'Well, we know nothing of the garbageman ever since that day. For some reason I feel like I've seen his kind of looks and behavior before.. Not like from the past mind you, but like he's related to someone I've seen recently. I can't really place it but it's kinda disturbing to think about. Anyways, my brothers might have saved me from drowning but my nightmares and flashbacks have worsened. That clawed symbol keeps coming up and I keep seeing the white rat mutant reaching for me. Only one other thing changed in my nightmares. Instead of her exhausted expression, she sobs with her hands on her face.'
My journal entry didn't really end on a good note. Of course it doesn't help that I wasn't too excited about this part of day either. The sound of metal clanking against metal interrupted my thoughts. Yep. Today was weapon's practice. Raph gave a yell and kicked Leo away who yelled back but had to block Donnie's swing.
"You know what I like best about weapons practice? The weapons." Raph smirked and posed with his sai. Yeah. I'd like it too if I hadn't harmed anyone with my weapons. Mikey charged at him from behind, jumping over and wrapping his nunchaku chain around a sai, before swinging him over his head and letting Raph fly across the room. "Too bad you're stuck with those lame toothpicks and not a real weapon like the nunchucks." Donnie acted fast and swung his staff underneath Mikey's feet, making him trip and fall back. He slid across the floor with his shell saving him, but flipped back up on to his feet. "Sorry Mikey, but the bo staff is where it's at." He stood before him, spinning the staff in his hand.
I dropped the Kama part of my kusarigama and swung my chain at his staff, wrapping it around until the weighted end hit the wooden staff. Donnie gasped and I pulled it away from him. He lost his grip in his surprise and I caught it. "It doesn't matter the weapon. It just matters who's behind it." I spoke in turn. "Aww, come on sis. This used to be your favorite part of training." Mikey replies but I think he knows what I mean. Yeah... used to.
Leo smiles. "Boys and sis, Put away the toys." He unsheathed his other katana and I tossed the bo staff back at Donnie after unwrapped my chain from it. "Hi-yah!" He jumped at us. "Double katana is the only way to play!" He slashed at us one by one. Donnie fell first, then Mikey. Raph leaped above Leo, coming down on him with his sais but even then Leo swung his swords at him and make Raph fall back.
I was the only one left standing. I took stance and pulled my Kama off the floor before getting the handle in my hand. Leo can defend himself. I think to myself. This really wasn't the first time either of us stood standing like this. He had an overconfident look on his face. I know this look. I took stance and readied my own weapon. I jumped right at him and land before him, swinging down the Kama part of my kusarigama. He blocked with his double katana and he made me stumble, swinging one of his blades at me. I ducked and swung my chain, wrapping around the passing blade.
I went to pull it out of his hand, instead he kept a hold and swung his other sword at me. I blocked in time but not without getting knocked down. A yelp escaped me and I glared up at him. "What did I tell you?" Leo asked with a grin. "Double katana? Pretty sweet, huh?" I let out a frustrated sigh, rolling my eyes at him. "Nice one, Leo." Donnie groaned. Raph sat up with a growl. "Lucky." Mikey whined out, "Not so lucky for my tail. It just got kicked."
Leo just kept his grin as he looked at his swords. I look over and see our rat teacher come in. "Well fought, Leonardo." We all stood up in attention. "Thank you, Sensei." He bowed. "You have won, but do you know why?" Splinter asked. "Well," Leo began. "I have the superior weapons. I read where swords master Musashi said the katana blade holds the soul of steel and is the truest guide to the warrior's way which is kinda how I feel." He smiled.
"Many things are said, but few are true." Splinter pointed out. "Huh?" A dumbfounded looked arrived on Leo's face. "Master Splinter's got that look," Raph whispered. "I think somebody's gonna get it." Donnie grinned. I nodded and gave a small smirk. Mikey chuckled, trying to muffle it with his hand, but it didn't work out very well for him. Splinter turned to us in the line. "Michelangelo!" The turtle gasped. "Do you think I am funny?" Splinter asked in a serious tone.
"Um.. yeah. I mean, sometimes." Donnie facepalmed himself, listening to Mikey explain. "There was that time you told that joke about the ox and the sparrow. It wasn't really a joke but it was funny and- Oof." I was just about to jab him but Donnie beat me to it. Well, someone had to stop him from embarrassing himself. "I mean, no, Master Splinter." The rat gave a long sigh before approaching Leo. He set his staff aside and stood in front of the turtle. "Leonardo, attack me with your katana." He ordered. The guys and I took a few steps back with different expressions on our faces. We all knew what was coming.
"Master Splinter, I-." Leo hesitated, but Splinter demanded him. "Do it, now!" The turtle was quick to take stance and even quicker to swing his katana blade down at Splinter. The rodent didn't looked fazed when he swung down the blade. In fact, he caught it between his hands with ease. Leo gasped at this. The others looked surprised, but I shook my head. 'What'd you guys expect of our Master Splinter?' I wanted to ask, but kept it inside instead. "Is this the great and glorious weapon of which you speak? Helpless before an old rat such as myself? Again." He spoke sternly and let go of the blade. "With both."
With that, Leonardo began swinging at him with both katana, but Splinter had dodged and grabbed his walking stick, blocking each of his attacks with ease. He knocked the swords out of his hands and Leo was left weaponless and dumbfounded. The end of the walking stick got beneath his chin and turned his head up. "In the hands of a true Ninjutsu master, anything can be a deadly weapon." He stated. I nodded at that while the other three laughed for a short moment. "Remember. A weapon is only as good as the arm who wields it."
With that, he threw his walking stick aside and it stabbed right through the hanging punching bag, making it swing on the chain a little. "Until you have learned this lesson, you have learned nothing." Leo looked disappointed in himself. To have Splinter talk down at him must've really hurt his pride.
-
It might have been an hour or so after training when Leo left the lair. Of course, the others were nosy and I found it odd that he would leave by himself. It was usually one of us that would leave. It was never him. So, by logic, we followed after him.
"I still don't see why we have to do this?" I hear Raph complain. "I only went because I got a little worried for him. You only came along after I said I'd go." I shot back at him. "And you really think I'd let you come out here alone?" He crossed his arms at me. I gave a low sigh and shook my head. "Would you guys keep it down?" Donnie asked. "Someone's gonna hear you."
"Wait, guys. I see him!" Mikey was the one actually looking around. We all gathered to him and spotted a familiar figure jumping down the ladder and running into an alleyway. We followed after him quickly but quietly. He turned down a street and a warehouse was just ahead. We waited on top until we heard the door swung close, indicating that Leo just went inside the building. The guys and I dropped down from the roof and went up to the door. Mikey opened the door a little. "Man.. Isabella's right. Leo's been acting funny all day and I don't mean 'haha' funny. I mean funny funny." He said. "It's not like him to go off like this." Donnie shook his head. "Yeah, he's acting like me." Raph added in.
"Oh great. That's just what we need. Another you." Mikey remarked. "Now Another me would be a different story. That would be a good thing." He pointed out. 'I have a feeling that it wouldn't.' I thought. I turned and see Donnie already heading back up the roof and followed after him. "Hey. You guys coming?" I asked. The two turtles in red and orange looked at me and Don before heading to us.
We climbed up and onto the rooftop, looking around before finding a skylight to the building. Looking in, we find Leo walking to the center of the room before being circled by these ninja we fought nights ago. "Thirteen to one." Don calculated. "That seems pretty unfair. I mean there's only thirteen of them." Mikey commented, pulling out his nunchaku while Don had his bo staff ready. "If Leo needs us, we're here." Raph stopped them, "but let's see what this is all about." I nodded. "I can't believe I'm saying this but he's right. Why would Leo come here willingly?" I asked. They took that in mind and we proceeded to watch.
Leo pulled out his katana blades while they got closer. Suddenly he jumped and they followed after him. Three of them were close to tackling him but he evaded them and kicked the trio down. He swung his swords around, breaking the others very easily before almost effortlessly kicking them down. 'He's definitely releasing some stress on them.' I thought. Soon enough, we see a man come out of the shadows, clapping his hands. I gasped and gripping on my mask, feeling my head pound.
"Sis, you Alright?" Raph asked me. I hissed in pain, trying to pull through but I had to sit down and make myself lay back, groaning in pain. "Bella!" Mikey whispered-yelled. "What's wrong?" I just curled up on my side, breathing heavily with tears escaping. "I don't know... I feel like I've seen him before... It hurts.. it hurts." I whimpered. Raph and Don sat me up and I ended up, leaning on Raph's shoulder for support. I panted and sniffed, "I'll.. I'll be okay. We still need to know why Leo is with him."
They looked to each other but nodded, heading up and onto the glass to see Leo talking with the man. "What's he saying?" Don asked. "Something about onions," Mikey answered, "or maybe about pepperoni and sausage in a deep dish crust." He fantasized with a hum. Obviously trying to lighten the mood. I thought and gave a low chuff. Raph slapped him on top of his head. Mikey only looked at him and responded with, "What? It's hard to hear and I'm hungry."
I sigh and look back down into the room, trying to ignore the pounding headache that came with the sight of that man. He turned away from Leo, still talking to him before turning back and walking towards him. Leo only had his arms crossed the entire time with his head low. The man must've said something to make Leonardo wall away, but he stopped. The man clapped his hands and a ninja came in with a sword sitting on a pillow, clearly meant for display. The man unsheathed the sword, presenting it before my brother before putting it back into its casing and handing it to Leo.
I felt a little sick and bared my teeth at him when he placed a hand on my brother's shoulder, seemingly looking like he was speaking in a low tone before pulling himself away and bowing to him, leaving into the shadows of the building. Leo kept a hold on the sword all the while. "Gee and I thought Master Splinter said never to take swords from strangers." Mikey commented. "I think you mean 'sweets' but I get what you mean." I sighed and nodded at that. "Guys, he's on the move." Donnie reported. Just in time we see Leo walk out of the building.
We jumped down into the street, retracing our steps back and got onto the roof just before Leo had. He came up the ladder, flipping onto the roof with the sword in hand. He looked down to it and spoke finally, "This is beautiful." He hummed. "Oh Leonardo~," Mikey called in a funny accent while he jumped down to him, "you have some explaining to do~." The others and I followed him out. Leo clearly looked shocked by our presence.
"Nice letter opener. Is that the price of selling out these days?" Raph remarked. "It's not what you think. I was invited to-." Leo shook his head, holding the sword tighter in his hand. "To join up with them?" Raph growled at him. Leonardo quickly pulled the sword closer to him, having a hand out and shaking his head. "No- I mean," he nodded instead. "Yes, but it's different than we thought. They're not the enemy. At least, I don't think they are." He said in uncertainty, "Everything Master Saki said-."
"Master Saki, what's up with that?" Raph was quick to shove him. 'Saki... that name... Why does it feel like I've heard it before?' I thought, tasting something foul at the idea of him. "I thought we already had a master, Master Splinter." Donnie joined. "Remember him, Leo? Real hairy guy about this tall," Mikey puts a hand out to emphasize on his height. "I don't think we can just ditch him." Leo only turned away with the sword in both hands now. "I'm not talking about ditching anybody. I'm only talking about working with another group of ninjas in a fight against evil." He turned back around. "Mikey, you're always going on about how we should do some good, serve a greater purpose. Well, here's a greater purpose." He held the sword out. Mikey scratched his head and sighed. "I don't know, Leo."
I stepped forward. "Leo, we can't just.. work with him like that..." I looked up to him and I could see his mouth was agape. 'Probably because my mask was still soaked from tears.' I thought. "Something about that man.. Leo.. I feel like I've seen him before and.. not in a good way." Raph didn't bother to let Leo process this. "What's this thing got? Some sorta mind control device in it?" He grabbed the sword from him, "Because you're losing it, Leo."
"Hey," Leo grabbed him. "Give that back, Raph." The dark green turtle in red shoved him away. "Aw you can just get one of ya new pals to give you another one." The turtle in blue only responded with a yell, tackling him to the ground. "Give it back!" He yelled. "Gee. A fight between Leo and Raph?" Mikey sarcastically asked with a finger on his chin like he was in thought. "Oh I didn't see that coming." Donnie facepalmed and shook his head. "Well, what did we expect?" I added. We watched as hits between Raph and Leo were thrown at each other while they tumbled around.
Leo finally grabbed the sword which only caused him to tumble back and be beneath Raph. Suddenly, he kicked him off and made Raph fly off the roof. "Ahhh!" Leo jumped up and gasped. "Raph, no." He threw the blade away and turned to the edge. "Raph!" We ran forward and looked down, only to see Raph hanging onto his sai which was stabbed into the side of the building. He laughed. "Hahaha! And you thought katana were the best ninja weapons." Leo and Mikey reached down and grabbed him, helping him back up.
"I am such an idiot." Leo stated. "Pretty sure one of us could've told you that." I commented. "You could've been really hurt." He lets go of Raph's wrist. The dark green turtle put his one sai away. "Yeah. You really are an idiot and I don't hurt that easily, sword boy." He slapped his hand on the other's plastron. Donnie came up to him with the sword. "So what are we gonna do, Leo?" The olive green turtle asked, holding the sword up. Leo looked serious. "What I should've done in the first place. Talk to Master Splinter."
-
It felt longer to just return home, but once we had, we went to Master Splinter. "We need to talk." I spoke sternly. The guys were surprised at me but they nodded in agreement. And so, we sat cross legged in front of our rat master. He looked down at the sword Leo handed him and sighed before looking back up at us with a troubled expression. "My children, I had hoped this day had never come." He pulled out the cloth Mikey had torn off that ninja a few months ago. "I know who these people are. I have always known." He shown the red claw marking on the cloth to us, "This is the symbol of the Foot Ninja. Their leader is Oroku Saki, but he has another name. He is the Shredder." He spoke that name with a glimpse of hatred in his eyes.
"I have often told you of my beloved Master Yoshi, but now it is time I told you the whole truth." We sat there and paid attention as he began explaining. "As you already know, my master was a ninja of great power, one of the greatest practitioners of Ninjitsu in many centuries. I was his pet rat and I learned Ninjitsu by mimicking his moves. For many years, I was happy. We were a family." He spoke so fondly of him, but his mood changed rather quickly, "But that life ended when the Shredder sent his Foot Ninja to attack my master. My master battled honorably, but through their dishonorable ways, the Foot Ninja overpowered him."
He had a hurt look in his eyes but kept a calm face and continued, "Then the Shredder entered. They accuse my Master of working for their enemies. They wanted information. They were relentless, but my master only said one thing. 'He who lives without honor, will end without honor.' I tried to save my Master. My efforts were in vain, though I did leave my mark." He gripped on the sword tightly. "The Shredder has taken my Master Yoshi from me, from the world. Not long after that, I found you, my sons, and you all know the rest."
I'm surprised he kept himself seated throughout the whole thing, considering what we all saw on his face. "I never told you all this because I did not want your training to be tainted by the poison of hatred. I did not want you to feel the sorrow that is still in my heart, but now you need to know who Saki, The Shredder, really is. He serves no great purpose. He fights no great evil. He is great evil. Any endeavor he undertakes, he does for his own selfish gain." He bared teeth as he spoke of the man and set the sword down harshly in his lap.
Leo shook his head. "Man, I am such an idiot." He groaned. "I coulda told you that." Mikey elbowed him with a chuckle. "You've been played, bro. He saw you coming a mile away." Donnie smiled and pointed at him. "So what are we gonna do about it?" Raph asked. "Shredder wants an answer? I think we should give him one." Leo answered, slamming his fist into his other palm. "Turtle style." I rolled my eyes at him and with that, we bowed to our Master Splinter and he bowed back in respect.
-
The next day we arrived on the rooftop of the building where Leo and Saki met. The dark clouds rolled in the sky and the wind blew, making the tails of our masks sway in the air dramatically. On this rooftop, we were greeted by some Foot Ninja. A few of them had their weapons already drawn out. Lightning struck, creating a dramatic lighting to this scenery.
Leo came forward with the sword. It took a little convincing to let Splinter hand it back to us, but we managed to get it. "Tell your boss the answer is no." He declared. "And he can have his sword back." He threw the sword to them. It flew over everyone and got lodged in a wind turbine. We drew out our own weapons and took stance. Lightning struck behind us and, with the influence of Mikey being a action movie geek, I bet it made us look intimidating.
"Let's dance." Leo spoke lowly, but loud enough for everyone to hear. The Foot Ninja drew our their own blades and jumped towards us. Just as they landed, we yelled and charged forward, knocking them down one by one. I swung the Kama part of my kusarigama, knocking blades aside. The blunt end met one of them in the face and I managed to hear something crack. A groan of pain left this person while they held their face.
Another tried to come behind me but I spun around, sweeping my tail under their feet. I swung my chain and made it wrap around one ninja's wrist with the weighted end hitting their arm. With that, I pulled them to the side as I spun myself around, making the other person beside them fall over with them.
"Check it out! Nunchucks are not only good for playing the drums," Mikey began, swinging the other end of the nunchaku around and hitting the ninjas one by one. They all fell to the ground, groaning in pain. "But they're also good for giving a leg up to a fellow turtle." He held them still and Don stepped on them, leaping over Mikey and the other shinobi left standing. "You said it, brother." Donnie replied, getting surrounded by the Foot soldiers, "but a bo staff certainly comes in handy when a teenage turtle finds himself in the middle of a circle of angry, ugly enemy ninjas." He swung his bo staff around before smacking his enemies down with his weapon.
"You guys still going on about weapons?" Leo called out. He slashed his swords out to the group of ninja before him. "Weren't you listening to Master Splinter?" The ninjas fell downward, groaning in pain and holding themselves as well. "It's not the weapon that matters. It's the ninja who wields it." He set his katana blades back into their sheaths. "And I somehow managed to learn that before you and I'm the youngest!" I huffed and crossed my arms at them after putting my kusarigama back.
Everyone else set their weapons away while we all looked at the army of shinobi laying on the rooftop, groaning in pain still. "Well, all in a day's work." Donnie grinned. "Turtles rule!" The four turtles celebrated by either bumping themselves into each other or giving a high five. I rolled my eyes at them with a smile. 'And they still forget I'm a lizard. At this point, I may as well accept it.'
Suddenly the air felt tense and it didn't feel like it was the rain. I shifted on my feet and looked over to the door. "Sis? What is it?" One of them asked. I didn't get a chance to answer because the door shattered open, revealing the behemoth of a human. Last we heard from Casey, this guy's name was Hun.
"Not him again." Donnie shook his head. "We beat him before. We can do it again." Leo tried to encourage them, slamming his fist into his other hand. "Yeah." Raph grinned at that. The behemoth smirked at us while cracking his knuckles. "I've been looking forward to his rematch." We all pulled our weapons out, ready for his attack. "Bring it, if you've got the guts." Leo threatened at him. Lightning struck behind us.
The man yelled and charged at us. For some reason, nature has great timing because another lightning bolt struck as he charged at us. We ran forward to him with our own yells. He leaped above us and sent a punch, making Donnie fly back onto his shell. Raph went in and slashed him with his sais. The man just above the hit before sweeping his feet around and making Raph fall back as well. Leo ran in and tried to kick at him but his leg was grabbed and he was thrown.
Mikey tried to swing his nunchucks at him but the man dodged, only to grab him and throw him across the roof and into Donnie. I tried to come up to him and I managed to wrap my chain around his wrist but he just grabbed it and pulled me around before letting go and making me fly almost completely off the roof. I had to stab into the concrete to stop myself from tumbling around. I groaned in pain as I looked up, seeing Raph jump on his back and continuously hit his shoulder. Instead the dark green turtle had his arm grabbed and he got slammed down into the ground multiple times.
I hear Leo gasp. Hun held Raph up in the air, his fist pulled back ready to strike. Lightning struck once more, making the scene look all the more intimidating. He growled and let out a yell as he leapt towards the man and kicked him in the chest, making him drop Raph. Hun growled and looked around before grinning. 'The sword!' I thought. He was quick to grab it and unsheathe it. And nature once again gives a timed lightning strike.
He charged at Leo with the blade. Lightning struck when metal met metal. He swung the blade around but Leo jumped in time. A kick was sent but the turtle in blue ducked down. The sword was sent diagonally downward. Leo jumped to the side but the behemoth of a human followed him and swung the sword again. He kept slashing his sword at him, only to have Leo block it in time. He kept swinging but this time the turtle jumped over him and kicked him in the back, making the man stumble forward.
Hun spun himself around and swung his sword at him once more. This time, he caught Leo off guard and the twin katana blades flew out of the turtle's hands. The behemoth got closer with the sword. His intentions were clear. "No, Leo!" "Get back!" "Look out!" "Ani! (Brother!)" We all cried out at him. The long haired man pulled the sword over his head, ready to swing down. Leo had other plans. He flipped forward and began repeatedly kicking him in the chest. Each kick made the man stumble back until finally the man dropped back into the skylight with a scream. We actually managed to hear a loud thud. He must've not had a soft landing. I thought.
Leo looked down into the skylight before turning around. He let out a groan, standing a little oddly. 'Must be sore. I wouldn't be surprised.' Mikey and Don were at both sides of him, supporting him up. "I think we'll sleep well tonight." Mikey panted out. Donnie shook his head and pointed. "That was not easy."
"Donnie, something tells me that you should rephrase that." I commented. Mikey just grinned at me. "Aw, Bell. You worry too much." I sighed. Raph came forward with the twin katana blades. "Here, bro." Leo was finally able to walk and he took his blades back from him. "Thanks, Raph." With that, he sheathed them back into their leathery sleeves. "Come on, guys. Let's go home." Leo said, already walking forward but then stopped suddenly. "Aw, shell!" He cursed out.
More Foot Ninja jumped in front of us. Many of them already had their weapons drawn. We drew out our own in turn. Instead of attacking us, they jumped away. Suddenly a large armored figure jumped down. His sash blew in the wind. Red eyes glowed out of the helmet.
He approached us before announcing very loudly. "Those who are not with me are against me!" He rose his fist with the tekko-kagi upwards. "And I crush anyone who stands against me!!"