"Enough," Shredder orders, stopping Raphael's sai from going any further.

The turtle remains frozen, weapon hovering above Shredder's body. He's been pinned.

Destiny stops and sheathes her uchigatana, crossing her arms and awaiting orders. Behind them, one of the metal gates bursts open as Leatherhead appears with a loud roar. The other three turtles, Diaval, and Pigeon Pete enter right after, Pete letting out an attempt at a threatening caw.

"It's Raph and Des!" Michelangelo shouts.

Leonardo's eyes widen at the sight of his family members, his brother's weapon hovering so close, ready to destroy their foe.

"Raph, do it. End this!" he calls. When he does nothing, he looks at Destiny. "Des! Do something!"

"What are they waiting for?" Donatello asks.

Diaval's skin prickles. "Too late..." he whispers. "He got 'em."

Shredder lets out a maniacal laugh as he gets back up. Raphael and Destiny turn to face the group, faces emotionless and eyes pure orbs of white.

"Raphael is mine now to control," Shredder says. The doors all around them slam shut, trapping them inside. "As are your other mutant friends."

"No escape for you, reptiles," Destiny says, her voice unnaturally calm.

Raphael moves forwards, reaching into two slots in a nearby totem pole. When he pulls them back out, he's armed with a pair of tekkō-kagi.

"Raph?" Michelangelo whimpers.

"Now, let us welcome you properly," Shredder says. He looks to Destiny, his stare cold as ever. "Wolf form, now."

Instantly, her body grows furry as she becomes a hulking black wolf, but her eyes stay white. She snarls, her claws raking at the floor in anticipation. Slash and Doctor Rockwell appear from behind nearby poles, snarling.

Leonardo acts first, rushing at Shredder with his katanas flashing. Raphael pushes himself forward and blocks his brother's attack against Shredder with ease.

"Raph, snap out of it, man!" the blue-masked turtle shouts as he leaps away. "Shredder's the enemy."

"You are the enemy," Raphael says, blades flashing as he attacks again.

Shredder kneels in a small, circular ring, watching the battle start up. "Let us see what my new servants can do," he says.

Fire starts all around the ring as Shredder's platform lowers downwards, just enough that his shoulders and head are showing. He produces a remote from his belt and readies it, glancing to Destiny fleetingly.

"Go," he orders.

Slash and Rockwell move without hesitation, the turtle going towards Leatherhead and the chimp attacking Donnie.

"You take Slash," Pigeon Pete tells Leatherhead. He starts flapping his wings rapidly, sending dust flying. "I'll take fly boy."

He soars into the air as Slash's mace hits Leatherhead in the jaw. The gator bellows and retaliates, although he's horrified that he has to.

"I am your friend, Slash," he rumbles.

"Not anymore!" Slash shouts.

Pigeon Pete flies around unsteadily as Stockman follows after him.

"Get off of me, bug boy," Pete shouts.

"You look deliciouzz," Stockman buzzes.

He spits acid at the elusive bird man, missing each time. The two flying mutants circle each other in the air before letting out a battle cry and racing forwards. They meet in the middle, slapping at each other with their hands as they try to avoid being hit.

"Hey, watch the mandiblezzz, you jerk," Stockman snaps.

Rockwell levitates numerous weapons as he floats in midair.

"Your pathetic ninjutsu is no match for the power of my mind," he says, launching the weapons at Donatello.

The purple-masked turtle avoids the shots. He shouts, aiming his bō staff at Rockwell, but the chimp stops him, moving the bō staff with his mind and hitting Donatello with it. Donatello yells and scrambles away.

Michelangelo and Diaval back up as Destiny snarls, stalking towards them. Diaval readies an arrow but puts no tension in the bowstring. Michelangelo lifts his hands, flashing a forced smile.

"Destiny, come on, don't let him control you. You promised not to hurt us, remember?" he pleads.

Before she can register anything he's saying, electricity explodes across her body from the prongs in her neck. She howls in pain and stumbles back, shaking her head. Michelangelo gasps and looks to Shredder as he takes his thumb off the button on a small remote after a second or two. Michelangelo looks back at the wolf as she snarls viciously, pouncing at him, and he screams. An arrow rips across her shoulder and Michelangelo dodges as she drops, a whimper leaving her.

Diaval's expression twists and he places himself between Michelangelo and Destiny as he readies another arrow. "Don't make m-me do this," he whispers.

The wolf gets to her feet and bares her teeth. They're forced to run away as she gives chase.

Leonardo is too focused on Raphael to help them. His katanas have already been scattered, leaving him with a spear and a metal bar to defend himself with. He dodges another attack and leaps onto an overhanging light fixture, readying the odd weapons.

"Raph, you've got to break Shredder's control. This isn't you," the blue-masked turtle shouts down at his hotheaded brother. "Where's that crazy temper?"

"Don't be a fool. There's nothing you can say, Leonardo," Raphael responds.

Leonardo leaps down, cutting downwards with his mismatched weapons and meeting the borrowed pair of tekkō-kagi. "Break free, you jerk!" he demands, but nothing clicks inside his brother's brain as they spin and clash weapons again. "Ah! I think I get it. You can't feel emotion because you're Shredder's puppet," Leonardo teases, the long spear he's using blocking the sharp blades from his body. "As a matter of fact, I'll bet you like doing whatever Shredder tells you." He grunts as they spin again, narrowly stopping the blades from impaling his brain. "You probably love it."

The leader spins and kicks his brother hard in the plastron, sending him skidding away. Raphael gets up, roaring in anger as he turns and rushes towards Leonardo. Just before he reaches him, he stops, a groan escaping his mouth. He retches, collapses to his knees, and coughs up the brain worm. Leonardo stabs the worm, then kneels next to Raphael.

"Raph?" he asks, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Raphael wipes his mouth, then looks up with a weak smile, his eyes once again brightened by his signature green irises. "How's it going, brother?"

"Stockman, what is going on? You said this wouldn't happen," Shredder snarls.

"I don't know, zzir," the fly responds.

Pigeon Pete appears and smacks the fly into a nearby wall. Donatello lights up and he gasps.

"Leo, you're a genius!" he exclaims as Rockwell makes him smack himself. "Ow, ow, ow. Something you're obviously not, Rockwell." The chimp moves the turtle's hand across his own face a few more times. "Ow! Ow! So you can make me slap myself. Ow! If you had a brain to go with your powers, you might actually, ow, be smarter than a gibbering baboon! Ow!"

Rockwell stops the slapping and throws his hands up. "What?! How dare you! A reptilian-brained evolutionary throwback—"

He gags, retching and throwing up the brain worm. Donatello crushes it with his foot before looking to the shocked chimp, who still has his hands over his mouth.

"Sorry about the insults, Doc," Donatello apologizes.

"No, they were necessary, although complete fabrications," Rockwell returns.

"Agree...to disagree," the turtle says. "Now blast that worm out of Slash!"

Rockwell fires a psychic beam at Slash. He screams, falling to his knees as he hacks up the brain worm. It bounces into the fire surrounding Shredder. He groans and holds his head as Leatherhead helps him up.

"DUDES?! A LITTLE HELP HERE?!" Michelangelo shrieks.

They spin towards the turtle's voice to see him and Diaval struggling to evade Destiny's harsh attacks. She snarls and snaps at him viciously, claws nearly snagging his body multiple times. Diaval keeps firing arrows just close enough to push her back, but little else. Her paw catches Michelangelo's leg and he falls, rolling and bouncing along the floor and nearly tripping Diaval up in the process.

"Rockwell!" Leonardo shouts.

The former scientist fires a beam at her, but Shredder acts first. Electricity courses through her again and her howl of agony makes everyone flinch as her front legs give out. She whimpers as she gets back to her feet, her body trembling. Diaval aims yet another arrow at her. Michelangelo drags himself to his feet.

"Unsuccessful attempt, Leonardo!" Rockwell shouts.

Leonardo clenches his jaw and he takes off towards them, retrieving his katanas along the way. He leaps up to their level and places himself between Destiny and his beat-up brother, katanas at the ready. Diaval stays at his side, an arrow aimed.

"Des, come on! Break free! I know you can!" he insists.

More shockwaves erupt, making her let out an animalistic scream of pain. Leonardo flinches. Diaval's knuckles turn white around his bow.

"He's just going to hurt her more if you try to talk!" Donatello shouts.

Leonardo stands his ground, muscles tensed, and Leatherhead goes to join them. As soon as Destiny recovers from the shocks, she lunges for them. Leatherhead roars and meets her halfway, gripping her shoulders with his large hands.

"We are your friends, Destiny. Do not let him control you," the alligator says, his voice forceful.

She snaps at him, her claws attempting to rake across his scaly skin. Shredder sets off the metallic prongs again, the current electrocuting both mutants. Leatherhead lets out a yell and releases Destiny as they both lurch back.

"Leatherhead!" Michelangelo exclaims.

Diaval grits his teeth and releases the arrow. This time, it impales itself in Destiny's shoulder and she shrieks, her legs buckling. Leonardo visibly tenses at the sight of the arrow nestled in her dark fur.

"It is time I end this experiment," Shredder decides, already bored with his last disobedient slave. He stands up and unsheathes his blades.

Leonardo's attention darts to him, eyes widening. "Hold him off! I'll keep trying to get Destiny out," he orders.

"Leo, you'll just be—" Donatello starts.

"Go! Trust me!"

Slash nods, motioning for his team to follow him, and the remaining three turtles join them despite their hesitancy. Diaval doesn't move an inch and Leonardo would be wrong if he said he didn't care, but he doesn't say a word against it. He watches as Destiny struggles back to her paws and looks up at him, teeth bared.

"I know that we made a promise that this wouldn't happen...and I know that we failed you, but right now you're the only one who can get yourself out of this," he says, his voice strong and never wavering.

She roars and barrels towards him. He dodges and throws his katanas up in defence as her paw swipes towards him. Her paw pushes against him and he grits his teeth as he struggles to retaliate equally and force her back. Diaval stays on guard, watching them.

"Just fight it, Des! Be the strong person I know you are!" he shouts, desperate for his voice to reach her.

She falters again as more electricity rockets through her. This time, she completely rears back and howls, eyes squeezed shut. Her fangs grit together as she morphs back into a human and collapses to the floor, breathing heavily. Her clothing is torn in multiple places and the arrow stalk has snapped. The head is still buried in her bloody shoulder.

Something tells Leonardo that Shredder didn't order her to change back, and for a second, he thinks that she's out. That hope shatters when her eyes remain white even as she readies her uchigatana.

"LEO! WE NEED HELP!" Raphael shouts from below as the other seven mutants duel Shredder.

"Hold on! She's fighting it!" Leonardo returns.

"Gotta insult her," Diaval says. He frowns and eyes the prongs on her neck. "Wait...gotta plan. Stay back."

"Diaval, what—"

The tall boy is already speed-walking towards her, lowering his bow, and she bares her teeth and raises her sword. As soon as he's close enough, she swings, and he throws his bow up to deflect the blow. She snarls and pivots on her foot, going for a low swipe, but he blocks it yet again, making her nostrils flare as she yanks the weapon back and goes for a downward strike. As she raises her sword above her head, he lunges and wraps his arms around her, clutching her to his chest.

The electricity switches on again and Destiny screams as the current shoots through hers and Diaval's bodies. Diaval squeezes his eyes shut, convulsing so hard that his gritted teeth knock together, but he doesn't scream. Destiny's fingers go limp, her uchigatana slips to the floor with a clang, and her eyes turn green for a split second as the pupils return. In that split second, Diaval reaches to her neck and rips the metallic prongs out, earning a horrifying cry of pain that deafens him for a second before he throws the bloodied things to the floor.

"Leonardo, now!" Diaval shouts as Destiny's eyes flick back to being white.

"This is just like you, Destiny! Disobey everything, refuse to listen to reason! You're so stubborn!" he shouts. Destiny lets out a low growl. "And I bet you don't even understand all that Shakespeare you read, since it's all just stupid gibberish and you haven't even had a proper education!"

"EXCUSE ME?!" she shrieks, her eyes snapping back to normal.

Diaval lowers her to the ground as her face twists and she hunches over, hacking up the final brain worm. Diaval crushes it beneath his fist and Leonardo dashes forward, his countenance wrought with worry. She's a bleeding, beaten mess, and she mumbles something unintelligible under her breath as her body sags against Diaval's. The archer looks stiff and uncomfortable at the touch but doesn't move.

"Is she alive?" Leonardo asks, kneeling next to them. He doesn't wait for an answer, reaching out to press his fingers to her throat and only relaxing when he feels the thrum of her pulse beneath the skin.

Behind them, there's a mighty crash as one of the totem poles collapses, and they turn to see that the pole has landed overtop of where Shredder once stood. Slash dusts his hands off as the Mutanimals gather behind him. Leonardo breathes a sigh of relief and waves to his brothers, giving them a thumbs up signal. Leatherhead tromps over to Diaval as his face softens with an alligator smile.

"I can carry her, Diaval," he offers.

Diaval nods and carefully lowers Destiny to the floor. Leatherhead scoops her up, holding her like she's just a tiny china doll.

"Alright, let's get out of here before—" Donatello starts.

There's a loud crash as Tiger Claw, Emery, and some Foot bots reappear in the room, weapons at the ready.

"That happens," Raphael finishes.

"Another time," Leonardo says.

They deploy smoke bombs, disappearing without a trace.

----------

Back in the lair, everyone seems completely relieved to have escaped the battle. Donatello cleans the small puncture wounds on Destiny's neck left from the prongs, the cuts left by the arrow grazes, and he also manages to pull the arrowhead from her shoulder without much trouble, seeing as the wound isn't as deep as it could've been. She remains distant, her gaze far off and staring into nothing in particular while he bandages her up.

Slash moves to Master Splinter, holding a bowl of steaming soup. The rat looks up, ears slightly flattened and whiskers drooped with exhaustion.

"I'm sorry, Master Splinter," Slash apologizes, handing off the soup. "When I attacked, I could see everything that was happening, but I couldn't control my actions. Please, forgive me."

Splinter places a hand on Slash's shoulder. "There is nothing to forgive, my friend. This was Shredder's doing." He pulls away and lifts the soup to his lips. "Your mind was not your own."

Leonardo glances at Destiny. She looks at her feet and lets her hair fall in her face. Diaval shifts in place and acts enthralled by his fingernails. Donatello stands up, having finished the examination, and turns to the gathered mutants.

"Those worms must have programmed you like sleeper agents," he comments. "It was obviously different from Shredder's previous attempt." He glances to Destiny with a weak smile. "Thankfully, Shredder was so desperate to stop you from breaking out that he actually disabled you from fighting against us in any way that could seriously injure us, using those prongs. He disabled his own weapon."

Destiny doesn't respond. She only bobs her head up and down in a small nod, the last word he spoke echoing in her head over and over again as she rubs the bandage surrounding her shoulder.

"Indeed, it was dreadful. My thanks to all of you for saving us," Rockwell says.

"All I know is that those worms were nasty, and it's awesome to have you guys back," Michelangelo adds, slinging his arm over Raphael's shoulder. His smile and cheerful attitude give light to the gloomy atmosphere. "Good thing this serum wasn't nearly as effective as the old one!"

Diaval shuffles off to the dojo without a word. Nobody notices him leaving except for Destiny, but she doesn't make any move to stop him.

"We owe it all to Leo," Raphael says.

"Well, what would we do without you? Every team needs an impulsive, loudmouthed, super-violent hothead, right?" Leonardo teases.

Raphael's smile falls and he growls. He storms up to Leonardo and glares, making the older turtle tense up, but then Raphael laughs and hugs him tightly, lifting him up off the ground.

"You're the best, bro."

"Okay, alright. Alright." Leonardo laughs.

Destiny manages a small smile before looking away and pulling her knees to her chest. Her mind feels blank yet hectic and full all at once, and she can't focus on any one thing. She's only faintly aware of the others spreading out across the lair, going back to their routine, but they're all just passing by her like a river around a stone. She hears someone settle down next to her.

"Destiny?" Leonardo whispers.

She doesn't look up, but she croaks out, "Hey."

He moves closer to her, holding his arms out to her with a hesitant, inviting smile. She trembles involuntarily and slumps against his chest, shutting her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs, running his hand over her sweaty curls.

"It was awful," she says, her voice hoarse and raw. "I saw and felt everything, but I...I couldn't stop myself. Diaval, he...he had to shoot me." Her voice breaks and she coughs. Her tail curls against her legs. "I don't know what's worse: watching and being unable to stop my actions, or swimming in blackness until I wake up and realize what I've done."

He doesn't say anything for a few moments. He takes a deep breath and glances down at her, pursing his lips. "Do you need anything? Soup? Tea? A nap?"

She exhales. Her eyelids flutter open and she glances around. "Could you find Diaval? He wouldn't talk to me after..." She winces as she shifts her injured shoulder. "Just...uh, tell him it's okay, that he did what he had to. He might be in the dojo."

Leonardo frowns, but nods. "As you wish."

He stands, dragging himself away from her and starting towards the dojo. As he nears the door, the sound of two distinct voices conversing makes him stop.

"Couldn't...break her out," Diaval's rough, accented voice says. "Did it last time, but couldn't now. This was diff'rent. Wasn't the guy pulling strings, more like...one o'the victims."

Leonardo peeks into the dojo to find the boy sitting next to Splinter, both in meditative poses. Splinter hums under his breath, lifting one hand to his goatee. His movements are more stiff than usual. He moves like his body is still hurting and it no doubt is.

"It is different when you're on the other side of the knife, isn't it?" he muses. Diaval nods, his shaggy hair drifting into his face. "Why is it that you let Leonardo do the work?"

"Dunno..." Diaval's lip twitches. His snaggletooth shifts. "Just...felt maybe it was owed to 'im."

"You owe Leonardo?" There's slight amusement, perhaps curiosity in Splinter's tone. "Why is that? From what I've witnessed, there's very little love to be shared between you two. Your only common interest is in Destiny's wellbeing."

Diaval's blank expression doesn't shift, but Leonardo's does. There's a fresh heat to his face that is neither purely embarrassment nor hate. It's a mixture.

"Lied...to him," Diaval admits. "Lied 'bout her."

Splinter arches an eyebrow. "A lie. Now...that's a web that catches many flies." Diaval blinks and glances at the wise rat. "A metaphor, Diaval. Do not strain yourself trying to understand."

"Mhm."

"So you lied, and you felt a debt was in need of repayment?"

"Destiny has nightmares," Diaval says. "She got 'em real bad in Canada. I...showed her what she wanted, t'calm her. Y'know, using m'magic." He glances at his palm, tracing the worn lines with only his gaze.

"I'm following. Continue."

"The desire's always the same when she's scared. She wants..." Diaval stops, his jaw tightening just slightly as his fingers curl into his palm. "Always wants him."

"Leonardo?" A nod of confirmation. Splinter's russet eyes spark with knowing. "Ah...and let me guess, you told Leonardo that it was something else."

"Caught m...m-me at the farmhouse, asked 'bout it. Said she desired forests and freedom, tried to make him think she didn't want him."

Leonardo's veins flood with heat and he has to force himself not to say or do anything that'll blow his cover. Splinter gazes at Diaval with an unreadable emotion, making the boy squirm.

"And why would you lie?" he asks.

Diaval swallows. "Dunno...just did."

"No one just hides away the truth. There is always a reason." When there's no response from Diaval, Splinter leans towards him and stares him right in the eyes. "I am thinking...that you are maybe jealous, perhaps protective."

Diaval's pale eyes widen. "Don't feel like that with her. She's m'friend."

"Jealousy is not just for romantic endeavours. If I may...search your brain for a moment, I'd say that your actions are based off the fact that Destiny is your friend, but my sons are not and therefore you are jealous that you have to share her with them."

"Mhm..." Diaval frowns, lowering his head as he nods. "Yeah...kinda."

Splinter chuckles. "Your way of acting is rather juvenile, Diaval."

"Yeah...can't help it."

"I did not say that that's bad. Children have a very different outlook on the world and can often be wiser than you'd expect. Even adults can learn from a child." Splinter reaches out and grasps a small cup of steaming tea, lifting it to his lips and taking a sip.

"Guess...it's hard to get why she loves him when..." Diaval inhales, shutting his eyes for a second as he breathes out, "I...don't. Just...try to accept it."

"There will always be those whom you hate that others love. If that wasn't true, we'd be in a fantasy world without flaws." Splinter smiles softly at the soft-spoken boy at his side. "Your heart is in the right place, Diaval, but worrying about Destiny will get you nowhere. She is her own person and sometimes, the most growth comes from making mistakes. Your acceptance is valuable to her, I assure you."

"You talk in riddles. Confusing," Diaval mumbles.

Splinter chuckles. "I'm sorry. It's hard not to," he admits.

They sit in silence. Diaval looks up at the tree leaves, his pale throat exposed to the empty room, and Leonardo momentarily imagines throttling him, just wrapping his hand around his neck and squeezing. Not for too long, just a few seconds; enough for him to get his anger out.

"Needed to talk. You listen. It's nice," Diaval says.

"I'm happy to listen," Splinter replies. He glances towards the dojo exit just as Leonardo ducks out of sight. "How is Destiny? She got the worst of it during that fight, I saw."

"Donatello fixed her," Diaval says. He gets to his feet and gives a hasty bow to the rat sensei. "Uh, arigatou gozaimasu," he adds, tripping over a few of the pronunciations.

"Douitashimashite," Splinter responds. His lip twitches at the side. "You know some Japanese?"

"Karai showed m...me." A faint look of sadness flits across his scratched face. "Gonna go. Maybe find Leonardo. Say sorry."

"I will be here should you need to talk more."

Diaval turns and heads for the exit. As he leaves the dojo, he comes face to face with Leonardo and instantly stops dead in his tracks. The two boys stare at one another, eyebrows furrowing slightly, and Leonardo exhales heavily through his nose as he tries to think of something to say.

"Sorry," Diaval says first. Leonardo's eyes widen and the archer swallows, glancing away. "Shouldn't've lied. Sorry."

He brushes past Leonardo and heads for the kitchen. Leonardo turns and stares after him, mouth hanging open slightly, and his gaze travels to where Destiny lays on the couch. His mouth closes and some of the anger dissipates.

"She still loves me," he whispers.