From The Shadows: Goodbye || BOOK 3 (TMNT)

Chapter 6. Scar

     Sasha approached. She stomped her foot down on the back of Raph's shell. He winces.

     "Nice catch," Sasha chortles. She peers down at Athena.

     Sasha takes her foot off the turtle and steps away. "Well, go on. Pull her up."

     Raph didn't question why Sasha would allow him to. With his other hand, he gripped the side of the building as he hoisted Athena up. He groaned and huffed. His arm shook with the pain from the cuts and bruises and the strain of pulling her up. 

     Once Athena could reach the ledge of the rooftop, she pushed herself up, relieving some of the tension in Raph's arm. She embraced him and dried her tears.

     "Thank you," Athena whispers.

     "Like I was going to let you fall," Raph groans. A soft laugh escapes his lips. "How many times is that now that I've saved your life?" 

     Raph slumped back onto the rooftop. He held his incredibly sore arm and heaved. Athena looked at him frighteningly worried. She traced the cut across his face with her thumb. He flinched. 

     Past Athena, Raph could see Sasha walking toward them. He attempted to sit back up. He fell back as he unexpectedly put too much weight on his arms. Athena looked behind her. Raph tried to get back up but Athena was much faster to get back on her feet. She took his sai and as she raced toward Sasha, she swooped down and picked up the other one she had dropped.

     Athena was able to land a good few hits. Sasha, of course, returned them. But, Athena wasn't about to hold back.

     "You're good," Sasha compliments. She blocks Athena's sais and pushes her away. As Athena stumbles back, she sweeps her legs out from under her. Sasha shakes her head. "But... you fight just like Karai."

     Athena clutches the sais tighter. Her knuckles turn white. It was true, she did fight like Karai. Karai was her sensei. Karai taught her everything she knew. Sasha knew everything she knew and how to best defend against it. Even still, Athena noticed just how similar her and Sasha's fighting styles were as well. Sasha also fought similarly to Karai. 

     Sasha and Athena were both so focused on offense—landing hits. Athena lowered her head. She thought back to her sparring match with Leonardo. He was so easily able to avoid her advances and defeat her when the opening was provided. Indeed, Sasha was stronger and faster, but if Athena wanted a decent chance against Sasha, she'd have to take a page from Leo's playbook.

     "Alright, Athena," she mumbles to herself. "Precision."

     Athena stands up again. Sasha looks at her amusingly. She didn't intend to keep this fight going much longer.

     When the two returned to their battle, Sasha was taken by surprise. She hadn't anticipated Athena switching up her attacks. Her movements were meticulous, which provided the room Athena needed to successfully counter Sasha's moves. Despite the change in agility, Sasha still managed to overpower Athena. She pushed her away and kept an arm outstretched toward her. Sasha's eyes fogged with the darkness and all of a sudden, Athena couldn't move.

     Sasha leaned her head over her shoulder. Raph had managed to get up on his feet. Although slower, he had already begun racing towards Sasha. But, he too, stopped right in his tracks, unable to move. Sasha's arm shook under the immense strength it took to hold both Raph and Athena in place. The pain and tension were almost too much but Sasha held strong.

     "Remember this fight, Raphael. I want you to remember how I could have killed you. This was your only chance to give me what I wanted without serious consequences. Next time, it will not be so easy." Sasha tilts her chin up. "But if your brothers are half as good as you are, you all might prove to be an actual challenge."