Chapter 5
Three weeks into her training, and Pieh Chi was exhausted. Her first session had been humiliating, the Shredder countering every move she made and slamming her to the floor repeatedly. She became badly bruised but as the session went on, her strength increased. The art of ninjitsu was similar to her own fighting style, and she found it suited her. It called for quick reactions and decisive attacks; always thinking ahead of your opponent. Even the Shredder seemed impressed, and after just a week, decided that the time had come for her to use a weapon.
"Tell me kame, what is your weapon of choice?" he asked, Pieh Chi's eyes staring at the wall of destruction in the armoury. There were so many.
"I am not sure-Master Shredder," she added quickly, catching his stern look.
"Well, then let us try a selection."
She was first given a pair of Sais, which she found awkward to hold and repeatedly dropped when trying to defend herself from the Shredder's attacks. Next were a pair of nunchaku, but Pieh Chi hit herself more than her opponent. When she tried a simple wooden Bo-staff, she felt a lot more competent. She was able to bring strength to her attacks and ward off the Shredder. She felt happy with it.
"No," the Shredder suddenly decided, taking the staff away from her. "This is barely a weapon. As my student, you shall wield something a little...sharper."
He turned, holding a pair of katana blades. They were beautiful, but as Pieh Chi grasped them, her she felt her coordination slip into disarray. She didn't have enough strength to use them both at the same time effectively, and the pair were soon knocked clean from her hands. The Shredder sighed angrily, returning to the wall to select a new weapon, frustration radiating from him. As he did so, Pieh Chi grasped a single sword in both hands. She swung it and parried with sudden ease. She practised various manoeuvres and attacks when suddenly her blade was met by the Shredder's. She sliced it to the side, the sound of metal scraping metal filling the room. She lunged, and the Shredder met her attack with ease. She tried again, but feinted to left slightly before suddenly slamming to the right. The Shredder anticipated her change of move, but not another swift change to the left again. He leaned to the right as Pieh Chi managed to catch his sword with her own, twist it and catch it as it flew into the air. She pointed her blade towards his chest in victory, and he smirked in defeat.
"Look at the way he smiles, even when at my mercy. I could finish him here and now, and all he does is smile." Anger again bubbled up inside her, but as the Shredder's grin deepened, clarity surged through her. "He knows my hatred towards him, and knows that on my own, I could never defeat him. Maybe in body, but his spirit will continue to live on in the Foot clan. I must wait until the time is right to strike."
She took a deep breath and lowered her sword. Saki clapped his hands.
"Well done, Hen'i-tai. I believe the single Katana has chosen you as its bearer. But you wasted time with your double-feint. If I was a true adversary, I would have been able to strike you easily."
"Hai, Master."
"Now, we must join the other members of the Foot. You shall partake in a group training session to test your coordination skills..."
The Shredder's words became a blur as Pieh Chi followed him out, clutching her sword. Of course he had made it easy for her, he knew she would make a double attack, and so graciously lost to secure her hope on the katana she now wielded. That's why he was smiling, because she thought she had truly beaten him.
The pair came to the large black double doors that led to the training room, today full of Foot ninja. They bowed to their master and made a circle round him. Pieh Chi took her place alongside them.
"Our newest recruit has just discovered her choice of weapon, and wielded it with the natural skill that lies within all of you. Now the Hen'i-tai shall demonstrate her knew found prowess with a blade. Gurūpu san, step forward." A group of six ninjas stepped into the circle. Shredder then beckoned Pieh Chi as well. She readied herself in front of them. "Hajime!"
"This is going to be a long day." Pieh Chi thought to herself, before raising her sword in attack.
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"Focus Mikey! If you don't want to get whacked by Donny's staff, then watch what he's doing with it!"
"I know Leo, but Raph distracted me!"
"That's the point bone-head." Raphael muttered, putting his brother's precious comics back on the sofa after threatening to burn them.
"Just because I smashed you at stealth training."
"Mikey, you fell into a garbage truck."
"Yeah, but you didn't know where I was, and your time ran out, meaning I won."
"Yeah, and as soon as Donny activated your tracker we had to run halfway across town to get you out."
"I would have been fine without you."
"Why you ungrateful-" Raph lunged at his brother, tripping him so that he fell onto the floor and pulling his arm tight against his back.
"Raphael! Enough," Leo commanded, his authority earning a glare from his wound up brother.
"Who put you in charge?" Raph questioned, releasing Mikey, throwing him back to the floor.
"Dude, he is our leader. He has been for years now." Mikey explained, realising his brother's sarcasm after his glare.
"Well then, 'fearless leader', don't you agree that Michelangelo here deserves a lesson in gratitude?"
"I believe that you need to cool off, hot head. The way of Bushido calls for decisive tactics, not rash actions that lead to mistakes."
"Don't you dare go all 'wise one' on me, Splinter-junior. I know the system just as well as you."
"But it isn't a system Raphael, it's a fundamental-"
"I KNOW! Jeesh, you just wanna kick your brother's butt and you get a whole lecture."
"Chill out Leo, he was just messin' with me, weren't you bro?" Mikey insisted, rubbing his head.
"Was I?" Raphael smiled before jumping his brother, who screamed.
"I give up!" Leo cried in exasperation, going to sit on the sofa.
Donatello looked at his family in despair. Raphael and Mikey's fighting wasn't out of the ordinary, and neither was Raph and Leo's, but for the past few weeks the atmosphere had been strained. They hadn't seen much of Master Splinter, who seemed to do nothing but meditate apart from when he needed food, and so Leo had had to take up the place of teacher in the training sessions, which was fine and everything, except he tried to make them all fight like him. Raphael didn't like Leo having even more authority, and so criticised everything he did in response to him not listening to them. That made Leo even more tense, and then Mikey's immaturity would just make them snap. So Donny had just stayed out of the way, doing what he was told until peace reigned again in his family. But Splinter had been a recluse for several weeks now, with no sign of letting up. Suddenly, the lair's elevator opened, and Casey strode in, happy at first, but raised his eyebrows at the tension between the three turtles. He walked over to Donny.
"Hey Don, what's going on in here?"
"Just the usual. Raph and Mikey argued. Raph and Leo argued. I stepped back out of the way. Nothing new."
"Is Master Splinter still doing his thinking stuff?"
"Meditating? And yes, since breakfast this morning."
"Woah, the guy must really be focusing."
"Yeah. Even Leo wouldn't stick it out for this long."
"What are you two blabbing about?" Raph suddenly questioned, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a soda. He nudged Casey before leaning against the counter next to him.
"I actually came to tell you guys something. I ran into some Purple Dragons last night. Before I pummelled them I overheard them discussing a huge 'assault thing' tonight, by the city bank."
"Their gonna rob it?" Mikey asked, joining in with the conversation. He went to stand next to Raph, but quickly changed to Donny.
"It's possible," Raph began. "But Hun hasn't got the brains to carry out a job that big."
"Yeah, except it ain't the Purple Dragons doing the job. They said it was the Foot."
Casey suddenly found three turtles staring at him intently. Leonardo quickly jumped up to join them.
"The Foot?" Donny asked, "Are you sure?"
"Certain."
"But I thought the two weren't in league with each other anymore?" Mikey commented. Raphael rolled his eyes.
"Not officially, but they are gonna have spies in each other's faction. You know, to keep an eye on the other."
"So the Purple Dragons might actually not be involved?" Don concluded.
"Exactly," Casey confirmed. "But what I want to know is why the Shredder wants to rob the City bank?"
"He doesn't." Leo's statement earned four stares. "Oroku Saki is one of the richest men in the world probably. He wouldn't waste his time with a bank robbery after such a quiet period. He's planning something much bigger, using the bank as a distraction."
"You sure about that, 'fearless leader'?" Raph didn't need an answer to know it was yes. "Well then, what are we waiting for? We should get out there."
"Hold on Raph, we don't know where the Shredder is going to be."
"Well, we can start with the bank, and work our way from there."
"My sons," Master Splinter's voice suddenly cut through the developing tension, causing all five to twist and stare at him. Leo went up to his side.
"Sensei, how are you feeling?"
"Fine, Leonardo, although I was not sick. Just deep in thought."
"And have you come across anything new?"
"Yes, the voice that spoke to Chung I, I recognise it, although I know not where from or when."
"So what will you do now?"
"I believe that some fresh air and exercise is in order. I shall accompany you on your investigation into the Foot's actions tonight."
The news surprised the turtles, and Leo tensed, knowing that he was going to have to be extra alert. He loved his father dearly, but felt his duty as his chosen leader meant he had to keep an extra eye on him. When he joined them on their missions, he was another loved one to worry about.
