Mel's POV (Flashback)
How in the hell did I get myself into this position? I mentally scold myself as I grip the iron bars of my cell tightly with both hands. The only thing I can remember is getting my ass handed to me by those 'invisible ninjas', then next thing I know I'm waking up here…wherever here is. A slight chill ran down my body and I glanced down at myself only to find my clothes were gone, leaving me in only my bra and knickers. The idea of some creepo stripping me while I was passed out made me shudder, but right now I got bigger things to worry 'bout.
The cell I was in was dark, beyond filthy and the air felt cold and damp. There was a metal bucket in the corner of the cell, which I assumed was what I had to use for a toilet…um, gross. The walls, floors, and ceilings were made out of stone. The doors to the cells were iron bars, which I've been trying to break for a while now. The lighting was crap, the only source of it being from the couple of torches that hung on the walls outside the cells, and the place reeked of sweat, urine and crap (literally!)
Man, this is the second time I've woken up in cell since I got to New York. At least I knew what I was getting into last time, but now…I ain't so sure what to expect. My eyes flicked over to the giant Foot symbols that hung on either side of the entrance and I frowned. What the hell does this Shredder dude even want with me?
Footsteps echoed from within the shadows of the entrance, and I sensed an evil aura approaching at an accelerated pace. A man emerged from the shadows and made his way towards me, two Foot ninjas trailing him obediently like a pair of dogs. He stopped in front of my cage and smiled at me, his dark eyes showing no emotion. I narrowed my eyes at him as he examined me.
"Amelia Fletcher, leader of the Crimson Dragons," he tilted his head to the side, his smile widening, before he bowed. "I am Oroku Saki, eighth generation ninjutsu master. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Screw you and your pleasantries, Shredder! Let me outta this cage now!" I snapped, a sudden anger exploding at the sight of him.
He stood tall, folding his arms behind his back. Anger flashed quickly in his eyes but he managed to keep the pompous smile on his face. "Hun wasn't lying; you do have quite a temper."
"Ya don't know anything 'bout me, Shredder," I glared at him, my grip tightening on the iron bars.
"Oh really?" He chuckled, an evil, bone-chilling sound, and leant down close to my face. "I know a lot more about you than you think, Tomoe."
"Well let's just say I know a lot 'bout you too, Shredder. Or should I call ya, Ch'rell?" I said, mirroring his smirk.
He appeared unfazed by the fact that I knew his true identity. "I see the rat has spoken about me. Well then, I suppose you should learn the reason why I brought you here. Tell me, where can I find the turtles?"
"What makes ya think I'm gonna tell?" I asked, letting go of the bars and folding my arms. If he thinks I'm gonna sell the turtles out then this douche has got another thing coming.
He stood straight again, "If you tell me where I can find them, I will tell you where to find the ones that murdered your sister."
My heart stopped. My arms fell back to my sides as I stared up at him in surprise. "You…you know where they are?"
"Of course," his smirk deepened. "Now all you have to give me is the turtles' location and I can promise that you will have your revenge. Isn't that what you've been craving ever since her death?"
I stared down at my feet, frowning slightly, clenching and unclenching my fists. "No."
"No?" He repeated. "Hmm, this is quite unusual for someone with a reputation such as yours. I assumed you would want nothing more than make the people responsible pay for killing the only family you had."
He was right. I did want revenge…at first. I wanted nothing more than to hunt my old gang members down and make 'em pay for what they had done. I wanted 'em all to suffer, just like I had suffered, but killing 'em ain't gonna bring Lizzy back. No matter how much I want it to. The only things I have now are the turtles', and I ain't gonna give up their location. I refuse to let them die 'cause of me!
I folded my arms across my chest and looked Shredder in the eye. "I'm not telling ya where the turtles' are."
His expression darkened, causing my blood to run cold. "Hun told me you were strong, but I can't help but wonder just how strong you actually are."
He signalled to the two ninjas behind him and they nodded simultaneously. My cell door was unlocked and pushed open. I backed up but they swiftly grabbed my arms and dragged me from my cell, following their leader down the hall.
"Let us find out just how strong you truly are," Shredder said, and I could tell he was smiling by the pleasure in his voice.
"And how are ya planning on doin' that, Tin-Teeth?" I grunted as I tried freeing my arms from the ninjas' iron grip.
Shredder stopped and turned to me with a sadistic smile. He leant down into my face, "I'm going to see how long it takes for me to break you."
Shredder hurled me roughly against the wall. The breath was forced from my body, and I let out a cry that filled the quiet room. I felt the flat pain of the stone in my back and slumped down onto the floor, my whole body throbbing. My vision clouded, my head suddenly heavy and weak. I saw Shredder's armoured legs stop in front of me, my own beaten reflection staring back at me.
For twenty-six hours, maybe more, I've been trapped in a tiny room with this…monster. My blood covered his knuckles and was splattered across his armoured chest. My eye was already beginning to swell close and my mouth had filled with blood yet again. He keeps screaming in my face as he hits me, trying to get me to squeal on the turtles'. It ain't gonna work though. I'm used to getting beaten. I can handle this. I will get through this without breaking.
He crouched in front of me and grabbed a fistful of my hair. He forced me to look at him as he spoke. "I must say I'm impressed. Over twenty-four hours has passed and you haven't uttered a word. You really are strong. But no matter, I have plenty of time to change that."
His helmet covered his face, but I knew he was smiling. All I could see were his eyes, which were currently dancing with amusement.
The door behind me groaned loudly as it was opened and I heard the shuffling of feet entering the room. Shredder glanced at the ones interrupting his 'fun' before turning his attention back to me.
"Seems our session has come to an end for now. But don't fret; I will come for you in a few hours' time," he chuckled to himself before dragging me to my feet by the hair. He threw me back and I was caught by two Foot ninjas', though their uniforms were different than all the others. "Take her back to her cell then report back to me."
"Hai, Master Shredder," the two ninjas' said and bowed simultaneously.
Their grip on my arms tightened, for they now had to pretty much carry me back to my cell since I was a little wobbly from the beating I just took. I glanced between the two of 'em as they lead me back down through the winding hallways. From what I gathered, they were both female. They both wore black skin-tight suits which were barely visible due to the armour that covered their chests, shoulders, forearms, and legs. Long, hooded black capes were pulled up over their heads, and metal face plates covered their mouths and noses, allowing only their eyes to be seen.
Back to my cell, the door was yanked open and I was thrown to the ground. I grunted silently as I made contact with the stone, and even though my body ached, I pushed myself up and glared at the pair.
"What the hell are ya staring at?!" I snapped as their green eyes watched me curiously.
They glanced at one another then back to me. One of 'em shook their head and turned away, walking back down the hall. The other one lingered. Her eyes seemed to be sympathetic as she crouched down and gripped the iron bars.
"Are you in much pain?" Her voice was soft and quiet.
I laughed bitterly at the woman, "Well I just got the crap kicked outta me, so yeah, I'm in friggin' pain."
Her eyes widened slightly before softening, "I apologize. I suppose it was a silly question."
My arms were shaking, finding it difficult to hold my weight, as I pushed myself into a sitting position. I rested my back against the wall, the coolness from the stone giving slight relief to the throbbing bruises which now covered my skin. The woman still watched me and it was becoming extremely irritating.
"What the hell are ya still sitting there staring at?!" I growled at her but she seemed completely unfazed. "This ain't a zoo, ya know! I ain't some animal here to entertain ya!"
Silence. More staring.
Somehow I was on my feet, screaming vicious threats at her, my knuckles white from gripping the iron bars so tight. She had jumped back from the cell, startled by my sudden outburst. The woman muttered something beneath her breath, shook her head, and turned on her heel and walked away.
I was left alone.
A week had passed since I was taken. Every day was the same routine. I would be woken up with a kick to the ribs, or shocked by the shock collar that Shredder had placed 'round my neck on day three. A leash would be attached to my collar and I was forced onto my hands and knees like a dog while they dragged me to our usual 'interrogation room'. Once there I knew I was in for hours of pain and torment. I would scream, curse, and struggle, but Shredder didn't even flinch. He just punished me whenever I spoke.
Once Shredder decided he had had enough 'fun' for the time being, I was dragged back to my cell, barely breathing, with two guards standing by my cell. Every time I would begin to fall asleep I was quickly woken by the guards, either by screaming, rattling the iron bars, or using the shock collar. The shock collar seemed to be the popular approach.
Food would appear sometime throughout the day. Plain white rice and a bottle of water. It was always cold, and mushy. I imagine that it's what glue tastes like. At first it was disgusting, but 'cause I was hungry I forced myself to eat it, and keep it down. It was always hand delivered by one of the two female ninjas' I had encountered the second day of my arrival. I had since learned their names; Karai and Rena. Karai would throw the food at my feet, observe me silently, and then leave. Rena…she was a different story. She would place the food in my hands and sit outside the cell door, watching me as I ate. She would speak to me, though I usually didn't listen. I didn't wanna hear anything these people had to say. I would yell at her to stop, and then threaten her, but she continued to speak. I wasn't sure if this was one of Shredder's tactics to try and break me, or if this woman simply loved the sound of her own voice; either way I forced myself not to listen.
Today was different however. Today Shredder seemed even angrier than usual. He had no time for any of my nonsense and he made sure I knew it. His finger slammed down on the red button once again and I screamed out in pain. I rolled 'round the ground, shaking violently and convulsing from the powerful electric volts that went shooting throughout my body. Blinking away the tears, I stared up at him through hazy eyes. Something was different today. There was no enjoyment in his eyes today. No taunting laughter.
Now, I was scared.
He paced the tiny, barely-lit room, eyes glued to my bloodied form crumpled in a ball at his feet. He stopped by the wall and ran his clawed hand down the stone, creating sparks.
"My patience is wearing thin," he growled, ripping his hand away from the wall. "I will give you one final chance to tell me where the turtles' are; otherwise I will put an end to your miserable life."
"Do it then!" I growled back, just as angry. "You've been threatening to kill me every time ya see me! So hurry up and get it over with! Come on! Don't be a pathetic coward! Ya might as well kill me 'cause I ain't even gonna tell ya where they are!"
A scream erupted from my mouth as his finger slammed down on the remote control. My body thrashed violently as his finger remained glued to the button. Seconds, which right now felt like minutes, passed before he lifted his finger from the control. My body went limp and I struggled to breathe. Shakily, I craned my neck to watch Shredder as he circled me.
"How many times do I have to tell you?!" He snarled as he grabbed me by the neck and slammed my back hard up against the wall. "Never speak to me disrespectfully, filth!"
"Fuck. You." I spat in his face, the blood from my mouth splattering across his polished kabuto. He slapped me hard across the face with his free hand then threw me across the room. He stormed towards me and kicked me in the ribs, knocking me onto my side. He stood there, shaking, his hands clenched into fists by his sides. Despite the crippling pain, I managed to roll onto my back and I laughed. I dunno why I laughed, I just…did.
Shredder was not amused.
"You think this all some big joke?!" He spoke more to himself in a low, almost demonic, voice. "Well then, allow me to show you just how funny I can be!"
Within an instant, his entire demeanour had changed. I was on my feet, an iron grip on my left wrist. Shredder stared at me. I stared back, now afraid of what he was gonna do.
"That mouth of yours is going to be the death of you. Perhaps I should sew it shut for you," he mused, running the tip of his claw lightly across my lips. I jerked my head away but he grabbed my chin roughly. I avoided his gaze, trying to avoid the intensity of his glowing eyes.
"Look at me, human," he commanded.
When his fingers pressed harder into my flesh, I had no choice but to look at him. Gritting my teeth, I watched as his eyes glistened with amusement.
Running my tongue across my bottom lip, I forced myself to ask the one question I've constantly wondered. "Why didn't you kill me sixteen years ago?"
He tilted his head slightly to one side before looking away, "Why, indeed."
What the hell does that even mean?
"You know what's sad?" He asked, turning his attention back to me. "The fact that while you're here, protecting those disgusting reptiles-" his grip on my wrist tightened "-they're sitting at home, not even wondering where you are."
"You're wrong," I said, though it didn't come out as confidently as I had hoped.
He hummed in amusement, "Might I remind you that I have Foot soldiers on patrol every night, and there have been no signs of turtle activity." He brushed a stray strand of hair from my eyes and leant down close to my face. "They don't care about you, Amelia. They never have. You're nothing but a worthless human to them. An inconvenience. A troubled teen that had nowhere else to stay."
I tried blocking out his voice. He was just toying with my emotions! The turtles' care about me. They're out looking for me as we speak…aren't they?
"They wouldn't go through all this torture just for you, which makes me wonder why you're suffering for them. Of course, I'm not complaining that you have yet to give me any information. I do love a challenge, and you, my dear, have been quite challenging."
I gritted my teeth and squeezed my eyes shut. Don't listen to him. He's a manipulative psychopath that's just trying to get me to break.
"Speak," he commanded.
I ignored him.
He grabbed the back of my hair, forcing me to look at him. "Say something, mutt."
Narrowing my eyes, I moved closer towards him 'til my face was inches from his. "When I get outta this – and I will – I am gonna hunt you down, and gut you like a fucking deer."
My voice was slow and deadly. Each word laced with venom. Shredder pulled back slightly, and I saw a hint of surprise flash quickly in his eyes, though he swiftly recovered. I was slapped hard across the face, thrown to the ground, kicked, and then shocked.
"You just never learn, do you?" He growled, kicking me in the ribs. "Looks like I'm going to have to be a little firmer in my punishments."
He banged his fist against the door and in entered Karai and Rena. They bowed obediently, briefly glancing at my convulsing form in the middle of the floor.
"Stand her up," Shredder commanded, pointing to me.
The two bowed and dragged me to my feet. My legs wobbled beneath me and I heard the women grunt as they attempted to hold my weight. Shredder began circling me.
"That temper of yours…that's what got your sister killed, no?" He asked in a slow, calm voice.
My eyes widened before I snarled at him, "You're wrong!"
"Am I?" He chuckled menacingly. "So you didn't get angry at her? You didn't scream and yell at her?"
"Well, yeah, but…"
What was happening? Why was he saying all of this? I didn't understand.
"Admit it, scum. Your temper is what killed the only family you ever had. If you hadn't gotten angry then your sister would still be here!"
I shook my head violently side-to-side. I began to cry, and I didn't bother wiping away the tears. I wanted to yell and scream, curse him out, tell him he was wrong…but he wasn't. There was no denying that I got Lizzy killed. And all 'cause I couldn't control my temper.
"Tell me, what's it like knowing that you're sister died thinking that you didn't love her?"
"No! S-she knew I loved her!" I yelled.
"Did she?" He stopped behind me, rested a hand on my shoulder and whispered in my ear, "How often did you tell her that?"
My head dropped, making my hair block my face. I felt tears slide down my cheeks as his words sunk in. I couldn't handle the emotion that filled me at the realization that I rarely told my sister that I loved her.
"Judging by your sudden silence I'm going to assume you didn't really tell her that you cared," I could hear the smirk in his voice. "Such a pity. From what I've heard, the two of you had a pretty vicious fight before she died. Now I'm curious…what was the last thing you said to her?"
My chest tightened as that nights' events replayed over and over again in my head. Shredder moved 'round 'til he was in front of me. He tilted my chin up, but this time I didn't fight him.
"Tell me, Amelia. Tell me what the last thing you said to her was."
"I hate you…" I whispered, my voice trembling. "I said 'I hate you'."
Then it hit me full force. That was the last time I saw her alive. Lizzy died thinking that I was mad at her. She died thinking that she was a burden to me. I just realized that the last time I saw her, my last words weren't 'I love you'. My last words to her were 'I hate you'. My knees buckled and I fell to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.
"You have a funny way of showing your love," he chuckled, purely amused by the whole thing. "Is this why you decide to hide your tattoo?"
Rena and Karai pulled me back onto my feet. Shredder held my forearm roughly, running his thumb along the red dragon permanently inked into my skin.
"You're ashamed of this, no? Does it remind me you of that night?"
I gave a small nod. He nodded too and I noticed him grabbing the hilt of his sword he kept on the lower half of his back.
"I bet it reminds you of that fact that your sister died because of your temper. And all the terrible choices that you made. And because of your lifestyle, the one you dragged her into…"
The women tightened their hold on me. Shredder ran his hand down my arm before firmly taking hold of my wrist.
"It's funny how something so miniscule can cause you to remember so much." He slowly slid his blade from its' sheath and raised it above his head.
"W-wait, what are you…what are you doing?" There was no hiding the fear in my voice as I tried ripping my wrist from his grasp.
"I'm going to make you remember," Shredder whispered sadistically.
My eyes grew wide. "Remember what?"
"That I'm the one who finally broke you."
As soon as those words left his lips, his katana came slicing through the air. Next thing I knew, my left arm was gone.
(End flashback)
My eyes shot open and I gasped loudly, my entire body drenched in sweat. Sitting up quickly, I noticed I was wrapped up in bed…my bed. For a moment I thought that I had just had some sick, crazy-assed nightmare about the Shredder, but the pain that erupted throughout my body made it very clear that it was not just a nightmare. It was real. I glanced down at my left arm and I felt like crying. The only thing that stopped me was the slight mumble from beside me.
I jumped as my eyes took in the sleeping form of Mikey, who was sprawled out on the mattress next to me. Drool spilled from the corner of his mouth onto my other pillow he was using and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.
"Oh, you're awake."
I almost crapped myself when I heard a voice from the doorway. Leonardo stood by the door with his arms crossed, a warm smile on his beak. He took a few steps into the room, flicking the light switch on as he entered. I blinked and rubbed my eyes as I adjusted to the harshness of all the lights.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Like I got the crap kicked outta me," I said with a small, pained smile. "How long have I been out?"
"Three days," Leo smiled and looked over at Mikey's sleeping form. "They never left your side."
"They?" I repeated, cocking my brow. It was only when I looked over that I realized that there were two other turtles' asleep in my room. Donnie lay on the floor beside me and I noticed his hand gently resting on top of mine. In my computer chair sat Raph. His feet were propped up on the computer desk, his arms dangled loosely by his sides, and his head hung at an odd angle over the back of the chair. He looked as far from comfortable as ya could get.
I smiled in disbelief. That fact that they cared enough to stay by my side for three days made my heart flutter. So they really did care.
"Are you in pain?" Leo crouched at the end of my mattress, his brown eyes filled with concern. "I can go fetch some medication to help ease the pain."
I shook my head, "Nah, I'm good. Thanks."
Kay, so I wasn't all that good. Truthfully, my entire body ached. My head ached, my limbs ached, hell, my bones ached! But knowing that I'm back in the lair, away from the Shredder, and having the turtles' beside me…it made the pain bearable, even if it was just for a moment.
"Alright, but if you need anything just call me," Leo smiled and tucked the end of the blanket 'round my feet. He stood and made his way back to the door.
Sighing, I relaxed back into the pillow. My eyes suddenly became heavy and I wanted to bury myself deep into the warmth of the blanket and never wake up. My pain seemed to subside as comfort took over my body. After being captured by Shredder I was forced to sleep on the ground, and every night the stone would send chills shooting up and down my body. Hell, I can't even remember how many nights I had to sleep like that.
After losing my arm, I began losing track of the days. To be honest I didn't really care. I didn't really care about anything anymore. Food would continue to come but I'd never eat it. Guards would stop by my cell, mainly Rena, and try get me to speak, but I never did. The fear of sleep became too much to handle, so I remained awake for the most part. I had become an empty shell; huddled in the corner of a cell, patiently awaiting death. I feared that Shredder had succeeded in breaking me, but now that I'm here…I fear he's only made me stronger.
Closing my eyes, I pulled the blanket up to my chin, smiling. Oh, yes. Sleeping in a bed has never felt so good.
"Mel."
I opened my eyes to find Leo still standing in the doorway. He smiled warmly, "Welcome home."
Home.
I was home.