AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, Amé, and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.
I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults. Iie means no, hai means yes, kuso means bastard, bakka means stupid.
PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass into to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time.
Chapter 9
Early the next morning, they were woke by the door opening. Kenji stepped in,, a huge grin on his face. "Wakey, wakey!"
Groaning and grumbling, they rose.
Kenji walked over to where Yasahiro still lay on the floor. "Hey, old man, Get up."
Yasahiro stirred and tried to rise, but couldn't.
"I said get up!" Kenji shouted, delivering a kick to Yasahiro's side.
Grunting, Yasahiro fell to the floor.
Get away from him, Kenji!" Aislinn shouted and rushed over, shoving Kenji away. "Keep your hands and feet off him!" She knelt beside her friend. "Yasahiro? Are you alright?"
"Yes," panted Yasahiro, holding his side.
"Little Miss Whore," Kenji sneered. "Why don't you get off that high horse of yours?"
"Why you son-of-a-bitch!" Mikey said as Merode growled. Jessica and Kimi stepped toward Kenji at the same time Mikey and Merode did.
"Iie!" Aislinn said as Kenji unsheathed the sword at his side. "Guys, don't." She turned to Kenji, still on her knees and glared at him. "Kenji. Unless you have business with us, I suggest you leave." She turned back to Yasahiro.
"Suggest this, bitch," he said and his foot connected with her cheek.
Mikey charged Kenji with the others behind him. All but Kimi, who knelt to see if Aislinn was okay.
By the time Kenji's shouts brought help, Mikey had Kenji by the throat against the wall. His sword was in Jessica's hand.
"Take it back, asshole!" Mikey said.
Ninjas rushed into the room, two for each prisoner.
"Get off her!" Leonardo said as two ninjas grabbed Jessica and ripped the sword out of her hands. He was grabbed by two more ninjas.
"Get off me!" shouted Merode as two grabbed her. She kicked at them, but they jerked her off balance and bore her to the floor where they pinned her.
Ralph was in no better a position. Two men had him pinned to the wall next to Mikey, who was held similarly.
Not resisting, Donatello's hands were held behind his back as was Kimi's once she was brought to her feet.
"Aislinn-san?" asked a ninja as he helped her up. "Are you okay?"
"Hiroshi?" Aislinn asked, holding her pounding cheek. The ninja nodded. "Hai, Hiroshi, I'm fine. Arigato."
Another ninja was helping Yasahiro to his feet.
"Don't bother with him," Kenji said, straightening his clothes and walking over to Yasahiro. He had his sword once again and held it to Yasahiro's throat. "He's nothing but a traitor. He deserves a traitor's death."
"No!" screamed Aislinn as Kenji pulled the sword back to make a sweep. Hiroshi grabbed Aislinn to keep her out of the way.
"You've done enough, Kenji," came Shredder's voice.
Kenji turned to find Saki standing in the doorway. He sheathed his sword. "Hai, my lord."
"Bring them. It is time."
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They were brought to a large room Aislinn had never been in before. It was tiled from ceiling to floor and had two large windows.
"Separate them," Shredder said without turning as he walked toward a small round table in the middle of the room. The amulet's box sat on top for all to see. The boys were put on one side of the room and the girls on the other.
"Aiko-chan," Shredder said sweetly as he turned toward them with a swirl of his cape. "Come here."
When Aislinn hesitated, Kenji shoved her and she stumbled forward. Sending a glare back to him, Aislinn walked toward her uncle. Kenji followed and stood just behind her.
She sneered at Saki. "What's the matter, uncle?" she asked in an innocent voice. "Can't get the child's jewelry box open?"
"You will kneel before your elder and lord and speak to him with respect!" said Kenji as he kicked Aislinn's knees so she fell forward.
"Fuck you, ass-kisser," Aislinn sneered.
Kenji reached for his sword, but Saki said, "Enough." Kenji backed down. "Hai, lord Saki."
"Aiko," Saki said. "Open the box."
Aislinn spit on Saki's foot. "No."
Kenji kicked Aislinn in the back, making her cry out in pain. "You dare to--"
"Kenji!" shouted Shredder. "I said enough. Take your place by Hiroshi."
"H…hai, my lord. Forgive me, my lord."
Shredder nodded to a ninja who pulled a lever on the wall. Two large tiles slid forward in front of the line of boys and the line of girls.
"At the bottom of those pits," said Saki. "Are a hundred spikes. One would be impaled if one fell."
"All right! I get it!" Aislinn stood and picked up the box. She said the incantation and unclasped the kitsune. A bright light blinded everyone in the room. Aislinn set the box back down. The holes were closed.
Shredder smiled as he lifted the amulet from the box. "Finally, after all these years! It is mine!"
Aislinn stepped backward almost in fear.
"Great Warriors of the Ancestors! Listen to my cry! Come to me!" The windows flew open and a foreboding and shrill scream filled the air. Ears were covered lest they go deaf and the glass in the windows shattered.
A whispy smoke began to emit from the amulet and grew larger and larger, reaching the high ceiling and spiraled down. The smoke began to take on shapes; human shapes. All the while the scream continued.
"Spirits!" Saki shouted, "Great Warriors of old! Aid me in my trouble!"
The scream died and a warrior stepped forward on air.
"What would you have us do, Horoku Saki?" the spirit asked in a booming voice.
The laugh that came from Saki's voice convinced Aislinn he was thoroughly mad. "Kill the turtles!" roared Saki. "Kill the mutant turtles!"
That's when pandemonium broke out.
"No!" Aislinn screamed. She was vaguely aware that Jessica and Merode made the same protests.
As the spirits turned and marched like machines toward the turtles who were backed against the wall weaponless, Merode, Jessica and Kimi rushed forward to help them. Aislinn hesitated. She needed to get to the amulet. Maybe then she could figure out how to summon the Keepers.
"Aislinn!" shouted Yasahiro. "The lever on the east wall! Pull it! Quickly!"
Aislinn turned and ran, dodging ninjas who tried to stop her. She didn't know what the lever did, but she trusted Yasahiro.
Reaching the lever, she yanked down on it. The sound of heavy metal grinding filled the room and a panel in the wall near the turtles slid open revealing weapons of all sorts.
Aislinn breathed a sigh of relief. At least they could protect themselves. She searched the room for Saki. She needed to get the amulet back.
He was very easy to find since the ninjas now crowded against the windows, ready to jump should the spirits attack them. Saki stood off to the side, watching the turtles trying to defend themselves. The amulet was hung around his neck, swinging back and forth as he headed for the stairs to the roof.
Raph was the first to realize that the spirits' bodies were erthereal. He swiped at a warrior's neck, but the sai went through without damage as if he had swiped at a cloud.
"Oh, shit," was all Raph could say before he was flying across the room and into a wall.
Saki laughed as one does when on realizes a long-needed victory was in sight. It was cut short, however, when Aislinn jumped on his back, wrapping her hands about the amulet.
"Give it back!" she growled, yanking on it, trying to break the chain as Saki stumbled around, trying to throw her off. He finally grasped her hair and, with a mighty heave, flung her into the nearest wall.
"Kenji!" Saki shouted. "Get the amulet!"
Aislinn cried out as her head hit the wall with a crack and she slid to the floor. She sat there, dazed, and looked down at her hand. The amulet was clasped in her fingers.
"Spirits…" Ancestors, her head hurt! "Keepers--"
A hand grasped her by her throat and lifted her off the ground. Kenji sneered at her, his eyes triumphant. "Time to join your ancestors, miss high and mighty."
"Aislinn!" she heard Mikey scream.
A sharp pain tore through her abdomen and she gasped, unable to scream.
Kenji jerked his sword from her stomach and stepped back, letting Aislinn fall to her knees. She looked up at him with wide eyes, holding her stomach closed with her hands.
"I'll take that," Kenji said, snatching the amulet. "Little brats shouldn't play with such dangerous things."
"Neither should you," said Yasahiro's voice from behind Kenji. There was a flash of metal one moment and the next, Kenji's headless body was being kicked aside by Yasahiro.
"Aislinn!" Mikey rushed to her side and knelt, catching her before she hit the ground. "Oh, god, Aislinn," Mikey said, looking horrified at all the blood.
"Mikey…" Aislinn gasped. "The…amulet…" She winced. "Call the…Keepers. Ask…" she stopped with a groan of pain. "Ask for justice…they will…stop the warriors."
"Hush, love. You're going to be okay." Tears flowed down his cheeks as he glanced at the blood that pooled around them. "Oh, god." She wasn't going to make it. "Aislinn, please. Don't leave me."
She gave a weak smile and lifted her hand slowly to touch his wet cheeks. "Don't cry. I'll come back…I promise…Mikey, my love…" Her body stiffened and she closed her eyes tight against the pain. Then she seemed to deflate and was still.
Sobbing, Mikey hugged her close.
Meanwhile, the battle raged on, the turtles and their friends still on the defensive.
From high above through a skylight, Saki watched his niece die with no remorse. He waved a hand at Tenshi. "Retrieve the amulet."
Tenshi bowed and grunted then left. Undetected, he stole downstairs and snatched up the amulet from Kenji's lifeless grip. He quickly climbed the stairs and handed the amulet to Shredder with a bow.
"Great Warriros of the Ancestors!" Saki bellowed, holding the amulet high. "Kill any who attempt to aid the turtles!"
The spirits turn on Yasahiro and the girls.