Chapter Twenty Two- Confrontation

Mikey paced back and forth across his floor, muttering to himself.

"Moon Shadow had this charm. I accidently cut it free from her and she didn't notice. But if she has this, then that means Moon Shadow is actually Kuro. But Kuro showed me this charm and told me about the name, so I know that Kuro is actually Miwa. So, by that logic, Moon Shadow is Miwa!"

Mikey sat down on the lower bunk of his bed, staring at the turtle charm in his hand. "All right, just think this through, Mikey. Splinter said when Shredder attacked him, the fight took the life of Tang Shen and he lost his baby daughter Miwa. Maybe 'lost' doesn't mean 'dead'. Shredder probably kidnapped Miwa and raised her as his own. She said her father called her 'Kuro' all her life. She even said her mother died when she was a baby. If Moon Shadow really is Shredder's daughter, then that means Kuro is Shredder's daughter. Or at least she thinks she's Shredder's daughter. Which means that Splinter's daughter never died; Shredder kidnapped her, named her Kuro, and she called herself Moon Shadow when she became a ninja!"

Mikey looked down at the turtle charm again. He sighed. "I gotta tell Splinter. No, I gotta tell Miwa. She needs to know who she really is." He climbed to the top bunk of his bed and pulled the blanket over him. "If I can get her to know the truth, maybe she can talk to Splinter." He sighed again and closed his fingers around the turtle charm. "I just hope it all works."

"Where is it? Where is it? Where is it?"

Donnie glanced over at Kuro questioningly. "Where's what, Kuro?"

"I had a necklace on yesterday and now it's gone!" Kuro cried frantically as she dug through her backpack. "I never take it off! How could I lose it?"

"Calm down, Kuro." Raph waved it off. "I'm sure it'll turn up."

Kuro opened her mouth to say something, but only groaned in frustration and continued her search. I had it on yesterday. I never took it off. Where could it be? She groaned again and rushed off to the kitchen, scanning the floor and counters in case she dropped it there. But she never spied a flash of silver or green. She ran her fingers through her hair, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Okay, okay Kuro, calm down. Retrace your steps. You woke up this morning; you realized the shoelace was broken. No, it was cut. Now when or where would it be cut? Why would it be cut? What could you have possibly done that would—" Kuro looked up and noticed Mikey standing before her. "Hey Mikey. What's up?"

"We need to talk." Mikey said with a frown.

"Oh, so serious." Kuro smiled. "I like it."

"Kuro, come with me." Mikey instructed, walking from the kitchen.

Kuro smiled still and followed Mikey out to the sewer tunnels. "All right, but if you feed me to a monster sewer gator, I'll haunt you for the rest of your life."

Mikey didn't speak again for a while. He simply led Kuro farther and farther down the tunnels. They didn't stop walking for another five long minutes and then Mikey turned to Kuro. "There's something majorly serious we need to talk about."

"Okay." Kuro shrugged. "Shoot."

"First, you need to see this." Mikey reached into his belt pocket and pulled out the turtle charm. He held it out for Kuro, who sighed in relief.

"Oh my gosh, where did you find that?" Kuro reached for the charm, but Mikey held it out of her reach. He still held that uncharacteristic frown that made Kuro a little nervous.

"Do you know what happened to us last night?" Mikey asked. Kuro shook her head. "We fought the konoichi known as Moon Shadow. She almost beat us too, until the cops showed up and we had to disappear before we were found." He made sure Kuro was looking him in the eyes and noticed the look in her eyes. "During the battle, my kusarigama sliced through her shirt, and some of the fabric stuck to the blade. This charm was also stuck to it."

"What are you saying?" Kuro demanded in a low voice.

Mikey narrowed his eyes. "I'm saying that you can't lie to me anymore. I know who you are."

"Oh really?" Kuro raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Mikey nodded.

"What makes you say that?"

"You disappear constantly. You didn't react to the note April's dad delivered. You switch back and forth between nice and not nice personalities, confusing me and my brothers. Until now. On top of all that, you never seemed truly afraid of Shredder and Dogpound."

Kuro chuckled a little darkly. "You really think you know who I am?"

"There's not a doubt in my mind." Mikey said firmly.

He knows my secret. Kuro finally realized. He knows I'm Moon Shadow, the konoichi trying to kill them. Wish I had brought my gauntlets. Oh well. I can strangle him and say he was attacked by the Foot. But just to be sure... "How about a test? To be sure that we're on the same page."

"What are you talking about?" Mikey demanded.

"On three, we'll both say who I am." Kuro suggested. "At the same time. Then we'll go from there."

Mikey narrowed his eyes, but nodded. "One..."

"Two..." Kuro said.

"Three."

They spoke simultaneously.

Kuro: "I am Moon Shadow."

Mikey: "You're Splinter's daughter."

Kuro blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

Mikey smirked. "I thought you might confess to the whole Moon Shadow thing. And I had a feeling you were her."

Kuro huffed. "Well, it would seem I underestimated your cunning, Michelangelo. But what was it you said about me?"

"Oh, you're Master Splinter's daughter." Mikey said simply.

"No, I'm not." Kuro laughed.

"Yes, you are." Mikey insisted.

"Look, I can understand if you're mad at me." Kuro's anger was rising. "But you don't have to lie to me to get back at me."

"I'm not lying." Mikey affirmed. "Do you know how Sensei lost his family?"

"They...died in a fire..." Kuro shrugged. "So what?"

"Tang Shen died. Splinter's daughter Miwa was lost." Mikey held up the turtle charm. "You have this charm that has your real name: Miwa. You are Splinter's daughter."

"No I'm not." Kuro insisted, snatching the silver and green turtle from Mikey's hand. "My father is Oroku Saki and my mother was Tang Shen. And your master murdered her and destroyed my home."

"It's actually the other way around." Mikey corrected.

"Stop lying to me!" Kuro growled. "I don't take kindly to liars."

"I'm not lying." Mikey assured, his gaze softening. "I've never been so sure of something in my life. I can see so many things that are different between you and Shredder. He's ruthless and you're merciful; he's strong and you're stronger but compassionate; he's evil and you're nice! And when I look at you and Splinter, I see so many similarities. You're both protective of your family, you both lost someone important to you, you're both..." He sighed. "I see so much of Master Splinter in you. Why can't you see it too?"

Kuro looked down, her thoughts travelling to her dreams. All those times when Oroku attacked her and Splinter showed her love. The lullaby her parents sang to her; she couldn't see it being Shredder.

Mikey's eyes widened hopefully. "Unless...you do see it."

Kuro's gaze hardened. "I am not the daughter of Hamato Yoshi. My father is Oroku Saki, and he made my mission very clear. I am to kill you and your brothers and drop your master at my father's feet."

"Kinda hard to do that considering—"

"Splinter is not my father!" Kuro screamed. "Stop lying to me! Of all the people in the world, I trusted you the most! I even showed you my charm and that name!"

"Miwa—"

"Don't ever call me that!"

Mikey glared at the Japanese girl before her. "So what will you do now?"

Kuro matched the turtle's glare. "I'm going to wait for your move. If you don't tell your brothers, I can postpone your demise. Tell your brothers, and I'll tell Shredder where your lair is."

Mikey glared harder, but internally he was worried. He only huffed and pushed past Kuro as they journeyed home. No one really noticed the tension between them as Mikey started playing a video game with Leo and Kuro grabbed her phone and headed into the kitchen. She opened a new text message and typed away.

New plan. Tonight, you will cause a distraction that will lure the Turtles out of the lair. Keep them out of the lair for as long as possible while I slay Hamato. Do it TONIGHT, got it?

She sent the text and set her phone down while she stared at the turtle charm. She sighed and untied the black shoelace from her wrist. She laced it through the loop on the charm and tied it back around her neck, where it belonged. She tucked it into her shirt collar without another thought. Her phone started ringing, and she picked it up quickly.

"What?" Kuro demanded.

"Are you crazy?" Dogpound's voice snapped.

"You got a problem?" Kuro whispered loudly.

"I got a number of problems, kid." Dogpound snarled. "And you are very close to the top."

"Just do as I say!" Kuro growled.

"Kuro, listen closely." Dogpound's voice hinted concern. "Splinter is stronger than you think."

"You listen to me." Kuro insisted. "I have to do this now. Just do what I said and everything will work out."

Dogpound sighed as Kuro suddenly hung up on him. "Train on your own. I'll be back."

The Foot Ninja practicing with him bowed and let him pass. He lumbered off to Shredder's throne room, where his master stood staring out the window behind his throne. Dogpound bowed respectfully.

"You better have a very good reason for disturbing me." Shredder growled.

"Master, your daughter Kuro has intentions to kill Hamato while the Turtles are out." Dogpound reported.

"And?" Shredder inquired.

Dogpound raised an eyebrow. "Master, I'm confused. I thought you wanted to kill Hamato. The right is yours after all."

"I have nothing against my daughter killing Hamato." Shredder explained. "Though I do wish to destroy my enemy myself, Kuro has that same right for justice."

Dogpound looked down. "Do you think she can do it? I've seen the Turtles fight; they know much, so their master must know more."

"Do you doubt my daughter?" Shredder demanded in a low voice.

"Of course not!" Dogpound said hurriedly. "I simply worry for her safety."

Shredder nodded in thought. "Do not worry for her. She's stronger than you give her credit for. Leave her be. I am sure when she returns she will come home victorious."

"Hey guys!" Kuro rounded the corner and leaped over the turntables.

"Back so soon?" Raph teased. "I thought girls spent hours and hours at the mall."

"No time for jokes!" Kuro panted, looking like she had run a mile in two minutes.

"Whoa, calm down!" Donnie soothed. "What's wrong?"

"Okay, I got good news and bad news. Good news: check out what I bought!" Kuro pulled out her Moon Shadow clothing from a shopping bag, hoping it looked new enough to fool the boys. "I thought it would fit better than jeans and a hoodie for patrol."

"Looks great." Leo complimented. "Should be better for moving too."

"What's the bad news?" Raph asked.

"I saw that mutant dog while I was out." Kuro reported.

"Dogpound?" Leo clarified.

"That's the one." Kuro nodded. "Breaking some stuff on 47th."

"Let's go." Leo urged. "Did he see you?"

"I think so." Kuro nodded regretfully. "I was kinda standing right in a streetlight."

"And that's why ninjas hide in the shadows." Raph teased.

"Oh shut up." Kuro rolled her eyes. "Let's go!"

"No, you stay here." Mikey encouraged. "If Dogpound saw you, he'll target you the most."

"Why would he target me the most?" Kuro asked as the boys leaped over the turntables.

"Just stay here." Leo insisted. "We'll take care of it."

"Don't bother Splinter while we're gone. He's playing with his kitten." Donnie explained. "Don't be fooled if he said he's only meditating."

Kuro fake groaned. "Fine. Just don't have too much fun without me!" The boys laughed as they ran off. Kuro smirked as she turned and walked into the kitchen, putting some water on the stove for tea. She hummed as she pulled out the tea from the cabinet. She spun around when she heard a soft whoosh, but saw no one. She carefully walked out to the living room, but the only sounds came from the video games and the sloshing water in the pool. Kuro shrugged it off, returning to her tea.

She never noticed the shadow darting into the dojo.

The Turtles continued to leap from rooftop to rooftop, searching for the Foot Ninja.

"You sure it was this street?" Donnie asked.

"Kuro said 47th." Leo reasoned. "She probably didn't have time to get any more details about where."

"Let's just find the Foot and smack 'em down." Raph encouraged with a smirk. "I'm in the mood for—" He grunted in pain when a weighted net suddenly wrapped around him, forcing him to the ground. His brothers skidded to a halt and helped untangle their brother. No sooner had they finished did a group of Foot Ninjas surround them. Dogpound landed hard before them, sneering.

"Well now, look what we finally found." Dogpound laughed.

"Hey look, guys." Raph taunted. "A mutt who lost his way."

Dogpound snarled. "Foot Ninja! Remember the plan. Attack!"

"Plan?" Donnie asked. "What plan?"

"Less talking, more fighting!" Leo urged, drawing his katanas and leaping into battle. His brothers followed close behind. Leo beat his way through the Ninjas and right to Dogpound. "What did you mean by a plan?"

"Why do you care?" Dogpound snarled, swinging his fists. Leo jumped aside just in time. "You'll be smudges on the sidewalk."

Leo growled and lit into the dog, kicking him to the ground.

Splinter paced back and forth in the dojo, right in front of the shrine set up against the wall. He glanced over every ten seconds at the picture of him, his wife, and his daughter. He continued to pace, his plan for what he would say running through his head like a script.

"Sensei Splinter?"

Splinter turned as Kuro came in and shut the door behind her. She dressed in black ninja clothing (minus the hood), a sword was strapped to her back, and her gauntlets were on her wrists. Though he wondered where she could've gotten the sword, he decided to wait until later to ask. "Come in. I want to speak with you."

"Am I in trouble?" Kuro asked as she sat cross-legged on the floor in front of Splinter, who knelt down and sat back on his ankles.

"Of course not." Splinter assured. "I just wanted to speak to you about...your family."

"I don't have one." Kuro reminded him. "Apart from my dad, who hardly pays attention to me."

"I realize that." Splinter nodded. "What I want to know is why."

Kuro narrowed her eyes. "I don't really know. He's just busy with his job."

"Anything else?" Splinter implored. "Anything that you can remember about your past; traumatic events or anything like that?"

"No." Miwa shook her head. "But my dad told me he saved me from the burning building once. My mother died."

Splinter's fist clenched in silent fury, but Kuro hardly noticed. He took a breath to calm himself down. "Kuro, you do realize your father lied to you?"

Kuro cocked her head. "What do you mean? Did my mom survive?"

"Your father did." Splinter nodded.

"I realize that. Why repeat that?" Kuro asked.

Splinter sighed through his nose. "I believe I am getting ahead of myself."

"Well, I don't really understand what you're trying to explain." Kuro clarified. "What's this all about?"

Splinter nodded to the shrine beside them, and it was then that Kuro noticed the picture; the same one she watched Splinter stare at mournfully. "I have had that picture since the day you were born." Splinter said.

Kuro's eyebrows slowly furrowed. "What?"

"You remember I was once human?" Splinter said. When Kuro nodded, he continued. "I was married to your mother, Tang Shen. And you were born a year later." He made sure Kuro looked him in the eye so she would know he was serious. "You're my daughter, Miwa."

Kuro stared at him for a long time, her eyes wide. "No...no, no, no...my father is Oroku Saki."

"The fire that took your mother's life was caused by Shredder." Splinter explained. "And he kidnapped you from me. Tang Shen was my wife, and you are our child. I thought you had died because I couldn't find you anywhere after the fire. Had I known Shredder stole you from me, I would've—"

"You are not my dad!" Kuro insisted, her voice rising. "My dad is not a humanoid rat with mutant turtles for sons!"

"Now, Miwa." Splinter's gaze hardened a little. "There is nothing wrong with mutants. It wasn't intentional and—"

"No!" Kuro snapped, jumping to her feet. "You are not my father! My mother is dead because of you! My father is Oroku Saki and he told me all about you! I won't be lied to, especially not by you!" Kuro put her hand to her head. "I...I can't believe this. I won't suffer through another lie." She frowned and suddenly looked up. "Wait a minute…why are you accusing me of being your daughter? Where did you get your information?"

Splinter didn't answer. Kuro noticed movement behind him and looked up. She glared as a familiar figure stepped from the shadows behind Splinter.

"I told him the truth, Kuro." Mikey told her. "I told him about the charm and your past and everything you told me."