Raphael woke from a dream to the sounds of crickets chirping. While not irritating, he wasn't entirely used to it, so he always woke up with a startle when the resonances didn't match the usual honking car horns and ringing police sirens above his sewer home. He tossed and turned in his makeshift bed made up of blankets and some pillows laid out on the wooden floor, until he realized he was well and truly awake.

He wasn't bothered. Tonight, he'd much rather be awake now than to oversleep. He turned himself over onto his side so he was facing the window, where moonlight poured through into the room.

It was a fine window, to say the least. Its silhouette from the moonlight extended across his blanket-covered body, revealing the ornately carved, intricately designed pattern of the shutters. The frame was even more sumptuous, carved wood painted red and gold. He almost felt like royalty.

Propping himself up on his elbow, he pulled out his T-phone and squinted at the bright screen.

1:32 in the afternoon.

He still hadn't gotten around to changing his phone's clock to his current time zone. But the calculation was easy: Just add an hour and then another twelve to switch from AM to PM or vice versa, and that was the current time. So 2:32 in the morning in Japan.

Raphael threw his covers off and stood quietly. As he made his way towards the extravagant window, he was careful not to step on his sleeping brother. He looked down as he crossed over Michelangelo's curled-up form. He frowned at his lack of peaceful expression on his face. Normally, when his brother slept, it was either such a deep sleep that his mouth would hang open and drool would dribble down the corner, or it was him nodding off to his happy place made of cotton candy skies and pizza meadows or whatever, as reflected by a goofy smile and a bit of purring.

But this sleep Michelangelo was in was filled with different dreams, unpleasant ones. It wasn't violent, but he shifted and turned in his sleep nonetheless, his lips pursed in a deep frown. The quiet groans of unease slipping out from time to time told Raphael that this one was a particularly frightening one.

He considered waking him, but he knew that once Michelangelo was awake, it would be near impossible for him to fall back asleep. Especially after a nightmare. Instead, he resorted to pulling the blanket further up over Michelangelo's shoulders. He wasn't sure if it worked, but the quiet groaning seemed to dull down some.

Not far from them, he heard Donatello shift in his own sleep, moving from his back to his side. The floor wasn't very comfortable, but he was happy his brothers were managing, especially with all that weighed on their minds.

Raphael stood up straight again and walked to the window, cautious of the slight squeak of the floorboards as well as the whine of the hinges as he pushed open the shutters. The view from their room was breathtaking. The strong moonbeams lit up the landscape. The village below was quiet; not a single light was lit. A stark contrast to sleepless New York City.

He breathed deeply to take in the fresh air. The last time he'd smelt air so clean and pure was over a year ago at April's farmhouse. When they were fleeing the Kraang.

It irked him that every time he had this chance to appreciate nature and peace, it was under horrible circumstances.

He looked to the horizon, where another mountain stood tall. This mountain did not hold a monastery like the one they currently dwelled in. Instead, along the West side of it, there was built a great establishment. Its design was relatively traditional – a combination of Asuka and Nara architecture, and it was difficult to confuse it with anything other than a Japanese temple to an onlooker's unsuspecting eyes. But its extensive use of stone and steel and its black and grey exterior gave it an ominous look the village had long been troubled by.

It was also difficult to miss the large Foot symbol painted in red on either side of the front. Raphael felt his knuckles tighten and his blood boil at the thought of Shredder in there, planning whatever wicked scheme he had next in mind to make their lives miserable.

~ Seven Days Ago ~

"Raph, dude, snap out of it!"

Raphael hated this. If he was to be mind-controlled, he didn't want to have to witness the actions he had no power to stop, like a glitch in a video game while he struggled with the controller.

'I'm trying, Mikey,' Raphael screamed in a small corner of his mind. 'Just watch your butt!'

His talons swung out towards Michelangelo's head, but were expertly dodged. Raphael was inwardly urging them to keep their distance, but Shredder had trapped them in this warehouse. Prior to his brothers' not-so-secret arrival to his rescue, Shredder replaced Raphael's usual red mask with a black one, which Raphael's mind-controlled had gladly accepted. He'd watched in anguish as he threw his own mask in Leonardo's face, seeing it flutter down into his hands. He was glad Master Splinter wasn't there to see.

Shredder's control over him was a lot stronger this time. Stockman had improved his methods by allowing Shredder to incorporate brainwashing. Instead of allowing Raphael's anger to break him free, Shredder had instead used this anger to keep him locked in. He'd convinced him that this built-up rage was due to years of oppression by his brothers, an imbalance within him brought on by a lifetime of bitter resentment. This would not work had the chemical not further convinced his mind of this.

Raphael was gradually driving Michelangelo back with every attack.

"Come on, man, you can break free again. Think angry thoughts! Like, uh…ooh! Remember that time I spilt my pizza shake all over your favorite magazine?"

He avoided Raphael's side kick with a cross block. Raphael countered with a foot sweep, which Michelangelo recovered from by grabbing the rails before his shell hit the floor. He pulled himself back up, propelling himself into a double front kick. Raphael stumbled back at the impact to his shoulders.

"No? Okay, what about the time me and Casey put a cockroach in your miso soup?" He covered his mouth at his mistake. "Oh wait, you didn't figure that one out."

Raphael lunged again with an irritated roar.

Donatello and Leonardo, in the meantime, were occupied fighting off incoming Foot Bots, but Leonardo took the time to glare up at where Shredder stood atop the highest walkway. He would have attacked him directly had he not been accompanied – guarded more like it, by Tiger Claw, Rahzar, and Fishface.

"Getting a little repetitive there, Shredder?" he mocked. "What, because controlling my brother worked so well the first time, you thought you'd do it again?"

Shredder's laugh made his blood curdle. "Believe me, Turtle, this time you brother's loyalty will not so easily be won back."

Raphael overheard this, and the little bit of reason left in him fought like heck. His body hesitated only slightly, however, before throwing himself forward to lunge punch Michelangelo square in the face.

Donatello, his dear egghead of a brother, seemed to notice this after Michelangelo's efforts had failed.

"That's it!" Donatello exclaimed. "The mind-control must be over his other lobe!"

"You mean ear lobe?" Michelangelo chimed in, sitting up as Raphael redirected his attack at Donatello. "We don't really have those, dude."

"No, doofus, his brain lobes," Donatello clarified, blocking Raphael's incoming fist with his staff before sending him stumbling back with a back fist strike. "Last time, it was his left lobe that Shredder was controlling. Now, it seems to be his right lobe."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Leonardo demanded, slicing up three Foot Bots.

"Each side of our brain is responsible for different types of thinking," he explained like he was giving a lecture, but also managing to simultaneously spin kick Raphael. "The left side does the more analytical, objective thinking, using logic and reasoning. Like me," he added proudly.

"Get to the point, Donnie."

Donatello looked at where Raphael was recovering from the kick to his chest, now staring daggers at him. "Because Raphael's right brain is normally dominant, his emotions drive his actions. Shredder must be controlling that side of his brain. So we'll have to appeal to his left side to really get through to him."

"Use logic and reasoning to get through to Raph?" Leonardo said smugly.

"It's a long shot, I know," Donatello agreed, bracing himself for Raphael's incoming attack. "But it may be our best option."

Leonardo nodded and broke through the Foot Bots, running towards Raphael.

"Yo Donnie, for the record, what kind of brain do I have?" Michelangelo asked. Donatello left the question hanging so as to avoid hurting his brother's feelings.

Leonardo stopped on the walkway adjacent to and below where Donatello and Raphael were at a stand-off. He threw a couple of shuriken up towards him. "Raph, over here! We have a score to settle."

After deflecting both with his talon, Raphael turned his attention away from Donatello, his eyes narrowing upon locking gazes with Leonardo. There was a moment's pause, and Leonardo sensed that Raphael was waiting for him to make the first move. He did, bolting down the walkway he was on, away from Donatello. Raphael followed down his own walkway, upon catching up then leaping off and landing a few feet in front of him. Leonardo stopped dead in his tracks as Raphael moved to a battle stance, snarling.

Leonardo raised his blades, intense in his glare and stance.

After a moment's stand-off, Raphael was the first to strike.

Silently, Raphael wandered the halls of the monastery.

Upon their arrival to the centuries-old temple, they were graciously received with open arms by the monks that inhabited it. Raphael was pleasantly surprised to find that the monks were, although understandably daunted, quite accepting of their appearances. Their only shock was discovering who exactly the mutant rat was. The village had believed the entire Hamato clan exterminated, including Hamato Yoshi. So their astonishment quickly became delight, and it was nothing but a warm welcome from then on.

As he paced the hallways, Raphael used the flickering light from the lantern in his grip to see where he was going. He took small pleasure in the old-world simplicity of it, surrounded by centuries-old architecture and holy relics of his Sensei's ancestral religion.

Leonardo would be enthralled.

Raphael lowered the lantern and stopped in his tracks when he thought of his brother. He hadn't really stopped thinking about him, but there had been so much going on leading up to their arrival to Japan, the thoughts were mostly in passing or for the sake of motivation. It was only when the hustle and bustle took a temporary hiatus that he really had the chance to reflect.

Master Splinter had somehow convinced him to meditate more frequently now. Being treated to the hospitality of the monks, he mostly agreed to it out of respect for them and for Splinter. He pictured a younger Hamato Yoshi, perhaps even around Raphael's age, meditating on these same floors, wandering these same hallways. It was a reassuring thought.

While most of his days were spent on training, he grew to appreciate the relatively long periods of time he'd spend sitting with his Master and the monks, incenses lit around them, and simply focusing on easing his tension.

In truth, he was a lot better at it than he expected. The only times he would meditate – or at least pretend in order to make Splinter happy while really being bored out of his mind – back home was when there were no other pressing matters to attend to, at least nothing more than making sure Michelangelo didn't break anything of his while he was occupied. So given their current circumstances, he really should not have been able to sit still for more than a few minutes. But he knew that he needed to. He would be of no use to his team if he couldn't keep a sound mind. He needed to think straight. Calm his mind. Think like Leonardo.

After months of resentment for not being chosen as leader, Raphael had eventually gotten over his bitterness. It was a massive burden he could never take on. Well, that wasn't true; it was a burden he would never wish to take on. He gave Leonardo a difficult time once in a while when he didn't immediately agree with his decisions, but in the end, Raphael enjoyed his freedom and accepted the importance of tactic and self-control when necessary. Thankfully, Leonardo had managed to find the balance that worked for Raphael, and they've since gotten along a lot better since he'd been made leader.

It was among the many reasons he missed his dorky, high-strung, fearless brother.

That afternoon had been especially tough. It had struck him and his family hard that the longer they delayed a rescue, the more suffering Leonardo had to endure at the mercy of their enemy.

Michelangelo hadn't handled it well. He trained the rest of the afternoon under Raphael's supervision and, when dinnertime rolled around, didn't work up even a bit of an appetite. Since leaving New York, all he kept prodding on about was where the decent pizza parlors were in Japan. However, by that evening, even with the underwhelming portions of vegetarian meals the monks provided them, Michelangelo took a single bite for nothing other than good manners before retreating to their room. Raphael later found him there already asleep.

Donatello stuck by Raphael's side for most of the day, attending his training session and aiding with his plan for their infiltration of Shredder's lair. In truth, their numbers were not enough at present to lead a proper offence, and they were becoming restless with every passing day. Donatello was slowly realizing this, and by the time it came to call it a night, he walked off aimlessly to their room, head hung in exhaustion and dismay.

Raphael had taken an entirely different approach. For what they lacked in numbers, he decided they would make up for in strength. He'd been leading training sessions for days, but that afternoon, he pushed especially hard. He only later blamed himself for Michelangelo's progressively diminishing energy and spirit; at the time, he thought he could inspire him.

He exhaled sadly, placing the lantern on a nearby table when he came by Splinter's room upon noticing the flickering glow of candlelight coming through the gap between the sliding doors. He wished that his aging Sensei was gathering some much-needed rest, but at the same time, he subtly hoped that a conversation would bring Raphael's mind some ease.

As quietly as he could, Raphael pulled one of the sliding doors open to peer through. At the center of the room sat his Sensei, as he expected, deep in meditation. Lit candles surrounded him, though nearly reaching the end of their wicks, wax pooling down over their holders.

For a moment, Raphael considered joining him in silence, perhaps connecting with him on a spiritual level as opposed to carrying out a verbal conversation. Although he was yet to master that. Certainly, there was the time all four of them were able to connect with Splinter during their time separated from him, but his detached spirit was what found them, not vice versa. Without Splinter guiding him, he doubted his chances of forming a proper connection without rousing him.

Still, he was awake, he was there, so he thought it was worth a shot.

Just as he was about to pull the door further out to enter, he heard Splinter's voice quietly speak. It was soft, practically soundless, but through the silence of the room, Raphael could make out his words.

"My son," he whispered, eyes closed. His brow furrowed, and then relaxed again. "Hear my voice. Follow the sound of my voice."

Raphael's eyes lit up upon realizing: It wasn't him Splinter was speaking to.

"Do not be afraid. I am always with you."

At that point, a tear escaped the corner of his closed eye, and his hands lightly clenched.

"We are coming, my son. Do not lose faith. I am with you."

Another tear lined his other eye. But Splinter continued, determined, letting the tears run freely now as he willingly shared in his son's suffering.

Raphael desperately wanted to stay. Sit by his Sensei's side as he connected with his lost brother. Try to form that spiritual connection himself and aid in comforting him in his time of need, through whatever he was enduring.

But instead, Raphael stepped back into the hallway and gently slid the door shut. For a moment, he just stood there, facing the door, palms pressed up against it. He stared into a void, pupils dilated. Eventually, he closed his eyes and leaned in so his forehead rested against the door. His teeth clenched, his breathing grew deeper and faster.

When he opened his eyes again, there was venom in them.

~ Seven Days Ago ~

"Any other ideas, Donnie?" Leonardo shouted over his shoulder, keeping his feet solid on the ground as Raphael pushed his talons against his Katana.

Their efforts had failed miserably. The more they tried to appeal to Raphael, the more hopeless it seemed. Everything his brothers would say, Raphael would follow up with an equally rational response. In fact, it frightened them how cognitive he seemed the entire time. When Leonardo tried to remind him about all that Splinter had taught them about keeping his head and controlling his anger, Raphael responded with the hurtful words, "Splinter is weak."

Nobody noticed Shredder grin maliciously at this behind his mask.

"Not exactly," Donatello shouted back, tried to pull his fists out of Tiger Claw's grip on them after Donatello's repeated failed punches in his direction.

Leonardo finally managed to thrust him backwards. Raphael was quick to regain his composure and went into an offensive stance again.

Michelangelo, meanwhile, struggled to fend off Fishface and Rahzar. His optimism was dwindling the more he had to listen to Raphael's heated protests. This was rendering his defenses sloppy.

Donatello's spirits were broken with the knowledge of his previous theory being incorrect. Somehow, Shredder had done more than control Raphael's mind. Somehow, he'd brainwashed his brother. He was deeply disconcerted with the very possible fact that there may be nothing left to appeal to.

Leonardo refused to give up, however. So long as Raphael was there in front of him, alive and well, there was still a chance.

So he decided to give Raphael exactly what he wanted.

"Raphael," Leonardo said. "Listen to me. I know you've felt like nobody understands you. I get it. You've always had your own ideas on how to take down the Shredder." He lowered his Katana and moved to one side, clearing a path between him and Shredder, who still stood in the distance watching the exchange. "So, now's your chance."

Raphael snarled, but cocked his head.

"Go ahead, Raph. Lead the way. Let's take him down, once and for all."

That little corner of reason in Raphael couldn't have agreed more. But Leonardo underestimated Shredder's control over him. Or rather, he overestimated Raphael. But he couldn't blame his brothers. They knew nothing of the brainwashing.

There was only so much of it he managed to take on before finally breaking. Undoubtedly, Stockman's chemical concoction played a big part in that, but Shredder didn't let a single day of his imprisonment go to waste. Upon capturing him after a particularly unfair ambush on him and his brothers, Shredder was persistent in drilling into his mind how his brothers "mistreated" him or "didn't understand" him. No physical abuse. They were nothing more than words.

"You have a spirit in you Splinter attempts to suppress."

"Your anger makes you strong."

"There is no such thing as brotherhood."

Words. All meaningless, all worthless. But something in Stockman's chemical warped his mind to believe it. He wondered if this is what he had done to Spike. Years of complaining about his problems that eventually caused the newly-mutated Slash, by the effects of the mutagen, to lash out on his brothers. All because Raphael had unintentionally convinced him to do so.

Whatever Shredder had done to him, it worked. Raphael stood his ground, ignoring Leonardo.

From atop the brink of the walkway above them, Shredder began to laugh. "You amuse me, Leonardo. But unfortunately I grow bored." He raised his hand, jerking his fingers. "Raphael," he beckoned.

Leonardo's narrowed his eyes, and before he had a chance to fully turn around, he was thrust back by the swing of Raphael's arm, talons striking him across the face. He fell onto his back with a grunt.

As the stars left his vision, he shuffled back upon discovering Raphael looming over him. Donatello and an unconscious Michelangelo were dragged over and dropped on either side of him. Tiger Claw, Rahzar, Fishface, and Raphael enclosed them in a ring that was further closed off by the surrounding Foot Bots.

"Now," Shredder said, joining them, "perhaps it is finally time for your Master to join us."

Donatello and Leonardo kept silent, glaring up at him.

Shredder grinned, however, redirecting his gaze towards his most recent recruit.

Raphael nodded, pulling out his T-phone.

His brothers' eyes widened. "Raph, no!" Donatello cried. "Don't do it!"

Leonardo glowered as Raphael speed-dialed Splinter's emergency number.

Raphael, in anguish, listened to the line ring once, twice-

"Moshi moshi," came Splinter's urgent voice.

"Sensei, we need your help," Raphael's voice returned, guised in a state of panic. "The Foot has us outnumbered. Hurry!"

"No, Sensei, don't!"

Raphael quickly hung up before Leonardo could properly warn him.

Shredder laughed as he watched Donatello and Leonardo stare disappointedly at Raphael. "Well done, my Chunin," he said proudly. At this, Tiger Claw turned to look at his Master inquisitively. Shredder ignored it. "You have proven yourself a worthy soldier."

Raphael simply bowed in response. Inside, he was cursing up a storm for Shredder.

Leonardo was scowling at Raphael now. His impulses took over his judgement and he shot to his feet, unsheathing one of his Katana. Without thinking, he lunged at Raphael.

Raphael immediately blocked the Katana with his talon, but Leonardo pushed with all his weight. "Raph, come on, I know you can hear me. You have to fight this." He was pleading now. "You're better than this."

Although Raphael's eyes were stone cold, he also showed no sign of attacking Leonardo back. Noting this, Shredder nodded to Tiger Claw to step in.

"We're not your enemies; we're your brothers. Don't you remember?"

Still, Raphael's face remained hard.

Before Leonardo could continue, a strong hand gripped the back of his shell and threw him to the ground hard. His Katana clattered at Raphael's feet.

"Enough, cub," Tiger Claw growled.

Donatello, all the while, was keeping a close eye on Raphael.

"We have some time to wait for your Master to track you here," Shredder declared, turning to face the large window in the ceiling. "I would prefer no more disturbances."

Still watching Raphael at the corner of his eye, Donatello grinned.

"Raphael," Shredder said over his shoulder. "Eliminate them."

Just as Raphael stepped forward with mildly quivering legs, Donatello's voice rang out, "What's the matter, Shredder? Don't you have the guts to finish us yourself?"

Shredder slowly turned, somewhat dumbfounded not just by the challenge, but from which of the four in came from. He eventually smirked under his mask. "You are beneath me, Turtles. I save that pleasure for your Master."

"That's a little unfair considering how long it's taken you to capture us."

Leonardo eyed his brother worriedly. "Donnie, what are you-"

"Go with me," Donnie whispered before continuing. "And it was us who saved New York from the Kraang. And it'll be us to save it again when you release your mind control serum on everyone."

"Silence!" Shredder shouted. He stormed towards Donatello.

Donatello didn't let up. "So mind-controlling one of us is supposed to make you look all great and powerful? Is that really what it takes to get people to respect you? If you were really as great as you say, you'd have people lining up to serve you."

Shredder was looming over Donatello now. "You've run your mouth long enough, reptile."

"And you've hid yourself from the truth even longer." Donatello was running on pure adrenaline now. "When this mind-control plan of yours doesn't work out and you find yourself all out of allies, might I suggest hiding out in the Kraang's Technodrome? They seem to be the only race willing to help you. Or maybe you'll eventually have to replace them with mindless robots too."

Shredder's talons shrieked as they extended. "That's enough!"

Donatello glared at Shredder.

"If you truly wish to meet your end by my hand," Shredder raised his talons to deliver a final strike. "So be it."

Just as he was bringing his talons down towards Donatello, he felt his hand stopped suddenly mid-thrust. Shredder saw that familiar green at the corner of his eye. He prepared to strike down who he presumed to be Leonardo or even Michelangelo.

Only to find himself looking into the narrowed, venomous eyes of Raphael.

The night air chilled Raphael to the bone as he descended down the mountain. He was cold-blooded by nature, and although the mutagen had apparently made them much more tolerant of the cold than his turtle cousins, he still wasn't made to withstand this type of weather. The blood pumping rapidly through his veins, however, kept him untroubled by it.

He looked up towards the Swallow's Nest on the mountain. According to Master Splinter, it was intentionally built where the moonlight of early spring struck the mountainside strongest. It was so the swallow could find its way back to the nest. Although mildly fascinated by the history of this centuries-old monastery, he listened more so he could regurgitate the information back to Leonardo. For once, he would teach him something about their Sensei's culture. He smiled at the thought.

He turned around and continued down the path leading to the village. It resided in a valley surrounded by mountainous grasslands and forests, isolating it from the rest of Japan in a preserve free of the complications of modern technology. If he hadn't known otherwise, he would think he had entered a different time period all together. All the more reason, upon looking at the Foot sanctuary, its appearance was so menacing.

Raphael was in full ninja mode, using the shadows to his advantage as he passed across the rooftops of the village. It was certainly different than crossing the rooftops of New York. He had to be far more careful on his feet as the homes were made of creaking, timeworn wood as opposed to sturdy concrete.

Upon reaching the edge of the small village, he quickened his pace towards the mountain that was home to Shredder's lair.

His mind was a whir as he began his quiet ascent. A small part of him told him this was a terrible, irrational idea doomed to fail. But the rest of his mind argued that it was the only possible way for their greater plan to succeed. It had taken a lot of internal debate and deliberation even back at the Nest.

But his decision was final:

He was going to get Leonardo out.

An idea that had crossed his mind was waking Donatello and Michelangelo to accompany him. In the end, however, he decided the risks were too great. Not only was it possible that they would disagree and warn Splinter, but he also didn't want to risk their lives as well should they fail.

No, this mission would be entirely stealth. He had no intention of confronting the Shredder on his own, however endearing the thought of taking down the Shredder with the element of surprise on his side seemed. He couldn't wait to see the expressions on his family's faces when both he and Leonardo greeted them in the morning.

As he was not adhering directly to the path paved to lead to Shredder's lair, Raphael had no discernable way of predicting if the next precipice he'd climb over would reveal that he'd made it. He had been climbing for over half an hour, and his adrenaline rush only kept him going for so long before he began running out of breath.

But all the long hours of training had paid off. While he needed a moment to stop and catch his breath, his muscles were more than ready to continue.

In time, he made it to the entrance. Pulling himself up onto the precipice, he quickly realized he was fully exposed. He swiftly ducked behind a large pillar to avoid any sensors or guards.

After a moment of lingering to see if he had been discovered, eventually, he peeked over at the entrance. The doors were massive, towering two- perhaps three stories in height. Large Foot symbols were painted in red on each.

No way he was going through there, he decided. His eyes darted around for other potential entry points. Seeing none in proximity, he moved from his hiding spot behind the pillar and rushed, through the shadows, towards the side of the establishment.

For a while, he wandered and searched the outer walls for an unlocked doorway or window, from time to time peering or listening into whatever would greet him on the other side. Most of the rooms were dark and silent, but given that most of Shredder's followers were robots, he wasn't exactly expecting heavy breathing and vigorous movement.

Eventually, Raphael found a short staircase leading into the ground. He leapt down to the bottom, where another door met him. There was no handle, therefore no lock to pick.

Perfect.

It was something he and his brothers had picked up on over a long period of searching the city for Kraang plots. Doors with no exterior handle, normally indicating it was an emergency exit only, more often than not went overlooked by anybody trying to break in. Those protecting the inside always knew this, therefore it often became the one room left unguarded.

Donatello had taught him how to use a sharp metal object to pry the door open. Normally, Raphael would ignore the lesson and bash the door open with his foot. But tonight, he silently thanked Donatello as he used his Sai to unlock the door.

He pushed it open, welcomed by darkness and the smell of rotting food and mulled wine. Raphael presumed that, in Shredder's absence, there was no one to keep the cellar stocked with fresh food. He covered his nose as he silently made his way to the other side of a cellar, where he saw the glow of light peeking through the doorframe.

As he approached, he heard the sound of robotic footsteps on the other side. As soon as they began to drift, only then did he gently pull open the door.

He saw, near the end of a long hallway, two Foot Bots making their way down. When they were far away enough, Raphael pulled the door open further. He flinched, face twisting in alarm, when the door squeaked loudly.

The Foot Bots lit up and turned. Raphael acted quickly, running as fast as he could towards them, jamming his Sai into each of their heads. Other than the sparks and the powering down of their gears, they went down quietly much to his relief. To be safe, he quickly dragged them back to the cellar, laying them behind a barrel.

"Whew," he whispered in the silence of the cellar. "Easy, Raph. Keep it together."

The hallways were dim and cast with shadows Raphael used to his advantage. Unfortunately, however, they were also long and complicated. As Raphael peered around the corner of another cross section, he rolled his eyes when he was greeted by the same sight as the last several times. He kept his vigilance, managing to shift silently past other Foot Bots. But he was getting frustrated.

"Come on, Leo, where are you?" he muttered to himself. He knew he was getting cockier and more comfortable roaming these halls. In his tedium, he had to keep reminding himself that blowing his cover would have serious consequences. Not just for him, but for his family.

Shifting towards the end of another hallway, he noticed this one was much wider. Even the ceiling seemed to raise. Flickering light was pouring in more intensely from the right side. He furrowed his brow as he drew nearer and peeked around the corner, into a large chamber.

His eyes widened when he found himself looking straight at the Shredder.

His mind instinctively told him to search for the nearest hiding spot. But Shredder had not even noticed him. He sat in a throne even more massive than the one in his lair New York. The design of the throne matched the building's exterior: elegant and elaborate, but menacing with the overuse of steel. It didn't look old at all; in fact, it looked as though been made in the past twenty years or so.

Raphael stared – rather glared at Shredder, who sat high and mighty in his throne. What Raphael would have given to sucker punch him just for the sake of it. At present, Shredder was distracted by something in his hand. A piece of paper, or a photograph, Raphael couldn't tell from this distance.

"Master Shredder."

Startled, Raphael quickly regained his wits and shifted back into the shadow as Tiger Claw entered the chamber. With his shell pressed against a large stone relic at the edge of the room, he strained to listen.

"What brings you here at this hour in the night, Tiger Claw?"

Tiger Claw descended to one knee and bowed. "Permission to speak freely, Master."

Shredder's eyes narrowed, but he nodded.

"I mean to ask about your plan," he explained. "Your decision to return to Japan has left your followers…uncertain."

"When have I required you to have such knowledge?" Shredder shot back.

Tiger Claw growled under his breath, enough only for Raphael to notice. "We trust you to lead us, Master Shredder. However, how do you intend on capturing the rat by fleeing to Japan without leaving so much as a trace for him to follow?"

At this, Shredder's brought his fist down hard against the armrest of his chair.

Tiger Claw fell silent. Raphael peeked around the relic curiously.

"Let me make one thing clear," Shredder said, standing up. "I did not flee. I do not fear Hamato Yoshi."

"I implied no such thing."

Shredder turned to face the large window on the adjacent wall, falling into bitter silence.

Tiger Claw stepped forward. "Master Shredder, I decided to serve you not only because we share a common cause for vengeance," he explained, "but also because I sensed a great dignity in you that would strike fear into even the greatest, most skilled Samurai." He stopped as he came to the staircase leading to Shredder's throne. "However, I now sense you are deeply troubled. Had we remained in New York, I would have proudly organized another attack on the Turtles to return honor to your noble Foot Clan-"

Raphael nearly jumped out of his shell when Shredder rammed his fist through the window pane with a roar, smashing it to pieces. Tiger Claw stepped back, startled.

Eventually, Shredder spoke bluntly, "My Clan is in shambles." His clenched fists shook at his sides. "With the Kraang's defeat, my supply of robotic Foot soldiers has ended. I have but a handful of them left."

Raphael took pride in knowing he and his brothers had a hand in that.

"I spent half my life rebuilding the Foot Clan when I discovered my true ancestry. Now…" Shredder drifted off for a moment as he removed the kabuto from his head and held it for viewing. "I fear I have damaged my forefather's legacy."

Tiger Claw responded, "Perhaps bringing the world to its knees was an ambitious endeavor. But you single-handedly struck down the Hamato and shifted the fate of your Clan. You have brought honor back to the memory of your ancestors after it was mercilessly stricken from them."

Shredder continued to inspect the helmet, running his fingers along the sharp edge of the maedate. For what seemed like ages, Raphael watched both Shredder and Tiger Claw stand in silence.

Finally, keeping his back to Tiger Claw, Shredder gave him his answer. "Tomorrow, we will go to the village in search of new warriors. If they are unwilling, we will threaten to burn their homes to the ground."

'Jerk,' Raphael thought, scowling.

Tiger Claw nodded.

Shredder continued, "We will remain here until we have reestablished a strong army. In time, we will then return to New York and bring Yoshi to his knees."

"And what of Leonardo?" Tiger Claw inquired.

Shredder stayed silent, contemplating an answer.

Raphael waited, eyes narrowed.

Eventually, he turned to Tiger Claw and said, "Keep him alive for as long as you wish," he said. "I have no desire to use him. Let Yoshi and his sons suffocate in their unrest. Perhaps one day we will return to them a body."

It took everything in Raphael to stop himself from springing out of his hiding spot and taking them both out then and there. But he held it together, shutting his eyes tightly as he calmed his mind, letting his heart rate return to a normal, healthy pace. He listened intently as Tiger Claw left the room.

Shredder took his seat again, back straighter now, and placed his Kabuto to one side. Raphael peered around the relic in time to see him pull out what appeared to be a photograph, although he still could not see what it was of.

Nor did he care. As Shredder eyed the photograph, Raphael stealthily used the shadows cast around the room to leave.

It was time to put another dent in Shredder's plan.

~Seven Days Ago~

"What do you think you're doing?" Shredder demanded, straining to untangle his talon from Raphael's.

Raphael said nothing.

Shredder managed to break his own talon free, stepping back to look at his brainwashed student. "What is the meaning of this?"

Again, Raphael stayed silent. This concerned Leonardo and Donatello and left Shredder bewildered.

"Raphael," Shredder demanded, "Stand aside. That's an order!"

At first they assumed Raphael had managed to break free of Shredder's control, but his clear hesitation in his stillness indicated otherwise. His eyes were no longer glowering, but wide and clouded over with uncertainty.

"Raph?" Donatello muttered cautiously.

Raphael's muscles were trembling slightly as his mind hazed over. He glanced down towards the talons on his arms as though he were seeing them for the first time. He felt nausea. His mind was so jumbled he was losing sense of where he was. The figure in front of him was both threatening and comforting. Undoubtedly familiar. Possibly familiar? His mind was so muddled and conflicted that he was beginning to lose feeling in his legs.

Shredder sensed this and glared up at Stockman-Fly hovering overhead. "Stockman!" Shredder yelled. "Explain!"

Stockman, humiliated, retreated back. "I told you, s-zzzir. The effectiveness of the chemical compound is dependent on the extent of ex-zzzternal manipulation." He dodged the incoming shuriken with a yelp. "There's nothing I can do, M-Mazzzter!"

Shredder growled and turned back towards Raphael, who still stood there. He looked as though he were about to collapse. "Recover your wits, Chunin!" he demanded, marching towards Raphael. "Remember what I taught you."

Deciding enough was enough, Leonardo jumped to his feet and, maneuvering himself around his confused brother, threw his own shuriken at Shredder.

Shredder blocked them. He shot irritably, "I've had enough of you, Turtle!"

Leonardo responded by swinging his Katana at Shredder, who blocked it with his armored arm. Donatello, keeping his ground, defended himself and the still-unconscious Michelangelo against Fishface and Rahzar.

Tiger Claw took to standing over Raphael, who stared up dazed at him. "You have been more trouble than you're worth, young one," he snarled, raising his claw to strike.

Leonardo saw this at the corner of his eye and, upon round kicking Shredder away momentarily, lunged at Tiger Claw. Tiger Claw sensed his advancement in time to hold him off, paws gripping at Leonardo's clenched fists as he pushed his full weight against him.

Growling, Tiger Claw shifted so he was using his own weight to knock Leonardo off balance. However, by doing so, his elbow struck the dazed Raphael in the side of the head, knocking him off his feet and over the brink.

"Raph!" Leonardo cried as he watched Raphael plummet to the ground below.

Although the fall was far from graceful, luckily, it was broken by a stack of cardboard boxes and crates, knocking them over. He supported his landing with his elbow pad. At the impact, though, his stomach lurched and began to dry heave.

One of the fallen crates knocked over a nearby propane tank, spilling its contents across the floor not far from Raphael.

Donatello noticed this, and upon seeing the electrical outlets disturbingly close to the spill, he properly panicked. "Raph!" he shouted hysterically. "Get away from-"

His warning was interrupted by the sudden eruption of flames as the propane met an electric spark.

Raphael regretted never learning Japanese. The signs with proper directions as to where he was were ultimately rendered meaningless. Still, with the destroyed Foot Bot at his feet, he continued to stand there, staring vacantly at the ink-blotted shodō.

Finally, Raphael moved forward, of the mindset that if the calligraphy would be indicative of nothing, then at least the gated doorway would. He lifted the large keychain he had taken from the Foot Bot, growling under his breath upon seeing the dozen keys hanging from it. Just how many did this one robot need?

"Gotta start somewhere," he muttered, holding up the first in the line and inserting it into the keyhole. With no luck, he moved to the second.

Finally, while fiddling with the seventh key, he heard a distinct click. He smirked as the gate swung open. Wasting no time, he practically flew down the narrow staircase.

When he reached the bottom, there was no mistake of where he was. The air was colder down here. The single steel door that stood in front of him was thick and unwelcoming, rusty bolts anchoring it into stone, a stark contrast to the other doors he'd seen.

He lifted the keys once more, groaning again when he remembered the tedious process. This time, however, he was lucky enough to select the correct key after only the second shot. He held his breath when he heard the click, silently turned the knob, allowing for the door to slowly sway open. Mentally preparing himself for whatever greeted him inside, he pushed the door further and entered with caution.

The room was pitch black except for the hallway light trickling in. Given the unevenness of the ground and walls, he had trouble distinguishing whether it was built from scratch or dug into the mountainside. The air was damp and cold; clearly little to no time was spent to make this room habitable. And given the chains bolted to the walls carrying cuffs, that didn't seem too far-fetched.

Raphael would have cringed at the mere thought of one of Shredder's enemies subjected to such isolation. In reality, all he had to do was look towards the center of the room, and his heart leapt into his throat.

There, by his wrists from a chain bolted up onto the ceiling, hung his brother.

"Leo…" he wheezed before his breath suddenly hitched. He became nauseated at the grim sight, eventually staggering forward in an uneven run.

He slowed and stopped directly in front of him. For a moment, all he could do was stare, eyes wide and green irises pronounced due to constricted pupils. He felt his stomach lurching, thankful it was empty. He looked up at where the shackles around Leonardo's wrists were chained to a clasp on the ceiling. The thought infuriated him, but as his eyes scanned the shallow claw marks, dark bruises, and small stab wounds that covered his brother's limp form, he couldn't help but be reminded of the punching bag back in their lair.

All of his meditation very nearly went out the window. His clenched fists tightened, his jaw locked into a perpetual scorn, and he felt prepared to tear his enemies' limb from limb.

But he kept his head and moved closer, raising his hand to lightly tap Leonardo's cheek, on the side without the large claw mark running across his face. "Leo, bro, wake up. It's Raph."

As Leonardo began to slowly stir awake, Raphael wasted no time contemplating getting his brother down. He was strung up so his feet were only an inch from the ground – if he extended his toes, he could probably just scuff the floor. Given the state of his wrists, Raphael could only imagine Leonardo's frustration desperately trying to take the strain off of them.

Raphael had just moved to Leonardo's side to better inspect the chain when he heard, "Raph…?"

"Yeah, man, right here. I'll get you down in a sec."

Raphael was intentionally trying to be as frank as possible. He was hopeful that, although Leonardo was physically wounded, there was no psychological damage. And he figured the best way – or at least the most natural way for the two of them – to assess this was to behave like his usual brisk, impetuous self.

"How…"

"Long story. Don't worry, I'm taking you home. Just hang on." He was twisting his Sai through one of the chain links.

Leonardo responded under his breath, "'Hang on,' he says."

Raphael chuckled. His heart filled with such joy to know that his brother was still with him given the circumstances.

When the chains finally broke, he quickly moved to catch Leonardo, letting his arms fall over his shoulder, wrists still bound together by the shackles. Leonardo groaned as he was carefully set down on the ground, his legs unable to sustain his weight just yet.

"You okay?" Raphael asked, maintaining a gentle grasp of his brother's upper body to keep him upright.

Leonardo's eyes were squeezed shut as he waited for his body to recuperate from the movements irritating the inflicted injuries, but ultimately he nodded assuredly. "Yeah," he said under his breath. He twisted his hands in their restraints.

Raphael was quick to grab his Sai off the ground and pry the sharp end into the single chain link connecting the shackles together. It gave rather quickly; although he could not remove the cuffs, his brother would at least have mobility of his arms.

Raphael's hand moved to Leonardo's shoulder, eyeing him with genuine concern. "Ready?"

Leonardo, after a few controlled breaths, looked up to meet Raphael's eyes. He nodded again, this time more confidently.

Raphael scanned the room until he caught sight of Leonardo's Katana blades laying on the floor in the corner. In plain view, probably intentional to taunt their owner. Raphael rushed over, grabbed them, and hurried back to sheath them into the holsters still loosely strapped to Leonardo's shell.

He stepped back to get a better look at his brother. "That's more like it," he smirked.

Leonardo smiled. "Thanks."

"All right, let's go." With that, he moved to help Leonardo to his feet, gripping his elbow and wrapping his other arm behind him to grasp his opposite forearm. Allowing Leonardo to lean into him, they successfully got him to stand and move towards their escape. Gradually, Raphael sensed them speeding up to a regular, moderate pace. He would take it.

They came to a stop in the doorway, proving to be a bit too sudden for Leonardo as he flinched.

"You good?"

He felt his brother try to free his hand from Raphael's grip of it over his shoulder. "Yeah, it's not you. I think my wrist is sprained."

Raphael let go immediately. "Sorry."

"I'll be fine." Leonardo craned his neck so he could peek through doorway. "Do you know the way out?"

"You bet I do, Fearless." He grinned smugly. "Just follow my lead."

Leonardo arched his brow, the corner of his mouth tightening into an amused half-smirk. "You're loving this, aren't you."

"To be honest," Raphael admitted as he picked up the pace again in the direction of their escape, "not really."

With a fair amount of their combined efforts, they made it to the top of the staircase. It was only upon noticing the demolished Foot Bot that Leonardo suddenly asked, "Wait, where's your backup? Are the others…"

"They're fine. They're, uh…" His voice hesitated as he met Leonardo's concerned gaze. "They're on lookout."

Lucid Leonardo wouldn't have been even mildly convinced of that terrible lie, and he would have showered him with a whole slew of more questions. But the physical fatigue weighing down his body combined with the trust he had for Raphael left him unwilling to pry the answers out of his brother. Raphael was both grateful for and troubled by that.

When they turned another corner, they were met with the sight two Foot Bots approaching. They ducked back behind the corner. Raphael leaned Leonardo against the wall before pulling out his Sais, waiting for them to get near.

Just as they passed, oblivious to their presence, Raphael jammed his Sais into each of their chests. Sparks flew, metal limbs hit the ground.

Both turtles scanned their surroundings for any other incoming Foot Bots. "We gotta move," Raphael whispered, sheathing his Sais and stabilizing his brother's weight against him. "Come on." With that, he guided Leonardo through the hallways.

He slowed their pace as they advanced towards Shredder's chamber, now much darker. Still, he moved so they were deeper in the shadows, crawling along the wall of the corridor. He noticed Leonardo's muscles stiffening also as he most likely recognized the room they were approaching.

'It's all right,' Raphael told himself. 'All we gotta do is sneak past, and the rest is smooth sailing.'

Oh, how he wished he could go back in time and smack himself in the face for thinking so stupidly.

After leaning Leonardo against one of the pillars between the hall and the entryway, he was about to do a proper scan of the chamber to ensure vacancy coincided with the darkness. But just as he exited the shadows, he felt a strong thwack at the back of his head. He cried out from the pain and surprise of it before receiving a blunt kick to his gut, sending him flying backwards. He landed roughly on his carapace, knocking the wind out of him.

"Raph!" Leonardo called. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his brother stumbling out of his hiding spot. Before Raphael could stop him, Leonardo was also knocked to the ground, sprawling violently only feet away from him.

As Raphael scrambled to his hands and knees and crawled to Leonardo's side, torches lit up all around them, revealing the so-called "handful" of Foot Bots surrounding them, joined by Tiger Claw and Stockman. Fishface and Rahzar also stepped out from the darkness of the hallway.

"And here I thought Japan would be no place for a fish," Fishface droned, grinning manically as Raphael helped Leonardo to his feet, both glaring towards him.

"There's no escape for you, Turtles," Rahzar sneered.

The brothers stood back-to-back, ready to fight, as the mutant soldiers and Foot Bots closed the circle around them.

"Raph?"

"Yeah?"

Leonardo turned his head slightly to glance over his shoulder. "You came alone, didn't you?"

Raphael didn't respond, giving Leonardo his disappointing answer.

~Seven Days Ago~

The fire had spread rapidly, nearly engulfing the entire warehouse. Donatello hovered over an unconscious Michelangelo as Leonardo rushed to join them.

"Leo, we gotta get out of here!" Donatello yelled.

Leonardo nodded. "You take Mikey. I'll get Raph."

Donatello glanced below them at where Raphael was kneeling on the floor in the middle of the warehouse, hunched over in a stupor. He eventually nodded and picked up Michelangelo in a fireman's hold. "Good luck," he said before bolting towards the open window in the ceiling, leaping out to safety.

Leonardo watched them until they were out of sight before hopping off the walkway on which he stood, down to the ground where Raphael was left alone.

Raphael's chest heaved in and out, the nausea taking its toll. The contents in his stomach were acidic in his mouth. His ears were ringing, barely registering the inferno or falling debris around him.

"Raph!" he made out a cry. It seemed miles away, but when he looked up, he saw that Leonardo was kneeling right next to him. Only then did he register the hand on his shoulder. "Raph, we gotta go!"

He was still dazed, but he nodded and got to his feet shakily. While his conscience knew this was his brother, the rest of him was still straining to distinguish friend from foe. Whatever Stockman's chemical was, it was not entirely eradicated from his system just yet. His head was pounding as he struggled to keep balance.

Leonardo grasped his arm, keeping him upright. He gave a small tug forward and pointed with his other hand towards the newly-formed hole in the wall, leading outside. "Come on, the exit's there," he urged.

Raphael glanced up at their escape, noting the dangerous flames in his peripheral vision. Irrespective of allies and enemies, this was about survival. So, after a second's effort to move his unsteady legs, he broke into a run. Leonardo followed close behind him, dodging falling objects, crates, and destroyed equipment.

They were barely halfway across the warehouse to their exit when Leonardo suddenly felt his legs restricted. He gasped as he lost his footing, falling forward and hitting the ground hard.

Raphael heard this. He stopped in his tracks and turned around.

Leonardo grunted as he looked back at his feet, now tied together with rope. He turned onto his backside and reached forward to unravel it.

However, he stopped as a flickering shadow was cast over him. He looked up, only to see Tiger Claw growling down at him.

Although his mind was still teetering, Raphael's true voice momentarily found its way to the surface. "Leo!" he called back, dashing back for his brother.

He didn't get far. Suddenly, a small explosion beside him tore his attention away from Leonardo and to a massive stack of heavy crates knocked off balance and toppled down towards him. Without enough time to move out of the way, he instead instinctively fell down to his knees and wrapped his arms around his head as they came crashing down on top of him.

If his head was pounding before, it was splitting now. The ringing intensified so he heard nothing else around him. He thought maybe he heard Leonardo's panicked voice calling his name, but there was no way to be sure. Slowly, his world blackened into nothing.

Raphael came to, though only for a moment. His eyes fluttered open, and he found himself staring up into the night sky, a faint orange glow on the horizon. The ringing in his ears had dulled so he could hear what he presumed were police and firetruck sirens roaring in the distance. His head still ached, his drowsiness returning. Just as his eyes began to close again, he barely made out the outline of a cloaked figure kneeling over him, barely felt their hand touching his shoulder as he drifted off, thinking of his brothers as he did.

"Splinter," he wheezed before his world faded around him.

Somehow, Raphael and Leonardo had managed to hold their own for this long. Foot Bot parts were now littered around their feet. Most of it was Raphael's fine work, admittedly, but he had no desire to brag about it.

Amidst his satisfaction after taking down a handful more, though, came concern when he glanced over at the stock-still mutant goons behind the frontline of Foot Bots. They seemed far too calm for his liking. Even the mindless robots seemed to only be advancing in small waves. It hit Raphael: This was meant to be nothing more than a distraction.

He spun around to check on his brother, who was withdrawing the blade of his Katana out from a fallen Foot Bot's chest as more continued to surround him. His limbs were visibly trembling - certainly not out of fear, rather physical exhaustion. He tightened his grip on his weapons, preparing to strike the next opponent to advance. He had no chance against them all, but he would go down trying.

Raphael wasn't sure how, but as soon as he turned around to face his own challengers, he found that the shadow of Tiger Claw was cast over him. Before he could brace himself, he was struck by a solid straight punch to the face, intending to daze him rather than knock him out. It worked; he fell backwards and saw stars.

Leonardo looked away from the Foot Bots surrounding him and towards his brother. "Raph," he called, "Get up!"

Raphael rolled instead, out of the way of the second punch directed at his face. He rose to a cat stance – seemed appropriate – and raised his fists. But to his surprise, Tiger Claw showed no intentions of attacking further. The corner of his mouth twitched into a smirk, which Raphael desperately wanted to smack off. His instinct, though, told him to be alert.

He raised his guard. Breathed in. Sharpened his senses.

"Five o'clock!" Leonardo's voice rang out.

With that, he sent a back kick behind and slightly to the right, hitting Fishface square in the face without even glancing back. Fishface grunted as he crashed to the ground.

There was a moment's pause, and Leonardo and Raphael exchanged a quick satisfied look. But their opponents were too still. Not a single Foot Bot had so much as advanced towards Leonardo, and Tiger Claw's attack on Raphael was regulated, seemingly only to incapacitate. There was not even a viable effort to physically restrain either of them. They simply stood there. Had Leonardo been in full fighting form, both he and Raphael could have been out of there by now, leaving mangled Foot Bots and stunned goons behind them.

They both knew: They were waiting for their Master.

As if on cue, Shredder menacingly walked into the room. All of his followers straightened at his presence while Raphael and Leonardo's blood ran cold. The brothers inched towards each other as he drew near.

"Raphael," Shredder acknowledged, coming between Tiger Claw and Rahzar. "Good of you to join us." His eyes shifted, observing the scene before him before returning to his enemy. "You've come a long way to meet you end."

Raphael pulled out his other Sai, keeping his glare directed at Shredder the whole time.

"At least now you may take comfort in perishing in each other's company."

His breathing had intensified into heavy grunts and growls with each exhale, and Raphael finally reached his threshold. He lunged at Shredder, hollering in a fit of rage.

"No, Raph, don't!" Leonardo urged him.

Mid-run, Raphael suddenly found his arms restrained to his sides. He lost his balance and fell forward, now struggling against the ropes wrapped around his upper body.

Tiger Claw lowered the gun.

As Raphael wriggled and twisted aggressively, Shredder loomed over him. "Foolish. Impulsive!" he stated, the feedback given as though Raphael were his own student. But he wasn't anymore. "You were unwise to come alone, Turtle. Who will come to your aid now?"

Suddenly, Shredder was stumbling back, deflecting the incoming Katana aimed at his head. As he was regaining his composure, he was struck again by the heavy swing of another Katana blade at his chest. Shredder bellowed and clutched his shoulder.

Leonardo, still aching, weak, and now overexerted, quickly staggered to Raphael's side. He fell to his knees with a small grunt and used his remaining blade to slice through the ropes binding Raphael's arms to his sides.

Raphael pushed himself up off the ground. "Ninjas don't throw away their weapons, idiot," he muttered, grinning.

Leonardo smiled and shrugged in response.

Shredder's goons were ready to retaliate, but Shredder had signaled to Tiger Claw to stand their ground nevertheless. He proceeded forward once more as though nothing had happened, observing as the brothers eyed him irately and moved to the other's defense.

Brothers.

Shredder scowled inwardly at the notion. In truth, he had seen a lot of his younger self in Raphael, jumping to Yoshi's defense when the older kids in school bullied them because of their all-important father. Inferiority complexes, all of them. At least that what Yoshi would tell him whenever Saki proposed a plan of retaliation. He'd try to calm him down, dismissing the bruises and damaged pride, tell him to forgive and forget.

He growled. "Coward!" Blinded by wrath, he thrust his blade-covered fist towards them.

The brothers leapt in opposite directions to avoid it. Leonardo's landing was far less graceful, his legs buckling under him. Supporting his weight with his hands planted on the ground, he had little time to prepare himself for Shredder's incoming attack.

Raphael was on Shredder before he had the chance to land his fist, jabbing the blunt end of his Sai into the side of Shredder's head from behind him. Shredder responded by driving his elbow back into Raphael's chest. Landing on his shell, Raphael clutched his chest as he gasped for the air he'd lost by both the strike and his landing.

Gathering all the strength he could muster, Leonardo hurriedly stood and raised his Katana. Only to have it knocked out of his grasp mid-swing with one rapid swoop of Shredder's talons. He lost his balance again and fell to one knee, watching as his signature weapon flew across the room, nearly stabbing one of the still Foot Bots.

Raphael reached uselessly towards his brother when Shredder struck Leonardo so violently in the side of the head that it sent him colliding with the ground, out cold.

"No!"

Shredder stared down at Leonardo's now unconscious form, fists still clenched.

Raphael spun his Sais and raised them in plain view. "Shredder!" he bellowed in anger.

Finally, Shredder did turn to face him. There was a moment where neither of them spoke or acted, though it wasn't for a lack of desire on Raphael's part. Fire reflected in his eyes as he stared Shredder down.

Shredder grinned under his mask, taking a single, composed step in Raphael's direction. "Do you know what the sharp end of your weapon is called, Turtle?" he asked. His voice was calmer now, almost sadistically so.

Raphael had no interest in waiting for him to finish, instead thrusting himself at Shredder. Shredder, almost effortlessly, dodged his fist, ripped the Sai out of his grasp, and threw Raphael back in Tiger Claw's direction. Before Raphael could regain his poise, strong, furry arms were looped tightly through his own from behind him, pinning him back. Raphael grunted loudly as he attempted to pry himself away.

Shredder raised the newly-obtained Sai into his view, eyeing the tainted weapon engrossedly. He faced Raphael, emphasizing the sharp edge of the weapon. "The saki."

In fact, Raphael hadn't known that – perhaps doubting its truth – but he had no concern for the unfortunate coincidence. He was more fixated on Shredder turning his attention back to his brother lying motionless and vulnerable behind him.

Raphael twisted aggressively. "Shredder, face me!"

Shredder ignored him. He strode towards Leonardo, expertly flipping the Sai and gripping its handle, preparing to plunge its prong into his victim.

"No!" Raphael cried. "Leo!"

Leonardo didn't stir, not even as Shredder raised the Sai to deliver a final strike.

Suddenly, Shredder found himself off balance when a figure landed on his shoulders from above. As quick as the wind, this figure hooked the Sai in his hand with their own sword as they leapt up and spun. This twisted Shredder's arm to one side, further throwing his balance off. When the cloaked figure landed in front of him, between him and Leonardo, they quickly followed up with a round kick to Shredder's chest, sending him stumbling back.

Shredder grunted angrily as he regained his composure and prepared to retaliate. "Fool!" he shouted, "Who are you to interfere with…"

His voice trailed off when, as the figure stood up straight, the hood of the cloak slipped off to reveal Karai.

~ Three Months Ago ~

Somehow, nobody but Leonardo knew how, Karai had been cured. It had cost Donatello another snake bite, but it was nothing the poison mantra couldn't handle. Michelangelo was of course ecstatic, and Leonardo couldn't be more thrilled with seeing her out of Shredder's control and on their side once again. Raphael went along with it, knowing that Splinter's worn-out heart would be strengthened by his daughter's return.

Raphael hadn't seen much; he'd been too busy fending off Rocksteady. Shredder, being the coward he is, watched from the sidelines as Leonardo confronted Karai. At first it seemed useless, and Raphael was going to yell at Leonardo to quit trying and watch his own back.

But something had changed in Karai. She wasn't fighting him, wasn't even arguing whatever Leonardo was saying. Soon, Shredder had noticed this, particularly when she dropped to her knees and started heaving in and out strangled breaths. Raphael had to ward off another attack by Rocksteady. Eventually, he sent the communist rhino over the edge of the rails of the Auman factory walkway. When he looked back over, the sight that greeted him was Leonardo kneeling by Karai's side, the blade of his Katana spearing a mind-control worm on the floor.

Needless to say, Shredder wasn't pleased, but deeming Karai in no condition to confront him, the four of them managed to ward him off in time to get Karai out of there in a cloud of smoke. They heard Shredder's enraged scream from behind them as they headed home.

Master Splinter, of course, was overjoyed. He welcomed his daughter with open arms and arranged for a place for her to rest. She was led by Michelangelo, less for direction and more for balance as she was still somewhat shaky on her feet from also having been cured of her mutation. Donatello, free of the poison, joined them so he could do a proper health assessment once she was settled. Splinter invited Leonardo to join him in the dojo, most likely to congratulate him.

And Raphael was left alone in the middle of the lair to watch it all unfold. As he stood there, his fists were clenched, his mouth was set in a dissatisfied frown.

This wasn't right.

He waited until the next day, but even then it was difficult to find a moment alone with Karai. Michelangelo was surprisingly the one to spend the most amount of time with her. She still seemed dazed, so she went along with it when he served her breakfast and gave her a tour of the rooms she had not seen upon her last stay with them. Eventually, Master Splinter told him to allow her some time to "come to terms with herself." He saw the visible disappointment in Leonardo's eyes, but agreed this was best. She later joined Splinter in the dojo, where they stayed for over two hours. Raphael was having a tougher time keeping his patience than Leonardo was.

Finally, by that evening, Karai was left alone. Properly alone, not with somebody lingering around nearby. She was just leaving her room to brush her teeth when Raphael decided to intercept her.

Karai stopped in her tracks. "Raphael," she eventually acknowledged. This would be the first conversation they've had since before her mutation. In fact, this was their first one-on-one since the day she first found out the truth about who her real father was.

"Is this all part of it?" Raphael finally said. His arms were folded across his chest, and he was glaring daggers at her.

She blinked innocently. "What?"

This peeved Raphael. "Don't give me that. The last time you made those eyes was when you were leading Tiger Claw to our lair."

Karai had been out of it for a while, but it was those words that, to even her own surprise, brought reality crashing down. She shook her head quickly. "No…"

"I don't know what your game is, sister. I get the whole mind control thing – it sucks big time – but you're not out of the woods yet." As he confronted her, he noticed Karai's hands subtly raised in self-defence. "Just tell me this: Why did you go running back to daddy that night?"

Her confusion returned.

"That same day we broke you out, you go rushing back in. What was that, your plan to get captured," he emphasized the word sardonically with finger quotations, "so you could lead us into a trap? Didn't go too well, did it?"

"No…no, you're wrong, Raphael. It's nothing like that."

"Then what?"

"I was angry. I went back for revenge. I-" she huffed, trying to find the words. "I didn't mean for you all to come after me."

"You seriously didn't expect Leo to go after you."

"Listen, I wasn't thinking, all right?" Now he could see Karai trying to reach his level, clearly becoming aggravated with his accusations. "Last I checked, you're no stranger to rushing into things out of anger."

Raphael remained silent, mostly because he couldn't dispute that, but he wracked his mind for a proper retort.

But Karai continued after an exhausted sigh, "I made a mistake. I've made a lot of mistakes. I should have listened to your brother a long time ago, and I should have listened to Splinter that night." She found the courage to look at him straight in the eye, her eyes filled with remorse. "But I'd like to work on fixing them now, if you'll let me."

Raphael sensed sincerity. However, he knew not to trust it. His brothers had, and it nearly cost them many times. His expression still hard, he looked into her pleading eyes for a moment, and finally said, "I'm not sure I can."

Karai was taken aback. He explained, "You've let us down too many times. You're way too unpredictable, and I really can't trust you around my family." He was callous in his delivery. "Not to mention your little accident at Stockman's lab caused Shredder to lash out big time. Because of you, he teamed up with the Kraang, took over New York, nearly waxed off our Sensei, and ambushed and pounded Leo within an inch of his life."

Karai's eyes were wide and glossy now. "What?" she whispered.

Raphael quickly realized that information may have been intentionally kept secret from her by the others, but he felt compelled to tell her of all the damage she'd caused. "We thought we'd lost Splinter." He heard his voice crack slightly at this statement. "And Leo…" He had to look away for a moment, the painful memory taking its toll. "Shredder and his goons did a good number on him. We thought he'd never wake up, and even if he did…"

Raphael didn't mean for his voice to soften up. He needed to remain as aggressive as possible to get it into Karai's head. He didn't want her sympathy; he wanted her guilt.

Karai's eyes were brimming with tears. Her gaze was directed into whatever empty space lingered in the direction of Raphael's shins. "I…I didn't know…"

"Yeah, well, now you do. Even if you have come around, sooner or later, Shredder's going to want to take revenge again. And we don't need you turning against us again, or getting yourself into more trouble." He locked gazes with her, expression stern, now standing less than a foot away from her. "If you're going to stick around, fine. But understand this, Karai: If you hurt my family again, I won't show you any more mercy than I already have."

These were the words Raphael left her with before storming off.

The next morning, there was a panic in the sewers when Michelangelo first noticed Karai was gone. Of course, it was difficult not to come to negative conclusions, but eventually Master Splinter discovered the note on the wall in the dojo. It was in Japanese, but he translated it as he read it out.

Father,

I have left to set things right.
Do not worry, I have not gone for vengeance.
I will see you all again soon.

Miwa

The formality and brevity of it disturbed them. All the love and support they'd shown her not even marginally reflected in her words tore his brothers apart. Raphael guessed perhaps it was lost in translation, but when he looked into his Sensei's eyes, he saw that he too was heartbroken.

Eventually, however, Master Splinter began to take comfort in the note. Leonardo led searches, scouting the streets and the perimeters of Shredder's lair for any signs of her. He feared she'd been captured again. As he was making plans for a rescue, Splinter called for a moment of his time. This conversation was not in private, for he knew how much Michelangelo and Donatello worried as well. He assured his sons that he did not worry for Karai, sensing that she knew what she was doing, and that she would be all right.

Raphael had remained calm and silent the entire time his family was scrambling around to understand. He wondered just how much his conversation had to do with her leaving.

More importantly, he wondered where she'd gone and what she was up to.

Cover image by RadioJane on DeviantArt