Are You Sure I'm Not A Villain?

06

TW: ABUSIVE PARENTING, blood

Out in the street, lit up by the street lamps and traffic signals, it was eerily quiet. The turtles formed a tight circle around April with their shells facing each other. Weapons at the ready, they kept their eyes and ears sharp for any movement. For New York, there wasn't any. It was odd; even in the horrendous hours of the morning, there usually was at least one car or pizza deliverer making their rounds down the street. 

It was quiet, too quiet.

"Come on guys," Leonardo relented. "He's not here. Let's go home."

The band of brothers headed to the nearest manhole cover with April, still feeling as if someone was watching them. They went into the sewers, metal cover clinking slightly when it was set down, hunkering down with a pizza and spoiled moods. They failed the mission.

***

Up on the surface, Kai came out of his hiding place behind an air vent on the roof of an apartment close to the school. He watched the turtles and April climb down into the sewers, the only noise of the fabric sign hanging on the side of the school snapping in the wind. For ninja, they weren't very stealthy. As Kai lept from building to rooftop, there was only one thought in his mind. His identity as Shredder's son was known by the girl, April, and the turtles. Going to school tomorrow would prove to be a challenge in avoiding her. Although April had never seen him before doesn't mean she wouldn't be on the lookout now.

He finally made it to the cathedral where his father's lair was. He wished that he had someone to talk to. His sister, Karai, was still in Japan. She was studying the ways of the Foot clan, hopefully to take Kai's spot one day. He wondered if he should tell Shredder what he had done and learned that night. Would his father be proud?

No, that was a foolish thought. Oroku Saki would never be proud of his son.

Kai sighed and climbed down the fire escape to enter the cathedral. He was met by two Foot soldier guards who stepped out of his way upon realizing who he was. Kai walked down the corridors and into Shredder's throne room. His father was standing behind his great chair and was staring out of the large windows surrounding the room. He didn't have his kabuto on his head, but instead nestled in the crook of his arm.

When Shredder heard the doors open, he put on his helmet and slowly turned around. Kai walked down the path lined with water and knelt before the steps leading to the throne.

"I hope you have come bringing news of my enemies," Shredder siad. "Or you will be sorely sorry."

"No, Master," Kai responded. He tilted his face to the ground so that the Shredder could not see the fear clearly plastered there. "I have learned nothing new. I was close to kidnapping them, but the Foot robots–"

"Silence!" the Shredder barked, interrupting. "'Close to' is not what I want to hear, Kai. I have trained you too well to be 'close'. It is your own responsibility for losing the turtles, and for that, you must be punished."

"Yes, Master," Kai responded. He trembled as his father's footsteps slowly drew nearer down the stairs. He looked up to see the Shredder in front of him, fist raised. Kai steeled himself for the blow, but no amount of preparation could withstand his father's power. Kai flew onto his back, hand clapped flush against the broken skin of his cheek.

The Shredder stalked towards him, each footstep causing an increase of fear in Kai. Once again, Kai prepared himself as he heard the loud 'shink' of his father's blades being drawn.

"Stand up," the Shredder commanded. Kai hastily rose to his feet, fists clenched and jaw set. His unseeing eyes looked forward as Shredder drew a line through his t-shirt and into the flesh of his back. A red line of blood followed the path, dripping at their feet. Shredder drew his hand back and slashed across Kai's back, leaving three gashes in his wake, adding to the collage of scars.