Episode 7: The Shadows Converge – Part 1

Decorative oak tree's surrounded Ethan. In the center of the large park, a single, lone fountain was splashing water quietly in the dark. The New York streets were abnormally empty and the air here was silent. In the slightest of breezes, the tree leaves rustled together. Stars winked down from the sky above.

Ethan hadn't been here in a very long time.

The last time he had this dream was before he was mutated into a red panda. It was the dream that had plagued them over and over again. Expectantly, Ethan turned to see Jess and Kaela running towards him. They had done this several times. "Wow, Ethan!" Jess said, skidding to a halt. "It's weird to see you like this again."

Ethan, confused, looked down at himself. He could see his skin, his fingers normal, his nails as short as they usually were. He was human again. He looked down at himself, feeling odd, as if this now was a strange foreign body to him. "Weird." He muttered. He looked up at the other two, "Why would I be human again?" He tried to figure out what on earth that meant, but he could hear the sound of the oncoming, strange pyramid ships that they were slowly getting used to seeing. The three scrambled behind the large, white Washington Square Arch and watched as the three ships appeared in the sky, carrying the huge black metal ring with their glowing strings.

Just as they had always done, they lowered the ring down and dropped it directly over the fountain, the glow of their ships dousing the whole park in orange. Then, with the same whirling, they flew back up into the sky. Jess and Kaela went to go back to the fountain but Ethan stopped them. "Let's just watch and hope that we don't wake up this time." he said. He turned his head slightly, just enough so he could look past the huge marble arch. It was cold on his skin and Ethan wondered if not having fur had always been this cold.

The amber beams appeared. Ethan counted ten of them. Tiny little triangles began to descend down and he held his breath. Usually two seconds from now he would be bolting awake.

But they didn't this time.

The tiny little gold colored triangles assembled together into huge, hulking forms. Horns appeared, wide leathery skin that made up the head like a helmet and arms the size of Ethan's entire body. At first, Ethan thought he was looking at a rhino, like the one that he had seen in Shredder's lair, but then, in a stunning realization, he found that he was looking at huge, hulking dinosaurs, walking on their hind legs like humans. Their bodies were covered in a tight, black jump-suit, a belt around their middle and guns the size of Ethan's arm and as thick as his head in their colossal hands. Everything about them was big.

"Dinosaurs?" Kaela hissed at Ethan and Jess. "What is going on?"

Ethan blinked rapidly and shrugged his shoulders, trying to get a grip on things. Although again – he wondered why anything was shocking to him now. If he was right those were all triceratops. Two huge horns protruded from their skull, a third on their nose.

"They a freaking huge!" Jess commented quietly next to him. Fear mingled with the awe in her voice. Several of the ones with guns began to patrol around the giant ring. Four others turned and must have pressed some sort of button, as soon little screens appeared in front of them and they each began to work diligently, pressing buttons with the massive fingers. "What are they doing?"Jess asked nervously.

"I have no idea." Ethan whispered, still watching the huge beasts work. "Maybe they work with the Kraang."

As they continued to compute – or do whatever they were doing – one of them said, "For the Triceraton Empire!" His voice was gravely and deep. A blast of purple exploded from the ring and Ethan winced, wondering if when it touched him if it would do some sort of damage, but it flowed over them.

Suddenly the lights that surrounded Washing Square flickered and went out. The tiny windows of the buildings that surrounded them began to wink in and out and then completely went dark. "I think they are stealing power from the city!" Kaela said. "They are powering up that ring!"

"What does that ring do?" Ethan asked slowly.

"That, I don't know." Kaela replied.

Now in total darkness, it was difficult to see – especially since he had normal human eyes again. Ethan slowly walked out from behind the arch, wishing that he had his naginata. For some reason, when he looked at these hulking figures he couldn't help but feel that they weren't on his side. Then, suddenly, he saw something from the corner of his eye and he retreated back again. There were figures in the darkness, hiding behind benches and one of the trees. One of them ran out from behind the bench and Ethan saw for only a split second, in clear detail, a turtle.

They were at least a head shorter than himself and Ethan immediately recognized him. He had an orange bandanna around his head, and held in both of his hands, tied with leather, were a pair of nun-chucks. Ethan gasped and backed away behind the pillar and then he turned to tell Jess and Kaela what he had just seen.

For a single, horrifying moment, it felt like Ethan was falling and then his futon rose up to meet him and he wrenched his body forward, sweat on his face . . . fur. He put his hand up and felt the thick, black and red and he wasn't sure if he felt relieved or sad.

Jess and Kaela were rising from their own beds and they looked at one another, none of them saying anything for a long while. Finally, Ethan said, "Well, that was . . . different."

"That hasn't happened in a really long time." Kaela admitted, slowly pulling off her sheets. Fall break had started and Jess and Kaela had no need to go to school and leave Ethan alone for the day like they usually did. "And that is so crazy! Giant, talking dinosaurs! What is next?"

Ethan clenched his fists around his sheets. They were incredibly hot, combined with his fur and pajamas. He slowly stood up. "Guys," Jess said slowly, peeling herself away form her pillow. "I don't think that our dream is a dream of the future. I think that it is something that already has happened. Something we have forgotten." She met eyes with Ethan who turned to her. "That's why you were human in it. You hadn't been transformed yet." He had to admit that her theory made a lot of sense – and the dream did feel that way – not entirely foreign, but rather like a distant memory that had been . . . and yet hadn't.

I'm confusing myself. He thought stupidly and decided not to think about it anymore. He slowly walked into the bathroom. He was still getting used to the idea of seeing a giant red panda version of himself walking in, wearing sweats and a t-shirt, a tail waving behind him and whiskers twitching on his cheeks. Did Karai actually think he was adorable?

He shook the thought out and one by one the three got ready. As Ethan spent a laborious amount of time taming his fur, Master Hamato slowly opened the door, his silhouette shadowing over him. Ethan turned, "Good morning, Sensei."

"Good morning, my son." He smiled kindly and then motioned out to the dojo, "Today, when you are ready we will be having a training session."

Ethan was looking forward to a break after the fight a few days ago on the docks, but he knew that complaining was not something that the leader should do and so he nodded quickly and smiled, twitching his whiskers subconsciously. "Hai, Sensei." Master Hamato then departed, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Deciding to be productive, as Kaela and Jess got ready, Ethan cleaned up potato chip bags, folded up their futons, opened up one of their windows to the backyard to let the breeze get rid of the must and listened to another episode of their favorite show. The main character finally was dating Sakura, beating up monsters with his beautiful face as they went on their date. ("My love will save us Sakura! Feel the power of my glorious face!")

Jess took significantly longer as she still had to dress the wound Shredder had given her. It had turned an angry black and purple, but she was really good at ignoring it rather than whine of which Ethan was extremely grateful. Finally, when they were all ready, they headed out into the dojo where Master Hamato was waiting for them. He was already deep in mediation, his back straight, his neck perfectly arched, his hands in perfect square formation in front of him, palms up.

The three wordlessly took the cue and sat down in the same position, closing their eyes and began to focus their energies to prepare for whatever drills he was going to put them through. It did not take long before Master Hamato's eyes slowly opened and he smiled at them. They bowed their heads in humble acknowledgment of their Master as a sign that they were ready to begin – no matter how achy they felt.

He slowly rose to his feet, the folds of his white gi flowing with him and he nodded towards the weapon cabinet. "Retrieve your weapons." he instructed. Ethan waited his turn but found that Jess and Kaela were waiting for him. Awkwardly, he pulled out his weapon and then quickly slunk back to standing across from Master Hamato.

"Now," Master Hamato began. "Today there will be no practice of the body – nor stealth. Today, you will practice your mental capacity and stretch your soul." He placed on the floor in front of them, the blade that they had grabbed from the wall a few days ago. "This represents your teamwork together. You learned that when you work together, you will find victory. There is much yet that you need to understand to do so effectively." He then looked back up at them, the wrinkles in his face showing that he was more tired than usual – the meditation appeared to have taken a lot out of him. "We must be open with one another as we work through this." he then slowly walked down until he was standing in front of Jess.

"Jessica." He said and she looked up at him. He placed his hand on her shoulder and she smiled sheepishly. "If you will remember – you were given the green bandanna. It is the symbol of life. You are the blood that runs through this team. Your energy and raw passion is one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal." He then looked down at her weapons. "I gave you the kama, as it matched this trait and supplied you with the tools you would need to win. The kama is typically a close ranged weapon. It is both deadly and accurate and can dispatch enemies quickly." He then turned to Ethan and Kaela. "Ethan, Kaela, what are some of the skills you have seen in Jess?"

Caught a little of guard, Ethan quickly supplied, "Definitely the best fighter on the team."

"Yeah!" Kaela piped up, "She has like, no fear at all. When we were fighting at the docks, she went head to head with Shredder without even flinching! It was awesome."

Jess beamed at them. Master Hamato smiled and then turned to her. "Now, as a warning – your raw passion is a powerful strength, but it can also be a weakness. It can transform into rashness, abrasiveness, and contention. If fire is not guided and controlled, it will consume and destroy."

The feeling in the room became uncomfortably serious. "Understood, Sensei." Jess said, her voice quiet as she bowed with a sense of uncertainty.

Master Hamato nodded, seemingly satisfied and then walked down until he was in front of Kaela. She looked incredibly nervous and held her ribbon and dart close to her, as if her life depended on it. "Kaela," he said and she made a small noise like a timid animal, but her shoulders were nonetheless sturdy. Master Hamato now placed his hand on her shoulder. "I gave you a yellow bandanna. It stands for courage and energy. You give energy and strength to your siblings. As I promised before, this will save the team on many occasions. Do not mistake this strength as a back seat position, for in this team, there is no back seat." Kaela smiled.

"Like the ability to encourage and help others, your weapon can also sometimes be easily shrugged aside as a limited weapon. In reality, it is one of the most deadly of the ninja weapons." Kaela looked like she was about to ask how on earth that was true, but she didn't say a thing. Master Hamato continued, "The ribbon dart can be mastered only by the nimble and swift, like yourself. Yet, it can equally be used in close range combat. Like your strength in helping others, the silk of the ribbon can seem insubstantial, but silk is made of fibers that when used at the right angle, can block the sharpest of blades."

Kaela looked down at her weapon and ran her fingers along the silk before nodding and turned back up to look at him expectantly. Master Hamato's smile did not wane. "Jessica, Ethan, what can you say of Kaela's strengths?"

"She is as stealthy as a cat." Jess said smiling. "She beats me every time in stealth practice." Ethan nodded, "She is always giving advice, counsel and helping Jess and I."

Master Hamato turned to Kaela and she bowed her head humbly. "Thanks." she muttered.

Sternness slowly appeared on Master Hamato's face. "Your weakness, my child, is that of all the individuals who underestimate you, you do it the most. Self-condemnation is not humility and will silence this team once and for all if allowed to grow. Like the waves of the sea, you must learn not only to give as you have done, but to take, as you too often neglect."

"Hai, sensei." She said quietly.

Master Hamato nodded again and then walked several paces more, his bare feet against the tatami. He reached his hand out and Ethan felt it's warmth on his shoulder and he looked up, feeling his heart-strings pull, for reasons he did not yet understand. "Ethan, your bandanna is white. It is a symbol of leadership. It reflects the purity of ones heart and the devotion you have towards the destiny of this family. This matches your weapon – the naginata. It is versatile and able to adapt from a bladed weapon to a blunt one. It reaches far with a sturdy hand. Your own ability to see the destiny of this family will have that same reach. It will bless the lives of others and strengthen them in their resolve. The shadow's cannot be defeated without the powerful leadership that you possess." He then turned, in similar fashion to Kaela and Jess. "What can be said of Ethan's skills?"

Ethan half expected to hear nothing at all.

"He has led us out of the some of the hardest situations. One's where I was panicking." Kaela said, her white smile made Ethan smile back, thankful that she had noticed his attempts to be leader, no matter how pathetic.

Jess leaned forward slightly to look at him too, "He really does adapt incredibly well. When he was mutated, it only phased him for a bit – then he was even better than before."

Master Hamato turned to Ethan and their eyes connected. "My son, your weakness lies in your fears. Fear, doubt, and selfishness will cloud your purity and bruise your honor. Like all others in this team, should your direction, example and love fail, this family will be lost. You must be solid, but not stubborn. The mountain cannot be moved, for it is deeply rooted in it's knowledge of itself, but when others press upon it, it does not push back." He then let his hand drop.

"Yes, Father." Ethan said reverently, feeling tears sting at the corners of his eyes for reasons unknown.

Master Hamato then stood at the front of them again and motioned for them to sit back down on the tatami mat. As Ethan sat down, he moved his tail out of the way and watched Master Hamato slowly lower himself down, groaning as he went, although he tried to hide it. Ethan caught worrying glances from Kaela and Jess.

"After much meditation, I have found the borders of the answer to where you are from and what your destiny is to be." He said. Ethan leaned in expectantly, eager to finally learn his past. "There is yet a bridge that must be built to be sure of those answers."

I knew it. Ethan thought, trying not to show his disappointment, but then realized his ears had folded back on his head and he quickly perked them back up. Master Hamato had noticed though and Kaela held her hand to her mouth to ensure nobody heard her snicker. "However," Master Hamato continued, "What I do know is that the incredible, natural talent that you all have in martial arts is no coincidence, but a skill you have learned long before I met you."

"What exactly do you mean?" Jess asked.

Master Hamato closed his eyes, "The details are . . . unclear. I am still trying to focus my energy on this matter. I must continue to meditate. I suggest that you all do the same for the remainder of the training."

Jess, Kaela and Ethan exchanged glances and then complied. Master Hamato stood back up and made his way to the backyard. Although he had used the word training, Ethan couldn't help but feel that this was more of a verbal lesson – but one of deep value.

He couldn't help but feel that there was a note to finality to what he was saying, but he ignored that. All of Master Hamato's talk that one day he wouldn't be there made him nervous. Master Hamato was old . . . but he wasn't about to die. Ethan closed his eyes and tried to focus on the strange dream that he had woken from that morning, but his thoughts could not get away from the words that Master Hamato had spoken to them.

He spoke the words to himself like a mantra.

Leadership, Purity, Devotion.

For a moment – Ethan thought he was in that field of green again, looking at the tall mountains.

But then it was gone and Ethan wondered if it had been his imagination.