In the late afternoon, the turtles were told to meet in the school courtyard. They entered the green grass surrounded by the track field. They noticed that the sun was setting. Outside of the track field, Splinter, Kiriya, and the Hanzo shinobi stood awaiting what would come next.
"I don't get it, Master Splinter." Raph said. "You dragged us all the way out here for no reason. Aren't you worried about people seeing us?"
"Don't worry about it, Raphael." Kiriya said. "We've already set up a shinobi barrier."
"I thought that was meant for battles between ninja." Leo said.
"Exactly." Kiriya said. "You see, the Hanzo Academy council believes you mutants are not yet trustworthy."
"Why?" Mikey asked. "We're so cuddly."
"It is the law of shinobi." Splinter said. "Those who are not working with the government are considered either evil shinobi or renegade; neither of which are permitted in this world. They consider me a renegade for no longer associating with them, yet teaching the art of ninja to the unregistered; that being you."
"But you had no choice." Leonardo said. "You had to teach us or we weren't going to survive."
"I'm afraid that's not up to me." Splinter said. "So Kiriya has arranged a test. If you pass, we live. You fail…"
"What?" Leonardo gasped. "That can't be right! Asuka, tell me this is some kind of mistake."
"I'm afraid not, Leo." Asuka said. "There's nothing I can do now but watch and hope you'll pass."
"Relax, bro." Raph said. "All we gotta do is do one thing. Between the four of us, it's no problem. What do we have to do, Kiriya?"
"It's very simple. All you have to do… is fight Daidoji."
The Hanzo girls gasped at the very moment the name was said. They all had expressions that were full of fear.
"Daidoji? She's real?" Yagyu asked.
"I thought she was just a legend." Asuka said.
"Oh, she's real all right." Ikaruga said. "Katsuragi and I can vouch for that."
"I take it this Daidoji is strong?" Splinter asked.
"You have no idea." Katsuragi said. "She's the strongest student at Hanzo Academy. Despite passing her final exam, she refused to graduate. Instead, she stayed in class of her own free will."
"Why would she do that?" Donnie asked.
"Everyone has a theory." Ikaruga said. "Some say she wants to help teach her underclassmen in her own way. Others say she's looking for a potential rival in combat. All that matters is that if she's involved, do not expect to walk out of this without some impact left."
"You can't be serious." Donnie said.
Bros, relax." Raph said. "It's still one person against the four of us. We've got this in the bag."
"You think so, don't you?" echoed a loud voice. As if falling from the sky, a woman landed in front of them from above. When the dust cleared, the woman stood up revealing herself. She had on a dark-blue sailor cap that matched her open jacket and her pants. She had on white bandages around her hands and chest area along with her long, black, spikey hair. She was also apparently very built as evidenced by her muscular abdomen. If it weren't for her voice and cleavage, she could have been mistaken for a man. The sight of her stunned the turtles to much surprise.
Mikey turned his head over to Kiriya. "You didn't tell us she was from Krypton!"
"So you must be these ninja turtles I've heard so much about!" Daidoji said. "Well, let's see if you're truly worthy of being shinobi! And for some extra incentive…" She reached into her jacket and pulled out a paper scroll. "If you pass my test, I will allow you to look into this scroll and learn its secrets!"
"Someone's acting cocky!" Raph said pulling out his sais. "We've still got you outnumbered. Not exactly fair if you ask me."
"True. Maybe I should fight with my eyes closed."
"WHAT? WHY YOU…"
"RAPH, WAIT!"
Raphael didn't listen to Leonardo's command. Instead, he immediately went to strike at Daidoji, but she grabbed his arm and continued his momentum to spin him around and throw him back to his brothers.
"Is that the best you got?" she taunted. "And you call yourselves warriors!"
"Look, guys, we're going to have to fight smart." Leo said.
"My kinda area." Donnie said.
"So let's try getting at her from different sides." Leo said. "I'll take her front. Raph, take her back. Donnie, left. Mikey, right."
"Your right or mine?" Mikey asked.
"Just get her!" Donnie yelled in annoyance.
The turtles took their respective sides surrounding Daidoji. She wasn't fazed. Instead, she shifted her gaze at each turtle waiting for one of them to make a move.
"NOW!" Leo shouted.
All four brothers charged in at once with their weapons in hand. They quickly went to Daidoji ready to strike. However, Daidoji still didn't flinch. She took a breath before…
"AAAAHHH!" she yelled.
That shout somehow knocked all four turtles away from her. Some of them landed on the backs of their shells except for Leo, who used his swords to keep from falling back.
"DUDE, DID YOU SEE THAT?!" Mikey panicked. "That genderbent Jotaro Kujo just knocked us back with her voice!"
"That shouldn't be physically possible!" Donnie yelled out. "What kind of throat medicine does she take?"
Leo removed his swords and repeatedly swung them, but Daidoji blocked them all with palm strikes. She pushed them up so she can strike at Leo's chest. He was knocked back to his brothers. They were already out of breath.
"Any ideas what to do about Thor: Ragnarok?" Donnie asked.
"Maybe if we charge at her again and anticipate her shouting, we can get past it." Raph said.
"Even if we could, it won't do much of a difference." Leo said. "Not sure if you noticed, but she's just toying with us."
"What makes you think that?" Mikey asked.
"Haven't you noticed?" Leo asked. "Not only as Daidoji not moved from that one spot since the fight started, but she only used one arm. Didn't use the other nor her legs."
"Your leader is right." Daidoji said. "I can't take any of you seriously if all you do is something stupid when you're obviously outclassed. It's best for you four to just give up before you embarrass your sensei any further."
"Hey!" Leo shouted. "Don't say that about Splinter like that?"
"How else can I say anything about him?" Daidoji said. "He's the one who ran away, turned renegade, and unofficially taught the shinobi way to complete strangers. The best he's looking at is death, and it'll be all your fault!"
"Shut up!" Leo shouted. He got back up with his brothers behind him. "Master Splinter only taught us the ninja way to help us survive a world where we are outcasts! He saw life in us and he didn't want it to be taken! That's not just a teacher, that's a father! We may not be as strong as you, but we're not just going to let fifteen years of his life be in vain! So until the day we die, we'll stand for our master, our father!"
Daidoji grinned. "Well, if that's how you feel…" She raised both her fists up and took a couple steps closer. "Then it's time I start getting serious."
Quick as a flash, Daidoji ran right to the turtles. She stopped right within arm's length of them and sent a spinning kick. They all jumped out of the way. Donatello swung his bo staff down, but the muscular girl caught it and slammed him down. Ikaruga winced at the mere sight of it.
Michelangelo scatted as he swung his nunchucks toward her. She kept dodging them before blasting both her fists into his chest. He rolled backwards upon impact. Both Hibari and Yagyu clutched each other's hands seeing him like that.
Raphael and Leonardo landed on both sides of Daidoji. They charged to attack her, but she grabbed both of their belts, spun them around with great speed and strength, and threw them back at with the other two. Both Asuka and Katsuragi felt sorry for the two of them like that.
"Okay. I'll admit it. That was worse." Raphael said as he recovered.
"Well, we can't just give up." Donnie said. "Master Splinter's life is at stake."
"Hang on." Leo said. "I got an idea. Let's play Buck-Buck."
"Buck-Buck?" Mikey asked. "You mean that silly game we played when we were little with those hanging tin cans?"
"Worth a try." Donnie said.
Raphael went first. He ran straight to Daidoji and swung his sais down at her. Of course, she blocked it with her arm, but when Raph dropped down, Michelangelo came next. He jumped over Raph's shell as he bent down and sent a kick to Daidoji's face. Surprisingly, it connected and she staggered for a bit. Mikey ducked and Donnie attacked next. His staff attack connected because Daidoji was stunned by Mikey's attack. Like his brothers, he ducked and made way for the next one. Leo was the last. He jumped from one shell to another before jumping up and landing a strong kick that knocked Daidoji away rolling backwards.
At the side of the field, the Hanzo girls were surprised.
"Holy guacamole!" Hibari shouted before clapping. "Go, turtles!"
"I don't believe it!" Katsuragi gasped. "Did they actually damage Daidoji?"
"No, they didn't." Kiriya answered. "Just watch."
Back on the field, the turtles celebrated their perfected move. They gave high fives to each other which ended when Daidoji appeared before them. The turtles were surprised, but also afraid since they were very tired.
Daidoji smirked. "The four of you have guts, I'll give you that. And so… You pass."
"Huh?" Raph asked just as surprised as his brothers.
"You passed the test." Daidoji nodded to Kiriya and Splinter allowing them to approach.
"I'm sorry." Raph said. "Maybe I wasn't clear before, so I'll say it again… Huh?"
"Raphael," Splinter said with a slight chuckle. "You weren't supposed to beat her. You can't beat her. Not yet, at least."
"A good few years, and you might actually present to me a challenge." Daidoji said.
"Uh, did you forget how we Buck-Buck'd you?" Mikey asked.
"She let you do that." Kiriya said. "Trust me, if she wanted to end you, she would've halted you before the first turtle struck."
"If we weren't supposed to beat her, then what was the point?" Donnie asked.
"…It wasn't that kind of test." Leo surmised. "You weren't testing our fighting skills. You were testing our resolve."
"Exactly." Daidoji said. "Anyone can fight, but not everyone can stand up against impossible odds out of love and loyalty. You felt my strength. You've seen me holding back and going almost all the way out, and you still stood your ground for your master's sake. In my book, that's a good shinobi. Splinter, tomorrow, I'll talk to the council and give them my full recommendations to include you and your sons are worth fighting beside. With proper training, we'll make you true Hanzo shinobi yet."
Leo smiled before bowing his head to her. "Thank you. Now, about that scroll…"
"Of course." Daidoji said as she held up the scroll she promised earlier. "Remember. The fight ahead of you is full of peril threatening to take you down cell by cell. In order to prepare for whatever awaits, you must master the lesson on this scroll."
"Dude, this better not pull a Kung Fu Panda and turn out blank." Michelangelo said while Leo took the scroll.
The Hanzo girls, proud of their friends, approached them. They surrounded Leo as he unrolled the scroll and looked within. He then had a confused look on his face.
"What?" Donnie asked. "What does it say, Leo?"
"It says… 'Power is both a sword and a shield'."
"What the shell?" Raph asked. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I remember my grandpa saying things like that all the time," Asuka said, "But I've never actually figured it out."
"That's confusing to us too." Katsuragi said.
"Master Splinter, do you know what it means?" Leo asked.
"Of course, I know."
"Well, what does it mean?"
"I can't tell you. It'll ruin the point of the lesson. But remember what I said about balance? Consider that a clue."
"Huh." Leo said. "Well, that's going to keep me up at night."
"Well, whatever it means," Asuka said, "I'm sure we'll figure it out together."
Author's Note: Any and all comments are welcome.
