The other Foot Ninjas had been defeated. I could feel my blood turn cold as my opponent locked eyes with me. It was my turn...
Author: JH24
Disclaimer: I don't own this series. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. TMNT '12 has been produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio. The rights belong to Nickelodeon.
Spoilers: The story takes place after the end of season 1.
Pairings: No Pairings
My sincere thanks to BubblyShell22 and Koriat Cyredanthem for beta-reading. Thank you so much for everything. I'm really grateful for all your help and support.
Ninja Turtles 2012 one-shot
"It was going to be easy," he said...
"Don't worry about it," he said. "That freak is just by himself, we can take him."
It was going to be easy...
Yeah, right.
I could only watch in disbelief at the scene unfolding before my eyes. One by one, my companions were falling. One by one, no matter how hard they fought, they were taken out.
I cringed unvoluntarily as Takeo received a blow to the stomach from the hilt of his opponent's sword.
Our target was definitely no ordinary ninja. It was clear his skills far surpassed those of myself and my teammates. Each Foot ninja was disarmed effortlessly, and then received a well-placed blow either from the hilt of his sword, his elbow, his feet or just simply with a fist.
And here I was, standing on the roof of a five-story high office-building, watching helplessly at the fight taking place in front of me. A full moon cast an eerie glow on us all.
When they had asked me back in Japan to join the ranks of the Foot Clan in New York, they never told me what to expect. Just that after the alien invasion as well as some "minor" setbacks they needed several new members to fill in and reinforce their ranks. Only temporarily, I was assured.
No one had even bothered to tell me what kind of opponents we would face here. So when Takeo told me earlier tonight they were going to take down a "turtle freak," I assumed it was just a derogatory nickname, or in the worst case just a weirdo dressing in a turtle costume.
But now... the realization still hasn't sunk in, yet I know there's no denying it. Our opponent is a real living ninja turtle. My mind has practically been screaming since I first laid eyes on him... First aliens and now turtles? This was more than I could take. This was just a bad dream. Just a dream, right?
Right...?
But within my heart, I knew it wasn't...
With a final blow the blue-banded turtle took out the last Foot ninja. The only thing that seemed mildly reassuring was that he never intended to harm any of us. There was no hostility in his actions, his calculated moves avoiding any kind of injury that could be inflicted. He only used one of his swords to disarm my teammates, before knocking them unconscious.
I swallowed nervously. I knew where this would be going.
I could feel my blood turn cold as my opponent locked eyes with me. Cold sweat was already trickling down my body.
It was my turn now.
For a moment we just stared at each other. Standing in the moonlight, I was finally able to get a better look at my enemy. First thing I noticed was that he seemed quite young. Even with his being a turtle you could easily see he was a teen, probably somewhere around 14 to 17 years old. His skin was a light green tone, and I could actually spot some lighter patches on his face. He wore a blue eye mask, with its tail currently draped a bit over his left shoulder, moving ever so slightly in the wind. It was clear he specialized in wielding twin Katana blades, although until now he had only used one of his swords, which was currently resting in his right hand.
I clenched my two swords even tighter within my hands. I noticed he was giving me a strange look, one that seemed to make me feel more uncomfortable with every passing second. The turtle slightly tilted his head to the left, and for a brief moment I thought I could see a hint of surprise within his blue eyes.
Then I realized what he was looking at... My hands holding my swords were trembling. I scolded myself heavily. Fear was raging through my body, yet a ninja should always be able to control his emotions. I couldn't believe, I could not believe I just made myself look this weak in front of the enemy.
What's wrong with me!?
Why was I afraid of him? I've had years of experience back in Japan, and fought the worst kinds of opponents.
I've been trained in the art of Ninjutsu. I've beaten many members of my clan in sparring matches, I've fought ninjas from rival clans and members of Yakuza syndicates. But there was something about him that made this fight different from all the ones before.
I had no time to dwell on answers. The turtle dashed forward, his sword clenched in both hands.
My heart skipped a beat.
He's fast!
I let out a panicked yell as I blocked his sword with my dual Katana's. I stumbled backwards as I tried to balance myself from the impact. What followed were a flurry of attacks. I had no room, no opening, no chance to launch a counterattack; his attacks were swift and effective. To my surprise I was able to parry some of them, but barely. With every blow I could feel my defense crumbling. My opponent was slowly increasing the frequency of his strikes, likely to find out how long I could keep up with him.
Suddenly, he executed an unexpected swing and knocked away my right sword. Instinctively I lashed out with my remaining weapon.
He dodged, effortlessly.
At that moment, I realized I messed up. My careless attack had left me exposed, and my opponent retaliated by delivering a roundhouse kick to my chest. As I gasped for breath I was thrown backwards, letting out a shameful cry of pain and fear. I fell on my back and slid a few feet before coming to a halt.
Clutching my chest I tried to get on my knees, only to see the young turtle closing in on me fast. He had sheathed his sword but it was clear he was planning to finish this fight.
I was barely standing when he slammed into me. By crossing my arms in front of my chest I was able to soften the incoming blow, but I had no answer for what came next. The turtle unleashed a series of punches and kicks, each one of his attacks connecting. The next few moments seemed to happen in a blur as my opponent kept pushing me back. I became disoriented, and lost all sense of my immediate surroundings.
There was nothing I could do.
My back touched the wall of a building, probably the maintenance storage room on this roof. And with that, the barrage suddenly stopped. I opened my eyes and could spot my opponent standing several feet away from me. His arms were crossed, and again he was giving me that strange, unreadable expression. Realizing I was granted a brief reprieve, I quickly checked out my body. I was aching all over, no doubt about that, but surprisingly it didn't seem to have taken much damage. I could easily move my limbs and it didn't seem my body was being held back in any way.
Looking at the blue-clad turtle again, I began to realize something was off here. There was something about him. Something I couldn't really put into words. He was not fighting me in the same way as he did against my companions. He could have knocked me out within seconds, but he didn't. Instead, he seemed to intentionally prolong this fight.
The young turtle took on a fighting stance, his mouth curling into a faint smile. There was something unusual about it. Almost...it almost looked like...
He's mocking me?
On that moment, I became convinced he was just playing around. He knew I was afraid being near him, and it seemed he wanted to get more enjoyment out of me, to make me suffer before ending the fight.
I could feel fear leaving my body, as if it was drained through my feet and into the ground. Instead of fear, another emotion began to force its way in.
Anger.
I didn't mind he was stronger and more skilled. He would have beaten me and it would have been an honest victory. But it became obvious he was holding back, playing around with my fears, and something about that just filled me with anger. For the first time, I was feeling a desire to get even with him. A desire to land a hit on him, to beat that smug expression of his face, even if just once.
The turtle was still locked in a fighting stance, seemingly unwilling to move from his current position.
My eyes glanced to the left and right. My opponent was standing in front of me, and I could spot my swords to the right. However, if I would make a run for them now, I'd expose myself to a counterattack.
I took a deep breath. No matter what happens...
Dashing forward as fast as I could, I focused my eyes on the target in front of me. If I wanted to get my swords back, I needed to distract him first.
As I got close the blue-banded turtle clenched his fist and lunged at me. I dodged his attack and moved to his left, let myself drop and knocked him down with a swiping kick.
I got up and sprinted towards my sword. I picked them up and quickly turned around, the turtle already lifting himself on his feet. A surprised look lined his expression, which felt oddly satisfying to me.
My opponent unsheathed one of his swords and ran towards me. We locked weapons once again. However, this time, I stood my ground. No longer afraid, no longer having any doubts. For the first time, I felt my path was clear. He's a turtle, but he's no different from any human I faced. His skills surpass mine, but that doesn't mean I should just give up.
Once again I had to defend against a flurry of attacks, but this time... this time I could read them, I could follow them. This time...
This time I could strike back.
After absorbing several of his blows everything fell into place. I knew where his next strikes would land.
...4...3...
Just a bit longer.
...2...1...
Now!
Almost instantly I locked his Katana between my two swords, pushing it towards the ground. The teen looked at me with a surprised, almost shocked expression. It lasted only an instant, but I made sure to engrave his look into my mind. I pulled the weapon out of his hands and threw it away from him, it slided over the ground halting several feet away.
Recovering himself, the turtle retaliated and grabbed my left wrist, slightly twisting it and forcing me to drop my sword. Fighting against the stinging pain I swung my other sword at him. Not being able to counter fast enough he let me go, I spun around and delivered a massive kick against his plastron. Despite having the protection of a shell, I could hear him gasp for breath.
The turtle was thrown backwards and slid on his back before coming to a stop. At that moment all hesitation had left me. I ran forward and threw my remaining sword at him.
The teen dodged the deadly weapon. I immediately dashed towards him.
Off-balance, I have to keep him off-balance.
Not allowing him to fully stand up, I slammed myself into the dumbfounded teenager. Pushing him to the ground as I positioned myself on top of him. With my left hand I grabbed his shoulder strap while I raised my clenched fist to strike.
He recovered fast, grabbing my left hand and clothing near my chest, effortlessly throwing me off him. I got up immediately and turned towards him. He grabbed me by the left arm. Reacting quickly I slammed the palm of my right hand into his face.
For the first time I received a hint of his voice as he let out a pained cry. Locking his wrist in my hands, I moved behind him and twisted his arm behind his shell. He groaned as I locked his arm into place. For a moment we were just standing there, an odd silence coming over us as the battle had been briefly interrupted.
The teen slightly turned his head towards me. There was still that look of surprise in his eyes, but it was partially masked by a half smile.
Was he actually... being impressed?
Suddenly the turtle spread out his left leg, twisting his body into a new position. Distracted by his initial expression, I did not see this coming. I lost balance and my grip on him. He reached over and grabbed my left hand, turned around and flipped me over his shoulder, slamming me onto the ground.
I groaned as a painful jolt shot up through my spine, but I would not give my enemy the satisfaction of hearing me scream. Not anymore. I got to my feet and ran away from him, only now realizing the stress my body was enduring. I could feel sharp twinges in my arms, a pounding heartbeat in my chest, heavy cramps in my legs and feet, a dull and throbbing pain in my back.
From the corner of my eyes I could see my opponent charging towards me. I dashed toward the sword I had thrown at him earlier, picked it up and turned around.
The blue-clad turtle was approaching fast, deftly spinning his other Katana in his right hand. Seeing him coming, I didn't know what came over me. I was pumped with adrenaline, every agonizing muscle in my body brimming with energy. I yelled in rage and charged towards him, closing the distance in a blink of an eye. Our weapons clashed once again.
Enraged, I unleashed a flurry of attacks. One strike after another, I kept swinging my sword into his. I wasn't thinking anymore, I didn't care anymore. I struck again and again, harder and harder. My opponent parried every blow but I could feel him slipping.
Suddenly an opening presented itself. With all the force I could muster, I knocked the Katana out of his hands. I then slammed into him, driving my right shoulder into his mid-section. Thrown off-balance and momentarily confused, the blue-banded turtle stumbled backwards. I moved back and slammed my fist into his face, earning me another pained cry from my opponent.
I dashed towards him, landing a kick into his left side. I spun around and delivered another roundhouse kick against his plastron. He stumbled backwards once more.
He still wasn't going down.
I moved in again and delivered an uppercut, following up with another blow to his face. I circled around and delivered a kick into the back of his knee. It worked. As he was forced down I spun around and unleashed another kick. However, he ducked and avoided it just barely. He then rolled forward and swiftly got on his feet again.
I lunged at him with my sword, unleashing several slashing attacks. He dodged them but it became noticeable he was being pressured, his eyes narrowed in concentration, his expression slightly worried.
With another enraged yell I struck again, he evaded this attack as well but briefly lost his balance as he put too much weight on his right foot. I dropped to the ground and knocked my opponent down with another swiping kick.
I moved in and plunged my foot directly into his chest, sending him several feet rolling across the ground. In the back of my mind I knew it was not an honorable thing to do, but I suppressed it.
Lunging forward I clenched my sword tightly into my hands. He was trying to get up but I immediately planted my left foot onto his plastron, pushing him down. I lifted my sword into the air, the teen looking at me in shock as he saw me readying to strike, the faint moon light being reflected on my blade, his eyes wide open. Letting out one last scream I brought the sword down...
And then... it stopped. As unexpected as my bout of rage began, as unexpectedly did it end. In a mere second I could feel all my rage and focus leaving my body, my sword halting midway between me and my enemy.
Conflicting feelings poured over me. I didn't understand. Why stop now? I had been on the verge of victory and I come to a halt just like that? Any trace of anger and bloodlust had vanished, all that was left now was confusion, and the uncomfortable feeling of my conscience gnawing at me.
I looked into the eyes of my young opponent.
It wasn't as if I never faced this situation before. Even back in Japan I had lacked the killer instinct many of my comrades possessed. But I was able to hide my flaws during the heat of battle. However, today I no longer had this luxury anymore. I was sure one of the Foot Elite was watching from the shadows, or maybe even Mistress Karai herself, as she was the one who'd send us out on this mission.
If I hesitate now, if it gets out I failed to kill an enemy of Master Shredder when I had the chance, I'll be killed myself.
The grave reality of the situation fully dawned on me. I began to pant heavily, my eyes still locked with those of my adversary. I clenched my sword even tighter. I tried lifting it up again, but I wasn't able to move it. It felt as if the entire weight of this ordeal had now manifested itself within my weapon.
"I can't... I can't do it." My hands and sword were trembling. The teen was still staring at me, the look of surprise evident. But... there was something else as well.
Suddenly the turtle reacted by grabbing my foot, throwing me off-balance and to the ground. Scolding myself for being careless I got up quickly and ran towards my other sword. But as soon as I had picked it up I lost any kind of strength left within me. Not even bothering to look what my opponent was doing, I fell to my knees. I let go of my weapons, followed by the metallic sounds as they hit the ground.
I had failed.
My arms hanging motionless besides my body, I knew at that moment everything was lost. I had lost my chance, I had failed to fullfill my objective, and when Master Shredder would find out, my life would be over as well.
I buried my head into my hands, surrendering myself to despair. I heard footsteps coming from behind me. I didn't bother to look.
"You can finish me if you wish. Do whatever you want." I was appalled how pathetic I sounded.
"Hey, are you alright?"
I raised my head from my hands. This was the first time I actually heard him speak. There was a curious tone to his voice.
I wanted to say something, but I wasn't able to utter a single word.
He sighed. "Look, I know we're enemies... but tell me what's wrong."
Once again, I could pick up a hint of curiosity but there was something else much more noticeable this time... could it be...?
Concern?
Or... was I just hearing what I wanted to hear? Still not daring to face my opponent I replied.
"I'm not a ninja, I'm a failure." For a moment I hoped to hear his voice again, but he remained silent.
"I was supposed to kill you. You're an enemy to our master, an enemy to our Clan. But when I stood above you, when I was looking at you, I just froze." I sighed defeatedly. "I couldn't... I just couldn't do it."
"Why not?"
I kept staring at the ground.
"Because... because it just isn't right. I never was a killer, a murderer. Even back in Japan, I was always able to hide it in some way. I have no right to take someone's life. When I was facing you moments ago..." I shook my head. Why was I telling him all of this? Had I lost my mind?
Yet, at the same time, I could feel a sense of calm coming over me. Somehow, this felt right.
When I was facing you... you..." I searched desperately for the right words. "You have so much potential, you are young, you have a whole life ahead of you. Maybe you have friends, family, loved ones. I have no right... to take that away from you." I slammed my fists on the ground in frustration. "I have no right."
He remained silent.
"I'm such a failure. I'm a disgrace, and worst of all I brought shame onto my Clan."
"No, you're not a failure."
My eyes widened.
"Listen, don't bring yourself down like that." The turtle's voice was solemn, but his words were lined with a sense of understanding. "Whatever you may believe, you're a true ninja."
I couldn't help but scoff, it came out before I could stop it. "Really? And why is that?"
"Because you're honorable. You not only have some very impressive skills, but more importantly you showed mercy." He paused for a moment, I could feel he was observing me for a reaction but I couldn't bring myself to give him one. He continued. "You did what you felt was right. You've followed your own code of honor. And that makes you a true ninja, an honorable ninja."
I finally found the strength to turn around and look my adversary into his eyes. What I saw melted away any doubts I had within me. He was smiling. It was a faint smile, but very different from the ones before. It was a kind, respectful smile. A smile of someone who seemed to have completely changed his opinion about a person. But it was not only that, it truly felt as if he understood my feelings.
"Believe me, I've been through the same as you're going through now. I struggled with it as much as you have. But being compassionate, showing mercy is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength. Doing what you feel is right is what defines being a ninja, it defines your code of honor, it defines who you truly are."
The blue-clad turtle let his Katana rest on his left shoulder. I lowered my head but then forced myself to look at him again. A feeling of gratitude grew within me. I knew he couldn't see my face, but I hoped my words would be enough.
"Thank you."
He paused for a second, a thoughtful look passing over his expression. "Thank you as well."
"For what?"
"The smile came back. "For sparing my life back there."
I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "You could have gotten out any time."
"Maybe." He replied in a playful tone. His voice then becoming more serious. "But you had me there, don't underestimate yourself."
He brought the sword down from his shoulder. His smile faded. "You know someone might be watching us, right?"
I froze, suddenly feeling myself faced with the harsh reality once again.
Before I could reply, the teen unsheathed his other Katana and held it in his right hand. At this point I realized the fight wasn't over yet. I picked up both of my swords and stood up, holding the blades firmly in my hands. My opponent took on a fighting stance.
Suddenly I noticed it. He was wielding both of his Katana's. For the first time he was about to use both of his weapons in this fight.
He was going to fight me at his full strength. He was taking me seriously. He was...
He was honoring me.
I felt the urge to take off my mask and show him my face. I wanted to show him my gratitude. But taking off your mask during a fight is strictly forbidden within the Foot Clan. And with someone surely watching, I would sign my own death warrant.
I shifted into a defensive stance. The young turtle nodded, giving me a brief but friendly smile.
He understands...
My opponent's eyes narrowed and his stare became focused. At this point I knew this fight was over. I knew he had been holding back. As much as I would have liked to think otherwise, there was a large gap between us. Even when I was able to pressure him I could still feel something was off. He had openings to go on the offensive, openings to decide this encounter in his favor, but he never took advantage of them.
And now he's going all out. I'm done for...
I smiled. Today an enemy... No... not an enemy. An honorable ninja and rival had helped me finding the right path. I now know there's no shame in following your heart, in doing what you feel is right. An odd sensation grew within me that this may have been the last time I would ever see this amazing ninja turtle. I still had failed to deliver the final blow. And while I was at peace with it, my superiors would beg to differ.
Suddenly I realized I didn't even know his name. But before I could ask he was already charging me. In the moments that followed unleashing a flurry of attacks. Immediately I noticed the difference; he was fighting on a whole new level.
I was not able to block his attacks, I couldn't even see them coming. The only thing I could do was holding up my swords in a last ditch attempt to defend myself. Each strike that landed on my Katana's made me stumble backwards. Such force, such skill, such speed. Was this truly the same ninja I fought just minutes ago?
With a powerful blow he knocked the sword out of my left hand. Believing he had left an opening I swinged my other weapon at him...only to slash through an empty space where he had stood. I couldn't believe it... He was so fast.
My eyes caught a faint reflection coming from below. I froze.
"Don't move."
It was his Katana, being held just in front of my throat.
The fight was over.
I hung my arms next to my sides and let my remaining sword fall to the ground.
I never stood a chance... at all.
"Listen," the teen's voice sounding solemn, "because it's likely we're being watched. I can't just let you go."
"I understand. But before you do it, may I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"What is your name?"
"Leonardo."
"Thank you, Leonardo."
I could feel him gently placing a hand on my left shoulder.
In those last moments, my mind was raging with thoughts. I desperately tried to gather them all, almost as if I was afraid I would lose them forever if I didn't.
I began to understand what Leonardo might have been doing since the beginning. I realized now he had not been toying or playing around with me as I first thought. Back in Japan, I once learned that some ninjas possessed the ability to be far more aware of their surroundings than most people were capable off.
Could it be he sensed something about me and decided to act on it?
"What's your name?"
I blinked. I wondered how long I had allowed my mind to wander.
"My apologies. My name is Isao."
"It was an honor to fight with you, Isao."
I wanted to say the same to Leonardo when I suddenly felt his hand tense. Even without being able to see him I knew there had to be something he noticed.
He pulled back his Katana and withdrew his hand from my shoulder.
"I'm sorry."
A swift blow landed on my back, and I felt myself falling into darkness.
From a distance a figure had been watching from the roof of a six-story office-building across the street. She was surprised to see Leonardo catching the Foot ninja after he had knocked him unconscious, and letting the man's limp body rest against the wall of a small storage building on the same roof.
Of course, she knew Leonardo was covering for the Foot soldier. He had finally spotted her seconds before he delivered the blow. It was obvious something had happened between them, and although she had only been able to observe from a distance she had a pretty good idea what had just transpired.
Karai had already considered telling her father about the Foot soldier's failure to kill Leonardo when he had the chance. But wasn't she guilty of the same crime? She had failed to fullfill her duties as well during every encounter she had with him or with his brothers. She had lost the right to judge others for the same actions.
Karai observed Leonardo as he checked on the ninja one more time before standing up and walking away. Her eyes widened when he suddenly turned around and stared at her directly. She clenched the hilt of her sheathed sword.
Leonardo.
Originally she had intended to jump into the fight after the Foot soldiers were defeated, but the unfolding scene with Leonardo and the remaining Foot soldier had caught her interest and changed her mind. Somehow, she was no longer in the mood for a fight.
Seeing Leonardo interact with the ninja actually had reminded her of better days. It remembered her of the time she first met him, and later on his brothers. When she came over from Japan, she had always looked at New York as a city of freedom and opportunities. Unfortunately the city turned out to be more boring for her than she imagined.
But then she met Leo.
And with that one meeting, everything seemed to change.
While she never showed it, she was genuinely excited about meeting him. She felt there was something special about him, and was surprised when she realized she was actually making an effort to get to know him better.
Karai grimaced. And then the day arrived Leonardo betrayed her. What made her feel especially worse was her being so close in telling him how she really saw him as a friend. Admitting something like that was not an easy thing to do for someone like her.
In the weeks after she wondered at times if she was the one responsible for this fiasco, and not Leonardo. If she had told Leonardo about her dad he might never have made a plan to attack him behind her back. But she never did. Inside, Karai had been worried that telling Leo about her father would change their relationship, with a possibility he would never trust her again.
Karai narrowed her eyes as Leonardo slowly turned around, after giving her one last look he ran and jumped off the roof, disappearing into the darkness. She sighed. It didn't matter anymore. He still broke their agreement and her trust, even if he didn't know about her dad, what he did was unforgivable.
She remembered the last meeting with Leonardo. It had been only days after the Kraang invasion, which still made her wonder why her father had ever gotten into an alliance with them. Leonardo had tried to talk with her, but with the vivid memory of his sensei trying to kill her dad, she had coolly brushed him off. The meeting had devolved into a hostile exchange and a brief skirmish, and had ended with Leonardo warning her to stay away from April and his brothers. He had made it very clear to her that if she wanted to fight, she would only fight with him. That had been two weeks ago...
She turned around, but looked over her shoulder one more time. Some of the Foot soldiers were already regaining consciousness. Just like after every other one-sided encounter with the turtles they would pick each other up and retreat back to the Clan. It was becoming a regular habit now.
As the Kunoichi moved towards the edge of the roof, she decided to ask her father to send that one Foot soldier back to Japan. It was clear he possessed a lot more potential and skill than many of his companions. He would simply waste away in this city if he was forced to stay here. She felt he wasn't deserving of such a fate. After all, that fate had already become a part of hers. With New York once being a city of freedom to her, it now had become nothing more than a prison.
And that was another reason why she couldn't forgive Leonardo. Because of his actions, she lost her freedom. He forced her to become part of a vendetta she never wanted.
And she hated him for it.
At least she still had her dad, the only person she could trust. Yeah, he could drive her crazy at times but he was still her father, and she cared deeply for him. She would always be at his side, protecting him from that monster Splinter and his students.
No matter what it would take...