𝚁𝙰𝙸𝚈𝙰
I could hear a movie playing when I walked in the lair through the holey wall. An idea popped into my mind and I instantly softened my footfalls. I made a sharp left, creeping up the stairs to the first level and turning to enter the tv room. The Last Samurai—a movie they'd watched countless times—played on the tv that resided at the far end of the small, cylindrical room. Leo was sitting closest to the entrance on a beanbag and noticed me instantly.
Damn. I was never sneaky enough to get past him. I held a finger up to my lips and smirked, sneaking up behind Raph and Mikey who were in the love seat while Donnie lounged in another beanbag. Carefully, I gathered the long tails of their masks and tied them together, pulling the knot tight. Leonardo rolled his eyes at me and I stuck my tongue out at him in return.
"This looks really boring," I mused, making my presence known.
Donnie craned his head around to look at me. I could see the pain in his hazel eyes. "It is," he groaned. Out of the four turtles, he was the one to choose just about anything else over watching a movie.
"If you guys needed a movie, you should've called," I laughed. Red ran down my arm, claws sticking in my sweater until he was at my wrist and straining toward Raphael.
"Awww," Mikey cooed, earning himself a glare.
Leo was not about to pass up this opportunity either. "That's cute," he teased. "He really missed your big head, I guess."
Raphael grumbled and crossed his arms. "Shut up."
I extended my hand toward him for Red to take his place on the turtle's head. "Don't lose him."
He scoffed, but said nothing.
"Can I watch you today?" Mikey asked desperately. "This is so boring."
"I don't think I'm doing anything exciting." I thought back to my last training session two days ago, unable to recall what Master Splinter stated we would work on next. I shrugged and said to him, "I'll let you know. Did you find your skateboard?"
He frowned. "No."
"Okay," I laughed. "I'll help you look for it after my training."
"Thanks, dude!" Satisfied for the moment, Mikey relaxed back into the loveseat, his attention returning to the TV screen dominated by Tom Cruise.
I glanced at Leo. "Splinter?"
"Training circle," he answered, shooting me a wicked smile. "Hope you're ready to get your ass kicked today."
I rolled my eyes and spun to head toward the circle. "You better not watch my session!" I added over my shoulder, descending the stairs.
Splinter was sitting cross-legged on the large pedestal lined with flaming candles, his eyes closed and his palms resting on his knees. His ears twitched hearing my approach and a smile appeared on his face.
"How are you feeling today, my student?"
"Better," I admitted truthfully. And damn it felt good to finally be able to say such a thing.
"Good," he said. "Retrieve your tessens and we'll begin."
My body humming with excitement, I tossed off my jacket and headed past him toward the weapons room. I ran a hand over my braid I put my hair into earlier, checking to see if it was still tight enough.
They were hanging on the back wall, two black folded fans amidst an assortment of throwing knives. I lifted them off their wall mounts and flicked them open, testing for resistance and acquainting myself with its light weight. With a near-silent metallic swish, the stainless steel bones glided from their folded form and slid into place, forming a solid half-circle of smooth black metal, the round edge sharpened to a deadly point. I flicked them shut and turned to leave. I returned to Splinter just as yells poured out from the TV room. Leo could be heard laughing hysterically as Raphael cursed loudly and Mikey complained about him yanking too hard on his mask.
"Untie it!" He cried. "Ow, dude! Stop pulling!"
Splinter opened his eyes with a chuckle. "That's a good one," he mused, praising me for my prank. "I haven't seen it in a while." The rat got to his feet and motioned me forward, clearing back the candles with his tail. I stepped onto the pedestal, pushing the shouting and laughter still coming from the turtles to the back of my mind. Grasping the folded fans at my sides, I bowed to him.
Sensei was smiling at me when I straightened again. "Let us begin."
─── ─ 影の啓示 ─ ───
The katana sang through the air, arcing toward my face before I lifted a tessen, swiping it away and using the other to cut forward. My advance was blocked by Leo's quick blades. He spun, lifting one leg up to kick the weapons from my hands. I flicked both tessens closed just in time to bat his foot away. God, I hated that trick. He'd used it successfully too many times to count.
I tossed one closed fan behind my back and used the other to knock back an incoming blade, then reached up to catch the now open fan and slice downward. Leo's face lit up with shock and he managed to dodge my new trick, backstepping out of my reach. Though it only bought him a moment's reprieve.
I swung my arm wide, sending one fan slicing through the air while allowing my body to carry into a spin. I leaped forward just as he knocked the tessen from the air, flicking the other open with a satisfying shing and cutting low. Leo moved to block my cut and I used my free hand to quickly grab the wrist of his other sword hand and twist.
Hissing in pain, Leo dropped the katana but still carried through with his parry. I kicked his fallen blade away and surged forward again. I couldn't let him breathe, not when he hadn't seen me practice for so long. Leo won through carefully thought out strategies planned to a tee. If I gave him any time to analyze or gather his thoughts I'd lose my advantage. So I stepped in close, tossing my tessen from hand to hand, making sure to cut more than I parried.
Alright, time for the real surprise. Praying I wouldn't tear my adductors in half, I hopped onto one foot and kicked the other straight up, nailing Leo's arm and sending his katana flying upwards. I saw him reach for it with his other hand and I hurled my tessen into the air to knock it away. Wasting no time, I turned and scooped up my fallen tessen with my foot, tossing it up and snatching it from the air. I slammed my foot into the back of Leo's knee before he could react, causing his knee to buckle and send him down, then I reached an arm around to press the edge of my tessen against his throat.
Fuck yeah. "How's that for an ass-kicking?"
"Not bad," he admitted breathlessly.
I smirked and dropped my tessen, allowing Leo to exhale a large breath.
"What's wrong with you?" I teased, tossing my braid over my shoulder. "Slacking on your cardio during vacation?"
Leo laughed and got to his feet, shaking his head at me as he collected his katanas. "You're gonna regret that tomorrow."
I grinned, searching the floor for my other tessen.
"Em." I looked up at Raphael, who uncrossed his arms and stepped forward from where he was watching. "Nice throw," he murmured, handing me the tessen with a crooked smile that made my heart jump.
I returned to Splinter, who stood in the training circle with his hands clasped behind his back, a pleased smile on his face. "I must commend you on your success, Raiya," he said. "I'm glad to see our flexibility training paid off well."
I grinned hearing the brothers laughing and murmuring in agreement behind me.
"We'll continue tomorrow," Master Splinter said, climbing off the pedestal to stand in front of me. "I have an interesting exercise I think you'll enjoy."
"Hai, Sensei." I bowed to him before he retired to the kitchen.
Mikey whooped loudly, throwing his arms up in the air. "First win!" He shouted cheerfully.
I held a fist up in the air, shaking it in victory as I entered the weapons room to return my tessens. Until I became a full kunoichi I wasn't allowed to carry the weapons without reason.
When I walked back out I caught Leo standing outside his room rolling his shoulders, wincing in slight pain. My own shoulders were sore as well, as they always were after training. It was heartening to know I wasn't alone with my pain.
"Nice win, Em," Raph said, lifting his hand up.
"Thanks." I slapped his hand enthusiastically, grinning proudly. "I thought you'd appreciate that high kick."
He laughed. "Looked like you were gonna tear an ass muscle."
I nodded victoriously. "But I didn't! How's Red?"
Raphael sighed. "Hyper," he grumbled. "Aren't they supposed to be nocturnal or something?"
"You're such a baby," I teased, reaching my hand up to his head and calling for Red. The glider poked his head out from behind the turtle's broad neck and grappled onto my wrist. I brought him down towards me and inspected the young glider who was indeed hyper. "But you're right, he should be nocturnal. I don't know why he's diurnal. I mean, it's not bad as long he's okay. But it's weird. Maybe something to do with jet lag." I shrugged and turned to head into the storage room. "I'm gonna help Mikey find his skateboard."
"You're not gonna find it," he said quietly, stopping me before I could take another step. There was something suspicious in his voice.
I turned around, my eyebrows drawn together. "Did you hide it?" I hissed.
His lack of an answer was all I needed to know I guessed right.
I punched his arm, making him laugh. "Raph! Are you serious!?" I demanded. "Mikey's been looking for it all day!"
That only seemed to make him laugh harder.
author's note
Hey everyone! So Raiya's weapon is officially duel-wielded tessens! There is a video and picture on the Quotev version of TSR if you want to check it out. Raiya's tessens are completely made of matte black steel, similar in appearance to the picture I included on Quotev. They're also much smaller and less bulky than the ones in the video o Quotev. When they're folded, they're very slim and functional. I know it's kind of unrealistic but so are talking teenage mutant ninja turtles so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I plan on introducing J.T. within the next two or three chapters! I also received a question asking about the other brothers getting girlfriends, and if that does happen (probably not, sorry), it would be for one of them and it would be during the third book. BUT there is going to be a new character in the next chapter, the sugar glider keeper. He'll appear a lot throughout TSR but no major role. All I have so far is he's a guy so I could definitely use your guys' help developing his character more (name, face claim/appearance, etc.) and also giving me some name suggestions for five new gliders that will be in Red's new colony at the zoo!
Also, I'm really sorry for leaving you guys hanging for such a long time but I'm trying to write three other stories at the moment and I'm spending most of my time trying to keep my marks up (trying to graduate with honours with distinction pray for me lol) and I also have to worry about getting a part-time job and graduation and finding a DRESS for grad. So if you guys know of any safe and reliable websites to order good quality grad/prom dresses from PLEASE let me know! Already checked David's Bridal, Prom Affair and Lulus.
I want to thank all of you for your patience and for sticking with this story! I love all of you and I love the reviews you leave for me! It makes me so so happy! :D
