Well, I promised someone that I'd get the next chapter out today, so here it is.
I hope- no. I know you will like this one.
Raph is starting to get annoyed with needing to find a new place constantly. The farm was perfect, but now it is gone from the fiery blaze. He treks for a long time, the ninja in his arms. Her reaction to him was strange. Her reaction to the Foot nearing on them was even stranger.
Raph looks at her sleeping form. She had woken up a while back, but then after it grew night, he picked her up to continue. She was still shaken by whatever happened, not that she'd explain to him what it was.
When he looks up to watch where he's going, he sees a broken piece of stone. It is a dark golden tan color with etchings. The stone, and others around it, are a sharp contrast to the foliage around it.
Raph starts looking around more. As he walks farther into the forest, he sees larger stones. He walks through the colorful graveyard of stones. The trees here are smaller than the ones in the other parts of the forest, although their leaves are over Raph's head.
His arms are pushed to the side and the weight next to his plastron is gone. Raph looks down and sees the ninja standing there, looking at him harshly. "I don't need you to carry me," she says. Raph is ready to ask her why she is staying with him in the first place, but then she looks around. "Where are we?" She takes out her wakizashi, which Raph left on her person, and points it at his neck, "Why did you bring me here?" She asks, demanding.
'She seems to be over whatever happened,' Raph decides. He puts a finger on her blade and pushes it out of its deadly position slowly. "I don' know, okay? I'm still trying to figure out where this place is. I never said you had to stay." The ninja just stares him down, then turns to keep walking. Raph joins her, looking at the stone.
He notices a face in a carving as he passes a stone that towers over his head. He stops and gives it his attention for longer. It looks familiar, but he's never seen it before. Raph continues on. The ninja arrives at a set of cracked stone steps. Raph sees it and pauses. He looks at the building it is attached to.
"..Sentakushi no Seika (Birthplace of Choices).." he whispers. Katsumi looks back at him.
"What?"
Raph looks at her, away from the sacred ruins. "I remember this.." he looks back and continues, walking up the steps.
"You have been here before," she states, accusing.
"No," Raph says quickly, "no, but.." He brushes his hand along the wall, etchings all along it. "Her words were enough to make anyone they've been somewhere." He remembers, surely. He was young. He could never sit still. But his mother told him the stories. Her words formed the near exact picture he sees around him.
Katsumi thinks back to her history lessons, "This was the place where-"
"-where the different countries would come together to discuss international disputes and matters," Raph says, finishing her vocal thought. Katsumi looks at him suddenly, offended by the rude interruption. But Raph doesn't notice. "The four families on the mainland, Hamato, Oroku, Tang, and Minami, would gather there every few years unless one called the others.
"One day, Emperor Oroku, Saki's father, had aimed to talk to The king of the Tang Nation, Tang Kodai, The Ancient One," Raph begins telling the tale, sitting on a stone, "The grandfather of Tang Shen. My great grandfather-"
"You said you weren't a Great Kame," the ninja comments. Raph looks up to see she has also taken a seat amid the ruined courtyard. He sighs.
"I do not wish to be called a 'Great Kame,' the title of a prince of the Hamato Kingdom. But.. I cannot deny that I once was one.." Raph does not further his explanation, but instead continues the story, "He had wanted more land, specifically to the west on the other side of the mountains." He draws a crude map in the settled dust. "The Tang Nation was large and the emperor was sure a marriage between Shen and his son, Saki, would serve well for him to gain it.
"But he was too late. Hamato Yoshi had talked to Kodai before the meeting at Sentakushi no Seika and had arranged that his son, Hanen (Splinter), and Shen to be married. They announced the engagement at the meeting.
"Oroku was furious. He confronted both Kodai and Yoshi about the matter. They had argued, but it changed nothing. In the end, he had to settle for the daughter of the king to the south, from Minami." Raph looks up at the ninja, who is waiting for him to finish his tale with a placidly emotionless face. Raph looks back at his picture in the dust, "Once Saki and Princess Minami were married..
"..his father invaded her kingdom, taking it over," Raph draws a line through the division between Oroku and Minami on the map. "It happened so fast, the other countries had little they could do to help." Raph pauses a moment, "Sentakushi no Seika used to be right here," he makes a dot with his stick, "along the border. But after the takeover, it was inside the Oroku Empire.
"Later, after they fell in love and were ready, Shen and Hanen came to Sentakushi no Seika to be married, their families with them. But the Emperor accused them of trespassing. He destroyed the grounds alongside his son, Saki. They vowed to get their revenge on the Hamato family. In the battle.." Raph stops again, "..the Ancient One was slayed. Shen and Saki were wed by Hamato Yoshi and the two kingdoms west of the mountains merged peacefully, since the leader of the northern was gone."
Raph sighs after the tale. His mother told it better. She was there those years ago, she saw it. Yet she made it sound, beautiful. She didn't exaggerate or skip details. But.. it was her words..
"Interesting tale," the ninja says, "if that is how it went." Raph looks at her harshly.
"That is how it went," he says, "my mother was there. My father and grandfather were both there."
"I know the story," Katsumi says, standing up. Raph watches her, his brow creasing. "Yes, the heads of nations gathered here, at Sentakushi no Seika," she begins, "and yes, Emperor Oroku was planning to ask the Ancient One for Shen's hand, for his son.
"But the difference, is he accepted. Yoshi was trying to change his mind, in favor of his son. But the Ancient One would not sway. Yoshi had his son, Hanen, try to woo Shen, for her to appeal to his wishes." Raph's hands clench up. That's his father she's talking about. "The Ancient One would not even listen to her. Then, the last night of the meeting, Yoshi offered him a bribe-" Raph grits his teeth. "-which he accepted-"
"That's a lie!" Raph yells. The ninja looks at him.
"He accepted in the dead of night, like a coward. Shen was taken away to the Hamato Kingdom in the South, west of the mountains," Katsumi continues, pacing like a teacher in front of her students, "Saki was made a laughing stock. He had to marry instead a princess from a meager land in the south, as you said. The lands merged when the smaller kingdom asked for aid from marauders-"
"You don't know what you speak of," Raph warns.
"But then, Shen returns to Sentakushi no Seika with her father. She sent of Saki to join her there. She begs him to forgive her and her father. But Hanen was right behind her, following her all the way." Raph stands up and starts towards her. He sees red on the edges of his vision. "A battle broke out. The magnificent palace we are standing in was reduced to its rubbled state. The Ancient One, Tang Kodai, was killed.." Katsumi looks at Raph, "by a Hamato hand-"
Raph had heard enough. He pushes her to a wall, pure rage on his face. "Don't disgrace my mother like that!" He bellows, "Don't talk about my father, my grandfather, and my mother in any way other that respectful! Do, you, hear, me?" He looks straight into her green eyes. He lets her go. There was something in her eyes he thought he'd never see again; fear.
"You do not live here, in the Oroku Empire," the ninja says, standing straight, "you do not know it's history."
"But I know my history," Raph says, venom still needing to be spilt from his lips, "I know my family's history." He tilts his head at her, "Do you know yours?"
Katsumi stops. The vision of fire comes back from that question. The banner is back, with its black symbol, edged with gold. She clutches her head, but doesn't threaten to collapse. When it fades and she looks up, Raph's anger is gone. He's concerned and confused. "..Maybe.."
Raph offers her to sit down. She takes it. "You are having visions," he deciphers. She nods. "..My father is good at knowing what they mean.." he draws out.
"So?" Katsumi tenses at the mention of the hated enemy of the Empire.
"Maybe it rubbed off," Raph shrugs. Katsumi looks at him.
"You want me to tell you the vision."
"It wouldn't hurt," Raph says. Katsumi looks away from him. "Hey, I want to know why you are so keen to staying by me." Katsumi intakes a small breath and looks back.
"I don't know, okay!" She yells.
"..Then let's find out," Raph decides, calm. Katsumi thinks about it, then nods.
"Fine."
"But, I need to know your name first." Katsumi looks at him skeptical. "I'll start, my name is-"
"I know your name, Raphael," she spits.
"I haven't gone by my full name in forever," Raph says, gaining her attention, "The name I prefer is just, Raph."
Katsumi mulls to herself, 'Raph.. it's, simple. Easy to remember. Raph.'
"And yours is.." Raph hints. The ninja looks at him. She starts to tell him off, then decides, why not?
"..Katsumi."
Raph stops. He stares. He stands up and walks away. "Did the Academy give you that name?"
Katsumi looks at him a moment, confused, "No. My family did."
Raph thinks, pacing a little. Katsumi doesn't know what the fuss is about. It's just a name. 'Victorious beauty, Katsumi..' Raph looks up and looks at her, 'That's a.. a..' Katsumi sees the look of recognition on his face and she becomes more confused. 'Western name..'
The history of the four Kingdoms. Minami is Japanese for South.. I think... I looked up surnames.
Who loves the history lesson? I made it all up, by the way. And how about how I added Shen, Ancient One, and Yoshi? (I don't know Saki's father's name, *shrugs*)
Now he knows her name! And.. hmm.. suspense..