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, matane means goodbye (informally), arigato means thank you. -san is added to a name to show respect (like Mr. or Mrs.) and -chan is added to a name to show endearment.
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 10
Aislinn was in a white room again, but this time she wasn't alone. Her mother stood surrounded by other men and women. Men and women she knew only from pictures, and those were few. They were her grandparents and their parents and their grandparents and so on. Every man and woman who had ever been a Keeper stood, waiting.
"Mother!" Aislinn cried, "What's going on?"
"Aiko, I should ask you the same! Why haven't you called us?"
"I was going to, but Kenji, he…he killed me."
"We must send her back to call us," said a woman.
"It is risky," said a man. "She could end up going back into the body and return to us."
"We must take the risk."
"What risk? What do you mean, send me back? How?"
Amé pulled her daughter aside. "Grandmother is right, Aiko. You must go back. Walk through those doors," she pointed to a pair of black bay window doors. "Head away from us and don't turn back. Eventually you'll come to a large light. Turn left before entering the light and you'll arrive back in life as a spirit. You must get the amulet back from your uncle. For the sake of the world and for the spirits' souls."
Aislinn did as told and left the room, heading for the light. She turned left and fell into darkness. A light flashed…
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Aislinn opened her eyes and sat up, then stood. Looking down, she found Mikey kneeling in a lake of blood, holding her body. She was now nothing but a misty figure in flowing robes.
Reaching out, she passed her hand through Mikey's head. He didn't even notice. She wanted to comfort him, show him she was still there. She closed her eyes and concentrated on feeling. "Mikey," she said and opened her eyes to feel her hand resting on his head.
Mikey looked up and then back down at her limp body. He gazed back up at her, eyes wide. "Aislinn? But…how…?"
"Shh, my love." She leaned down and kissed his lips softly. "Everything will be all right."
She looked around, noticing the spirits had turned on the girls. She frowned. They wouldn't hold out much longer. Only Merode seemed uncut, but she was growing tired as were the rest. "Where's Shredder?"
"I saw him go up to the roof, but--"
Aislinn soared upward through the ceiling. She hovered and scanned the area. Only Saki and Tenshi.
She flew over, grabbed Tenshi by the neck of his robe and threw him over her shoulder.
Shredder, standing in front of Tenshi, didn't notice.
"Saki, my dear, sweet uncle,' Aislinn sneered.
Oroku turned, his eyes widening. "But…but you're…"
"Dead? Hai, but you see," she advanced on him. "You have something of mine."
Saki backed up, the amulet clasped in his hand. "How…did you…?"
"I told you, uncle. If the Keeper dies before the amulet is returned to the Kitsune, the Keeper will come back as a spirit and be indestructable except by another spirit. So you're screwed." She took another step forward, holding out her hand. "Give me the amulet and I'll make your death quick. If you don't, I'll make you wish you were dead."
He held the amulet above his head. "Spirits! De--"
Aislinn cut him off by grabbing his throat and lifting him from the ground. "Wrong choice, uncle. Hand over the amulet."
Suddenly a helicopter rose to Aislinn's right. A very battered Tenshi sat in the pilot's seat. Saki took the chance and sent the amulet flying to Aislinn's left. It sailed into open space past the building's edge, then fell and disappeared.
Aislinn--her urge to help her friends rising over her sense of duty--threw Shredder over her shoulder and soared after the amulet. She caught it before it hit the ground. "Spirits! Hear my plea! Keepers of the amulet, past and future, aid me in my trouble! See that justice is served!"
The amulet grew warm in her hand as streaks of gold light emitted from the symbols. It grew so bright that, even as a spirit, she covered her eyes in surprise. When she looked again, the amulet pulse with a golden glow.
A hand closed Aislinn's over the amulet and Aislinn looked up into Amé's gold face. "What would you have us do, Aiko-san?" Amé asked.
"I ask that you help me defend my friends against the spirits of the warriors."
Amé nodded and unsheathed the gold sword at her side. Other gold forms stepped forward.
"Saki?" one asked.
Aislinn shook her head. "Gone with Tenshi."
"Very well," Amé said. "As long as you have the amulet." She turned to the others. "Keepers! Justice must be done. These warriors are your husbands, wives, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters. But they are controlled by the amulet and Saki's will. Without him to reverse their actions, they will continue to strive for one goal no matter who stands in their way. But they must be stopped. For future's sake, they must be stopped. Will you help Aiko-san?"
Some nodded and murmured their solemn ascent. Others stepped back, whether to assess the situation before joining the fight or outright refusing, Aislinn didn't know.
Amé nodded. "Let us go."
With a war cry that followed down the ranks of spirits, Amé led the way through the wall and into the fray. Aislinn was quick to join her mother.
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This is ridiculous, thought Donatello as he blocked another blow with his bo. His muscles screamed in protest. You can't fight someone who can't be harmed no matter how hard you hit it. He couldn't see how Merode did it. She hadn't been cut once, hit yes, but not cut. She seemed to be too fast for the Samurai's blade.
The wasn't true for the others, however, who had taken blows by the hundred. At least, it felt that way. The spirit before Donatello rose his blade high and Donatello knew that, even if he blocked it, his muscles wouldn't take the strain.
He was right. As the sword connected with his bo, he lost control and the sword sliced into his shoulder and shell. He screamed as fire with the force of a thousand suns soared through his shoulder and down his arm.
He feintly heard his name being screamed, but he wasn't sure who the voice belonged to.
The spirit jerked the sword out with little ceremony and brought it down in a swinging motion.
"Donny!" a girl's voice screamed.
There was a flash of gold and Donatello found himself kneeling behind a spirit, this one gold rather than misty grey.
"Donny!" came the voice again and Kimi rushed to his side.
"Kimi?" Donatello asked weakly. "You…you spoke?"
"Kimi!" shouted Aislinn. "Get Donatello out of here!" The gold spirit shoved at the grey to free it's sword then stabbed it through the abdomen. A spine-chilling scream filled the air and the grey spirit faded into nothingness.
The gold spirit turned to them. It was an older woman but looked to be in her thirties. She looked remarkably like Aislinn.
"Aiko's right. Get your friends out of here. We'll take care of this."
Kimi quickly obeyed and helped Donatello to a corner away from the fighting. She leaned him against the wall, examining his wound and ignoring his questions. He was bleeding severely and was growing pale.
Without giving him warning, she pressed her hand to the opening and applied pressure. He cried out in pain, squinting his eyes closed.
Leonardo collapsed next to them, Jessica right beside him. "Will he be alright?"
Kimi nodded.
"She…sp--" Donatello started.
Kimi put her free hand to his mouth and gestured to him to keep silent. Her speaking had surprised her, too. After her parents' deaths, she hadn't been able to whisper a word, much less scream.
Screams continued to fill the air until finally everyone but Merode had joined together to watch.
"Where's Aislinn?" Jessica asked.
"Depends on which one you mean," Mikey said.
She frowned at him. "What do you mean?"
Mikey pointed to Aislinn's body a few feet away that somehow the others had overlooked.
Jessica gave a cry of alarm.
"She's also over there," Mikey said, pointing to a golden spirit fighting her way toward Merode. Aislinn slashed through a spirit and looked toward her friend. Her eyes widened. "Merode! Look out!"
Too late, the grey spirit Merode fought sliced it's javelin across her side.
Merode cried out in pain and the spirit stepped back. She fell to her knees, expecting the killing blow to come.
It never did. The room fell silent.
Merode looked up to see the spirit, along with all the other grey spirits, standing at attention.
"Forgive me, my lady," said the spirit before her. "I did not know you were of the blood."
Merode stared at the spirit in confusion.
"Merode, why didn't you say something?" asked a gold spirit next to her. Merode recognized Aislinn's face.
"Aislinn? What happened? Why are you--"
"Never mind me. Why didn't you tell me you were a descendent of the Kitsune?"
"Aislinn, the hell you talkin about?"
"The Kitsune. The one who made the amulet. Only one of her blood could stop the warriors. Why didn't you tell me? The amulet could've been dealt with long ago."
"I didn't know myself. If you remember, I'm an orphan."
"What would you have us do, my lady?" asked the spirit.
Merode looked to the spirit then back at Aislinn, questioningly.
"Send them back to the Farplane. Let them go home."
Merode looked at the spirit. "Well, you heard her. Go."
The spirit bowed. "My Lady." And the grey spirits faded away without a sound.
Another gold spirit, Amé, Merode recognized her as, came to stand next to Aislinn.
"It is good to know your line did not die out, Lady Kitsune. Now I know you'll do the right thing with the amulet so the warriors' spirits may rest."
Without missing a beat, Merode asked, "How do I destroy it?"
A relieved look overcame Amé's face, but her voice remained solemn. "Sadly, only the Keeper can tell you how, but our lips are sealed once we cross into the farplane." She looked at Aislinn and hugged her close with one arm.
Merode looked stricken. "Aislinn, you're…?"
Aislinn nodded. "Hai."
"How?"
"Kenji."
"But…Aislinn…you can't leave us. Mikey…he needs you! And how am I supposed to destroy the amulet without you here?"
Aislinn shook her head. "I don't know."
"There is one way," Amé said.
Aislinn looked to her mother with hope.
"We could send you back to your body. Of course, the wound will be healed, but…"
"But what?"
"Your body would stay in the form it has taken. No antidote to Shredder's ooze will turn you back to your human form."
Aislinn thought of this. Then she nodded. "Fine. I'll do it."
Amé studied her, then nodded. "Keepers. She's made her decision."
There was a flash of light… "Matane, my daughter."
When Aislinn opened her eyes, she was back in her body, the others surrounding her.
Mikey helped her to sit up. "You feeling okay?" he asked.
Aislinn nodded. She looked around, "Mom?"
"They left," Merode said, stepping forward with the amulet. "Now let's get ride of this thing."
Aislinn held out her hand and Merode helped her to her feet. "Hai," said Aislinn. "I need a fairly large fire and the box the amulet came in."
"Let's go, then," Jessica said, turning and leading the way with Leo toward the door which was blocked by leftover ninjas. Those who hadn't fled when their master had.
Leo and Jess raised their katanas.
"Wait," Yasahiro said as the ninjas raised their own weapons. He stepped forward and addressed the leader. "Hiroshi. Must more useless killing occur this day? I do not wish to kill any more men I had thought were my friends."
Hiroshi studied Yasahiro. "I watched as you killed Kenji. There was no remorse in your actions."
"Iie. He betrayed Lady Aiko. She should have been the one protected. Not Saki. Horoku Minoru was our first Lord. Kenji forgot this."
"And you? What of you? Do you not remember ratting out our first Lord?"
"Only too well. I didn't realize I was doing wrong them. My foolishness blinded me. But with the return of Aiko-san, I have seen the truth."
Hiroshi nodded. "As have I. We only stopped you to give Lady Aiko this." He pulled a canister from his belt and held it out.
Aislinn stepped forward to take it. "What is it?" she asked.
"It's the antidote."
Aislinn looked from the canister to Hiroshi sharply. "Shredder told me there was none."
"So he would like everyone to believe. But an advantage to having camera security is that nothing goes unnoticed."
Aislinn smiled. "Arigato, Hiroshi."
Hiroshi bowed and stepped aside. "Ninjas," he stated. The others followed suite and Aislinn was allowed to leave with her friends.
Yasahiro stopped at the door and the others filed past him, except for Aislinn. "You aren't coming with?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Iie. Hiroshi and the others are in danger now. Shredder will do anything in his power to destroy them and I. I will go with them. Maybe we can find a new life somewhere."
Aislinn nodded. "I wish all of you luck."
"The same to you, Lady."
"Aiko," she said, smiling. "Friends shouldn't be so formal with each other." She leaned up and hugged him, laying a peck on his cheek. "Matane, Yasahiro-chan. I'll tell my father everything you've done for me."
Yasahiro stepped back, a flush covering his cheeks. "Arigato, Aiko-san. Maybe I will be welcome into eternity with open arms."
"I don't doubt it."
Yasahiro bowed. "Matane, Aiko-san." With that, he turned and walked back to the other ninjas. Aislinn watched him leave, then turned and walked through the door