Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and others, are owned by Eastman and Laird and Fox Box.
Road Rovers, and others, are owned by WB.
Chapter 3:
Demons and dragons
Dusk was setting in upon an unknown forest, and in this forest were the turtles fleeing as fast as they could from an unknown enemy. "Leo." Raphael shouted after seeing that his brother had tripped on a downed log. When the filed leader was now standing on his own two feet they all heard beating of hoofs coming at them.
"Run!" Splinter, who was with the four, shouted when he felt their attacker's presence closing in. The hoofs seemed to be picking up speed no matter how fast the five were going.
'We have to protect Master Splinter.' The four thought as they turned to face their enemy with their weapons drawn. They knew that they won't stand a chance, but they weren't going down without a fight.
'This is too easy.' The attacker thought as he prepared his weapon. The sound of tearing flesh caused the father to turn and see that all four of his family members have been slain.
"My sons." He said in horror as he saw their lying bodies. After a moments of weakness the rodent stood from his kneeling pose with a snarl on his face. 'I'll take you…on.' He thought but stalled due to a figure in a golden aura before him. "Master Yoshi?" The master questioned to the being before him.
'I am here to help, old friend.' The man thought before feeling an attack through his back. The dark energy from the attack shot throughout his entire body.
'It was all just a horrible, horrible nightmare.' The gray furred one thought as he sat upright breathing heavily and was welcomed to the sight of one of the guest rooms with his sons sleeping soundly at the walls. "What have you gotten yourselves into?" The father questioned after calming down. Once the others awoke they had breakfast, and then went to the spot where they met one of four teachers.
'Something's off with Splinter.' Leo thought as he walked shoulder to shoulder with Hunter. The turtles spotted when they met up with their fellow Acolytes that Shag and Muzzle were not with them.
"So red, where's the white hairball, and the beast?" The second oldest questioned to the collie beside him.
"Well, Raphy-Waphy Shag isn't much of a fighter and Muzzle's our secret weapon." The female said back to him with a smirk since she saw that her nickname for him was getting on his nerves.
"Seriously, stop calling me that." He muttered in anger to her, but did not get a response instead Michelangelo spoke:
"Last one to ninja class is a rotten Acolyte." The orange bandana wearer said to them as they were almost to the spot.
"Yeah, another day of laughs with the Ninja Tribunal. Hold me back." The red bandana wearer said in his usual sarcastic tone. They all could see that he still didn't like being here. The group was divided when they reached the spot: Hunter and Leonardo was on one side and the others stood across from them.
"I am not understanding this: where is our Shisho?" Exile questioned as he scratched his head in confusion. The others were also wondering the same thing since one of them was already here - ready to insult them for being late.
"Hope it's not Juto." The nunchuck hero said to the canine before getting some distance from the group. "You're lack of skill and rank breath make me want to retch." He imitated their teacher's attitude to them, and when he saw a few smiles he went on. "Or check it: Hisomi Shisho - the ninja that ate Japan." He said before making gobbling noises.
'He is good at making with the impressions.' The Doberman thought before seeing the man in question as did the others. Michelangelo was still doing his act so he failed to notice that six of the others were bowing their heads while his big brother was trying to warn him.
"Mikey, psst." The swords-turtle said while waving his hand before bowing his head with the others. After a small fit of laughter the youngest brother saw their positions and knew from that and the shadow cast over him that he was in trouble.
"He's right behind me, isn't he?" The comedian questioned with his arms still raised over what he had done a moment ago. Not receiving an answer the young warrior turned and saw the tallest of the four behind him. "Heya, teach." He said after a nervous and as the experienced warrior walked away the turtle added, "Does this go on my permanent record? Hisomi-san…" No answer, so they followed in silence.
'I wonder what our exercise will be this time.' The eldest son thought as he followed their teacher through a stone tunnel. When they reached the end they were in a very large clearing with a very large crater filled with water.
'This can't be good.' Raph thought as he saw the dragon statue that held up the other side of the long bridge. The tall man then gestured to the bridge before walking his right index and middle finger along his left forearm.
'What is he getting at?' They all were wondering before seeing him count down from three on his right hand.
"Um, Hisomi-Shisho, I-I don't understand." The jokester of the turtles said to their current teacher; saying the one thing that was on all of their minds. His comment earned him the Gibb's slap from the warrior standing behind him. "OW!" The young ninja shouted in pain before turning to see the Ancient One standing on Muzzle's dolly.
"If you spent less time talking and more time thinking perhaps you would." He instructed to the beginner. "Master Hisomi." The elder said to the silent man with a honorable bow.
"Ancient One?" The swords-turtle said in a questionable tone.
"Hey, Muzzle, what's up boy?" The Golden Retriever said to his fellow Rover with a wave. The Rottweiler remained silent, for once, and listened to what the elder had to say.
"I will assist Hisomi Shisho for I too was once Hisomi Shisho's pupil in the shadow craft of stealth." He said while jumping off of the canine's carrier and walked over to the teacher.
'Did not know that.' Don, Leo, and Raph thought as the master of their Master's master walked past them.
"Hisomi Shisho does not speak for he embodies the three pillars of Ninjitsu - speed, secrecy, and silence: Michelangelo. Blessed silence." The Ancient One explained as the man once again showed off the count down from three.
"What he said, green-guy." The Doberman said, trying to get on the teacher, and former student's good side. His effort only earned him a silent snarl from the muzzled one.
"He says: today - you will learn how to cross the honored Tatsu Bridge. 200 yards long, and do so unseen." The round one translated for them, but the last part surprised them since it seemed like an impossibility.
"Zero cover, direct sun, creaky old boards." The purple turtle explained why it would not work, but as soon as all of them heard a hard gust of wind they all saw that the big guy has made it all the way across. "No way." The genius said as his mind was simply blown over what had just happened.
"Yes, way, young turtle." Ancient One said back in a calm tone.
"Now that's an unexpected twist." Hunter said as he and the others were just in awe over what they had seen.
"That did not just happen." The bo-staff warrior said with a hand to his head as he was still trying to figure out what just happened.
"All things are possible when mind, body and spirit are harnessed to complete the same task." The elder fighter explained and just like that the bald one zipped back to them.
"That did not just happen again." Donatello shouted out after the man's return.
"I think it did, purple comrade." Exile said not knowing that this demonstration had seriously freaked out the logical minded turtle.
"Hisomi-Shisho requires a volunteer." The elder informed and just like that Leo calmly stepped forward while the leader of the canine's began to jump for joy.
"I'll do it. I'll give it a shot." The yellow furred one shouted for joy with his tail wagging every which way since it did look like fun. Despite one showing his eagerness for the task the second oldest still had to say something.
"Hard to be silent when you're making all those sucking up sounds, Leo." The sai wielder said to the youngest not knowing that the other three canines heard him as well, and liked it. Their discussion was also heard by their teacher who made it his pressence known by standing before them.
"Oh, boy." The slacker said after seeing and feeling the tall teacher's index finger on his forehead. In an instant he knew that this Shisho has chosen him for this exercise.
"Focus inward, Michelangelo, see the world only as light and fog." The Ancient One advised the teen before the taller man pointing at the student's amulet. "Find your chi and imagine it as rushing wind - powerful, free flowing, invisible, and serious for once, yes?" He continued on before walking over to the others, who had been relocated away from the bridge and closer to the cave entrance.
"Ancient One, how are we going to learn anything way back here?" Leonardo questioned since they were several feet away from the site. The elder knew what the warrior was talking about, so he decided to fill the young one in.
"Safety precaution, Leonardo." Ancient said to the blue one before adding, "Remember your Japanese. Tatsu means…" It was then the fighter decided to let his student finish his comment.
"Dragon. The Dragon River." Leonardo finished as expected and then became nervous. After their first day of training the team of two animals knew that these guys could do things that were beyond comprehension, so there was no telling what this river will have.
"Okay, breathing. Feeling the stealth. Uh, sneak into my heart…kinda." Michelangelo said and then was given a gentle nudge by the giant behind him. "Hey! I'm focusing here." The turtle shouted to his teacher while also seeing Colleen walk over to Muzzle, and after hearing what that dog can do from Blitz the slacker decided to get to work. "Silent. Stealthy." He said and after a moment of focusing on this problem he felt a strange power surge. "Oh boy." He said as the power became stronger.
'He's doing it?' The swordsman, bo-staff wielder, and sai expert thought as they watched their lit up brother take a step on the bridge without so much a groan from the wood. The specatators saw that he had made it halfway when the energetic student lost his focus.
"Okay, whatever that is. It doesn't sound good." The chucker said once his glow stopped and the next board that he stepped on creaked causing a roar of unknown origin to be heard in the gorge. "Ahh! It's not good! It's not good! Aw, shell!" He shouted in horror as the ruler of the gorge came forth.
"I would not have predicted this - bummer." Hunter said after a blue dragon emerged: ready to strike. The others saw that the beast was only interested in coiling around the bridge, and the eldest of the four had a feeling what the dragon was thinking.
"Guys form a perimeter to protect Mikey." Leonardo called out as he and the others unsheathed their weapons and charged at him. The creature in question saw this and swatted the two leaders away with his tail.
"Hunter. Leo." Exile called out as the two slammed into the side of the stone wall and fell down.
"Let's kick some shell." The angered one called out and charged with the remaining six, the Siberian one was wheeling the mad dog, over to the ruler of the ravine.
'No one will interfere.' The dragon thought as he turned to water and batted away Muzzle, Colleen, and Raphael in the wall and then wrapped around Exile, Blitz, and Donatello.
"Let them go! I'm the one that touched your stupid bridge." Michelangelo said to the beast since he did not wish for anything bad to happen to his brothers or new friends. The guardian heard this and charged at the one still standing on his bridge. 'This was a mistake. This was a mistake. This was a mistake.' He thought while cowering where he stood, but felt no contact, and once he looked at where the dragon still stood - the turtle understood why.
'I understand.' The dragon thought after bowing before Hisomi, flew into the air, and returned to the gorge in the form of rain water.
"Wow. You…wow." Michelangelo said in awe since he was still in shock over what had just happened. He then saw that the others were slowly getting back on their feet after their atrocious defeat. "Uh…Hisomi-san, can I have a do-over." The slacker said as a way to be funny, but was given a smack by a stick held by the Ancient One, who stood on the guardrail rope, to the back of his head as an answer. "Geez, tough crowd." The comical one said back before gathering with the others.
"Come on. Let's rest up before the next test." The swords-turtle said and walked away. After their walk the group of ten, the Rovers often bunked in the turtle's room from time to time, were licking their wounds from the fight.
"Does this hurt?" Colleen questioned as she poked the rough one's left shoulder.
"No." He answered back calmly.
"Does this hurt?" She questioned again after poking his stomach, and received another 'no, so she went on. "Does this hurt." The time she poked him on his right shoulder.
"Yeah. Yeah." He shouted in anger since that piece of him was still tender.
"I found out what hurts." He said while playfully dodging a punch from the angered one. As that went on one of the Acolytes decided to voice his opinion on this whole thing.
"If these Tribunal Fools think a water belching dragon supposed to be helping us then I am signing up for the worst obedience school in the world." Blitz shouted before placing the bag of ice back on the back of his head.
"I can't believe that you were set against the Tatsu spirit. It was rash and careless." Splinter said as he walked around to assess the damage done to his family and his new friends.
"What's your beef with the Tribunal anyway, sensei?" The blunt one said, asking a question that all were wondering about. He heard this, but was not up for telling them the whole truth so he decided to be vague yet helpful.
"Old wounds are slow to heal. Learn what you can from the Tribunal for you will need it when the dark one comes to battle, but remember they will not hestitate to sacrifice you if it serves their purpose. So here more than ever you must all stick together as a family. Promise me?" Splinter said to them and thought of the new creatures as family just as he did with Leatherhead, Casey, April, and everyone else.
"Yes, Master Splinter." The four of green said and received silent nods from the dogs since they were all moved of how serious this rodent was. Once their wounds were dressed the Rovers headed to their room for the night, and when dawn broke they all were ordered to enter a room that Juto spent most of his time.
"The weapon is not simply a tool. It is an extension of skill. Of body. I can only pray that the great darkness never comes, but if it does you can not beat it with bits of tin and wood. You need stronger weapons - forged to strike at your weapons both physically and mystically." Juto said to them after ordering them to reveal their weapons to him, and finished with slamming one of his chains on the open area that they stood on.
'What is that?' The acolytes thought as they saw something come out of the ground, and saw that it was a golden dragon's mouth and front claws.
"The Spirit Forge, maggots. Fueled by the breath of four great dragons." Juto explained to them and was happy to see that he and his friend's mystic fire still burned.
"Shisho or no shisho. He better lay off of that maggot business." Raphael said and was itching to see just how tough this master of weapons was when it came to a one on one fight, but was interrupted by the husky beside him.
"Do you prefer: Raphy-Waphy comrade?" Exile questioned and received a swift elbow to the ribs before they all listened to what he had to say.
"Those worthy will find what they seek within. Those unworthy incomprehensible pain. Now who dares?" The weapon expert explained and questioned before looking at these new eight individuals for a volunteer. "No one? Ha, I expected as much from the rodents misbegotten pets." The teacher stated when no one stepped forth, which immediately ticked off the loner of the four.
"That it! I know you aint talking smack about Master Splinter." Raph shouted out while sheathing his sais and storming over to the forge. "You want worthy?! Well, get ready for mean and green." He said right to the Tribunal member's face before sticking his right hand into the blaze. "Whoops." He said calmly as the flames started to engulf him.
"Raph!" The collie shouted in alarm as she saw this so she and the others raced over, but the flames were too mighty for them; forcing them to back up.
"Raph no." His brothers said as they were forced to walk away from the forge. When the flames died out they saw that the rebel was alive with a red glow and markings on his body.
"That didn't tickle." The second oldest commented as if what he just went through was just another day at the office.
"Well done, simpleton. Indignant rage suits you. Show me what gifts the forge has given." Jutos said to his student, and Raphael heard his request. Feeling happy of his new toys he decided to show them to this teacher.
"I got this." He answered once his glow was gone and even turned around so that everyone could see what he had in his hands.
"Bon-Rai! I cannot believe it!" Their teacher said in complete awe since NO ONE has ever received that weapon. "Worms, use the forge, now!" He ordered to the remaining seven. They did as he said in the order of: Michelangelo, Blitz, Colleen, Hunter, Donatello, and Exile. "Excellent. The Spirit Forge has granted you great gifts." Juto said once almost everyone had their turn. "By the gods: Inazuma which commands lightning from the heavens. Byako - the hungry ghost that calls the cleaving wind. Bon-Rai - which can shatter mountains with its thunder. Gunshin - commanding the white flame of the dragon king." He said as he saw four of the most powerful weapons of all.
'I guess I'll give it a shot.' Leonardo thought as he made his way to the forge; not really liking the admiration Hunter was getting with his new sword, Raphael with his sickles, Donatello with his spear, and Michelangelo with his new chucks.
"These are the fangs of the dragon." Juto said while purposefully hitting the oncoming warring with his long sleeve. "Forged for champions - legends." He congratulated the four on their new weapons, but was interrupted by the leader of the Rovers.
"Hold on teach. What about, Leo?" The Retriever said and even pointed to said individual with his sword. The two starred down before the mutant moved toward the forge to be awarded with a new piece of steel.
"What does that mean?" Leonardo questioned once the flames extinguished on their own as soon as his hand was stretched out. "What happened?" The swords-turtle questioned, but his answer was the teacher turning his back on his student.
"With the fangs of the dragon at your command. You will discover powers transcendent of your wildest imaginings." Juto explained to the other seven while walking away from the forge.
'What could that mean?' The field leader thought as he looked back at the spiritual item, and still didn't know what had happened to the flame. His concentration was interrupted when the ground shook and in a second the other three were standing in the same room they were in.
"Juto-Shisho, the first artifact has been found." Chikara said to her friend with faint features of a smile on her face.
"The one that was stolen?" The second oldest questioned while putting his new weapon on his belt with his sais. Kon jumped to where the others were and decided to tell them something else.
"The artifact lies on the bank of the Kuachi River. Guarded by kappa tengu." They heard and did not like that piece of information, and neither did their teachers.
"The dark one's demons are poised to claim our prize." The strength of the Tribunal said to them in an angered tone.
"Excuse me. Did she say demons?" Michelangelo questioned to all and became nervous over that problem since none of them couldn't even damage a water dragon.
"The fangs of the dragon is a good omen. Send the urgence." Juto commented about this situation.
"Do not return without the cask. For if it falls into the hands of the dark ones heralds they will be one step closer to resurrecting their master." Kon said to them as they fled the forge and headed for the boat that carried them here in the first place.
"No worries. We can handle this." Hunter said as soon as he got to the steering wheel of the ship. As soon as they left the dock Muzzle, Shag, and Splinter all took a few steps closer and watched as they flew away.
"Do not worry. They will be alright." Splinter said to the fluffy one after watching the Tribunal walk away without a word and heard the Rover whimper out of fear. The acolytes made it to the river and had gotten into the surrounding vegetation unseen.
"There it is. The stolen artifact." Donatello whispered to the others after spotting a black and red case at the base of a waterfall.
"And a whole lotta ugly." Raphael commented as he saw all of the reptilian guardians. The others saw them as a potential problem, but one just had to say something about their opponents.
"Come on, Raph, that's no way to talk about your real family." Michelangelo said, but his comment was easily ignored.
"I read about these turtle-boys. The book called them kappa tengu - river demons." Blitz said to the big brained brother to his left, along with the others.
"I forgot to bone up on demonology before we were shanghaied. Any ideas?" Donatello informed and questioned since he often liked to do research on what ever they were fighting before the fight.
"Hit hard." The eldest of four said to him.
"Hit fast." Hunter added which caused the two to smile at one another since they had the same kind of thoughts going.
"I know - stealth mode. I'll pull a Hisomi and snatch the cask at ninja speed before BoBo can say banana." Michelangelo said to the others since he felt as though he knew how to tap into that speed factor again.
"A fancy set of chucks doesn't make you Hisomi, Mikey. Let's stay in the real world." Leonardo said back which basically shot down that game plan, or so he thought.
"Real world this." He said while putting Inazuma on his belt and began to concentrate with, "Focusing. Stealthing." Once the power surge happened the youngest of the four ran to his target, and was there in a blink. "How cool is that? I-I love being a turtle!" He shouted once the glow faded, but he said the last part too loudly and blew his cover.
"Intruder!" They all snarled in their native tongues once the guardians saw a green creature that did not look like them.
"Uh-oh." The party animal commented once he saw that he had been spotted, so he tried to act as a monkey to make them go back to guarding, but instead the kappa creatures came toward him.
"Alright, it's go time. Get Mikey, and grab the artifact." Leo said to them after they all leaped in front of their cover. They all tried a head on attack complete with battle yells, but the beasts turned to water and went into the small pond at the base of the waterfall. "Where did they…" The leader was about to question, but was interrupted when the creatures resurfaced around them only in greater number.
"Somebody please tell me that that is kappa for 'we surrender'." Raphael said once all of the kappa cretins were around them. In an instant the group divided and tried to best them with physical strength, but that was failing.
"Da water. They came travel in the water." Exile pointed out as the two that were holding him had their upper bodies physical, but their lower halves were one with the water. With most of them distracted Colleen and Raphael tried to make a move toward the cask, but that was a bust.
"Colleen!" Raphael shouted in anger/alarm when he saw one of the start to drown the canine fighter before he too was held down. "Come on, focus!" He shouted before doing so, and was the mystic power flowed through him; the turtle went to work. "Bon-Rai!" He shouted after leaping into the air and turned into a buzz saw. Once in that form he took down the kappa holding his friend down with ease.
"Thanks, Raphy." She said to him after he landed before her. The other Rovers were not doing so well either.
"Exile! Blitz!" Donatello shouted after seeing the Husky and Doberman having a little trouble with their foes and decided to use his mystic energy to help them. "Here goes nothing - Cleaving Wind!" He stated and called out, and once the turtle did he created a tornado that sucked up the water; freeing the two canines.
"If only those fools weren't made of water I would enjoy biting their buttocks." Blitz said once he and his friend was free.
"Don't be weird boy." The Siberian one commented while watching as his new friend released all the water that he sucked up.
"Ordinarily I'd like to know how an arsenal of magic weapons works before using it, but…today I'll make an exception." Donatello said to the others while also feeling pretty proud over what he had just done. In another section of the area Michelangelo was currently running away from a few kappa guardians.
"Come on Inazuma." The slacker shouted after getting caught in a water cyclone by the two that chased him, but bust free with the mystic power within and his new chucks. "I'm never giving these back." He said after he had defeated his pursuers.
"I got it guys." Leonardo, who decided to use a evasive style against the demons, said to them after reaching the cask. The moment his hands were on the container two more appeared from the fall behind him. 'So, that's it.' He thought before leaping away from them. "It's the water. We have to cut them off from the river." He informed them while running up to the Golden Retriever. "Use the Dragon King's fire, Hunter." He ordered to the leader of the Rovers.
"I'm all for optimism, Leo, but stopping a river…isn't that kind of impossible." The canine said back to him with a mellow tone as if these beasts were nothing to worry about.
"Nothing's impossible!" The swords-turtle said back before snatching the enchanted blade from his friend, activated his own mystic energy, leaped up and shouted, "Gunshin!" They all watched as the fire from the sword obliterated the water they were all standing in.
"Leo!" Raph shouted in alarm as his brother fell to the ground: groaning in pain. Hunter also seemed drained, but the rest of the Canines were seeing to him. Silently the brains and brawn of the reptiles carried the field leader while Exile carried the cask, and Blitz helped out their leader to the boat.
'I hope they are alright.' The red furred woman thought out of fear while piloting the ship back to their temporary home. Once there the dogs and turtles carried the three items off the ship.
"Yo, shishos we got wounded." Raphael shouted once they were in the main area. The first beings to see them were their four main friends: Muzzle, Shag, Ancient One, and Splinter.
"My sons." The rodent said in alarm when he saw them. "Leonardo, put him down." The father said to them once he was close enough; the dog creatures did the same when their two friends came to them. "Drink, my son." Splinter said as he fed him a bag of water while the fuzzy one reached in and pulled out a bottle of ice cold water.
"Don't worry, I'm fine, boy." Hunter said to the worried Rottweiler as he drank his water with the big talker propping him off the ground. The calm moment between the twelve was cut short when the Tribunal appeared.
"The cask? Has it opened? Is it damaged?" Kon asked with Juto standing behind him.
"Whoa!" The blue furred fighter shouted in alarm as Hisomi snatched it from him with such force that he nearly lost his balance. They saw the silent one land beside the other three with cask in hand.
"Hate to butt in, but Leo is sort of injured, and…" The leader of the Rovers said to his temporary masters after finishing off his water and tossing it back to the sheepdog but was cut off.
"Then you should have left him if it put the cask in jeopardy." Juto said to the dog causing all of them to gap in surprise after what he had just heard.
"That's a little harsh. I mean he did save our lives, and protected the cask with that cool flame move with my sword. Without Leonardo…" The Retriever said to the four since he still thought that what happened at the river was a pretty sweet move, and was about to add more but was stopped again.
"Your lives are meaningless compared to these artifacts, acolyte." The weapon master said to the canine, and it was then the rodent decided to speak his mind.
"You heartless monster! Have you no compassion for those who would give their lives to you. You are no better than the snarling wretches that serve the evil one." Splinter said to the four as a way of speaking his mind and defending the eight behind him.
"Our ways are our own. But you and your sons deserve to know this. The evil that threatens this world overshadows everything: compassion, our own lives, even honor. If we fail; the world will fall. Fall to him." Kon said as his friend placed the container on the ground, the lid opened and the first artifact floated out of its container.
"The Shredder!" Leonardo shouted in alarm once the helmet was high enough was high enough for him to see.