24. Night of the Kijo

"Leo, I really have to make repairs to a lot of our equipment," Donatello said. "All four sleds need work, I never finished fixing Mikey's tech pack, and I need to check our communications devices. I was having a hard time hearing you when we last used them and I don't know if that was yours or mine causing the problem."

"Can you do any of that here?" Leonardo asked. "Today's the day that April meets with the Council."

"I completed work on the micro-earbuds early this morning, and had April and Mr. H test them," Don said. "I could work on our headsets here, but there's no space in the basement for anything bigger. Plus, most of my tools are at the lair and so is all the scrap metal I need. I have to get the sleds back to the lair if we want them fixed."

"So that's why you didn't come to bed last night. Did you get any sleep?"

He studied Don's face, noting the redness at the edges of his eyes and the way the corners of his mouth drooped. Don quickly turned his head and went back to straightening up the infirmary.

"I dozed off in my chair for a couple of hours," Don finally answered.

"You should have come up with us," Leo scolded mildly.

"I hopped in the shower after I patched up you and Raph, but instead of shutting down, my brain started reminding me of the things that needed to be done," Don said. "There was no way I could wait until the last minute on those earbuds."

"You didn't have to finish both of them," Leo said. "April only needs one today."

"I know, but I got worried that something might go wrong with one and I thought it would be a good plan if she carried Casey's with her, just in case," Don said. "This meeting with the Council is pretty important. April seemed relieved to have both."

"She and Master Splinter are up with Mr. Hidesato at the moment. They're both coaching her on her Japanese," Leo said. "I'm not sure she slept much last night either."

"We're all anxious about this meeting," Don said. "I think I'm more nervous about this than I have been during any of our captures. It's so important that the Warder High Council never learn about us."

"It's more important they don't stick their noses where they don't belong."

Both turned to see Raphael standing in the doorway. "I think we all agree that more warders descending on this city would not be a good thing," Leo agreed.

"Considering we got Bishop out there getting curious, that'd be about the worst thing that could happen," Raph said. "I got visions of us strapped down to dissection tables again while yokai run loose and warders that don't know a damn thing about our city run around destroying anything that gets in their way."

Leo could see that he was becoming worked up, no doubt as nervous as Don was; as they all were. "Look, it doesn't do much good for all of us to sit around here worrying about whether or not April can pull this off. Donny, why don't you and Raph take the sleds back to the lair and start working on repairs. Mike and I wouldn't be a lot of use in that department. Besides, Mikey's got to paint the warder symbol on April's arm before she leaves."

"What are you going to do with him before then?" Don asked. "He'll be bouncing off the walls."

"We'll start working on the journals again," Leo said. "He can scan and I'll sort. I was thinking about putting some colored labels on the shelves to denote which of them holds journals we've already scanned. Master Splinter told me that he'd like to sit with Mr. Hidesato while April is meeting with the Council. Mr. Hidesato will have his phone on speaker so that they can both hear everything that happens."

"Is that 'cause he don't trust Mr. H?" Raph asked.

"It's because he feels that his presence will calm April," Leo said.

They stared at each other, neither blinking, until Donatello cleared his throat. "It's in Mr. H's best interest that April not encounter any problems, Raph. He's in the same boat we're in."

"According to him," Raph said. "Ain't that the plain facts? Everything we've got to go on, every bit of information, all comes from him. Sorry ya' don't like that I'm suspicious, but somebody in this family needs to be. He sure as hell knew something about that Onryō. Why ain't he shared that bit of info?"

Leo and Don exchanged glances. "He's not really had the energy to talk much, Raph. Let's give him a little time. I'm sure he'll tell us more once he doesn't have the Council at the topmost of his thoughts," Don said.

"Right." Raph didn't sound at all convinced.

Quickly changing the subject, Leo said, "Why don't you grab your duffel bag, Donny, and then you and Raph can take off. I think you left it upstairs."

"Be right back."

Once Don was out of earshot, Leo turned to Raph. "See if you can talk him into taking a nap. He didn't sleep at all last night."

"Old habits," Raph said, an indulgent smile lifting the corners of his mouth. It disappeared again as a worried expression took over. "Ya' sure it's a good idea to split up? It ain't just us looking for things anymore, it's things looking for us now too."

"I don't like it, but we have no choice," Leo replied. "As Donny pointed out, we need vehicles and the only things still in working order are the shell cycles. The moving truck is too conspicuous, and for that matter, so is the Rolls. We can't keep borrowing April's van."

"So maybe we get one of our own," Raph said. With a flick of the wrist he waved that away. "Whatever. One problem at a time, right?" He gave Leo a speculative look. "Ya' think there's a reason ya' didn't dream about anything last night?"

Leo shrugged. "I don't know. I've given up trying to understand how this 'gift' works as far as the dreams are concerned. Maybe I can only find certain yokai with my dreams. Maybe some are shielded from my subconscious. Maybe the power has to re-energize before it works again. Maybe, maybe, maybe."

He sounded frustrated and Raph set a hand on his shoulder. "Ya' really are your own worst enemy, bro'. Cut yourself some slack. Remember, there's more than one way to skin a cat when it comes to finding yokai."

Donatello rejoined them. "Do not let Mikey hear you say the word 'cat'. He's still not over losing Klunk."

"Klunk lived to a ripe old age," Raph said. "Maybe when this is all over, we can find Mikey another cat."

"I told Mikey that we're leaving. He said to bring his hoverboard back with us. Are you ready to go?" Don asked.

"Yeah. Let's get this done." They began walking to the sewer tunnel entrance, but halfway there, Raph paused to look at Leo, who was just starting back upstairs. "If you have some kind of vision or something, call us right away. Don't keep it to yourself."

"Mikey will be with me the whole time," Leo said. "Who's the worrier now?"

"Shut up," Raph said without rancor.

Going back up to the main floor, Leonardo found his youngest brother in the office. Michelangelo was using a thin paintbrush to practice drawing the warder symbols on the side of a yellow squash.

"Not quite the color of April's arm, but the size isn't far off and the shape is good," Mikey said without looking up.

Leo walked over to the desk and saw a bowl filled with Mikey's previous attempts. To him, they looked flawless.

"I'd say you've got this down perfectly," Leo said.

"Nope." Mikey squinted at the squash in his hands and then placed it in the bowl before reaching for a fresh one. "I'm not happy with the thickness. It has to look like it was branded on, the way ours do."

"She's only supposed to flash a quick glimpse of it to the Council and then keep her arm hidden during the meeting," Leo said.

"I'm not counting on that," Mikey told him. "If you plan for the worst, then the worst won't happen. I heard that from someone."

He grinned at his brother and Leo returned the smile. "That person seems very wise."

"And really modest too," Mikey said. He finished the symbol with a flourish and held it up. "What do you think?"

Leo studied it, looking from his arm to the squash, and then nodded. "More than passable. I take it you practiced with that color against April's arm?"

"Yep. Got the tone just right. Had to look it up on the internet 'cause her skin's not green."

"I'll be glad when this is over," Leo said as he walked over to the bookcases.

Mikey set his painting gear aside. "Glad when today is over, or glad when we've caught the last yokai?"

"Both I suppose."

"Yeah, me too." Mikey got up and stretched. "I'd still like to keep the house though."

Leo turned around to see his brother grinning again and wasn't quite sure if he was serious or kidding. Or hopeful.

"We'll see," Leo replied noncommittally. "By the way, Raph and Don left for the lair a few minutes ago. And yes, Don remembers about your hoverboard. You and I are going to do something constructive too, like scanning these journals."

"Okay, but I'm gonna say something that's gonna make you want to check me for a fever," Mikey said. "As much as I'd rather scan journals and watch TV at the same time, we need to do some laundry."

Eyes widening, Leo stared at his younger sibling for a moment. "Who are you, and what have you done with Michelangelo?"

Mikey placed a hand over his heart. "Save me, bro'. I think I've been infected by a yokai who likes to, dare I say it, clean stuff!"

Walking over to him, Leo cupped the back of Mikey's neck and placed a palm against his forehead. "Out, you demonic thing, out I say!"

"I don't think it's working," Mikey said with a laugh. "I'm still having those awful thoughts."

"Wait, what am I doing?" Leo asked, smiling. "I should leave that demon in there for a while, at least until you've cleaned the whole house."

"Whoa there, I did not volunteer to do that," Mikey said quickly.

"Yep, there's the old Mikey again." Leo pulled him into a hug. "You're right of course. With the housecleaning crew's services suspended, we have to remember to do those chores. But Mikey, I did laundry yesterday."

"Not the bedding. You didn't strip the beds and boy, do they ever needed changing."

"Then let's deal with that while we wait for April to come down and get 'branded'," Leo said. "We need to see if she'll eat something before she leaves. Something light."

"Yeah, her stomach's probably in knots just like mine," Mikey said. "I spent an hour researching how a healed brand looks on a human's arm. If I go too slow painting it on, it won't look right, and if I go too fast, I'll screw up a line."

"Don't overthink it, Mike. You're a natural at this artistic stuff, you'll be fine," Leo told him. "When April does come down, we should only speak to her in Japanese. She'll benefit from the immersion and it should help to make her more comfortable about hearing and speaking the language."

Mikey started chuckling. "I can just see Casey's face when we're all talking. Where's he at?"

"Upstairs, sleeping in," Leo said. "April didn't want him hanging around making her even more nervous than she already is."

"Is the plan still that April goes alone?" Mikey said. "'Cause bro', I know April can handle herself, but that sorta bothers me. What if someone notices the symbols aren't real and she gets busted?"

"Actually, after we left last night, April had another short conference with Mr. Hidesato. He told her she'd have to arrive at the warehouse in the limo in order to get through the security gate. Since it wouldn't be seemly, his words, for her to drive herself, she needed a chauffeur. Casey is very happy that he'll be there with her, even if he's left sitting in the car."

With all four shell sleds dry docked next to the tide pool, Raph and Don spent over an hour making selections from the stacks of scrap metal they had collected and then carrying what they needed to the service bay.

For years Donatello had done this sort of work by himself. He'd spent hours designing vehicles and then pulling together the necessary materials to make his visions a reality. Usually it was only when one of his brothers wanted something that he could count on their assistance.

He faulted no one for that because each of them had their strengths and their own pursuits. Still, it had been nice when Raphael took an interest in all things mechanical and had begun helping him.

It was especially good right now when there was so much to do and so little time to do it in. While Don was fashioning replacement parts like the rudder on Leo's shell sled, Raph worked on the engines.

When the parts were ready, Don took them and his welding equipment to where the shell sleds sat and with Raph's assistance, made the repairs.

"Four down, one to go," Don said as he removed his welding goggles. "I want to get Mikey's tech pack fixed before I examine our shell cells."

"You get started on that while I make us some lunch," Raph said. "Last thing I want to hear is Leo griping about how you forget to eat and I should've made sure ya' did. Sandwiches sound good?"

"Oh, sure, anything," Don replied, his mind already on his next task.

Raph rolled his eyes and went to the kitchen. When he came back with a plateful of sandwiches, Don had already taken most of the tech pack apart.

"Put the wrench down and go wash your hands," Raph said. When Don started to say something, Raph interrupted. "Yeah, yeah, just one more thing. It's always just one more something with ya'. Stop now so we can eat."

Don recognized the stern look on his brother's face and sighed. He dutifully cleaned his hands and arms before sitting on the stairs next to Raph and taking a sandwich.

There was a faraway look in his eyes as Don ate, making Raph curious.

"Ya' seem kind of distracted, Donny. What are ya' thinking about?" Raph asked.

"Hmm?" Don blinked and looked at his brother. "I'm not really thinking about anything. It just feels odd to be separated from Leo and Mikey. Especially right now. I keep worrying that something will happen and we won't be nearby."

"The shell sleds are working again and for that matter, if there's an emergency, we can always take the truck and get there quick. Ain't no point in worrying like that," Raph assured him.

"You're right of course. We can't always be in each other's shells all the time," Don said.

"Ya' know, I was thinking about something while I was tuning up the engines," Raph said. "About how this bite on the back of my hand started itching just before the Kappa attacked. Makes me wonder if it attracted the creatures, or if it, ya' know, somehow felt them coming."

"You're suggesting a connection because of the relationship between Suikos and Kappas. It's possible, but there is no way we could have known that," Don said.

"Ya' know that thing you're always saying, about how we have to think outside the box? I figure that's exactly what we need to do when it comes to these things. We gotta think about what kind of weird shit could happen, and then be ready for it, no matter how far out it might be," Raph said.

"We can't think of everything," Don said. "Trying to will just drive us crazy."

"I don't like this feeling that things are spiraling out of control," Raph said. "Like we ain't in charge of our own lives anymore."

Don caught Raph's hand in his. "Then we cling to the things we can count on, like each other, and use our training and instincts to get us through the rest. We still have free will, Raph."

Raph frowned, but squeezed Don's hand nevertheless. "I sure as hell hope so."

Casey came downstairs before April did, and went straight to the kitchen. The bedding was in the dryer and Mikey was preparing lunch, which included a pair of trays for Mr. Hidesato and Splinter.

While Casey ate, he and Mikey chatted. Mikey told him about the decision to speak only Japanese until April returned from her meeting with the High Council.

"Ya' guys know I don't speak a lick of Japanese, right?" Casey asked.

"Then it's a good thing you only need to know where to aim the car," Mikey said.

"How am I supposed to know if she gets in trouble and needs me?"

"We'll give you a shell cell and she'll have hers. Besides, April kicks butt. You should know, she's kicked yours a couple of times," Mikey said, grinning widely.

Casey pointed his fork at the turtle. "Ya' ain't on my Christmas list no more."

As Mikey placed food on a tray, he asked, "Remind me again, what did you get me last year?"

"Just my awesome company is all," Casey said. "That's priceless."

"Keep telling yourself that," Mikey said, carrying the tray out of the kitchen.

The door to Mr. Hidesato's room was standing open and Mikey entered. There were two chairs alongside Mr. Hidesato's bed, with Master Splinter occupying one, and April in the other.

April glanced at Mikey and then turned back to Mr. Hidesato. "Any last minute instructions?"

She asked the question in flawless Japanese, and Mr. Hidesato answered in the same language.

"There will be surprise when the Council sees you, and then suspicion," Mr. Hidesato said. "You must appear confident when you address them. Offer nothing, merely deliver your report. All they need to know is that the creatures are being captured as quickly as they are discovered."

"Won't they ask about you?"

"Yes, but you will tell them that I am on a hunt and you have been designated by me as the clan representative. Demanding more than that from you would be considered rude behavior," Mr. Hidesato answered.

"So I should keep my responses succinct and offer no more information than necessary," April said.

"Exactly. They must see nothing in your demeanor or hear anything in your words that would cause them any doubts," Mr. Hidesato replied.

Having no idea how much longer their session was going to last, Mikey rolled the tray table to Mr. Hidesato's bed and place a soup bowl in front of him. Then he walked around to Splinter's side and set his food down on the nightstand.

When he turned around, he saw that April had risen. "I should go and get ready."

"April." Master Splinter's voice stopped her. "We will be with you the entire time. You do not go alone."

"Thank you, Master Splinter." April bowed to him, and then to Mr. Hidesato. "Thank you, Master Hidesato."

Mr. Hidesato acknowledged her with a nod of his head. April and Mikey left the room together, the low murmur of voices following them out.

"They seem to be hitting it off," Mikey said.

"Mutual respect and things in common," April said. She drew a deep breath. "I'm so nervous, Mikey. I didn't want them to see, but I think they know."

"We're all nervous," Mikey said. "Leo sent Raph and Don back to the lair to work on some stuff, so they'll be too busy to worry. Mostly I'm just nervous about getting the symbols right. There's no one who we'd trust more to pull this off."

"No big deal, right?" April asked as they reached the main floor.

"No big deal." Mikey stopped at the bottom of the stairs. "So, Casey's in the kitchen with Leo. Do you want to eat something first, or get branded first?"

"Branded," April answered without hesitation. She smiled. "If they're occupied they won't be looking over our shoulders. Plus, once you've painted me, you can relax."

As it turned out, Michelangelo had no cause for concern. April reminded him that she had two arms and would be wearing long sleeves, so she'd only have to flash the symbols before hiding them again. When he wanted to, Mikey could focus, and he did so as he carefully painted the symbols on her left arm.

It only took one try. Leo and Casey entered the office just as Mikey was finishing the last stroke. He nodded as he inspected the fake brand and then held his arm next to April's.

"What do you think, Leo? Looks okay?"

Leo looked from April's arm to Mikey's and then back again. "It looks like a real brand, even this close. You nailed it, Mikey."

Mikey's sigh of relief was audible. "I'm glad that's done. Mr. H should be up and around the next time he needs to meet with the Council."

"How long is that paint gonna last?" Casey asked.

"Around seven days," Mikey replied, in English.

April held her arm up to give the paint a closer look. "So if there are any problems in the next week or so, I'll still have coverage," she said, switching to English as well.

"There ain't gonna be any problems, babe," Casey said. "You'll have them old geezers eating out of your hand."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Casey." She gave him a stern look. "And stop calling me 'babe'."

He only grinned at her. Mikey cleared his throat and then reverted to Japanese. "How about something to eat, April?"

"I made ginger tea," Leo told her. "It has a soothing effect."

"Maybe a small salad and a piece of toast," April said. "I don't want to go on an empty stomach and have it start making noises during the meeting."

Casey was looking around at them with a lost expression on his face. "This is too weird. I'm gonna go watch some TV until it's time to leave."

He headed for the media room while the other three went to the kitchen.

After April had eaten, she went upstairs to change clothes. The High Council meeting was set for three that afternoon, which was around five a.m. in Japan. Leo located the chauffeur uniform that Mr. Hidesato had worn during the capture of the Yanari and then pulled Casey out of the media room. Casey changed downstairs before hoofing it to the parking garage to fetch the Rolls Royce.

He'd returned by the time April came down. Mr. Hidesato had coached her on what to wear and she was dressed in a simple black pantsuit, with a white shirt. Her hair was pulled back, but still draped over her ears so as to hide the earbud. The protective amulet was in her jacket pocket because Mr. Hidesato had told her that under no circumstances was she to take a chance on anyone seeing it.

Before leaving the house, April tested the earbud and found that she could hear Mr. Hidesato plainly. Casey was given directions to the warehouse and after the turtles wished them both luck, the pair left.

Since Casey had been instructed to avoid speaking to April because she was supposed to hear only Japanese, the two rode in silence. April spent the time reviewing all she had been taught, going over the words she still had trouble with and the etiquette that she was expected to know.

They soon arrived at the Hidesato Importing and Exporting Company warehouse in Brooklyn. The building was large but not ostentatious. It was surrounded by tall fencing with two entry gates; one for the larger shipping trucks and the other for vehicles.

When they turned into the drive the guard glanced at the Rolls and then immediately pressed the button that lifted the gate. Despite the fact that Mr. Hidesato was not in the car, no one tried to stop them or ask questions. The call that Mr. Hidesato had placed to his assistant had cleared the way.

Casey pulled into a parking space bearing Mr. Hidesato's name on a sign. It was right next to a door and no sooner had Casey helped April out of the car, a man opened that door and bowed in greeting.

April bowed in return. Mr. Hidesato had not described his assistant and his appearance surprised her. He was of South Sudanese descent, clean shaven, with hair cut close to his head. Easily over six feet tall and heavily muscled, he practically towered over Casey. His face was expressionless, denoting neither approval nor disapproval.

His voice, when he spoke, was accented. "The chauffer is to wait in the car."

The instruction was in Japanese. April turned to Casey and said, "He said to remain in the car."

Casey started to say something, but April's frown stopped him. Instead, he nodded and got back in behind the wheel of the Rolls.

Mr. Hidesato's assistant, whose name was Ameen Juma, held the door for her. When she had passed through, he carefully locked it behind them. Whether this was from habit or to ensure that Casey wouldn't get curious and decide to follow was anyone's guess.

Mr. Juma led the way through a small office area. Some of the desks were occupied, but the people appeared quite busy and paid no attention to the new arrival. An elevator took them up to the second floor, where the door opened into a waiting room. A large desk, which April presumed belonged to Mr. Juma, was next to an ornate wooden door.

April preceded the man into the office that was on the other side of that door. It was of a fair size, with a desk near a picture window that overlooked the river. Another smaller window afforded a view of the inside of the warehouse, which was filled with boxes and crates.

Like the office back at the house, this room also contained a number of bookcases. From a quick glance, April saw that most had to do with antiques and collectibles. She had no opportunity to explore because Mr. Juma was opening another door for her.

This time when April entered, the man did not. "I will be at my desk when you are ready to leave."

"Thank you, Mr. Juma," April said, bowing.

He returned the bow. "You may call me Ameen."

With that he pulled the door closed. April turned to see a single small table and chair at the center of the room. In front of it was a large, wall mounted monitor. There were no windows in the room, and the lightening was soft. On the table was a pitcher of water and a glass.

April walked to the table and stood next to the chair. Glancing around, she saw that the walls, ceiling and floor had symbols etched into them. They were similar to the symbols etched into the coffer.

After that quick observation she turned her attention to the monitor and kept it there. She was early. Mr. Hidesato had told her that early was on time, on time was late, and late was not acceptable.

It took effort not to fidget. When the monitor flickered to life, April nearly jumped.

One by one the monitor was filled with images of both men and women, each in rooms similar to the one that April was in. When it was clear that everyone was present, the attendees each pulled back their sleeves to display their Warder symbols.

April held her breath as she too pulled back her sleeve to show the symbols that Mikey had painted on her arm. Mr. Hidesato had instructed that once her arm was fully extended, she mentally say to herself, "one thousand one", and then cover her arm.

She did so, careful not to seem in a hurry. There was no outcry or question as she slowly pulled her shirt and jacket sleeve back into place. Only then did she allow herself to breathe again.

"The Hidesato clan is present and prepared to report," April said, speaking the words in a carefully modulated tone. Receiving nods of acknowledgement from those on her monitor, she bowed and took a seat.

After Casey and April left the house, Leo helped Mikey tidy up the kitchen and then the two turtles went back to the office.

Both of them stood in front of a set of bookshelves. "Got any idea where we left off?" Mikey asked. "Got any idea how many journals there are?"

Leo's eyes roamed over the journals. "That's a question for Donny. He's probably already calculated the number. The ones we've scanned are mixed in with others we haven't. We need some organization here."

"I can see those colored stickies poking up from some of the journals," Mikey said, pulling several off of a shelf. He quickly re-arranged two shelves and then pointed at them. "There. That shelf is finished journals and that shelf isn't."

He expected some sort of acknowledgment and when one wasn't forthcoming, he looked over at his brother. Leo's gaze was focused upwards, to a shelf above his head. He had the same faraway look that he got when having a premonition.

"Leo?"

Rather than respond, Leo reached up to touch a journal. For a moment he froze and Mikey moved closer as he grew concerned.

"What's going on, bro'?"

Mikey lightly touched Leo's shoulder. His brother blinked then and shook his head, as though clearing it. He took the journal down from the shelf and then turned towards Mikey as the journal fell open in his hands.

On a small section of one page was the drawing of a woman of sorts, her face distorted like that of a witch. She had two short horns growing from her head and despite her grotesque appearance, she held a red fan in a coquettish manner.

"I had a vision," Leo said, his voice low. "I was scanning the shelves and as soon as I saw this journal, I had a vision of this creature. Her eyes were red. She was near water; near a dam. I recognized it as the New Croton Dam. She was playing with a pile of human bones, casting them down on the ground and staring at them before doing the same thing again."

"That dam is over twenty miles outside of the city," Mikey said. "I thought the yokai weren't leaving the city."

"There must be a reason," Leo said. "There were other bones near her, human bones, stripped clean. I saw clothes too; clothes that were torn and stained."

Mikey slipped his shell cell from his belt. "Time to get Donny and Raph back here."

Leo nodded absentmindedly as he carried the journal to the couch. "No hurry. Tell them to return in the truck." He sat down and began to read.

'No hurry' was code for, 'it's not dark yet'. Mikey called Raphael so as not to interrupt anything Don might be in the middle of doing. Taking the conversation into the war room, he relayed Leo's message and the information about his brother's vision.

Raph was determined to return right away, daylight or no daylight, but when he said that Don was taking a nap, Mikey talked him out of waking the genius.

"Ya' better keep an eye on Leo then," Raph said. "Don't need him going into some damn trance when we ain't around."

"I'm right here with him. Nothing's going to happen," Mikey assured him.

After the call, Mikey went back to the office. An earlier glance had shown him that the journal entry that interested Leo was a few pages long, and his brother should have been finished reading it. He found Leo still deeply engrossed in the journal and rather than bother him, Mikey grabbed a couple of journals and started scanning them into the computer.

It was a little after five when April returned. Leo and Mikey came out to greet her when they heard the door.

"Where's Casey?" Mikey asked.

"He went to return the Rolls to the garage," April said. "He's going to take the van to the market and grab a few things for dinner."

Leo addressed the subject topmost in his mind. "How did the meeting go?"

"I think it went well," April said. "No one asked anything I wasn't ready for and Mr. Hidesato helped me with some of the answers." She took off her jacket. "I want to go up and talk to him and Master Splinter, and then change into something comfortable."

"Raph and Don should be back soon," Leo said. "You can tell us everything during dinner."

He pointed to his ear and April nodded her understanding. The earbud was still on and there were things the turtles wanted to ask that they didn't want Mr. Hidesato to hear.

The turtles returned to the office after April went upstairs. Leo had left the journal open and face down on the coffee table. He returned to color coding the shelves, but before going back to scanning, Mikey stopped next to him.

"I guess I'll hear about what you found at dinner too, huh?"

"Oh, sorry, Mikey," Leo said. "I was processing. The journal opened to a page that talks about a female demon called a Kijo."

"What's so special about a Kijo that you need to process?" Mikey asked.

"For one thing, they excel at magic," Leo told him. "We should talk more about that with the others."

"Great, just great," Mikey groused. "As if there wasn't already enough magic involved. So, uh, speaking of magic and the Council, didn't April's 'it went well' sound kinda off? Wouldn't she have said something like, 'it was easy, or 'piece of cake' instead if everything was okay?"

"April isn't normally effusive," Leo said. "I'm sure everything is fine."

Mikey gave him a dirty look. "Effusive. You've been eating out of Donny's bowl again, haven't you?"

Leo glanced at him. "We'll learn everything at dinner. You just have to be patient."

"Right. Patient." Mikey turned and stomped back to the war room, muttering under his breath.

Watching him for a moment, Leo was struck by a sense of misgiving. If there was one thing that they all agreed upon, it was that Mikey had fantastic insight. His sensing that something was off about April's response might actually be cause for alarm. What he had said to his younger brother was right though, there was no point dwelling on it now when they'd have their answers in a couple of hours.

Raph and Don returned just as the table was being set for dinner. They came in through the laundry room door and washed up at the kitchen sink before taking their seats.

Michelangelo returned from delivering dinner to Mr. Hidesato and Splinter and joined the group at the table.

"Before ya' ask, we left the truck parked down the street," Raph said, looking over at Leo. "Didn't want people around here thinking that Mr. H was moving out."

"We'll have to revisit your idea about getting something more nondescript for ourselves," Leo replied.

Don passed the salad bowl and said, "Sensei seems to be hitting it off with Mr. H. He's taken all of his meals upstairs at the man's bedside."

There was almost a question in that statement. Raph snorted. "Ya' know the man better than the rest of us, Dr. Don. Maybe Mr. H likes talking to someone closer to his age."

"They have Japan in common, guys," April said. "Even though Master Splinter was still a normal rat at the time, he does have memories of his home country."

"Maybe when he looks at Mr. H, he sees what Master Yoshi might have become," Mikey said, talking with food in his mouth. He shrugged when everyone gaped at him. "What? Master Yoshi was a protector and so is Mr. H. They both had to be good at keeping secrets. They're both loyal to their cause and they both grew up learning martial arts."

"He's got a good point," Casey said.

Raph scowled at him and Leonardo decided to change the subject. "Speaking of protecting a cause, tell us about your meeting, April."

"Well." April took a breath. "Let me start from the company warehouse. It's surrounded by a high fence and there are guards."

"Everywhere," Casey chimed in.

"When we got to the warehouse, we were met by Mr. Hidesato's assistant, a big man named Ameen Juma." April described him and the details about the offices, warehouse and Council meeting room. "I'm afraid I didn't get a chance to do a thorough search of the bookshelves in his office, but there are a lot of books there."

"So those missing journals could be there," Raph said.

April nodded. "It's possible. Maybe I can get in there again and find a way to get rid of Juma for a while."

"I can always create a diversion," Casey said with a grin.

"I'm sure Mr. Hidesato would prefer we didn't break anything," April told him. "Anyway, waiting in that weird room with all the symbols was a little nerve wracking, but I didn't have to wait long. That part went smoothly." She turned to Mikey. "No one even batted an eyelash when they looked at the fake warder symbols."

"I'm just that good." Mikey blew on his fingernails and then rubbed them against his chest.

"Ignore him," Raph said. "What happened next?"

"It was awkward," April answered. "Mr. Hidesato warned me they would be suspicious and they were. Some even seemed hostile. I kept to the facts and reported that the captures are being done in an expeditious manner and without drawing public notice. I stressed that part because that is what Mr. Hidesato said they needed to understand. I'm glad he was in my ear the whole time though, because there were a couple of clan representatives who asked questions he's already fielded."

"Stuff about us?" Leo asked.

"Yes, mostly. Questions about the force they sometimes feel when you guys combine powers," April said. She added quickly, "I didn't tell them anything about that of course. When they asked anything that was out of bounds, I merely responded that I wasn't empowered to elaborate and that Mr. Hidesato would address their concerns at the next meeting."

"Sounds like you handled it really well," Don said.

"So what's bothering you?" Mikey asked. "Something's off, I can tell."

"You always can," April said, giving him a soft smile. "And you're right. The first thing was the meeting room itself. I could feel something when I was in there, some energy, like a vibration. At first I thought it was my imagination, but I don't think so now. It reminds me of the way I feel when I'm deep into meditation with Master Splinter."

"Perhaps those symbols you mentioned enhance a warder's chi," Don said.

"Or, you know, get you all vibrating on the same wave length," Mikey said.

"Maybe that's what led me to my second impression, because what's mostly bothering me are a few of the clan reps that were present. Those were the ones giving me the hardest time. I don't know anything tangible, and when I mentioned it to Mr. Hidesato he passed it off as their general personalities, but I get the feeling there's more."

"Like what?" Leo asked.

"Like they're just waiting to pounce," April said. "I've experienced enough stuff while hanging around you guys to recognize a certain look in someone's eyes. They seemed, I don't know, jealous. And conniving, like they had a secret agenda."

"Maybe they're the spies," Mikey said before tearing into a chicken drumstick.

"Spies? What spies? I ain't heard about spies," Casey said.

"We're just wondering how the other warder clans learned that these creatures escaped," Raph said. "Mr. H didn't tell them. Least he says he didn't."

"I'm sure he didn't, Raph," Don said. "It is possible though, that some other clan had a concern about the elder Mr. H. I mean, he did leave Japan with a coffer filled with creatures. That opens up a lot of questions."

"Questions we can ask at a more appropriate time," Leo said, his tone firm. "We have a hunt to prepare for and I don't think it's going to be an easy one."

He proceeded to tell them about his vision. As he talked, the scowl that Raph was already wearing deepened.

"Sounds to me like we're being directed again," Raph said as soon as Leo stopped talking. "I thought we agreed we weren't gonna let outside forces tell us what to do."

"The problem is that we don't know if my visions are being directed or if they're a natural offshoot of my powers," Leo said. "Are we now going to outright ignore the things that I see?"

"We did say we would start searching using more conventional methods," Don said.

"And we will," Leo said. "There was no opportunity to do that today what with preparing April for the Council meeting. Since we have no other candidates, we have to go after the yokai that we know about."

"So why don't you see if you can verify Leo's vision through conventional methods?" April asked. "I don't mean the veracity of his vision; I mean whether there are reports that tie in with this yokai being active. If you find information that points towards another creature operating elsewhere, then you can decide which one you want to hunt."

"Yeah, that's smart," Casey said. "'Cause if I understand how this stuff works, Leo could be seeing something this Kijo thing is gonna do in the future, but maybe not right now."

"Leo and I can focus on any reports having to do with the New Croton Dam or somewhere in its vicinity," Don said. "The rest of you can check news reports, papers, the internet, etcetera, for hints of yokai activity."

Leo pushed back his chair and stood up. "The first thing I'm going to do is talk to Mr. Hidesato about my vision. I'm sure Master Splinter could do with a break."

He left before anyone could speak. When he was gone, the others looked around the table at each other.

"Is he okay?" April asked.

"He's been kinda off since he found that journal," Mikey said.

"He said the thing excels at magic," Raph said. "Ya' don't think it can infect people the way the Onryō did, do ya'?"

"Like maybe he wants to be alone with Mr. H to finish the job that bitch started?" Casey asked.

"Fuck, I hate this," Raph growled. He got up. "I'm gonna go stand next to the bedroom door and listen in."

Donatello got up at the same time and caught Raph's arm. "No, let me. If he is infected and attempts something, I can catch him in a protective bubble right from where I'm standing. You'd have to cross the room to get to him and you know how fast he can be."

Raph conceded his point with a stiff nod and Don left. Looking over at Mikey, Raph said, "We need to figure out how to tell if one of us is infected."

"What we need is to figure out how not to get infected," Mikey said.

April rose from her chair. "If everyone is finished, I can start looking for strange occurrences in the Croton-on-Hudson area until Don and Leo return. Casey can clear the table and clean the kitchen."

"Hey!" Casey protested.

On his way up to Mr. Hidesato's bedroom, Leo thought about the dinner conversation and realized how his abrupt exit might have sounded to his brothers and friends. The truth was that it irked him to be second guessed with regards to the powers he'd been given when those belonging to his brothers were not suspect.

He knew what he was feeling was foolish pride and he needed to accept that. His brothers had some semblance of control over their gifts. He did not. The dreams, visions, precognitions, astral travel, and possession abilities were all extremely necessary to their work, but they came with a downside. All of their gifts came with a downside. It was just that Leonardo's could get them all killed.

Leo knocked on Mr. Hidesato's door and then entered. Mr. Hidesato and Master Splinter were listening to a radio program and their empty dinner dishes were stacked on the food tray.

Mr. Hidesato took one look at the turtle's face and said, "You have had a vision."

"Yes, in an unusual way."

Splinter rose from his chair and picked up the tray of dishes. "I will take these downstairs while you discuss this business."

As he walked from the room, Leo moved over to the bed. He didn't notice when Splinter paused at the threshold and then left without fully closing the door.

"Mikey and I were looking over journals we hadn't yet opened," Leo began without a preamble. "One of them seemed to call to me. As soon as I touched it, I saw one of the creatures."

He described the vision in detail and then how the journal had opened to the exact yokai from that vision.

"A Kijo," Mr. Hidesato murmured. "A most difficult demon. I have not read that entry in quite some time, but if I recall, it is more detailed than most."

"There was even a picture to go with the description of the capture," Leo said. "It said that Kijo are women who have been transformed through either intense jealousy, heinous crimes, or some grudge that has twisted their soul into one of sheer hatred."

"Yes, they then retreat from society and move to places where they can continue to perpetrate their evil deeds," Mr. Hidesato said. "I am not familiar with this dam you saw in your vision. Is it a remote location?"

"Somewhat, yes. It's a little over an hour outside of the city. We were not expecting any of the yokai to actually leave the city."

"The Kijo will have searched for a place of great magical power," Mr. Hidesato said. "Your Master Splinter has told me of the ley lines. If the Kijo has left the city, it was because she sensed one of these lines and followed it to another place of great power."

Leo's eyes narrowed in thought. "Water. The city relies on water supplied by the reservoir, which is formed by the dam. One of the ley lines must run near that area."

"Water is a powerful force and an element of supreme importance to those seeking power through magic," Mr. Hidesato said. "It can be used in healing rituals, but it can be perverted through witchcraft to do great harm. The Kijo spend their lives accumulating powerful spells. This one must be stopped before she turns the water to her own purpose."

"The journal was a little vague on the details with regards to how one captures a Kijo," Leo said.

"Unfortunately, that is because there is no set way to do so," Mr. Hidesato said. He grimaced and pushed against the bed in order to sit straighter. "To capture a Kijo, you must find the element upon which she has fixated. For some, it is the dirt on a mountainside, for others, it is a swirling wind, while still others must be burned by the very fire they worship. This Kijo is using water, so water becomes a part of her capture."

"How so?" Leo asked.

"Her trap coin must be bathed in the same body of water she is using for her conjuring's. The coin must be wet when it is shoved into her mouth, to stop her from speaking any spells. If it dries, it will have no power over her," Mr. Hidesato said. "This means that if she is not already near the water when you find her, then she must be lured to the water."

As he finished speaking he winced and made another pained movement. Leo took a step closer to the bed. "Are you all right? Should I call Donny?"

"No, no, I am fine," Mr. Hidesato said. "Not to be indelicate, but it seems I require use of the facilities. On the one hand, I am happy to find that I am having no difficulties in that area, but on the other, getting up from the bed is still a feat for which I need assistance."

Leo helped him move the blankets aside and then repositioned the man so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed. Mr. Hidesato slung an arm across Leo's shoulders as the turtle helped him to stand. Leaning heavily on Leo, Mr. Hidesato walked to the bathroom, but once he was inside, he caught hold of the grab bar next to the toilet to support himself.

"I can manage from this point," Mr. Hidesato said. "Thank you. Please, let me know the outcome of this hunt."

"I will," Leo promised and pulled the door shut behind him.

He was walking out of the room when something caught his notice. Pausing, Leo sniffed the air and recognized a familiar scent, one that was strong enough to indicate that Donatello had been standing there only seconds before.

Concerned, he took the stairs two at a time and arrived on the ground floor just as Don was about to enter the office.

"Were you looking for me?" Leo asked.

"I . . . no." Don's cheeks colored a little. "You were taking a while and I was worried that something was wrong with Mr. Hidesato."

Leo knew his brother well enough to recognize a prevarication. "Donny. I'm sorry I left so abruptly, but you don't have to worry about me. It's . . . difficult to know that the gifts I've been given might not be reliable. Every time I have a vision, I have to question whether to trust it or not."

Don smiled gently, the soft look one of his more endearing traits. "You don't have to do that questioning alone, Leo. We're right here with you in this. We lean on each other, remember?"

He held his hand out and Leo took it to receive a reassuring squeeze from his brother.

"Are the two of ya' gonna stand out there all night, or do ya' wanna come in here and see out what we found?" Raph called out.

Raph was standing at the entrance to the war room waiting for them and they followed him inside. April was at one of the computers looking at an image of the New Croton Dam.

"We're still looking for other indications of yokai activity," April began, waving towards Mikey and Casey, "but I did find reports about tourist disappearances near the dam. There are some nature trails, a ninety-seven acre park, and a nature preserve near there. At least one engineer associated with dam maintenance has also gone missing."

"Then we're going after the Kijo," Leo said in a tone that brooked no argument. He relayed the information he'd gotten from Mr. Hidesato and added, "If she isn't caught quickly, she'll do more than kill whatever hapless person crosses her path. She could do something to the water, something that poisons it. She could damage the dam itself. She's a grudge spirit. This is a yokai whose power grows stronger the longer she's out of captivity."

"Okay, Leo, ya' made your point," Raph said. "Ya' had us bring the moving truck 'cause ya' knew we'd be driving out to Westchester County no matter what else we found."

"I was anticipating a need based on the facts at hand," Leo told him.

"Are you guys going to fight?" Mikey asked. "'Cause if you are, could you take it somewhere else so we can work?"

Leo took a deep breath and released it. "We're not going to fight. We're not fighting. Raph is right. I made an assumption. We're in this together and we should figure it out together."

The tension in Raph's shoulders eased. "We ain't found anything better to hunt and sitting around here doing nothing is giving me hives. Let's go get that bitch. I hate witches."

"Ya' want me to drive?" Casey asked. "Just in case, ya' know, some park ranger or cop comes around. I could take the truck somewhere else until ya' call."

April gave Don a pleading look and he quickly said, "Sure. It's a long drive and it would probably be better if you were at the wheel. We can cut some of the travel time by taking the tollway with you in the driver's seat."

"Got a plan?" Mikey asked.

"First we find the location that was in my vision," Leo answered. "Once we know the lay of the land, we determine the best course of action. It would be prudent to spot the yokai before she spots us."

"We heading out now?" Raph asked.

Leo nodded. "Yes. The recreational areas should all be closed by now, right Donny?"

Donatello was at his laptop. "They are, they close at dusk. There's another larger park nearby that does allow camping, but the yokai would have to move away from the area of the dam to get at the people there. Until she gets stronger, I doubt she'll go far from her power source."

"She ain't getting any stronger," Raph said. "I can promise ya' that."

"Hey, Raph, toss me the truck keys." Casey caught them when they were thrown. "I'll bring the truck around front."

When he was out of the room, April touched Don's shoulder. "Thanks. He feels really guilty about freeing these creatures. Giving him a chance to help catch them eases that a little."

"I know," Don replied. "Don't worry, we won't let him get out of the truck."

While Don was getting the wax tool and proper trap coin, Leo picked up the journal containing the Kijo entry and tucked it under one arm.

"What are ya' doing with that?" Raph asked.

"Taking it with us," Leo answered. "I have a feeling it can help to pinpoint the Kijo's location."

April headed upstairs to check on Mr. Hidesato as they were leaving, promising to make certain that Master Splinter also got some rest. With the turtles in the back of the moving truck, Casey took the fastest route to Croton-on-Hudson, which was where the New Croton Dam was located.

Raph sat down next to Leo, who had the journal open on his lap. Don was scrolling through his laptop and Mikey had his earphones on, listening to music as a way to pass the time.

"She really gonna look like that?" Raph asked, tapping the image the warder had drawn.

"Yeah." Leo looked up. "At least she did in my vision."

"Those have been spot-on," Raph said. He caught Leo's eyes and held them. "Never doubted that, just so ya' know. My gripe is with the idea of getting led around like I'm on some kind of invisible leash."

"You never have liked being leashed," Leo responded with a smile.

Raph snorted. "No double entendre there, right?"

Leo set a hand on his brother's forearm. "Thanks, Raph."

"For what?"

"For hearing me out, even if you don't agree," Leo said. "Your opinions mean a lot to me."

"Ya' ain't gonna start getting mushy on me, are ya'?" Raph asked. "Not sure I could handle that."

They passed the remainder of the ride studying the Kijo entry and talking quietly. It had taken them years to learn to communicate in this way, to talk things out without taking them personally or trying to shout each other down.

Croton-on-Hudson was a very picturesque area and in late September the foliage was changing color. It was something the turtles didn't get to experience often, so they took the opportunity to watch the scenery go by. In the back of Leo's mind was the fact that this show of colors also attracted tourists and hikers, all of whom would be fodder to the Kijo.

They were on the road to the dam when Don looked over at his brothers and asked, "Do you feel it?"

Mikey slipped his earphones off. "I feel something."

Leo and Raph had been sitting in silence for a couple of minutes. Leo nodded. "I do too."

"Feels like a hum," Raph said. "Ya' know, like when you're close to something electrical and can feel the vibration?"

"What is that?" Mikey asked.

"It think it's the ley line," Don said. "I think it runs alongside the Hudson River."

"Why the hell are we feeling it?" Raph asked.

Leo closed the journal that still lay open on his lap. "Because the magic inside of us is growing."

"We're tuning in to the harmonics of the ley lines," Don said. "That could be very useful."

"Not unless we can turn it off too," Mikey said. "I don't want to feel humming when I'm trying to sleep."

"Ya' ain't gotta worry about sleep right now," Raph said as Casey made a turn onto a small road which led to a picnic area. "Looks like we're here."

"This is the Old Croton Trail Endpoint," Casey said. He pointed to their left. "There's the dam where it cuts into the hill and that's Croton Gorge Park at its base. Ya' gotta walk a ways to get to the spillway. I can find a place up ahead to pull off the road and into the trees."

"Let us out here and then do that," Leo instructed. "Use your shell cell to let us know if you need to move. Don't expect a reply; I have a feeling we're going to be a little busy."

"What if ya' need help?" Casey asked as he came to a stop.

"We won't," Raph said, opening the side door.

Casey grumbled something under his breath. Before leaving the truck, Mikey grabbed his hoverboard and strapped it to his carapace.

The turtles made a quick dash across the open picnic grounds and then stopped at the base of the stairs which led up to the viewing platform.

"If she's looking for victims, this is a great place to find them," Don remarked, indicating a full trash receptacle.

"Not here," Raph said. "Too wide open. She'd have been seen and there would've been reports of the sightings."

Leonardo had the journal in his hands and flattened one of his palms on the cover. For just a second his eyes glazed over and then he shook his head.

"On the other side of the water is a hiking trail," Leo said. "It runs through the woods. She hides amongst the boulders."

The group jumped over the fence that separated the park from the river.

"Looks like we're getting wet," Raph said.

"Speak for yourself," Mikey said as he slipped out of the straps and hopped on his hoverboard. "Ha, ha, ha, ha!"

"Mikey!" Leo hissed.

His brother was already zooming out over the water before anyone could stop him. Leo quickly slid the journal into the large plastic bag he'd brought and then leaped onto a boulder that was sticking up from the water.

Jumping from boulder to boulder, the other three turtles crossed the swift running current and made it to the other side without getting dunked. The mist rising from the water as it rolled over the spillway made the air wet, dampening their skin in the process.

Mikey was waiting for them with a huge grin on his face. He'd strapped the hoverboard back into place and was leaning against a tree. Raph immediately stomped up to him.

"Do ya' even know what being quiet means?" Raph demanded. "Why don't ya' just write a sky message telling the Kijo that we're coming?"

The grin changed to a sheepish look. "Sorry."

"Where to now, Leo?" Don asked.

"Alongside the river," Leo answered, pointing away from the dam. "She's not far, so we need to be silent."

All three of his brothers stared at Mikey.

"Okay, okay." Mikey held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Message received."

When they'd left the truck and crossed the picnic area, the sounds of nature had accompanied them; bat calls, the hooting of owls, croaking toads and insects. The farther into the woods they progressed, the fewer of those sounds they heard. Even the waterfall from the dam was muted.

It was eerie and something they had noted before when hunting yokai. Those still wild living things had highly tuned survival instincts, unlike the complacent humans who tended to wander into traps.

Following Leo's lead, they moved up an incline away from the water and quickly located the walking trail. Dense growth ran along both sides of the trail and they saw a sign warning hikers to stay on the cleared path. In winter, the area would have a more barren look, but for the moment there was a riot of colors.

Though the vegetation was dense, the turtles left the trail for the cover it provided. Leonardo still held the journal and even in the plastic bag it seemed to guide him because he never hesitated as he led the way.

They moved parallel to the water, never going far from it. Nor were they far from the dam when they began to hear a sort of low murmur and then chanting.

The turtles slowed their pace, moving in a silent formation towards the sound. A short way back the trail had veered uphill away from the water, due to the rocky terrain.

A cackling sound brought the turtles to a stop, all of them dropping into a crouch. Carefully inching forward, they peered through the underbrush and had their first sighting of the Kijo.

She was dressed entirely in rags and wore no shoes. Her finger and toenails were long and claw like, and two sharp horns protruded from her forehead. Red eyes gleamed from a face that was hideously masklike, her skin white and her features distorted into an evil grimace.

Tangled, dirty hair flowed around her as she moved, her body swaying and her hands, one of which held a red fan, waved over a pile of bones on the ground in front of her. She stood on a grassy outcropping which was next to the water and her chanting was lifting a wet fog around her.

With a flick of his fingers, Leo caught his brothers' attention. Using hand signs, he indicated that Donatello was to stand ready with the trap coin, making sure that it was wet with water from the stream. The other three turtles would tackle the Kijo, driving her to the ground and holding her so that Don could shove the coin into her mouth.

Nodding their understanding of the plan, the turtles got into position, preparing to pounce. Then Don dropped his duffel bag, reached into his belt and extracted the trap coin.

The instant the coin was in the open, the Kijo's head spun towards them, her eyes gleaming. She hissed and the turtles charged.

They weren't fast enough. Whipping her arms into a wide arc, the Kijo turned to the water and muttered an incantation. Leonardo was almost on her when jets of water shot up from the stream and hit the bones.

There followed an intense clattering sound and Leo skidded to a stop as the bones rose before him to form mangled mockeries of living people.

A half dozen bone people immediately formed a semi-circle in front of the Kijo. She cackled hideously, a wide smile showing broken, crooked teeth. The turtles quickly drew their weapons and charged.

Though unarmed, the bone people attacked with both a vigor and a sturdiness that was deceiving. Michelangelo received a strike to his arm that almost knocked his nunchaku from his hand, and Raphael's ankle stung from the glancing blow he got while trying to leap over an assailant.

Leonardo's katana bit into a boney arm and while tugging it free, he sliced at the hand coming at his face. His blade cut through water rather than bone, and the hand fell free once separated from the enchanted liquid.

It didn't remain separated as a thin line of water rolled down the bone body to retrieve the hand. From the corner of his eye, Leo saw Michelangelo simultaneously strike both the lower and center of a bone body, completely separating the structure, only to have it rise right back up again.

Raphael jabbed his sai into the empty eye socket of a skull and ripped it loose before throwing it into the stream. He kicked the remaining bones aside and dashed at the Kijo before being blocked by another bone body. The skull of his first victim sprang up from the stream and plopped back down on its bone body before grabbing hold of Raph's carapace to drag him backwards.

At the stream's edge, Donatello dipped the coin into the water and then ducked and rolled as a bone body jumped at him. Holding tightly to the coin, Don whipped out his bō and turned to the side to perform a single-handed upward flower maneuver, the swift circular motion of the staff holding the bone body at bay.

Continually spinning the staff, Donatello strode towards his brothers, who were locked in battle with the other bone bodies. Periodically, the staff would strike bone as one of the attackers leaned in too close, but the movement of the bō knocked them away.

The maneuver worked until another bone body jumped into the fray, grabbing at the staff as Don turned towards his initial attacker. Don immediately found himself in a tug of war for the bō, while the first bone body made a grab for the trap coin.

Jerking the coin back in towards his body earned Don a series of gashes along his hand and wrist. The warder symbols on his arm suddenly lit up and his body was quickly enveloped in a protective bubble which shoved the bone bodies away from him.

Seeing Don's warder magic activate, Mikey focused on his symbols and felt the burning sensation that signaled his own power coming to life. Tucking one of his nunchucks into his belt, Mikey began firing his reddish orange laser blasts at bone bodies.

His blasts struck one of the bone bodies that was on top of Raphael, pinning him to the ground. The symbols on Raph's arm lit up and he drove a fist into the other bone body, smashing its ribs into dust.

The symbols on Leo's arm brightened and he dove past a bone body, rolling and then springing to his feet as he ran headlong at the Kijo. She started to chant again, drawing more water up from the stream, and Leo snatched a pair of shuriken from his belt. Throwing them, he hit her in the throat with one and the forehead with the other. The water fell back down, but the Kijo seemed otherwise unaffected, easily pulling the shuriken out and tossing them away.

A hurtling bone body struck Leo in the side and threw him to the ground before landing on him. As he struggled to free himself, he saw Don stride past, his protective bubble causing several bone bodies to slide off as they tried to grab him.

The Kijo began to mutter under her breath as her glowing red eyes followed Donatello's progress. She made no attempt to escape him, instead looking him over in what seemed like anticipation.

Alarmed at what he saw, Leo shouted, "Donny! Be careful!"

Confident in the protection offered by the magic bubble, Don moved faster, not noticing that the bone bodies had turned away from him and gone back to his brothers to keep them from coming to his aid.

Don was nearly on top of the Kijo when her eyes flashed and with a screech, she raked her claws across the bubble, shattering it completely.

Caught by surprise, Don blinked and before he could move, the creature pounced on him, making him drop his staff. Her sharp toenails dug into his thighs as she squatted atop his body and grabbed at his arms. When he swung a fist at her face, she caught his forearm and forced it to the ground, stunning him again with her strength.

He lifted his other hand, the trap coin wrapped in his fist, but she struck his wrist so hard that his hand jerked open and the coin flipped out towards the water.

It rolled across the grass and stopped just at the water's edge. Don managed to get his arm under her chin, struggling to keep her snapping jaws away from his face.

The Kijo cackled as she clawed at his arm, digging deep gashes into his thick muscles. The warder symbols had gone dark when she'd destroyed his protective bubble and he could not activate them again.

"I am going to eat your magic," the Kijo hissed in his face. "I will eat all four of you and then devour your city."

Two bone bodies had Leo pinned to the ground. Michelangelo continued firing blasts at the bone bodies attacking him, and though each burst demolished their form, the water drew the bones back together again.

Raphael was encountering the same dilemma. His warder enhanced strength kept the bone bodies from pulling him down, but the water prevented him from being able to break them apart. He was closest to Don and seeing that, Mikey turned away from his attackers and blasted the ones nearest Raph.

It gave Raph the moment he needed to make a diving leap at the Kijo.

His shout pulled her attention off of Donatello and when she looked up, Don swiveled his hips to the side, dislodging her feet. He kicked her in the stomach and threw her off of him. The Kijo hit the ground and rolled before coming up onto her knees.

She was starting towards Don again when Raphael crashed headlong into her, throwing her into the air. Landing on her back, the Kijo rolled feet over head and came to a stand, her hand outstretched towards the water.

"Ye~haw!"

Mikey came barreling through the air astride his hoverboard and smashed into the creature's shoulder. The hit spun her off of her feet and into the water.

As soon as the Kijo was submerged, the enchanted water lost its shape and fell harmlessly to the ground. All of the bones which it had held together fell as well.

Freed of his bone restraints, Leonardo leaped to his feet and dove into the water.

"Leo! Dammit!" Raph shouted before diving in after him.

"Mikey!" Don yelled and when he got his brother's attention, pointed at the embankment. "Get the coin!"

Without waiting, Don then jumped into the water as well. Swimming to where he'd seen the Kijo go down, he spotted his two brothers struggling to keep her submerged, their warder symbols shining. Realizing that under water she couldn't chant any spells, Don kicked hard to dive towards the group and then he wrapped his arms around her flailing legs.

Mikey dropped his hoverboard and snatched up the coin from where it had fallen. Looking out over the water, he saw where churning froth was rising to the surface and plunged in headfirst, swimming furiously to reach his brothers.

As he approached, Mikey saw the Kijo fighting savagely to free herself. The red of her eyes shone in the water and they quickly zeroed in on the orange banded turtle, seeming to sense that he carried with him the trap coin.

She managed to rip one of her arms out of Leo's grasp but he quickly caught it again as Mikey bore down on her. Whipping her head from side to side, she tried to keep him from her mouth, but Mikey grasped a handful of hair and jerked her head back before striking her in the throat.

Her mouth dropped open for just a second but before she could close it, Mikey shoved the trap coin inside and then jammed down on her head and up on her bottom jaw.

The Kijo's frantic movements slowed and the turtles began dragging her towards the shore. When they slid her up onto the muddy embankment, her eyes were fixed and glazed over, her body stiff as a board.

"Wax tool!" Leo ordered, holding out his hand.

Don slapped a hand to his belt and then was hit by a sudden alarming realization. "It's gone! I must have dropped it in the water!"

"Shit!" Raph shouted before diving back into the stream again.

Spinning around, Don leaped into the water as well. Leo stopped Mikey with a hand to his chest. "I'll go. Grab that coin once it has her and hang on."

With that he went into the water. Mikey stood over the Kijo, mentally counting off the seconds as the creature's body began to melt into a gelatinous goo of red colored filth. The process of being drawn into the coin was longer than he'd seen it take with any of the other yokai and could only guess that this was due to her unusual powers.

He saw his brothers one by one come up for air and then dive down again. It was clear that they were having no luck locating the wax tool, a fact that struck home forcefully when the entirety of the Kijo was finally sucked into the trap coin.

Plucking the coin from the grass, Mikey squeezed it between his hands, hoping to hold the Kijo inside. Already he could feel an answering pressure against his palms and knew she was fighting to get free.

Leo suddenly sprang up from the water and looked over at his youngest brother.

"You got her?" Leo called. "We're still looking!"

Struck by an idea, Mikey yelled, "Come here!"

His brother quickly heeded him, climbing out of the water. As soon as he was on shore, Mikey said, "Don's duffel! There are wax cartridges in there!"

Leo immediately caught on and ran to the duffel bag, unzipping it and searching swiftly until he found the container of wax cartridges. He opened it and poured a cartridge into his hand before running back to where Mikey waited.

"Where?" Leo asked when he reached his brother's side.

"In here," Mikey said, creating a small opening between his hands.

Leo slid the wax cartridge inside and then Mikey clamped his hands tightly again. The symbols on his arm brightened and Mikey closed his eyes, muttering to himself in pained whispers as the bands of energy formed along his arms.

Both his hands were soon engulfed in the blaze from his power. They shook as he fought to form a plug in the trap coin, but the Kijo struggled just as hard to get loose.

"Need more," Mikey whispered from between gritted teeth.

Leo quickly clapped his hands on either side of Mikey's, focusing his warder magic into joining that of his brother's.

A nearby splash told them that another of their siblings had come out of the water. Raphael took one look at the pair and ran over to set his hands atop theirs.

"Mikey?" Leo asked, staring at Mikey from between narrowed eyes.

"No, not yet. Just . . . barely . . . holding her."

Raph glanced at the water in desperation and almost as though sensing their need, Don bobbed to the surface.

"Get your ass over here!" Raph yelled.

Don came out of the water as fast as he could. His empty hands proved he'd been unsuccessful in locating the wax tool, but he didn't hesitate to add his hands to those of his brothers.

A flow of massive warder magic swept over them as soon as Don added his power to the mix. Mikey felt the wax melt against his skin and then sweep to fill the opening in the coin.

Just as he did when using the wax tool, Mikey counted down until he was sure the coin had been sealed. As his power faded, so too did his brothers' magic and they released him.

Slowly opening his hands, Mikey showed his brothers the coin, the wax solidly set in its center. Unfortunately, the palms of Mikey's hands were slightly burned.

Leo carefully took the coin from him and Don caught his wrists to examine the burns.

"Oh, Mikey," Don murmured. "Let me get some salve from my bag."

"Better get some bandages for yourself, too," Raph said, looking at the scratches on Don's hands and thighs.

Leo was already back at the water's edge. "Come on, Raph, we still have to find the wax tool."

"Guess I'm getting wet again," Raph said with a grin, following his brother into the water.

Mikey walked with Don back to where his duffel bag sat on the ground. As Don ministered to his hands, Mikey sighed.

"What?" Don asked, looking up.

"You know what I think? I think we need to attach a bungee cord to everything," Mikey told him. "That way when we drop our weapons or say, the wax tool again, we have a way to pull them back."

Don chuckled. "You might just be onto something, Mikey."

End Kijo