NekoShard: "Bolt the door Raph! Bolt the door!"

Raph: "Aw come on let me take him! He doesn't look that tough."

NekoShard: "You are not fighting that other version of you, Dasasharp! Get in here so we can start the next chapter and maybe he'll go away!"

Nightshade returned to where he had dropped his weapon to retrieve it and the mutagen that April had found. As he reached the spot, he stopped short; everything was gone! He turned around at a soft noise behind him only to stiffen in alarm as the cold curve of his scythe's blade pressed against his throat. Slowly, he turned his head to meet the cold, deep brown eyes of Iranie.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to leave your weapon when you're in a city full of enemies?" The clone asked. A faint smile appeared on her face but it vanished quickly and she moved the blade, offering him the handle. "You're lucky that I'm the one who found these things. I'm sure Karai-sama would be very interested to know how you came by these and one of the Foot would immediately turn this in to her."

Iranie held up April's backpack and tessan. Nightshade struggled to keep his face impassive.

"I'm sure she would; you can do what you want with them, it won't affect me at all."

The stared coldly at each other for a few moments, then Iranie tossed him the backpack and fan.

"Good thing for you I'm not exactly "one of the Foot." She looked him over noting the bruises and scratches all over his body and the chips in his shell. "Judging from the fact that you seem to have given yourself a mission of some sort...I'd say you aren't entirely tied to Karai either."

"Not entirely, my own personal mission will always take precedence over Karai's orders."

Iranie looked serious as she sat down cross legged at the edge of the roof. "And what "mission" might you be talking about."

Nightshade remained standing as he walked to stand beside his second in command. "A personal one. Revenge."

"On those other mutants." It wasn't a question.

"Yes."

Her face remained grim as Iranie asked, "Why? What have they done to you?"

A bitter laugh broke from Nightshade.

"What have they done? They abandoned me and the one with the the red mask…" He gritted his sharp teeth and spat, "That Raphael, scarred me and caused me to lose all memories of who I was!"

"Hmm…"

Iranie's lack of reaction annoyed Nightshade and he turned away in disgust.

"Go back to headquarters, I have no wish to be with anyone right now."

He dashed away, leaving Iranie staring after him, brow furrowed. A hand lifted to touch the side of her head and her expression hardened into determination as she turned and ran the opposite direction.

Nightshade remained out in the city for the entire night, wrapped in his cloak he fell asleep leaning against the low wall surrounding the edge of the roof on April's building using the backpack full of mutagen as a crude pillow. As the sun rose, he woke, slightly groggy. His hood had fallen off, and he hurried to pull it back up. He glanced through April's window only to see that she was still asleep. He left the backpack and fan on the window sill before returning to the Foot Clan's headquarters.

"Where have you been?" Asked Slash seeming uncharacteristically nervous. "The Shredder's comin' back and he's bringin' some new warrior with him."

Xever sidled over on Nightshade's other side. "I heard it was another mutant, part fish, part woman, all-"

"Don't finish that," Growled Nightshade, his hand moving to grip the handle of a knife concealed in the hem of his cloak.

"SILENCE!" Shouted Karai and she dropped to one knee, bowing her head as the doors at the end of the hall opened. The rest of the Foot Clan followed suit and Nightshade reluctantly did the same.

Heavy footfalls sounded, slowly drawing closer. As they reached Nightshade and passed by, he lifted his head slightly to look at his true leader. A moment later, a second figure passed by to stand before the Shredder. The leader of the Foot Clan sat down on his throne and his daughter stood, moving so that she was in front of the new assassin.

"Welcome home, Father."

"Karai." Shredder's deep voice sent a thrill of fear down Nightshade's spine. "Who are these new mutants in the ranks of my army?"

Pride tinged Karai's tone as she replied, "Two mutants who have proven themselves loyal to us, to you. Slash nearly killed all of the Turtles single-handedly, and Nightshade has apparently dealt Hamato Yoshi a near fatal injury."

The Shredder stood and moved so he was looking down upon both Slash and Nightshade. "Look at me."

They looked up, meeting Shredder's cold gaze. Nightshade suppressed a shudder as he saw that, under the mask, the man's face bore the discoloration and scars of old burns on the right half. Without warning, Shredder used his claws to fling back the dark turtle's hood. His eyes lingered on the three hideous scars that disfigured the mutant's face and then turned away.

"Karai, you may remain here, the rest of these freaks can leave."

Nightshade couldn't be out of the room fast enough, but he forced himself to walk and not show any fear. Once out of the room, he glanced at Slash and notice that the other turtle's hands were shaking. He clearly had been as unnerved by the Shredder as Nightshade.

"What'd ya think you're lookin' at?" Slash snapped, turning away and stalking off.

Nightshade whirled around and strode the opposite direction, climbing to the roof. He looked around warily, then lowered his hood for the second time that day. A cool breeze was blowing in off the water, sending the long tails of his mask streaming out behind him. He relaxed slightly as the cool air soothed his scars, which had begun to pulse with heat at every beat of his heart.

He sighed and reached back to pull up the hood; he had a visit to make.

April was surprised to see Nightshade again so soon. "What are you doing here? It's light out, what if someone saw you?"

"But no one did," He replied calmly. "I just wanted to see how your wrist was. It could easily have moved while you slept and I just wanted to make sure I could reset it if I had to."

He stopped. How did he know all this? Did Bishop somehow implant this knowledge into his brain during his operation?

"Nightshade? What's wrong?"

April's voice snapped him out of his confusion and he flushed, embarrassed to have been caught daydreaming. "Sorry. It's nothing."

He worked in silence as he changed the bandages. April bit her lip, trying to find something to say. "So...how did you become a mutant?"

Nightshade shrugged, "I don't know."

April raised an eyebrow, "What? How could you not know that?"

"None of your business."

"But you have to know something." She put a hand on his shoulder, "Look, you can tell me. I might be able to help you…" Her hand reached towards his hood to pull it back and see his face.

Nightshade recoiled in anger and alarm, "STOP!" Then, seeing her fright, he lowered his voice. "I-I don't let anyone see my face. It got scarred several months ago by people who I trusted...they intended to kill me. When I woke up, I didn't remember anything of my past and that really hasn't changed. I only know about my injuries because the man who found me told me about it."

He was surprised how easy it was to tell his tale and how eager he was to get it out in the open.

April's blue eyes widened. "I had no idea...and to think I hated you and thought you were just pure evil. Nightshade...I'm so sorry…"

The dark turtle stood and moved towards the window. "It's alright April, some things are just beyond our control."

Then he leaped out onto the roof and vanished into the city.

April heard his words repeat through his mind along with the same ones spoken in a similar voice by-

"Impossible…" She looked down at the bandage on her wrist and then back at the window as mingled horror and hope welled up inside her.

NekoShard: "Has April figured it out? How will this work out?"

Raph: "Maybe if you stop asking questions about it you can get on to writing the next chapter and we'll find out!"

NekoShard: "Slave driver...maybe I should have let you get beaten up by Dasasharp…Well, review everyone!"