Lightning cracks through soot-gray storm clouds looming over Manhattan, and we zoom in on one rooftop with a large skylight window, as our five teen Kage Warriors prepare to face off against more than a dozen Foot Ninja soldiers.
"In our ninja training, Master Splinter is constantly telling us that when given two choices, always choose the harder path."
Leonardo draws his double katana, sending an invisible wave to his other siblings to mimic his action. We notice that for this round, Shiori has chosen to wield a pair of butterfly swords rather than her signature tonfas, the handles wrapped with a mix of black and white ribbon, matching the colour of her paisley bandana tied to keep her hair out of her face...
"But somehow, when you're a teenage mutant ninja turtle, moreover, a Hamato..."
The enemy ninja step to the side, making room for their true leader who comes leaping into view. They, he, stands as a tall male wearing an elaborately-detailed steel armour suit styled with elements from the realm of old world samurai and ninja, but while holding to the more contemporary times. This included numerous spike-like blades on the shoulders, lower arms, calves, and of course, the twin two-tine tekkō-kagi. Full red eyes glow from within the shadow cast by the helmet, reflecting a malice that complimented the inclement weather...
"The harder path, always seems to choose you."
The anthropomorphic turtles and one human girl glare at their fully-revealed enemy, and the silhouettes on both sides are highlight within the next flash of lightning, indicating the battle about to commence, would be laced with only the heaviest of danger.
Two Days Earlier...
We zoom in through the winding path of the sewers underneath the streets of Eastman and Laird, heading right into the Hamato Family Lair hidden from the eyes of the surface dwellers during an otherwise overcast evening.
Right now, the five youngest members of that family were busy executing some training exercises, the prime focus being on their weapons. For example, Raphael fights to block a single katana from Leonardo using his sais, before the latter gets kicked towards Donatello's proximity, and was forced to act fast in blocking their bō staff...
"Ya know what I like best about weapons practice? The weapons!"
Just as the red-masked turtle says that, Michelangelo comes jumping overhead and uses one of his nunchaku to wrap the chain around the short blades, before tossing the former over his shoulder!
"Whoa!"
Raphael goes sliding to the mat a couple feet away, and the fern green turtle chortles,
"Too bad you're stuck with those lame toothpicks and not a real weapon like the nunchucks!"
"They're pronounced nunchaku, bro..."
He spins around to see his sister Shiori - she dressed in her moss green tank top, a pair of bright blue skinny jeans and her monochrome All-Star sneakers, while also pinning her hair up in a simple updo to keep it from flying into her face during practice - stepping up towards him, holding a pair of weapons in her hands that were a little different from her usual tonfas...
"Whoa, sis, butterfly swords today? What's with the switch?"
Charging forward with a little grin, she replies,
"Just felt like today's the right day to re-hone my skills!"
The girl's overall technique was like a mix of her two brothers who also wielded blades as well as her usual moves with her other wood-based weapons. Getting a quick look, we see that her butterfly swords are built with a thick short blade with one side cut sharp while the other remained blunt, and crossguards protruding from the bottom of the hilt that curved around to the top along the bottom of the knife, then sticking out a few inches away to allow room for her hands if she so chose to go that route rather than hold the polished handles wrapped with black and white ribbon.
For now, she was focused on practicing her slash attacks, swinging both blades sideways and downward, forcing Michelangelo to scramble backwards.
"Yeep!"
"Heha, maybe you should take back your comment, Mike. As much as we all have our preferences, no one weapon's better than the other."
"I dunno about that, Yori."
"Hm?"
(...Swipe)
"Whah!"
Shiori's suddenly knocked off her feet by a low swing from Donatello's own weapon, and she sends him a smirk-glare while he smirked smartly back at her.
"Dude, really? Knock me down while I'm trying to teach Mikey something, why don'tcha!"
"Heheh, sorry, but what can I say? For me, the bō staff's where it's at!"
Just as Michelangelo makes the motion to snicker, Leonardo prepares to make his own move, slipping out his other katana at ready.
"Boys, and girl...put away the toys!"
He leaps into the air, making a beeline towards his other four siblings.
"Double katana, is the only way to play!"
And while they did do their best to counter, a few strokes of the long blades was all it took before the blue-masked turtle took down all three of his brothers...His sister, however, wouldn't go down as quickly.
"Grrrh!"
(Clang, shing...)
She sought to make her earlier point clear, and would not allow her skillful swordsman brother knock her down flat, as evident by the strong deadlock she creates with her butterfly swords, using the crossguards to hold up the katana blades Leonardo was trying to shove downward. The other three turtles down for the count cheer her on:
"Yeah!" "Go, Shiori!"
"Knock Fearless down!"
Both brother and sister push against eachother with matching grunts of determination, the former quirking up a smirk and complimenting,
"You've, definitely gotten, stronger, sis...!"
"Hah, thanks...!"
"However..."
(SHING)
Leonardo suddenly jumps backwards with his swords, the loss of weight throwing Shiori off-balance!
"Uh!"
"You've still got a ways to go before you can beat my blades! Kiya!"
(Slash, clang, clang)
He then swings each of his swords one at a time in side-strokes to slap the metal out of his sister's hands, before delivering a smooth spin-kick to her torso, which sends her flying to the ground between Raphael's head and Michelangelo's feet!...Groaning softly, the blackette with honey irises slowly sits herself up and whines,
"Aw man! So close!"
If I just had a couple more seconds...
She then feels a three-fingered hand pat her shoulder, and turns around to see the owner being Michelangelo, smiling at her sympathetically.
"Better luck next time, sis."
"Haaah, yeah..."
Donatello lifts himself up off his shell to add with his own halfhearted upturn of lip,
"Also, thanks for not crash-landing atop any of us this round."
"Heh, sure, Don."
The 'winning turtle of this training hour' walks over to his siblings, a triumphant expression on his face while he displayed his signature weapons.
"Well, wha'did I tell ya? Double Katana?...Pretty sweet, huh?"
His brother with the purple mask would be the first grumbler.
"Nice one, Leo," Followed by Raphael:
"Rrh, lucky. And FYI, Yori was close to beatin' ya, wiseguy."
Said girl smiles sheepishly while her brother with the orange mask breaks the ice by joking,
"Still, wasn't so lucky for my tail: it just got kicked!"
It was in this moment that the children's father and teacher, Master Splinter, returns to the area just a few feet in front of the strange elevator, commending one of the five on their hard-driven efforts.
"Well fought, Leonardo."
The students move to stand in a line up - the order being Raphael, Donatello, Shiori, Michelangelo and Leonardo - for their parent, and the eldest sibling bows with a smile mixed with modesty and pride.
"Thank you, sensei."
"You have won...but do you know why?"
Shiori's face contorts into a knowing smile, thinking to herself,
I sense a secret lesson coming...
Leonardo didn't seem to feel the same thing his sister did, and found his answer rather quickly without fully comprehending what message his words would translate.
"Well, (holds up his katanas) I do have the superior weapons. I read where sword master Musashi said 'The katana blade holds the soul of steel, and is the truest guide to the warrior's way...', which is, kind-a how I feel."
"Many things are said, but few are true."
To have his belief shot down from the sky like a duck from the bullet of a shotgun would leave the turtle in blue shocked. His brothers, meanwhile, began forming smiles similar to their sister's, if in a more anticipatory manner. Raphael and Donatello whisper to one another,
"Master Splinter's got that look..."
"I think somebody's gonna get it~."
The third turtle that wields the nunchaku feels a chuckle begin to bubble in his throat, yet despite his efforts to camouflage it behind his hand, the rat with grey fur and mud brown robes would not miss a beat.
"Michelangelo!"
"Guh...!"
"Do you think I am funny?"
Just as Splinter's son makes a weak attempt to answer, Shiori's hand swiftly darts up to clap over her brother's mouth. He makes a sound of confusion with an expression to match directed at her, she glancing back with a look that read as 'If you value the sanctity of this dojo, you will choose your next words with extreme caution'...He quickly translates the silent message with a muffled 'oooh' sound and widened eyes, before relaxing and moving the girl's hand off to reply with a nervous smile,
"Uh, no Master Splinter, that laugh wasn't for you; I just...remembered a part of the silly conversation sis and I had with Shun and Ori over the phone yesterday."
...
Said anthropomorphic rat directs his black-brown irises towards his daughter for confirmation.
She forms a sheepish smile and adds to her brother's defense.
"Long story short, don't goof around with Helium Balloons before you pick up the phone, or you will be subject to ridicule from your friends."
The very thought of the incident in question made both siblings fight against bursting into laughter, settling with a few contained giggles. Splinter makes a noise that went between a hum and a sigh, shaking his head the slightest in disguised amusement at his youngest children before focusing back on Leonardo...
Watching him move from off the elevated path that ran around the perimeter of the interior lair, both Michelangelo and Shiori breathe out matching sighs of relief from escaping scrutiny.
"Man, that was close. Think I dodged a bullet there..."
"Forget bullets, brother; you just dodged a shuriken."
They tune back to the unfolding situation just as Splinter settles to stand but a couple feet away from the eldest turtle, and sets his walking stick up on his right side, placing both hands behind his back.
"Leonardo: attack me with your katana."
Though a bit surprised by their sensei's tactic, the other four student ninja silently agree to backing up away from the mat, knowing this wasn't going to end well for the fifth member of their quintet. He meanwhile, was hesitant to the idea of engaging his empty-handed father.
"Master Splinter, I-"
"Do it, now!"
Seeing no way around it, Leonardo complies with the rat's order, standing at ready...before swinging his right-handed blade in an over-curve against the latter!
(...SLAP)
But, given the differences of experience between teacher and student, it's fair to say that Splinter was more than prepared, catching the offensive steel between his palms! A short gasp escapes Leonardo's lips, and his siblings form awed expressions at the displayed skill...
"Is this the great and glorious weapon of which you speak? Helpless before an old rat such as myself?"
Shiori felt a small pout-like smile form on her lips, thinking to herself,
Aw sensei, you're hardly as old as you may convey yourself to be.
If anything, you've got the physical vigor and mind of a guy in his thirties...
"Again, with both."
"...Kiya!"
This time, Splinter would use his walking stick as an extra guard, and merely had to employ a single hand to block every drive and swipe from his son's katanas. Come twenty seconds later, Leonardo is disarmed and has one end of the short staff pointed at his face, courtesy of the grey-furred rat, his expression set in a mix between a minuscule smirk and stern gaze.
"In the hands of a true Ninjitsu Master, anything can be a deadly weapon."
The other three turtles laugh quietly, while the teenage girl with black beach waves facepalms with a groan.
Now that, was embarrassing, and what I was hoping to avoid, but nooo, all the boys had to ignore Shiori...
"Remember, a weapon is only as good as the arm that wields it, Leonardo."
Splinter throws his walking stick on a straight course to piercing the skin of one of the punching bags to emphasize his point...
"Until you have learned this lesson, you have learned, nothing."
Leonardo's eyes flash with shock...before his entire face falls into a frown of self-disappointment...He silently moves to pick up his swords, and wanders out of the dojo area with that dark metaphoric cloud hanging over his head, his siblings watching him go with mixed expressions ranging from the slightest of worry to feeling a touch smug that the eldest brother got told off for letting pride cloud his judgement...
"Haaah, and this kids, is why ninjas can't afford to get cocky."
Eyes fall on Shiori's form as she walks to grab her own blades off the floor mat, rising to pivot her hips around to the main sewer entrance where she saw her katana-wielding brother head for. A small smile of concern and sympathy spreads onto her mouth.
"I always had a feeling Leo was gonna get his comeuppance for fixating on his katana...I just wish it could've happened a little earlier rather than have it blow up in his face in one go."
"You're not actually feelin' sorry for 'im, are ya, sis? He basically said you were falling behind him durin' that clash."
"No, Raph, that wasn't what he meant. Sure, he was caught in the moment, but what he really said was that I've improved and that I'm strengthening my potential."
The three turtles look at their sister with surprise for her lack of negativity, then turn their eyes to eachother with somewhat perplexed expressions...They then notice her heading for the direction that their brother left, and Michelangelo asks in a call,
"Hey, where ya goin'?"
Pausing before the open doorway, Shiori sends a smile and replies back,
"To be a good sister," before heading off in a run.
Small Time Skip, Leonardo's POV
Ugh, I can't believe this...What does he mean, I learned nothing?
I decided to try and postulate my problem topside, and went for one of the closest rooftops that at the same time provided a reasonable distance from the lair...But after about an hour, I couldn't propose an answer that made sense to me, much to my frustration. Growling a bit, I pull out my weapons and mutter to myself,
"I don't, get it!"
I jump forward with a few swings:
"What haven't I learned?!"
I round over against the tied up pile of newspapers.
"My skill's the best it's ever been!"
Landing next to it, I slip my foot underneath the stack and fling it upward, cut the knot, and really let my swords fly against the paper.
"I (slash) just, (slash) don't, (slash) get it!"
"...What the shell did the media do to you this time to warrant the defacement of the almighty newspaper?"
Huh?
Though my teeth were still clenched and I was panting a little from the burst of anger, I turned to my right to see who was intruding on my brooding, locking eyes with the familiar honey-shaded irises of my sister.
Shiori...
"Come on, bro, talk to me. Why are you so close to imitating Raph after a particularly bad day?"
Her soft frown alone was enough to tell me that she wasn't going to leave me in peace until we talk...so expelling a long breath, I explain,
"I, I just...Master Splinter just doesn't understand how important these swords are to me!"
"And that there's the problem, Leo."
I look up at her with a heavy amount of confusion.
"What?"
"How often do I keep telling you and the guys that we're more than just the one thing? Hm?...You've become so used to your katanas that you've forgotten a very important lesson sensei's taught us...A ninja, is always prepared, which in this case, means being prepared to adopt to any weapon they can get their hands on, and watch that they don't get so fixed on one choice that their fighting style's that much easier to figure out."
Uh!...Easy to figure out?...So that's why I got taken down by sensei so fast.
Feeling my anger deflate, I lower my swords and ask,
"Has, my style really become that readable?"
"(Shrug) More or less, but that's not to say we all haven't shown signs of repetitiveness during training...It's actually part of the reason why I wanted to bring my butterfly swords back out."
She taps one of her enclosed weapons that were sitting strapped to her legs.
"They may not be a traditional Ninjitsu weapon, but they've been regarded in the martial arts as a sword that can be used in a multitude of ways, from offensive to defensive measures, kind-of like my tonfas but with more potential...That's what you were egging at during our little clash, right, the potential of a warrior?"
Huh...
"Uhm, yeah...?"
"Heh, you don't sound as sure as you were earlier, but then again, your confidence was opening the floodgates..."
Shiori walks over so she was standing in front of me, and places a gentle hand on my shoulder.
"Look, Leo, bottom line is that sensei teaches us to use our weapons as an extension of ourselves, not something to become reliant on. They're objects that we as the warriors, put life into...You see where I'm going with this, 'cause I don't think I can make it any simpler."
I allow her advice to sink in:
We put life into the weapons, and they are an extension of the warrior...Huh, now I feel a little dumb for calling my katana superior.
Smiling halfheartedly, I reply,
"Uh, yeah, I think I'm starting to get it now...Thanks."
"No sweat."
...Rh!
Suddenly, I sensed a projectile heading our way, and quickly tug my sister behind me.
"Uh! Leo, wha-"
"Eyah!"
(SLICE...)
The object drops in front of us, revealed as a severed arrow with a small scroll attached...
"O-kaaaay, that's different."
Nodding in agreement, I pick up the half with the mysterious message while commenting,
"Definitely not your regular mail. I guess Mikey would call it, 'Air mail'."
My lips quirk up when I hear Shiori giggle the slightest, before we focus on what's written.
"Hmm..."
"Warriors,
If you are reading this note, you have passed the first test. I call upon you, as a point of honour, to meet with me.
If you follow The Way of Bushido, you will come, and, you will come alone."
...Strange; there's no name attached.
"Hm...Sixteen South Boyle. That's not far..."
Rolling up the scroll, I ready to begin heading that way...
"Wait, Leo."
But Shiori stops me before I even get a step in, grabbing my wrist to keep me in one spot.
I turn to see her occupying an expression of an odd combination: uncertainty and determination.
"What is it?"
"I...I don't have a good feeling about this message. It feels like we could be walking into a trap."
"A trap? By who, the Purple Dragons?"
She smirk-glares at me for my attempt of a joke, and shakes her head before replying,
"You and I both know those punks aren't sophisticated enough for the bow and arrow...But, I have a pretty good idea who would be..."
Her eyes lock with mine, humour gone:
"Which is why I think it would be wiser if only one of us goes to meet with this person, and by one of us, I mean me."
"What?! You?"
The idea of my younger sister going into unknown territory was already enough to set off my big brother protection alarms. In that event, I shake my head and give her a stern stare that spoke the same volume as my tone.
"There is no way, that's happening. I am not about to play the idiot who allows his sister to jump headfirst into-"
"Which is why you're still coming with me."
"...Okay, now you've lost me."
She smiles smartly at me and explains,
"I didn't say one of us gets left behind; I said only one of us should meet with them. In other words, I do the talking, and you act as my shadow listening in."
...Oooooh!...That's actually not a half-bad idea.
I must've looked more impressed than I thought I did, since my expression sent Shiori into a giggle fit.
"Hey, you and Don aren't the only good planners on the team. Raph, Mike and I have our moments too...And speaking of those three and shadows..."
She suddenly spins on her heel and places her hands on her hips while calling over in a lightly annoyed tone,
"I know you guys are there, so quit actin' like creepers and just come join the conversation bubble already!"
...
...
Fifteen seconds later, my brothers come wandering out from behind the protruding entrance/exit way into the apartment building we were standing on.
Uh! Th-They were here the whole time?!...Man, I must've been really out of it if I didn't sense them...
"Dang, sis, you're gettin' almost as good as sensei!"
She just smiles at Mikey and replies simply,
"What can I say? I know my family...He, does know you guys left to find us, right?"
Raph waves a dismissive hand and says,
"Yeah yeah, he knows; we're fine...So what's with dat scroll that's got ya both on edge?"
Hah, here we go...
Small Time Skip, Shiori's POV
After explaining the newly developing situation to the others, we all hatch together a plan of action: as I argued before, it would be wisest that only one of the message recipients act as the face of the group...However, that didn't mean we all wouldn't get to listen to the big talk...
"Are you sure you wanna do this, sis? You don't have to go inside alone; one of us can go with you..."
I finish adjusting the mini microphone that Don was able to detach from one of our shell-cells onto and underneath my tank top, along with the just as small earpiece in my right ear so I could hear my brothers from their end. We're all standing outside the main door heading into this seemingly abandoned old shop building here on South Boyle, prepping to execute our little spy operation, which'll involve the guys watching my every move from up on the roof through a skylight.
Looking up to meet their eyes, I reply with a firm nod,
"I'm sure, Don. Like I said, the message seemed a bit too broad to suggest this person really wants both me and Leo to meet with them...Plus, given the nature and design of the arrow...I have this sinking feeling this has something to do with those ninjas we keep running into, The Foot."
"And that's the real reason you wanna be the one to face them on your own ground, isn't it?"
Sucking in a big breath, I nod more numbly at Leo's statement-like question.
"Yes...The Foot have been plaguing my nightmares for years, and it's only recently that I'm getting close to an answer related to why...This could be my last chance to find one, and not just for me. For Talon, Ariana, Shun, Ortensia...It may not always look like it, but, they need the closure just as badly as I do."
Clenching one of my hands into a fist, I mutter bitterly,
"I'm sick and tired of all these twists and turns. I need a new lead, a solid one, before I go bad-shell crazy."
A small wave of quiet hits us for a minute...before I feel a hand go on my shoulder, and I look up to see Leo giving me a smile of understanding that matched the other three.
"I get it. We all do...Just, promise us you'll be really careful, and don't hesitate to signal us if you need backup, and I mean at any point, even if you're just getting nervous."
Leo...
Smiling a little, I nod and reply,
"Promise. The second there's trouble I can't handle, I'll call you down."
"Good...Alright, guys, let's do this."
We all bop our heads in unison, and while they start making their way for the roof, I turn to face the door.
Okay...here goes.
(Creeeeaak...)
The inside was definitely a contrast to the trashy outside, the main room decked out in a way that kind-of reminded me of dad's room, except with black and red as the theme...
"Hello?...Anyone here?"
I stop in the middle of the big mat, peering around for any signs of life.
"Uhm, I got your message...This is where you wanted to meet, right?"
Geez, I sound so awkward, but on the other hand, how else am I gonna sound talking to an empty room?
...Or is it empty?
I suddenly felt a few stares, and turn around to where a changing screen stood, only to feel my heart freeze then burn when I recognize the symbol plastered on it.
Uh! Grrrh, I knew it...I knew it was them!
My face contorts into a glaring frown, teeth clenched...and before I knew it, a baker's dozen of those Foot Ninja come popping out from various hiding spots in the room to circle me!
...Well, this is quite the welcome.
I kept calm, moving into a defensive stance, and I hear my brothers comment via shell-cell communicators,
"Thirteen to one...!"
"Well that seems pretty unfair: there's only thirteen of them."
I smirk slightly on the inside, thinking amusingly,
Heh, of course you'd comment on the numbers like that, Mike.
"If Yori needs us, she'll tell us, bu' let's see what dis is all about."
Leo would be the one who asks me the question directly.
"You gonna be alright, Shiori?"
...Yeah. I'll be fine.
Knowing that I couldn't actually send that answer verbally or risk giving away their position, I choose only the subtlest of routes, by drawing my butterfly swords at the ready.
"...Got it. Good luck, sis."
You guys watching over me's all the luck I'll ever need.
I wait until the ninja are cloistering in close...before I make my first move.
"Kyaa-ha!"
Flipping my blades so that the blunt end was sitting against my arms and I was holding them by the crossguards, I perform a tumble-roll before bouncing up and sending an upper-curve kick against three of the ninja, taking them by surprise! That set the rest off to go charging at me, the action alone sparking up a smirk on my lips.
Heh.
"Ryah!"
Pivoting in a spin back to a straight stand, I simultaneously flip one of my swords blade out, so it could knock away one of the single katanas before I swung it back in a side-slash against two more...Similar moves would be performed for a few minutes, the idea being to throw my opponents off before I deliver a waiting punch or kick that'll knock the wind out of them...I've heard of some audiences portraying ninja as another equivalent to assassins, but not all stereotypes are right 24/7.
I'm certainly in no position of the heart to kill without remorse, and that's not what my father teaches either.
These techniques are only for defense and secrecy, not senseless violence...
There's only one ninja left now, and I feel like taking a page out of Mikey's playbook, so I begin screwing with the enemy by performing this move that to an outsider, would look like a crazy woman wailing twin machetes around.
"Hu-ha-ha-ga-ka-ha!..."
But if one looked with a keener eye, they'd notice that I wasn't swinging my swords every which way, but rather, I'm executing fluid upward strokes one after another, upping the speed each time until it looks like I was creating a dance with silver smoke.
Or two butterflies performing a beautiful aerial dance...
As soon as I was sure the poor sap was gonna trip on his own heel, I make the finisher, stopping my swords short before driving a strong left kick to his stomach.
"Eeeee-ya!"
(Whap)
"Gaouh!"
He goes crashing on top another sucker, leaving my panting form the last one standing among a bunch of moaning bodies...My brothers congratulate my efforts through the earpiece:
"Well done, sis!"
"Wayda sock it to 'em, Yori!"
"You took dose losers down in no time flat!"
"Guys, careful; watch your volume!...But yeah, you were amazing in there, Shiori. Good job."
I felt a wave of pride coming in, and wanted so bad to smile at how proud they sounded...
But I'd be dragged out of that thought, by the sound of someone clapping.
Mph!...Someone else is here.
Turning around, I spot a figure half-blocked by the shadows...Though from what I could see, they were definitely male, and wore an outfit much like the traditional Japanese garments worn by someone of high rank, right down to a cream white haori and hakama with tan-gold bordering on the sleeves matching the belt, and a quilted overvest of blue-grey.
...Okay, now I get it: those ninja were just another crazy test...I already don't like this guy.
"Impressive. Very impressive. My agents said you were good, but their description doesn't do you justice..."
He steps out into the light provided by the big candle stands, and I was able to soak in a better picture of his appearance: a skin tone similar to my own but not quite, short, sleek-back onyx hair, and dark brown eyes that held a secret coldness to them.
"I, am Oroku Saki. Eighth generation master of Ninjitsu...And, you are?"
...That voice...I feel like, I've heard his voice before...
I guess my brothers must've sensed me drifting, and Don nudges me through the earpiece,
"Sis? You alright?"
Snapping out of my thoughts, I breathe out through my nose and figure it'd be safe to sheathe my swords...for the time being.
"...Shiori. My name is Shiori."
The supposed martial arts master - my skepticism's ringing at an all-time high - starts walking over to me.
"I am, a little surprised to only see one...I believe my messenger sent my letter to two?"
"They did, but I felt it wasn't safe for both of us to speak with a stranger, so it's just me you'll be talking to this evening."
His lips curve into a smile, seeing where my logic was at.
"Ah, I see. A wise move, indeed. One can never be sure who to trust these days...I have seen enough of the world to expect the unexpected, or the extraordinary...and you, certainly fulfill those qualities, as well as the others of your group...But, I did not ask you here to flatter you: we have important matters to discuss."
Pulling out the unrolled scroll from the back pocket of my jeans, I confirm,
"So then you were the one who sent this letter."
"Yes. I felt it was urgent that we meet. There are things you need to know."
Truer words never spoken...
I make such a point clear in my clipped tone:
"That much I can agree with you on. So, mind explaining to me why your ninja have been trying to wax us for these last few months?"
I was tempted to let the clan name slip, but my bros and I concluded beforehand that it would probably be best to avoid using the Foot term entirely if possible...
"Precisely why we need to talk: we have been fighting eachother, when we should actually be fighting on the same side, fighting against our true enemy."
"Tch, considering how much personal injury you lot have been dealing to me as well as my team, I find that very hard to believe."
"Hmm, I see...To you, nothing is clear now. You have been caught in the middle of a battle, that is so much bigger than yourself...But you must know, that there is a force, a corrupt and evil force that is out there, right now, working its insidious tentacles, into every aspect of our world. It is an organization that is devoted to obtaining power through crime, political manipulation, corruption, on a global level."
...Now I'll admit, he spoke a good case...but that's just it: he spoke too well of a case.
And the only way something like that could be conveyed so fluidly...is if he's speaking from experience.
Based on the chatter through the shell-cell com, my bros were leaning towards similar thoughts.
"...You guys buyin' that bull?"
"Nuh-uh."
"Not with that much obsession in his tone."
"Neither am I."
"Really, Leo? I'd almost think you'd try to defend him."
"Well, maybe if I was the only one who got the letter before anyone else...But putting it altogether with that other info gathered by Yori and our friends, there's definitely something suspicious about his story."
Glad to know we're all on the same page...
I focus back on Saki as he goes on, moving towards a blown-up copy of his clan's symbol.
"Haah, unfortunately, the only thing standing against this evil force is me and my, humble army of ninjas..."
"Humble? Tuh, that's laughable. What's humble about almost getting your shell cracked?"
Fighting down a smirk from Donnie's cheek, I watch as the man stares up at the symbol for a second before facing me again.
"We stand alone against them, as my master did, and his master before him. It has been my destiny to fight, for the side of good..."
He walks over so we were standing but a few feet apart, and holds out a hand to me with a persuasive smile.
"I was hoping you would find it in your heart to join me, and fight against this evil. We could stand together."
...There's a five-second pause, before I bark out an easy reply.
"Yeah, see, there's a problem with your proposal, Saki, and it's this: I don't like the idea of negotiating a partnership with the pot that calls the kettle black."
As Mikey coos through the shell-cell com,
"Oooo, burn!", the other end of the conversation frowns and narrows his eyes in suspicion from my characterization.
"I, do not understand what you mean, Shiori."
"You don't? Well then, allow me to elaborate."
My eyes narrow back at his as I prepare myself for what may come in my reveal.
"My own clashes with your ninja go back a little further than the rest of my group, six years to be exact...Does the Lady Liberty Orphanage Blaze ring any bells?"
My bros mutter my name in warning to be careful with my next choice of words, but once the boulder began to roll, it would be a chore and a half to watch that I didn't crush all in my way...
"I have heard of the terrible tragedy, yes...but I believe you have more to say on the matter?"
"More than you'll care to hear, I'm afraid. It's taken time as well as some research, but I have a much better idea over who was responsible for setting my old home to flames...I remember those dark silhouettes that danced through the fire at the same time a dear friend and I barely escaped with our lives, which match those of your ninja to a perfect T. Not only that..."
My glare hardens further:
"But we also investigated a more recent blaze that held very similar patterns to Double L's destruction, along with three other cold cases, all with a six-year interval between...The evidence connects in ways that make it impossible to dismiss as mere coincidence. They were set to flame on purpose, covering up yet another crime: murder."
"Murder?"
"That's right. Each of the heads of the establishments, including Derek Liberty and Magnolia Reed, had been killed in cold blood, while any other victims were but unforeseen casualties...I know it was your 'humble' ninja who played a hand in these crimes, but what'd I like to know right now, is why."
(Shing)
I swipe out one of my butterfly swords to point at Saki's neck to emphasize my seriousness and barely-contained anger.
"Why did those places and people have to suffer at the hands of the Foot Ninja?!"
His eyes widen ever-so-slightly at hearing the name of his clan...before he smirks and comments,
"Ha. You continue to impress me, Shiori...I should have been more considerate towards what would compel you to come here. After all, you and those other four street rats deserve some form of closure."
Gh!...So he knows...
He calmly walks past me as if my blade was non-existent, heading for a sheathed sword on display at one end of a room.
"I would be more than happy to disclose that information...though I should warn that you might not like the answer you hear..."
Spinning around to his direction, I shout,
"Enough with the cryptic talk already; just tell me what the shell your angle is!"
...It all happened so fast after my outburst: I hear the slight scrape of metal removed from cover, before I found myself blocking a brilliantly-shining katana sword with my knife!
"Urh!"
I hear my brothers gasp through my earpiece, but was too focused on the smug expression on Saki's face.
"It would do you well to watch your tone, young one. You could very well be putting your life at risk before you even draw your weapon."
"W-Why you-!"
He breathes out a short chuckle, before twisting his body so that he could drive an elbow against my side, causing me to lose grip on my sword, and leaving me vulnerable to being grabbed by my arm to go hitting back-first against my definite enemy's chest while he positions the katana blade at my throat! My brothers let out a series of curses that echo against my eardrum, while I fought to keep my breathing even and stay still, not wanting to risk getting slit...
"Before you get ahead of yourself, perhaps you should take some time and meditate on what you have learned today...My ninjas' first encounter with you may not have been pleasant, but rest assured, there is a reason for it."
The blade is lowered, and Saki gently pushes me forward, before I found that sheathed sword presented to me on my left side, while his other hand puts my own blade away back into its holster...
"I implore you to rethink your decision, Shiori, and return here with your answer tomorrow night...The Foot could do well with talented blood like that of yourself and your group members..."
...I couldn't tell you why, but, it was like my hand was on autopilot when I very, very reluctantly took hold of the sword...
"Wipe away the past and take the next step forward...It would be such a shame to have to, 'take care' of someone as young as you."
A shudder of fear and disgust runs down my spine at the subtle threat laced into his words, and gritting my teeth, I turn around so I was facing him as I backed away towards the exit...before breaking into a swift run.
Bursting through the door I went into the building from, I dart my eyes around in a somewhat paranoid manner, before sprinting away from the area, pulling out the earpiece to further ignore the concerned calls of my brothers...I kept going until I was at least twenty or so blocks away, climbing up a fire escape atop a taller building so I could be on the roof and overlook something that didn't feel as dark as the troubles bumping against my racing heart.
"Hah...hah...hah..."
I...I c-can't believe, I managed all that...And Saki...he...he...!
Remembering the sheathed sword in my hands, I let out a cry of frustration and throw it away to go sliding several feet away like it was made of poison oak...I then drop to the floor, and crawl backwards until my back hits the little raised ledge bordering the top of this building. Curling into a little ball, I bury my face into my knees and let my tears flow, feeling a mix of emotions, the strongest being fear and angst...
"...Shiori?"
Sniffling, I peek up with watery eyes to see my brothers had arrived, looking down at me with worry reflected on their faces.
"G...Guys..."
Mikey would kneel down to my level first, gently grabbing one of my clammy hands.
"You okay?"
...Hearing the care and concern was all it took to get the waterworks going again, and with a sudden rush of energy, I practically lunged into the safety of my brother's arms, hugging him tight enough to touch his shell.
"Uh!"
"Th...That was so scary...!"
My body began to quake again as I burst into barely-quiet sobs, the sight alone catching immediate attention from the other three who nearly dive down to join in a group hug to help me stop crying, like back when we used to share one room and had easy access to alot of comfort after a bad dream.
"Shh, it's okay, sis, it's okay..."
"You're alrigh'; you're safe now."
"You were really brave in there, Yori."
"Yeah, only a weakling wouldn't be able to tell that Saki creep off like ya did. That was more awesome than the butt-kicking!"
Leo...Raph...Don...Mikey...
Another two minutes pass before I settle down, and I part from the guys with a minuscule smile forming through my shrinking fears.
"(Sniff) Thanks, I needed all that...And, thanks for being my eyes in the sky."
All four of them chide,
"Anytime," and we all let out a deep, collective sigh as we went over what we learned.
"...So then, I believe we can now confirm with one-hundred percent assurance that The Foot cannot be trusted."
Raph snorts slightly at Donnie's opening comment:
"No kiddin', 'specially since he just threatened our sister's life like 'e did, lousy bast-"
I nudge him and mutter,
"Language, brother," before moving up to walk over where I tossed that sword from earlier...
"I can't believe I actually took that thing like a mindless noob. I should've just, shoved it away and left."
Leo joins me on my left, glancing down at the weapon in question while commenting,
"Well it wasn't like he gave you much room for argument. If anything, taking it may have saved you from getting your head lopped off."
"Maybe..."
Letting out another heavy breath, we all shift our positions so that we were all looking at one another in a five-point circle.
"So...what should we do now?"
Once again, Leo would provide the answer:
"Something we probably should've done before we executed our plan: talk to Master Splinter."
Sensei...
We cringe the slightest, knowing that appending conversation was going to be a 'delightful' mix of tense and awkward.
"...Well, hopefully he'll be pleased to know that we didn't completely jump the gun this time and actually made a plan of undercover recon."
The guys form sheepishly nervous smiles that matched my own, and though a part of me didn't want to, we decided that the sword Saki egged me into taking was too nice to leave laying out on a random roof. As we leap down and head for the nearest manhole cover to go home, I think to myself,
This may not be happening in a way any of us would wanted it to go...but at least the dialogue's opening up again.
A Couple Minutes Earlier, No POV
Unbeknownst to the attendees of the strange meeting, standing atop a roof across the street spying on the spies, was that mysterious fellow with sandy-beige skin, blue topknot and strange golden medallion, joined by another man with pale skin and a bald head, dressed in the exact same uniform...
They peer over the retreating form of Shiori through a binocular function of their black sunglasses, humming in thought and making note of her facial expression as she sped away with no hesitation, followed quickly by her brothers leaping down from the building.
"They are leaving now...We had better report this back to the council."
Nodding, the bald one clicks to life a holographic wrist communicator, contacting those three strange people from last we saw this group.
"(All three) Yes?"
The man with the darker skin tone conveys the pair's report.
"The girl, Shiori, has spoken with Saki, and the turtles had listened in from the rooftop through a communicator...Based on several factors including their careful planning before engagement and the expression she had before breaking off into a run from the building, it seems they have declined joining him."
And it is also possible he may have threatened the poor girl...
"That is,"
"Good news."
"For if they,"
"Were to have sided with Saki,"
"We would have been forced,"
"(All three) To destroy them."
"But since they are indeed against him,"
"Do not engage,
"And continue to monitor them."
The conversation ends here, and the two men with matching trench coat-based outfits turn their gazes to one another.
"...I'll meet you back at headquarters."
"Alright...Stay sharp."
At that, the male with the lighter complexion disappears from the rooftop, leaving the other to his thoughts. His shoulders decompress a little in relief from his higher-up's decision regarding the sibling quintet of young ninja.
I am, glad to know we won't have to eliminate those five...
"...I'm happy to hear that the council may consider my old friend's children as allies."
"Uh!"
Spinning around on his heel with a defensive expression, the man prepares to pull out a weapon from underneath his coat...that is, until he saw whom had spoken to him.
"...Miss O'Neil...It has, been quite some time."
We watch through his line of vision as said woman with auburn brown hair steps out from the shadows, her jade green irises and smile both serious and almost...sentimental.
"Hello...Tarō."
Small Time Skip
As soon as the turtles and young girl return to their underground home, they confide to their father what they had learned tonight from their unintended meeting with the head of the Foot Clan, Oroku Saki, throwing in some connecting factors from the investigation conducted by Shiori and her friends regarding the 'Youth Center Incident'...
They were all sitting in matching lotus meditation positions, the student ninja being on the lower floor facing their teacher and parent whom was seated on the edge of the elevated section running across the lair. The gray-furred rat currently holds the sword Shiori was more or less forced to take after leaving the old warehouse disguising a secondary headquarters for the Foot Clan, looking at it with a heavy expression...Releasing a sigh, Splinter realizes that he could no longer withhold his knowledge about the antagonistic ninja clan, and finally summons the courage to tell his sons and daughter the full story.
"My children...I had hoped this day would never come."
His left hand was holding the ripped-off insignia taken by Michelangelo from one ninja during the skirmish in the museum.
"As you have correctly figured out through quite an array of sources, this is the symbol of the Foot Ninja...a name I had always known. Their leader, is Oroku Saki...but he has another name. He is...The Shredder. I have often told you about my Master Yoshi...but now it is time that I told you the whole truth."
Flashback
The clock turns back about fifteen years ago today, to the days before Hamato Splinter would become a father of five, when he was living life as but a regular rodent pet to his own Master, Hamato Yoshi...
"As you already know, my master was a ninja of great power. One of the greatest practitioners of Ninjitsu, in many centuries..."
We observe the secret behind Splinter's own knowledge of the martial arts to come from simple imitation of his master's movements from within his cage during the other's hours of practice.
"I was his pet rat, and I learned Ninjitsu by mimicking his moves. For many years, I was happy..."
The memory shifts to showcase a scene involving a familiar female with dark auburn hair and jade green irises, by then in her preteens, wearing a white cotton t-shirt with matching-coloured socks and blue sweatpants, during a moment between her own training sessions when she found herself playing with the younger non-mutated rat.
A giggling smile is on her face as she chases after Splinter around the dojo flat, passing the man with Ivy League-like black hair in a large circle before falling backwards in front of the change screen. The rat hops into her lap and chatters up a conversation, which while the young girl couldn't understand verbally, she would bop her head up and down with a smile of recognition. Yoshi watches the display with a smile of amusement, and shakes his head with a chuckle before walking over to scoop both souls up into his arms, prompting a squeal to escape the little human's lips that quickly melds into a three-way share of laughter (chitter in Splinter's case).
"The days only became brighter when Emily came, filling our home with something we have been missing: a friend for myself...and for him, a child of his own. We were, a family."
We move on to the very day when things would take a turn for the worst. It had started out normally enough, the hours moving steadily along to when Emily is sent out of the home on a grocery run, and Yoshi was practicing his katas while waiting for his charge to return...
Suddenly, a large fist comes crashing through the door, belonging to none other than Hun!
"But that life ended, when The Shredder sent his Foot Ninja to attack my master."
The bulking blond gestures about half a dozen Foot soldiers to charge against Yoshi, who only manages to take down two before another one grabs him and holds him by the arms in an underarm loop. Splinter growls on the defense from his cage, watching as his master barely succeeds kicking down another ninja, who goes flying right into the former's tiny home!...The rat would be fine, thankfully, if becoming increasingly worried for Yoshi.
"My master battled honourably..."
In contrast, Hun would lead three other ninja in shooting out restraining devices that bind their target of interest to one spot by his wrists and ankles!
"But through their dishonourable ways, the Foot Ninja overpowered him."
What's worse, these cord-like devices had an electroshock function, which the muscle-bound man would activate to subdue Yoshi until the latter could barely retain consciousness, leaving him helpless to be held up by two ninja...
"Then, The Shredder entered."
Splinter carefully hurries out of the broken remains of his cage, feeling his fur stand on end as he watches the leader of the clan walk into the room, clad in that dangerous-looking, full-body suit of steel we would see much later.
"They accused my master of working for their enemies...They wanted information, (cringe) and they were relentless."
In which case, poor Yoshi would be tortured with the shock restraints...
Yet, he would refuse to give into their demands, no matter how much pain the Foot subject him to.
"But my master said only one thing..."
With sweat running heavy from his forehead, Hamato Yoshi's final words would be,
"He, who lives without honour...will end, without honour...!"
He then collapses, much to the displeasure of Saki, or should we say, Shredder.
"This is a waste of time. Finish him!"
Hun prepares to fulfill his master's orders, brandishing out a katana sword...Not wanting to stand idly by, Splinter attempts to rescue Yoshi.
"I tried to save my master..."
Said rat runs and clambers up Hun's front to attack the latter's face, taking him by surprise and forcing him to drop the sword...
"But my efforts were in vain...Though I did leave my mark."
Splinter puts up a substantial fight, but in the end, he would be tossed out the window by the hulking blond after a short minute, leaving behind a deep claw cut in the henchman's left cheek, the same scar that would carry presence more than fifteen years later!
Left to nurse his facial wound, Shredder steps past Hun to pick up the latter's slack.
"Hrrh, I shall finish you off, myself!"
...And just as the young pre-mutated rat comes clambering up onto the window sill...
(SLASH)
Hamato Yoshi is mercilessly killed by a single blow from the dreaded tekkō-kagi...!
"The Shredder had taken my Master Yoshi from me...from the world..."
Splinter feels his entire body go numb with shock and agony, dropping from the window to bounce off a bag of trash before stopping face-up in a dingy rain puddle...
"Not long after that, I found you, my sons, while you, my daughter, would come nine years later...and you all know the rest."
End of Flashback
"I did not tell 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..."
Shiori thinks to herself with a sad frown cast to her lap while fighting the urge to cry again,
Yet it's not just you, dad: Emily's been suffering too...and it's that same sorrow, that's been preventing you two from facing eachother...
She focuses back as Splinter concludes his tale, a hardness building around his tone with each sentence from all the emotions kept hidden in his heart over the years.
"But you need to know who Saki, The Shredder, for who he 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."
"...In that case, I really don't understand his actions regarding Double L."
Eyes turn to the only human in the room, as she clenches her fists and glares at the floor.
"What could possibly be gained from destroying a place for innocent young souls with nowhere else to go?...I mean, did, Derek do something to piss him off, or, was it some sick, twisted statement for New York's underworld? (Shakes head) It makes no rational sense even looking at the other side...Just another reason why I think Saki was insane to even suggest I-!...Mph, I can't even say it now..."
Michelangelo nudges her shoulder and quirks with a smile,
"Yeah, ya made that much clear when you pointed your sword at 'im."
She smiles slightly back, and Donatello comments,
"You weren't played the fool in there, Yori. You saw his lies coming from a mile away."
Even Splinter commends the young girl with honey irises for her actions as well as the four turtles.
"Yes, I am very proud of how courageous and perceptive you were, Shiori...You and your brothers did well in planning ahead before, speaking with Saki."
"Thank you...dad."
Raphael then asks the question that was on all the minds of the sibling quintet.
"So what're we gonna do abou' it?"
Leonardo slaps a fist into his open palm and offers an answer of action.
"Shredder wants an answer? I think we should give him one, turtle-style."
He and his siblings meet eachother's eyes, before they look back at their teacher and parent to bow deeply, he returning the gesture and ending their talk...
Time Skip
Hours come and go before we reach a new evening more storm-ridden than the last...Five familiar shadows leap onto the rooftop of the same building used for the meeting grounds between Shiori and Saki, followed swiftly by almost two dozen or so figures that settle on the other side...
Lightning flashes, showcasing the fierce expressions of the turtles and one human girl, glaring at the black-clad faces of the Foot Ninja...The sky opens up for rain as Shiori steps forward, holding the sheathed blade forcibly given to her by the enemy.
"Tell your master that the answer is still No...and take back his sword while you're at it!"
She then throws it like a javelin to go landing right into a lantern-shaped air duct, before shifting back so her brother wearing the blue mask could take lead. He whispers to her,
"Good throw...You ready?"
"Thanks...and always."
They and the other three draw their respected weapons at ready, the blades of the twin katanas, sais and butterfly swords gleaming in the hot energy of the lightning.
"Let's dance."
The Foot Ninja unsheathe single ninjatō - a modernized, simpler version of the katana - in response, and one second later, both sides charge in to attack! Leonardo knocks away a few opposing blades with his own, while Raphael blocks two more ninja, then delivers two strong kicks to their torsos...
"Check it out! Nunchucks aren't just good for playing the drums..."
Several bashes are delivered by Michelangelo as he clears away more than half a dozen opponents, before spinning around just as his brother Donatello heads his way.
"But they're also good for giving a leg-up to a fellow turtle!"
He uses his melee weapon to boost the other's jump, the latter soaring over a few hands to land in a circle of eight Foot Ninja.
"You said it, brother, but a bō staff certainly comes in handy, when a teenage turtle finds himself in the middle of a circle of angry, ugly, enemy ninjas!"
A few choice twirls were all Donatello needed to deliver in order to knock the black-clad soldiers off their feet...
"You guys still goin' on about weapons?"
Leonardo uncrosses his twin blades and charges against more of the ninja, joined shortly by Shiori and her shorter swords.
"Weren't you listening to Master Splinter?"
"Yeah, it's not the weapons that-(kick) kah, make the ninja..."
Both brother and sister would then team up on the last Foot Soldier, she locking a crossguard against the opposing weapon to pull it downward, so he could deliver a jump-kick to the head!
"Caouh!"
They finish up the learned philosophy with smirks on their faces while sheathing their blades.
"It's the ninja who makes the weapon."
All five young Hamatos gather back to eachother, overseeing the satisfying vision of defeated Foot Ninja. Donatello comments,
"Well, all in a day's work," before the five cheer with high-fives/threes,
"Turtles rule!"
(...Crash)
"Uh!"
Unfortunately, that was only part one of the battle, as evident by the door-crashing form of Hun arriving on the rooftop.
"Not him again!"
Shiori felt a groan coming on as strong as her bō staff-wielding brother's complaint.
Ugh, guess we should've known that a confrontation wouldn't end this quickly...
Leonardo notes confidently,
"We beat him before, we can do it again."
Raphael agrees:
"Yea'..."
Cracking the knuckles of one of his large fists, the blond says to the five teenagers,
"I've been looking forward to this rematch."
Pulling out his weapons back out along with his brothers and sister, the turtle in blue calls back,
"Bring it, if you got the guts!"
Letting out a battle cry, Hun charges first, his opponents doing the same but a few seconds afterward...Though we'd quickly observe that unlike with the Foot Ninja, there'd be a reasonable imbalance of strength between both sides, made perfectly clear by the strong leaping punch Hun delivers against Donatello's plastron.
As that turtle goes sliding to the puddled rooftop, Raphael attempts to retaliate with a lower side-swipe of his sai, followed by a high jump-kick. But, both moves are evaded by Hun, before he counters with a sweep-kick.
"Guh!"
Leonardo charges in to try and land a foot into the bulking henchman's upper torso, only to get blocked and thrown aside like he was made of foam! Shiori then takes a turn, rushing and ducking low to strike Hun in his hip with one of the blunt sides of her butterfly sword.
"Hh-gah!"
"Rh! You little, pest!"
(Whack)
"Auh!"
Of course, successful as her attack may have been, it wasn't enough to throw him off-kilter, rather, it only irritated him enough to backhand her hard, sending her flying to the rooftop ground next to her brother Michelangelo. That turtle gasps, before forming his own angry expression and charging in to get vengeance for his sibling.
"Hee-yah!"
He swings and misses the mark with his nunchaku, making him vulnerable to being grabbed, then thrown away by Hun to land against Donatello, both rolling closer to the edge of the roof...
"Hrah!"
The emerald green terrapin then attempts to jump the enemy from behind, only to be snatched by the arm and slammed against the ground a few times!...As Shiori helps Leonardo up, they both notice their brother being held up by Hun, fist raised at ready to finish him off!
"Raph, no!"
Hurrying off the ground in a burst of adrenaline, the turtle with the double katana runs to strike down Hun with a leap kick, knocking him back and forcing him to let go of Raphael...As he shakes off his dizziness, Hun then spots the sword that Shiori threw away. Grinning, he takes it out of the air duct, unsheathes it, and charges at Leonardo...
"No you don't!"
(Clang)
His path would be cut off halfway when Shiori runs in, blocking the single sword with both her own...
"You want my brothers? You have to go through me!"
"Why you-!"
The two get into their own battle, blade against blades, the blackette switching between offensive slashes and defensive guards similar to what she does with her tonfa...What Hun didn't realize, however, is that the girl's interference was part of a spontaneous plan of distraction.
Wait for it...Just a little more to the left...There!
"Now, Leo!"
"Ki-yah!"
(KICK)
"Gruh!"
Hun is suddenly knocked forward by a strong kick to his back, stumbling forward while Shiori tumble-rolls out of his path and speeds over to her brother. She and he share a smile, before focusing back on task as their enemy recovers and rushes at them again!
"Hrrrrraaaah!"
Leonardo feels his brotherly protective instincts rise, and shoves his sister behind him towards the other three.
"Stay back!"
"Bro!"
(...CLANG)
A familiar set of twin katana go flying right out of their wielder's hands, leaving him wide open to the opposition!
"No, Leo!" "Leo!"
"Get back!" "Look out!"
...Thankfully, in the moment Hun raises the sword over his head, Leonardo would spot the opportunity to strike. He lunges forward, and hops into the air, before delivering a flurry of continuous kicks to the other's torso, pushing them backwards until they were at the skylight...
(Shatter)
"Gaauuuuuuhhhhh!"
Hun goes crashing through the glass and drops like a rock to the room below, the sword landing blade-first in the ground just a couple inches from his head...Looking down at his defeated enemy for a few more seconds, the turtle in the blue mask then turns to walk away, stumbling slightly from a wave of exhaustion until his brothers Michelangelo and Donatello come to hold him up with his arms around their shoulders. Letting out a very short chuckle, the second latter comments,
"I think we'll sleep well tonight," followed by the turtle in purple noting with his own halfhearted smile,
"That was not easy."
The fourth turtle then comes over with his sister to give his eldest brother back his weapons.
"Here, bro."
"Thanks, Raph."
As soon as the swords are sheathed, Shiori moves to give Leonardo a hug.
"That was amazing, Leo...Are you alright?"
Placing a gentle hand against her head, he replies simply,
"I am...especially knowing we're all safe..."
...What the five Hamatos weren't aware of, was that those two strangers - including the one Emily apparently knows - with the odd medallions had watched the battle from a building across the way. The one with the lighter complexion then activates his communicator to inform the council of what's transpired.
"Your report?"
"Council members. It has been confirmed: the turtles and their sister are indeed against Saki."
"Good..."
"Then it remains to be seen that the enemy of our enemy is our friend."
"Monitor them further, and keep us informed."
(Blip)
The call ends, and both men turn to look at one another, before glancing behind them at the other soul present.
"...What will be your next course of action, Miss O'Neil?"
A smile graces the lips of the auburn brunette, her jade green irises reflecting both excitement as well as a healthy amount of nerves.
"What I should have done after first meeting the children..."
No more hesitation...no more fear...
Splinter...
Back on top the warehouse, the four anthropomorphic reptiles and one human girl prepare to leave, feeling their mission was finally complete.
"Come on, guys. Let's go home."
...
But Leonardo doesn't even get four steps in, before he spots something that would delay their departure.
"Gh! Aw, shhhhell...!"
You see, by this point, the Foot Ninja previously defeated had recovered enough of their endurance that they could continue the battle. They leap back up for another round, and the Hamatos draw their weapons out again, knowing there would be no way to skirt around the situation...
However, the black-clad ninja then jump aside...to make room for their true leader, Oroku Saki, aka, The Shredder! His steel armour gleams in the lightning, raising a single tekkō-kagi to emphasize the following menacing absolute.
"Those who are not with me, are against me! And, I crush anyone who stands against me!"
