"It was already dark when he journeyed to his compound that night, but he wasn't alone. A small group of ninja had invaded his headquarters and attacked without question. Raphael fought them single-handedly, and it was only a matter of minutes before he was the only one left standing. He then faced the two leaders of the group. They told him that they were two of the council of five who ruled the Foot in Japan. They also informed him that Karai was no longer on the council whatsoever. She had made a great mistake and had lost much face." Donatello sighed. "I'm still at a loss as to how Leo could have let that happen. It was so unlike him to be so careless and irresponsible. When I first heard about his lack of self control, I finally had to admit to myself that he was not always as perfect as he'd appeared.
"The men had come to test Raphael to see if he was fit to be the New York branch's new leader. They congratulated him for defeating four of their best men, even told him that they would gladly welcome our entire clan to join them. But there was one thing left to be resolved. Pimiko had returned to claim her father's role as the new Shredder. A battle was to take place. The one who came out the victor would be rewarded with the armor and position.
"After they bowed and faced off, the fight began immediately. Pimiko seemed to have the upper hand. She wasted no time in attacking Raphael. She kicked him in the face, the carapace, the plastron. But Raphael would not be defeated so easily. He stabbed a sai into her shoulder, carving a deep cut that claimed first blood. Still, Pimiko refused to give up the fight. While his attention was diverted, she stabbed him with a dagger that sunk deep into the flesh of his shoulder. Even her hair was a weapon, and she used it to hurl him across the room, where he landed in a pile of chairs. She announced her victory, but the Foot leaders opposed her. As long as Raphael was still breathing, he remained a threat.
"As Pimiko advanced for the kill, Raphael found a new surge of energy. Without warning, he rose suddenly and broke a chair over her. Then, seeing that she was weakened and startled, he delivered a hard downward kick to her leg that sent her to the floor. He'd known all along that he didn't want to kill her, perhaps only disgrace her. He grabbed her by the hair and lifted his weapon, but instead of beheading her, he chopped off the long ponytail, almost to the roots. He then announced that the fight was over. He could have killed her right then and there if he'd wanted to, and he didn't. He even confessed that there was much they could learn from one another. The Foot leaders had different plans in mind, however.
'Our decision is that she dies. Kill her!'
'No. And my decision is that you bloodthirsty clowns can clear out and go back to Japan and run your own Foot Clan. I don't know why I ever thought I needed your permission to run the Foot Clan here in New York. I saved it, I rebuilt it from nothing and I give the orders here. Get out or my Foot will give you the boot.'
Hearty laughter filled the hall. 'Your Foot?' the shorter man asked. 'We'll see who they take orders from. KILL HIM! Kill the turtle!'"
Donatello sighed. "All of his men...every single one of them...betrayed him. He wanted so much to believe that the rest of us were wrong. He was so determined to show us that the Foot could be more loyal than even his own brothers. He thought he could turn them into an organization of honor, but instead, it turned out that the Foot would never be anything more than evil. Greed and lust for power is what motivated them, and that would never change. I had great sympathy for Raphael. He'd tried so hard to succeed in this, to prove to our sensei that he really could do all he'd said he would, but all he was met with was failure."
"I'm not entirely sure what happened to Pimiko after that...it's almost like she vanished altogether. A long time passed before any of us heard--"
^^PIMIKO...FILE NUMBER TWO TWO FOUR SEVEN...^^
"What's this?" Donatello asked cautiously. "Something I haven't seen before...?"
^^FILE NUMBER TWO TWO FOUR SEVEN IS A VIDEO CLIP FROM--^^
Don rubbed his hands together anxiously. "Play it."
An unfamiliar scene sparked to life. The tiles at Don's feet disappeared, and he was now standing in something cold and sludgy. Darkness surrounded him. The only source of illumination was a crack in the bricks above his head. As the stream of artificial light fell to the murky water and stained cement below, he quickly recognized the home he'd left so many years ago. A sinking feeling tugged at his heart. He was homesick--not only for that place he knew so well, but for a time when he and his brothers were still together, when their futures hadn't yet been determined.
"This way..." Raphael said quietly. "Just a little further..."
Donatello watched in shocked silence. Raphael was leading Pimiko all the way to their underground lair. They'd abandoned the mausoleum months previous, after the location had been disclosed first by Pimiko herself, and later the government. It seemed an abomination, a betrayal on his brother's part to expose her once again to their new home. They'd already had to move twice because of her. This impulsive decision put all of their lives in great danger. Even though Pimiko was wounded, the knowledge of their secret location would not go unannounced if he allowed her to leave. Of that, Donatello was certain.
Pimiko dreaded the idea of accepting help from one of the turtles, especially this one. She despised Raphael with an intensity she herself couldn't quite explain. All she knew was that he had disgraced her, more than once. He'd called her names, made lewd comments about her attire, even bad-mouthed her in front of her kunoichi, but this last time was the worst of it. Her head ached from where he'd brutally chopped off her hair. What was worse was the injury to her wounded ego. Her shoulder was bleeding rather heavily from the sai wound, but her leg was worst of all. She could barely walk on it now, the pain she'd fought so hard to ignore threatened to totally overcome her.
There was something about the turtle's demeanor that had changed as of late. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she knew she didn't trust it. Why was he helping her anyway? There was no reason he should show her concern of any kind.
He led her to the training room and helped her lower herself to the mats. He worked in silence, avoiding eye contact while he gathered up spare masks and elbow pads, and other assorted gear.
Pimiko glared at him curiously. "Don't tell me you intend to make me fight? You know I haven't the strength to--"
"No." He answered coolly. "But I can't have you escaping either. What would happen if I turned my back on you and you were loose?"
Pimiko said nothing, but focused her attention on the opposite wall as Raphael tied the bandanas and other paraphernalia around her wrists. He then secured the bindings to a water pipe in the wall, just above her head. He figured that on a good day, she could easily break free of these confines, but her injuries had left her severely weakened. Besides, if she did manage to get loose, there would be nowhere for her to run. Her leg injury wouldn't allow it.
He knelt before her with a sponge and some gauze, his dark eye finally falling on her masked face. She avoided the intense gaze, that eye penetrating into her like a knife. He was scrutinizing her, but she was determined not to let him intimidate her.
"So, what do you look like under that mask?" His voice had an unreadable quality to it.
She swallowed, still willing herself not to make eye contact. Raphael stared at her for a long moment. "Maybe you look like a freak, huh? Maybe we're not so different after all...?" There was still no answer, so he moved in closer. He stared at her eyes, the only feature not hidden under the disguise, and wrung out the sponge. He gripped her arm, a little too tightly perhaps, and moved it so the back of her shoulder was facing him, her wrists crossed at an uncomfortable angle in the binds. She let out a gasp as he dabbed the deep cut with the sponge.
Raphael leaned over her and continued to clean the wound. "Hurts, don't it?" He was close enough that she could feel his breath on the side of her face.
"I can take it."
"Well good. I'd hate to think that one little bitsy owie could overcome an all-powerful female ninja."
Was he ridiculing her? Was this his attempt at sweet talk? No matter either way. She wasn't about to play his games.
"I saved your life, you know. You should be thanking me."
Enraged, she couldn't help but protest. "Bah! You only did so to save face. You saw it as another test. But you failed that one, didn't you? You should have killed me when you had the chance!"
Raphael picked up one of his sai and held in near her head. "I have the chance now. You're too wounded and weak to fight me. Tell me, Pimiko, should I do it? Do you wish for death?"
She turned her head away and said nothing. The silence lingered for what seemed like an eternity, and then Raphael finally lowered the weapon. He returned his attention to the slice at her shoulder.
"You know..." He said as he began to bandage the wound. "I meant what I said back there. Ain't it ironic? The thought of you and me actually becoming allies? It's almost as crazy as Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker when they sorta saved each other at the end. Only I ain't your father. I just sorta looked like him when I wore the armor."
"The armor which you will never wear again!" She spat. "You had no right to it anyway. It belonged to Saki. He was the true leader of the Foot Clan, just as I should be now. Face it, you were never cut out to be a leader! You have no spine! No wonder they betrayed you!"
Something cold and metal pressed into Pimiko's neck, silencing her at once. Raphael stared at her coldly, the fire in his eye telling her he'd had just about enough.
He lowered the sai after a few uncomfortable moments and moved away from her. She watched in silence as he opened a cooler and pulled out a gold colored can--beer from the looks of it. She heard the familiar crack-fizz as the can was opened. He brought it to his lips and took a long drink. She watched desperately, miserable with thirst.
"I didn't bring you here to fight, Pimiko. I could have killed you by now if that's what I'd wanted. I brought you here to help you, and you repay me with ridicule."
Pimiko said nothing as he downed the rest of the can and reached in for another. It was only after he finished two more that he spoke again. "The Foot Clan is behind me. It's old news." She noticed that his demeanor had changed. He seemed less guarded, more laid back, and his voice had the slightest hint of a slur. "They've chosen their side, and now I'm gonna have to live with that. Too bad though. I thought maybe they'd finally learned something of honor, but unfortunately, they're just as wicked as they were under Saki's leadership. Maybe I'm the fool for thinking I could change em, eh?"
She wanted to tell him where he could go for bad-mouthing her father, but she kept quiet. Another confrontation would not do her any good in the condition she was in. He reached in for another can, and Pimiko eyed it warily. What she wouldn't do for a good cold drink right now. As Raphael sipped the beer, he noticed her intent stare, and couldn't help but grin to himself.
"You want some?"
Pimiko said nothing. Admitting her desperation only made her vulnerable. Raphael moved toward her, the can outstretched. "I asked you if you want some."
Still, no answer.
He stared at her for a moment, with the same intensity he had as he tied her binds. She looked away indignantly.
"You're thirsty, aren't you?" He held the can closer to her face and she could smell the yeasty aroma of the liquor. God, how she wanted to take a drink. She tried her best to resist as Raphael lifted the can to her lips, but the mere idea of something cold and wet in her throat seized her protests. She tilted her head forward, pressing her lips against the cool rim of the can. Raphael grinned and tilted it for her, and she drank greedily through the thin fabric of the mask.
Once the can was empty, he tossed it to the side and opened another one for himself. "I should have known the Foot would never be loyal." He mumbled. "They don't have it in them." His eyes burned into her as he said the last part. "Oroku Saki never taught them anything about honor."
Pimiko felt her blood begin to boil. How dare he say such things? Then again, what if he was right? She had never met the man of whom he spoke. Could it be true that he really was as vile and dishonorable as Raphael said? Still, she refused to believe it.
"My father was the Foot Clan." She spat. "And you...you thought you could just waltz in there and take over the legacy that he so bravely--"
"His 'legacy' as you call it, was one of murder and theft. They were true ninja by definition only--and the worst kind of assassins. They had no conscience, no honor. And it seems...neither do you."
Pimiko began to protest, but Raphael didn't let her say much.
"Tell me, Pimiko...would you have spared my life back there? You were going to kill me, weren't you? And yet, you talk of honor and bravery. If I had been smart, I probably would have ended your life. Nothing good has ever come from Oroku Saki."
The words bit into her. She glared into his eye, challenging him. "Then why are you helping me? Why not kill me now and get it over with? It's what you want, isn't it?"
Raphael's face contorted into what she perceived as anger. He moved swiftly toward her, his hands resting on her throat. She stifled a gasp and glared at him, waiting for the moment when his grip would tighten. But it didn't. Instead, his hands moved up to the fold in the fabric just below her chin, and before she could protest, the mask was pulled from her head. The short chopped hair fell like rain to frame her face. Raphael stared at her for a long time, his breathing ragged and heavy. Disgraced yet again, she turned her head and lowered her eyes. Never had an enemy seen her face. In fact, very few of her allies knew what she looked like behind the concealment of the disguise.
"Don't tell me what I want." He said at last. His voice was gentle, but serious. "You have no idea."
He rose again and grabbed another can. As he downed it, his gaze never left her. Pimiko was becoming more and more uneasy. It was clear the turtle was drunk, and she was beginning to feel some of the effects of the alcohol as well. What would he do to her if he kept drinking like that? It was clear he had trouble controlling his anger when he was sober.
"I have to admit," he said at last. "You ain't half as bad as I pictured."
Pimiko wanted desperately to avoid his gaze, but something held her there. The anger in his face had slipped away and was now replaced by something she couldn't quite decipher. It looked like a mixture of calm and anxiety. Whatever it was, it didn't fill her with any more confidence than the rage had.
Indeed, her features were remarkable. She had Saki's mouth, even the same cheekbones, though not quite as chiseled. But it was her eyes that held his attention, and indeed Donatello's, as well. They were clearly Asian, no doubt about that, but what could not be seen under the shadow of the mask was how light a shade of brown they were.
Raphael realized he'd been staring a little too long, and immediately looked away. He fidgeted with a new can, finally opening it, and strode toward her. "You want another one?"
Giving in to her nagging thirst, she nodded, and gratefully accepted the can as it was pressed to her lips. She drank slower this time, savoring the taste of the liquor. It had been a long while since she'd had the opportunity for a beer or alcohol of any kind. In fact, it had been several hours since she'd eaten last, and her stomach was starting to complain.
He remained on his knees next to her, watching intently as she finished off the can. His gaze was penetrating into her again, and she could hardly stand it. She had to divert his attention somehow, otherwise, she would go nuts.
"You never answered me." She said softly.
"Hmmm?"
"Why are you helping me?"
He set the can down, but didn't waver his gaze. Up close like this, Pimiko got a chance to see his features clearly for the first time. His left eye was patched as usual, and his right eye, though it seemed unearthly dark, was actually a light shade of gray with flecks of dark violet. Very unusual...
His skin was leathery like a reptile's, but appeared to be smoother. She found herself wishing her hands were free so she could discover how soft it was for herself...
She shook her head. What on earth was she thinking!? She realized he was still staring at her with that unnerving little grimace on his wide mouth.
"Because..." he said almost inaudibly. "Like I said...there is much we can learn from one another."
He brought his face closer to hers, and she was suddenly entranced with that one, piercing, gray eye. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. How come she hadn't noticed it sooner? His voice went on, almost a distant echo in her head.
"So much more than ninja skills."
Through the haze, a warning signal went off in Pimiko's head, and she suddenly flinched, coming back to reality. Raphael's face was dangerously close to hers, his beer-tainted breath falling on her cheek. She gasped and leaned away from him.
"Get off of me!"
She found her uninjured leg and shoved him with it as hard as she could.
He staggered back onto his knees just a little, watching her intently. She thought he would get angry, but instead, a curious grin spread across his face. "What was that for?"
"You know damn well what that was for! Stay away from me!"
He continued to stare at her in silence, almost scrutinizing her. Pimiko pulled on the bindings in her wrists, but it was no use. They wouldn't budge.
"Splinter taught me how to tie good knots." His face remained unreadable.
She said nothing, only glared at him.
"Good thing too. I can't have you running off on me."
"So you expect to keep me here? Am I to remain your prisoner forever?"
"Not forever...just as long as I can manage."
Pimiko didn't like the sound of that.
As she turned her head from him again, he rested his fingers against her jaw, and very gently ran them down toward her chin. A shiver ran through her. She tried not to look into that gray abyss again, struggled to keep her guard up, but she found it disturbingly hard to look away. Embracing her jaw in his hand, he turned her head until their eyes met. She saw an intensity there that she hadn't yet seen, a slight quivering at the corners of his mouth that made it hard to decipher whether he looked more like a predator seizing a long sought meal, or a lost puppy.
Slowly, he moved toward her again, his eye penetrating into hers. She felt woozy, almost nauseated from the alcohol, yet she struggled to retain her grip on reality. His ragged breath was on her face again, the piercing gray eye getting dangerously close. She had to look away...
She closed her eyes, and before she knew it, something warm and hard was covering her mouth. She didn't push him away this time, but relaxed under him, the alcohol finally winning over her better judgement.
Raphael sank into her, his mouth covering hers. His breath came in short, heavy gasps as he caressed her face, her shoulders, her back. As his hands continued down Pimiko's body, Donatello froze, slack-jawed and wide-eyed, staring in shock at the scene before him. Raphael continued his antics as Donatello fought to get his jaw to work to mouth his protest. His voice was lost somewhere, deep inside his throat.
God...I never even imagined...
As the empty cans were knocked over and scattered across the dojo floor, Donatello finally found his voice.
"Ch...Chet..."
Another disruption of empty cans.
"Chet--freeze program! Dammit, I said freeze the fucking program!"
^^AS YOU WISH, DONATELLO^^
The scene halted abruptly, with Raphael about to undo some of Pimiko's clothing. He quickly looked away. His heart was pounding fiercely in his chest, and he finally let out a gasp as he emptied his lungs of the breath he'd been holding for God knew how long now.
"Delete the file." he managed. "I don't ever want to look at this again."