The Last Turtle Yokai

Chapter 4

"Excuse me?" Casey blurted out.

A mix of emotions passed over the family's faces, from surprise and shock to pity and awkward guilt for bringing it up.

"Oh, come on. You wouldn't have asked if you didn't think it could be true." Maria rolled her eyes, uncomfortable with the looks they were giving. "If it makes you feel better, they're from a particularly bad day in the Battle Nexus. I left after being dumped back in my room."

"I don't know if that makes it better." Leo commented dryly. "Was fighting voluntary at least?"

"No. Time in the ring is my main punishment."

"Oh, that is way worse."

"Who exactly did you say your family was?" Splinter asked, trying not to think of his own Battle Nexus experiences.

"Family is a strong word." Maria stalled, finishing the last of her water.

"I'm inclined to agree, given what you've told us." Donnie took the empty glass from her hand.

"Okay, but like, who raised you? Do we know them?" Mikey piped in.

"Intimately. But pardon me if I'm not excited to tell you and get kicked back out into the sewer."

"We promise: we won't kick you out for something out of your control. Especially not in your condition." Raph held a hand up and put the other on his chest in a pledging motion.

The leatherback was silent, considering their options.

"Ya know, we're only gonna come up with worse possibilities the longer it takes you to tell us." April cocked a hip and crossed her arms.

"I don't think much more is worse than the truth..." Maria rubbed her face with their uninjured hand. "Okay... I'm kindaaaa... owned byyyy... Big Mama."

"BIG MAMA!?!?!?" They all cried in comical unison.

"I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, no! It's fine. We're just surprised is all." Raph frantically soothed.

"How, in all of our interactions with Big Mama, have we never seen you?" Leo asked.

"We haven't even seen a turtle yokai before." Donnie added.

"We've met, you just don't know it. I've been her second hand for most of my life, running errands, spying, being intimidation... I had to keep a low profile to be most effective. So I worked in multiple forms." Picking at her wrappings, she paused and sighed before continuing, "You might better recognize me in my mask and chest plate. As the Faceless Assistant."

"Ominous. Love it."

"Ignoring the depressing title; I'm surprised we didn't at least cross paths with you during the whole Battle Nexus New York thing Big Mama cooked up then. Especially when the Shredder tore into her and destroyed the hotel." Leo commented.

"Oh, I was in Japan on a research trip during that. I did watch what happened through the nexus live feed though..."

"Researching what exactly?" Donnie gave a suspicious look.

"My biological family history. A distant relative of mine from the Kappa family there was helping me since there are no members left of the Turtle Yokai line besides me." Maria gave a melancholic half smile, remembering the trip.

"Not the Hamato Clan?"

"The what?" she asked with a face of genuine confusion.

"You weren't sent there by Big Mama to find out more about Hamato Yoshi, aka Lou Jitsu?" Donnie's face was intense with suspicion.

Maria's brows creased with the flash of anger that rose up at the accusation. "God no! You think I would waste precious time free from Big Mama on her old fling? Even if I was sent for that, I'd have blown it off and lied that I didn't find anything. I don't get let out topside on my own very often. If I have any free time, I'm restricted to the hotel or the Hidden City."

Their heart rate spiked again on the monitor.

"Purple! Let's not stress our guest with baseless accusations." Splinter interjected. "You should rest. We have asked enough for now."

Leo raised a hand, "Can I just ask -- If you're not even allowed to explore New York, why would Big Mama let you go halfway across the globe for something that doesn't benefit her? No offence, but Big Mama always has an angle going."

"The only way she let me leave was if I promised to find her next Lou Jitsu, seduce them, and bring 'em back to be her next champion. 'Set up to fail that one, being asexual with minimal social skills." Her face darkened and she looked down again. "Had to do three weeks in the Nexus that time."

"You were the Battle Nexus Champion for three weeks? That's pretty impressive!" April commented.

"No, I was barely champion half the time."

"But-"

"She just doesn't let them kill me when I lose. A night in the cell with some crazy powerful mystic healing then back out into the ring again."

"Big Mama's cruelty and tricks truly know no bounds." Splinter commented rubbing his chin.

"There's a good reason every criminal in the hidden city kicks a big chunk of their scores up to her. No one in their right mind wants to end up in The Battle Nexus ring." Maria nodded solemnly.

Splinter gave Leo a pointed look.

"Oh, come on, Pops! That was one time in an 'only option' situation. Besides, I got us out, didn't I?" he defended, putting his arms behind his head.

"That was the most impressive fight I've cared to watch." Maria commented almost wistfully.

"You were there?" Mikey asked.

"Like I said, I was Big Mama's masked lackey. I was there for most of your encounters with her. I even took the Shredder from you after you got the collar on."

"Huh, yeah I guess you were. To be honest you weren't nearly as memorable as the GIANT SPIDER LADY." Leo emphasized his words with pointed hand motions.

"That was the point of the whole masked getup, so I can forgive you for that. Not everyone can be the silent observer." Maria smirked as she gave Leo a look.

"I take offence to that!"