Chapter 14 Reuniting with an old friend
The following night, the four turtles were hopping across the rooftops of New York. Earlier they received a message on their shell cells from Ben that he and Maggie want to patrol the city with them. They agreed to meet on the east edge of Chinatown on a roof. The turtles arrived at the location first and waited for their friends.
"Can't wait to bust some gangster heads with our dragon friend and Phoenix gal." Raph said with a smirk. "Maybe even some foot bastards while we're at it."
"Patience, Raph. We'll get some action soon." Said Leo. "Though I don't know about the foot. They've haven't shown their faces in almost a month."
"Yeah, Leo. They've been unusually quiet for some time, which isn't a good sign." Said Donnie.
"Either way dudes, I can't wait to see some magic action with our mystic pals." Said an energetic Mikey. "I'd love to see some fireballs and water blasts in action."
"Look, here they come!" Said Donnie.
The brothers looked to see Ben hopping towards them and Maggie flying beside him. The couple landed near the turtles.
"So, I see everyone is ready." Said Ben with a smile.
"Yup. Ready for some asskicking action!" Said an eager Raphael.
"Oh you're gonna see some asskicking alright." Said a new voice.
The mutants looked to see a figure in a silver and grey hoodie standing on a nearby rooftop. The turtles took out their weapons while Ben and Maggie took their fighting stances.
"Relax." The stranger said calmly. "I'm not really an enemy."
"Then who are you?" Asked Leo.
"I can't tell you that, yet." The stranger replied. "Only that I seek a challenge."
"What kind of challenge?" Asked Maggie.
"A dual. Man to man. One on one. And I challenge you, dragon boy." Said the stranger.
Ben looked into the stranger's bright white eyes. He felt something familiar about this individual. The blue dragon narrowed his own eyes.
"You're on!" Ben declared. "We fight in Central Park."
"Cool. I'll be waiting." The stranger said before dropping off the building.
The mutants ran to look where he jumped but there was no sign of him. There was a moment of silence before everyone looked at Ben.
"Ben, how could you agree to fight him?" Asked Leo. "We don't even know who he is."
"No but there's something familiar about my challenger." Answered Ben. "Besides, if he was an enemy, he would have attacked us all."
"Ben is right. I too recognized something in that stranger." Said Maggie.
"Either way we gotta go to Central Park for your fight, Dragon man." Said Mikey.
"Agreed. Let's go." Said Leo as the mutants head to Central Park.
The mutants arrived at Central Park in a small open area where the grey hooded stranger was waiting.
"About time you guys showed. I was starting to get bored here." Said the white eyed stranger.
Ben stepped forward towards his opponent.
"Hun, be careful." Said a concerned Maggie.
"I will, babe." Replied Ben with a smile before turning to face his challenger.
"Don't worry, dragon man. I'm not gonna hurt you, much." Said the stranger before he took a fighting stance that had his hands in a claw like position.
Maggie narrowed her eyes at the stance.
"That stance. I've seen it before." The Phoenix thought.
Ben took his own stance and they stared each other down for a moment the stranger ran towards the azure dragon.
The stranger attacked with his clawed hands and kicks, attempting to strike at Ben's head, shoulders, or torso. The dragon countered nearly every attack, but was caught off guard with a double clawed strike to the chest, knocking him back and causing some pain. Ben was surprised by this move.
"You fight with great strength and ferocity!" Said Ben holding his chest.
"Oh you haven't seen nothing yet!" Said the stranger right before the fight resumed.
After a moment of exchanging blows, Ben blocked a right hook and countered with a punch to the gut, but the fighter only snickered and grabbed the dragon and threw him across the ground.
Mutant spectators watched in shock and concern.
"This guy's really good." Said Donnie.
"Yes, Donnie. He's attacking with such strength and ferocity." Said Leo with his serious eyes narrowed. "And he has the stamina and endurance to match."
"Looks like you have competition here, Raphy boy." Said Mikey.
"I hate it when somebody steals my thunder." Growled Raph with his arms crossed.
"Maggie, what do you think?" Asked Leo.
"This fighter is using Tiger style Kung Fu. It emphasizes power, strength and ferocity like you see here." Explained Maggie. "I knew someone who practiced Tiger style. And this fighter reminds me of him for some reason."
Both the dragon and the hooded fighter continued to fight until the stranger tried to use a spinning back kick but Ben ducked under and immediately followed with an uppercut to the chin sending the fighter flying into the air and crashing down on the ground. Ben kept his guard up just in case he got up to attack again. The stranger slowly got up, cackling with excitement, turning around showing his hood was down and revealing his true features, shocking everyone.
"What the shell?!" Exclaimed Raph.
"It's him." Said Maggie.
The strangers face was that of a white tiger's with bright white eyes and short black hair. The tiger then unzipped his sweater and tossed it off revealing his white muscular stripped body as well as a striped tail. He looked like a furry mid class bodybuilder.
"You're the White Tiger." Said Ben.
"Bingo! Took you a while." Said the tiger. "Go one more round with me and I may tell you my name."
"Very well." Replied Ben.
Ben attacked with a flying kick but the tiger blocked it with his strong arms. The latter then grabbed the leg and threw the dragon across the arena. The tiger then ran up and attempted to pounce on his opponent with his clawed paws raised to strike, but Ben saw the attack coming and intercepted the move by launching off the ground and initiating a flying kick to the tigers face. The tiger warrior landed on the ground with a smirk on his face. He was enjoying the fight. They soon started trading blows again, and the tiger used his tiger gripping techniques to grapple the dragon to the ground but Ben grabbed at his furry chest, causing the tiger pain, and smack the away and cover away. Ben got up holding a piece of white fur in his paw before blowing it away. The tiger had an irritated look on his face.
"That was a dirty move!" The tiger complained.
The dragon smirked.
"That was a nice trick, though!" Snickered Mikey.
"Yup!" Said a smiling Raph.
The tiger rushed at the dragon again, only to receive quick rapid punches to the face. Ben then moved his hand with his fingers stretched out towards the tiger's chest. The dragon then immediately closed his fist and punched the tiger hard in the chest sending him to the ground. Ben shakes his hand as hitting the tiger was like hitting a block of bricks. Meanwhile the tiger smiled as he laid on the ground and then began to laugh.
The mutant spectators looked confused.
"Ok, that guy's seriously cracked." Said Mikey.
"I agree. This guy just likes to fight even if he gets hurt." Said Donnie.
"That Tiger style, his mannerisms, could it be?" Thought Maggie.
"Even after coming back to life as a dragon, you still got it, Benny boy!" The tiger said as he got up.
Ben and Maggie's eyes widened in shock at what he called the dragon.
"How did you know that name?!" Demanded Ben. "The only person who called me Benny boy is - JET!?"
"Jet Chan?!" Exclaimed Maggie.
"In the new flesh, guys! Now how bout a hug!" Said the eccentric white tiger.
The Phoenix and Dragon hugged the white tiger, reunited with their lost friend. The turtles looked happy for them.
"I just love seeing old friends seeing each other again." Said Raph.
"I know dude. It brings a tear to my eye." Said a sniffling Mikey.
The mystic mutants broke away from the hug, and Ben was the first to ask questions.
"Jet, why did you have to make yourself known like this?" Said an annoyed Ben.
"What better way to announce the return of the most sexiest and badass Kung fu fighter in Chinatown?" Said a smiling Jet.
"You could have killed him, Jet." Said a disapproving Maggie.
"Come on, Maggie. You know I would never seriously hurt my pals." Jet assured.
The Tiger looked over at the turtles.
"And I see you two have made some new friends." Said Jet. "Names Jet Chan, ladies man, high school football player, Tiger Style practitioner. I went to the same high school and Kung fu dojo as Maggie and Ben here."
"I'm Leonardo. This is Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael."
"Hey. I'm something a powerhouse myself." Said Raphael.
"Cool! You and I will get along just fine!" The tiger said as he and Raph fist bumped each other.
"So what happened to you, Jet?" Asked Donnie. "How did you turn into a tiger?"
The tigers smile quickly faded.
"That is a topic I wish to discuss at a later time." Said Jet.
"Good idea, look, dawn is arriving." Said Donnie as he pointed to the rising sun.
"Come on, let's go home. See you three around." Said Leo as the turtles left.
It was the Mystic mutants turn to return to their homes.
"Do you have someplace to stay, Jet?" Asked Maggie as she flapped her wings and flew off the ground.
"Yeah, I do." Answered the tiger.
"Then we'll see you later, Jet. To catch up." Said Ben smiling.
"Sure thing, Benny boy." Jet said smiling back before all three mutants took off.
Wow! Ain't that fight something or what?
That bit of Ben ripping off Jet's chest fur is a reference to the Bruce Lee movie Way of the Dragon where Bruce rips off some of Chuck Norris's chest hair, lol.
And the fighter turned out to be the White Tiger! And a long lost friend and classmate of Maggie and Ben!
But what's his story? How did he become a tiger? Find out in the coming chapters.
This is MergingEmperor7, bowing out.