of the sudden, the world seemed much more gray. "A Donatello died..."
Battle raged in front of him, full of groans and white eyes and the silvery flash of weapons. Donatello Prime felt something deep inside himself change.
"...For me."
-In the Technodrome-
Krang continued to struggled against the chains binding him. He sneered at the members of his species surrounding him, as if remembering a joke only he was in on. "Come on, guys!" he said as if speaking to old friends. "Let me in on this. When are you going to kill me?" He laughed, high-pitched and gurgly.
"Krang has abandoned Krang's kind to such an extent Krang has lost the Kraang's way of speech. It is disgraceful to speak in the way of humans."
"It was you who abandoned me!" Krang shouted, suddenly furious. His purple eyes, a deep contrast to the green of the other Kraang, stood out more now. Shredder forced himself not to grin like an idiot as he remembered a time when he had gotten Krang riled up and had pointed out that his red, angry face brought out the lavender in his eyes. Was this really the same Krang from that day so long ago? He seemed so different now.
"What are you going to do?" Krang snapped, irritated that he was being ignored.
The Kraang exchanged glances. They wondered if they should tell Krang the truth. Then they looked up to Shredder87. Shredder had thought they hadn't known he'd woken up quite a while ago, but from the sneering, secretive expressions on the Kraangs' faces, he instantly knew he figured into their plan as well.
-1996 anime Dimension-
The Kraang had told Shredder12 over his earpiece that they'd recently located Turtle Prime but had suggested another dimension he should go to first, to assure his success against the turtles.
With that announcement, Shredder's expectations for this dimension were high. But he stepped out of the swirling pink portal to see a peaceful-looking valley. Green grass blowing lightly in the wind, a tall snow-covered mountain in the distance, pink cherry blossom trees scattered around. Shredder's breath caught when he realized this was Japan. He felt at home for the first time since beginning his pursuit of the 2012 dimension, at home in a dimension deep in the multi-verse.
There was just one thing off: a huge pile of gray stones in the field, like a blotch on a beautiful painting. It was obvious it was once a proud, tall building that had tumbled to the ground for some reason. Shredder12 assumed this was related to why the Kraang sent him here, so he began to walk towards the eerily silent ruins.
-in Dimension X-
"The one known as Shredder has been distracted," a Kraang in the Technodrome said, and the message was transmitted to every Kraang in Dimension X, including the millions fighting Tigerclaw and the ones in the prison facility where enemies of Kraang were kept.
"This is good for Kraang. The Shredder will arrive at Turtle Prime at a much later time than Kraang will. Whatever the Shredder gains in the dimension the Kraang have labeled the 'Dimension of Insanity' Kraang will be able to destroy him," another Kraang, one of a high rank, replied. This Kraang was stationed in the prison facility. Just after it finished transmitting the message, the lights above it flickered. Then there was a huge thud. The droid flipped around and as the lights dimmed, he made out the sillouette of a huge alligator with glowing white eyes.
"It is the monster known as Leatherhead," the Kraang said, shocked. The Kraang had known Leatherhead had mysteriously escaped his high-security prison cell a couple hours ago, but he'd been under the impression the other Kraang in the facility had the situation under control.
Leatherhead growled deep in his throat. "I am not a monster!" He launched at the Kraang, slashing and biting.
As the Kraang was feriously attacked, it caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure in the hallway outside, the size of an average human. However, before the Kraang could alert any of the others of its predicament or the strange figure, Leatherhead ripped it out of the robot body and chucked it at the wall.
-1996 anime dimension-
Shredder12 walked around the destroyed building, the blot on the calm landscape. It was obvious this building hadn't been destroyed very long and probably a few days ago had been tall and proud.
Shredder12, circling the ruins and trying to analyze what had happened and find whatever Kraang had wanted him to, didn't notice the shadowy figures jump out from the nearby forest. But he heard the plodding footfalls as they all began to charge him, and he flipped around. "Who are you?" he shouted.
The group, about fifteen or so people, was obviously made up of ninja. They were dressed entirely in black, and something about them seemed familar. Slowly, Shredder realized the odd ninja he'd battled in the Dimensional Gateway to get into the 1997 dimension had worn a ninja uniform identical to the ones these ninja wore. He'd been from this dimension.
The group wasn't slowing down, so Shredder let his long spikes snap out. All of the ninja stopped simultaneously, staring wide-eyed at the weapons. "Who are you?" Shredder asked again.
"We are the humble students of Hamato Yoshi!" snapped one ninja, and it took a minute for Shredder12 to realize he'd spoken in Japanese.
"Then where is Hamato Yoshi?"
"Ha! You'd think we'd tell you?" scoffed a female ninja -a kunoichi. She pointed directly at Shredder12, glaring daggers at him. "We recognize you. You are the Shredder, who battled us a few days ago, with an idiot blob named Kra'ang."
They must mistake me for another Shredder. "Oh, and was it I who destroyed this building?"
"No. The temple had been unstable for years. Luckily, most of us escaped when it collapsed, but when we came back to search for Kinzo-san, the turtles, and our Master Yoshi, they were gone. What did you do with them?"
Shredder12 didn't immediately answer. He looked around and took in all of the ninja, trying to figure out what they were planning to do with him. Their guilty eyes, glancing to each other and looking anywhere but directly at Shredder most of the time, revealed they were planning to attack him soon. But Shredder noticed something else. One ninja in the back, trying to blend in, was holding a shiny golden plate. It was obviously ancient but in extremely good condition. Which meant it was important.
"What did you do with them?" repeated the ninja. "Where are our friends?"
Shredder smiled as a plan clicked into place in his mind. "Hamato Yoshi, Kindo - "
"KINZO!" one ninja corrected him angrily.
"Kinzo. Yes. He and the turtles are all alive. I'll tell you where they are, on one condition. You need to hand over that golden plate to me."
"Never!" shouted the ninja in front, as well as the one holding the plate. The ninja in the plate clutched the golden artifact close to its chest and began to run, trying to get the plate as far away from Shredder12 as possible.
Shredder12 shrugged. "So be it." He ran straight through the group, shoving surprised ninja out of the way, and gave chase to the one holding the plate. The rest of the group ran after him, pulling out swords, bow and arrows, bo staffs, and all sorts of ninja weapons and engaging Shredder12 in battle.
-1997 dimension-
Donatello90 looked up from his many pages of notes, to the huddle of Leonardos a short distance away. The leaders, who had given up their rivalry after seeing how it could destroy the ones they cared about rather than save them, were planning out Shredder's defeat step by step, anticipating every outcome. It was amazing how their diverse personalities and ideas had so perfectly combined into one.
Donatello90 sighed deeply. He, along with the other Donatellos, was a little disoriented, still not over the affect Donatello97's death had had on them. There was a very sad mood in the Lair, perfectly mingled with the optimism that came with the group's new beginning. But all the 1997 turtles and Splinter97 were still very sad.
After a while, Donatello90 stood up. He turned to the other Donatellos. All of them, except Donatello96, were huddled in a group just like the Leonardos, and were discussing their notes. They had to talk loud to be heard over the Raphaels and Michelangelos sparring and practicing behind them.
"Attention, everyone!" Donatello90 shouted nervously. At once, all the groups dispersed and sat in front of the Donatellos. After Shredder had left, the Donatellos had begun to combine all their knowledge to figure out what the pain the turtles shared was. It was crucial for the turtles to understand it, for there could be a way to control it or use it to their advantage.
Donatello96 had been conversing with the other 1996 turtles in hushed whispers but stood up to join the other Donatellos in front of everyone else. Leonardo96 helped him get there, as Donatello96 had a bandaged foot due to an injury he'd sustained in the recent fight.
"We believe we've figured out why we all share eachother's pain and what it means," said Donatello90, the other Donatellos nodding beside him.
Donatello87 cleared his throat, directing the attention to himself. "Last time I was in the multi-verse, I met my new best friend, this tall, serious Donatello who at first seemed nothing like me. He helped me create the Portal Stick, something neither of us could have ever created on our own. It proofs that when we work together, we can all do amazing things. But there is a downside to this. We feel eachother's pain and we don't know why or how to stop it."
Donatello89 stepped forward and, while reading from a page of notes all of the Donatellos had combined, said,"We all know we only share our pain with the other turtles that have our mask color, such as Donatellos only feeling pain when one Donatello gets hurt."
"Get to the point!" growled Raphael13. "Every second we spend here is a second we could be using to pummel Shredder to a pulp!"
" - And we've only been feeling the pain since our team formed three days ago," added Donatello03. "But the new turtles we've recruited only start feeling the pain after we come to their dimension and meet them."
"Has it only been three days?" said Michelangelo87. "Mondo bizarro! I feel like we've been in this war for weeks, dude!" He looked down at the Trans-Dimensional Portal Stick he still carried around, even though the other turtles hadn't used it since it had become unstable after being damaged in the fan-fiction dimension.
Donatello12 spoke next. He stuttered, nervous to be talking in front of so many turtles. But when April stood up and held his hand, Donatello12 suddenly became perfectly calm. "I suggest that the reason we all only feel each other's pain after we meet each other is due to the fact that the multi-verse was never meant to be tampered with. We were each supposed to stay in our own world's. The multi-verse is fragile so it could have been damaged by our dimension-hopping. The dimensions have been colliding with each other as we leave our own and go into another. We may all be considerably different from each other but we are all essentially the same four turtles. Two or more Raphaels, or Donatellos, being in the same dimension - the same world - of course we are going to feel each other's pain."
"What do you mean?" asked Leonardo07, folding his arms.
Donatello07 looked at his brother Leonardo. "I'll explain the rest. What the other Donnie meant is that we feel each other's pain because we have brought so many dimensions together. The multi-verse doesn't know how to react. In our own dimensions, we are separate, but there are about ten Donatellos in this same place. We are all the same turtle to the mutli-verse and now that we've sort of damaged it, we feel each other's pain."
"There is so far no way we have found to control it or halt it," said Donnie C. "But we are ninety-nine percent sure the Shredder would feel pain as well if his counterpart were to be injured."
"The shared pain started directly after the first adventure through the multi-verse," interrupted Donatello03. "It was the first time the multi-verse had been tampered with. I think what started it was when the Turtle Primes were being killed by Utrom Shredder and we all felt their pain. That event scarred the multi-verse and it never healed. All this dimension-hopping now has worsened the problem. The shared pain has been around a month now and I'm sure the Turtle Primes, the turtles of my dimension, and the turtle Classics would have been feeling each other's pain even when were separated, but I guess none of us have been seriously hurt during the past month."
"But we have to go through the dimensions! We had to find Shredder and recruit other turtles. We needed all the help we could get!" argued Mikey C.
Donatello96, who had been silent so far, suddenly lit up and smiled. "Watashi wa sore o motte iru!" The other 1996 turtles looked at him in confusion, wondering what he was thinking of.
"What?" asked Donnie C, standing next to the anime turtle.
Donatello96 stepped forward. "You are right, Michelangelo. We need all the help we can get. And I know just how to get more help. It could mean the difference of defeat and success for us!"
-1996 anime dimension-
Shredder12 punched one ninja in the face as it came swooping down at him with a bo staff. The ninja was sent flying, slamming into the rubble of the ruined building and falling unconcious.
Shredder12 was inches away from getting the golden plate. Most of the ninja were knocked out and the plate was being passed between the ones still fighting, like they were playing monkey-in-the-middle.
"Give up, you fools!" shouted the villain, confident he was going to win. And he knew it was the plate the Kraang had sent him here for. A few minutes ago he'd asked the Kraang through his earpiece about the golden artifact.
"Kraang, did you send me here to get the golden plate? Will it help me succeed?
The Kraang had replied with "Golden Plate? ...Yes. The one known as Shredder needs it. Success will only belong to Shredder if the plate is captured."
Little did Shredder12 know the Kraang were only leading him on, stalling his arrival to Turtle Prime. They had no idea what Plate he was even talking about.
-in the Technodrome-
"Kraang are ready to go to the Dimension known as Turtle Prime," said one of the droids in the small room. "A portal is opened for Kraang to travel through."
"This is good for Kraang. The turtles will fall to the greatness of Kraang. The turtles will no longer be what is known as a hindrance to Kraang's plans."
"NO!" shouted Shredder87. He jumped to his feet. "You can't destroy them! We will all die! And it will be because of your stupidity!"
The Kraang ignored Shredder87. Another Kraang spoke,"If Kraang are correct, then the human known as April O'Neil is travelling with the turtles who have been trying to stop the one known as Shredder."
"Kraang are always correct. This is a situation known as a 'win-win' for Kraang. The turtles will surely arrive in Turtle Prime soon enough, and the human April O'Neil can be captured. Her being in possession of Kraang will greatly help Kraang's conquering of earth after the defeat of those known as the turtles."
"Listen to the Shredder, you imbuciles!" gurgled Krang. "I want to destroy the turtles of the dimension I have been cursed to live in for years, but there has to be a limit to this. The Turtle Primes are the source of all life in the multi-verse. I am the Kraang who knows the most about the mutli-verse and I don't even understand Turtle Prime! You, with your newfound knowledge, are rushing into things foolishly!"
"The time when the one known as Krang could advise the species of Kraang on Kraang's actions passed long ago. Krang is only a piece of Kraang's plan now and nothing more."
- Turtle Prime -
Karai was sure she come miles away from the area she'd arrived in. She was being as stealthy as she could, using the shadows of the alleyways and the pitch black sky to her advantage. The turtles were not far away from her though. Donatello and Leonardo were above her, leaping from rooftop and looking all over for her. Raphael and Michelangelo were on the ground, swiftly running without needing to stop to catch their breath.
Raphael Prime came right into the alleyway Karai was hiding in. His cold, white eyes pierced the darkness. Karai held her breath, even though she was exhausted and her breath had been coming in quick bursts. Raphael walked inches away from where she was, but by the time he was standing where she had been seconds before, Karai had pulled herself into another shadowy area in the fire escape and was slowly scaling the building to the roof.
"I know you are here!" shouted Raphael Prime. He roared and leapt onto the wall. There was no way he should have known she was there. She was hidden in darkness and hadn't made a sound, but somehow he landed right on top of her and made her tumble to the ground.
Karai panicked. She stumbled and ran out of the alleyway, only to meet up with the other three turtles. She didn't notice that their faces were no longer hard and determined, but gaping and staring in her direction. She just turned around and began to run, but stopped soon after once she saw the huge, pink, triangular portal sprouting open in the middle of the barren street.
"YOU FOOL!" shouted Raphael, letting off a string of swear words. "This is just like last month!"
The turtles' and Karai's eyes widened as they watched the Technodrome rumble through the portal, it bulging sides knocking down the two buildings on either side of it. The turtles turned and ran - halfway dragging Donatello Prime, who was still disoriented from Donatello97's death - while Leonardo Prime shouted,"We need to regroup and plan and plan an attack!" Just as the dozens of Kraang droids piled through the portal and around the Technodrome, Karai finally regained her senses and ran as well.
"You brought your death upon yourself!" a panicked Leonardo Prime shouted at Karai. "If we don't survive this, neither will you!"
- the 1997 dimension -
Donatello96 smiled, proud he was finally useful to this group. He felt smug at the look of anticipation on even Raphael03's face. The turtles who had called him useful many times before now were clamoring to hear Donatello96's idea. He savored the moment until the turtles began to shout at him.
"Come on, spill it!" growled Raphael90.
Donatello96 looked over at his close brothers, the 1996 turtles. "Anata wa oboete imasu ka? Inkurūdo Miyutaishi."
All at once, the three other 1996 turtles' eyes lit up with sudden revelation. "YES! Yes!" shouted Michelangelo96, jumping to his feet. "That's perfect!"
"What's perfect?" asked several other turtles simultaneously. A new energy had started in the group, pushing away the sorrow and desperation. It was hope. A feeling that hadn't been around this strongly since the first real fight three days ago, on a rooftop in the 2007 dimension where the turtles had been brutally defeated.
"But how will we get them?" asked Leonardo96, turning to Donatello96.
"How will you get what?" asked Leonardo12 impatiently.
Donatello96 smiled once again. "I think I've got an idea." He pointed to the damaged Trans-Dimensional Portal Stick. "We can use that to get to our dimension and get what we need."
"What?" Donatello13 shouted in shock. He dropped the screwdriver he'd been using to work on his Gravity Gauntlet."No way! That device is unstable now. The portals it conjures are too weak; you could end up anywhere but where you intended to go!"
"Talk about perforance issues!" snickered Raphael87.
Donatello13 towered over Donatello96 but the small turtle didn't back down. "Look," said Donatello96. "My brothers and I will go to our dimension with the Portal Stick. Just us. If we get lost, no big deal because apparently we're all useless like you say. But the rest of you need to stay here with the Portable Portal. If something happens you can use that. I know this fight is coming to the end, so we'll meet up with you in Turtle Prime."
Donatello13 didn't look he approved of this idea, but Leonardo87 stood up and said,"Speaking on behalf of all of the Leonardos, this is a good idea. Go ahead."
"Thank you!" Michelangelo96 cheered, grabbing the Trans-Dimensional Portal Stick away from Michelangelo87. "We won't disappoint, and we'll be back before you can say 'Cowabunga!'"
"Cowabunga," said Michelangelo87, rolling his eyes, right after the 1996 turtles had left.
-1996 anime dimension-
Shredder12 knocked the last ninja to the ground. The villain barely stopped himself from falling over himself, from sheer exhaustion. He hadn't expected these ninja to be such a challenge to defeat. The Hamato Yoshi of this dimension had taught them well.
After catching his breath, Shredder12 spared himself one more long look at the field, reminiscent of the Japan he remembered and missed. Then he leaned forward and snatched the golden plate out of the fallen ninja' hand.
He looked it over, wondering how this little thing could bring him power enough to defeat the turtles. Inlaid into the golden surface were four opals, formed into the shapes of raindrops and displayed each a different japanese character. There were spots for three more of the opals, but it looked like they had been removed somehow. Shredder12 flipped the plate over to look at the other side and found a mirror. At first he was disappointed, but upon looking at it for several seconds it began to glow with a strange light and more characters formed upon the surface.
After reading the words in his head, Shredder12 knew exactly what he needed to do. He was confident he would succeed. After fifteen years, Tang Shen would finally rest in peace knowing she'd been avenged by the man who really loved her.
"Kraang, I'm ready! Take me to Turtle Prime!"
Just as Shredder12 disappeared into the portal, the 1996 turtles arrived in the dimension. "Whew! We're still alive," said Donatello96. The journey through the portal had been pretty rough, though. He and the others looked up and were shocked by what they saw. They gaped at the unconscious ninja strewn around the field. "What happened here?" asked Raphael96. He suddenly felt empty.
Leonardo96 shook his head. "Shredder's been here recently. But we can't do anything about that. Come on, we have to contact Crys Mu and get the mutastones."
-Turtle Prime-
"No more running!" Leonardo Prime shouted, sliding to a stop. He turned and faced the approaching army of Kraang and the huge Technodrome. He had no idea how he was going to face this and if he would survive but at least he knew he wanted to go down fighting if it came to that.
His brothers nodded. Michelangelo Prime ran straight into the Kraang, becoming a blur as he attacked and dodged their bullets. The Technodrome shot at Raphael Prime but he ducked (the missile hit the building behind him and set it aflame with a huge blast) and then ran to join Michelangelo.
Donatello shook himself, trying to recover from his lingering disorientation, and joined his brothers in the hopeless battle against the countless Kraang.
Leonardo Prime turned to Karai. "This is it. Decide which side you are on."
Karai sighed. "I guess I'll help you. I don't know if you were lying when you said everyone in the multi-verse dies if you four turtles do, but I'm not taking my chances. Besides, I don't think I'm a match for you yet."
Leonardo smirked. "Maybe you would have had a better fight with us if you actually were sure you wanted to kill us. I could tell you didn't want to, really." He turned and ran into the opposing army before Karai could process what he'd said.
A few miles away from the growing invasion, Shredder12 stepped out of a portal. He looked down at the golden plate in his arms. "Finally, it is time."
There was a loud noise, like the sound of an explosion. Shredder decided the direction it came from was as good a place as any to start looking for the turtles and so he began to run towards it.