Why hadn't his head exploded yet?

Shredder winced. He could hear bones cracking as the trash compactor squashed him flat. It wasn't supposed to be this way; he was supposed to kill Splinter, and those turtles, and he shouldn't have been stuck in this stupid trash heap anyway-

Then it stopped.

Against all odds, the crushing stopped.

Shredder just sat there, panting and terrified. Was he dreaming? Was he in some alternate universe? What was going on?

Shredder poked an arm out of the trash compactor cautiously. The trash lid didn't snap shut on his arm. Dazed, he felt his head. His helmet was crushed, but his head was still intact. Putting his shoulder to the lid, he cautiously pushed. It flipped open.

Shredder sat still for a few minutes, getting his bearings and still trying to figure out if what was happening was real. Still in a fog, he crawled out and tried to stand up. He clenched his teeth and fell down. At least one of his legs was broken. There was no way he was going to be able to walk. He'd have to either wait until someone found him or he'd have to crawl his way back home.

Shredder swallowed and started crawling. It was humiliating, but at least he was moving. Moving away from that horrible trash compactor, and those stupid turtles and their stupid rat and that stupid man who had crushed him to begin with. It was probably Splinter's fault anyway. He bet that man that had flipped the switch had probably been put there by Splinter to murder him.

Shredder stopped to rest. He was feeling horribly lightheaded, and that made it difficult to continue. After a few moments, he started the agonizing crawl again. He wondered if he should just lie down and die. What was the point? Nobody else was around. He didn't blame them. What was he supposed to do? Find a telephone booth? He didn't have that much longer, anyway.

Shredder ignored the cracked ribs. The sense of shame. Failure. The blood in his mouth. The desperation of knowing he wouldn't make it to the lair, and yet trying anyway. Of not knowing what he was even going to do now. It would take a few months for the bones alone to heal. How could he possibly face Splinter now that he'd been stripped of any semblance of honor?

Shredder groaned when he came to a road he knew he had to cross in order to get to the lair. It was useless. He'd have to either hitchhike or take the long way around. Or he could take forever to crawl across. None of his options were looking good at the moment.

He pathetically crept across the sidewalk and hit the walk button. He was amazed that cars actually stopped when the sign came on. He continued on, trying to focus only on making it to the other side. Nothing else mattered. If he could just make it to the other side, everything else would be easy.

Shredder had just started to reach the other side when a car suddenly screeched into him. He felt himself flung onto the sidewalk, one of his shoulders make a sickening crunch as he landed. Shredder blinked. His vision was starting to go dark, and he felt blood trickling down his face.

He didn't even have enough energy to be angry at the man who hit him. He just laid his head on his arm and waited to die. It wasn't too bad. He'd tried. He really had. He really wasn't in that much pain. If he could just close his eyes, he could let go and he'd be okay.

Shredder closed them and drifted into darkness, letting it eclipse the pain.

Shredder had been lying there for at least three minutes when a weird creature that looked like an old fat man tromped over. Meaty gloved hands reached over and turned the sleeping man over.

"Look at what the cat dragged in," said the thing controlling the man. It was a little squishy brain with purple eyes, and, combined with the man-suit it was utterly hideous.

The brain creature examined Shredder for several minutes before picking him up and walking off. "He'll do nicely," murmured the creature with a diabolical grin. He just had to patch this poor man up and he'd be perfect.

…

Wake up. Wake up.

Shredder ignored his brain. He didn't feel well enough to even breathe. Now he was really feeling the impact of that car and the blasted compactor. He let out a whimper, just loud enough to hear.

"Oh, don't be that way. I saved your life, you ungrateful cheese grater," said an odd voice. The voice sounded like someone who had a mouthful of gum and marbles.

Shredder didn't open his eyes. He just let himself slip back to sleep. He felt okay, he just couldn't move too much. As long as he slept, he wouldn't have to feel the pain so badly.

The brain creature touched Shredder's forehead. There was a nasty dent in it, but, as he moved his tentacle down to Shredder's neck, he felt a steady pulse. The creature sat back and looked at the man it had salvaged. It looked like the man would be sleeping for a while until he had really begun to recover.

The brain creature was a little annoyed. He'd wanted to talk to the man so he could see if the man was really the right fit for his plans. He'd been looking for a good accomplice for forever. Any man who could survive a trash compactor must be pretty resilient. And resilience was exactly what he needed for his evil schemes.

The brain creature turned away and began mixing something up. Hopefully, this elixir would speed the man's recovery.

"Drink this, you spiky cretin," the brain creature hissed as he forced the liquid down Shredder's throat. Shredder whimpered again but dutifully swallowed the medicine. The brain creature waited to see if Shredder would wake up, but he just shifted a bit before settling down.

The brain creature sighed. It was going to be a long wait.

….

Three days had passed, and the man was still unconscious. The brain creature had had it. He was going to wake that man up if it was the last thing he did.

"Get up, sleepyhead," growled the brain creature as he shook Shredder. Shredder's eyes fluttered. The brain creature shook him harder. Shredder finally blinked awake.

"I'm dreaming," Shredder mumbled as his groggy mind scrambled to piece together the bizarre circumstances before him. There was a huge brain sitting in a robotic body that looked like a fat old man.

Shredder blinked again. The brain in the robot was still there. Shredder tried to shrug, but flinched instead as his shoulders screamed. Shaking, he raised his spiked gauntlet up above his head.

The brain creature laughed. "You're in no condition to fight me, and you know that."

Shredder lowered his arm. "I know," he said. He squinted and blinked a third time, still utterly baffled as to what was going on. "Who are you?"

"Allow me to introduce myself," the brain creature said. "I am General Krang of Dimension X, conqueror of worlds, and the one who rescued you from almost certain death."

"Is that in New Jersey?" Shredder asked.

Krang laughed. "No, you idiot! It's a whole other dimension! I was kicked out because apparently they thought I was too bloodthirsty, so now I'm here."

Shredder tried to raise his head. Everything Krang was saying seemed to go in one ear and out the other. He shook his head and tried to remember what he'd just been told. "So you're an alien, and your name is Krang," he repeated.

"Bingo," Krang said.

"But why do you want me of all people?" Shredder said. "You should have left me to die."

Krang snarled. "I go to the trouble of picking you up, carrying you back here, letting you sleep in my bed for three whole days, and you wish you were dead?"

"No," Shredder murmured. Exhausted as he was, he could sense that it wouldn't be wise to upset this being. "But I have no honor, and I do not know what has become of the Foot Clan. What use am I to you?"

"I'm not exactly honorable myself," Krang pointed out. "I just need someone who can handle machines and help me conquer this dimension. You survived a trash compactor. I think you're capable of fulfilling my needs."

"But...but where are we?" Shredder stammered.

Krang smirked. "In a warehouse near Lairdman Island-"

Shredder sat up. "That's where my lair is!" He cringed as he sat back down and swore under his breath.

"So, you're in the business of war as well?" Krang asked.

Shredder shrugged, even though it hurt. "I have a bunch of teenage boys who steal stuff. I'm not quite sure if that qualifies."

"Impressive," said Krang. "Would you be willing to use these teenage boys in service of my conquest?"

"We're going to have to discuss that first," Shredder said. "When I'm better."

"Take your time," Krang said. "We have all the time in the world to conquer the Earth, my friend. Stay here for as long as you need."

"Thank you," Shredder said, although he wasn't sure if those were the right words. After all, Krang hadn't exactly saved him out of the kindness of his heart. He was just using him as a pawn in his own plans. He didn't like the idea of working for this squishy mass of pink tissue, but what choice did he have? Either he would die alone on the streets or he'd work with Krang.

He lay back and shut his eyes. As he fell asleep, he thought he felt Krang tucking the covers in more tightly around him.

…..

Shredder stayed with Krang for a month and a half. He spent most of the time resting, but he'd had a few conversations with Krang here and there and had gotten to know him somewhat. Krang was a couple thousand years old, although he didn't look it. ("I know someone who's three million!" he'd bragged.) Dimension X was apparently a place filled with war and suffering. Many innocents were caught up in the crossfire. Krang was a general-turned-warlord who had spent years trying to conquer Dimension X, but with no success. Just as he was beginning to achieve his goal, he'd been kicked out by a counsel composed of other members of his species, and now he wanted to conquer this new dimension.

Shredder thought Krang was insane. Who would want to conquer the world, and, more importantly, who had the time and resources for it? He didn't say so, though, because he didn't want Krang to toss him out on the street. He'd lived, against all odds, and he was going to fight for every scrap of life he had left in him.

Krang had also been surprisingly kind to him. He'd made Shredder meals he'd learned to make in Dimension X, which were tasty, although a little slimy for his taste. He offered him extra blankets when he woke up shivering in a cold sweat at night. He'd given him medicine that helped to soothe the pain in his bones. He'd even let him lean against him and walk around outside. For a brain that only wanted him for his personal plans, Krang was more caring than Shredder could have imagined.

He was grateful for Krang, really. He didn't have much in the way of family, other than the Foot Clan. He never really believed in the family crap that he preached to them; that was just his way of winning their loyalty. He preferred to work alone for the most part. But something about Krang made something stir in his chest. He didn't like it, but try as he might, he couldn't squash it down.

One day, as Shredder leaned on Krang's robotic leg as the two of them walked through the abandoned warehouse district, Shredder decided to do a little interrogation. "Krang, where….where did you find that medicine that you've been giving to me? I've never seen anything work so fast."

"Well," Krang began, "I found a canister of some strange green fluid one day while raiding a warehouse that looked as though it used to be a lab of some sorts. I needed a test subject, so I found some fish skeletons in an antique store and used them as my lab rats."

"Who…? My Foot Soldiers burned down an antique store recently," Shredder said.

"Maybe it was the same one," Krang said. "Anyway, as I was saying, I decided to use these skeletons as my lab rats. Amazingly, the ooze not only brought them back to life-it gave them intelligence, and they grew faster than I could keep track of. Naturally, I lobotomized them back to normal fish intelligence so they wouldn't turn against me."

"Oh," Shredder said. He was wondering why Krang had several tanks full of fat, happy-looking goldfish.

"Yes," Krang said. "As I was saying, the ooze worked amazingly well on the fish. So I started testing it on myself. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say, I was impressed at what it could do. I had plans to run more tests with the fish and with a few human test subjects, but the night I was looking for someone I could use in my tests, I found you lying on the sidewalk."

"And you wanted to test it on me?"

"Yes, well, as I already knew from my previous tests, the ooze had tremendous healing properties. And since you looked like you weren't going to make it anyway, I decided, why not take you back and see what it could do for you?"

"It worked, all right," Shredder said. "If it weren't for that medicine, I wouldn't be walking right now."

"I was very pleased with my results," Krang continued. "I was also very pleased to have a willing test subject such as yourself-"

"Hold on a minute," Shredder croaked. "I didn't say I was going to get involved with any testing."

"You told me you were willing to help me," Krang hissed. "If you want to go back on our deal, then leave! Go back to your precious Foot Clan and forget I even talked to you at all."

Krang shoved Shredder away from him. Shredder gasped and stumbled. He hadn't walked on his own since the night of his injury, and he realized that, despite Krang's diligent care, he still had a long way to go before he was fully healed. His knees buckled, and he fell to the sidewalk, moaning in pain. No way was he going to be able to move in this sort of a state.

"Want me back?" Krang taunted.

Shredder sighed. "I see I have no choice."

Krang smiled and picked Shredder up. Shredder leaned against Krang's leg gratefully. He felt Krang pat him mockingly on the head as the two of them headed back to Krang's warehouse home.

I'm getting out of here as soon as I can walk, Shredder swore to himself.

….

Another month and a half of medicine, alien food, and long sleeps, and Shredder was ready to leave.

Krang was disappointed. "You were the best test subject I ever had," he whined as Shredder prepared to journey back to the lair.

Shredder rolled his eyes. "Your fish probably don't complain as much."

"They're simpletons," Krang said. "You were the first chance I had to test the ooze on an intelligent being."

"Well, I guess I won't be seeing you again," Shredder said. He had to admit to himself that he was just a bit sad to leave this being who had provided him shelter and food for so long. He wondered if he'd ever run into Krang again.

As if reading his mind, Krang spoke. "You'll never escape from me, Oroku Saki. I'll be watching you wherever you go. If I see you again, or if I find you dead…" Krang licked his lips in anticipation. "...you're coming back with me."

Shredder snorted. "I doubt that that will happen."

"Well, whoever threw you in that trash compactor was obviously a very powerful enemy," Krang pointed out. "Don't say I didn't warn you when you crawl back to me whining."

"I won't," Shredder said. "I won't, over the dead body that you will never find."

"Don't be so sure," Krang said.

Shredder grinned. He was certain he would never see Krang again.

As he slid away into the shadows, little did Shredder know that Krang was absolutely right, and that in a short matter of time, he'd be waking up in Krang's bed again; this time full of splinters and regret.