I don't own TMNT 2012 or any TMNT merchandise.
Step, step, step.
Tiny feet slowly and quietly tip-toed through the hall, trying to remain undetected. Amber eyes flickered left, then right before turning to the object she was currently following.
A man, the man, standing tall, wearing steel armor and gauntlets, a black cloak hanging on his shoulders.
Had it really been almost a year since he took her from that orphanage?
It was hard to believe that twelve months ago, she was stuck in a tiny little building in Japan, with a bunch of other homeless, family-less kids.
The day started out normal enough, waking up and being escorted down for a meager breakfast with the other kids. And Yuki tried to steal her toast. Again. And like always, she tackled him to the floor without hesitation and boxed in his ears until he gave her back her bread-object. Then, Haruhi-san came in and snapped at the two, breaking them apart.
In short, a typical start to a typical day.
Except for the man looming from behind Haruhi-san.
A giant man.
A giant man, with black hair and a very fancy looking suit.
A giant man with black hair, a very fancy suit and the scariest eyes that she had ever seen.
She shivered under the gaze he gave her, as if he was staring into her very soul like that one character from an anime whose name she had forgotten.
Haruhi-san quickly introduced all of them to the man before looking back at the children.
"Everyone," she said, still shaking slightly, "this is Oroku Saki-sama. He's here to adopt one of you today."
At that, the children stood up straighter and their expressions changed almost instantly. Even she let go of Yuki and allowed him to scurry away with her toast.
Oroku Saki-sama's eyes never left her.
"This one."
His voice was deep, and menacing, and scary-sounding.
"Um, are you sure, Oroku Saki-sama? She's a bit of a handful-" Haruhi-san began.
The man's eyes flashed over to the young woman, narrowing into mere slivers. Haruhi-san's face turned even paler.
"O-okay then," she stuttered, turning to her.
"Get your things ready to go, okay?" she said.
She nodded and went up to her room, not even understanding what had just happened. The man had only looked at her and picked her out of all the other children there. But why, especially after seeing her beat up another kid?
She couldn't dwell on this now, she had to leave soon. She packed up her few clothes, her toothbrush and a spare pair of shoes before coming down the stairs again. The man was waiting for her, his eyes following her movements like a cat watching a mouse.
"Come," he said.
She walked behind him, barely catching one last glance of the children before she had to nearly run to catch up to the other man. Outside, there was a fancy looking black car, a limo was it called?
The chauffeur opened the door and the man climbed in, and she followed him. The seats were of leather, shiny leather in fantastic quality. Her hands were slightly trembling as she fastened her seat-belt.
"Drive," Oroku Saki-sama commanded the chauffeur.
The car smoothly started forward. She clenched the fabric of her pans tightly, not willing to look up at the man, her new father.
"Child."
She almost flinched at the way he said her name. It wasn't cruel or bad, he just had a very scary sounding voice. She forced herself to look the man, knuckles turning white as she gazed at him.
"Your name."
She forced back a shudder and spoke. "S-Shizuka."
"That name does not suit my purposes; from now on, you will be Karai," the man stated impassively.
She, Karai, stared in startled surprise at her guardian.
"And you will be given everything you need, so long as you heed my every command."
Tiny fingers gripped the edge of the wall she was leaning against, body straining to see what the man was doing but to also remain hidden. Her father was looming over a bed, with a bunch of wires and tubes connected to it and a dull beep-beep came from it.
She peeked over the wall more, trying to see, only for her to trip over her foot and fall into the doorway. A moment later, her "father" loomed over her. Karai shivered as he looked at her, wondering what sort of punishment he would bestow upon her.
"... rise."
Karai got to her feet as quickly as possible, still shivering. However, the man made no movement to her.
"Come."
Karai walked into the room, revealing a hospital gurney and E.M. machine hooked up to a tiny girl. She looked around Karai's age, with straight black hair, and multiple bandages wrapped around part of her limbs and torso.
"Who... who is she?" Karai asked softly, gazing at the girl before her.
"My biological daughter, Miwa."
Karai's eyes widened as she looked at the man, questions hopping all inside her head now. The man seemed to sense it and he began talking.
"Years ago, myself and my friend, Hamato Yoshi, were in training in ninjutsu, the tactics, martial arts, and strategy of guerrilla warfare and espionage. However, the love of a woman named Tang Shen came between us. She chose myself in the end and gave birth to Miwa. But Hamato Yoshi, in his rage, attacked us, and burned down our home. My wife died, and my daughter also came on the brink of death that night."
Karai's eyes were wide as she stared at the girl before her. Why would anyone want to hurt someone so weak and delicate like the one before her?
"Now, I have begun to gather my strength again, so that I may strike back at Hamato Yoshi and make him pay for taking away what was mine."
He laid a hand on her shoulder, prompting Karia to look up, surprised to see an almost soft look n his eyes behind his mask. "You are my successor, the one who will be my right-hand, the one who will inherit my legacy. It was no accident I chose you at that orphanage."
Karai stared. He had picked he because he thought she could succeed him?! She felt flattered, privileged, proud and really really nervous. This man expected her to become his heir, not something to be taken lightly, by anybody.
She looked back at Miwa, at the frail, damaged body before her. Hamato Yoshi had done this to her. Then, anger, hot and pure, boiled within her. She looked back up to her father.
"I will do as you say; I will bring down Hamato Yoshi myself."
Karai (辛い) is a Japanese word commonly used to describe the flavor "spicy/hot". However, karai can also mean "extremely severe", "harsh", "strict" or "storm". (The word also shares the same kanji (辛) as the word tsurai which means "difficult", "painful", or "cruel".) It should also be noted that another spelling (Kurai) means "dark." (Taken from on Karai's profile)
Shizuka from Japanese 静(shizu) "quiet" combined with 夏 (ka) "summer" or 香 (ka) "smell, perfume".
Just a little something I've had in my head for a while. Yes, it might not be canon. Yes, it might not be relevant.
Yet here it is.
Enjoy and review.