(I do NOT own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. All rights belong to Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, Mirage Studios, and Nickelodeon.)

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- Chapter 2 -

Origins

The sewer drains were our home. We knew every inch of these subterranean passages. Every inch of these underground caverns. For all our fifteen years, we had dwelt in these dark depths... learning, growing, and building. We then approached a brick wall to our left. There were six handle-shaped lead pipes above the wall. I went up to pull the fourth pipe and it moved. Then, the brick wall began to move as well, only it began to slowly split open like that of an elevator.

This was our main room, our main home. The four of us walked inside the room, where we saw our master sitting on a pale-red cushioned chair. The room had a bookcase that contained many different books, ranging from classic literature to history.

Behind the chair, where our master sat, was a hanged up picture of a Japanese symbol in kanji. There was another picture next to the Japanese kanji picture that showed a dragon fighting a tiger in an epic battle. Next to the chair was a small table that had two cups and a brown teapot.

The four of us approached our master and then slowly kneeled at his presence. Our Master Splinter was a giant rat with brown fur and his robes were the same color as the chair he sat on. In his right hand, he held an old wooden cane.

"Ah, my sons," he spoke in an old voice with a mild Japanese accent. "You have returned at last! You have fought?"

Michelangelo was the first to speak.

"And won Master Splinter," he responded. "Against fifteen foes!" Splinter smiled at this.

"Ah, you have done well," he spoke again. "Your skills are at their peak. I have foreseen this night for many years. Now, it is time... "

He paused for a moment. "Time for you to be told of the mission for which I have trained you these past fifteen years," He then straightened his back to speak clearer.

"You will learn of my life and how you came to be," Hearing that made all four of us look up at him with anxious eyes. For a long time now, we had always been curious about where we came from, who we were and how we came to be what we are today. And so, we four sat on the carpeted floor in yoga positions and our master began his story.

My tale begins some twenty years ago. I was a young rat, a pet, bought and cared for by my beloved master, Hamato Yoshi. My cage was kept at his Dojo, and I watched his daily practice.

It amused him to see me mimic his movements... but it was more then just mere mimicry. Slowly, I learned his art. The mysterious martial art of Ninjitsu. I could not have had a better teacher, for it was said that Hamato Yoshi was the greatest shadow warrior of his clan.

He was one of the famous 'Foot' Clan, the most feared warriors and assassins in all of Japan. Another member of the Foot Clan was Oroku Nagi. He and my master Yoshi competed fiercely in all things, especially for the love of a woman, Tang Shen. Both tried to win her. But from the start, she loved only one; my Master Yoshi. Nagi was jealous. One fateful night, he went to Tang Shen's home and demanded that she love him. Shen refused, saying that she only wanted Yoshi. In a jealous rage, Nagi began to beat her. At the moment, Yoshi, coming to visit his lover, entered the room and saw Nagi poised to strike.

"Shen! Oh gods... no...!" he shouted in horror. Nagi looked at him with complete anger.

"Hah, Yoshi dog!" Nagi snarled. "If I cannot have this wench, then no one can!"

Suddenly, Yoshi's world vanished in a red haze. And when it cleared, Oroku Nagi was no more.

Yoshi was shocked to see his own actions. His shame was great. By killing another member of his Clan, he had dishonored himself. His choices were simple, but not easy; to take his own life and hope for honor in the next, or flee with Shen to another country and start life again. He chose the latter, taking with him a few of his belongings, including me, and came with Shen to New York in America. Here, my master formed a small martial arts school.

Meanwhile in Japan, Nagi's family, especially his younger brother Saki, were mourning his death. The seven year old Saki vowed vengeance on Yoshi. The Foot Clan took hold of Saki's anger and used it to bend him to their own purpose. Saki began intensive training in the ninja art, and soon surpassed his teachers. As he grew older, his hatred of Yoshi grew deep and bitter.

Oroku Saki had proven himself, though he was only eighteen, he became the most cunning assassin... and soon, an able leader. Therefore, they chose him to go to the U.S. and head the New York branch of the Foot.

Saki saw this as a chance to avenge his brother's death and moved quickly. Within a year, he had built the New York Foot into a force to be reckoned with. Under Saki's leadership, the Foot was soon involved in many criminal activities; drug smuggling, arms running... and their specialty, assassination. Saki, now called 'The Shredder', was successful, but not satisfied. In his heart burned hatred for Hamato Yoshi and his wife, Tang Shen.

On the night nearly fifteen years ago, Saki finally made his move.

My master Yoshi came home that evening, never expecting that his most dangerous enemy was lying in wait. Entering the apartment, his gaze fell on the still silent form of his beloved Shen.

Then, he saw her killer.

"Good Lord!" he gasped. "Who are you?!" The killer then chuckled in response. A dark chuckle that would cause all hairs on your body to stand up on all ends.

"I am... Oroku Saki!"

Yoshi's eyes widened in shock. He had forgotten that his rival Nagi had a sibling. Before Yoshi could make a move, Saki made the first. In the struggle, my cage was smashed.

I was set free... but my Master was dead for I saw it all before me as I held onto the ledge of a window. Yoshi was on the ground badly injured while Saki stood.

Saki rose his bladed hand and swiped it across Yoshi, there by striking the final blow. The Shredder had taken my master Yoshi away from me, from the world. In my grief, I wondered the streets, living off scraps of garbage. Then one day, while I was searching for a garbage can for my next meal, I witnessed an accident.

An old blind man crossing the street was almost run down by a large truck. At the last moment, a young man leaped at the blind man and knocked him out of the truck's way. As the truck screeched to a jarring stop, a metal canister bounced out of the back of the truck and struck the young man near his eyes.

Unnoticed by the crowed, the strange canister bounced several more times, striking and smashing a glass jar which held four small turtles... you four as infants. You fell into a manhole, followed by the canister.

Fortunately, a pile of dead leaves and papers broke your fall. But, the canister smashed open, releasing a glowing ooze which covered your bodies as you crawled around it. I followed you down into the storm drain, and not knowing exactly why, gathered you up in a coffee can. I took you to my burrow and washed off as much of the ooze as I could.

The next morning, I awoke to find the coffee can tipped over, and the four of you had doubled in size. Somehow, that strange ooze had affected your growth. As I learned later, it had changed me as well... making me more intelligent and larger. But, I did not grow as fast as you did. Within a year, you all had reached your current size. You followed me everywhere I went, except above ground. I could not risk you being discovered.

I was amazed at how intelligent you all seemed, but even so, I was not ready for what happened one day.

"Splin-ter?" One of you actually said a word... my name. More words followed, and soon you all were speaking. Around this time, you started to stand upright, and copy my movements. I began training you and teaching you all that I had learned from watching my master Yoshi. I taught you the use of weapons, the art of stealth, defense, and all that I knew of this world. In time, you surpassed my lessons, and became true ninja. Using a battered copy of a book on renaissance art that I fished out of the storm drain, I chose names for each one of you;

Leonardo,

Michelangelo,

Donatello,

and Raphael.

"Now, I am old and there is a task that I would have you perform before I leave this life!"

I watched as Master Splinter rose from his chair and spoke clearly.

"Now, I must ask you to do that which no being should ask of another! I ask of you to avenge the cruel death of my master Hamato Yoshi! And his wife, Tang Shen! I ask you to challenge and kill the murderer Oroku Saki... The Shredder!" He confirmed.

At that, the four of us bowed. I swore, by my word, that we would carry out our master's request. We would kill the Shredder and avenge our master's master.