Chapter 5: Tsuiseki

Morning came soon enough, and Usagi, Kintaro, and their four new turtle companions were on the move.

The forest they trekked through was rather peaceful, it was quiet except the light wind and singing of birds. It almost reminded Leo of their stay at the farm house.

Even though they were practically stranded in this new world, Leo couldn't help but feel a small sense of excitement. He had always been fascinated by Master Splinter's tales of Feudal Japan, as well as the samurai, and now he and his brothers were practically living it right now. But now was not the time to get all fan-boy, he had to keep his priorities in order. Priorities like helping Usagi escort Kintaro to the palace temple of his order.

"Ugh, I can't believe we're stuck here!" Raph complained as they passed another tokage lizard. "Donnie, can't you just build something to send us back home?"

"Well, I could try to build a teleportation device to get us back to our home dimension. But manufacturing all the necessary wires and components in this feudal day and age would only take… approximately…" The smart turtle counted on his fingers. "... fifty-seven years."

"Sweet!" Mikey exclaimed, folding his arms behind his head. "Good thing turtles have long lives."

Usagi then suddenly stopped, his ears perking up as he caused the whole group to halt.

"What is it?" Leo asked.

The ronin held up his hand. "Listen."

Everyone listened intently, but all that could be heard was the sound of leafs blowing in the wind.

"I don't hear anything." Raph stated.

"Horses are approaching." Usagi said before pointing, "from the east."

The Turtles listened again, and sure enough, they heard the sound of horses coming their way just east of them.

Usagi and the Turtles all looked at each other and nodded in silent agreement. Then with the ease and skill of monkeys, they climbed up into the branches of the nearest trees they could find, Mikey quickly throwing his kusarigama chain around Kintaro to pull him up with them.

And just in time too, as an entire battalion of samurai on horses rode by and stopped in their area. These were samurai with complete body armor as well, making it hard to distinguish them from each other.

"Kintaro," Usagi whispered as they observed them, "are these the rogue samurai that attacked the village?"

The Golden Child looked closely at the band of samurai. "They are." He replied, before pointing to their leader. "And that's Sumo Kuma."

Sumo Kuma was a large brown bear, wearing a blue, orange and gold kimono and an orange headband while he carried a large club for a weapon.

"Who's Sumo Kuma?" Leo asked.

"He is the leader of these samurai, and the one who led the attack on Kintaro's village." Usagi explained. "We need to find out what his plan is for the boy. But how can we get close enough to hear them?"

Leo grinned. "We're ninja. We're experts at getting close to people."

Donnie smirked. "And it looks like it's time for the ninjutsu art of disguise."

Usagi smiled back. It seemed these new allies would be of great aid to them after all.


The Turtles had practically done this whole plan a million times by now. Take out the enemy quietly and subdue them while making sure not to alert the enemy. It worked on the Foot, the Kraang, and if all went well, it would work on these goons too.

They each landed almost noiselessly on the ground before getting into position.

With practiced aim, Raph threw his sai at one of the samurai lagging behind, the blunt edge of the dagger hitting him hard enough to knock him out and off of his horse.

Now it was Mikey's turn, as he threw his kusarigama chain around another of the samurai in the back and pulled him up into the trees before he could shout, knocking him out with a well-placed chop to the neck.

And with ease of a shadow, Leo came in and snatched two of the samurai off their horses, holding his hands over their mouths and noses until they passed out.

One of the samurai turned back to the strange noises. "What-?" Before he could finish, Donnie whacked him on the head with his staff, hard enough to knock him out, but not loud enough to alert the others.

"Quick, before they realize they're missing a few riders." Leo told them as he tied up the five unconscious samurai with some spare rope.

Everyone quickly got to work, taking the samurai armor and putting it on. The armor actually fit rather snuggly on each of them. Though that didn't mean it wasn't uncomfortable.

"What about me?" Kintaro exclaimed just as everyone finished putting on their new samurai armor. "You're missing a horse, fools!" He said, noting the lack of a horse for him.

Raph and Usagi looked at each other and smirked, knowing exactly what to do with him.

"Alright, get in there, shorty." Raph told the pug child, picking him and placing him in a large basket. "And don't make a peep!"

"Let me out of here!" Kintaro protested. "I told you I don't like small spaces! I will have your heads for this!" He was cut off as Raph put the lid over the basket.

"Don't worry, young one, this is for your own good." Usagi told him as he and Raph placed the basket on the back of the red turtle's horse.

"Excitable little guy, isn't he." Donnie remarked offhandedly, scratching a bit at the chafing armor before putting on his helmet. "Not at all what I pictured a mystical savior to the realm would be like."

"I think he's just grumpy 'cause he missed breakfast." Raph remarked, getting on his horse.

"We all did!" Mikey whined, rubbing his armored stomach. "So hungry."

"Quiet, ninjas." Leo ordered, already aboard his horse. "Time to blend in." With the snap of a few reins, the group of disguised turtles and ronin set out to rejoin the group of samurai.

All except for Raph, whose horse seemed to be kicking up and fighting against him. "Oh, man! Easy girl! Why do horses hate me?!"

Eventually, Raph managed to get his horse under control and they soon caught up with the other samurai. From there, the ride was quiet as Sumo Kuma stood on a small ledge, observing his troops.

"Hurry stragglers! Keep up! The master awaits us!" He ordered before taking the lead again.

"Spread out," Usagi whispered to Leo, "but do not let Sumo Kuma spot you."

Leo nodded before doing a series of silent hand signals to the others, relaying Usagi's advice to them.

Raph, Donnie, and Mikey all nodded before they all split up into groups; Leo and Donnie staying with Usagi while Raph and Mikey split off into their own tangent.

"I do not entirely trust Master Jei." Mikey overheard one of the samurai say.

"But there is something in his voice that compels me." Another samurai replied. "He is a wise and noble leader, we all must obey at whatever the cost."

"'Master Jei'?" Raph whispered to the others. So it was true, these samurai were working for Jei.

Just then, Sumo Kuma turned his head back to his men, eyeing them all with suspicion. He then raised his club high above his head, signaling his men to stop.

The entire band came to a screeching halt, a grave tension now filling the air, one that Leo and Usagi quickly noticed was growing.

"We have intruders in our midst." Sumo Kuma stated.

Everyone was silent as all the samurai began to turn their heads towards the disguised turtles and rabbit.

Soon enough, Usagi and the Turtles found themselves being surrounded on all sides by the samurai, forced back to back in a circle.

The samurai slowly began to draw their weapons as the ones with bow and arrows quickly armed themselves and aimed them at the five imposters.

Leo didn't need to be a genius to see that things were going south very quickly.

"Oh no…" He whispered.

One of the samurai released his bow, their arrow flying towards Mikey and was about to hit him.

"Watch out!" Leo shouted, deflecting the arrow with his katana while he threw off his helmet.

"Woah!" Mikey cried as the broken arrow sailed past his face. "Thanks, Leo bro!"

The blue turtle quickly blocked a strike from one of the other samurai before kicking him in the face and knocking him off his horse. He then slashed another stragglers leg, making him fall off before turning and knocking one final straggler off his horse with an elbow to the forehead. "Go, go, go!"

With their cover blown, the others threw off their helmets and rode away as fast as they could.

It didn't take long for Sumo Kuma and his stragglers to give chase as they maneuvered past trees in their path while battling.

Leo knocked another straggler off his horse with his blade before clashing with Sumo Kuma. "How did you find us out?" He demanded.

"You smell different!" The giant bear told him.

Raph smelled his armpit. "What?! Why do we smell different?!"

"We live in a sewer, dude!" Mikey said, whacking a straggler in the face with his nunchucks. "Not hard to figure out!"

One of the stragglers came up alongside Raph's horse carrying two long swords. He then jumped from his horse onto Raph's and attempted to chop his head off, but the hot headed turtle easily ducked under his swings and knocked him off with a simple punch.

With a swing of his staff, Donnie smacked one of the stragglers off his horse as another one rode up beside him carrying a naginata spear. The straggler swung his spear at Donnie, but the smart turtle blocked it. He then tried to retaliate by thrusting his staff into his face, but the straggler deflected the thrust.

"Heads up!" Mikey cried, coming up from behind and punching the straggler in the back of the head, all while riding his horse like a surfboard.

Archers soon came up behind them, raising their bows and firing at them.

Usagi had just dealt with another straggler when an arrow whizzed past his head. He quickly turned back to deflect another arrow aimed at his back.

Soon their chase came out of the forest and into an open field, giving the archers better room to fire at them.

Donnie and Mikey quickly retaliated by throwing several kunai and shurikens at them, taking out most of the archers.

"Faster, Kappa! We're losing them!" Usagi exclaimed as they began to pull further and further ahead of the stragglers.

However, a quick look over the hills to their side and Leo noticed that more of them seemed to appear.

Reinforcements, He realized.

Usagi noticed it too.

The two looked at each other and nodded, both having the same plan in mind.

"Move ahead, Kappa!" Usagi ordered. "Donatello-san, with me!"

"Come on guys! Protect Kintaro!" Leo also ordered pulling ahead with Raph and Mikey.

Meanwhile Usagi and Donnie pulled far back, all the way to Sumo Kuma's personal guards. Dispatching each of them with ease, Usagi confronted the large bear, standing atop his horse.

With a mighty leap, Usagi jumped onto Sumo's horse and attempted to strike him down with his sword, but the bear caught his blade in his giant paw.

Sumo Kumo then swung his mighty club at Usagi, but the ronin quickly leapt back onto his horse as they rode side by side.

"I have heard of you, long-ear." He growled. "I will relish crushing your proud skull." With a roar, he swung his club again, only for Usagi to duck under. "You are no match for me, ronin!"

"Well, let's see you be a match for this!"

Sumo Kuma turned just in time to see Donnie smack his horse in the face with his staff, causing his horse to go wild and jerk about. Unable to stay on, Sumo Kuma fell off his horse, bouncing on the ground before smacking face first into a large rock.

With their leader down, the other samurai would be far less organized. Giving them the advantage.

However, luck still wasn't entirely on their side as one of the stragglers came from Raph and attempted to slash at him. Of course, he easily dodged, but the stray swing knocked the basket containing Kintaro loose and he was now rolling down the hill.

"Pug-taro!" Mikey yelled.

"Saving this brat better be worth it!" Raph said as he and the party turtle rode after the basket.

"Hey! What's going on out there?!" Kintaro cried from inside the basket, now rolling towards a large tree that would mean certain death if he hit it. "You stupid kappa! I'll get you for this! You are the worst bodyguards! You couldn't protect a rock!"

Just as another one archers got ready to shoot, Usagi came in and slashed him across the throat, knocking him off his horse. As he fell, the ronin grabbed the archer's bow and aimed it ahead of the rolling basket.

"My… brain… feels… like… mochi!" The pug child groaned from inside the basket.

With precise aim, Usagi, with careful aim, fired his arrow, hitting several other arrows out of the air before landing in front of the tree just in time. Kintaro screamed as the arrow catapulted the basket he was in into the air and past the tree harmlessly. He was about to hit the ground when Leo swooped in on his horse, catching the basket by the rope and skidding to a stop.

"I've got him!" Leo shouted, quickly securing the basket to the back of his horse. "Let's go!"

"Ride!" Usagi yelled as they set off again, riding as fast they could, more and more archers firing on them. The group was forced to deflect several of the oncoming arrows with their weapons.

Leo looked back at the stragglers, who were quickly catching up. "They're gaining on us!"

"Hurry, kappa!" Usagi shouted, snapping the reins on his horse. "Ride faster!"

Donnie looked ahead and his eyes widened at what he saw. "Oh no… CLIFF!"

The others looked ahead, and to their horror there was indeed a large cliff ahead of them, the drop most certainly meaning death for them.

But they had only noticed this too late as they found themselves unable to stop in time and plunged over the cliff and down into the abyss below.

And there we go! A big chase/fight scene that ends on a cliffhanger (no pun intended), I know I love me one of those! I didn't change much about this fight, just a few things here and there and I did give a little more spot-light to Leo since I thought he deserved a little more in this arc.