- Chapter 46 -

The Wrath of Tiger Claw

Tiger Claw looked over himself in the mirror, more specifically at the damage caused to his face by Leo. His right ear had a chunk taken out of it, and his ruined left eye was covered with a black patch. He let out a growl before punching out the mirror in a fit of rage.

"Miserable reptile…" he snarled.

"That's seven years bad luck, y'know," Karai quipped from behind him. "And I think you have enough already."

Tiger Claw turned to her, his eye narrowing as she sauntered into the room. "Do not mock my pain, girl. I will have my vengeance on the turtle who did this to me."

Karai opened her mouth to mock some more, but her father's voice interrupted her.

"I will grant you this request," he declared, entering the room as well.

Tiger Claw grinned at the prospect of revenge, but Karai was more than a little put off.

"Hey, he screwed up!" Karai objected. "Leonardo, a guy he should've curb-stomped, sliced him like an onion and made him run away like a wuss!"

"Do I need to remind you of your own mistakes, Karai?" Shredder retorted, glaring down at his daughter. "Of the amount of resources you wasted, or your foolish attack on Kasumi Lee, despite full knowledge that you stood no chance against her?"

"I…" Karai began before giving in. "No, Father."

"Good," Shredder nodded. "Because you will be accompanying Tiger Claw on this mission."

"Why me?" Karai asked, a hint of bitterness in her tone. "If Tiger Claw is so big and bad, why does he need my help?"

"You have studied these turtles far longer than anyone else," Shredder explained. "You know their strengths, the places they go, and their weaknesses."

"Fair enough," Karai conceded before turning to Tiger Claw. "Let's go, tabby."

Tiger Claw let out a low roar at the nickname before following her out of the room.

Down in the lair, Erika sat before Splinter in the dojo, finally making good on her plan to ask the rat sensei to teach her the Healing Hand mantra. He had been showing her the hand movements for the past hour, helping her match each movement with the right word. Now, he was going to have her run through the entire sequence.

"Are you ready?" Splinter asked.

Erika nodded. "Yes, Master Splinter."

Splinter performed the hand signs, reciting the mantra as he did. "Rin… Pyo... Toh... Sha... Kai... Jin... Retsu... Zai... Zen..."

Erika mimicked him, reciting the mantra as well. "Rin… Pyo... Toh... Sha... Kai... Jin... Retsu... Zai... Zen..."

"Again," Splinter ordered.

Erika nodded, reciting the mantra a second time. Leo peeked in, smiling at the progress.

"Seems Erika's lessons are going well," he remarked.

"Yeah," Erika agreed, glancing back at him. "This'll really help us out in the future."

"I am happy to provide aid in your endeavors," Splinter said, smiling.

"Thank you, sir," Erika replied. "When those crystals hurt Hisako that way and we had to use the ooze to heal her, I just felt so... helpless."

"Hey, don't blame yourself," Hisako cut in, walking into the dojo. "You did what you could at the time."

"And now I can do more," Erika said with a smile, standing up and bowing politely to Splinter. "Thank you for the lesson."

"You're quite welcome," Splinter told her.

She gathered up her things and made her way out, headed for home.

After going topside, Erika decided to drop by Murakami's place for food. Almost as soon as she got there, she realized something was off. The door was forced open, almost as if someone had kicked it in. She snuck up to the door and peeked in, gasping to see Murakami being hassled by Karai and Tiger Claw.

"The Turtles, old man!" Karai barked out. "Where is their lair?!"

"I'm telling you, I don't know!" Murakami insisted.

"Lying will only make it worse!" Karai informed him. "Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, Donatello, Venus, and Hisako! Where do they live?!"

"I don't know!" Murakami shouted. "Please!"

Seeing the man's terror, Karai sighed, backing off. "There's no honor in this."

Tiger Claw scoffed. "I didn't come here for honor."

He then shoved her out of the way before approaching the man. Karai looked on in disdain as Tiger Claw loomed menacingly over Murakami.

"This is your last chance, old man!" he snarled.

"I told you all I know!" Murakami screamed. "Please!"

By this point, Erika had had enough. She jumped out of her hiding place with righteous fury.

"HEY!" she shouted.

Tiger Claw and Karai immediately turned to her.

"Don't you have anything better to do than harass a blind old man?!" she demanded. "That's low, even for you Foot losers!"

"Matsuda Erika," Karai remarked. "One of the Hamato Clan ninjas."

Tiger Claw turned his attention to her. "Perhaps you will tell us where to find the Turtles."

"Go to Hell, Tony," Erika spat, backing toward the door. "Besides, you'll have to catch me first!"

She turned and bolted, Tiger Claw letting out a roar before giving chase. As she ran, Erika pulled out her cell phone and dialed her brother.

"Tai, Tiger Claw's on the warpath and after me!" she told him. "I need backup right freaking now!"

"It's on its way!" Tai assured her as Erika hung up.

Tai quickly gathered his weapons, before calling the Turtles and alerting them to Erika's situation. They immediately geared up.

"I owe that guy for freezing me," Hisako declared, slamming her tessens into their sheaths.

"Let's do this!" Raph exclaimed.

After running around the street for several minutes, Erika found herself cornered in a back alley. She leaned against the wall, somewhat out of breath as she tried to right herself. She barely managed to recover as Tiger Claw closed in on her menacingly. She turned around to face him, steeling her gaze.

"There's no place to run, and no place to hide, girl," the tiger mutant growled. "Now tell me where the Turtles' lair is, if you value your pitiful life!"

"Hmmm…" Erika tapped her chin thoughtfully. "What's the word I'm looking for? Oh, yeah. No. "

"Then you will suffer," Tiger Claw informed her, drawing his blaster.

Before he could fire, Tai jumped down between them.

"Not on my watch," he snarled. "You picked the wrong guy's little sister to mess with."

Tiger Claw fired on them with his blaster, causing Tai and Erika to promptly duck and cover.

"Guns?" Tai scoffed. "A coward's weapon. Didn't take you for a coward, Tiger Claw!"

"I'm willing to take you head on, boy!" Tiger Claw declared.

With that, he holstered his blaster before drawing his sword and rocketing at Tai, the two clashing blades repeatedly before Tiger Claw kicked him into a wall. Tai dove to the side as Tiger Claw slashed downward.

"Just tell me where to find the Turtles, and I may let you live," he hissed.

"Doesn't matter what you do to me," Tai shot back. "I'm not gonna betray them."

"Then you will suffer their fate!"

Tiger Claw sprang at Tai, beating him senseless before lifting him up and tossing him into a nearby dumpster.

"The garbage suits you perfectly, boy," he remarked.

Just then, Erika ran in, bashing him in both kneecaps with her tonfas. Tiger Claw dropped to his knees, while Erika got behind him and gave his jet pack a good whack, starting it up.

"Enjoy your flight!" she declared as Tiger Claw shot into the air with a scream.

With that, Erika hurried over to her brother, opening the dumpster and gagging at the smell.

"You alright?" she asked as she helped him out.

"Been through worse," Tai admitted.

-X-

On a nearby rooftop, Karai had witnessed the whole thing. She turned around just as the Hamato septet ran over to her.

"Karai!" Raph shouted, getting her attention. She turned to face them.

"You came," she noted.

Raph had his sais drawn, about to go on the attack when Karai raised her hands in surrender.

"Wait! I just want to talk!" For emphasis, she dropped her tanto, kicking it aside. The group looked at the tanto, then back up at her. "See?"

"After you attacked Kagome's mom in her own home, and hassled Murakami-san for info on us?" Raph hissed at her. "No, bitch. We're done talking."

"No, please," Karai held out her hands. "I… I don't know what to think anymore. Ever since you tried to convince me that Hamato Yoshi was my father, I've been questioning everything… I am so lost… Please..."

Raph could see the conflict in her eyes, and didn't need psychic powers to know she was telling the truth.

"Hisako?" Leo asked.

"She's telling the truth," Hisako confirmed. "Her mind is drowning in self-doubt and confusion."

Karai approached, sighing. "All my life, I was raised to believe that the Shredder was my father. That Splinter was the enemy. So when Kasumi showed me those photos, I couldn't accept it at first," She looked away as she went on. "But lately... I can't help but feel like she's telling the truth. That I really am Hamato Yoshi's daughter."

"It's the truth, Karai," Leo confirmed. "Whatever Shredder's told you about Splinter and Kasumi before is a lie. If you don't believe us, maybe you'll believe Splinter himself."

"Leo, are you sure?" Donnie asked.

Leo nodded. "This is our best, and possibly only chance to show her the truth."

Kagome approached her, removing her scarf and tying it around her eyes. "Better safe than sorry." She tied the scarf in a tight blindfold, then Leo pulled Karai onto his back.

"Come on," he said. "Dad's waiting."

Some time passed. Karai felt herself being sat down on a couch before Kagome removed her scarf. She looked around, getting a good view at the lair.

"Welcome to our home," Leo greeted. "Maybe in time... it can be yours too."

"Maybe…" Karai mused.

"Hey, Dad!" Hisako called. "Can you come out here for a sec?"

Splinter emerged from the dojo, stopping when he saw Karai.

"Miwa…" he let out.

"Hamato Yoshi…" Karai stood up. "I… um…"

"Please, come with me," Splinter requested, turning back into the dojo.

Karai followed him, and after a minute, Hisako followed her, realizing Splinter's intent. Once they made it into the dojo, Karai's eyes were drawn to the massive tree sprouting in the center. Eventually, her eyes returned to Splinter, who was watching her from off to the side.

"I retain very little from my former life," Splinter began, turning to the shrine in the corner, "But this, I will never let go… my daughter."

Karai looked over the shrine, gasping. "It's… it's like the one from Kasumi's house."

Splinter moved in next to her, kneeling down and putting him at Karai's height. He laid his cane across his lap and closed his eyes, preparing himself for what was to come. "Forgive me for this."

Karai turned to him. "What are you-?"

That was all she had time to say before Hisako came up behind them and shoved her hands into Splinter and Karai's heads. They both stiffened as she pulled forth the memories. All three of them were then forced to watch a first-person view of Shredder attacking Splinter, starting the fire, cutting down Tang Shen, and finally picking up Karai's infant self and walking off into the night, all like a horror movie on fast forward.

When it was over, Hisako fell back. Splinter gripped his staff tightly, tears in his eyes from the raw emotion, with Hisako in a similar state. Karai, however, was wide-eyed, gasping for breath as tears poured down her face. Her mind was in a state of turmoil, barely able to comprehend all that she had seen.

"What was... Was that… What did you do to me?!"

"I showed you the past. Your true past," Hisako sat up, wiping her eyes. "What you saw were Dad's memories of the night the Hamato Clan fell. What really happened."

"Then... everything I thought I knew… It was all a lie. The Shredder... he- he kidnapped me…" Karai fell to her knees, covering her mouth. "Oh God... I tried to kill my own father…"

"And now, we must get ready," Splinter said, getting to his feet. "No doubt Saki's forces are on their way here."

"What do you mean?" Leo asked.

Splinter's tail slipped something off Karai's belt. "You were followed."

Raph saw red. "You activated a bug?!"

"I-I panicked!" Karai exclaimed. "I wasn't sure who to trust! I was afraid what Shredder would do if I was wrong…" She composed herself, standing up. "I gotta get out of here! If I hurry, I can lead Tiger Claw away!"

"Go with her," Splinter ordered the others. "Make sure she is safe."

"We're on it," Leo nodded.

As the team headed out, Splinter placed a hand on Karai's shoulder. "You are who you choose to be, not what others make you."

Karai managed a smile as she joined the others. They hurried out of the lair, running at top speed through the tunnels as Raph turned to Karai.

"Okay, Princess," he told her. "You got us into this mess, and now you're getting us out. Where to?"

"I…" Karai stammered, "I don't know!"

"Guys, hold up!" Mikey declared, everyone skidding to a stop. "I know exactly where to go!"

Some time later, Tiger Claw managed to track the group down to a meat-packing facility.

"Clever cubs," he mused as he entered. "I can't smell you… but I can hear you."

The ninjas passed silently through the meat-packing plant, sneaking around.

"Show yourselves, damn you!" Tiger Claw shouted.

One of the Turtles lunged out and hit Tiger Claw, causing him to spin around and slash through a side of beef.

"Are you afraid to face me?" he demanded. "Are you afraid to fight me?!"

At that moment, Kagome jumped in from the back, leg outstretched in a kick. Tiger Claw whirled around, catching her foot and tossing her aside. Kagome slowly got back to her feet as the Turtles and Hisako emerged from the shadows, all glowering at Tiger Claw and brandishing their weapons.

"Now we end this," Tiger Claw declared, backing into the main room of the facility.

The Hamato septet followed him out. The lights flickered a bit, and the teens quickly disappeared. Leo and Raph came in from the sides, slashing at Tiger Claw, who blocked their attacks before knocking them aside. Donnie leapt up onto the table and swung his staff at him, only for Tiger Claw to catch it in his mouth and swing him aside. At that moment, Hisako charged in, slashing at Tiger Claw with her tessens.

"So, you escape from the clutches of that vile alien, only to fall by my hand," he snarled. "I almost feel pity for you."

"You know, Leatherhead and I used to look up to you," Hisako recalled, glaring at him. "You were the first to escape, proof it could be done. But looking at you now, Tiger Claw… I wouldn't even spit in your direction."

Tiger Claw roared before kicking her back and brandishing his claws. Just as he was about to slice her, Mikey's kusarigama chain wrapped around his arm.

"Don't you lay a claw on my sister!" he shouted.

Tiger Claw yanked on the chain, pulling Mikey close. Then he grabbed him by the plastron and began repeatedly slamming him into the ground.

"BACK OFF!" Vee shouted.

She charged forward, ramming her kneecap into Tiger Claw's face,while Kagome jumped him from behind, punching him in the back. Tiger Claw whipped around and palm struck Kagome in the chest, and then leapt at Vee, picking her up and throwing her at Kagome. Both girls were slammed into the wall. With the seven incapacitated, Karai jumped down from the rafters. Tiger Claw turned to her.

"Karai," he remarked. "Would you like the honor of finishing them off?"

Karai looked down in shame

"I have no honor," she said as she grabbed her sword, pulling it out. "But that's about to change."

Before Tiger Claw could register what she had said, Karai hit him with a roundhouse kick before slicing at him. He blocked her attacks before shoving her back.

"Traitorous bitch!" he shouted.

Karai ignored him, going for the kill, only for Tiger Claw to catch her sword in his hands and fling her to the ground. The Hamato septet moved in as Tiger Claw picked her up.

"If you value her life, do not take another step," he warned.

For emphasis, he dangled Karai over the meat grinder, turning it on.

"Bastard!" Leo cursed him, though he stood in place, as did the others.

Tiger Claw smirked.

"Just as I thought," he said, slinging Karai over his shoulder. "Your emotions make you weak. And that is why this day belongs to me."

With that, he escaped through a window.

"Karai!" Leo shouted, making to follow him only for Hisako and Kagome to hold him back.

"Leo, don't!" Kagome insisted. "He's too strong."

Mikey let out a moan, trying to pull himself up. The others quickly hurried over to him.

"He's in bad shape, guys," Donnie said with concern.

"We need to get him back home," Hisako told Leo. "But don't worry. We'll save Karai."

In Shredder's throne room, Tiger Claw threw Karai down in front of Shredder.

"What is the meaning of this?" Shredder demanded.

"She has betrayed you, Master Shredder," Tiger Claw reported. "She fought alongside the Turtles."

"What?!" Shredder let out.

Karai pulled herself up, glaring at him.

"Tell me the truth! Now!" she ordered. "Splinter is my father, isn't he?!"

Shredder visibly winced, before slowly approaching her.

"...Yes," he confessed. "Hamato Yoshi is your true father."

Karai gaped at him in horror, and Shredder turned to Tiger Claw.

"Take her away," he ordered.

Tiger Claw obediently yanked Karai to her feet and dragged her to the basement of the HQ, tossing her into a cell and slamming the door shut. Karai scrambled to her feet, gripping the bars as Shredder and Tiger Claw walked away.

"No. No, what are you doing?!" she demanded, only for the door to be closed behind them. "NOOOOOO!"

She reached through the bars futilely, as unbeknownst to her, a small black cat looked on in sadness. It crept away, morphing into Shinigami, who let out a sigh.

"Karai…" she let out. "What have they done to you?"

Author's Note:

Well, Karai finally knows the truth… but at a heavy cost. One thing I changed from my original version: Raph isn't as cynical or ready to believe the worst in Karai.

Please R&R. Until next time!