Chapter 8: Reign of the Technodrome

Just when the Turtles, Trainers, April and Pikachu thought the Technodrome was behind them as it shrunk thanks to the Minimizer, the Technodrome grew back up and caused a mountain of rocks to fall on the heroes. The Technodrome began to move on the surface. "How could you!" stammered Jessie. "We needed Pikachu to give to the boss and get rid of our debts! We won't get anything if Pikachu dies!" Shredder gripped Jessie's shirt collar with a sinister stare.

"You have more to worry about than a lost Pikachu if you keep your whining up," he warned.

"We had a deal that we help you take care of your shellbacks, you get Pikachu to us and a trip back home!" she argued.

"I made no such deal," Shredder refused. Jessie gasped to the remark.

"Shredder, it would be better to store her in the cell," Krang suggested. Jessie growled to the idea.

"Just for your knowledge, Mr. Cranium!" she spat. "There's no cell that can hold me!"

"You don't know what we have for a cell," Krang warned. "And I can tell that James and Meowth have the same reaction. It's not my fault the Technodrome caused all of the rocks to crush the Turtles and their friends. It just happens."

"Still, it would feel better if Pikachu wasn't a PokéPancake," Meowth murmured. Rocksteady dragged Jessie away while she screamed in protest. The Technodrome rumbled forward with a gaping dent to the side, caused by Ash after the fortress shrunk beforehand. At the pile, Corphish punched the boulders from the pile with his glowing pincers. The Turtles, Trainers, Pokémon and April emerged relatively unhurt.

"Man, I didn't think Krang could repair the Technodrome," Michelangelo muttered. "Let alone so fast."

"This is the Technodrome that we attacked, Michelangelo," Donatello reminded. "It's a mechanical marvel if not being used for evil." Ash looked at the tread tracks left by the Technodrome.

"Right now, we need to regroup and reform a strategy," he suggested.

"We know, Ash," Leonardo sighed. "We got lucky that our shells held up when the boulders came down on us."

("I can't thank you enough!") squeaked Pikachu. April picked the Mouse Pokémon from the ground.

"At least we can agree that we need some advice," she acknowledged. "No doubt Master Splinter can offer some of it."

"Right, so let's head back to the Lair and seek Master Splinter," Leonardo agreed. Looking at the van not touched by the rain of boulders, Brock knew they had a ride.

"At least the van is good to go," he pointed out. "Let's hurry!" Everyone gathered in the news van where April drove away.

"You know, it's a good thing we Turtles can make more room for you guys," Raphael added. "Being in a van all crowded like this will give us cramps." April drove the van back to the city from the other direction. They reached the sewers and then Splinter in the Lair. He sat with his legs crossed.

"Master Splinter!" voiced Leonardo as the Turtles, Trainers, April and Pikachu entered. "We need your help!"

"The Technodrome-" voiced Brock before Splinter wove his hand.

"I know," he calmly spoke. "The Technodrome has surfaced and is destroying anything in its path." Everyone else gawked to Splinter's knowledge of the Technodrome.

"That's basically it," Ash gulped. "But how?"

"Did it come to you in a vision?" guessed Michelangelo. Splinter shook his head.

"No, I saw it on the five o'clock news," he pointed. Brock turned the TV on where Vernon was at the Technodrome's destruction.

"The entire nation is in a panic as the huge battle machine, known as the Technodrome, rolls over everything in his path," he reported. April growled at who took the stage.

"Ooh, it's Vernon!" she realized. "Wait until I get my hands on him! Stealing MY story…" Donatello observed the footage and any hope he had of saving the day began to doubt.

"Boy, I hate to say it," he started. "But I think he might conquer the world." Brock was a bit skeptical about who Donatello was referring to.

"Vernon won't conquer the news industry and leave beautiful and strong women like April out of jobs!" he pledged. Donatello mulled to Brock's wish.

"I'm talking about Krang!" he corrected. Brock irked to the name of the enemy.

"Oh right…" he apologized. "The joke I make about Ash." His name mentioned, Ash turned to Brock, curious.

"What joke are you talking about?" he asked. Brock feigned to answer since Ash hadn't seen Krang. Splinter stood up.

"The time has come for our final confrontation with our ancient enemy," he addressed.

"Not to question your wisdom, Master Splinter," Ash voiced. "But do you have a plan? It's not like Oroku Saki will just come out of the Technodrome." Splinter rested a hand on Ash's shoulder.

"Perhaps, I should teach you a way of the Foot Clan, young one," he offered. "The size of your opponent does not matter. His own evil will be his undoing." Ash thought about Splinter's words.

"It sounds a lot like you, Ash," Brock teased. Ash gave Brock a smug look.

"Now, let us finish this fight," Splinter urged. "Once… and for all." Everyone nodded while Pikachu reached April as she left for Channel 6.

("Where are you going!?") he asked. April turned to Pikachu, rather startled.

"Pikachu?" she wondered. "Hey, I got to confront Vernon about him taking my spot. He must think I died from the Technodrome."

("Let me come with!") Hearing Pikachu, April seemed baffled.

"You… want to join? Burne might throw you out, though Pete might accept you." That's when Ash found April and Pikachu.

"There you are!" he called out. Pikachu squeaked confidently about being with April.

"It seems Pikachu wants to help me change Vernon's channel," she joked. Pikachu confirmed with more squeaking.

"Hey, I'm not one to argue with Pikachu," Ash noted. "But are you sure? If Team Rocket's helping Shredder, we'll need as much help as possible." Pikachu felt confident about the idea.

"Don't worry," April assured. "I'll keep Pikachu safe." Trusting, Ash nodded. Meanwhile, the Technodrome had taken a different route.

"Why are we heading West, Krang!?" he complained. "There's nothing out here!" The monitor showed hills among the paved road.

"Yeah, what's da big deal!?" argued Meowth. "Is dere something dat way ya need?"

"There is, my feline friend," Krang confirmed. "See, my plan is to have this entire planet under our control by tonight… but it will require a massive amount of power, and I know just where to get it. See, there's a replica of Mount Rushmore among the outskirts of the city."

"A replica?" repeated James.

"Yes, it's a slightly scaled down replica of the one in South Dakota," Shredder informed. "It has the mugs of four of the United States Presidents on there: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson." James and Meowth seemed intrigued by the detail. "Continue to cooperate and I'll point out who's who." The Technodrome bulldozed a soft mountain while the Turtles, Trainers and Splinter trailed in the Turtle van. Leonardo was behind the wheel.

"This doesn't make sense!" wondered Donatello. "Why is the Technodrome heading West?"

"Well, what is out West for there to see?" questioned Brock.

"If I remember," Leonardo started. "There's a scaled replica of Mount Rushmore. It's a duplicate of the monument with four US Presidents on there." Quickly, Raphael realized the situation.

"So, that's their plan!" he figured. "They want to replace one of the busts with Krang to scare the country to submission!" Ash shook his head, no agreeing with Raphael's assumption.

"Even Team Rocket would come up with a better plan than a simple scare tactic," he sighed.

"Either way, we need to catch up with the Technodrome and cut it off!" promised Leonardo. He drove the Turtle Van around the Technodrome using the road. However, the Technodrome took a turn which Donatello noticed.

"Look at that!" he gasped. The Technodrome turned and rolled toward a small power plant. "They aren't after the monument! They're after that!" He pointed to a large satellite dish.

"I knew they had a better plan," Ash growled. "But why a satellite dish?"

"That's the Rushmore Power Antenna," Donatello briefed. "That antenna can draw electricity from anywhere on Earth without the use of wires."

"Okay, then what could they want with that much power?" wondered Brock.

"I can tell you that it's not for a simple campfire," Raphael gulped. The Technodrome barreled into the plant from one path while the Turtle Van crashed through the chain-link fence. A tanned brunette man in a blue polo shirt stepped in front.

"Don't come over!" he shouted. "That monstrosity is heading this way!"

"We don't have a choice in the matter!" argued Leonardo. "We need to stop them from taking your antenna!" The tanned man didn't believe the Turtles.

"Are you out of your mind!?" he snapped. "That machine will squash you flat!" The van opened where everyone filed out. The man gawked to the sight of who exited the vehicle. "Four giant turtles, two kids and a giant rat driving an RV?" Brock came back to the man.

"Right now, go home to your family and let us deal with this," he suggested. The tanned man nodded, thinking he might need time off.

"I reckon that as a good idea," he accepted. Those entering chased after the Technodrome to the power turbines by Donatello's direction, getting by the antenna.

"So, what do we do?" asked Michelangelo.

"I have an idea," Donatello started.

"If you do, we need it now!" cringed Ash. Before Donatello had an idea, the Technodrome began to rise with a pair of robotic legs.

"I wanna say that's so cool," Ash awed. The Technodrome started to hover over the Turtles and Trainers.

"Here it comes!" warned Donatello. Overhead, the Technodrome began to lower itself and the underbelly began to open.

"We need to move!" shouted Brock.

"But where!?" asked Leonardo.

"I heard the Carribean is a nice spot this time of the year," Raphael trembled. With mechanical arms, drills and saws emerged and began spinning. "What a way to go!" With the Technodrome coming at the Turtles and Trainers, could they stop Krang and Shredder from their quest to conquer?

TO BE CONTINUED...