I apologize a million times for my absence... school...that's all I have to say about it. Hopefully because my activities are starting to fade, I'll have more free time for writing, but I'm not making any promises. Thank you so much to those that have reviewed in my absence! I love all of your reviews and honestly they push me each and every time to come up with more and more plot twists to add in!
-yesiamweird
"Leo?! Wha- what happened?" Raph's voice caused May to jump awake from the darkness that once surrounded her. What happened was truly a questioned to be asked… "We ain't sliced or diced!"
May looked around the room. There, all nine acolytes sat in front of the pool just below the Tribunal on their thrones each one of them looking like nothing had happened. The Lap of the Gods room was spotless as if it hadn't been attacked whatsoever.
"What da shell?" Mikey whispered causing the rest to nod in unison.
"Perception is not always truth," Chikara started. "All you think you know, about this world, about yourselves, even about reality itself."
"All that will be challenged, and more." Juto added and Kon took the moment to speak after, "The sooner you learn this, the sooner you will be ready to face the task ahead." Hisomi raised a hand in the air causing a blast of smoke to engulf the four Tribunal members. After it cleared, the ninja masters were gone leaving the nine acolytes alone.
"So, let me get this straight? None of that was real!?" Mikey questioned while rubbing his aching head. "Brilliant deduction, Sherlock Shell-for-brains." Raph muttered crossing his arms. May attempted to smile at his comment, but she couldn't find it in the middle of her worry to be happy.
"Oh it was real alright. Our first real lesson with the Tribunal and I have a feeling there's a lot more to learn." Leonardo added always having the last word in with the bunch.
May stood up looking around towards Master Splinter and the Ancient One still standing in the back of the room. "And I have a feeling that I need a nap and some food." She huffed walking away from the Acolytes towards her ninja master. "Master Splinter, just what the heck is really going on here?" She crossed her arms stopping in front of the small masters while the four turtle brothers followed behind.
"Something greater than anything we have ever dealt with before." The old rat answered.
"How much trouble have you all gotten into before?" Joy nudged May's side causing the blonde to frown from her competition. "Too much... and to say that this is greater than anything else is saying a lot." May rolled her eyes.
"Yea! You're telling me!" Mikey moaned, "Who knew aliens and mutants and creepy ninjas were just the least of our troubles!"
"Silence." The Ancient One whispered forcefully and then waved for everyone to follow with his swollen fat hand. "We shall go. Follow."
"Last one to ninja class is a rotten Acolyte!"
May rolled her eyes walking down the street with the rest of the Acolytes while Mikey attempted to make some sort of fun in their situation. "Yea, another day of fun with the Tribunal. Hold me back." Raph snorted causing May to nod mindlessly.
"Well we are here…" Adam sighed as the nine stopped in the street they were told to meet at. "Where is our Shisho?"
"Hope it's not Juto!" Mikey laughed loudly, "Your lack of skill and rant breath make me want to rage! Or check it, Hisomi-Shisho, the ninja who ate Japan!" The jokester of the group began flinging his arms around as if he were a monster while making chomping and growling noises. May giggled as well as the others… until she saw Hisomi appear right behind Michelangelo. "Bring more sushi!" He growled while May sliced her neck indicating for Mikey to stop. He didn't get it.
The others bowed at the Shisho and while the blonde girl did the same she also proceeded to whisper for the turtle in orange to stop. "Psttttt! Mik-ey!" She mumbled but it was too late for him at this point.
"Huh? What are you guys- Oh, he's right behind me isn't he?" Turning around slowly Mikey began to laugh hesitantly. "Oh, hey ya teach!"
Hisomi turned behind himself walking down the street and making everyone follow. "Hey! This isn't going to go on my permanent record is it?!"
"He should probably just be quiet." Tora whispered to Donny but loud enough for the rest to hear. "Yea, good luck with that one." The genius of the bunch laughed back.
The nine Acolytes continued to walk in silence until they reached a cave. "Hisomi-san, where are we going?!" Mikey growled stopping at the base of the cave while the others continued forwards. "Oh come on, Mikey." May smiled pushing him from his shell, "You shouldn't be scared of a little old cave. Besides you're the-"
"Don't say it! Don't you dare give him a reason to say it, May!" Raph growled.
"Say what?" Joy added.
Mikey then ran into the cave cheering loudly, "That I am the BATTLE NEXUS CHAM-" May could only close her eyes from the sound of a punch indicating Raph had hit the loud-mouth.
"Well at least they are keeping this walk entertaining." Joy smiled back at the other female. May only nodded still not sure what to think of this woman. She had liked the way Joy had searched out for her help during their visionary fight, but there was still something about her May didn't like. As much as she didn't want to admit she was jealous…she was.
As the group walked out from the cave they came to an old wooden bridge across a monstrous mountaintop. On the other side of the bridge were two huge sculptures of red dragons with their wings outstretched and their mouths opened.
Hisomi began to indicate symbols with his hands, but without words the nine Acolytes were beyond confused as what he wanted them to do. "Um Hisomi-Shisho, I- don't understand?" Mikey had the boldness to think aloud. "OW!" he cried out as a slap pushed him forwards.
"If you spent less time talk and more time thinking, perhaps you would!" The Ancient One grunted standing on a boulder behind the group. How the hell he made it to their location without someone noticing was beyond May's capacity of understanding. "I will assist Hisomi-Shisho for I was once too a pupil of Hisomi in the craft of stealth."
May looked towards Leo with an eyebrow raised as if saying, 'Is he legit?'
Leo nodded and then looked back as the short fat man walked towards the giant of a man. "Hisomi-Shisho does not speak for he embodies the three pillars of Ninjustu. Speed. Secrecy. And silence, Michelangelo!"
Hisomi waved a hand out onto the bridge once again while the Ancient one translated. "He says, today you will learn how to cross the honored Tatsu Bridge. 200 yards long and to do so, unseen." All of a sudden Hisomi disappeared and then reappeared on the other side of the bridge causing May and the others to gasp and blink from the action. It didn't seem real, as if it were way too good to be true!
"Woah."
"That did not just happen!"
"All things are possible when mind, body and spirit are all intertwined to complete the same task!" Ancient One nodded while Hisomi ran back to the other side. As he reappeared in front of the Acolytes once more a cloud of dust floated around him proving his speed to the non-believers.
"That did not just happen, again!" Donny gasped slapping his forehead.
"Hisomi-Shisho requires a volunteer." The Ancient One nodded looking to the students. Simultaneously, Leo and Furaigi stepped up side-by-side.
"Hard to be silent when you're making all those sucking up sounds, Leo!" Raph whispered to Mikey and May with a confident smile on his face. May nodded with her arms crossed while Mikey giggled under his breath. The three stood up straight as Hisomi shadowed over top of them. With his giant finger, he touched the top of Mikey's head choosing the jokester as his volunteer…or as punishment for making fun of him earlier.
"Focus inward, Michelangelo!" Ancient One began to say as Mikey stood just before the bridge began. "See the world only as light and fog. Find your Chi and imagine it as rushing wind. Powerful, free-flowing, invisible, and serious for once! Yes?!" As the short fat man walked back towards the others, he waved for the Acolytes to push back towards the mouth of the cave.
"But Ancient One, how are we going to learn anything from all the way back here?" Leonardo huffed after being pushed behind.
"Safety precaution, Leonardo. Remember your Japanese. Tatsu means…?"
Leo looked down to think about his question for a moment then sighed. "Dragon. This is the Dragon River."
"Woah, hold on…" May looked towards Mikey on the base of the bridge and then to the dragon statues on the other side and then back down to the Ancient One. "So, there are dragons here? Mikey has to fight DRAGONS?"
"Your silence is also required, May Gibson." Ancient One snapped back causing the blonde to pout and cross her eyes. "Pay attention. All of you."
'Yea, I'll pay attention…' May thought rolling her eyes and leaning into her hip towards Raph. "Bullshit." She muttered under her breath so only he could hear. Raph looked to the side with a nod and then looked back towards his youngest brother now being shoved forwards by Hisomi. "HEY! I'm focusing here!" The orange-bandana turtle yelled out.
"Well, at least he's trying to focus…that's a new record for him!" Raph snickered and then gasped as his brother began to shine bright orange. It almost looked like there was a bunch of orange lines on his body because there was still some green skin surrounding the turtle. "Wha da?!" Raph whispered as Mikey took a few steps onto the old decaying bridge.
The color disappeared as Mikey turned to gloat at May and the others but as he took another step the bridge creaked and a loud roar erupted through the area. "That can't be good." Adam moaned as Mikey began to panic on the old bridge. It wasn't good. A large dark blue tail wrapped around the length of the bridge trapping Mikey on it.
"Come on! We have to save Mikey!" Leo called out releasing his weapon while the others followed his lead. As soon as he and Furaigi took a step close to the edge, the tail bashed the two into the wall of the cave on the other side.
"Leo! Furaigi!" Joy called out as the boys fell to the ground below. "Come you guys!" Raph pulled the attention back to Mikey on the bridge. "Let's kick some shell!" As soon as he finished his sentence, Raph and Joy were thrown back towards the other two while May, Donny, Adam and Tora were captured from the tail now closing in on the four.
"Crap!" May grunted slashing her Kusari blade on the thick scales of the tail but nothing gave away. The dragon roared once again and the faint voice of Michelangelo cried in the distance, "Leave them alone! I'm the one that touched your stupid bridge!"
The tail of the beast closed in on May and the others binding them into tangles inside of their captured state. The dragon growled viciously once again and then suddenly its tail loosened around its hold of the four Acolytes. Donny held his green hand out in front of May's face and she took it with a smile. "Thanks…ugh, what the heck just happened?" She looked up not seeing the dragon in sight.
Mikey rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, Hisomi-san, can I have a do-over?"
"The weapon is not simply a tool, it is an extension of skill and of body." Juto-Shisho started to say for the beginning of their weapons training. "I can only pray that the dark one never comes, but if it does you cannot fight it with bits of tin and wood. You need stronger weapons forged to strike against your weapons both physically and mystically." He struck the ground with a glowing blue chain and suddenly the ground began to spit apart revealing a jaw of a dragon.
May heart sank when from inside the mouth of the beast came a hellish fire that burned away the small droplets of sweat running on the sides of her nervous forehead.
"The spirit-forge, you maggots, fueled by the breath of the four great dragons!"
"Shisho or no Shisho," Raph growled, "He better lay off of that maggot business."
"Those worthy will find what they seek within, those unworthy will find incomprehensible pain." Juto looked back at the ninja with a vicious smile. "No one? Huh!" He laughed as neither of the nine students took a step toward the mouth. "I expected as much from the rodents misforgotten pets!"
"DATS IT! I know ya ain't talking smack about Masta Splinter!" Raphael lunged forwards throwing his sais into his belt. "You want worthy?! Well get ready for mean and green!" He stopped just before the base of the mouth looking back at his friends to nod them of his position. With a confident smirk, he turned back into the mouth as a rampaging fire consumed his body.
"RAPH!" May and the brothers called out running towards the area but stopped just before the blaze took over them too. "No!" May latched onto Leo's forearm squeezing down on his cool skin. Just when she the hot-head turtle had been cooked into turtle soup, the flames faded away revealing Raphael with the same glowing red lines Mikey had the other day turning training with Hisomi.
"Dat didn't tickle one bit!" He laughed turning around as the lines faded from his body. "Well done simpleton," Juto congratulated the turtle, "Indignant rage suits you, show what the forge has granted you."
"I got 'dese!" Raph smirked holding up two scythe bladed weapons.
"I cannot believe it, Bonrai! Worms, use the forge now!" Juto commanded for the others to follow in Raph's lead.
Looking up at Leo, May released his arm nodding for him to follow in front while the rest of the Acolytes continued into the burning flames. As much as she wanted to continue forward into the flame she couldn't bring herself to do so… those memories…that fire…It looked just as bad as the flames that consumed her house the night her family died.
Clutching her shoulders, May turned her back to the hot flame closing her eyes avoiding contact with Juto. "Excellent! The Forge has granted you all with such great gifts!" Juto-Shisho's voice pulled May from her thoughts. Looking back at her fellow Acolytes, she noticed they all had new weapons in their hands now. All, except for Leonardo and herself.
"Leo…" May whispered catching his attention. "I can't do it…" She murmured looking at the burning flames. "The fire…"
The leader opened his mouth to respond until Furaigi's voice pulled the two away from their moment. "What about Leo? And May? They both do not have weapons."
With a disgraceful look, Juto frowned and nodded for the two to continue forwards but as much as May's brain was telling her to move her feet would do no such thing. "You dare to not test your luck with fate?!" He yelled at the blonde.
"No, Juto-Shisho." May bowed quickly and then looked to Raph, Mikey, and Don on the other side. "It's just that…I don't like…fire…" The frown on his face made the girl look away quickly while Leo attempted to reach into the fire.
As soon as his hand touched one of the burning flames the fire went out as if his hand were a stream of water. "What does that mean? What happened?"
Juto merely looked back towards May still with a frown. "If you were to test your fate with the dragon forge, you would have the fags of the dragons at your hands. You would discover powers in your hands of your wildest imagination, but you will not know if you have the power if you do not discover for yourself!" He raised his over sized sleeves into the air as if commanding the fire within the dragon's mouth. "Go now, maggot! Test your fate!" He pointed towards the rampaging flames.
May simply shook her head. "I…I can't…"
"That is not an option!"
May shuddered at the sternness in his voice looking towards Leonardo for some type of help. He, of course being upset at the moment, offered her nothing. Looking back at the Shisho with a pout, May threw her fists by her sides and walked in front of the dragons mouth.
"Yo, Sisho!" Raph's angry voice pulled the blonde back to the Acolytes behind. "She ain't gotta do everything you say she-"
"Raph!" May yelled stopping the hot-head from defending her title. Looking back towards him she nodded confidently. "I have to face my fear…" With a sigh she turned back to look at the hot flames while her hand hovered just above the raging heat. "I. Can. Do. This." She nodded under her breath. "I can do this!"
Throwing her hand into the flame, the blonde couldn't comprehend the complexity of the feeling overwhelming her body…that was, until it became too unbearable to stand. Not knowing what else to do, she attempted to pull away from her position but just as before her feet would not respond to her mind's wishes.
She was stuck in the heat as if a million needles were poking her skin in an attempt to rip it right off of her bones. Her only thought was to scream, but just like her feet her voice wouldn't work as well.
It has begun.
That voice. May knew that tone of voice. It was Fate… "What has begun!? What's happening?!"
You're destiny.
"Please, help me! Can you stop the flames!?" May cried not even knowing if anyone else could hear her outside of the fire. "It hurts! Please!"
I cannot…but you can. That is…if you are strong enough.
"What the hell does that mean!? Just stop the fire! Stoppp!" A burst of wind cooled May's skin until her back burned from her fall onto the concrete ground.
"MAY!"
Her head hurt. Her skin, everything ached and as much as she wanted to respond to the voices yelling at her, she couldn't.
"May! Wha da heck just happened!?" Raph's voice seemed to be right above her body.
"May? Are you alright?!" Donny yelled. "May? May?!" Mikey added in.
A cool hand wrapped around the girl's neck while another grasped her legs pulling her into the air and close to one of the turtle's plastrons. Opening her eyes, May looked through blurry eyes to see a blue-bandana turtle holding her up. "Le-Leoooo?" Her voice was soft but loud enough for him to look down and notice her. He nodded smoothly and then looked back up towards his brother.
"I'll ask ya again, what the heck just happened?!" Turning her head to the side May watched as Raph stood up to the Shisho despite the height difference. It was sweet, she had to admit, how much he was standing up for her in the moment… but it also made her look even weaker than before. Being tangled in Leo's arms wasn't helping either. She squirmed out of his grasp but latched on as her feet touched the ground and her knees buckled. "I'm fine…" She instantly murmured catching her balance and looking to Juto-Shisho's explanation.
"I had stated that those unworthy would experience incomprehensible pain, May Gibson's actions are taken into account."
"Wait, so does that mean...?" Joy looked to the other human Acolytes and then to the mutants.
Huffing and pulling her arms down to the belt of her suit, May cringed, "I'm not worthy…" She finished the sentence. "I'm not like you all…" Looking up at Leo she attempted to hide the tears from rolling out from her eyes but the look he gave her said he could see otherwise.
"Juto-Shisho!" Chikara's voice sounded from across the room. "The first artifact has been found!"
"The artifact lies at the base of the river guarded by Kappa Tangu!" Kon-Shisho stated. Chikara yelled out again, "The dark one's demons are poised to take our prize!"
"Wait a second," Mikey sounded nervous, "Did she just say demons?"
"Do not return without the casket! For if it falls into the hands of the dark one heralds, they will be one step closer to the return of the dark one!"
As Leo and the others walked towards the entrance leading to the boat in the front, May stood silently in position looking into the empty mouth of the dragon. "May?" The leader's voice pulled her head to look back at him. "Come on…"
The blonde sneered crossing her arms, "I'm not worthy to be with you all…why should I bother?"
"You should bother, because if the artifacts are found by the Dark One's heralds than everything you know in your world will be destroyed, May Gibson!"Chikara walked next to the girl with her usual stern glare.
"Besides," Kon walked beside the Shisho woman, "You may be able to prove your worth by protecting and bringing the artifact. Now go!"
Sighing quickly, May looked back into the back of the dragon's mouth and then to the Shisho's. She would prove herself to them, she thought. Even if it was the last thing she was going to do.
Turning towards Leonardo, May walked out of the Lap of the Gods with the large steel doors closing behind her. "Are you sure of this, Juto?" Chikara crossed her arms looking towards the door the girl had just exited out of.
"The flames consumed her just as before." The Ninja master of weapons responded.
"She must pass a few more tests. Then we will know if she is the one destined." Kon nodded looking at his fellow Tribunal members. "After all, Fate has paid her many visits and is sure she is the one destined to hold the soul in a last resort of our fight in the Dark One."
"There it is, the stolen artifact!" Donny whispered as the nine acolytes crowded behind a rock sticking from just off the river bank.
"Anddddd a whole lotta ugly to go with it!"
"Oh come on Raph, that's no way to talk about your real family!" Mikey added to the conversation gaining a slap on the shoulder from the older turtle brother. May peaked from the side of the rock gaining a view of the monsters walking through the river. They were pretty hideous and despite being turtle demons, May could hardly resemble the monstrosities as turtles.
"Those are Kappa Tangu, river demons." Tora nodded while Donatello proceeded to scratch the top of his bald head, "So I forgot to catch up on my demon-ology before this, any ideas?" He questioned.
"Hit hard," Offered the leader as usual, "And fast!" Furaigi smiled adding to the means of attack.
"I know!" Mikey smiled next to Joy, "I'll go all stealth mode and pull a Hisomi-san. Right before Bo-Bo can say banana!"
"A fancy set of chucks doesn't make you Hisomi, Mikey." May shook her head almost still bitter about the fact she, or Leo, didn't receive a set of weapons. "We have to stay in the real world!"
"Oh yea? Real world this!" Mikey replaced his new weapon by his side and then clamped his hands together, "Focusing, stealthing…" Suddenly the orange lines appeared on his body once more and in an instant he disappeared just as Hisomi had done just the other day.
Turning towards the casket by the waterfall of the river, Mikey appeared still with the lines shining on his body. But just as before, the moment he began to gloat the lines faded and the attention of the demons changed towards the lone turtle on the rocks. Like a moron, Mikey began to grunt like a monkey and down on all fours as if trying to be like one of the Tangu.
"Can we leave him there?" Raph slapped his face looking down at his green feet.
"Alright," Leo jumped from behind the rock into the water, "its go time. Get Mikey out of there and grab the artifact!" The group nodded charging forwards through the dark thick water towards the demons when all of a sudden the gang of Kappa Tangu disappeared into streams of water.
"What?" May gasped looking around her area and waiting for the monster to swim below the surface. With the water as thick as it was, it seemed almost impossible for her to make out a figure in the murky water. That was, until an army of demons surrounded May and the other around the water area. They apparently could shift into water from the looks of their situation.
With a loud growl from all of the monsters, Raph sighed, "Please tell me that Kappa for 'we surrender'."
"I don't think so, Raphie…." May tightened her grip onto the base of her Kusari just as the monsters faded into water and then reappeared in different areas of the lake. "They can travel through the water!" May gasped running frantically while spinning her weapon to protect herself from her attackers and she was doing a pretty good job of avoid them…until she watch Furaigi being held underneath the water by one.
"Furaigi!" May screamed throwing her blade towards the demon and splashing the monster into tiny droplets. "You okay?" She ran over helping the man up.
"Thank you, May Gibson."
"No problem." The blonde huffed as her attention caught a glance as Joy seemed to be stuck in the same position Furaigi had been in. Instead of May saving the other female, Raphael jumped to the opportunity using his ability to call upon the mystic red lines that engulfed his body. Joy had been saved and as much as May was happy the woman was alright, she hadn't liked the fact Raph had been the one to save her. "You alright, Joy?" He asked helping her out of the water. The woman smiled running a hand through her short blonde hair. "I am now." She smiled.
"May." Furaigi's voice pulled the teenager away from her glaring. "Leonardo!" With a quick glance upwards, May watched as Leo took the casket quickly from the surrounding Tangu and jumped towards her and the warrior.
"It's the water!" Leo called running to the two, "We have to get out of the water! Quick, Furaigi, use the Dragon's fire!"
"To stop a river? That's impossible!"
Leo only shook his head handing May the casket and taking the sword out of the warriors hand, "Nothing is impossible!" Just like his brother's, Leo also gained glowing lines across his body but his were blue just the same as his bandana. With a growl and a swing of the mighty sword, flames engulfed the river drying it out in an instant.
With a moan, May sat in the soft mud still holding onto the casket carefully. "Wow, nice going Leo- Leo?" She looked to the turtle resting with his shell in the mud. "LEO! Guys, get Leo!" She called out shoving the artifact box under her arm and kneeling by her leader. By the look on his face, he seemed to be in a lot of pain. "Leo, please!" She held the back of his neck hoping to gain some sort of insight of his pain but only received the small and sharp grunting instead. "We have to go. Before we are attacked again." She nodded as Raph and Donny took a hold of their brother.
"Yo Shisho's!? We got wounded!" Raph yelled as he and his brother's carried the unconscious Leonardo towards the Lap of the Gods. Behind the blonde girl, Furaigi had been held up by Tora and Joy while Adam carried the heavy casket.
"My sons!" Master Splinter called out followed by the Ancient One behind his trail. "Leonardo, put him down." Their father commanded and the turtles did so. "Drink, my son…" Splinter poured a small stream of water in Leo's open mouth from his water bottle until a voice stopped the group dead in their tracks.
"The cask! Is it opened? Is it damaged?!" Kon asked worried and angrily. Hisomi pulled the box from out of Adam's arm catching him off guard for the moment and looking at the Tribunal frantically searching the well-being of the casket.
"But Master, Leonardo is injured…" Furaigi grunting from behind the others.
"You should have left him, if it put the casket in jeopardy!" Juto sneered looking at the ninja's.
"But," Furaigi dropped to his knees, "He saved our lives, and the casket! Without Leonardo-"
"You're lives are meaningless, compared to this artifact Acolytes!"
May had barely enough strength left in her to walk, let alone keep up the intensity of her stride as she walked towards the four tribunal members, "You heartless monsters!" She snarled looking up at Juto, "Do you understand Leo would give his life for this! For us! And you don't care?! Without him you wouldn't have your stupid artifact or any other Acolytes to carry out your bitch work!"
As small as the blonde was compared to the others, she certainly lived up to her words just from the intensity of their situation, "From what I can see, you all are no better than the minions that serve the Evil One you all are constantly talking about!"
"Our ways are our own!" Kon yelled back, "But you and your friend deserve to know about the evil that threatens this world…" As the Shisho spoke, the casket began to glow as Hisomi lowered it onto the floor. "If we fail, the world will fall…fall to him!"
At that moment, May and the others knew why the Tribunal was being paranoid. There, floating in the air, rose a decrypted and old metal helmet.
Shaped exactly like the Shredder's.