Serpent Leo

The Fourfold Trap

Raphael opened his eyes slowly. His vision blurry and his head feeling dizzy. He looked around the room. "Ugh where am I?" He asked groggily. "Ugh fuzzy..." He said as he slowly got to his feet. "I can't remember." He said as he put his head in his hands. Suddenly he became aware of his surroundings. He was in a small stone room with a dim light and a camera in the corner. "How did I get here?" He asked with a gasp. "No doors or windows." Raph said as he looked around. Suddenly some of the stone bricks slid back causing Raph to jump. "What? Hello?" He asked peering into one of the new holes. Suddenly it lit up like a furnace and expelled a burning heat. Raph jumped back with a shout. He fell back into another burning hole causing him to yell again. "Ah hot!" He cried as he fell to the floor. He picked himself back up slowly. "It's just getting hotter! There's no way out..." He trailed off as the heat made him faint. Six hours earlier Donnie is looking over diagrams of the brain worm. "How's it going Donnie any luck?" Raph asked. "I've been able to synthesize the neurotoxin from the brain worm based on your blood sample." Donnie told him. He held a Petri dish and a dropper in his hands. He was also watching over a beaker that was bubbling over a Bunsen burner. "Ooo pretty!" Mikey said as he popped up beside them. He reached his hand up to touch the beaker but Splinter who was also watching smacked his hand away. "You think it'll work on Leo?" Mikey asked. "We're about to find out." Donnie told him. He dropped a bit of chemical into the beaker and watched it mix. The two other turtles, Splinter, and Karai watched closely as well. The beaker bubbled a bit more before turning into a black sludge. Donnie let out a frustrated groan. "Donnie you tried your best bro. Even if it totally sucked." Mikey tried to encourage. Donnie let out a frustrated yell and banged his fists on the table. "Ugh it's useless! I'm not even close! I can't do it! This brain worm is impossible!" Donnie yelled. He threw his hands up in anger and frustration. Splinter turned around in sadness. "Sensei, I'm afraid there's nothing I can do." Donnie said sadly. Splinter turned back to his family. "I know how hard you have tried Donatello. Somethings are simply not meant to be." Splinter said as he walked out of the lab. He stopped in the doorway. "At least I have three of my wonderful sons and my beautiful daughter." He said before finally leaving. The three turtles looked at the sludgy beaker once more before leaving the lab themselves. Karai wore an expression of anger on her face. She stomped out of the lab after Donnie. "Donnie you know how much this means to Father, to all of us." Karai said to Donnie. He let out a sigh. "Karai I'm trying as hard as I can." He said. "Well try harder!" Karai said with her voice raised slightly. Donnie stopped in his tracks. He turned around angrily and threw down the clipboard he was holding. "Try harder? I always have to find the solution! You're supposed to be our new leader Karai you find the answer! Or what about Raph?!" Donnie yelled. Raph spun around. "I got the answer for you, Leo's a lost cause!" Raph said angrily but it was obvious it hurt him to say it. Mikey came up beside him and shoved him. "Don't say that dude!" Mikey said in anger and sadness. The three turtles and Karai began to argue with each other. Donnie stopped as he heard his T Phone going off. He walked over and picked it up with the others still arguing in the background. "Hey April um not the best time." He said answering the phone. "Donnie I really have to talk to you, alone. It's important. I need you to meet me." April said over the phone. They were interrupted by Splinter coming out and yelling at them all. "What is the problem here?" He asked. Donnie glared at his brothers and sister. "Nothing Sensei. I'm heading out. April needs me." Donnie said as he began to stomp out of the lair. "You're needed here now Donnie!" Karai shouted but Donnie paid her no mind. Karai tried to chase after him. Donnie ignored her and jumped into the stealth bike and drove off. Karai was still angrily calling after him. "My children, you can not drive each other apart. In times like these unity is important. Do not forget the most basic lesson, an effective team thinks as one." Splinter told them. Karai and the leftover turtles looked off thoughtfully. Donnie drove the stealth bike into an empty alleyway and jumped out. "Donnie." April's voice called out. "April!" Donnie said as he saw her kneeling in front of a garage door. "The Kraang are back!" April said as she threw up the door to reveal a glowing pink light. "We gotta contact the others!" Donnie said as he pulled out his phone. "There's no time they're about to get away. We gotta move!" April said as she took of running into the garage. "April wait!" Donnie yelled as he ran after her. Once he entered the garage he let out a scream and the door shut behind him. Back in the lair Splinter is walking peacefully on a giant wheel. "Father I just wanted to let you know, I'm not gonna give up on Leo. No matter what." Karai said determined. Splinter got off his wheel and walked over to his daughter. He put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a smile. "Could maybe the ancient scrolls work on him? The healing hands?" Karai asked. "Hm it is possible." Splinter said thoughtfully. He pulled out the scroll and looked over it. "But I am not certain that even I have the ability." He said. In the kitchen Mikey was playing cards with Ice Cream Kitty. "Alright Ice Cream Kitty, I'll beat your Chippyshmoo with my Beebobim!" Mikey said as he threw down his card. Ice Cream Kitty placed down a card titled Gallopop. Mikey gasped. "No fair! Where'd you get a Gallopop?!" Mikey asked as he pointed a finger at the dessert mutant. Ice Cream Kitty pulled all the cards toward her. Her meows are translated to "You be a snoozer, you be a loser." "Cheater cheater frozen yogurt eater!" Mikey yelled as he began to wrestle with the cat. "Gimme that card!" He yelled while Ice Cream Kitty hissed and scratched at him. All of a sudden his T Phone began to ring. Mikey held up a finger to indicate a pause in their game. "D! What up dude? Where you been?" Mikey asked as he answered the phone. "Hey Mikey! Meet me at Murakami's, he's made this special pizza gyoza that you gotta try dude! Listen, you can't tell the others. He only has a sample for you and me." Donnie said. "That kinda makes me feel bad... ok I'm over it!" Mikey said as he popped up. "See you soon!" He said as he hung up. "Mikey meeting in the dojo." Karai came in to tell him. "Can't! Got stuff to do sis!" Mikey said as he ran out. Karai let out an annoyed sigh. "Sometimes being leader is completely meaningless." She mumbled to herself. She looked back at Ice Cream Kitty who hissed at her and gathered her cards. Mikey slammed open the door to the restaurant. "Mr. Murakami, what up?!" Mikey shouted excitedly. He plopped himself down in front of a serving of gyoza. "Greetings Michelangelo, these are for you! Each has a unique blend of cheeses and delicate flavors..." Murakami said but was cut off as Mikey stuffed all the food into his mouth at once. "Ah yeah! That was awesome!" Mikey complimented. Suddenly he keeled over and began to feel nauseous and woozy. "What's happening? Poison?" He said as he fell to the ground. "Do not worry Michelangelo it is not poison. Simply chemicals to give you a nice little nap." Murakami said cheerfully. "Evil! Delicious but evil!" Mikey said as he passed out. The last thing he heard before everything faded was an evil laugh. In the lair April entered. "Hey guys! Hey guys? Hey guys?" She called. "Hey April!" Karai said as she and Raph came out. She looked around. "Where's Donnie?" She asked. "Um I don't know I just got here." April said confused. "He said he was meeting you!" Raph said. "I haven't spoken to him all day." April said. Karai's phone went off. She pulled it out and saw texts on the screen. "It's from Mikey, he says he spotted a Kraang and trailed him back to an old warehouse on Hobart." Karai said. "What?" April gasped. "No way!" Raph said. "It must be a Kraang sleeper cell!" Karai deduced. "Well then let's tuck him in and say goodnight!" Raph said as he pounded his fist into his palm. "Doesn't this whole thing seem weird?" April wondered. "April is right." Splinter said as he exited the dojo "If she did not call Donatello then who did." "I was thinking the same thing! It could be a trap! Ok April you stay here." Karai said. "Stay here? Forget that I'm coming with!" April said determined. "Fine just stay close!" Karai said as the three of them ran out the lair. "Be diligent! I sense something dire on the horizon!" Splinter called after them. The three heroes entered into the warehouse through the roof. They came upon Mikey and Donnie tied up on the floor. "Mikey! Donnie!" Karai cried. "Guys thank goodness! Hurry, get us outta here!" Donnie yelled. The three heroes jumped to the ground. "Hold on dude, we gotcha!" Raph yelled as they ran over to them. April skidded to a stop. "Wait guys don't!" She cried out. Karai and Raph put their hands on their brothers but were shocked that they went right through them. The holograms of Mikey and Donnie fizzled out. "Well I was expecting only Karai but having the rest of you here makes it so much easier." Donnie's voice said from above. The three heroes gasped and grabbed their weapons. They looked up to see none other than Leonardo. He was surrounded by holograms of Murakami, April, Mikey, and Donnie. Each figure wore a condescending smirk. "Leo?" Karai asked shocked. "Cool right? With just a little clever staging I captured you all!" Leo said still speaking with Donnie's voice. He was holding a microphone like device that allowed him to mimic voices. "Baxter Stockman managed to hack into your T Phone signal." Leo said now using his own voice. "And then he loaned me his mousers. It was my idea to use their holograms." He said as the figures around him all fizzled out of existence. "Now that I have all of you, Splinter will have no choice but to fight me, for your lives." Leo said with a smirk. "Free our brothers now!" Raph said raising his sai. "I'm afraid that's not happening Raphael. My friends won't allow it." Leo said with shrug. Rocksteady burst through a door and was followed by Bebop, Fishface, Rahzar, and Tiger Claw. "Greetings little ones." Tiger Claw said clenching his fists. The villains jumped down and forced the heroes back to back. "Ah sewer apples!" April said as she drew out her tessen. Bebop and Rocksteady teamed up and easily knocked down Raph. Karai managed to kick away Rahzar but Rocksteady came up and smashed her with his hammer. Fishface kicked April in the stomach and she fell to the ground. "April there's too many of them! Get outta here, you gotta warn Master Splinter!" Karai yelled out before Rocksteady landed another hit on her. April made a break for the exit. She managed to dodge both Fishface and Rocksteady but bumped into an invisible Bebop. "Aw come on girl! What are you gonna do!" Bebop mocked her. April took advantage of his distraction and punched him in the face. He fell to his knees crying in pain. "Ow! My piggy nose! She just hit me in my piggy nose!" Bebop cried. April made it to the door and tried to yank it up only for Leo to jump down onto her. "If it isn't the little wannabe kunoichi, always trying!" Leo mocked before kicking her in the face. April fell unconscious. "April!" Karai cried after seeing her friend fall. She didn't have any time to help her as Rocksteady knocked her back into a steel beam and she to fell unconscious. Raph gasped realizing he was the only one left. He ran to attack but Fishface and Bebop bumped him into Rocksteady's path who knocked him out with his hammer. Raph rubbed his head back in his small and hot stone prison. "Ugh now I remember." He groaned. "Greetings everyone, it's time for us to play a game." Leo's voice said over a speaker. "Each of you has been placed inside a room with a unique trap." Leo continued. "Doesn't seem like your style Leo." Raph said. "Oh we all had input. Isn't that right Xever?" Leo said turning to Fishface next to him. "I helped design yours personally Raphael. Everyone loves baked turtle." Fishface said with a smirk. "I'll bake my foot up your-" Raph started but was cut off. "Raphael, you're inside the first trap aptly called the Hothead. Can you figure a way out?" Leo said. Raph began to kick at the walls. Karai sat trying to meditate in her own stone prison. "Hello Karai." Leo greeted her over the speaker. "Leo?" Karai gasped. "Welcome to the Courage Slayer. To save your brothers you'll have face ninja blades as skilled as your own." Leo said as a mechanical orb descended from the ceiling. "Which isn't all that formidable, so I cranked up the speed to 100." Leo continued as the razor sharp blades popped out of the metal ball and began to spin. "Good one Leonardo." Rahzar praised. Donnie sat strapped in a chair with a metal helmet over his head that had tons of wires connected to it. He struggled against his restraints but shrieked as he heard Leo's voice come over the speaker. "Donatello, are you smart enough to beat the Brain Boggler?" Leo said. Donnie found himself in a video game like landscape. "Connect the pieces as they appear in the game grid." Leo kept talking as colored cubes appeared and fell from the sky. Donnie ran back and forth to dodge them. "Make a mistake and you get zapped." Leo continued as a block fell on top of Donnie. A painful electric shock was sent through his whole body. "Get zapped enough times and then you'll truly know what it feels like to be brain fried." Leo finished. "Ah yes Leonardo another excellent villain pun." Fishface complimented. "Grr stop kissing butt!" Rahzar growled at him. Mikey lay strapped to the ground below a giant toilet. "Last we have the Flush-o-matic! Once the tanks are full, the flush valve will open and dump mutagen all over your poor little Michelangelo." Leo said. "First up, gross! Second up, who came up with the lame name?" Mikey asked. "Me and Rocksteady!" Bebop yelled. Rocksteady glared at him. "I mean Steranko, and that name is tight!" Bebop corrected himself. "Figures, you guys have no imagination. I mean if I were an evil villain I'd least try to come up with something cool like the Flush of Fear or the Toilet of Terror or ooo the Dump of Doom! Now that's got sparkle to it!" Mikey said. Bebop angrily turned to Rocksteady. "I told you that name needed some work!" He yelled. "I'm kind of liking the Dump of Doom. It's nice." Rocksteady said giving a little shrug. "Good luck losers, and good riddance!" Leo said smirking. "Let them go Leo they're your family! You're under the control of a brain worm! Shredders using you!" April yelled from her spot where she was chained next to the villains. "Lies! The only thing greater than watching their demise is to watch Splinter bare witness to it! Right before I finish him off!" Leo said as he roughly grabbed April's chin and threw her head to the side. In the dojo Splinter had fallen asleep while meditating. He was awoken by the sound of a phone ringing. He stared in worry as he saw it was the cheese phone which was only used in true emergencies. He slowly answered the phone. "Moshi moshi." Splinter answered. "Splinter!" April's voice cried. "April? What is wrong?" Splinter asked frantically. "The guys are in a trap but so are you!" April cried. "Hello Splinter." Said Leo's voice as he took over the phone. "Leonardo?" Splinter gasped. Karai stared at the spinning blades that were descending upon her. "Leo please talk to me! Leo!" Karai yelled. "He's not gonna talk to you." Raph said through the wall. "Raph? You can hear me?" Karai gasped pressing her ear to the wall. "It sounds like you're above me!" Raph called back. They heard Donnie let out a scream. "Donnie?!" Karai yelled out. "Karai? I can hear you through the vents! I'm in some kinda trap!" Donnie yelled. "Dudes I'm on my back, I don't know where anyone is!" Cried Mikey. "We gotta help each other! Work together!" Karai yelled to her brothers. Raph wiped the sweat off his forehead. He watched as more stone bricks fell back to make the furnace bigger and stronger. "Well that's not good..." Raph groaned. Rocksteady patrolled the entrance to the control center where the villains were. He heard a noise and readied his gun but it was only a rat. He sighed and went back to his pacing. He didn't see Splinter approaching him. Splinter was easily able to hit Rocksteady's pressure points and knock him out. Suddenly Bebop kicked him in the side before turning himself invisible. Splinter immediately got back up and fell into a fighting stance. "So you're the Sensei rat master supreme huh." Bebop said. Splinter focused himself and listened for Bebop's movements and voice. "Haha not so tough." Bebop laughed before appearing behind Splinter. Splinter was able to punch and flip Bebop to the ground. Before he fell Bebop threw some smoke bombs which Splinter dodged and threw one in Rocksteady's, who was now upright again, face and blinded him. Rocksteady screamed and activated his flamethrower. He frantically waved his fiery arms around. Splinter dodged his fire and knocked Rocksteady to the ground again. "Leonardo he is coming! He is-" Rocksteady tried to warn but Splinter cut him off pressure pointing him unconscious again. Raph clawed at the walls of his trap as the furnace expanded even more. "Karai... What do we do?..." Raph asked tiredly. Karai ducked and dodged as the blades lowered closer to her. "We need some serious sciencey stuff Donnie!" Karai called out. "Can't think! I gotta focus, if I make another mistake I'm gonna get zapped again!" Donnie said as he ran all around the game scape. Another cube fell on him and he was shocked again. "I'm about to double mutate!" Mikey shrieked as he watched the tank fill up more. "I'm scared of what I'm gonna turn in to!" Mikey cried again. He screamed as a vision of himself as a female turtle crossed his mind. Splinter approached the control panel where Leo sat. Rahzar tried to bite and attack him but Splinter easily dodged him. Splinter threw him into a pipe and Rahzar stumbled and fell into the water below. Leo stood next to Tiger Claw on the platform above the water. He wore a mocking expression and motioned for Splinter to come at him.  Splinter jumped into the water and began swimming towards them. Suddenly Fishface grabbed his ankle and pulled him under. Leo smirked as he eagerly watched the water. Soon a motionless Fishface surfaced followed by Splinter holding his breathing apparatus. "Leonardo." Splinter said as he approached. "Welcome Splinter, it's been a long time." Leo said. "Do not make me fight you my son." Splinter begged. "Never call me that! The only way to free your pathetic kids is to fight me to the bitter end!" Leo yelled as he drew his katanas. Splinter nodded sadly and took a ready stance. "Now you will pay!" Tiger Claw shouted as he took out his blaster and began shooting. Splinter was able to dodge every blast and knock him back. April used her chains to trip Tiger Claw as he stumbled sending him into the water below. Leo ran at Splinter with a katana but Splinter grabbed his wrist. They began to face off pushing at each other. "Leonardo listen to me! I am your father Hamato Yoshi! You and your brothers saved me when I was at the darkest time in my life! I love you!" Splinter pleaded. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Leo yelled as he gained the strength to push Splinter off. Raph lay nearly unconscious in his oven like prison. "I'm finished guys, I'm baked turtle." He sighed. The valve above Mikey began to open and a single drop leaked out. Mikey screamed and blew it to the side before it hit him. "It's impossible dudes! I don't even have a way out!" He shrieked. Donnie yelped as another shock went through him. He gasped as he came to a realization. "Guys listen up! There's a good chance all of the mechanical and electronic circuits of these traps are tied to each other." He yelled out. Karai ducked as her head was nearly taken off by a blade. She took a breath and changed her fearful expression to a determined one. "Got it!" She said. She waited for the perfect moment and jumped directly under the spinning orb. She screamed as it pushed down into her and caused the floor under her to crumble. As Karai fell through the floor and landed into Raph's trap the blades above ceased their spinning. It took her a moment to regain her composure. She immediately ran over to Raph who was slumped against a wall. "Are you ok?" She asked and gave him a slight shake. Raph gave her a shaky thumbs up. Leo and Splinter continued their fight above. "You can do it Master Splinter!" April cheered. She then took a pin from her hair and picked the lock of her shackles. Soon they fell to the floor and April was free. Splinter knocked Leo's swords out of his hands. "Please do not make me fight you!" Splinter begged again. Leo kicked off of him and transformed into his serpent form. "You have no choice." Leo hissed out. Karai used a blade from her broken trap to pick away at the bricks in Raph's. Eventually she broke through and stabbed the pipes controlling the heat. The furnace shut down and cool air rushed into the room. Splinter knocked Leo back into the control. His body hit a button that sent the water below into a swirling whirlpool. Karai and Raph entered Mikey's trap room. "Guys help me!" Mikey shouts. Karai cut him free just a second before mutagen spilled on him. They quickly get to higher ground as the room fills with ooze. "We've gotta get to Donnie!" Karai exclaims. Donnie is still trapped in his game and the others entered right as he's shocked once again. "I'll cut you loose!" Karai said as she raised her blade. "No! The helmet is totally wired! If you try to free me you'll fry me!" Donnie said right before he gets shocked again. "Chillax I got this, I've got like 50 puzzle apps on my T Phone." Mikey said as he grabbed the helmet. He's shocked as his mind enters Donnie's game. Another block nearly falls on Donnie but a giant Mikey punched it out of the way. Donnie let out a shocked gasp as he looked up at Mikey's giant presence. Mikey let out a triumphant yet evil sounding laugh. A giant shock courses through Mikey's body as he rips the helmet of Donnie. "Mikey you're awesome!" Donnie said happily. "Yeah I was born with a naturally rare awesomeness." Mikey said before he fell over from the electricity. Splinter saw that his children were free on the monitors. "Surrender my son! You are defeated! Your siblings are free." Splinter says. "I'll never surrender to you!" Leo hissed before attacking once more. Splinter once again knocked Leo to the floor. "Leonardo." He said worried he'd hurt Leo. Leo let out a hiss before jumping into the water and circling the platform. Splinter breathed deeply and began to recite the ancient healing mantra. Leo reared up to attack but Splinter began to hit him with his healing hands. "I love you Leonardo." Splinter said before he struck the final blow. He touched his healing hands to Leo's head. Leo spit acidic venom at Splinter before he coiled himself around him. But suddenly the healing began to take effect. Leo let out a hissing scream and lost control. He fell from the platform but Splinter grabbed him. Splinter tried to pull up Leo's unconscious form but he began to slip himself. He lost his grip on Leo and Leo was swept into the drain below. "Leonardo nooo!" Splinter cried. He tried to jump in after him but April held him back. Both April and Splinter felt a few tears slip from their eyes. The water below had finally drained but Leo was nowhere in sight. Tiger Claw appeared on his jet pack. "Your victory has come at a price Yoshi San." He said as he raised up a blaster. Before he could shoot he was hit with the spare blade by Karai. "Sensei!" The turtles and Karai cheered as they jumped on to the platform. Tiger Claw saw no more use staying around so he let out a cackle before he flew off. "I trust that you are all unharmed." Splinter said as he picked himself up. The turtles and Karai all questioned what had happened. "He forced me into combat. But the healing hands I used on him were meant to help him not harm him. I fear that we will never see Leonardo again." Splinter choked out. "Never give up hope. That's been the greatest lesson you've taught me father." Karai said as she put a comforting hand on Splinter's shoulder. Splinter turned and saw everyone's hopeful and determined faces. He gave them a soft smile. "Come let us go home." He told his family. In an empty sewer tunnel Leo pulled himself from the water. He transformed back into his turtle form. He began to gag and suddenly spit out the brain worm. He breathed heavily. He let out a gasp of shock as the worm hissed at him. He pulled his gaze away from the worm and stared out of the tunnel. Leo wasn't sure what he should do or where he should go now