Chapter 22: Rap Up
The Rat King stumbled across the sea of junk - confused, eyes wild, the screaming in his mind drowning out everything else. Flee! All his instincts, and at the moment that was all he had, were telling him to get as far away as possible as quickly as possible. He was stumbling blindly, paying very little attention to his surroundings, and finally the inevitable happened. He fell.
Sprawled on the debris littering the dump, he looked up. The screaming in his head was gone. In its place, just a howling emptiness. A complete absence of sound, thought, anything.
A figure stood nearby. The rat. Splinter. The Rat King automatically reached out with his mind to command Splinter, but it was like bouncing off an invisible shield around the Turtles' sensei. Splinter merely stood watching him.
He became aware of another figure standing next to Splinter. No, not quite standing. Floating slightly off the ground. Insubstantial, ever so slightly see-through.
Lawrence Hynten.
"Wha- What...?" As the Rat King gasped incoherently, Splinter looked to the left, apparently at Hynten, not at all perturbed by the Rat King's hallucination. If that was what it was. Could he see it too?
"It's over..." said Hynten in his comfortingly gravelly voice. "Let it go."
"Let... What are you...?" The Rat King struggled to his feet and pointed wildly, Splinter regarding him again calmly. "You are gone...! You're dead...!"
"Yes," said Hynten serenely. "But my nephew is not. Let him go. Let him live."
The Rat King in the body of Bryan Bryant snarled, gasping with the effort of holding onto his host. "Never...! Ugghhh... Never...!" He bowed his head and crouched down near the ground to overcome the wave of nausea he felt.
When he looked up again, Hynten was gone. So was Splinter.
"Your shoelace is undone..." said April quietly. "Kinda ironic."
The Foot ninja did not reply. He just continued binding her, with what she felt was excessive thoroughness, to one of the warehouse's load-bearing posts, but as he moved behind her to wind more rope she was sure he did glance briefly at his feet. April smiled, weakly - It had been more to distract herself than anything else. She really wanted to think about pretty much anything other than their plans for her future... or lack of one.
"You can't hand her over to people like that," said Jake, breaking the tense silence that had ensued after Matt's brutally honest forecast of what was going to happen to their prisoner. "You just... can't."
"Seconded!" cried April as the last knots were pulled tight, a slight tremor in her voice betraying her growing dread. She writhed uncomfortably, unable to turn her head properly with some of her hair trapped under a loop of rope.
"I think you'll find that I can," Freddy said in a tone that promised danger.
"Don't I get a vote?" April demanded. "Hey, Freddy - I'm talking to you!" One of the masked ninja turned back to her, and she reacted with dismay as yet again a strip of duct-tape was pressed over her mouth.
"It stays on this time," he said quietly. Quick and efficient, he then tied a spare bandana over her eyes as a blindfold. "Any last words...?" he taunted. "Ha, too late, I suppose."
At a gesture from Freddy, who may or may not have heard, April's tormentor - It was Mister I got no orders again, of course - went outside to join the others on guard.
Free of the controlling influence of the Rat King, in his confusion Chief Sterns had gone off for a little aimless wander, and the remote control slipped from his hands and hit the ground. Those among his subordinates who weren't similarly affected looked at each other, baffled.
"What's going on...?"
"What's up with the Chief...?"
"I dunno... I wonder if he's having one of his... You know..."
"Yeah... What was that...? Nervous exhaustion, I heard..."
"It's been coming for years..."
Irma and Todd slipped away, as apparently no one had any intention of stopping them. They cautiously went through the gates into the junkyard, and hurried over to the Turtles.
They had been checking Whiskers was all right, and straightened up as Irma and Todd came in. A delighted reunion ensued. Hugging, slapping of backs, elaborate handshakes and lots of delighted voices talking over each other.
"So, what happened to the rat guy...?" asked Irma. She looked round hurriedly, shivering, and noticed the scattered Mousers for the first time. "Uh... There aren't any real ones around here, I hope..." She looked at Whiskers. "Uh, no offense. I don't mean you."
"Don't worry... These guys saved our lives..." Donatello explained, indicating the deactivated Mousers.
"I might 'a known you had something to do with it..." Irma said with a smile.
Turning to Leonardo, Raphael said "So, Master Splinter's back... You were right, Leo... And, you know what, I'm glad you were right."
"Anybody got a tape recorder...?" Leonardo asked. Raphael grinned and tried to put him in a headlock. Leonardo, grinning too, fought his way free easily enough.
"So, I said Wise men say, forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza..." Michelangelo was telling a bemused Todd.
"Y'know, guys, I feel like there's something we've forgotten," Raphael pondered.
"Yeah, I know what you mean..." Leonardo agreed. The two of them looked at each other, and their expressions changed together. The same alarmed look crossed both their faces. That same instant, they both set off at a run.
"...Hey, it was really nothing..." Irma was fielding questions about the events in Holland Square from an amused Donatello. "After what she said earlier, it was easy to work out what to do."
Donatello nodded. "What who said...?"
Raphael and Leonardo hurtled past, Michelangelo right behind them, and Leonardo grabbed Donatello and pulled him along. "APRIL...!"
"Where are we going, Leo...?!" Raphael demanded.
"After that Freddy guy!"
"He's got too much of a head start!"
"We have to try!"
Splinter blocked their way. The Turtles all grinned and all started to speak at once, gabbling. Their sensei silenced them with a raised hand. With the support of his stick, he moved over to Whiskers where he was still slumped on the ground.
"Hey..." Michelangelo said quietly. "Whiskers is smaller than he used to be..."
"He's regressing, Mike..." Donatello said even more quietly. "The mutagen is wearing off. Unlike ours, it only had a temporary effect..."
"Right... Yeah..."
Becoming aware of the new presence, Whiskers slowly raised his head. In a moment of silent understanding, he and Splinter seemed to reach an agreement.
Splinter helped Whiskers to rise, and the younger rat seemed to take strength from their contact. They started talking to each other in low voices, and the Turtles didn't pry into what they were saying. They just stood ready.
Their sensei turned to them, an arm around Whiskers' shoulder. "You know what you must do...?" inquired Splinter gently. Whiskers struggled to reply, and in the end, he just nodded. He closed his eyes and concentrated.
He seemed smaller than he had been even a few minutes ago. The Turtles had known their new friend for such a short time and it was painful to realize they might be losing him already.
His body jolted, and his eyes flickered open. He had done it! Reaching out along the thin ethereal tendrils of the Rat King's astral thought wave network, he had found the mental link with the Turtles' friend. The link was fading, it was almost gone in fact, but there was still enough there for him to make some kind of contact...
The wave of emotions hit him like a hurricane in his mind, overwhelming him... April was condemned to a terrible fate, and her terror and anxiety were too much for him to cope with... His body buckled, and the Turtles all started forward to help him. Splinter waved them back.
Finding new reserves of strength, Whiskers stood. Had his brief contact been enough? He looked around the Turtles as if seeing them for the first time. He walked past them toward the gates of the yard, and each of them reached out to touch him. Just a simple gesture of support. He glanced again at each one in turn, and headed out of the yard.
"My sons..." said Splinter. "Why do you wait...? Follow him!"
The Rat King was still in control of one human body at least. Just about. Hanging on by his metaphorical fingertips. He staggered, falling every so often as he clambered over the piles of garbage, and finally ended up rolling down a slope until he reached the edge of the river.
The dank smell was overpowering, and that was bad news because Bryan was somehow using that sensory stimulation as a lifeline. He was slowly but ever more surely emerging from the depths of his own mind.
No!
The Rat King had been in existence for millennia... It couldn't end like this...!
Bryan looked up. He was back. He was in control of his own mind and his own body again. It felt strange. He needed a moment to get used to this...
Sirens. Sirens approaching. They reminded Bryan with a start that he was a fugitive.
He hurried to the water's edge. He would swim for it! Then he remembered. He couldn't swim...
The Rat King could...!
The what...? He felt a strange sensation as all the knowledge and experience of the Rat King evaporated in the space of a few seconds. He felt like something huge and important was looming over him, something... No. It was gone.
Bryan turned and raised his hands as the first cops clambered down the slope towards him. "Hands up!" they called unnecessarily.
The Turtles ran like never before - April was in real trouble, and there was no way they were going to let her down. Whiskers led them along the paths through the piled-up garbage, twisting and turning... Then along back streets, down alleys... If a building got in the way they would go up the fire escape, along the roof, and down again...
Half way across the city they went, never tiring, never faltering or if they did they quickly reminded themselves why they were doing this.
All the time Whiskers got smaller, as if his exertions were speeding up the process of de-mutation. When eventually their journey neared its end, he was back to where he started, and the Whiskers who finally turned to face them again was a rat. An ordinary rat.
Jake watched disconsolately as April twisted within her ropes, sobbing quietly through the tape. He had to do something, but what could he do?
"Vote...?" he said finally. "Yeah... vote. I vote no!" He glanced at Matt, who wouldn't meet his eye.
Freddy turned, and he had to think for a moment before he realised what Jake was talking about, so belated was the reply. He had a hint of a smile, and his voice was dangerously calm when he finally spoke. "You vote no? OK. Let's go with that. I vote yes. I think it's safe to say the others vote yes... That's four, so five yesses... Matt...?"
Matt wanted no part of this, and merely waved away the question. Freddy continued, steely, intent on making his point.
"That's one no. Five yesses. One abstains... Sorry, sorry..." Freddy held up his hands in a conciliatory gesture toward April, even though she couldn't see anything through the thick cloth of her blindfold. "Two no's, right...?" He looked grim as he turned back to Jake. "Yes still wins. Useful to know, in case this ever becomes a democracy..."
"He gets it," said Matt, trying to calm the situation.
They all turned as a sound was heard at the door, something banging lightly against it. Then the thud of a much heavier impact. "Is that them…?" Jake asked.
"A little early, but it could be..." Freddy said cheerfully.
"Doesn't feel right," said Matt quietly.
"And we just stand here...?" Jake mused, chewing his lower lip.
"That's the general idea," Freddy replied condescendingly, with a hint of warning in his voice.
"No way," Jake replied. "You'll have to get through me if you want her."
Matt's head snapped round as he realized things had just changed drastically. Perking up, April listened to see how he reacted - This was a surprise, and it stirred just the tiniest beginning of hope, but she really didn't like the odds very much.
Freddy smiled contemptuously. His eyes flicked briefly to the side. "Matt? How are your loyalties?"
Matt seemed to ponder this for a moment. He stepped forward, sword raised. "Just fine. Thanks for asking." The sword was pointed at Freddy.
"So, there it is," Freddy acknowledged. "Lucky I'm better than either of you, then..."
"Either, yeah..." said Matt as he started to move round Freddy. "But both together?"
Freddy's teeth showed in a savage grin. "Fine by me..." April shrank back against the post, really wishing she could get well out of the way of what was about to happen...
Freddy whistled, the pre-arranged signal to bring the other four in again from their guard duty. When several seconds passed without their arrival, his gaze flicked over to the doors. A staff was thrown with pinpoint accuracy across the warehouse, hitting him on the side of the head, and Freddy fell to the floor, knocked senseless. Donatello came rushing after it.
"April!" he called. She was blindfolded and facing away from him, but his voice prompted a tape-muffled squeal of delight.
Jake and Matt exchanged glances. Now what?
Donatello hurried over to April, as Leonardo and Raphael came in after him. He took the blindfold off, leaving her blinking. "April...! You really missed something there... I hit that guy from at least twenty feet away!"
"Hmm-mmmfff..." Mutely, she did her best to look suitably pleased about that.
The Turtles were ready for a fight as they advanced on Matt and Jake. Quickly though, both dropped their weapons and stood with their hands raised. "So, what are we gonna do with these guys...?" Raphael mused.
"Got a few ideas..." said Leonardo. "Thinkin'a opening it up to the floor."
"Mmmmmm-mmmfff...!"
That had been April's frustrated contribution, and Donatello moved a little closer to her. "Sorry, April, I didn't get that," he said, casually leaning with arm outstretched on the post she was tied to.
April shifted impatiently against the tight grip of the Foot's cruel bindings, and a sharp crease appeared in the duct-tape as her lips pressed together in annoyance. "Mmmmmmfff...?!" she demanded incredulously, and added, "Mmm-mmmm-mmmfff-mmmmmmm...!"
Donatello was still confused. "Maybe if I took the tape off..." he speculated.
"Mmmmm..." April considered, rolling her eyes. "Mmmfff-mmm?!"
Leonardo sighed impatiently. "OK... First, she said Over here, then Really...? Then Guys..." He stroked where his chin would be if he had one thoughtfully. "Or it might have been Don... Yeah, pretty sure it was Don... Get me out of this...!" He turned to April, as if for confirmation, but she just stared at him mournfully. "Actually, April, you're kinda good at that," he congratulated her.
"Ahhhh," said Donatello. "Thanks, Leo!" He turned to April. "Yeah, sis," he said approvingly. "Got yourself a party piece right there."
Despite her discomfort and increasing impatience, April splayed her fingers, the closest to a modest shrug her bonds would allow - It's a talent. Turning away, oblivious to her silent dismayed Really?!, the Turtles directed their attention back to their vanquished enemies.
Jake and Matt both tensed. "We tried to help her-" Jake began, prompting Matt to shoot him a Shut up! look. "Hey, ask her...!" he urged, frustrated, glancing over at April and becoming self-conscious as he realized she was looking back. "And... I really think she wants freed, y'know?" he berated them.
April nodded in agreement, all she could do with her mouth still taped, and Jake shook his head slightly at the thoughtlessness of her supposed friends... Oh yeah... The Turtles were teenagers - Once he realized that, suddenly a lot of things made sense.
"Well..." Menacingly, Raphael advanced a little on Matt and Jake, but his tone held more than a little of the sarcastic tone he used freely with hs brothers. "I'm pretty sure she didn't wanna be tied up like that in the first place!"
"Uh..." Focused on the point of Raphael's sai, very close now to his face, Matt dipped his head to the side ruefully. "Point taken." He made as if to move the blade a little away from him, but thought better of it.
"We didn't-" Jake stopped and rethought what he wanted to say. "I wanted to let her go. So did he."
"Mmmfffmmmmmm...?" April's tape-muffled interjection might have been some kind of confirmation, or it might just have been demanding their long overdue attention. Donatello returned to her with an apologetic look.
"Sorry, April," he said. "Say... Do you mind if I just try something...?"
She looked at him dubiously, the tape crinkling over her mouth again as calm resignation changed to worried bemusement. What was he...? Then she remembered the others had told her about weeks ago, just joshing, something about when they rescued Raphael and Professor Perry from the Foot's junkyard... Oh no...
"Cover them, Raph," said Leonardo. He shrugged. "I always wanted to say that." He looked round, and cringed. "Donny, no, don't."
Donatello was reaching for April's gag - Seeing Leo's reaction, she added her muffled plea to his, shaking her head - "Mmmf-? Mmm-mmmf-!"
Don wasn't to be dissuaded as he removed the tape carefully, as gently as he could and reasonably painlessly - April grimaced as it peeled away, and silently mouthed Ooooow... "I think I finally got the hang of that," he said, struggling to discard the silver strip as it persistently stuck to his fingers.
"You finally did," said Leonardo, genuinely pleased for him.
"Thanks, guys..." said April, and looked down at the ropes still holding her to the post in a none too subtle hint. "I said, uh, thanks, guys...!" she added pointedly. It was no good, their attention had wandered again. Almost resigned, she rested her head against the post and writhed awkwardly, trying to find the least uncomfortable stance the ropes would allow.
"Sorry, April!" As Leo started freeing her, Raphael stepped over the unconscious Freddy and prodded Matt with one of his sais.
"So, what about these reprobates?"
April twisted round to see past Leo. "Leave them, Raph...!" she called - Leonardo, having a tough time unraveling the coils of rope, shrugged as she gave him a What's taking so long? look.
"April…?" Raphael gaped in surprise.
Trailing ropes, she hurried over and moved the blade away from Matt with her still-bound hands. "Look, trust me, OK?" she said, as Leonardo caught up and finished releasing her - both Matt and Jake looked back and forth from April to Raphael, not daring to speak. "I know these two aren't angels, but I think they deserve a chance."
Raphael turned to them, intense. He stared at them for a moment, mouth twisting into a menacing grimace. "Why... I oughta..." He glanced back at April for a second, then back to them. "Sharpen up, guys," he said reluctantly. "That is your cue to leave, while you can!" Jake and Matt started, and moved away, astonished.
"Jake!" April called. He turned back. "You are kinda cute, for what it's worth," she conceded, toying with the coil of rope still in her hands. "Just sayin'."
Jake smiled, before remembering the urgency of his situation and backing away. Matt stayed only a moment longer, and shared a brief glance with April. Did she imagine it, or did he actually wink before he turned and left? What a nerve... Yeah, you already know you're cute...
With a mischievous smile, April turned back to the Turtles, finding them looking at her questioningly. "What...?" she asked, defensive. Problem? After what she'd been through, frankly, she could flirt with the less bad bad guys if she wanted to. Realizing she was still holding some of the rope she had been tied with, she threw it away in distaste.
A low groan was heard from Freddy where he lay on the floor. Picking up Donatello's staff, Raphael casually tapped him on the head again as he passed, before handing the weapon back to his brother. "I hope you know what you're doin', April."
"Y'know, Raph, they did make this whole thing just a little less horrible, so I don't think I'm going to regret doing them the same favor." The Turtles looked at each other, unconvinced. "Hey, you guys are all spiritual..." April chided. "You never heard of karma?"
"Uh... We're Turtles, not chameleons," replied Donatello.
"Anyway..." she teased, "Nice rescue, guys. Not the best I've ever had, but not bad either. Uh... Seven outta ten."
"I didn't know we were being graded," grumbled Raphael. His mood lightened as April gleefully threw her arms around his torso and held on tight.
"Well, if you want a better grade, show up before the nick of time, OK?" April turned to Leonardo. "Come on - Over here, fearless leader. Nobody gets outta here without a hug."
"Did you guys say something...?" Michelangelo appeared in the doorway, Whiskers nestled contentedly in the palm of one hand and holding one of the Foot guards upright with the other. He let the guard fall, and shrugged. "They don't make 'em like they used to."
There was something he had forgotten. Bryan Bryant adjusted his tie for the fifth time since he had put it on. He was a nervous public speaker – he knew that – but he always seemed to manage to pull it together. This time, for whatever reason, it felt different.
There was something he had forgotten. Bryan stepped up to the microphone. The press and dignitaries were assembled. His notes were in front of him. He knew what he was doing. He believed in his program. He was confident it was what the city needed. All the same...
At the back, near one of the exits, Chief Sterns stood with the Deputy Mayor.
"Yeah, he's a good kid. Look, Chief, I wanted to say thanks. I can tell you, your predecessor wouldn't have kept digging the way you did, and that kid would be facing a custodial sentence... It wasn't looking good there, for a while."
"Well, you know... There was something about that I never bought anyway. And to tell you the truth, I understand all that technical mumbo jumbo proving him innocent about as much as I understood the incriminating stuff... But my tech guys assure me, whoever made off with all that money it wasn't him."
"It's good that it's turned out that way. You know, it's silly, maybe, but I got a feeling about that young man. The sky's the limit, it's like the stabilizers came off him the last couple'a days... He'll have my job one day, and then who knows... Maybe someday... President?"
"Have you been reading my mind...? I was thinking the same thing... Huh. What about that.?"
"Yeah... Huh."
There was something he had forgotten. Bryan felt confused, sluggish, like he was carrying in his head the weight of something vast and unfathomable and... Inaccessible. He stepped up to the microphone. If he delayed starting his speech any longer, the crowd in front of him would think there was something wrong.
Yet, of course, that couldn't be further from the truth.
There was something he had forgotten. He made one last effort to remember. Never mind. It probably wasn't anything important.
The Rat King, imprisoned in the recesses of his mind, slept...
Bryan cleared his throat. "Good morning..." One particular face in the audience caught his eye, and again he lost his train of thought... A long solemn, deeply-lined face.
He blinked and looked again. Nothing there.
For now.
"...And with dawn this morning, perhaps it's not too much of a stretch to say, there's a new optimism..."
Microphone in hand, bathed in the weak early-morning Fall light, April was back in her comfort zone. "The people of New York have looked another crisis square in the face, and we're all still here… and with City Hall having just now revealed its broad plans for a wide-ranging program of refurbishment of New York's infrastructure, maybe we're standing on the brink of a new era for our city...
And, let's not forget, the events of the past few days have shown us that if you find yourself in trouble 'round here, you're not alone. Next time anybody tells you superheroes are a fantasy, the stuff of comic books, you can go right ahead and tell them, I'm from New York. We got ourselves the Turtles..."
She smiled into camera. "This is April O'Neil, for Channel 3 News, at City Hall. Have a very good day. I think we've all earned it."
Irma took the mic and headed to the back of the van to pack it away. April followed and leaned into the vehicle to talk to her. "What do you think so far, Irma? Is this the life for you?"
Irma considered carefully before replying, but her eyes shone with excitement. "You know what...? I think it is. I got a real feeling this is just the beginning. You know what I mean?"
"Yeah, I think I do..." April turned to go.
"I tell you one thing, though..." Irma continued. "Whatever else happens... I'm really glad we don't have to go through the last couple of days again."
"Yeah..." April smiled ruefully. "Well, don't worry about that. There's not much I can guarantee, but I'm real sure there's one place neither of us is ever going to go. And that's the past." *
Leonardo turned the TV off with a click and, along with his three brothers, turned to watch Master Splinter in reverent silence. Their sensei looked tired, more tired than they'd ever seen him, hunched in his chair, eyes hooded. Splinter looked up and regarded all four of his sons in turn. Leonardo... Donatello... Michelangelo... Raphael... He shook his head sorrowfully.
The four of them got up and started moving over to the middle of the floor where there was space. "Where are you going...?" asked Splinter. Whiskers looked up, taking an interest for a moment, before getting back to prowling around the floor.
"Uh..." Leonardo fidgeted. "Flips?" Splinter gestured at them to sit again.
"My sons... I sent you away with the hope that your return would mean the end of your training... That you would finally be the ninja I have always meant you to become... and I would no longer be needed. In that goal, you have failed..."
The four of them lowered their heads. Raphael looked up briefly, looking for a moment like he would argue, but then thought better of it.
Splinter continued. "Your failure is my failure... I lost sight of something important. This city is your home. It is part of you... Sending you away was a mistake. You are not ready to stand alone..." His demeanor changed at that moment, the drooping eyelids lifting and the eyes beneath shining. "Lucky I'm not planning to go anywhere yet..."
They looked at each other. Where was this headed...?
"My sons..." Splinter continued, "I can only say this... You have failed... And I am so very proud of you." The grin spread, contagious, beginning with Leonardo and traveling through the other three. "Training will continue," said Splinter. "Tomorrow. Meantime..." He paused, for quite a long time, and the Turtles cast sidelong glances at each other.
Splinter milked the pause a little longer, then at last said, "...Party on... Dudes!"
As one, delighted, the Turtles got up again and, with Donatello switching on the stereo as he passed it, they began an impromptu dance routine. It all felt much like it had before, what seemed like an eternity ago, before this all began. "Hey guys...!" called Michelangelo. "It's our song!"
At the loud music blasting from the stereo, Splinter shook his head ruefully. Not, however, without a hint of a smile. All in all, it was like they'd never been away. And never would be again.
* See Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993), where that statement will acquire a bitter irony for April.
End Song: The Rat Rap lyrics
So it's a Turtle Rap! It's a quick burst of fame
But people they're fickle, now they all think it's soooo lame
The Turtles they ain't here, looks like they've gone AWOLs
On a secret mission, don't answer no phone calls
()
You got the Foot Clan! The word is they're back
Got Tatsu in charge, the head of the pack
He got his big plan, he won't break a sweat
But lookee down here, a much bigger threat
()
You got the Rat King! Ancient and terrible,
Lurking down there, his madness unbearable
His army of rats, they're all under control
Just so long as we all do just what we're tol'!
()
Cow-a-bunga, Nin-ja Turtle (background chant throughout),
Champions of New York, striking from below!
They're coming atcha, through your stereo!
Turtles back in town, don't wanna be no bad guy!
Turtle vs. Rat, the stakes they're darn near sky high!
(repeat)
()
Splinter's the master! He sent them away
New York's distractions have led them astray
Got thinking to do, they got lessons to learn
But it's all gone wrong, Turtles, time to return
()
The Rats are rapid! Rising to the surface,
You wanna fight 'em, gotta learn their purpose
The Rat King commands, the army obeys
Ready, get ready, for the end of days
()
Irma's come through! Now she's one of the gang
Keeps coming back, she's like a boomerang
People running scared, citywide attack
She'll keep a clear head, she's got April's back
()
Cow-a-bunga, Nin-ja Turtle (background chant throughout),
Champions of New York, striking from below!
They're coming atcha, through your stereo!
Turtles back in town, don't wanna be no bad guy!
Turtle vs. Rat, the stakes they're darn near sky high!
(repeat)
()
It's all gone to plan? No, it's all hit the fan,
Tatsu's got trouble, it's all down to his man
Freddy the spy, the trusted lieutenant,
Plan inside plan, far too independent
()
He's got April O'Neil! Kidnapped reporter
The Turtles he'll trap, he'll offer no quarter
Too clever by far, got his eye on the prize
But a knock on the head, it's all gone bye byes
()
The bad guys, they'll fall! The Turtles, they'll rise
Good versus evil, it's no big surprise
But now one thing's for sure, when all's said and done
Life's tough for the champions, the battle's hard won
()
Cow-a-bunga, Nin-ja Turtle (background chant throughout),
Champions of New York, striking from below!
They're coming atcha, through your stereo!
Turtles back in town, don't wanna be no bad guy!
Turtle vs. Rat, the stakes they're darn near sky high!
(repeat)
Next: He's back...