A/N: Please read and review?
In a forest, during a night with a dark red sky and Moon, Leo was running away frantically, before he tripped over a log.
"Ah!" he yelped, hitting the ground on his side.
Raph, Mikey and Cath all ran towards him.
"Leo!" Raph gasped.
"Leo, you okay?" Cath asked.
She and Raph helped Leo up, as Donnie, Elisa and Splinter came up behind them all.
A Demon like figure dressed in Shredder armor rode a horse towards them all, holding a trident as the horse neighed, which had dark magic on its hooves.
"Ah!" the Turtles gasped.
"Ah, run!" Splinter cried.
He turned and ran off with his children right behind him, Leo and Cath turning back slightly as they did. The Demon-Shredder raced his horse after them all, aiming his trident at them, the end glowing orange.
The Turtles all stopped and turned around, taking out their weapons - all but Leo having new ones - as the Demon-Shredder laughed.
Splinter stopped as he heard a slashing noise, then turned around and gasped.
"My children!" he gasped, his eyes widening.
Demon-Shredder rode off, creating some dust, then once it cleared, Splinter saw his children all lying on the ground, looking dead, making him fall to his knees in shock.
"No!" he cried.
He got up and gritted his teeth, as Demon-Shredder looked at him on his horse. A bright golden light came up between them, making Splinter gasp, as he saw Master Yoshi from the light.
"Master Yoshi?" Splinter said, shocked.
Yoshi smiled as Demon-Shredder raced towards him from behind, then stabbed him in the back with his trident.
"AHHHH!" Yoshi yelled painfully, as red light came out of him.
"NOOO!" Splinter cried, reaching his hand out, before a white light went over him.
(Reality)
Splinter woke up inside a room in the Ninja Tribunal's Monastery, as he'd dreamt the whole thing. He panted with sweat, then turned and saw his children all asleep around the room in sleeping bags - the three eldest on one side, the younger three on the other. He sighed with relief as he lowered his head and closed his eyes.
"What have you gotten yourselves into?" he wondered.
The next morning, all 12 Acolytes were out walking in the courtyard in the Monastery.
"Last one to ninja class is a rotten Acolyte." Mikey joked.
"Yeah, another day at last with the Ninja Tribunal." Raph said sarcastically. "Hold me back."
Leo and Faraji stood away from the others, looking at them all.
"Well, we're here." Adam said. "Where is our Shisho?"
"And which one are getting today?" Luis wondered.
"Hope it's not Juto." Mikey said.
He walked off slightly and began to mimic Juto.
"Your lack of skill and rank breath make me want to retch." he said, before he stopped and turned around, returning to his own voice. "Or check it, Hisomi-Shisho, the Ninja who ate Japan."
He held his arms up like a Zombie, then began to roll them one at a time, making all but Leo, Faraji, Cath and Irene laugh, but then all stopped, before all 11 of them bowed.
"Send more sushi?" Mikey said.
"Mikey, psst." Leo hissed, shaking his hand.
Mikey laughed as Cath looked up.
"Shut up." Cath hissed.
Mikey stopped laughing and gulped, as Hisomi stood right behind him.
"He's right behind me, isn't it?" he asked.
He turned around to Hisomi, who folded his arms, glaring at him, making him chuckle nervously.
"Hey, teach." he said. "Uh, does this go on my permanent record? Hisomi-san?"
Hisomi didn't answer as he turned around, then walked off, as all 12 Acolytes followed them.
Later, they all approached an old wooden bridge over a large gorge, which had planks that were just barely holding the bridge. On one support pillar holding the bridge's ropes, was a dragon statue, while the other was party destroyed. On the other side of the bridge, was a giant statue of a two-headed dragon, which covered most of a cone mountain.
Hisomi looked at the Acolytes, then motioned them to cross the bridge, first by pointing at it, then put two fingers on his left forearm, like a person running.
"Uh?" Leo muttered.
"Huh?" Donnie and Elisa muttered.
All 12 Acolytes looked amongst each other, all puzzled and confused.
"What's he want?" Cath wondered.
"You got me." Irene said, shrugging.
Hisomi held up three fingers, then lowered them one at a time, confusing everyone, as Joi shrugged, while Raph looked at her.
"Um, Hisomi-Shisho, I-I don't understand." Mikey said, raising his hand, before he was slapped from behind. "OW!"
He turned and saw the Ancient One rubbing his hands on a boulder.
"If you spent less time talking and more time thinking, perhaps you would." the Ancient One said, pointing at his head. "Master Hisomi."
He and Hisomi bowed to each other.
"Ancient One." Leo said, surprised.
"I will assist Hisomi-Shisho, for I too was once Hisomi-Shisho's pupil in the shadow craft of stealth." the Ancient One said, jumping down from the boulder.
He approached Hisomi as the 12 Acolytes all looked at him, before the Turtles looked amongst themselves - expect Mikey.
"Hisomi-Shisho does not speak, for he imbodies the three pillars of Ninjustu." the Ancient One explained.
Hisomi held up three three fingers.
"Speed, secrecy and silence, Michelangelo." the Ancient One continued, turning around as Hisomi lowered his fingers one by one. "Blessed silence."
Mikey lowered his head in shame.
"So that's why Hisomi doesn't speak unlike the others." Cath realized.
"Well, good thing the Ancient One can translate for us, or I wouldn't get any of this." Elisa sighed, relieved.
Hisomi motioned towards the bridge again.
"He says today you will learn how to cross the honored Tatsu Bridge, two hundred yards long, and do so unseen." the Ancient One explained, as Hisomi mimed movements with his hands.
Donnie flinched as Adam, Tora and Luis all looked around.
"Zero cover, direct sun, creaky old boards…" Donnie began.
They gasped as they heard a whooshing noise, and saw Hisomi on the other side of the bridge.
"No way?" Donnie questioned.
"Yes, way, young Turtle." the Ancient One corrected.
"Whoa." Mikey said.
"Incredible." Faraji said.
"Amazing." Luis said.
"That did not just happen?" Donnie questioned, touching his head.
"All things are possible when mind, body, and spirit are harnessed to complete the same task." the Ancient One assured.
Hisomi dashed over the bridge quickly and appeared at his side, a cloud of dust behind him.
"That did not just happen again?!" Donnie said.
"Um, Don, we all saw it." Cath said. "We can't all be dreaming or imagining this."
"She's right." Irene agreed.
Hisomi held his hand up, then lowered it, as the Ancient One turned to the Acolytes.
"Hisomi-Shisho requires a volunteer." he explained.
Leo and Faraji both stepped forward, as Raph leaned towards Mikey.
"Hard to be silent when you make all those sucking up sounds, Leo." Raph joked.
Hismoi's shadow hovered over them both.
"Uh..." Mikey muttered.
"Ah..." Raph gasped.
Hismoi held up his hand and touched Mikey's forehead, choosing him, who gulped as Hismoi pulled his hand back.
"Oh, boy." Mikey said.
He approached the bridge and stared at it.
"Focus inward, Michelangelo." the Ancient One advised. "See the world only as light and fog."
Hismoi touched Mikey's amulet.
"Find your chi and imagine it as rushing wind - powerful, free-flowing, invisible and serious for once, yes?" the Ancient One explained.
He turned and walked towards the other Acolytes.
"How are we gonna learn anything from all the way back here?" Leo inquired.
"Safety precaution, Leonardo. Remember your Japanese. Tatsu means…" the Ancient One began.
"Dragon." Leo finished. "The Dragon River."
"That explains the dragon statue at the end." Cath muttered.
"Yeah." Irene agreed.
"Okay. Breathing, feeling the stealth..." Mikey said, playing with his fingers nervously. "...uh, sneak into my heart, kinda."
He pushed his hands forward, before Hisomi gave him a push.
"Uh!" he yelped, before turning around. "Hey, I'm focusing here!"
He turned back to the bridge and closed his eyes to focus.
"Silent, stealthy." he said.
His amulet began to glow, making orange colored lines appear all over him, including a circle over his nose/beak, and most of his were curved unlike Donnie's. He took a step onto the bridge, which didn't make a sound, shocking the other Acolytes.
"No...way...?" Elisa muttered.
Mikey grinned and grinned around, before he held his muscles up and chuckled, as his lines vanished from him. He took another step, but this time, it made a creak, and it kept creaking as he moved along it slowly. A loud grumbling roar was heard, making Mikey stop and look around.
"Okay, whatever that is, it doesn't sound good." he said, looking over the edge. "Ah!"
He began to back away.
"It's not good! It's not good!" he panicked.
A large blue dragon rose up from the right side of the gorge, which began doing circles around the bridge with its long body.
"Oh, shell!" Mikey gasped, as it descended down on him. "AHHH!"
The other Acolytes all looked at the dragon, which did more circles around Mikey, trapping him on the bridge.
"Uh..." he muttered.
The other Acolytes all took out their weapons, all ready to help.
"Move it! Mikey needs our help!" Leo said.
"Form a perimeter!" Faraji commanded, as they all charged forward.
The dragon swooped its head down towards Mikey, who dodged as it nearly bit him, while it moved its whole body along the bridge. Leo and Faraji nearly made it to the end, before it whacked them both away with its tail, making Raph and Joi duck as they came up behind them.
"Leo! Faraji!" Joi exclaimed, as they both hit a tree branch and then the ground.
"Let's kick some shell!" Raph said.
"I'm with you, bro!" Elisa growled.
All but Leo and Faraji charged at the dragon, as it moved its body past Mikey, before it looked at the Acolytes. It shot its head down towards them, turning into water as it did, which hit and knocked all but Raph, Elisa, Luis and Joi away, who all hit a wall near the tunnel entrance. The other Acolytes all ducked as it tried to whack them with its tail, before it wrapped its tail around all six of them.
"AHHH!" they moaned.
"Let 'em go!" Mikey begged. "I'm the one who touched your stupid bridge! Ah!"
The dragon dived its head down towards him, who raised his arms up to cover his head and face with his forearms. He opened his right eye and looked up, seeing the dragon had stopped, then lowered his arms and opened his left eye to see properly, and saw Hisomi was in front of him with his hand out. The dragon huffed three times, before Hisomi put his hands together and bowed his head to it, as the dragon lowered its head. It then rose up and roared, then began doing circles in the sky, before it turned into water and vanished, creating a rainstorm.
"Wow. You…" Mikey said, clutching Hisomi's leg with his right hand, before touching the rain with his left. "Wow."
The rain stopped as the other Acolytes all got up painfully.
"OH!" they moaned.
"Ah!" Raph groaned.
Cath and Irene both got up and checked on the ones nearest them, Donnie and Adam respectfully.
"You okay, Don?" Cath asked.
"I've been better, sis." Donnie assured.
"Adam, you alright?" Irene asked.
"Yeah." Adam nodded, rubbing his head.
Cath and Irene began checking on the others without thinking of themselves, as Mikey moved and got in front of Hisomi.
"Um, Hisomi-san, can I have a do-over?" Mikey asked.
The Ancient One - who stood on the bridge ropes behind him - smacked his head with a bamboo pole.
"OW!" he yelped.
Mikey turned to him while touching his head, as the Ancient One shook his head.
"Jeez, touch crowd." Mikey said.
Later, the Turtles and the Ancient One were all in the bedroom the Mutant family shared with Splinter, all sitting around a fire in the middle of the room, expect Splinter who stood. (Cath sat between Donnie and Raph, while Elisa sat between Raph and Leo)
"If the Tribunal thinks a water burping dragon is a teaching aid, then sign me up for home-schooling." Mikey said, holding an icepack on his head.
Splinter began to pace around the room.
"I cannot believe you were set against the Tatsu Spirt!" he said angrily, stopping on Mikey's left. "It was rash and careless."
"What's your beef with the Tribunal, Sensei?" Raph asked.
"Yeah, you sound you like have a personal reason for hating them?" Elisa noted.
"Old wounds are slow to heal." Splinter answered. "Learn what you can from the tribunal, for you will need it when the dark one comes to battle, but remember, they will not hesitate to sacrifice you if it serves their purpose. So here, more than ever, you must stick together as a family. Promise me, my children?"
"Yes, Master Splinter." the Turtles all said.
The next day, all 12 Acolytes were inside a room with Juto, who paced in front of them as they stood in a line, holding their weapons.
"A weapon is not simply a tool, it is an extension of skill, of body." he began, stopping between Adam and Raph. "I can only pray that the great darkness never comes, but if it does, you cannot fight it with bits of tin and wood."
He turned around and held his arms out.
"You need stronger weapons, forged to strike at your enemies both physically and mystically." he explained.
He waved his arms around, as blue magic came out of his right hand, shaped like a whip, which he cracked as the end hit the floor. It vanished and spread into a blue flame across the room, which vanished as the floor shook.
The Acolytes all gasped as part of it rose up, then a dragon's head rose up from it, with fire in its mouth.
"The Spirt Forge, maggots." Juto said, turning around. "Fueled by the breath of four great dragons."
"Shisho or no Shisho, he better lay off that maggot business." Raph hoped.
"Those worthy will find what they seek within. Those unworthy, incomprehensible pain." Juto explained, looking at the fire, to the Acolytes. "Now, who dares?"
The Acolytes all looked amongst each other.
"No one? Ha!" Juto scoffed. "I expected as much from the rodent's misbegotten pets."
"That's it! I know you're not talking smack about Master Splinter." Raph said, putting his Sais away.
He approached the fire as the his siblings put their weapons away.
"You want worthy? Well, get ready for mean and green." he said.
He put his hand into the fire as Leo, Elisa and Mikey all gasped.
"Raph, be careful?" Cath muttered.
"Oops!" Raph yelped.
He backed away, before he was ingulfed by the fire.
"Raph!" Leo cried.
"NOOOO!" Cath cried.
They both began to run towards him, along with Mikey, but stopped and turned as the flame made them shield their eyes with their forearms.
"RAPH!" they all called.
"Raph!" Faraji cried.
"NOOO!" Elisa and Donnie cried.
The flames went back into the statue's mouth, showing Raph alive and well, covered in red chi lines as his amulet glowed, while holding a new weapon. His chi patterns were like small flames all over his body, including three points on his head, while his weapons were two Kamas held together via a chain.
"That didn't tickle." he said, as his chi vanished.
"Well done, simpleton. Indignant rage suits you. Show me what gifts the forge has granted?" Juto asked.
Raph turned around and showed them all his new weapon.
"I got this." he said, holding it up.
"Banrai! I cannot believe it." Juto said, speechless.
"Hey, that's my weapon!" Elisa complained, pointing at Raph.
"Not quite, young mistress, it was chosen for your brother by the Spirt Forge, as it should do for you." Juto explained.
Elisa glared at him.
"Worms, use the Forge, now!" Juto commanded.
The Acolytes all approached the Forged Spirt, then Mikey reached into it - as he was the nearest. Fire came out of the Forged Spirt, as Tora reached in, followed by Luis, Joi, Irene and Faraji, then Elisa and Cath, and then Donnie, Adam and Leo. Once the fire went out, Faraji held a bright sharp sword, as almost everyone else held a weapon, expect Leo who frowned, as he hadn't received a weapon at all unlike the others. Tora had received a dual-bladed staff, Joi a staff which had a dragon's head and body on the end, Adam a mallet, Luis a Scythe, Irene a dual kanabō, Donnie a trident staff, Cath two bladed Tonfas, Elisa a double-bladed Kama staff, and Mikey a sansetsukon.
"Excellent. The Spirit Forge has granted you great gifts." Juto said, ignoring Leo, who turned to him, as he looked at Mikey. "By the gods, Inazuma, which commands lightning from the heavens."
He turned to Cath, who looked at her bladed Tonfas.
"Kōri, the shivering frost which commands the sliver ice." Juto explained.
He turned to Donnie, who held up his trident blade.
"Byakko, the hungry ghost who calls the cleaving wind." he explained.
He turned to Raph, who held up his Banrai.
"Banrai, which can shatter mountains with its thunder." he explained.
He turned to Elisa, who looked at her double-bladed Kama staff.
"Arashi, the roaring storm, which had shatter anything with rain and thunder." Juto explained.
He turned to Faraji, who held up his new sword.
"Gunshin, commanding the white flame of the dragon king." Juto explained.
Faraji did a slash with Gunshin, as Leo approached Juto.
"These are the fangs of the dragon." Juto explained, raising his arms, knocking Leo aside slightly. "Forged for champions, legends."
"What about Leo?" Faraji asked.
Juto turned to Leo, who turned and approached the Spirt Forge as everyone watched, but when he got there and reached in, the fire went out.
"I guess Leo has to go without a new weapon." Luis said.
"But why?" Elisa questioned. "I mean, that doesn't make it fair among us all."
"Elisa's right." Irene agreed. "It would be fair if all 12 of us had a weapon."
"I guess there must be a reason." Cath sighed, feeling sorry for her eldest brother.
"What does that mean?" Leo asked, turning to Juto. "What happened?"
Juto turned away from Leo towards the others, ignoring him.
"With the fangs of the Dragon at your command, you will discover powers transcendent of your wildest imaginings." Juto explained, as Leo got up.
He approached the other Acolytes, as Leo turned to the Forged Spirt, wondering why he hadn't received a weapon like everyone else.
The ground began to shake wildly, making the Acolytes turn around, seeing the other members of the Tribunal behind them.
"Juto-Shisho, the first artifact has been found." Chikara explained proudly, holding her muscles up.
"The one that was stolen?" Raph inquired.
Kon jumped down and landed near the Acolytes.
"The artifact lies on the banks of the Kawachi River, guarded by Kappa Tengu." he explained, holding his fists up.
"The Dark One's Demons are posed to take our prize." Chikara said, clutching her fist.
"Excuse me. Did she say demons?" Mikey asked, holding his hand up, before putting it near his mouth.
"The appearance of the fangs is a good omen." Juto said, holding his fist up. "Send the urchins."
"Do not return without the cask." Kon instructed.
Later, all 12 Acolytes stood on a large gangplank as the Tribunal's ship came towards the end of it.
"For if it falls into the hands of the Dark One's Heralds..." Kon explained.
The Acolytes all run towards the ship.
"...they will be one step closer to resurrecting their master."
The ship's sails turned into the wind, as Faraji stood on the bow of it, holding the wheel.
"We won't fail you." he promised.
He turned and saw the Tribunal Splinter standing in a doorway of the Monastery, before he sailed the ship off into the sky.
Splinter walked forward slightly, looking worried up at the ship, before he turned to the Tribunal, who turned to him, before they turned and walked off.
Later, as the ship continued to sail in the sky, Cath was going over some medical supplies she'd brought, which she'd found around the Monastery, when Irene came towards her.
"Want some help sorting that out?" she asked.
Cath looked up at her, seeing she held a small medical kit.
"Sure." she said. "You study medicine too?"
"I'm a medicine woman and healer." Irene explained. "Like helping the sick out where I'm from."
"Good for you." Cath said. "I mostly pick this up from books and TV shows, due to what I am."
"Yeah, you'd look weird at a medical school." Irene joked.
"Thanks a lot, Irene." Cath teased sarcastically. "You don't think I knew that."
"Guess most of your kit's still at home and you found this at the Monastery like me?" Irene assumed.
"Kind of, what's left of it anyway." Cath sighed.
"What do you mean?" Irene asked.
"Long story, Irene." Cath assured.
"I think we have time while we're on our way." Irene said. "Besides, I'm curious."
"Okay..." Cath sighed, as she began telling them about how their home was destroyed and she'd lost most of her equipment and books.
A little later, at a waterfall with large rocks on the face and bottom of it, lay a chest casket on top of one of them. Kappa Tengus, which were turtle-like creatures with spikes on their shells, and fins on their arms - prowled around the water at the bottom, as one approached the casket, just as the Acolytes watched from behind a bush.
"There it is." Donnie said. "The stolen artifact."
"And a whole lotta ugly." Raph said.
"These guys sure look freakish." Elisa noted.
"Come on, guys, that's no way to talk about your real family?" Mikey joked.
They all kept their eyes on the Kappas.
"They are Kappa Tengu, river Demons." Tora said.
"I forgot to bone up on demonology before we were shanghaied. Ideas?" Donnie asked.
"Hit hard." Leo said.
"Hit fast." Faraji said.
They all smiled at each other.
"And let's not give them a chance to respond." Luis said, cracking his knuckles.
"That's my kinda talk." Elisa grinned.
"I know, stealth mode." Mikey said, touching his amulet. "I'll pull a Hisomi and snatch the cask at ninja speed before bobo can say banana."
"A fancy set of 'chucks doesn't make you Hisomi, Mikey." Leo reminded him. "Let's stay in the real world."
Mikey put Inazuma in his belt.
"Real world this." he said, annoyed.
He put his hands together in a praying position, as his amulet glowed.
"Focusing, stealthing…" he said, as his chi lights up.
He looked around as he lowered his hands, then he dashed towards the casket, past all the Kappas, showing up right behind it. He looked at himself in shock, before his chi vanished.
"How cool is that?" he said. "I...I love being a Turtle!"
The Kappas all turned to him and roared.
"Heh. Uh-oh." Mikey gulped.
He bent down and began to pretend to be a monkey, doing the sounds as well. He jumped up slightly, but the Kappas all growled and slowly made their way towards him.
"Ah!" he yelped.
The other Acolytes pulled out their weapons and jumped out of the bush.
"All right, it's go time! Get Mikey out of there and grab the artifact." Leo said.
They all jumped into the shallow water - which only went to their feet - then charged at the Kappas, which turned into water and vanished.
"Huh? Where'd they...?" Leo began.
"They just...turned into water?" Luis exclaimed.
"How's that possible?" Cath questioned.
Water rose up behind them all, which turned into the Kappas, then more rose up in front of them, surrounding them all, and outnumbering them.
"Somebody please tell me that's Kappa for 'we surrender'?" Raph asked.
The Kappas all growled.
"I think they don't know the meaning of that word." Elisa said. "Leo, orders?"
"Attack!" Leo yelled.
All 11 Acolytes charged at the Kappas and began to fight them.
Leo tried to slice one as it pounced towards him, but it turned into water as he did. He turned as it popped up behind him, then tried to slash it, but it dived over him and turned back into water.
Adam held up his mallet as another rose up in front of him, but when he tried to slam the mallet into it, it vanished beneath the water, before another two rose up behind him and grabbed his shoulders.
"Water!" he yelled, as one wrapped its arm around him. "They can travel through the water!"
Luis tried to slice a Kappa with his scythe, but missed it turned and dived into the water, before another rose up behind him and grabbed him.
"We can see that, Adam!" he yelled.
Faraji tried to slash one with Gunshin, but missed as it turned into water, before another pounced on him and knocked him onto his back.
"Ah!" he moaned, as they rolled over.
Joi and Raph ran towards the casket, when one ponced towards them from behind, then pinned Raph down.
"AH!" he moaned.
Joi kept running before another hit her in the back with some water, knocking her down onto her side.
"Oh!" she moaned.
A Kappa rose up from the water near her, as she rolled onto her back.
"Ah!" she yelped, looking at it.
The Kappa grabbed her and pinned her in the water, trying to drown her.
"Joi!" Raph yelled, trying to slash one with his Banrai, but missed as it turned into water and vanished.
Three small waves of water then rose up and pinned him onto his chest before the water.
"AH!" he grunted.
"Raph!" Cath cried, as two kept hold of her.
The Kappas holding Raph lift him up slightly.
"Come on, focus!" he growled, as his amulet glowed.
His chi powered up, then he jumped up high into the sky.
"Banrai!" he yelled, holding it up.
He slashed a water arm with the right end, then began to spin around quickly like a sawblade. He dived down and sliced the one holding Joi, allowing her to sit up and pant for breath, as he accidently created a small tidal wave which went over her, then he landed in front of her, as she looked at him.
Several Kappas held Adam, Tora and Luis by the neck, before Adam swung his mallet, making the ones near him vanish beneath the water. They then rose up again however and pounced on him, pinning him down.
"Hey!" Luis yelled.
He tried to swing his scythe, but one Kappa knocked it out his hands hands, and then they pinned him down onto his chest, trying to drown him. The ones holding Tora then did the same.
"Adam! Luis! Tora!" Donnie cried, watching.
He closed his eyes while holding Byakko, then opened them as his amulet glowed and his chi powered up.
"Here goes nothing." he said.
He ran forward and jumped up high.
"Cleaving wind!"
He spun around and created a whirlwind, which sucked up the water around his friends, as well as the Kappas holding them, freeing them all. They all sat up and coughed as Elisa ran towards them, before the water dropped down back into the river, then Donnie landed on his feet in it.
"Normally, I'd like to understand how an arsenal of magic weapons works before using it, but today I'll make an exception." he said, twirling Byakko around.
Elisa stopped and looked amazed.
"AH!" came Cath's voice.
"Back off!" Irene yelled.
Elisa turned around and saw Cath and Irene both held held by three Kappas each, which had them pinned into the water, before they put their faces under it.
"Okay, focus!" she gritted. "If Raph and Don can do it, so can I!"
She closed her eyes to concentrate whole holding Arashi, as her amulet glowed, powering up her chi. The pink lines on her were were all bent and curved around her body, with a bent upwards one on both her cheeks and one on her forehead, before she jumped up and twirled around.
"Roaring Storm!" Elisa yelled, slashing Arashi from right to left.
A powerful pink wave of magic shot out from Arashi like lighting, which hit and roasted the Kappas pinning down Cath and Irene, who both lifted their heads up and coughed water out of their mouths. Elisa dived down and landed on the ground near them both, as they sat up.
"Thanks, sis." Cath panted, holding her thumb up.
"Yeah, we owe you one." Irene coughed.
Elisa looked at Arashi.
"I hate to sound like Mikey, but that awesome!" she whooped.
Mikey ran away as two Kappas chased after him, before he turned to them both, as they turned into water and a whirlwind, picking him up.
"AH!" he yelped.
They began to move around him quickly to drown him in mid-air, making him hold his breath, before his amulet glowed. He held up Inazuma as his chin powered up, then began to spin around.
"Come on, Inazuma!" he yelled.
The water around him vanished, then he landed on his feet, as the Kappas water hit the walls.
"I'm never giving these back." Mikey said proudly, looking at Inazuma.
Three Kappas hopped towards Leo like frogs, as he charged towards them all, then he jumped over two of them. They turned to him as he landed on the water, then ran after him, as he jumped up and landed near the casket.
"I got it, guys!" he called. "Let's get outta here!"
Faraji held a Kappa back with Gunshin, as Raph tried to slash another with Banrai, but missed as it turned into water. Leo put his swords away and grabbed the casket, when two Kappas landed in front of him, then they pounced towards him, but missed as he jumped off the rock. He landed in the water in front of over a dozen more, then began to run off as they went under the water.
"It's the water." he realized. "We have to cut them off from the river. Use the dragon king's fire, Faraji!"
He stopped near Faraji, Raph, Elisa and Donnie.
"To stop a river? That's impossible!" Faraji argued.
"Nothing is impossible!" Leo argued.
The other Acolytes gathered around them as Leo put the casket down, then took Gunshin from Faraji. His amulet glowed as his chi powered up, making blue colored lines appear all over him, his being mostly straight, with the only curves being on ones ending together. He held Gunshin up, waved it around, as fire came out of the end of it.
"Gunshin!" he roared, jumping up.
He aimed Gunshin down and shot waves of fire from it, which set fire to the water, completely burning the water and Kappas, until the river had completely dried up. He landed on the ground near the others before it had dried up, then they all passed out slightly from exhaustion.
"Ah!" they moaned.
All but Leo pulled themselves up and rubbed themselves, before Cath and Irene turned to each other.
"That was just like the Sword of Tengu." Cath noted.
"Yeah, only more...magical." Elisa said. "Never thought I'd say that."
"The Sword of what?" Luis asked.
"Long story, Luis." Cath explained.
"Leo!" Raph gasped, running towards him.
Cath gasped and moved to help, as Raph turned Leo onto his shell, who breathed hard.
"Cath, is he okay?" Raph asked.
Cath bent down to check on Leo, as Irene bent down nearby to help.
"He's okay, but he needs help." Cath said. "And I don't think I have the gear to do it. I mean, I've never dealt with this before."
"And neither have I." Irene said. "We better get him back."
Later, at around sunset, the ship had returned to the Monastery, before it docked on the gangplank. It's door opened up, then the Acolytes began to come out onto it, Raph, Cath and Donnie all holding Leo, while Adam carried the cask on his shoulder, as Tora and Irene helped Faraji along.
"Hey, Shishos, we got wounded!" Raph called.
Splinter and the Ancient One both ran towards them all.
"My children!" Splinter cried.
The Turtles all stopped, before Splinter and the Ancient One stopped near them.
"Leonardo. Put him down." he instructed.
His children put him down.
"Sensei, what do we do?" Cath asked. "I've never dealt with this kind of healing."
"Relax, Catharina." Splinter said, taking a leather pouch canteen from his Kimono. "What you've dealt with can not be healed by bandages."
He moved and sat down beside Leo, opening the canteen, then he put his hat down onto his back.
"Drink, my son." he said, pouring water into Leo's mouth.
The Tribunal all showed up and stared at them, not noticing Leo at all.
"The cask? Has it opened?" Kon asked frantically. "Is it damaged?"
Hisomi came up behind Adam and took the cask from him.
"Whoa!" Adam yelped, as Hisomi jumped away.
He landed near Kon, as the Tribunal gathered around him.
"But Master, Leonardo is injured." Faraji explained.
The Tribunal turned to them all.
"You should have left him if it put the cask in jeopardy." Juto said.
Everyone but Leo stared at him in shock.
"Leave him?" Elisa growled, clutching her fists. "You mean, leave him to fend for himself?!"
"Exactly." Juto answered coldly.
"But, Sensei, I..." Faraji said, coughing slightly.
He fell to his knees as Irene checked on him.
"He saved our lives, Master. And the cask. Without Leonardo…" he explained.
"Your lives are meaningless compared to this artifact, Acolyte." Juto interrupted.
Cath turned to Donnie in shock, not believing how heartless the Tribunal was.
"How can they be so heartless?" she whispered.
"I have no idea." Donnie muttered.
"You heartless monster!" Splinter growled, getting up. "Have you no compassion for those who would give their lives for you? You are no better than the snarling wretches who serve the evil one!"
"Our ways are our own." Kon answered.
Hisomi placed the cask on the ground as it glowed.
"But, you and your children deserve to know this, the evil that threatens this world overshadows everything - compassion, our own lives, even honor. " Kon admitted.
Smoke came out of the cask.
"If we fail, the world will fall." Kon explained, as the lid came off.
A familiar helmet came out of the cask, which glowed brightly, which shocked everyone - especially the Mutant family.
"Fall to him." Kon finished.
The Turtles all flinched, for it was the Shredder's helmet.
"The Shredder?" Leo gasped, waking up.
The Turtles looked at the helmet carefully, noticing it was different from the Utrom Shredder's helmet, but wondered what the Tribunal meant.
A/N: Kōri is Japanese for ice, while Arashi is Japanese for Storm, hence why Cath's and Elisa's new weapons called that.