A/N: This is the start of Season 5, the Ninja Tribunal arc.
Please read and review?
Inside the Ninja Tribunal's boat, rests a statue of a dragon on one of the Tribunal chairs.
Kon: Like the serpent eating its own tail, as one journey ends, another begins. But now, after centuries of vigilance, we of the Ninja Tribunal see the journey's end with no new beginning.
The four members of the Tribunal sit in the other chairs, each with a dragon statue on.
The end of all things is coming.
The Tribunal's boat floats across the ocean, heading for Japan.
And so, we prepare for battle. The Tribunal has chosen twelve Acolytes, twelve warriors from around the globe, each of different disciplines, and skills.
On the boat's deck, stood the six Turtles and their Human friends/fellow Acolytes.
Each who have shown potential. A spark which must now be fanned into a flame.
The boat continues to sail to Japan.
In the Foot Skyscraper, the Foot Mystics all stood together around a fountain, Metal holding his arms up.
A flame to combat the Heralds now free...
Water put the end of his staff in the middle of the fountain, followed by the others.
...to fulfil their hideous mission: the summoning of the one we have feared all these years.
Blots of light emanate from their staffs, making them all vanish.
The Tribunal boat continues sailing to Japan, as the Acolytes all stand together.
Twelve acolytes. If they fall before the oncoming darkness, so shall we all.
On the ocean, the Ninja Tribunal boat was still sailing towards Japan, as dolphins jumped up out of the water and dived back into it. All 12 Acolytes stood or sat on the edge together, all thinking about what was going on.
Elisa, Donne and Mikey both sat together, with Adam and Luis standing nearby them.
"What the shell have we gotten ourselves into?" Mikey wondered.
"I've always wanted to see Japan, but this isn't exactly what I had in mind." Donnie said.
"Yeah man, I don't think this place is in any tourist guides." Adam said.
"I don't think many people have been to where we're going." Luis said.
"I'm starting to get a bad feeling about all this." Elisa gulped.
The boat began to sail between jagged mountains.
Leo, Raph, Cath, Joi and Irene all stood together near one of the skylight windows, with Tora sat on.
"Leo, you have any idea where in Japan we're going?" Cath asked.
"No." Leo sighed.
"I don't know about all you, but this cruse into mystery is getting old real fast." Raph said. "This stinks, guys, big time."
"Any movement from the Tribunal, Tora?" Leo asked.
Tora looked down through the skylight, seeing the Ninja Tribunal were still in their chairs.
"Nothing, kame." he said.
"Then I say we go down there and make 'em move." Raph said, approaching them.
"That would be rushing in blindly." Irene argued, folding her arms.
"Irene's right. There's still too much we don't know about the Tribunal, about this threat they mentioned." Leo said.
"You gotta be kidding me!" Raph said, touching his shoulder. "They kidnapped us! They sicced their wooden soldiers on us, and tried to make us take each other out! They're the threat, and you still wanna wait and see?"
"Warriors, we have apparently arrived!" Faraji called, standing on the mast.
He turned around as the boat came towards a small harbor port, the ends of it being an ornate dock. A ramp from the dock lead towards an opening in the mountain nearby.
Mikey looked at the harbor port, when Faraji and Joi came towards him.
"This is is?" he said. "I was expecting something a little more...cool."
He stared at the entrance in the mountain, then turned as Donnie touched his shoulder. Donnie pointed up, then they both saw a statue of two red dragons on the mountain, the bodies making a very long set of steps.
"Ohh, that's more like it." Mikey said, turning to Donnie.
"Acolytes!" Blue Shredder said.
All 12 Acolytes turned and saw the Ninja Tribunal standing in a large doorway.
"You must disembark now!" Jade Shredder said. "The path ahead is long and difficult, and your burdens are great."
"Probably too great." Blue Shredder said.
"Burden? What are you-?" Donnie asked, approaching them.
Jade Shredder pointed behind him and the other Acolytes, making them all turn, seeing 12 backpacks filled with stuff, including wood and sleeping bags.
"Oh." Donnie said.
Later, all 12 Acolytes climbed up the stairs with a backpack each, Joi, Elisa and Donnie ahead of the others.
"What did they pack these things with, bricks?" Raph wondered.
"No, bro, that's just your head." Mikey joked.
"Keep yapping, Mikey. Soon as we get to the top—" Raph warned.
"Sheesh, they always this way to each other?" Adam inquired.
"No, usually they're a lot more annoying." Leo said.
"More?" Luis inquired.
"Yep, and sometimes Elisa gets involved." Cath explained.
"Only when Mikey really annoys me!" Elisa assured.
They all kept on climbing up the stairs, seeing a hole in the mountain as they got halfway up. Leo stopped and looked down at the boat, when Irene came up towards him.
"What do you think the Tribunal's doing down there?" Leo wondered.
"You got me." Irene shrugged. "But whatever it is, it must be important to them at least."
On the boat, the Ninja Tribunal all stood around a Foot symbol on the deck.
"All is in its place." Blue Shredder said. "The wheel turns once more. Let the journey finally begin."
Jade and Orange Shredder both held up their hands, then Blue and Green followed. The boat began to rock wildly, before it rose out of the water and fly up alongside the mountain.
"Whoa!" Leo gasped. "Guys, look?"
"We think you need to see this." Irene said.
Raph and Luis both came over and looked down, seeing the boat shoot through a cloud as it shot upwards.
"No way!" Raph said.
"You've got to be kidding?" Luis exclaimed.
Mikey and Adam both came over and looked down.
"Dude! That's..." Mikey said, as the boat moved past them. "That's..."
"Awesome." Adam said.
All six of them saw the boat shoot past them, as water dripped from its undercarriage.
"No one said there was an express elevator!" Mikey complained. "Come on, that's not fair!"
Leo turned and walked off.
"Turtle luck running true to form." Raph sighed.
He turned and followed Leo.
"The Tribunal must have a reason for making us hike up the mountain." Irene reasoned.
"What for?" Luis snapped. "We're gonna be exhausted by the time we get to the top!"
They, Adam and Mikey all followed Leo and Raph.
Mikey was the first Acolyte to make it to the top of the mountain, before he turned and helped Adam up. Adam then turned and helped Leo up, who then turned to help Elisa up, before they all stared at a large monastery.
Once all 12 Acolytes were at the top, they crossed a bridge towards the monastery, which had a dragon's head statue over the doorway.
"I think I saw this place in 'Better Holes and Nightmares'." Mikey gulped.
"Save it, Mikey." Leo said, as the door opened up.
They, Faraji and Luis all stood by the doorway, with the others right behind them.
"You think they have a payphone in there?" Mikey asked. "Master Splinter has to be worried."
"He wouldn't be the only one." Leo said.
"Who's Master Splinter?" Irene questioned.
"Our Sensei and father." Cath explained. "So, what do we do, Leo?"
"Go in, I guess." Leo said.
All 12 Acolytes walked into the monastery as the door closed behind them all.
Once inside, they saw they were in a dark room, which had image of two dragons on the floor. They all stopped and took their backpacks off, when they heard a voice.
"Acolytes!" it said.
They all gasped, as it was the Blue Shredder.
"Behold!" he said.
A bright light shined in front of them all.
"AH!" Mikey, Raph and Elisa gasped.
The room lit up brightly by the light, lighting several Japanese lanterns on the walls, showing the room was an Oratory. Sitting in chairs by the end wall was the Ninja Tribunal, which had an empty chair, and the Foot symbol above it, but it was upside down.
"The Lap of the Gods. The Tribunal monastery." Blue Shredder explained.
"Ah!" Raph and Elisa gasped.
"Whoa!" Adam said.
"Dios mío!" Luis gasped.
"Your new home. Sit. Time is short." Blue Shredder said.
The Acolytes all approached a fountain filled with green water, which was shaped like a dragon.
"An ancient evil imprisoned for over a thousand years threatens to return. You 12 have been chosen to combat this threat." Blue Shredder explained.
The Acolytes all looked amongst each other, the Turtles on one side, the Humans on the left, before they sat on their knees. (Irene and Luis were between Tora and Joi, while Cath and Elisa were between Leo and Mikey)
"Our enemy can wreak untold destruction through both physical and mystical means." Blue Shredder explained, getting up. "You must be prepared to combat it on all fronts."
Jade Shredder got up, then held his fists together with his thumbs up, then put his hands together, interlocking all but his index fingers. He then held his hands apart, as a white ball of light flashed between them, which he held out.
"Huh?" Faraji gasped, looking at his chest.
A bright light came from it, which turned into a circular gold amulet with a red jewel inside.
"Whoa." Tora said, amazed.
An amulet appeared on his chest, then soon did all the others.
"These are the Amulets of the Acolyte." Jade Shredder explained. " It will aid you to focus and amplify your inner power. Your chi."
Raph touched his amulet and looked at it.
"Great." he said sarcastically. "Now we get dog collars."
"I think they're more like weird necklaces, Raph." Elisa said.
"Perception is not always truth." Jade Shredder began, as mist came from his mask. "All you think you know about this world, about yourselves..."
An image of space appeared around his eyes, followed by a drop of green water.
"...even about reality itself – all of this will be challenged." he continued.
The fountain showed an image of the monastery floating in it.
"Here, in the Lap of the Gods, you will learn secrets not shared for millennia." he continued, as the Green and Orange Shredders got up. "Secrets known only by we of the Ninja Tribunal. I am Kon-Shisho!"
Smoke puffed out from his armor and then a swirl of blue light surrounded him. In a flash, his Human form was revealed, showing he had sliver hair, looked thin, wore a mixture of jade and black, with red ribbons.
"Ninjutsu Master of Spirit. This is Juto-Shiso." he explained.
Chains shot from Blue Shredder's body, waving around wildly, and then his Human form was revealed, as the chains went into his sleeves. He wore a tall hat, had long sleeves that went past his arms, and had claw marks on his chin and cheeks.
"Ninjusu Master of Weapons." Kon explained.
"Hyah!" Green Shredder yelled, punching the ground.
Smoke came up from the ground, followed by a bright light, showing her Human form. She wore a dark green outfit, including a necklace, with a red belt wore her hair in three plaits, and had bandaged feet.
"Chikara-Shisho. Ninjutsu Master of Strength." Kon explained.
The last Tribunal member grabbed his cloak and threw it aside, showing his Human form. He was completely muscular, had orange claw marks on his chin, was bald, and wore a mixture of orange and brown.
"And Hisomi-Shisho. Ninjutsu Master of Stealth." Kon explained, as he put his hands and feet together briefly.
"All things will be explained in time." Chikara promised, holding her right arm up. "As for training, it begins now."
She punched her fists together, then her hands together with her fingers interlocked, then put them together without her fingers interlocked.
"Huh?" Mikey muttered worriedly.
A bright light shined behind the Acolytes, making them all turn around, shielding their faces with their forearms. Once it died down, they all got up and took out their weapons.
"Uh-oh. Every time they do that ninja patty-cake thing, it means trouble." Raph said.
They all stared at a large brown door.
Chikara opened up her hands, holding the palms of them to her face, then the door opened.
"On your guard!" Faraji cautioned.
Donnie moved towards him and Leo, who were closet.
"Hey, guys, it looks like..." he said, pushing past them. "Yes!"
They all stared at a very huge library, with long tables in the middle. They all entered it while putting their weapons away, seeing the Dragon symbol on top of an archway.
"This doesn't look like training to me." Adam said, as Leo walked on. "This is more like-"
"Studying." Donnie finished.
He walked in happily, while Mikey looked horrified.
"Studying? Aw, man. I don't suppose they have a comic book section?" Mikey hoped.
Raph, Elisa, Adam and Faraji all stared at him, his siblings annoyed.
"I wonder what that dragon symbol's for?" Cath wondered.
"No clue, but it must be important, since it's been all over the place so far." Irene suggested.
Later, all 12 Acolytes were in the library, getting books or reading them. Faraji and Luis both leaned against a shelf while reading, while Joi, Tora and Cath all sat down reading one, as Raph, Adam and Irene all pulled one off a shelf. Leo, Elisa, Donnie and Mikey all sat at one of the tables reading one each.
"Wow. Guys, this is incredible." Donnie said.
"I know, but, um, maybe you could translate this bit for me here?" Leo asked, pushing his book towards Donnie.
Donnie looked at his book as Elisa looked at them both, as she sat opposite her brothers.
"Hmm?" Donnie muttered, turning a page. "It's all about focus and energy, but physically manifesting it."
His amulet began to glow, then purple striped lines appeared on him, two of which were near his right eye.
"It's like expressing your chi, your own life energy through sheer force of will." he said.
Leo and Elisa both stared at him.
"Uh, Don..." Leo said.
He backed away as Elisa got up from her chair.
"All you have to do is concentrate." Donnie explained.
"Uh, Don, you do realize you're glowing, right?" Elisa asked nervously.
"Huh?" Donnie gasped, looking at his arm, seeing she was right.
The glowing then stopped, then all three Turtles looked amongst themselves.
"Whoa!" they said.
A snoring noise made them all turn, seeing Mikey had fallen asleep over his book, drooling on it as he mumbled.
"Guess he really finds this boring." Elisa joked.
Later, Kon stood in a courtyard of the monastery, while Donnie, Adam and Cath all stood by a pillar each with the dragon symbol on, which went round and round it, then Kon clapped his hands.
"The dark one is cleaver..." Kon explained.
Adam, Donnie and Cath all began climbing up their pillars.
"...and will strike when he finds you distracted." Kon explained.
Once at the top of their pillars, the dragons came to life, knocking the Acolytes off their pillars.
"Ah!" they gasped.
The dragons all grabbed them from behind him with their jaws, before dropping them.
"Ah!" they moaned.
"Hmm?" Kon muttered, unimpressed.
Elsewhere, Juto stood by the edge of a cliff at the monastery, with Raph, Tora and Elisa, who all held an Bow and Arrow. Ahead of them all, were several large rings of fire, which got smaller and smalller on the inside.
"Without hesitation, without remorse, you must strike your enemy and strike true, or suffer." Juto explained, pointing at the rings.
The three Acolytes aimed their arrows at the rings, then shot them at the rings, but they all missed, Raph's and Tora's shooting past each other, while Elisa's went right over the rings. The fire began to spread rapidly in mid-air, then it began to fire hundreds of arrows, making the three Acolytes turn and run.
"Ah!" Raph flinched.
Elsewhere, Mikey, Irene and Faraji all walked up a trail on the side of the mountain, as Chikara watched them all. The three Acolytes all carried a shoulder pole on their shoulders, with a large boulder on each other.
"Aw, do you tire?" she said coldly. "The dark one never tires..."
The three Acolytes collapsed, Mikey onto his shell, Faraji and Irene onto their chests.
"...ever!" Chikara roared.
She punched the side of the mountain twice, causing massive boulders to fall from it, which rolled down towards the Acolytes.
"Ah!" Mikey gasped, as they got up.
They all turned and ran off down the trail, as the boulders came up behind them.
Inside the monastery, Leo, Joi and Luis were all walking along a narrow tight rope each over a pool of water, as Hisomi watched from one end. Once the Acolytes got near the end, Hisomi held his arms up, lowering the springs keeping both ends of the ropes together, making the Acolytes to fall into a crouch position.
"What?" Luis gasped.
"Ah!" Joi and Leo yelped.
Hisomi raised his arms up high, raising the springs up, which knocked the Acolytes off the ropes and into the water.
"Ah!" Leo yelped, as they hit it.
They all surfaced and spat water from their mouths.
Later, the doors to the Oratory opened up, then all 12 Acolytes walked in, all moaning with exhaustion as the lights came on.
"Oh, man!" Donnie mumbled.
Joi and Elisa touched their hips as they others began rubbing parts of their bodies due to the stress they had, with Cath and Irene checking on the others. Ahead of them, the Ninja Tribunal all stood in front of their chairs staring at them.
"We had hoped for more, Acolytes!" Chikara said coldly.
"They're efforts are unimpressive." Kon noted. "Perhaps we were mistaken. Perhaps they are hopeless."
Adam rubbed the back of his neck, as Raph opened up his left hand repeatedly, as Cath and Irene checked on Donnie and Luis respectfully, who clutched themselves slightly.
"Perhaps they are weak." Juto suggested. "Do you not understand what is at stake?"
"How could they possibly understand what is at stake when you have told them nothing?!" a familiar voice yelled.
Everyone turned to the door, seeing a male shadowy figure approaching it. Once in the daylight, they saw he wore an ancient Japanese hat, with black amongst a brown Kimono, before he raised his head up, showing he was Splinter, who lowered his hat onto his back.
"Master Splinter!" the Turtles said together.
Splinter entered the Oratory, before the Mokusai no Bushi leaped down from their perches and surrounded him, making him grit his teeth. All 12 Acolytes watched, as the Turtles took out their weapons.
"Protect Master Splinter!" Leo yelled.
The Turtles all jumped towards Splinter, over the Mokusai no Bushi as they did, before they all landed around their father, ready to defend him.
"Bring it on, blockheads." Raph said, as the Mokusai no Bushi approached them. "I've been aching to break something all day."
"Enough!" Kon yelled loudly.
The Mokusai no Bushi all began to move away, as Splinter walked away from his children.
"The rodent is not permitted here, as it well knows." Juto said.
"How did you come to find this monastery?" Chikara demanded.
Leo put his left sword away as the Mutant family all turned around, seeing the Ancient One panting in the doorway. He smiled as he looked up at all of them, then waved innocently at them.
"Ancient One?" Leo gasped.
"That's the Ancient One?" Elisa muttered. "He's a lot shorter than I expected."
"Same here." Cath muttered, nodding.
The Ninja Tribunal all sat down in their chairs, expect Juto who glared at Splinter and the Ancient One.
"Pathetic." he said.
The Human Acolytes all approached the Turtles from behind.
"Dude, your Sensei is a rat?" Adam questioned.
"He's more than that. He's also our father." Cath explained.
"He adopted us all." Elisa explained, seeing their confused looks.
"Man... What doesn't exist in this world?" Luis muttered.
Splinter glared at the Tribunal, as the Ancient One ran towards him.
"Splinter, let us not make things harder than need be." he said. "Your children are safe. We should rest and discuss this with a level head in the evening."
"There is no time for discussion, young one." Chikara dismissed, shaking her head. "The crisis we prepare for is upon us now."
Kon put his hands together as he got up, his body glowing brightly.
"Hum." he hummed, waving his arms.
He put his hands together, interlocking his four back fingers, then crossed the front four over, before he pushed his hands forward. Jade colored lighting came out of his hands, which shot towards the pool of green water, hitting it. Part of the water rose up, before it created a circular viewing object resembling a looking glass, as Splinter, the Ancient One and all 12 Acolytes saw a ship through it.
"The five Heralds of the Dark One are coming." Chikara explained. "Heralds with only one purpose, to reawaken their evil master."
(The ocean)
The ship sailed across the water through a thunderstorm, with the Foot symbol on the bow.
Kon: They are after three artifacts.
Five glowing rings appeared on the deck, which rose up and changed into the Foot Mystics.
Ancient relics, that will allow them to complete the ritual of resurrection. Two of the artifacts were stolen from us and are already in the possession of their vile servants.
Metal slashed his claw hand down.
(The monastery)
The slashed cut open the looking glass, creating a bright light in the room.
"Ah!" the Acolytes yelped, shielding their eyes with their forearms.
"Ah!" Kon grunted, stumbling back.
The water fell back into the pool, as the Acolytes looked speechless and shocked, as Raph and Donnie, Adam and Tora, and Elisa and Cath all turned to each other respectfully.
"If the Mystics complete the ritual, a terrible evil will be unleashed upon the world." Chikara explained. "This cannot be allowed."
"You mentioned a third artifact. Where is it?" Leo asked, stepping forward.
"The third artifact is hidden safely here, in the Lap of the Gods." Juto explained, as Kon sat down.
"Then the tribunal can continue to guard it, without my children." Splinter said harshly.
He turned around and grabbed Leo's and Raph's arms, as they were the closet, before he began to lead them away.
"Do not test us, rodent." Juto warned. "Babysit your children if you must, it changes nothing."
Mikey started to follow Splinter, Leo and Raph, when small pieces of rubble fell from the ceiling.
"Huh?" he muttered, looking up as the place shook. "What the shell is that?"
Kon got up and did some hand gestures.
"No, impossible!" he exclaimed. "How could they have moved so quickly?"
Five columns of smoke came down from the ceiling, as more smoke came out of the doorway, making Splinter, Leo and Raph move away. The walls around the place began to crack open, allowing more smoke to get in, as the Human Acolytes gasped.
"The monastery is under attack!" Juto exclaimed.
"Acolytes, to the inner chambers!" Chikara ordered.
She jumped up and twirled around, before she landed holding a large glowing Kanabo.
"We will deal with the intruders ourselves." Chikara said, as Kon back flipped to the top of his chair.
He landed crouched down, then brought out two long Katanas.
Hisomi turned and crouched down, before he brought out two metal Tessen fans, then vanished in a puff of smoke. He reappeared via another puff of smoke near the door, which began to open it, but he closed it shut. Something began to push it on the other side, knocking the hinges out as Hisomi kept it closed with his strength.
Chikara jumped up and began jumping between two pillars behind her, but a column of smoke came out of the ceiling and hit her as she got close.
"AHH!" she moaned.
She went flying down, before the smoke tightened around her like a rope, and then banged her into a pillar before letting her go.
"AH!" she moaned, before she fell downwards.
The smoke cloud caught her and held her up, before Kon jumped up and turned into a whirling dervish and sliced open the end of it, freeing his friend.
"Ah!" she yelped.
She floated above the ground as Kon turned back to normal, then he swooped towards her as smoke came out of the fountain, when more smoke hit and knocked him away. Juto ducked as the smoke holding Kon rammed him into a pillar right behind him.
"Aah!" he moaned, before the smoke trapped him.
It pulled him away like a rope, before it held up up near Chikara.
Another cloud of smoke moved towards Juto, who threw a bunch of Shurikens at it from his sleeves, but they went right through it. It then hit Juto, knocking him up slightly, before it trapped him and lifted him up near the others.
The door began to crack in several more places, before smoke knocked part of it down, sending Hisomi flying away. It wrapped itself around him as he smashed into one of the chairs, before it held him up like the rest of the Tribunal.
"They got the Tribunal!" Leo exclaimed.
"Oh my goodness!" Irene gulped.
All 12 Acolytes took out their weapons, knowing they had to help the Tribunal, expect Leo and Cath, who held Splinter's shoulders, and Mikey.
"It's just us now." Leo said.
More of the monastery walls began to crack open.
"Yeah, just us against what?" Raph wondered.
Part of the ceiling was blown open, destroying the top of the pillars, showing it was now night time, as the full Moon was out. A Fire Demon creature resembling a dragon called Hayashi-Aki came up and looked down at the Acolytes.
"Fools." he said, as flames came out of his back and head. "They foretold the return of the Master, and now they think they can stop it? The Master cannot be stopped."
He roared and shot fire up towards the sky, creating a sword made of it.
"All who would stand in his way will perish!" he said, entering the Oratory.
The fire around the sword vanished, showing a sharp long blade as he roared.
"Master Splinter, what is that?" Leo asked.
"Hayashi-Aki, a Fire Demon." Splinter explained.
Hayashi-Aki swooped down towards them all, making them all duck or run away as it nearly slashed the Turtles. Everyone looked up at him as he flew towards the ceiling, before he hit it with its tail, melting it open, causing it to fall down. Splinter pushed Leo and Cath away before the rubble from the ceiling fell around him, starting small fires.
Cath back flipped away, landing crouched down, before she looked up as smoke came at her, making her shield her face with her forearms.
Leo landed on his hands, then back flipped onto his feet, dodging some rubble about to fall onto him. He then covered his face with his arms as smoke came over him, then got up as more rubble fell around Splinter and the Ancient One, burying them both amongst it.
"Master Splinter!" Leo cried.
"Father, no!" Cath cried, tears in her eyes.
Leo gritted his teeth and turned to Hayashi-Aki, who laughed as all six Turtles gathered together.
"Turtles, attack!" Leo roared, as they took out their weapons.
He and his siblings all jumped up towards Hayashi-Aki, who whacked Mikey away with his arm. He then whacked Donnie, Leo and Elisa with his sword, knocking them all down onto their chests.
"Ah!" they moaned.
Raph and Cath both charged at him, before they both jumped up.
"This is for Sensei!" Cath yelled.
They both dived towards Hayashi-Aki, who knocked Cath away with his arm, before he grabbed Raph and pinned him on the floor.
"AH!" he moaned.
"Ah!" Cath moaned, hitting the floor, rolling onto her chest, out cold.
Adam spun around with his mace and moved towards Hayashi-Aki, who he then hit in the chest with his mace, knocking him back. The mace moved into his chest, before it shot right out of it as it glowed, sending it and Adam flying across the room.
"AH!" he yelped, before he and his mace hit a wall. "OH!"
He fell onto his chest, then rolled away, as his mace nearly fell on him.
Tora and Luis both jumped and shot towards Hayashi-Aki with their weapons, who whacked them both with his blade, as Leo, Donnie and Elisa all watched.
"AH!" they yelped.
They both hit a pillar each, then fell to the floor as the three Turtles watched.
"Luis and Tora's down too." Leo said.
He turned and saw Mikey, Faraji and Joi behind Hayashi-Aki, while Elisa turned and saw Irene trying to shake Cath awake.
"Cath, are you okay?" she asked frantically.
"Mikey, try to free the Tribunal!" Leo ordered.
"I'm on it, Leo!" Mikey said.
He turned and ran towards the Tribunal, as Cath shook her head and lifted herself up, as Irene moved slightly.
"Oh, what hit me?" she moaned, her vision blurred.
"Something big." Irene answered, checking her injuries.
Mikey kept running towards the Tribunal, before Hayashi-Aki's tail hit the ground between them.
"Ah!" he yelped, falling onto his behind.
Hayashi-Aki roared and tried to hit him with his sword, but missed as he got up and jumped away. He ran along the water in the fountain, before he stopped and turned around, before Hayashi-Aki tried to hit him with his blade.
"Ah!" Mikey yelped, jumping away before it hit him.
He landed in one of the chairs, sitting in it, then he looked up as Hayashi-Aki roared and appeared over him, then tried to slash him with his blade.
"AHH!" Mikey screamed, ducking, making the blade slice off the top of the chair.
He turned and looked up as the top half of the chair fell off, but then saw the pillars behind him had been sliced up too, which began to collapse. He got up and jumped away from the chairs, as the pillar pieces fell onto them, before they crushed him and the Tribunal, as everyone watched.
"Ah!" Donnie gasped.
"Mikey!" Leo and Elisa cried.
Cath turned and gasped as Irene held her.
"NOOOO!" Cath cried. "Mikey!"
Irene held her back slightly, as there was nothing they could do.
Joi charged at Hayashi while twirling her rope dart around, then she threw it at him, which wrapped around his front back leg.
"Ah! Uh!" she groaned, as he turned and lifted her up.
He pulled her towards him as his chest opened up.
"Ah!" she moaned, as he pulled her inside him.
His chest closed up, like he'd swallowed her, then her rope dart fell to the floor. Black tentacles came out of his chest as Faraji, Tora and Luis all charge at him.
"Joi!" Faraji cried.
He jumped and spun around, slicing a tentacle with his sword, as Tora and Luis jumped towards Hayashi-Aki. Faraji dived away as a tentacle almost hit him, as Tora began waving his arms around, slicing several with his sickles. Luis jumped and dived towards Hayashi-Aki, preparing to strike him with his spear, but he hit Luis in the chest with a tentacle and knocked him away.
"OH!" he moaned, hitting the floor on his chest.
"Come on, let's get that thing." Cath said, bringing out her Tonfas.
"You sure you can fight?" Irene asked, getting up with her butterfly knives.
"Even if I can't, it won't stop me from making it pay!" Cath swore.
They both charged at Hayashi-Aki, Irene not liking this, who then sliced the end of a tentacle with her butterfly knives, while Cath jumped over another as it nearly hit her. Irene jumped after her, before he hit them both with a tentacle, knocking them both down to the floor near Tora.
"OH!" they moaned.
Tora kept slicing up tentacles with his sickles as Donnie watched, feeling helpless as he couldn't think of a way to stop the Fire Demon. He saw several tentacles grab Tora's arms and legs, lifting him up, before they pulled him away. Donnie ran forward to help, but then stopped and turned around, then whacked a few with his Bo, then dug his Bo into the end of one, pinning it on the floor. He lifted himself up to the top of his Bo, then spun around and kicked several small tentacles - which came out of the one he pinned - with his legs, then he put his feet on the floor, before he looked at his amulet.
"If I concentrate, maybe I can..." he said, putting his Bo away.
He stood with his legs together, putting both hands on his amulet, before the purple stripes appeared around him. He focused and infused himself with mystical energy, as he was soon surrounded by purple fire. Eight tentacles moved towards him, but then they destroyed themselves upon hitting the flame energy.
"Huh?" he muttered, as the stripes vanished. "Ha, ha!"
He turned to Leo and Elisa happily, who came towards him.
"Did you two see that? It worked!" he said. "Guys, we have to-"
Hayashi-Aki squashed him with his tail, as Leo and Elisa backed away, shielding their eyes with their forearms.
"NO!" Leo cried
"DON!" Elisa cried.
They both looked at Hayashi-Aki, who laughed and stared at them both.
"You are so gonna pay for this!" Elisa swore, pointing at him.
Faraji and Luis both backed away slightly, before they approached the two Turtles, as everyone else had been defeated.
"We are all that remain." Faraji said. "If we should fall..."
"Then we make sure as shell this thing falls with us." Leo swore.
"And to make it pay for all its done to the others!" Elisa growled.
"Then let's give it all we've got." Luis said.
All four of them charged at Hayashi-Aki.
"Hyah!" Leo yelled, as they jumped up.
Hayashi-Aki shot fire from his mouth, which hit and enveloped them all. Faraji and Luis both hit the floor hard on their backs, their clothes torn and singed, as Elisa and Leo hit the floor in front of them, Leo on his shell, Elisa her front, making Hayashi-Aki laugh.
"And so it ends before it has even begun." he said. "Poor mortals, to think they could stand against the Master's power."
He spun around quickly, creating a whirlwind of fire, then flew up towards the sky and the Moon.
In the Oratory, Leo turned to Raph, who lay beside him.
"Raph. Raph, I'm sorry." he said weakly, as Raph grunted and opened his eyes.
"We come all this way, and this is how it ends?" he groaned.
"This isn't how I thought we'd go out!" Elisa moaned, who lay near them.
"We weren't ready." Leo said. "How could we be? How could we fight this?"
The entire room was engulfed in a white light.
Leo woke up in the Oratory and gasped. He found himself sitting near the fountain, along with the other Acolytes, and the place hadn't been trashed, while Splinter and the Ancient One stood in the doorway.
"Leo, what happened?" Raph asked, looking at himself, confused and happy. "We ain't sliced, diced or fricasseed."
"And it looks like there hasn't been a battle here at all?" Elisa questioned.
Everyone looked at the Tribunal, who sat in their chairs.
"What the shell?" Mikey said.
"Perception is not always truth. All you think you know about this world, about yourselves, even about reality itself." Chikara explained, getting up.
"All that will be challenged, and more." Juto explained.
He got up with Kon and Hisomi, who all moved towards Chikara.
"The sooner you learn this, the sooner you will be ready to face the task ahead." Kon assured.
Hisomi threw a smoke pellet to the ground, then the Tribunal all vanished through a puff of smoke, leaving the Acolytes confused.
Splinter turned and huffed at the Ancient One, as he was still angry that his children had been drafted into this.
All 12 Acolytes looked amongst each other, all confused as to what happened.
"So, let me get this straight." Mikey said, scratching his head. "None of that was real?"
"Brilliant deduction, Sherlock-shell-for-brains." Raph remarked sarcastically.
"Oh, it was real, all right." Leo said.
"What do you mean by that, Leo?" Elisa asked.
"It was our first real lesson with the Tribunal, and I have a feeling there's a lot more to learn." Leo said.