The Enemy

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adult or adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Chapter Nineteen -Revelation

Kirra:

I didn't get much sleep, even after I returned home in the wee hours of the morning. Too many questions kept coming to me, and I still didn't seem to know or have the right answers in spite of what I had learned, to sleep with all that going on in my mind.

The images I knew now could only be the memories of my childhood, the time before I had somehow ended up in a lab where Father had found me.

No wonder the Masters of the ryu I was trained in, thought that I was born to be a ninja, as I seemed capable of doing so much for one who had no proper training in the art.

The Masters didn't know and neither did I, that I had been trained. I had even lived among ninja, so it only proved I wasn't as gifted as everyone had assumed me to be at that particular time.

In all my memories though there was not a single memory of the lab, or the scientist who worked there. Why was that? I wondered.

If I could remember things from before the lab and after. Why not the lab itself?

It didn't make sense there had to be a lab.

' There was no lab.' The quiet inner voice whispered.

I shook my head in denial.

No there had to be a lab. Father had found me in a lab, he saved me from that place. At that time he couldn't have known or guessed that I was actually a member of the clan he despised.

' I told you before he knew it all along. He knows who and what you are. He knows it better then you do and yet still you cling to his lies.'

I sighed this was getting so confusing.

Those I once called family were my enemies.

I hadn't seen them for years or even knew anything about them, had forgotten them except for the occasional memory that haunted me. They had at one point loved me, and judging from what my memories had revealed to me, I had once loved them.

Things changed and now, I knew in my heart that there was no way to go back and make right the wrongs that lay between us. I knew they would never have me as a part of their family.

Yet how could I treat them like enemies, knowing what I knew about them now?

Before it had been different. Before I didn't know that I was one of them.

When they died shouldn't I have to die too?

After all the Foot clan's agenda was to obliterate the turtle clan.

But I wasn't one of them, after all. I was loyal to father. I had been his adopted daughter and his bodyguard for so many years now. I had been a member of the turtle clan for what? Six years, that wasn't even half of my life.

I had been with father far longer and I owed him more. The Foot clan was my clan. My father was my leader and Master and I could never, would never betray him.

But if father knew that I was one of them, would he start to change his mind, would he start to doubt me? Now that I knew the truth would I be able to do my duty to father and the clan the way I was supposed to?

' What is it going to take for you to see there was no lab!'

There was a lab father wouldn't lie!

' Oh yes he would. You want to see the lab? You have seen it before but I will show you now. This is your lab' The stern almost angry voice faded.

It was replaced by an image of a dark room with a dim light hanging over head.

A child I knew had to be me, huddled in the light her legs drawn up to her plastron, arms wrapped about her legs, her head up and eyes shifting warily watching the shadows that surrounded her.

She knew that every once in a while a black garbed figure would come and say things, things she knew were lies, the black garbed one would often bring food or drink. Then there were times that the shadows seemed to come alive, and hurt her. Deep painful wounds on arms and legs spoke of how often the shadows caused her pain.

So she was a little afraid of the shadows not quite sure what they would offer or when.

There was fresh bleeding marks on her as she sat crying tears streaming down her face as she whimpered, longing for her daddy or Karena to come save her.

" I am your father Kirra" came a cold voice that sounded slightly changed different, like I had heard it before but it was disguised some how.

" You are not. My daddy Mikeyangelo. I Ramiela not Kirra." The child yelled in fury " You lies to me."

A chain lashed out hitting the arms and legs, breaking open barely healed wounds and causing fresh wounds to open, as the child screamed in pain and tried to huddle up in her shell to protect herself from the lash.

I longed to go in to draw that child to me, protect her from the demon that was after her but I couldn't for the image faded.

A new image of the same dark room came to me.

The child lay prone, her small, limp beaten form lay in a fetal position on the floor. A look of complete and utter despair in her eyes. She was skinny and so badly wounded, it seemed that scars were on top of scars. I doubted that there was much life in her.

" Who are you?" came that same cold chilling voice from the shadows.

" Ra- Kirra. I'm Kirra." The child whispered in a soft hollow sounding tone. She had given up and had accepted the name.

" Who am I?" the voice sounded like it was close to gloating now.

" Your da…" She stopped, a look of fear crossing her face, as if she knew what to expect if she said the word daddy. She flinched cringing slightly as if expecting a blow to come as she hastened to reply, " You're my father."

The ninja stepped forward and I saw his face, and I knew for the child I had been that it was the first time seeing his face since brought into that dark room.

" Good girl Kirra you have finally learned your lesson" he kneeled beside me.

The child crawled into his arms and onto his lap with no fear burying her face in his shirt.

He held me close comforting me with gentle touches while rubbing an ointment on the wounds that helped ease the pain.

He seemed gentle then and I clung to him afraid of the shadows willing to take whatever kindness he'd give me. I was just grateful to not be alone with the shadows that came alive to hurt.

" Yes Kirra my child, my daughter. This lab is a terrible place but my child, if you come with me I will take you to a place where you will learn to be strong and powerful. You will become one with the shadows so you don't have to fear them" he murmured " You will become a powerful kunoichi for me and you will help me destroy my enemies. Won't you Kirra?"

" Yes father. I will don't hurt me" I pleaded.

" I won't hurt you Kirra. I have never hurt you before, and as long as you obey me you will not have to fear anything again." He assured me

" I be good I promise father. I be good kunoichi for you."

" That is right Kirra. You will be the best. I insist upon it."

No, No, No! I denied the last image pushing it from me, " Its not true. It can't be. I know it can't" I felt physically sick and I was sweating hard as if I had just worked out hard.

' Face it he knew it all along. What makes you think he would kill those he has hated all these years but allow you to live? You are his enemy and now he has made you their enemy.'

Father knows my loyalties. I won't go against him.

' Only because he has you too well trained. You are so afraid to do the least little thing to defy him, because he knows what lessons he gave when you tried to defy him before.' The tone had a smirk to it, I was almost certain of that fact. ' Also he made certain you were there to see others disciplined for their crimes, sometimes you were the one to carry out the sentence. He has you so well trained you wouldn't breathe if he told you to stop!'

Why would father do it though? Why when I had been everything that he wanted me to be? When I had spent my whole life living up to what he wanted, and doing things the way he wanted?

No father couldn't have known that I was a member of the turtle clan, there was just no way I could accept that on top of everything else.

' You fool, the only thing I am sure of is that you are not sure of any thing!' the voice scolded sharply, ' All the proof you need must be hidden in his office or in his private room. You have proven that Michaelangelo speaks truth.' The voice paused, ' What of your father's record, there was no lab only a place where he tortured a little girl into almost forgetting the people she once called family. That is who you are loyal to. He is the one who lies!'

I clamped my hands over the side of my head, in hopes of blocking that hard cynical voice from intruding any further, but it was an internal voice to begin with and it continued.

'Go prove it to yourself that your father isn't as honest as your so called enemy!'

No I won't do this. I can't do this. Forget it, just forget all about it. I'll do whatever father asks of me.

Father has no need to hurt me. I'm going be leader of the Foot after all.

' If you don't do this it could mean your very life. Do you want to be faithful to find out it has only earned you your death?'

I huddled into a ball on my bed sobbing uncontrollably. I didn't know what to do, or what I should do. I didn't know if I dared to defy my father to learn the truth or not.

I couldn't recall ever feeling so helpless, so useless or so unsure of myself since I had been a child.

If this madness continued I knew I wouldn't be able to function in any of my duties to the Foot Clan. I had to find a way to stop this for I felt like I was falling apart from the inside out. I hadn't had a decent night sleep since before the turtle's had been captured, and I think the lack of sleep combined with recent revelations was starting to wear on me in more ways then one.

I sighed as I dried my tears and went to splash cold water on my face. I had to go to report to father soon or I would get into trouble for failing to do so. I also knew it wouldn't be wise to let father know that these memories were coming back.

For some reason I felt that him knowing about me gaining knowledge of some, if not all, of my past might cause trouble for me later on.

I did a quick meditation to try and get my mind in order and to block off what I needed to do before heading to father's office.

As soon as I caught sight of father behind his desk it caused me to feel almost instantly, frightened and nauseous. A strong intense surge of revulsion rose up out of nowhere and I shuddered slightly as I tried to regain composure.

" Kirra good I …" father began but he stopped and narrowed his eyes scrutinizing me " Is something wrong you look ill?"

" I'm not feeling too good. But I don't think it is anything to worry about" I murmured.

" True, you don't fall ill that often, but in a few more days I will need you in peak form Kirra." Father admitted.

" The execution of our enemies draws near then?" I essayed.

Father gave a sharp nod of his head " Exactly I just have a few more lessons I need to give and then it will be time. You will finally receive the reward I have promised you these many years, for all your dedication and assistance." Father smiled, " Your service has always been appreciated and a great asset to me Kirra."

" It wasn't much. You provided the training I needed" I demurred.

" You have helped rid me of some difficult enemies over the years Kirra, destroyed many would be assassins within the clan itself. Though the turtles are still the worst of all of them" He sneered slightly, then shook his head " Why not take it easy for today Kirra? I want you in top form when the time comes."

I tried to keep from groaning, if I wasn't kept busy there would be more chance for that pesky bothersome voice to badger me. Never mind what all the memories would do to me. I'd sooner keep myself busy in hopes of keeping all of that at bay.

" I can manage," I protested weakly.

" For today perhaps you will but you could end up making matters worse. If you rest today Kirra then you will be better. You deserve a day to take it easy and I expect you to do just that!" father insisted.

His tone said he had made up his mind and I best not defy him.

I nodded agreement knowing there was little else that I could do.

" There is a bit of reading I've been meaning to catch up on," I admitted.

" Then it is settled. Dismissed Kirra." Father replied turning back to his work on the desk as I left the office, to head back to my room.

On the way I noticed one of the Elite coming up the stairwell and I moved as if to head down the stairs as was my usual habit, the Soldier hardly acknowledged me as he strolled past and headed towards father's office.

What would father be calling the Elite for?

He usually only used them for special missions, of course with the execution only mere days away now, it might be natural for the Elite to be prepared and ready.

Still something seemed strange, almost out of place. Perhaps it was only my highly confused mind turning normal every day occurrences into something suspicious.

I went back up the stairs once I was sure I had given more then enough time and entered stealth mode went towards father's office.

I saw the door ahead was not fully secured and smiled at my luck. I heard the low murmur of voices speaking in Japanese before they switched to the English language.

" How much longer before we are done with the freaks?" the tone was sharp and demanding.

Father did allow the Elite certain liberties now and again but it would not be wise for any of them to overstep that privilege either.

" Patience Kuma, it is necessary to wait a bit longer," Father explained.

" You are still planning on doing it then?" Kuma asked, " It is a waste you know that. A ninja of such skill could still be of use to us."

" Skills yes but there are plenty who have that Kuma. Talented though the ninja might be there is still certain mental problems that are starting to crop up that would be difficult to handle later on." Father replied, " Besides the ninja would have served the purpose that the ninja was trained for. The mind can deteriorate quickly Kuma." Father paused sighing with relief, " When all of this is over Kuma you can end this cloak of deception that you have worn for me for so long. Once again you will be recognized as my son."

I had to guard myself at the sudden shock of those words as I slipped away quickly to avoid either of them to sense my presence. It would not do for me to be caught spying on Father.

His son. Father had a son?

He had never told me that! He had always made me believe that I was his only child.

Kuma his son?

True, Kuma was one of the best among all the Elite and he kept his face covered due to what he claimed was some form of disfigurement, but perhaps it was due to him wanting to hide his facial features that he may have inherited from father.

Kuma had been kept more or less safe while I dealt with the assassins and any one else who targeted father or I for assassination.

If Kuma was his son why would he place me as second in command?

I knew father, being the traditionalist that he was, would allow his son to be the second in command. After all in Japan boys were worth more then girls and Kuma was his own flesh and blood while I, was merely adopted.

Father must have had Kuma secreted from the very first, for I knew Kuma was only about six years older then I. While all along father had me believing that I was his heir, protecting Kuma while I also protected father, for those out to kill father would also seek to kill his heir.

But father had never mentioned Kuma as his son before, how could it be?

" One of your father's many secrets, Ramiela. He kept that from you, just as he kept who your true family was from you.'

Father told me things! I insisted.

'Only because he is sure that you won't betray him. Besides you can almost bet what you know Kuma will also know. In fact Kuma probably knows far more then you.'

What do you mean?

' You are the ninja they were speaking of Ramiela.'

" It could be any ninja," I denied.

'Come on you said it yourself. You have to know that Kuma is the true future leader of the Foot Clan. So where will you fit in? It is past time to learn the full truth.'

He'll kill me!

' He is going to do that anyways.' The voice retorted.

It is dangerous, far too risky, I protested, I can't do it not with father and Kuma.

' I wouldn't worry about Kuma. He seems to want you alive as he thinks you may be useful to the Foot Clan. It is Yukio you have to beware of. And would you rather let them kill you without putting up a fight?'

I rushed to the washroom knowing my nausea was about to take over.

Moments later I was on my knees shaking as I violently spewed what few things I had in my stomach out. I stood on shaky uneasy legs, that seemed to be made of rubber.

I knew that I had to find out the truth once and for all. I had to see if father really did, know more then what he told me. But I wasn't looking forward to it.

TBC

Reinbeauchaser: As you can see Rama/Kirra still has a long way to go. It isn't easy going against all of her training at once. Poor Baka was probably just glad to see an almost familiar shape and was willing to greet his old mistress. Hard to say if the black cat truly remembered her or not. A gratitude for your insight.