Look who's baaaack! *winkwink*
一年の計は元旦にあり —The sum of the year is on New Year's Day
Days before…
"Guys, I need your thoughts on something." Mikey casually opened the subject to Leatherhead, Muckman and Joe the Eyeball sitting opposite the kitchen table.
It was mid-afternoon then, the Lair quiet with April and Casey still at school, Splinter taking a meditative break from training and the other Mutanimals carrying out Operation Recon.
Leatherhead looked up from his pizza slice with a curious tilt of his head. "Of course, my friend. Is there anything you need help with?"
"Err, not exactly. Not yet anyway." Mikey shrugged after a nibble off his own pepperoni and cheese. "It's just something that popped in my head since I've had so much time to think. But then, uh, I also don't wanna make you all worry too much over it, especially since it hasn't happened yet."
Because Mikey was not supposed to physically take part in Operation Recon, the busiest part of his day was during his training with Splinter (who Mikey found was four times as formidable as a one on one teacher). But because Splinter deemed that Mikey needed just as much rest, the turtle was given a lot of free time afterwards.
The void left by the lack of patrols, pranks and brothers in his schedule left Mikey with too much time to think.
Most of the time, it was over…unpleasant, hardly helpful things (the words sent his way back at Foot Headquarters make for good nightmare background noise). Other times, it would be a heavy mix of melancholy and regret over things that should have but hadn't been.
And then there are times when a bright idea would seemingly pop out of nowhere. Like the one Mikey was trying to get out his head right now.
Though, to be honest, it wasn't so much as an idea as it is a thought. A 'why didn't I think of this sooner; it should have been so obvious!" kind that brought along with it a whole new sleigh of worries and possibilities. Mikey never took himself for being a paranoid or even a worrier (that was Donnie and Leo's turf). But ever since what happened back at the Lair with his bros—subservient to the Shredder now—there was a prick of worry inside that was begging for him to stop sweeping it under the rug.
Leatherhead cut in gently. "I know that you are not the type to easily show your fears, my friend, despite what some of us here believe. The fact that it troubles you so much to the point that you're letting us see, that already makes it a valid concern to us."
Damn his dear friend for being so perceptive about him! "OK, points for that, Leatherhead. But still, what if—?"
"OK, let's put it this way," Muckman bopped a palm to the table before Joe slid to a seat on the smooth wood. "Whatever's bothering you can be between just the four of us if Leather and me think it's ain't a big problem as you put it. How that sound?"
"You can tell us." Joe said in his usual sing-song. "That's what friends are for, after all."
Mikey pouted thoughtfully. Well, when they put it that way…
"That sounds agreeable." Leatherhead added with a nod. "We can talk it amongst ourselves to discern whether we should let everyone else know. What matters right now is that you get it off your chest. You have more on your shoulders now, Michelangelo, but there's no reason to not share with the rest to us."
"…Oh, all right." And just like that, like a tap near bursting point that was finally turned, the words gushed forth. "It's like this, remember how weeks ago, the Shredder got my bros under his control?"
"Not like we can forget." Muckman muttered but Mikey went on. "It just occurred to me, y'know, like that guy who was in a bathtub that went all 'Gadzooks!' or something over some kind of breakthrough?"
"Archimedes, the word was eureka and the breakthrough was buoyancy." Leatherhead felt the need to point out.
Again, Mikey ignored the commentary. "So I was thinking, with Leo, Raph and Donnie with the Foot now, brainwashed sure but pretty much recalling everything, there's no reason for them to not spill to the tinhead where the Lair is, right?"
This time there was no side word, only a hush akin to breath being sucked out. It grew more pronounced as Mikey continued. "It's made me all antsy, wondering if the guys will suddenly pop up unannounced by the turnstiles, a bazillon Foot soldiers behind them. But the fact that we haven't heard a hoot from them at least ten feet away from the Lair makes me wonder whether I'm being too paranoid or whether they themselves haven't thought about it. Which doesn't make sense because hasn't Shredder all but turned NYC upside down to find where we are?"
Mikey paused to take a breath (he hadn't had one since he first started talking), and it was only then that he noticed the wide-eyed stares his three friends exchanged amongst themselves.
"So, uh, whatcha guys think?" The turtle asked as lightly as he could.
Leatherhead let out a grunt before stroking his lower jaw. "To be honest, I'm both unnerved and relieved that the thought hasn't crossed anyone else's minds. No, it appears the Shredder has not thought of it either," He added over Mikey's noise of protest. "That or something else has prevented him to act on that knowledge."
"It IS a big deal. Like what Leatherhead said, I'm pretty freaked that it hasn't occurred to any of us aside from you that that could have happened." Muckman said, a hand patting the shaking Joe. "You brought this up with Master Splinter yet?"
"No. Like what I said, I didn't want to worry anyone else any more than they already are. But if you're right, that either the Foot hasn't thought about sniffing out the Lair or they're bidding time, then we better be ready for them."
"So it'll still be just among us?" Joe piped up. "We're not involving the others? I'm not sure that's a good idea though…"
"Operation Recon's too important for the others to split their focus elsewhere, especially for you guys who are up front. I'm pretty much just chilling here looking cute, and I would have made it work by myself if I could." Mikey sighed in frustration. "I'm sorry guys. It's just that this planning in advance thing is so new to me and I'm scared I'll miss something important and even if I got the ideas, it's not that I have the brains to make it all work…"
"Woah, woah, take it easy!" Muckman held up his hands. "Just because you're the overall leader of sorts doesn't mean you have to act like everything's all on you! That's what teamwork is for!"
"Muckman is right," said Leatherhead. "If you have something in mind, you can easily share it with us. The most brilliant ideas sometimes start off looking as the silliest ones. Sometimes, you just need another mind to see it from another angle."
"Brainstorming! Brainstorming!" Joe cheered in agreement.
"But still…" Mikey tilted his head down, eyes subdued. "When Leo was leader, he, he always comes up with everything, never second guesses himself. Not just him, too. Even when the going gets tough, like that time during the Kraang invasion and Leo was in a coma, Raph kept us together, and when he comes up with a plan—whether Leo agrees with him or not—Raph always knows how go through with it. Even Donnie can come up with brilliant ideas, be a backup leader push comes to shove. And then there's me…"
Joe's small form drooped. "Oh, Mikey…"
"What kind of leader can't keep his thoughts together? If it weren't for Sensei's help, I wouldn't have made the idea behind Operation Recon clear enough for you guys. You should have been there during our planning session: I was literally all over the place, and it was only because Sensei was real smart that he was able to piece together what I wanted to say." Mikey's bottom lip trembled a bit.
"It was cool at the start, but when I think about it, I get so frustrated. There's so much I want to do but the thoughts just keep bouncing around my head and before I can catch up, a new one comes zooming in! My bros say I talk and play around too much, that I was too loud. If they only knew, I want to shut me up too."
It was quiet for a while after Mikey's speech, too quiet, until the terrapin let out an awkward laugh. "Haha, see guys, I did it again. One sec we were talking about the Foot finding the Lair, next I just had to belt out the drama."
"It's not something you should just keep in there, y'know, where no one can tell you otherwise." Muckman said slowly. "None of us here are comparing you to your bros. It can't be any more obvious how different you four are, so no one's expecting you to suddenly turn around and be them just because we're three turtle ninjas short."
"But it would have been better if it was them instead of me, right? You guys don't have to hide it if you think so too." There was a bitter sort of hardness in Mikey's tone, a deep shadow cast over the normally sunny visage that made the other three mutants start. The orange masked turtle, even at the most trying of battles, had always maintained an air of innocence and gentleness. Even at his angriest, he was, at most, a wailing child throwing a tantrum.
But this was…
"Anyway," Again, the three were blindsided by the way Mikey banished the heaviness in his face just seconds ago, his voice back to its cheerful beat. "Like what I said earlier, we should take advantage of the time we have to prepare. Make sure we hit the Foot with a wicked surprise if ever they get it around their heads to attack us. Sure, Don's got some traps laid out in case of an emergency, but he'll obviously help the Foot avoid them. So ideas? Maybe little explosives? Smoke bombs?"
Hopeful baby blue eyes turned to Leatherhead, whose brow furrowed in thought. A moment bit too long for Mikey later, the alligator spoke. "I would advise against them, especially in the older parts of the sewers. Even under controlled circumstances, there's no telling whether the result would or would not cause a collapse."
The small turtle visibly deflated. "Oh, right duh. My bad."
"But something akin to fireworks can work." Leatherhead supplied quickly. "And some of what Donatello used to make your smoke bombs would make fine distractions."
"I wouldn't say no to the classics either," added Muckman after Mikey's expression brightened. "Barricades, nets, we can probably even set up some junk to pile on 'em, see if they can get away from that!"
"But what about alarms?" Joe waved his appendages for attention. "Traps are good and all, but Mikey will also need a way to find out how far the Foot are from the Lair and where they're coming from. That'll give him an idea where he can lead the escape."
"Speaking of that," Leatherhead nodded at Mikey. "You should also plan the escape route well, Michelangelo, from the getaway vehicle, to the exits and even what you'll be bringing with you."
"And a way to close up the Lair once it comes to that." Mikey said firmly. "I'm not letting what the Kraang did here before happen again."
Leatherhead, Muckman and Joe all nodded in agreement before continuing to brainstorm and working out the more detailed parts of the plan. It took roughly an hour of considering, tossing out and saving ideas and contingencies before a mostly thought out plan fell in place.
Mostly.
"Guess we can call it a wrap, eh?" Muckman concluded with a crack of his neck. "It might take us a few days to get everything we need down here. We'll let you know when we'll be ready to get started."
"It's cool, Muckman." Mikey made a show of flicking imaginary sweat off his brow. "Man, I owe you guys super big time for all this."
"You owe us nothing, Michelangelo. You and your brothers would have done all you can for us if our situations are reversed." Leatherhead said reassuringly.
"Eh, but are you guys sure you can manage bringing all the stuff we need by yourselves? I can totally help!"
"Nah, it's fine. Besides, it'll be less obvious if we do it since we got a reason to be moving back and forth form here," answered Muckman.
"But it feels so unfair that you're doing all the legwork for everything and I'm just sitting here…"
"Actually, if anything, you're working too darn hard." Muckman placed a hand on Mikey's shoulder. "When you're not training, you're keeping tabs with the rest of the team, coming up with new plans of attack with Splinter and running yourself ragged with chores and stuff. Stop selling yourself short, kid. You're what's keeping this whole thing going for all of us. And we're all darn glad for it."
The small turtle's breath caught with disbelief and wonder. "M—Muckman…"
"You're the heart, Mikey. Bright and shining as the sun." Joe slid down Muckman's arm to Mikey's shoulder, placing his thread thin arm to pat a freckled cheek. "Anyone can be brave, strong and smart, but without heart, there is no drive. And like ashes, they all fall down."
"Uh, sorry, Joe, but I don't kinda get it?" But Joe merely patted Mikey's face one last time before riding back on the departing Muckman's shoulder, making Mikey stutter in confusion. "H—hey! Wait a second!"
Leatherhead couldn't help but chuckle at Mikey stomping a foot at the ground quite childishly. "Aww, not you too, Leatherhead!"
It was a quiet night, or as quiet as it can get in the Big Apple.
Surprising, since under its streets, sweeping a storm of adrenaline along an abandoned length of sewer lines, was an armada of black and red clad from the Foot.
About twenty or so ninjas (both human and robotic) darted past the moldy stone and murky water, trailing behind the distinct figures who were running and jumping around as if they knew their way around.
Of course, since they practically lived here all their lives up to this point. That knowledge was not something that can be suppressed for too long, not even by that blasted Hamato Yoshi's interference.
Leonardo smirked at the thought of his ex-sensei. Did the fool really think that whatever trick he pulled would be able to hide the Lair from the Foot? How utterly pathetic. It may have taken the better part of the month, but Leonardo and his brothers managed to finally overcome that wall. And when the information they sought came rushing back in, the feeling of victory and vindication was nothing short of euphoric.
"How much further?" The clipped tone from behind shook the turtle out of the blissful memory.
"We're almost there. A block away." Leonardo answered Tiger Claw. He didn't have to look back to know that the one-eyed mutant was eying him warily; and that Tiger Claw wasn't the only one.
"You better not be wrong about this, turtles." Raspy and challenging, definitely Bradford. "It's too early in the morning for me to be forgiving of any mistakes."
"We're not wrong," snapped Donatello from Leonardo's left. "We've been here for the most of our lives. It's only natural we know this place on an instinctual level. Were it not for, whatever it was that Splinter did to us, we would have definitely found their hideout ages ago!"
"Silence!" Leonardo hissed. "We're ninjas on a surprise attack mission and we need to be quiet!"
"Fearless here's got a point," said Raphael, who was supposed to be the brash one. "We got the element of surprise to strike 'em hard, bad and fast. And I don't wanna lose that advantage because the mutt over there can't keep his mouth shut when he should be using his nose."
The wolf mutant behind them snarled. "I'm a wolf, not a damn hunting dog! And the sewer water is making it hard for me to pick up their scent!"
"Like I give a shit about that." Raphael flashed a toothy, bloodthirsty smile over his gauntlets glinting against the dim lighting.
It had finally come to this, the chance to finish what was due to him and his brothers a long time ago. And the Shredder had given them everything they needed to succeed.
Hours Before…
"You have news for me, turtles?"
The three masked reptiles knelt respectfully before Oroku Saki's crossed arms and cold gaze. Behind him were Bradford, Sever and Tiger Claw, grumbling in different tones and looking just as expectantly at the turtle brothers.
"The best kind." Leonardo however had only eyes for their leader. "We have successfully destroyed the blockade Splinter put in our minds. We now know the location of their hideout, and wish to ask your permission to conduct a raid immediately."
The Shredder grunted as if in thought before inclining his head. "Ah, fine news indeed. And in good timing as well."
It hasn't even been a few hours since the Hamato's latest attempt to break in their headquarters, which admittedly had been somewhat successful. An inspection of the rooms Michelangelo Hamato could have gotten in revealed that a drum of brainworms had been tampered with and at least one had been taken. Shredder had been furious about that, especially when he heard that Raphael had—due to the efforts of one April O'Neil—turned against Leonardo and Donatello in the middle of the fray, helping Michelangelo and his group escape in the process.
It appears the Hamato family ninjutsu should not be the only thing Saki should be worried about.
The Mutanimals. Casey Jones. April O'Neil. Michelangelo Hamato. The scarred ninja ticked off each names in the list with growing agitation. You are growing to be more troublesome than I anticipated. Especially you, Michelangelo.
He had the lethally resolute leader, the brutal muscled tank and the inventive scientific genius of the Hamato family under his grasp. Saki thought it was more than enough against the remnants of Yoshi's force. But then this youngest terrapin—this undeniable wild card—had kept the rag tag stragglers together, managed to steal a brainworm and nearly wrestled one turtle away from the Foot's net.
The successes were minuscule, but unacceptable, and allowing further victories for the orange one are out of the question.
"You will strike tonight, turtles," said the Shredder. "Destroy the Hamato's base of operations and eliminate the last pathetic remnants of their clan. Bradford, Tiger Claw, you will go and see to it and they accomplish their mission."
All hands around him formed salutary fists. "Yes, Master Shredder."
"And this time," The armored ninja's eyes bored into each of the three turtles before him. "You WILL make sure that Hamato Yoshi and Michelangelo will no longer be a problem. Is that clear, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello?"
The three turtles started before exchanging sharp, toothy grins. "We would be honored."
SNAP!
Raphael swore when a loud bang made the entire Foot platoon skid into a halt, and a blast of white smoke exploded from the pipes overhead.
"What the—?" Donatello let out coughs, his eyes burning from the smoke. Tear gas, the genius turtle immediately identified.
"Forward! Out of the smoke!" Leonardo barks in command. The leading mutants and the Foot bots trudged forward while the human ninjas were forced to back away, choking and shaking their heads as the majority of the gas wafted their way.
"Is it them?" Bradford sniffed the air with a low growl once he and his team made it out of the tear gas cloud. Despite the sewer water, he can always smell the turtles' unique scents the closer they were to him. But there was nothing. "I can't smell anyone. They must have gotten away!"
Beside him, Tiger Claw grunted and knelt down.
"Or maybe they were never here in the first place." The jungle cat mutant tugged at Raphael's leg, earning an indignant yell from the large turtle, and held a snapped wire for everyone to see. "But they may as well have been."
"A trap?" A snarling Bradford whipped his head to glare over at the turtles. "You never said there were traps in here!"
"Because there never were before," was Donatello's equally agitated reply. "I mapped all the routes to the Lair myself. I know all the areas where the traps and alarms are, since I set them all up myself! This route wasn't one of those areas!"
"Then safe to assume that the Hamatos have added some extra tricks." Leonardo cut in coolly, though he was frowning heavily as well. "And that loud blast, we can also assume that we no longer have the element of surprise."
Tiger Claw's nose scrunched up. "If we are not much further, we still can. At this point, they will most likely be scrambling to get in order."
"And if we hurry, we can take advantage of that." Leonardo concluded, smirking before shouting to the human ninjas left at the back. "You there, take the left route back up the sewers and meet the reserve team. The rest of you, with me to the Lair. Time for Plan B."
Raphael grunted as he followed Leonardo into the tunnels, his mind swearing a storm. Fuck the Hamatos, fuck Michelangelo for making shit harder for us. Just you wait, you sniveling little maggot, when I get to you, you're gonna wish you were never born!
His fists tightened behind his gauntlets, letting out a low, throaty snicker as he indulged himself in fantasies of gutting the squirming piece of shit over every inch of that flimsy plastron.
Believing that the resulting tightness in his chest—one that felt like it was his own heart being gutted over and over—was the result of his unbearable excitement at the closeness of finally redeeming his ninja honor.
Minutes Before…
"Operation Exodus? Really?"
"Yup!" Mikey grinned at April over a handful of boxes. "Absolute genius, right? Well duh, because yours truly named it!"
"Riiiight." April can't help but smile a bit at Mikey's enthusiasm in spite of their situation. "So how long has that been in place?"
"Eh, give or take a few weeks. OK maybe it's been around since the start of Operation Recon. And sorry for not letting you in on the know, by the way," Mikey cast a sad look to the rest of his family. "It's just that you guys have already so much on your plate, and I didn't wanna add any more on that."
And you don't? Was April's silent rebuttal. But it was Casey who said it out loud. "Aww c'mon, Mike! You're like the leader right now. If anything, YOU'RE the one who has too much to worry about!"
But the young terrapin merely shrugged. "It started when I brought it up to Leatherhead, Muckman and Joe that for some reason my bros haven't thought of ambushing us in the lair. I mean, what's keeping them? They know where the Lair is. Are they waiting for something? Did the idea ever come to them? But Donnie's a total genius so at least he should have thought of it. And I'm sure Shredhead would be raring at the idea."
Oh there is a reason for that, all right. Splinter thought but kept quiet as Mikey went on. The explanation will be due in another time.
"Anyway, the guys and I talked about it and decided that instead of wondering and doing nothing, we oughta use the time to set up traps and stuff for once they do; slow 'em down enough to make sure that we can get away. Oh, and make sure that they wont' be able to trash the Lair. I don't want a repeat of what the Kraang did before."
The boxes were loaded at the back of the Shellraiser, along with others, containing equipment, Donnie's computer, supplies and other items. Only the bare essentials, according to the instructions Leatherhead left Mikey behind. Mikey put in the last of them before wiping imaginary (or not) sweat off his brow. "And there, that's the last of 'em. Now I just need to close up the Lair and we're all set."
"This is amazing, dude!" Casey said from next to his turtle friend. "Just when we were thinking the Foot jerks caught us by surprise! Ha! Wait till they see the fast one you pulled on them!"
"Couldn't have done it without everyone's help." Mikey said easily. "Not just the ones in the know. If you guys haven't been giving it your all back at Operation Recon, we wouldn't have made it this far. Now wait a sec, let me get the door."
"Door, what—" The young vigilante gasped when Mikey pressed a cleverly hidden panel near the turnstiles, and a pink sheet of energy blanketed the whole entrance. Casey tentatively knocked on the barrier, which turned to resemble the concrete walls next to it, and jumped when he felt that the sheet was as hard as industrial glass. "Holy shi—how did you get THAT set up in secret?"
"A new invention of Leatherhead's, and Muckman helped set it up here and some other places. See, two weeks ago when you were all out of the Lair and Sensei's—"
April shook her head in amusement as Mikey and Casey conversed cheerily while heading for the other entrances (she had to agree with Casey, how DID Muckman set those up?) Just earlier, she, Casey and Splinter were fretting over the possibility of being caught by surprise by the Foot, but again Mikey's own brand of ninja magic struck again.
"He really knows how to pull through, doesn't he?" April asked Splinter, who stood beside her with a clawed hand stroking his beard.
"It is because of his ability to look at things in a unique angle, coupled with his newfound motivation to tap into his incredible potential." Splinter answered, a look of undeniable pride in his features. "Though I must admit, this is far from what I expected of him. I only wish he told more of us sooner."
April frowned worriedly at that. "He says it's because he doesn't want us to worry. But lately, Mikey's been taking on too many problems on his own, and it's worrying me and Casey that Mikey could be making a habit out of it."
Splinter sighed. "They have a tendency to keep their problems to themselves, he and his brothers. The difference is that while it is obvious when it comes to the others—Leonardo becomes visibly guarded, Raphael, more argumentative than usual and Donatello, tense and agitated—Michelangelo is, he is so…able in hiding his entire self behind the cheerful side. Over time, I noticed that whenever something troubles him, he turns to actually taking care of others, as if their happiness helps him become happy. Selfless, perhaps, but at the same time, detrimental."
"If he keeps making people happy to forget his own pain, it never gets addressed." April concluded, eyes wide.
"Your father was a huge help." Splinter answered softly, as if to assuage April's guilt. "Ever since he came around helping us with Michelangelo's…unique condition, the two have apparently struck a friendship. But more importantly, it helped Mr. O'Neil gain important insight, which he shares with me whenever he can, just like the incident two weeks ago."
April remembered that clearly. She had gotten an argument with her father when she explained the reason why she had been staying over the Lair so much lately. April actually feared that he would ban her from going back to the Hamatos but was already considering how she was going to sneak out anyway (because no way she was going to leave her family behind, no matter what her father said).
Suddenly, Mr. O'Neil requested to see Splinter, and then told both of them that apparently Mikey and Casey talked him into reconsidering his stance. April was so happy and thankful that didn't know whether she was going to hit or hug both her friends, so naturally she did both.
She didn't realize Splinter and her father talked over more than just her allowing to stay. "And…what did he say?"
"That Michelangelo needs to speak to us, not just the current problem with his brothers, but also that which is long buried within him." Splinter said, his eyes becoming turbulent at the thought. "Because of what has happened, my youngest son's happy, carefree persona is being stretched to its limit, and glimpses of the pains he keeps hidden are starting to peer through the cracks. If all this trauma keeps piling on top of what he already holds deep inside, I fear that—"
BANG!
"Woah, what the heck?!" Casey jumped from where he and Mikey closed the last barricade. The orange masked turtle however was frowning.
"One of the trap-slash-alarm systems Leatherhead set up, which means that the Foot are already getting close. And since they took the route that didn't have any of the earlier traps Donnie made, my bros are most likely with them." Mikey clamped a hand on Casey's shoulder. "Case, April, you guys better go."
Both humans started. "Wait, what—?"
"Take Sensei and get to the coordinates I just keyed into the Shellraiser. The Mutanimals will meet you guys there."
"But what about you, Mikey?" April asked.
The little turtle gave them a small smile. "I'm gonna hold the rest of the Foot off so you guys can get away, then hopefully I'll be able to get where you guys are at in a few."
"NO WAY, DUDE!" Casey shouted in protest while April shook her head fiercely. "We're not leaving you behind, Mikey! Why can't we all go together? We got the Shellraiser! We can outdrive them!"
"Because there are loads of other traps around there that I can lead the Foot to in a goose chase. And if my bros, or any of Shredder's better ninjas, are with them, I'm not gonna risk them going after you if I can do something about it!"
"But, Mikey—!"
"Yame." Splinter interrupted April's protest with a tap of his cane, making the three teens hush up sharply. "April, Casey, you will get in the Shellraiser and go to the meet up as Michelangelo had just said. I will stay behind with him to make sure that he will join the rest of us later."
Mikey spluttered. "S-Sensei—?"
"Time is of the essence." Splinter said firmly over Mikey's protest, projecting every bit of the Jounin he was. "We cannot waste any more time questioning each other, before the Foot comes upon us. Remember our objective."
Casey looked like he was struggling with something before nodding tightly. "You heard him, Red."
April bit her lip before sighing. "You guys better get to the meet up safely, Mikey, Splinter?"
"Of course we will." The rat mutant's eyes twinkled above his small grin. "Right before you know it."
"You gotta be shitting me!"
Leonardo shared his second brother's sentiments wholeheartedly, eyeridge twitching. Before them, a bunch of Foot bots got tangled up in a net, yet another one of the several traps Michelangelo set up in the way to the Lair that suddenly became something like a maze.
He had to give the Hamatos props: every now and then, a well-placed trap would be set off by a careless bot, causing a blockade that will force the group to take a detour. After the first three times that happened, Leondardo was catching on to something.
We longer have the element of surprise. The dark blue-eyed turtle frowned heavily at that. Could the Hamatos have been warned somehow beforehand? But who would do that? The entire Foot is loyal to Master Shredder. And even if someone were passing information to them, my brothers and I just got past Splinter's mental block moments ago. Leonardo's eyes widened. Wait, maybe that was it! Perhaps Splinter sensed the block had been taken down somehow and was able to group his remaining forces to prepare. Hah, well played, rat, well played.
Still, barely an hour would not be enough to set up all the traps they ran into at this point. Donatello grudgingly admitted that the obstacles were constructed quite well, and certainly not within a short amount of time. Which means that someone anticipated the possibility of us attacking the Lair and set all of this up. Could it have been one of the Mutanimals? Possibly Leatherhead or Rockwell?
Another name entered Leonardo's mind in a flash, and just as quickly he scoffed. As if that spineless, brainless Michelangelo can think of something like this.
"These things are becoming more of a nuisance." Bradford slashed at the thick net holding the robots captive, then kicking at one when the bunch fell to the murky water. "Springing one trap after another."
"It cannot be helped. Their cognitive capabilities are limited." Tiger Claw reminded his companion before turning to Leonardo. "How much further?"
"That depends," The oldest turtle sent a frosty glare at the crumpled mass of metal next to him. "Whether or not those walking cans of tin don't set something off again."
"Or your walking dynamite of a brother." Bradford snarled at a scowling Raphael, who Leonardo had to admit, set of his own number of traps because the other turtle just had to keep rushing in first.
"OK, guys, enough!" Donatello shouted testily over all the noise. "It appears we don't have much of a choice but to go through the old storm drain, but it leads to a huge drop so we need to advance with caution. It's dangerous but it's the quickest path we've got."
"You should worry about him then." Bradford inclined his snout at Raphael's direction. "Wouldn't want your brother to hit a snag and go…down the drain."
Raphael rolled his eyes. "Haha, very funny, you oversized mutt—"
Tiger Claw's ears suddenly perked up, a paw going to his shuriken pouch. "I know you're there!" The one-eyed mutant called out, drawing out his sword challengingly. "Show yourself!"
Everyone then stood on alert when three stars bounced off an empty brick wall which had a humanoid shadow on it shortly ago. And not long after, like black lightning, Bradford suddenly pounced to the sharp right corner a few feet away from them, claws barred and teeth gnashing for a prey.
"GOT YOU!"
"Wait!" Leonardo tried to call the agitated mutant back, but to no avail. When he and the rest of the Foot reached the corner, Leonardo had to jump back to avoid the mass of ebony fur that was thrown back.
"One should know better than to allow a rabid dog without a leash. It could get them…severely hurt." A smooth baritone voice made the others freeze, weapons at the ready. Leonardo and his two other brothers growled. "Splinter."
The rat ninja walked forward with practiced grace, cane in one hand, before turning to face the group. "Leonardo. Raphael. Donatello."
Tiger Claw grunted, eyeing Splinter appraisingly. "You are alone?"
"No, he is not!" Bradford growled as he struggled to his feet and snapping his jaws. "There is no use hiding him, Splinter! The air around here absolutely stinks of his presence! Where is he?"
"No one's hiding anyone, Razhar." The three black masked turtles tensed even further when their orange masked counterpart came into view, brandishing his spinning nunchuks and a tight smirk.
"Again, bros? Wow, now I'm definitely feeling the love." Michelangelo's eyes immediately turned white. "So how'd you like my surprise?"
I'm so sorry. (Please don't kill me)
This chapter took ages for me to write, and while I did say I know how majority of the story will go, putting the words to make the story coherent enough is…something. So there isn't much action in this one, since it is an obvious set up for what's about to come (aka Mikey vs Dark Turtles Round 3). What do you guys think? :)
I'll be working on the next chapter ASAP, so thanks again so much for all your reviews and your feedback. It really makes me happy that you're enjoying this fanfic as much as I do writing it (even it if writer's block can be a pain at times). This chapter is dedicated to all of you readers who are still following my story. Special shoutout to Athese and grungekitty for their words of encouragement!
See you all in the next installment!
Chuchi's Cultural Corner
Ichinen no kei wa gantan ni ari (一年の計は元旦にあり): It means planning and preparing beforehand will determine how successful your endeavor (i.e. your year) will be. See how that worked for our heroes? (Hehe)
Yame: Stop
Headcanons and Other Extras
-After what happened with the Kraang and the Triceraton invasions, Donnie finally got it in his mind to set up some traps and alarms to protect the Lair and warn of any potential intruders. Leo, Raph and Mikey helped set some of them up, but only Donnie knew where all of the traps were before this debacle happened. In the process of adding to that, Muckman and Leatherhead did a thorough search of the entire hundred meter radius approximate to the Lair. So pretty much now Mikey, Joe, Muckman and Leatherhead know where they're at too.
-The barricades: It's actually some sort of forcefield inspired from what Leatherhead had seen in Kraang prison, the base material being actual forcefield generators taken from the Kraang and tweaked around a bit. Muckman, with Leatherhead's help, installed them piece by piece whenever the rest of the Mutanimals were away, Mikey was training with Splinter and the humans are at school during the day; and occasionally at night, when everyone is asleep. They're not that hard to set up actually. It's getting the specifications so that the forcefield generator will produce enough to complete cover the entrances with satisfying durability that was tricky.
-April and her father did get into an argument about why April was suddenly spending almost all her free time with the turtles, which then escalated when she let slip the real situation. Luckily, Mikey and Casey were able to convince Mr. O'Neil to let her stay with them. How that actually went down? Weeeell…