Fire In Her Eyes (A TMNT Story)

When You Play With Fire...

Swift as a fox, an agile ninja leaps off a building. The sky is dark, the air is cold. The stealthy combatant lets out a breath as she silently launches herself off another rooftop and onto another, closely following her targets from below.

Master Shredder has yet to sent her on a mission so she decided to take it upon herself to go on her own little turtle hunt. She knows that would greatly upset the ninja master-- going out on a mission without permission? Unheard of. But the deadly kuniochi couldn't care less. This wouldn't be the first time she broken a few of his ridged rules for her own benefit. Nor would it be the last.

She creeps behind a billboard, not too far behind her presumed enemies and glances down at the mutant reptiles below her, listening in on their conversation.

"Remind me again why we're here," The red masked one named Raphael grumps.

The blue claded leader rolls his eyes, clearly irritated with his argumentative brother's noncompliance. "Since Shredder's old lab is pretty much destroyed, I figured he would be looking for another hideout," he explains. "And what other lab would he have in mind other than Baxter Stockman's?"

Stockman? Karai silently scoffs in disbelief. What would father want with that pathetic excuse for a scientist?

"Uh-huh," Raphael responds, unimpressed. "And what are we gonna do once we find him, Fearless Leader?"

Oh please, Leonardo. Do tell, Karai silently sneers.

"Donnie built a listening device so we can gain more insight on his plan."

"But we already know his plan," Michelangelo intercedes, carelessly hanging himself upside down on a fire escape by his leg. "Shredder wants to create his own mutagen to make an army of the insane!"

Karai furrows her eyebrows in confusion. Shredder is building his own mutant army? With his own mutagen? And he didn't tell ME?!

The female ninja felt anger at her father's lack of disclosure rise up in her as she continued to listen.

Raphael thwacks his younger brothers upside the head. "Tell the whole world, why don't ya?" he scolds; Karai smirks in amusement.

"Yes, Mikey, we know that, but we don't have all the information we need to put a stop to it. He is bound to make another machine and I don't want to wait until the last minute to find out where. Now, come on."

The terrapin brothers find an entrance and sneak their way into Stockman's seemingly abandoned lab, staying ever so stealthy as the ninjas they were. Karai leaps down the billboard and silently lands onto the concrete where the turtles were, peaking inside the invaded window.

If father is going to withhold information from me, FINE. I'll just find out for myself...

Like I always do...

~~~~~

"Focus. Steady your breathing. Do not let your mind wander-- let go of all stress and fear, anything that might distract you, and cast them into the emptyness of the void."

I let out a breath, allowing Splinter's words calm me. Turning my attention to my breathing, I conciously breath in and out, taking notice of my rising and falling chest.

"Very good," Splinter comments. "Now, without breaking your tranquilty, slowly stand up." I follow his intructions. "Turn your focus to your powers."

As he says that, I feel heat sharply prickle my skin.

"Do not break concentration," Splinter commands, noticing my change in demeanor. "Reconnect to the energy blazing inside yourself."

I nod, exhaling slowly. A burning sensation shoots up my spine, catching me by surprise. I hiss as it spreads across my back.