A/N: Due to this one's storyline, Cath and Elisa don't do much.
Please and review?
In the mountains in Japan, a young Hamato Yoshi walks towards a temple in a fog, wearing a yellow outfit.
Leo: Honor. Integrity. Bushido. These were the ideals that drove Master Splinter's beloved master: Hamato Yoshi.
Yoshi enters the temple, then picks up two Sais from a wall, which he twirls before entering a room.
He had travelled far to reach this castle fortress only to find six Foot Elite warriors barring his way.
The Shredder's Elite Guard all bow in front of a set of stairs, before disappearing in a puff of smoke. They all reappear all around Yoshi, trapping him in a circle, as he looks at them carefully.
But six or six hundred, it mattered not for on this particular night, Yoshi was driven by a powerful force unfamiliar to him. Hatred.
Yoshi blocks 2's trident and 4's spear with his Sais by crossing his forearms over. 3 and 5 both come up behind him, but he jumps up as they both try to hit him, before he somersaults over 2 and 4. He dives down and split kicks 1 and 6 as they come at him, then he back flips over 2 and 4 again, landing on 3's back and knocking him out. He snaps the ends of 2 and 4's weapons, then he somersaults forward and split kicks them, knocking them away, then he back flips and kicks 5's chest with both feet, knocking him down and out cold.
Hatred that burned...
Yoshi throws his Sais down.
...so bright it threatened to destroy him.
Yoshi grits his teeth, staring at the stairs.
Hatred born out of the need for revenge.
In the lair, Mikey was sitting on a couch, while Leo was hanging upside down near a pipe, holding a blowtorch to it. Raph walked by Mikey while vacuuming the room, as Elisa came over with a duster, when the power suddenly went out as the lights popped.
"Ah!" Raph yelped.
"What the shell?" Elisa gasped.
Leo raised his goggles up and looked over at Cath and Donnie.
"Donatello, Catharina you okay?" he asked.
He jumped down to the ground, as Cath and Donnie approached them all.
"I'm fine." Cath assured. "Don, what happened?"
"I thought I was grounding that terminal, but I instead I must've shorted it out." Donnie realized, leaning on his Bo due to his leg. "Sorry, Mikey, but I'm afraid the entertainment system isn't going operational tonight."
He put his Bo away while his siblings looked confused, expect Cath.
"Cathy, translation?" Raph asked.
"The TV's not coming on until the power's back on." Cath translated. "Sorry, Mikey."
"No!" Mikey cried, turning around, shaking wildly. "NO!"
He got up and ran towards the TV's, which were six stuck together.
"I need my TV time!" Mikey cried, touching the largest one as he fell to his knees.
Raph and Elisa both approached him.
"I...I can't go on without it!" Mikey whined, leaning his head back, with his arms out, before touching his heart. "Please, somebody, put me out of my misery?"
"You mean our misery, Mikey." Raph said, punching his fist. "Don't mind if I do."
"Raph, not now!" Elisa frowned.
"Ahem." Splinter said, clearing his throat.
Raph gasped and put his hands behind his back.
"Raphael!" Splinter said.
His children turned and saw him coming in, carrying a tray filled with lit candles.
"That is enough work for one day, my children." he said.
His children all moved towards him.
"But Master, what are we gonna do?" Mikey asked frantically.
His siblings all got down on their knees as Splinter put the tray down. (Elisa was between Leo and Donnie, while Cath was between Leo and Splinter)
"No TV, no video games." Mikey said, touching his head briefly. "How did people ever survive in such a nightmare world?"
"Before TV and video games, people survived quite well, Michelangelo, perhaps even better." Splinter explained sternly.
"Well, how, Sensei?" Elisa asked, confused. "Care to tell us?"
"They told stories, Elisabetta, and I think we should do just that; tell stories." Splinter said.
"Ah!" Mikey groaned, fainting.
"Who wants to begin?" Splinter asked.
"Hey, maybe Leo could tell us about his time with the Ancient One?" Donnie suggested, as Mikey got up.
"Yeah." Cath said. "You haven't told us what happened over there. How you got over your PTSD."
"Yeah, Leo, let's hear about the Ancient One." Raph said. "I wanna hear all about the new ways you learned to kick butt."
He punched his fist.
"I wouldn't mind hearing what he taught you, Leo." Elisa said.
"Well, I wouldn't know where to start." Leo said, touching his chin. "And as for me getting over my anger, I'd rather tell you that later, Cath, I just haven't had the time."
"Okay." Cath sighed. "But I really need to know that."
"But still, the Ancient One did tell me a story I think you guys would want to hear, about Master Splinter's master, Hamato Yoshi." Leo explained.
"Well, let's hear it." Donnie said.
"Come on, Leo, spill?" Elisa asked eagerly.
"It's a story about a girl." Leo explained.
"A girl?" Cath questioned.
"Does she kick butt?" Raph asked hopefully.
"Hush, Raphael!" Splinter hissed. "Please, Leonardo, continue?"
"Okay, our story begins in Tokyo, way back in the early 1960s." Leo began.
(Flashback)
In the 1960s, in Tokyo, the streets were filled with people, including homeless people, after what had happened during the end of WW2.
Leo: Japan was still trying to get back on its feet.
People chatted to each other and walked across a street.
Mikey: After an attack from Godzilla?
Leo: No, after it's defeat in WW2!
A business man passed by a orphaned girl begging for stuff.
Outside a store, were two homeless orphaned boys, with ragged clothes. One was a young Hamato Yoshi, while the other was called Yukio Mashimi. They both held their hands out, beggingly, as they had no home.
Leo: It wasn't uncommon to see orphan children in the streets begging for food and money.
No one came towards the pair, making Yoshi while, while Mashimi gritted his teeth slightly. He turned and saw a man in a green kimono coming down the street, before he elbowed Yoshi's arm, getting his attention. They both watched the man turned left, before a coin fell out of his sleeve and onto the road, which rolled towards them both.
"Wow, five yen." Yoshi said, picking it up.
"Shh." Mashimi shushed, his finger to his lips, before lowering it. "Yoshi, let's keep it."
"No, Mashimi, that would not be right." Yoshi argued.
He walked towards the man.
"Yoshi-" Mashimi hissed, before following him.
"Sir, sir!" Yoshi called.
The man turned to the boys as they approached him.
"Excuse me, sir, you dropped your money." Yoshi explained.
"What is this?" the man said, who was the Ancient One.
Yoshi handed him the coin.
"So much honestly in one so very hungry?" the Ancient One inquired. "Hmm?"
He looked at both boys, happy at Yoshi's honestly.
"Try as quickly as you can to take the coin from my hand and you may keep it." he offered.
Both boys turned to each other, Mashimi shrugging, surprised by the offer. He giggled and reached to snatch the coin as the Ancient One closed his hand, but then opened it, showing the coin.
"I don't think so." he smirked.
Mashimi growled slightly, annoyed.
Yoshi raised his hand to snatch the coin as the Ancient One clutched it.
"Ha. Too slow." he smirked. "The both of-"
He opened his hand, but saw the coin was gone.
"Huh?" he gasped.
Yoshi opened his hand and saw he had the coin, making both boys smile.
"Such speed? A natural gift." the Ancient One said, touching his chin, impressed. "Come, let me buy you something to eat?"
"And my friend too, please, sir?" Yoshi asked, pointing at Mashimi.
The Ancient One looked at Mashimi, who smiled and touched Yoshi's shoulder.
"All right, yes." he said, giving in. "The both of you."
"Ah." the boys said.
They both laughed happily, as the Ancient One turned and walked off.
"Follow me, come along." he said, as the boys followed him. "No dawdling."
Later, the three of them approached a gate to a house in the hills, before the Ancient One pushed the door open.
Leo: And so, the Ancient One took the boys into his home...
Once inside the house, both the boys began scarfing down bowls of noodles, with the Ancient One watching over them.
...and raised them as if they were his own sons.
Yoshi and Mashimi kept scarfing down the noodles, as they were starving, making the Ancient One smile and touch his beard.
Later, both boys began practicing Ninjutsu, doing punch moves.
"Hyah! Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!" they shouted.
The Ancient One paced in front of them both, before he turned to them.
Leo: They became his students, and he trained them in the ways of Ninjutsu.
Both boys did more punch moves, with the Ancient One doing the same, only with his hands open.
Year after year...
They both jumped and did a kick move.
...they learned hard and learned quickly...
They jumped and did another kick, then jumped and did a third.
...and as they grew...
Years later, now teenagers, Yoshi and Mashimi jumped and did another kick.
...into young men, they...
They did another jump kick.
...became closer than brothers...
They jumped and did another kick.
...best of friends who did everything together.
They both jumped and did another kick, then jumped and did another.
Later, a young Chinese girl named Tang Shen held a flower outside the Ancient One's home.
Leo: They even fell in love at the same time, with the same girl; Tang Shen.
She put the flower down happily, as Yoshi and Mashimi both peeked out from behind a pillar and stared at her.
They were crazy about her.
Tang Shen walked off towards a clothes horse.
Tang Shen was also an orphan raised by the Ancient One.
She picked up a wet towel and put it on the clothes horse, as Mashimi pushed Yoshi away playfully.
"Hey!" Yoshi exclaimed, as Mashimi laughed.
Yoshi backpedalled slightly, before falling onto his back.
"Ah!" he yelped.
He sat up as Tang Shen stared at them both, before she laughed, amusingly.
Leo: She was beautiful, intelligent, sweet.
Inside, Mashimi was eating noodles with chop sticks, as Tang Shen cut some white carrots with a knife.
Tang Shen took it upon herself to turn the Ancient One's house into a home.
A rat came out of a mousehole and looked around.
She saw to it that their makeshift family was well fed and well cared for.
The rat moved towards a pot, as Tang Shen got up and walked off slightly.
And sometimes, that care even extended to surprise visitors in her kitchen.
The rat moved away, its squeak getting Mashimi's attention.
Leo: Mashimi spied the intruder...
He picked up a sword and held it up, right near Splinter, who squeaked and glared at him.
...and his only thought was to exterminate it.
Mashimi moved to slice the rat, when Tang Shen turned to him.
"Mashimi, no!" she cried.
She pulled the sword away, getting his attention.
Leo: But Tang Shen saw a hungry, innocent creature, and as always her first thought was to care for it.
Mashimi stared at her, as she turned and cut part of a white carrot, then picked up the piece, and held it near the rat.
Leo: She decided to keep the curious rat...
The rat took the piece of fruit.
...as a pet.
The rat began to nibble on the fruit, as Tang Shen smiled at it.
Later, Yoshi and Tang Shen sat together on a large rock, Yoshi holding a cage the rat was in.
Leo: Seeing that Shen had grown fond of the hungry little visitor; Yoshi built a home for the newest member of their family.
The rat nibbled on some food, before it jumped onto Tang Shen's arm, then ran up onto her shoulder. It rested its head against hers, then she stroked its chest happily.
Another day, both Yoshi and Mashimi carried Tang Shen over a river on their shoulders, Yoshi holding her legs, Mashimi her left arm, all of them laughing.
Leo: Though Tang Shen had captured both the boy's hearts, over time it became clear that her heart belonged to only one of them... Yoshi.
Tang Shen put her cheek against Yoshi's, who smiled at her. Mashimi opened his eyes and noticed this, then turned away, frowning.
One night, the three of them walked down a street in the city, Yoshi wearing a yellow outfit with a black stripe down the arms, while Mashimi wore a red one with the same pattern.
Leo: One night, while out enjoying the city, the friends chanced up something that would change all their lives, forever.
"NOOOO!" a man screamed.
The three people stopped and turned into an alley, seeing Mr. Mortu - in his Human disguise - surrounded by four Foot Ninja, making Tang Shin gasp.
"Stay away, please?" Mortu begged.
One of the Foot ran behind him, before another kicked his chest.
"Oh!" he moaned, before another punched the side of his head. "AH!"
He fell down, as Yoshi and Mashimi glared at them, while Tang Shen looked horrified.
"Four against one. Have they no honor?" Yoshi asked angrily. "Let's even the odds and set things right."
He and Mashimi ran down the alley towards the battle, as one Foot kicked Mortu's chest.
"Oh!" he moaned, falling to his knees.
Two Foot turned around to Yoshi and Mashimi, who both jumped up and dived towards them - Mashimi somersaulting as he did.
Leo: Fearlessly, and unarmed, Yoshi led Mashimi in...
Both men kicked one of the Foot Ninjas each, knocking them down.
...battle against the katana wielding...
Both men got up, as the other two Foot stared at them.
...assailants; against what they later learned were Foot Ninja.
"Huh?" Mortu muttered, looking up.
Leo: This was the first time the two young men were to put their ninjutsu skills to use...
Yoshi and Mashimi stood back-to-back, then turned and nodded at each other.
...in an actual combat situation.
Mashimi dashed towards one of the Foot, making it miss as it tried to slash him. He turned and ran back at the Foot, before he jumped over and kicked its sword away, making it touch his hand as Mashimi landed near it, before he spun around and kicked the Foot away.
"AH!" the Foot yelped.
Yoshi caught the sword, then crouched down while pointing it at the last Foot, before he jumped and dived towards it. It threw its sword at him, but missed as he flipped over it, grabbing the back of his outfit, before he rolled onto his feet and threw the Foot away.
"AHH!" he yelled.
He hit the ground and rolled over, falling unconscious.
Mortu pulled himself up, dusting off his arm, as both men turned to him.
Leo: That night, Mashimi and Yoshi learned that their Ninjustu training was formable indeed...
Mortu dusted himself off, as a Foot got back up in the shadows behind Mashimi.
...but that was nothing compared to the revelation they learned about the man they had just saved.
The Foot charged at Mashimi, as Mortu spotted him.
"Ah!" he gasped.
He ran towards Mashimi, who gasped as he pushed him away, before the Foot sliced his arm off.
"AHHH!" Mortu cried.
Mashimi got up as Yoshi approached him, before they both stared at Mortu.
Leo: Because he wasn't a man at all.
They saw Mortu's robotic upper arm, as sparks came out of it.
He was an Utrom, an Utrom called Mortu.
Mortu turned to the Foot, then grabbed it and threw it away.
"Ah!" it moaned, hitting a wall upside down.
It fell down and landed in a bin.
Yoshi and Mashimi stared at the Foot, before turned turned to Mortu, looking shocked and horrified.
Leo: Mr. Mortu was impressed by their skills...
Mortu picked up his arm.
...and, since the young men had seen his true nature, he gave them a choice.
Mortu held up his arm, as both men turned to each other.
Leave now and live with the mystery of what they had seen, or consider service as a Guardian and learn the whole story.
Mortu talked to the men, who turned to each other, before they both bowed their heads.
Ever curious, the young men wanted to know more.
Mortu, Yoshi and Mashimi all turned and walked towards Tang Shen.
Mr. Mortu unveiled to Yoshi and Mashimi much...
Yoshi threw the sword down.
...of what we've come to learn about the Utroms and their centuries long conflict with the Shredder and the Foot.
Tang Shen smiled as they all approached her, before they turned and walked down the street.
By the end of the tale, the two young men chose to join the ranks of the Guardians.
Later, in the Ancient One's house, Yoshi and Mashimi were both on their knees in front of the Ancient One, having told them of their decision.
Leo: But the Ancient One was dead set against it.
"Ha, no!" the Ancient One said. "The Guardians are no place for you."
He paced in front of the men, before he stopped and turned around.
"You must not do this!" he insisted, before he approached them. "Yoshi, a different destiny awaits you. Neither of you are ready. You need much more training."
"Sensei, we are more than ready." Mashimi insisted.
"In body perhaps, but it is your heart and mind that still need training, my son." the Ancient One snapped, pointing at them as he spoke, hitting Mashimi's head.
"The Guardians are an honorable force for good, Sensei. I want to help them." Yoshi said.
Tang Shen peeked out from behind a doorway and stared at them all.
"No. I forbid you to join the Guardians!" the Ancient One said, before he walked towards the doorway, making Tang Shen hide. "That is my final word!"
He walked out into the grounds as his three adopted children stared at him. Tang Shen then turned and peeked into the room, seeing Mashimi now standing up.
Leo: But Hamato Yoshi and Yukio Mashimi were not asking for permission.
Yoshi got up as Mashimi turned to him, their decision made.
They were no longer boys.
Later, both Yoshi and Mashimi were with other Guardians and Utroms inside a large tower in the heart of Tokyo.
Leo: So they started training with Mr. Mortu and the Utroms.
The Guardians all stand together for a ceremony, as Mortu put a medallion around Yoshi's neck, while some Utroms hovered on their hover pads nearby.
Yoshi was promoted time and time again, right up to the top rank of Guardian Prime.
Mashimi glared at Yoshi in jealously with his arms folded, as Yoshi put his hands together and bowed.
While Mashimi was passed over time and time again.
Yoshi turned around to the other Guardians, as Mashimi turned and walked off.
It didn't take long for Mashimi's lack of advancement to turn to jealously.
Yoshi looked concerned for his friend as he entered an elevator, as the door closed.
One night, Yoshi and Tang Shen both stood in the grounds of the Ancient One's house near the fountain, kissing each other.
Leo: Though his friendship with Mashimi began to weaken, Yoshi's bond with Tang Shen grew stronger than ever.
They pulled apart and smiled at each other, Yoshi touching Tang Shen's cheek. He turned and walked away as she waved lovingly at him.
Unknown to them, Mashimi had been watching from the shadows of a tree.
But the coils of jealously were winding tighter and tighter in Mashimi's soul, until something snapped.
Thunder cracked in the sky, starting a rainstorm. Tang Shen raised her arms out to welcome it, as Mashimi approached her slowly. He stopped as she began to put her hands in her hair, like she was in a shower.
"Tang Shen!" Mashimi said.
Tang Shen gasped and turned around as thunder roared, but then clamed down, seeing it was Mashimi.
"Oh, Mashimi, you startled me." she said.
She ran her left hand through her hair, while Mashimi glared at her.
"What... What is wrong with you?" she asked, backing away slightly.
Inside the house, the rat nibbled some fruit in its cage, as the Ancient One stared at it.
"AGHHHH!" Tang Shen screamed.
The rat dropped his fruit as the Ancient One gasped.
"Tang Shen?" he gasped.
He ran out into the rainstorm.
"Tang Shen!" he called.
He turned and spotted her dead body by some flowers, as Mashimi had killed her in anger.
"Oh, no! Tang Shen!" he gasped, horrified.
He began to walk towards the body to examine it.
Later, in the Utrom Tower, the Guardians were all practicing, doing punch moves.
Leo: That night, the Utroms in their Tokyo Headquarters would suffer their greatest defeat at the hands of one of their own.
Mortu paced near the Guardians, including Yoshi, as they kept doing punch moves, before he looked up, hearing a noise.
"Huh?" he gasped.
He looked at a window and saw an army of Foot Ninjas outside, diving towards it.
Leo: They were betrayed.
The Foot kick and smash the window open, getting everyone's attention.
"Ah!" several Guardians yelped.
Yoshi turned and rolled away, before part of a wall blew out near him and Mortu. They turned as more Foot Ninjas stormed into the building, before jumping away. Two Utroms tried to move away on their hover pads, when a small explosion went off in front of them.
"AH!" they yelped, smoking overtaking them.
They both moved away as the Foot Elite entered the tower, their chest areas being grey kimonos. They all seperated and ran off, as Yoshi and Mortu stared at the smokescreen they emerged from, before the Utrom Shredder entered with more Foot.
"Secure all the exits!" he commanded, determined not to let the Utroms escape.
The Foot scattered to all the doors.
"Let none escape!" Shredder roared.
Mashimi came in behind Shredder, wearing a Foot's uniform, but without the mask, telling Yoshi and Mortu he was the traitor. They were both shocked, as a Guardian grabbed a Foot's forearms as it tried to slash him with its sword.
"Mashimi! You have betrayed us?!" Mortu exclaimed.
"Mashimi, why?" Yoshi asked, hurtfully.
"How dare you ask why! You betrayed me!" Mashimi snapped, pointing at him, as a Foot tried to slash a Utrom on a hover pad, but missed as it flew away. "We were like brothers, but you took everything and left me with nothing! Nothing!"
Yoshi looked hurt by his words.
"Now, I take everything from you, including your life!" Mashimi growled, taking out his sword.
Mortu turned around and touched a button in his shirt.
"Fellow Utroms, Guardians, initiate evacuation protocol nine Omega." he ordered.
One Guardian kicked a Foot's chest as it came at him, then pulled his leg back to kick another.
The Utroms all slowly began moving up towards tubes on the ceiling, going through them one at a time.
On the rooftop, five hatches opened up, then one by one, escape pods began to shoot out of the building towards the sky.
In the building, Yoshi and Moutu stared at Mashimi and the Foot Elite, who all charged at them.
"AHH!" Mashimi growled.
Mortu gasped, the top half of his disguise gone - expect for the face.
"AH!" Mashimi growled.
Yoshi stared at his fromer best friend, still upset and shocked by what he'd done.
"Guardian Hamoto Yoshi, we are leaving!" Mortu yelled.
Yoshi turned and saw Mortu running towards a door, before he followed him. The door opened up, showing an elevator, then once they were both inside, Mortu closed the door, right before Mashimi could slash Yoshi with his sword in anger.
"YAH!" he yelled, hitting the door with the hlit of his sword.
He began banging on the door in anger, as 2 and 6 of the Elite Guard stared at him, when Shredder approached him.
"They have eluded us." Shredder said coldly.
Mashimi turned around to him, looking worried.
"You did not tell me of those escape pods!" Shredder growled
"I-I was not aware of them." Mashimi swore, stuttering, putting his sword away. "I swear on my life."
"Yes, on your life!" Shredder glared.
Later, Yoshi returned to the Ancient One's home, walking through the grounds.
Leo: Yoshi returned to tell Tang Shen all that had happened, only to find out the horrible truth.
He approached the Ancient One, who turned to him, while near a covered up body.
"Ah!" Yoshi gasped, hoping it wasn't his love.
He crouched down near the blanket, then lowered it off the person's face, showing him it was Tang Shen.
"NO!" he cried, disbelievingly.
He picked Tang Shen up and hugged her body.
"Tang Shen, no! NOOOOOOOOO!" he cried.
The next morning, Yoshi, the Ancient One and the rat in its cage were all before Tang Shen's grave marker, as wind blew. On the marker, were the words 唐慎 Táng Shèn in Mandarin Chinese.
"This is all my fault." the Ancient One sighed. "I knew Mashimi had a dark streak in his heart."
He lowered his head sadly.
"It is not your fault, master." Yoshi assured, picking up the rat's cage. "It is Mashimi's fault, and he shall pay with his life."
He handed the Ancient One the cage, before he got up with his sword, determined to avenge his love, as he put it over his shoulder.
"Be careful, my son." the Ancient One advised, as Yoshi turned and walked off. "Vengeance is like a splinter; it gets under your skin and could poison your life."
That night, Yoshi was in the snowy mountains, near the Foot Headquarters, as two Foot stood by the main door.
Leo: But Yoshi could not listen.
Yoshi landed in front of the guards, then charged at them both as they brought out their swords.
He had but one thought pounding through his entire body.
Yoshi beat up the guards quickly, then kicked one towards the door, knocking it open.
"AH!" the Foot moaned, before hitting the floor. "OH!"
Yoshi walked through the doorway, carrying the other Foot over his shoulder, before dropping it to the floor.
"I have come for Yukio Mashimi!" he said.
He stared at dozens of Foot Ninjas in front of him, who all quickly surrounded him on all sides.
Leo: Yoshi had come to the Shredder's stronghold to face Mashimi, and nothing would stop him.
Yoshi rolled up his sleeves as he prepared himself, then seven of the Foot Ninjas charged at him. He turned and kicked one away, then pulled his leg back and kicked another, then he grabbed a third and threw it away from him. He raised his arms up and punched another two in the face as they jumped behind him, knocking them away. Several more then grabbed him from all around, but then he grabbed two by the chest and lifted them up, knocking the others down and away.
"AH!" they moaned.
Yoshi spun around while moving forward, still holding the two.
"AHH!" they yelped.
Yoshi threw one towards another three, one ducking as the other two ran off. The first hit a banner flag over the second, which then fell onto the both. Yoshi then spun around and threw the other one he had away towards several more.
"AHHH!" the Foot yelled.
It hit another banner flag as several others ran off, trapping it and another Foot.
Two stared at Yoshi near some small steps, but he jumped and kicked ones chest, knocking it onto the other, knocking them both away. He turned and kicked a third away, then turned and ran up the steps, entering a throne room. He stopped and glared at the sight of the Shredder, who sat in a throne, while hundreds of Foot Ninjas stood on either side of the room.
"Yukio Mashimi, I have come for you!" Yoshi roared. "Show yourself, traitor!"
"Mashimi!" Shredder said.
Mashimi got in front of the steps near the throne, and glared at Yoshi, folding his arms.
"Mashimi, I challenge you to a duel, assassin!" Yoshi snarled, pointing at him.
"A duel? Ha!" Mashimi scoffed.
Yoshi ran closer towards him.
"You have ignorantly stepped into the dragon's den, Yoshi." Mashimi said, as Yoshi stopped. "I have no need to fight you alone. We outnumber you."
"You are mistaken, Yukio Mashimi." Shredder said coldly.
Mashimi gasped slightly, before he turned around.
"You stand alone." Shredder said, before pointing at Yoshi. "Defeat Hamato Yoshi, and I will forgive our humiliating retreat from the Utrom base. Only if you defeat Yoshi, will I let you live."
"As you wish, master." Mashimi understood, bowing on his knees.
He got up and approached Yoshi.
"So, Yoshi, our story has come full circle." he said, stopping, as they got ready to fight. "It began with just the two of us, and here it ends with just the two of us."
"This story will only end with one of us, Mashimi!" Yoshi retorted coldly.
He knocked Mashimi's arm up, then punched his chest, knocking him down and away.
"AH!" Mashimi moaned.
He hit the floor, then got up slightly, pulling out his sword. He gritted his teeth and glared at Yoshi, then he jumped and dived towards him, as Yoshi pulled out his sword and did the same. They both shot towards each other, slashing each other, before they landed on the floor on their feet. Yoshi fell to his knees with a cut on his shirt, as Mashimi lowered his sword, as blood started coming out of him.
"Yoshi, forgive me?" he asked.
He fell to his knees, then flat onto his chest and face, dying off his wounds, dropping his sword as he did.
"Seize the Guardian!" Shredder commanded. "We will make him lead us to the Utroms new home!"
The Foot Ninjas all began to move towards Yoshi.
Leo: Yoshi was outnumbered, but he could not allow himself to be captured.
Yoshi got up and dropped his sword, looking around.
It was time to leave.
Yoshi turned around and ran towards Shredder, then he jumped and dived to kick him. Shredder ducked down to his knees, making Yoshi miss, causing him to kick a flag banner, smashing a window as he did, escaping the stronghold. He dived down and into a water, as Shredder and several Foot stared where he landed, seeing no sign of him.
Leo: Yoshi escaped the Shredder this time, but nothing in his life would ever be the same again.
The next morning, Yoshi stood behind the Ancient One, holding the rat's cage, while the Ancient One stared at a tree as birds chirped.
"I must go, Sensei." Yoshi said.
"I know. Despite the plans of a foolish old man, one must follow one's destiny, no matter where it leads." the Ancient One said.
He turned around to Yoshi, then they both bowed their heads, not knowing this would be the last time they'd ever see each other.
"Goodbye, my son." the Ancient One said.
"Goodbye, father." Yoshi said.
Later, Yoshi stood in New York, outside the newly constructed T.C.R.I building.
Leo: And so, Yoshi followed his destiny, coming to New York, to serve and protect the Utroms as their Guardian Prime.
Yoshi looked at the rat as he held up its cage.
"Well, little one, I will name you Splinter, to remind me of what I have done, and what I have failed to do." he said, as the rat was an unmutated Master Splinter. "And together, we will remind each other of Tang Shen. Of her beauty, her kindness, and love."
Splinter moved to the edge of the cage as they lowered their heads sadly. Yoshi soon approached the front door as Mortu stood by it, then they both walked inside, before Mortu turned and closed the doors.
Leo: Well, I think we know the rest of the story.
(Flashback ends)
In the lair, Leo looked at his family as he finished, Cath saddened by the story, finding it sad and heart-warming, while they were all silent.
"Wow. What a bummer story." Mikey said, resting his head on his hand, finding the story boring.
"Perhaps, Michelangelo, but perhaps not." Splinter said. "Destiny is an inscrutable force at best. If not for these events, I would never have been brought to New York."
"And the Utroms wouldn't have had to relocate here either, meaning no ooze." Donnie realized.
"Meaning no us." Raph added.
"Meaning the Utroms and Master Yoshi would've stayed in Japan, and we'd still be normal Turtles, and you'd be a normal rat, Sensei." Elisa realized.
"Yes. The fabric of fate weaves an interconnected pattern, in which we are all just threads." Splinter explained, moving his finger around a circle, before looking up.
"Still, what Mashimi did was unforgivable, giving in hatred and jealously." Elisa said. "Sounded even worse than you, Raph."
"Yeah." Raph admitted. "Even I'd never go that far."
Cath sighed and began to cry, getting her family's attention.
"You okay, Cath?" Leo asked.
"Yeah, but it's sad, really." Cath sighed, wiping her tears. "If Tang Shen hadn't died, she most likely would've been our Grandmother and come with Master Yoshi here. If she and Master Yoshi truly loved each other that is."
Leo wrapped his arm around her as she cried some more.
"I know what you mean." he said. "When the Ancient One told me it, I felt sad by that bit."
Cath kept on crying as she leaned onto Leo's shoulder for support.
Meanwhile, in Tokyo Japan, the Ancient One was walking down a street towards a small building. Once near it, a gate opened up, then he walked though it and down a set of stairs, until he entered a large dark chamber, that was only lit by small fire sconces mounted in the corners of the center arena. He stopped in the middle and bowed, as there were four figures in the shadows, before he raised his head up.
"I have come to plead for the Turtles." he said. "You must not carry out your designs?"
One of the figures stepped out of the shadows slightly, showing blue eyes.
"You are too late, Ancient One." he said.
The Ancient One turned as another figure came out, who had green eyes.
"We have decided." she said, as it was a woman.
"We will judge the Turtles fate." a third said, who had white eyes. "We will determine whether they will live..."
"...or how they will meet their end." the first figure said.
The Ancient One turned to a fourth figure with orange eyes, who didn't say a word. He bowed his head, knowing it was out of his hands, for now at least, but he hoped it would change.