Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1

[Spider-Man Beyond]

The Multiverse Presents


#1
Dragonfire
Part 1
Shell of a Town

Written by Patrick Moore (Pumpkinhead)

Edited by Daniel Dyer (Spider-Man Beyond)

Multiverse logo created by Tony Peterson (Starfall)

[Spider-Man Beyond]

"You and your shortcuts, Mikey,” said a 5 foot green turtle (complete with a shell on his back). The talking reptile wore brown knee pads and elbow pads, with a red bandana covering his eyes. Around his waist was a belt, holding his weapons. Two long Sais. Raphael took out his Sais, sizing up a virtual army of Purple Dragon gang members.

“So sue me,” said Mikey, as he spun his nunchucks. Michaelangelo, too, was a big turtle and wore matching pads, with an orange bandana covering his eyes. “How was I suppose to know that this was their lair.”

“Will you two knock it off?” A third turtle had said to his brothers, twirling his wooden bo staff. Donatello’s bandana was a dark purple. “Let’s find the kid, and get out of here.”

“You freaks sure have chosen a bad time for dressing up like giant turtles, since it isn’t even Halloween,” a muscle bound man, tattoos littering his body, said, as he cracked his knuckles. This Purple Dragon was known as Hun. “What a bunch of jackasses!”

“There’s one thing you forgot, moron,” said the fourth and final turtle, as he took out two katana blades from two sheaths on his back, attached to his belt. Leonardo wore a blue bandana.

“What’s that?” Hun asked.

“We’re not wearing costumes,” Leo said as he and his brothers ran with weapons in hand towards the Purple Dragons for battle.

My name is Leonardo, and me and my brothers aren’t superheroes or teenagers in weird costumes. We’re turtles, mutated by a strange chemical. Right now, we’re about to take out an army of Purple Dragons, who just kidnapped a friend of ours. It’s us and twenty gang members to save April. This is going to be Hell.

~

[Spider-Man Beyond]

New York-One Week Ago

“And now with her report on the recent crime wave, here’s Crystal Sharpe with her report,” said Vernon Fenwick from the Channel 6 news desk, the camera cutting to Crystal Sharpe, a woman in her thirties with long, blonde hair, who wore a brown news suit.

“Thanks, Vernon,” said Crystal. “As I told you last night, New York just had another string of robberies by a mysterious band of thieves. No one knows where they came from, and what they’ll do next. This reporter is going to get to the bottom of this, and when I do, Channel 6 will get the exclusive. Back to you, Vernon.”

“Thank you, Crystal,” replied Vernon, as he turn to the camera. “We’ll be right back, after this commercial for Heavy Metal Magazine.”

“And cut!” the director spoke.

“Where is that brat with my coffee?” snapped Vernon.

“Don’t call my intern a brat, Vern.” Crystal gave Vern an angered look. “April is doing a good job juggling school and work here.”

“That kid is nothing but incompetent. That last time I asked her for a sandwich, and she got me ham and Swiss,” said Vernon. “And I hate Swiss cheese.”

“She heard you, dummy.”

Crystal gritted her teeth, as Vernon turned to see a seventeen year old girl from at him. She had brown hair, while wearing blue jeans, and a red shirt with a name tag that read April O’Neil.

“Get your own damn sandwich, Mr. Fenwick,” snapped April. “I’m Mrs. Sharpe’s intern, not yours. And FYI, I don’t screw up. So kiss my…”

“APRIL!!!” Crystal shouted at her.

“Sorry,” April talked quietly.

“I would like an apology, young lady,” replied Vernon.

“After what you said about me, you don’t deserve an apology from me.”

As April was about to pop up her middle finger at Vernon, the director spoke.

“Vernon, we’re back in one minute,” he said, as he left.

Vernon gave an angered glare at April. “I’ll deal with you later, O’Neil.” Vernon soon went back to his news desk.

“What a butt-head,” April said, as Crystal just sighed at her.

~

[Spider-Man Beyond]

The Purple Dragons’ Lair

Hun walked within the huge abandoned warehouse that was home to the street gang known as the Purple Dragons. There he walked past various members playing poker, as the smell of cigarette smoke scented the air. Other members were carrying stuff that they had just stolen from a department store.

Hun headed into a large room, where a mysterious man with white hair, wearing purple and black armor sat on a throne. Next to him was a large komodo dragon eating a dead rat.

“Dragon Lord, everything is going to plan,” said Hun.

“Excellent, Hun,” smirked Dragon Lord, “but we have a problem.”

“A problem, Sir?” Hun asked.

“That reporter, Crystal Sharpe is getting close to revealing our true plan,” replied Dragon Lord. “Send Bebop, Rocksteady, and a few others to give her a message.”

Hun smirked evilly. “My pleasure, Dragon Lord.”

~

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Outside of the Channel 6 building, Crystal gave a stern look to April and sighed, putting her things into the trunk of her car.

“April, I know Vernon’s a jerk to you, but he’s Mr. Thompson’s suck-up,” said Crystal. “You could get fired.”

“I understand, Mrs. Sharpe, but I need the money for college,” replied April. “Also, my dad isn’t feeling right ever since he lost his job and started that damn drinking.”

“Here, look you guys, it’s Crystal Sharpe, the popular Channel 6 reporter.”

Crystal and April turned to see an African American man, dressed like a punk rocker with a purple Mohawk, as well as a few of his friends walking towards them.

“It’s nice that you know me, gentlemen,” smiled Crystal.

“Mrs. Sharpe, those are Purple Dragons,” April said to Crystal. “They’re bad news.”

“Smart kid,” said the black man known as Bebop to Crystal. “I got a message for you.”

“What’s that?” Crystal asked.

“THIS!!” Bebop slammed his fist into Crystal’s stomach, making the female reporter scream in agony. “DON’T SCREW WITH THE PURPLE DRAGONS!!!”

“Get away from her, you jerk!” April shouted

Then stepped up a man known as Rocksteady, hitting April with a bat, which knocked her out completely.

“Shut up, brat,” said Rocksteady.

“Let’s finish the job, boys,” said Bebop, as the other Purple Dragons walked closer to the hurt Crystal.

“Leave… her… alone,” April spoke up, barely conscious, then went back into unconsciousness.

“Don’t worry, kid, we’ll help you and your boss,” said a voice, which April mistook for an angel in her groggy state.

“What the hell are…?” Before Bebop could finish his sentence, the lights went out before them, the sound of screams and punches then followed.

When the lights came back up, the Dragons were bound and gagged.

Just then, about four police cars came to the building. The cops saw the trussed up Purple Dragon members, as they gave each other puzzled looks. One of the officers pulled a note from one to the Purple Dragon members, which read:

“To the Police,

“These thugs attacked Crystal Sharpe and her interne. We took them to the nearest hospital for help. Please guard Mrs. Sharpe at all cost just in case the Dragons strike again.

“-The Defenders of New York”

~

[Spider-Man Beyond]

New York’s sewers

“Dude, we kicked some serious butt tonight,” said Michelangelo, as he and his brothers walked back home.

“Defenders of New York?” Donatello asked Mikey. “Mikey, we’re supposed to be ninjas, not Spider-Man. If Master Splinter found out about this, he’ll have a fit.”

“Forget it, Donnie. Mikey’s a numbskull,” said Raphael. “He’s been watching the Incredibles again on DVD. I wish for once my idiot brother would think more of his ninja skills rather than of being a superhero.”

Leonardo said nothing when they headed home.

The turtles’ home was like a normal home, but in a sewer. A large gray rat in a red kimono sat in a wooden chair playing chess by himself. Splinter looked up as his sons entered the homestead.

“How was your night watch, my sons?” Splinter asked the turtles.

“We weren’t seen, Master Splinter,” said Leo. “We stopped some gang members attacking a news reporter and her friend.”

“But Mikey left a note calling ourselves ‘The Defenders of New York’,” Raph said, Mikey grinning.

“This isn’t funny, Michaelangelo,” replied Splinter. “We are ninja, not your so called superheroes. Remember that, my son.”

“Yes, Master Splinter,” sighed Mikey.

“We must not be seen by the outside world,” said Splinter, as he walked towards his sons. “We are outcast, living underground to protect ourselves from people who want to study us for their purposes. We must stay in the shadows, and not to be seen.”

“Yes, Master Splinter,” said all four turtles in unison.

“Now, it’s time for Heroes on the television,” smirked Splinter. “I like that Hiro.”

~

[Spider-Man Beyond]

April woke up in a hospital bed with her head bandaged. Next to her was Crystal, who was still hurt from Bebop’s punch.

“Crystal, are you ok?” April asked her.

“Please, God, don’t let it die,” Crystal cried in tears.

“Don’t let what die?” April asked.

“My baby, April,” replied Crystal. “I’m pregnant with my first child.”

“You didn’t tell me you were pregnant,” said April.

Just then, a female doctor with black hair entered. “Mrs. Sharpe,” she spoke, “I’m Dr. Price, and I have something to tell you.”

“What is it, Doctor?” Crystal asked.

“The baby didn’t make it,” Dr. Price began to tear up. “It died during your attack by the Purple Dragons. I’m sorry.”

“NOOOOOOO!!!!” Crystal cried.

April started crying as well, wrapping her arms around Crystal for comfort.

To Be Continued…