Alright, plot!
The guys run into some interesting people...
As always, huge thanks to our beta readers, Queequegg and Theherocomplex!
Leo was last out into the chilly night air, following Karai down from the office window above the cookie factory. They landed soundlessly in the back alley, where their other three brothers waited for orders around the fire escape ladder.
It was late. So late, in fact, it had been early for a while; pretty soon the buses would be up and running again. This second outing had proven as fruitless as the first: they still hadn't tracked down a single canister of mutagen, not counting the faint traces left back at the warehouse in the docks where they first looked, and Leo's resolve was slowly vanishing with every passing hour.
None of this was really a surprise; the Purple Dragons had had plenty of time to move it since Raph and Casey were there last night, and now Leo and the rest of the Hamato siblings had nothing but mere speculation as to what the Purple Dragons would want with mutagen or who they were keeping it for. They considered the usual suspects, of course—Shredder and his resident mad scientist Stockman, or even some leftover Kraang that might have been sitting low waiting for their chance—but they had no leads. He'd rather know more before they went knocking at Shredder's doorstep.
"Well, another dud," Leo said tiredly, walking up to the group with Karai.
"Yeah, no kidding. Remind me to bring a magazine or something next time I'm on patrol with you guys. The tedium," she moaned.
"At least we got these," Mikey slurred, eyes glossy from a recent yawn, and ripped open a two pound bag of fortune cookies.
Leo had no energy to be mad that Mikey had stolen that from the factory. It really was a marvelous thing, Mikey's stomach. After stuffing himself dizzy on Chee-Z Balls from the Auman Chemicals factory behind Leo's back—perhaps thinking Leo wouldn't notice the orange on his lips or the artificial cheese in his breath—he still had room for more. There he was, popping cookies in his mouth while gently rocking on his feet with his eyes closed, as though lulling himself to sleep with the crunching and his own soft sounds of delight.
"Donnie? Any readings?" Leo asked his other brother, trying to ignore the noises coming from Mikey's side, and Donnie took one fleeting look at the tracker.
"No..." he replied monotonously for the eightieth time that night.
Raph groaned. "Urrrgh! This is pointless, Leo! We've been running around all night! We've already been to the docks, the Chee-Z balls factory, the cookie factory… and we haven't found anything. Even Casey went home two hours ago. Can we please just call it a night?"
Leo sighed, unwilling to give in to exhaustion—or Raph's demands, for that matter.
"We have to find that mutagen. Who knows what they might want it for?" Leo said. He was only playing the role of the responsible one out of routine, and because someone had to. In reality, he was as unenthusiastic as the rest of them. If he closed his eyes, he could feel the softness of his futon and the warmth of his blanket… He only needed to give the order and nobody would disagree.
"We're not gonna find it tonight!" Raph insisted. "The Purple Dragons must have left town or something."
"If you had warned us last night instead of slacking off, Raph, we might've still been able to catch up to them then," Leo retorted, unable to hold back the bout of crankiness, and Raph made a sound of annoyance in his throat.
"Right," he grumbled bitterly, "good thing you just told me that, Leo, 'cause I didn't quite hear you the last eight times."
In the background, Mikey bit open another fortune cookie. Leo winced as the crack resounded noisily around the alley.
"Oh… I forgot fortune cookies had fortunes in them," Mikey said, picking the slimed fortune from between his front teeth. The sight conjured up a chorus of repulsed groans. Leo closed his eyes and imagined himself facepalming, just to satisfy the urge. The only one who seemed mildly entertained by it was Karai. "'If your cookie still in one piece, buy lotto'," Mikey read aloud, squinting and blinking at the tiny roll of paper. "Awww! If only I'd known!"
"Honestly, I'm stumped," Donnie said over the loud chewing sounds that followed. "Raph might be right; it's like the Purple Dragons used their brains for once and actually took the mutagen outside the city, where we can't even track it. I haven't gotten a single reading since we left the warehouse." Donnie gave the device a frustrated backhand.
"Oh, don't worry; it's gonna turn up one way or another..." Raph said, foreboding.
"'Your health is important; eat your vegetables'? The heck kind of a fortune is that?" Mikey exclaimed, glaring at the fortune before crumpling it up to the size of a pea and throwing it scornfully over his shoulder.
Leo made one last big effort to ignore him. "Well, I would rather it not turn up in the form of another mutant. So we're gonna track these guys down no matter what, before that happens. What time is it?"
Donnie took out his phone and gazed at the screen with sleepy eyes.
"Five-thirteen." He chuckled pitifully. "Ah, this takes me back. Tracking down mutagen all over New York until dawn."
"Good times," Mikey said sleepily, and Leo saw him pull another piece of paper straight out of his mouth and attempt to clean it.
Karai laughed. "Aw, look at you brave boy scouts, out so late. You're just like grownup ninjas, I'm so proud of you."
Raph huffed. "Oh, like you're not tired, Karai."
"No," Karai said at once, all smiles and confidence, looking as fresh as a daisy. Leo knew it wasn't necessarily true and she would welcome a bed as much as any of them, but he had to admit she knew how to hide it better.
"'You will find love close to home'," Mikey said, his mouth still full and spewing cookie crumbs as he spoke. "Huh. Were any of you guys thinking about eating that one? Donnie?"
Donnie glowered.
"No? Maybe Leo… Or…"
Mikey looked at Raph, and Raph yanked the fortune and the bag of cookies out of Mikey's grip and dumped them down the sewer grate before he could make any suggestions. Leo was immediately torn by overlapped feelings of affront and gratitude.
"You're welcome," Raph announced with crossed arms.
"Bro!" Mikey yelled. "Why'd you have to-"
"Be quiet!" Leo ordered in loud whispers. A dog started barking down the street, probably replying to Mikey's shrill tone of voice. "Do I really have to remind you that this is a stealth mission?"
"But those were my cookies! You had no right!" Mikey still cried, looking at Raph with eyes full of hurt.
"I'm sleepy," Raph replied, in a way that said 'sleepy' was not a state in which Raph should ever be messed with.
"Well, so am I, but that's no excuse to be a bag of douches!" Mikey kept defending himself while Donnie just stood by wearing the most I-am-so-done expression.
"It is if your pig brother's munching crackers in your ear at five in the morning! And why don't you learn to curse?"
Leo considered stepping in again, but he knew he would have no authority at the moment. Not while he was fighting just to keep his eyes open, and he felt like he could fall asleep right then and there, on his feet, in the stinking alleyway.
"Alright, you know what?" he said instead, coming between them before Mikey could protest again. "We need to think of a better plan. Let's go home."
The tension lifted instantly with a general sigh of relief and a couple of loud yawns. The group started eagerly climbing the ladder to the rooftop like last-minute shoppers, as if they feared Leo would change his mind if they didn't hurry.
The cool air up top felt good to Leo's numbed senses. There was already a faint glow of cold pink on the horizon, even though the sun wouldn't rise for another hour. The breeze brought with it the distant sound of an alarm clock.
"I can't wait to just drop into bed," Raph said, rolling his shoulders with a wince as they made their way across the roof top.
Then Leo halted midstep.
He felt it more than heard it; an unfamiliar vibration in the air. Intruders.
"Stop." He did not yell. His tone said enough that the entire group froze. Their heads turned to Leo, four pairs of eyes watching him for signs.
"We got company," he said, not in a whisper because it would not have mattered; whoever it was, they already knew his family was there. Leo could tell from the others' eyes that they felt it too, and they all unsheathed their weapons as one.
There was the faintest sound of grazing fabric and Leo swiveled on the spot towards the group of shadows come alive. The shapes marched orderly into plain view, into the light of the streetlamp a few steps from the team, fifteen-or-so black-clad ninjas in hoods. At first, Leo thought "Foot soldiers", but he quickly realised—once he saw their eyes, and their uniforms emblazoned with a lotus blossom—these guys weren't from around here.
The strangers were well armed, but none of them wielded their weapons. Hands limp at their sides, every finger was visible for Leo to see. Karai and his brothers were all waiting for him to give the order.
"Who are these guys? Another ninja clan?" Donnie said behind Leo. Obviously he'd also noticed they weren't the usual company.
Leo didn't respond. He was still trying to figure that one out, and his eyes travelled around the group. A figure stood out from the rest—small, but undeniably dominant. The alleged leader made one motion with a hand to the group, curt—there was no need for a reply—then started moving. Leo tensed, but made another quick signal to his own team to stand their ground. And then the figure standing before him pulled back its hood.
"Ooooh, it's a girl!" Mikey exclaimed.
"Quiet," Leo ordered with a wince. Somehow, it did not feel appropriate to call this person that, no matter how young she appeared to be. She was Asian, probably Japanese, and she looked like a warrior. Her face was stern and robust. Stoic. Her confident stance made her look much taller than she actually was. When she spoke, she did it in a strong, commanding voice, with a heavy Japanese accent.
"My name is Hachisu-no-Hana. We—" and here she motioned firmly at the group of ninjas behind her, "—are the Lotus Clan."
Hachisu-no-Hana knelt, and ceremoniously laid her sheathed katana on the concrete floor in front of her.
"We humbly request to be taken before the sensei of your Hamato Clan for an audience with him," Hachisu-no-Hana went on, still not lifting her head, the tip of her ponytail almost touching the roof. "We wish to discuss a matter that is of great importance for both of our clans. I am sure your master would be most interested."
Straight to the point, thought Leo, impressed. So efficient.
He exchanged a quick look with his team and they lowered their weapons. Each showed a different degree of distrust. Donnie seemed cautious, but the curiosity in his eyes was more than apparent. Mikey was clearly all for it, and Karai seemed wary but intrigued. Raph was never one to hide his disapproval even in the most delicate of situations. He was the last to yield, scowling at the strangers.
Truth be told, none of them were used to this kind of treatment from… anyone, really. After all, the only contact they'd had with other ninjas so far had been with the Foot Clan, and that had never been pleasant or friendly. But the leader of the Lotus Clan still knelt as she waited for their response.
Leonardo decided to honor the gesture, and sheathed his swords. Behind him he could hear the rest do the same as he stepped up to the Lotus leader with what he hoped would be a firm, confident, stance, like hers.
"Miss-" he started, but bit back the rest, fearing he'd screwed up already. "Hachisu-san." That's better. "How do you know we're Hamato clan?"
The woman reached inside her sash while still kneeling, and held the engraved shuriken up for all to see.
"We saw two of your... men yesterday." The word 'men' came laced with doubt, but there was no impertinence in her gesture. "We have looked everywhere for you since then."
Leo glanced backwards at Raph, who shrugged.
"And what exactly is this matter with Master Sp- that is so important to the Hamato Clan?"
"I would prefer to discuss it with him directly," she said, bowing her head in a show of modesty, after which she lifted her onyx-black eyes and laid them on Leo. She was clearly studying him, a surprising disregard for all protocol, and he felt himself freeze under the woman's penetrating gaze as it danced over his face. He couldn't help but feel a little self conscious of the green on his skin and the shell on his back.
At last she blinked, and sat up straight. "Forgive me. How will I refer to you, nakama?"
"Leo. I mean, Leonardo… Leonardo." He watched the faintest of smiles form on the woman's lips, and swallowed.
"Leonardo-san," she said kindly. "I assure you, our intentions are completely honorable. We mean your clan no harm. But it is of great importance that we talk to your sensei."
He nodded.
"Hey, fearless leader!"
Leo's body tensed like a bow as Raph's cry obliterated the mood. He turned to throw him a murderous look, one that said "you will regret that later", and found Donnie also approaching him.
"Sorry, Leo. Can we talk for a moment?" Donnie's voice and mannerisms told him his brother was in full business mode.
Wanting nothing more than to sink through the roof, Leo offered the Lotus a brief bow of his head, avoiding Hachisu-no-Hana's eyes, and begrudgingly joined his squad in their circle. Why did they feel the need to embarrass themselves in front of such solemn company? The rest of the Lotus Clan hadn't moved a pinky. They were all standing still as statues on the spot and in reverent silence as their leader spoke. They did as was expected of loyal followers. They were professionals.
"What is it?" Leo hissed through gritted teeth.
"Look, nevermind what they say," Donnie began, "we don't know who these guys are or what they really want. You could be blithely sharing tea and cookies with her, and for all we know the rest of her clan would be chopping off Splinter's head meanwhile and delivering it to the Shredder."
"Yeah, I know her type," Karai said, for once not making jokes. In fact, she didn't look the least bit happy. "And believe me; this girl might be all manners and protocol, but that doesn't make her trustworthy."
"And why did you think I need you to tell me this?" squawked Leo, and immediately bit his lips knowing he'd been a little too loud.
"I saw you, Leo!" Raph said. "You would've agreed to give this woman a piggy-back ride to the lair if we hadn't cut you off. You think we don't remember your little run-ins with Miss Sunshine over here?" He jerked an angry thumb at Karai, who only nodded in agreement.
"You really were such easy prey," she said, hands on her hips and eyebrows raised cockily, and a burning blush rose to Leo's cheeks, fueled by both humiliation and a sense of betrayal at Karai's words.
"This is nothing like that," he gritted out, resisting the urge to yell at both of them.
Donnie came between them like a waving white flag.
"They said they were the 'Lotus clan'. Come to think of it, didn't Splinter mention them sometime?"
Leo thought back. "Yeah, sounds familiar," he said, though he couldn't confirm it. It must have been a long time ago, in one of Master Splinter's many tales.
"But I thought there weren't supposed to be any more ninja clans remaining," Raph insisted, still suspicious.
"Well, can you really know with ninjas? I mean maybe they chose to exist in complete shadows, like us," Leo offered, but the rest didn't look half convinced.
"All we're saying is, let's be careful," Donnie said slowly. "We can just tell them we'll consult this with Splinter and watch that they don't follow us."
"I know what to do!" Leo snapped, offended that his brothers would think he'd be so stupid as to take a bunch of strangers—ninjas, no less—to their home just like that.
"Ok then, go ahead," Donnie offered as he retreated into his position two steps behind and Leo started to turn back towards the group of newcomers.
"Thank you," Leo whispered tersely, shooting a glance of indignation at the empty space left by Donnie, then turned his gaze back to Hachisu-no-Hana. She was still kneeling in the same position, waiting patiently. He cleared his throat before proceeding to make sure his mouth would make the right sounds.
"Alright, Hachisu-no-Hana-san. We will take your word to our master and we will meet you back here tomorrow at sundown to communicate his decision."
"That is fair," Hachisu-no-Hana said, picking up her weapon as she stood. She was so tiny, but also kind of scary: her straight expression and keen eyes said "I could crush you with my pinky, but I won't… for now."
"Do not follow us," Leo said with all the composure that he was able to gather, but careful to keep it cordial. "I'm sure you don't need to hear how such a thing would be rude and would mean an immediate termination of our agreement."
"We would not dream of it," Hachisu-no-Hana obliged kindly.
He nodded. "Until tomorrow, then."
"Until tomorrow, Leonardo-san," the Lotus leader said, bowing.
Leo mirrored her as symmetrically as he was able. There was a ruffle of air and when he lifted his head, the Lotus Clan was gone.
"Whoaaaa," Mikey gasped. "Are we this awesome-looking from the outside too? I bet we totally are!" he said through an ample smile, adopting an epic pose worthy of a Crognard poster. "I'll have to ask Casey!"
"As fierce and graceful as sailor scouts," Karai joked. Mikey seemed to think that was a good thing, judging by the glimmer in his eyes. As for Leo, Karai's continued mocking was setting his teeth on edge.
"I dunno, there might be room for some improvement," he scoffed, and obviously the comment wasn't lost on his siblings, Mikey coming down from his hype with a confused frown.
"What the hell does that mean?" Raph demanded.
"I mean why did you guys have to embarrass me like that in front of other ninjas?" At first Leo hadn't realized how terrible that had sounded out loud, but he was made perfectly aware by Raph's sudden burst of laughter.
"Oh, are we not honorable enough for your honorable ninja club?" he mocked, wiggling his fingers, and Leo had to take a deep breath and a step back to keep himself from snapping. Donnie and Mikey looked between them, wincing, but neither stepped in. Leo had to settle for a sigh of resignation.
And as it couldn't be otherwise, Karai laughed. "You're so cute when you try to act all samurai."
Leo chose silence. Just let them finish. If you don't say anything else eventually they'll run out of things to make fun of, he told himself, too sleepy to come up with a more dignified way out of there.
"Don't take it like that, bro. It went well, right?" Raph said once he was done laughing, giving Leo a resounding smack on the shell—his idea of a truce.
Leo only offered back a glare and started walking.
"Let's just go home already before the Foot show up to complete our night," he said, and jumped the gap to the next rooftop.
Leo couldn't remember how he had gotten there, alone with Hachisu-no-Hana-no-Hana in that empty void. She was just standing there in the half-light, muttering something he couldn't really make out.
"Speak up," he asked, before realizing maybe she was speaking Japanese, and he strained his ears. She was chanting. The words made no sense, but they must have been important. Leo saw her pull out a couple of objects from her sash and she held them up like talismans. They were one of those kawaii mochi with faces, but these ones… these ones were powerful. The way she was holding them, drawing complex symbols in the air with them as she chanted the words… Leo was mesmerized. Hachisu-no-Hana's eyes were intent on his, and she was moving purposefully slow while Leo struggled to keep up.
Finally she stopped, and then extended her two hands with the smiling mochi towards Leo.
Uh-oh, Leo thought as he accepted the mochi with hands that shook. She wants me to do it now. What were the words? I can't remember!
After a few failed attempts at starting the ritual, he saw Hachisu-no-Hana slowly shake her head in deep disapproval. He was only embarrassing himself, now completely lost and panicking. His voice suddenly broke, and he clamped his mouth shut, mortified.
Hachisu-no-Hana laughed. Then she slowly lifted one hand, showing it to him before reaching up to her forehead, and Leo watched carefully. What is she…?
The hand fumbled for a bit at the hairline, and when it came down, it dragged with it a zipper, and her face split in half. By the time it was down to her chest, Leo could already see Karai's head emerging from the Hachisu-no-Hana suit, still smirking.
The rest of the suit fell to the ground like a rubber glove—flop—and now Karai stood before Leo wearing a beautiful ball gown, sprinkled not with sequins, but with thousands of tiny rivets that glinted in the moonlight like a galaxy. She spun around to offer Leo a better view of her body and the way that dress fit her perfectly. She looked astonishing
"C'mon Leo, show me those moves," she said, extending a hand towards him.
She wanted to dance, so Leo stepped up to happily oblige as a spunky country song started blaring all around them.
"I'll lead," she said, and Leo was perfectly okay with it. He couldn't dance anyway, she might as well. Maybe if he tried to follow her moves he could pass for half decent in front of all these people. He thought he was doing pretty good, and Karai seemed pleased. But then in between swirls he noticed some people starting to point and giggle, and he looked down on himself. No wonder they were laughing! His tuxedo jacket and bow-tie were pristine, but he had completely forgotten to put on pants!
Leo woke up with a start, and his head bobbed up as he lifted his eyes to look at Splinter.
It took him a moment to place himself. He was in the dojo, kneeling on the carpet. It was early morning, and he had been waiting for Master Splinter to get up so he could tell him about their encounter with the Lotus, when he had seemingly nodded off.
"Is something the matter, my son?" Splinter asked, sliding his door closed behind him. "You seem a bit distraught."
"It was nothing, Master Splinter, just a... really weird dream," Leo said, rubbing his neck, trying to shake the ludicrous images off his mind.
Splinter nodded, and pulled on his beard like he always did when he was deducing things. "And there is something you wish to tell me?"
"Hai, sensei," Leo said, and heaved himself to his feet with no small amount of effort. "We didn't find the mutagen, but we did run into some pretty interesting people…"
Mmm yes, something is brewing. So what do you think of these newcomers? What are their intentions? How is their arrival going to affect the Hamatos?
Remember: reviews are writer chow!
