- Chapter 29 -
They're Back
The Hamato Clan waited somewhat impatiently before the door to their apartment building, all of them waiting for the mutant siblings and Kagome to finish with their sweep of the entire place. With the time they were taking, it was likely they were checking the entire block. Eventually, the Turtles regrouped before them.
"Satisfied there's no trap?" Jade deadpanned. "Or do you need a strip search or something?"
"You offering?" Hisako asked. "Or are you just looking for an excuse to see the ladies without their gis?"
Jade promptly choked at that.
"Uh, wouldn't it be see the guys without their gis?" Mikey asked.
"Nope. I didn't misspeak. Let's just say she has a pink and orange flag in her room."
"How the fuck do you-?!" Jade shook her head, sighing. "Let's just get inside."
She knocked on the door in a specific pattern (1). After a second, a small slot in the door slid open, revealing the eyes of a female ninja.
"Yukio," she greeted. "Any luck tonight?"
"Indeed. We ran into Yoshi's current trainees... and children."
"His children…" the woman's eyes widened. "Miwa?"
"Not quite, Asuka." Yukio pulled away, revealing the Turtles. Asuka's jaw almost dropped, before she remembered something.
"Of course…" she realized. "That alien invasion two months ago. The Ninja Turtles that stopped it... I thought it was just a tabloid piece."
"If only," Leo replied. "May we come in?"
"Yes, of course."
The door slid open, revealing a woman around Seiko's age with long brown hair and black eyes, with a white bandana tied around her forehead. Her uniform consisted of a red leotard under the upper half of a white gi, silver kneepads, yellow cloth wraps around her calves and forearms, and red fingerless gloves and boots. One by one, everyone filed inside, looking around the cozy apartment building.
"Wow," Raph said. "This whole apartment building is yours?"
"An old place we bought for dirt cheap," Yukio replied. "Took a lot of elbow grease to fix it up."
"Well worth it though," Seiko added. "It's large enough to house our entire clan, and there's still room for expansion should we need it."
"Well, I called Mom and Splinter," said Kagome. "All we do now is wait."
They all settled into the chairs and couch, relaxing. The rest of the clan began gathering in the room before long.
"Nii-chan (2)!" came a young girl's voice.
They all turned to see a little girl with dark brown hair and hazel eyes run over to Tai, who picked her up.
"Hey there, little breeze," he greeted playfully. "You miss us?"
She nodded excitedly, then looked at the turtles. She then immediately ran out of the room.
"Um… ouch?" Mikey asked.
"Wait for it…" Hisako held up a finger.
The girl then returned, her arms full of cucumbers.
"Cute-cumber for kappa!" she declared.
"Cucumbers?" Mikey asked.
Vee perked. "Oh yeah. I remember an old story about Kappa. Where they were given cucumbers in exchange for passage across their waters."
"Yep yep!" the girl declared. "You get the cucumbers, you don't drown us and steal our souls through our butts, right?"
Yukio had just made himself a cup of tea and took a sip, which he promptly spat out in shock. Vee just burst out laughing.
"Steal your souls… through your butts?!" Leo repeated.
"That's a thing?!" Raph demanded.
"I like her," Vee said, wiping her eyes. "That was hilarious."
"Vee, is that really a thing?" Mikey asked.
"Oh yeah," Vee confirmed. "That's an actual Japanese legend."
To placate the child, she takes one of the cucumbers. After a moment, the others shrugged and took one as well.
"Remind me never to let her sit in on Asuka's myths and legends talk anymore…" Tai sighed. "Anyway, this is Airi. Our youngest sister."
"I'm a whole hand!" Airi declared, holding up all five fingers.
"Geez, what is it with little kids and being so... pure?" Hisako asked. "I swear she's glowing with light."
Airi looked over at Hisako, who still had Miko in her lap.
"Why do you have Miko?" she asked. "That's Tai's dog."
"He won't get off of me," Hisako replied.
"He literally just met you," Jade remarked. "I don't get why he's so close already."
Hisako just shrugged.
"I might have an idea." Asuka was looking over Hisako thoughtfully. "How can a face so young wear so many burdens...?"
Hisako stiffened at that.
"Am I that telling?" she asked as Miko adjusted himself. "I'll take that as a yes."
"I've always been good at reading people," Asuka said. "Emotional intelligence is my strong point. And you... you exude pain. It's coming off of you in waves."
"I bet…" Hisako slumped into her seat, idly petting Miko. Before long, she felt something wrap around from behind. Hisako perked, looking to see Airi with her little arms around her neck in a comforting hug.
"Does it still hurt?" she asked.
"...All the time," Hisako replied before returning the hug. "But moments like these… It makes it hurt less."
Her siblings all smiled.
"She's so cute, I can't bear it!" Mikey exclaimed, playfully tickling her. Airi squealed with laughter, squirming in the orange turtle's grip.
"Stop!" she let out. "Stop!"
"I gotcha!" Hisako's mist swirled around Airi, gently plucking her from Mikey's grasp.
"Hey!" Mikey objected.
At that moment, they heard a knock at the door. Hisako perked.
"Dad's here," she reported, gently lowering Airi to the ground. "And Kasumi."
Asuka went to answer the door.
"Hold on," Kagome cut in. "There's something you should know. We almost forgot to tell you. Master Splinter... isn't quite how you remember him. He's a... how do I put it…"
"A tesso," Leo said, getting a collective gasp.
"But he doesn't mind control rats or anything!" Mikey quickly cut in. "He's just... a giant rat."
"It has something to do with why we're... the way we are," Leo added. "It's complicated. But mentally, he's still Hamato Yoshi."
"Yeah…" Seiko began, "Considering we're sitting here talking with giant turtles and a majo , I'm inclined to believe anything you say. Let them in, Asuka."
Asuka nodded and opened the door, allowing both Kasumi and Splinter to step into the apartment. Seiko's eyes fell on Splinter once he removed the hood he was wearing. She gasped, looking directly into his eyes and recognizing him even through the rat features.
"Master Yoshi…" she whispered, "it's you…"
"Seiko," Splinter said, smiling warmly. "How good it is to see you again."
Seiko took a few steps forward, then ran forward and hugged him. He embraced her fully, both with tears in their eyes.
"My old pupil…" Splinter managed. "I feared you had perished with the rest of our clan."
"We thought we were the last of the Hamato Clan," Kasumi added.
"The night of Saki's betrayal, Seiko, myself, and a few others gathered the children and went underground," Yukio explained. "We thought you were dead, Yoshi, but I refused to let the Hamato Clan's legacy die with you."
"It seems we shared the same idea," Splinter remarked.
"Yes, we had the chance to see the skills of your very diverse family in person," Yukio remarked. "But in truth, I feel I must ask… what happened to you, Yoshi? Why are you a… well, a rat?"
"Same reason we're humanoid turtles," Donnie said. "Alien science."
"This gross ooze mutated us," Mikey added.
"A diabolical science experiment of the same aliens who tried to take over New York," Leo concluded. "Trust me when I say it is not something you want to mess with."
The siblings all shared a nod at that. Seiko looked among them, then let out a breath as she mustered up her courage.
"And Miwa?" she asked. "Was she mutated as well? Or… did she truly perish in Saki's coup?"
"Miwa?" Leo questioned. "I'm afraid she-" Splinter placed a hand on his shoulder. "Dad?"
"We... found out something unsettling during our fight with Saki two months ago," Kasumi sighed.
"Mom?" Kagome asked.
"Miwa is alive," Splinter confessed. "You know her as Karai."
Everyone was stunned into silence for a moment or two until Hisako broke it.
"Karai… is your daughter?" she questioned.
"But… that would mean…" Donnie began.
"Shredhead took her!" Raph exclaimed.
The look of shock on Seiko's face quickly devolved into one of rage.
"That…" she managed. "That son of a…"
She screamed in pure fury and punched the brick wall next to her with all her might, cracking it on impact; everyone jumped in shock.
"Holy shit!" Vee shouted.
Uncaring of the blood streaming from her knuckles, Seiko went off on a furious rant.
"First he betrays our clan! Then he murders Tang Shen! Now I find out he kidnapped Master Yoshi's daughter!" she screamed. "I'll kill him! I'll… fucking…"
She wavered before passing out. Hisako lowered her hand, the green glow around it fading as everyone stared at her.
"What?" she asked. "She was gonna hurt herself more if I didn't."
"More?" Akemi questioned, tilting her head quizzically.
Hisako pointed to Seiko's hand, which was bleeding and visibly bruised. Erika quickly knelt down, taking a pack of gauze out of the pouch on her hip.
"I've got some antiseptic and painkillers if you need 'em," Donnie offered.
"She just broke the skin, and her knuckles are pretty bruised up," Erika noted as she wrapped up Seiko's hand. "Nothing too serious."
"I was afraid she'd broken a knuckle," Donnie remarked.
"Surprised she didn't," Raph added.
"Was she always so… Raph-like, Sensei?" Mikey asked.
"There's a bit of a funny story behind that, actually," Kasumi said, chuckling. "Raphael reminded us of Seiko quite a bit. Hot-blooded, a bit of a short fuse, but she has a heart of gold."
"Thanks," Raph replied. "I think."
Once Erika had finished bandaging Seiko's hand, Hisako woke her up.
"You done with punching walls?" Hisako asked Seiko as she sat up, rubbing her head. "Because I will knock you out again."
"Yeah," Seiko replied, wincing as she looked at her injured hand. "We're done."
Hisako smiled at that, offering the older woman a hand up, which Seiko took.
"Seiko…" Splinter began, "this is personal for you, isn't it?"
Seiko sat down in a chair, letting out a sigh.
"Yeah," she admitted. "Miwa's story… mine could have ended the same way."
"What?!" Kasumi gasped.
"The day after the betrayal, I found the bastard in front of the burnt-out remains of the dojo…"
Flashback
Shredder, now wearing his familiar helmet, stood before the burnt remains of the Hamato Clan dojo, reflecting on the previous night.
"I knew I'd find you here." Shredder turned to see Seiko approaching, a furious look on her face. When she spoke, her voice was calm, but cold. "After all, murderers always return to the scene of the crime."
"Seiko," Shredder said simply. "Can't a man mourn the loss of his beloved without interruptions?"
"Beloved, my ass!" Seiko snapped, pointing at Shredder accusingly. "So that's it, huh? You just couldn't stand the fact that Tang Shen chose Master Yoshi over you, so you killed her?!"
"Is that what you think?" Shredder questioned.
"No. It's what I know. "
"I loved Shen!" Shredder shouted. "If you want to accuse someone, it should be the thieving rat who stole her from me! Shen's blood is on Yoshi's hands!"
"Wrong. It's on yours. You're the one who cut her down." Angry tears swam in Seiko's eyes as she went on. "He was your brother , Saki! Your best friend! How could you?!"
"How could I? I was raised by the murderer of my true father! Forced to live in the shadow of that rat! The only woman I ever loved was taken from me! How could I not?!" Shredder furiously kicked a piece of burnt wood away as he continued his rant. "Yoshi was always in my way! Taking everything that was rightfully mine!"
"Shen was never yours!" Seiko snapped. "She made her choice! But you were too stubborn and blind to see it! If you really loved her, you would have accepted that she made her choice, been happy for her, and moved on like any normal person would!"
"I don't have to justify myself to you, you brat!" Shredder scowled. "Yoshi chose his fate… but yours may still be open."
"And what do you mean by that?" Seiko questioned.
"It's simple. The Hamato Clan is dead, but the Foot has been reborn," Shredder replied, holding out a hand to her. "Join me, Seiko, and put your skills to good use. It would be a shame to waste such talent."
Seiko looked at Shredder's extended hand for several seconds, before scowling and slapping it away.
"You can not be serious. You betrayed our clan, butchered my sensei... and honestly expect me to join you?! I'd rather die on my feet than serve you, Saki!"
"You petulant brat…" Shredder hissed, backhanding her across the face with enough force to knock her to the ground. With one last glare at her, Shredder turned his back on Seiko and began to walk away.
"You son of a…" Seiko pulled herself up, her lower lip bleeding. "Saki! DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON ME!"
"You are a child," Shredder retorted, not even turning around. "Not worth my time."
"Get back here!" Seiko shouted. "We're not finished!"
Bitter tears in her eyes, she charged Shredder in a rage, only for Shredder to calmly spin around, grab her by the throat with one hand, and bodily lift her off of the ground. Seiko choked and gasped, scratching at his hand.
"Foolish child," Shredder said coldly. "Did you truly think you stood a chance?"
"D…" Seiko wheezed, "damn you…"
Shredder slammed her into the ground with all his might. Seiko's head collided with the ground hard, and just before she blacked out, she heard one last word from Shredder:
"Maybe you should grow up… and try again later."
Flashback Over
"Seiko…" Kasumi said, looking at the younger woman sympathetically.
"I woke up the next morning at our hideout," Seiko continued, looking down. "I've never felt so helpless…"
"What you did was reckless and foolhardy," Splinter said sternly. "You should never have tried to face him alone."
"He killed Shen! We thought he killed you and little Miwa, too!" Seiko defended. "I had to do something! They deserved justice!"
"What you sought was vengeance," Kasumi corrected. "They're not the same thing."
"Even if you had succeeded, you would have been no better than him," Hisako added. "Killing out of hatred may seem like it will solve your problems, but it won't." She tightened her grip on Miko, threading her fingers through his fur. The dog didn't make a sound. "Take it from someone with experience."
"That reminds me," Tai spoke up, facing Hisako. "What exactly is your story?"
"Yeah, you're clearly a powerful majo, " Jade chimed in. "How did you end up with these guys?"
The Hamato siblings exchanged uneasy looks. Splinter placed a hand on Hisako's shoulder as Leo sighed, reluctantly explaining.
"It... has something to do with those aliens who attacked two months ago."
-X-
They explained Hisako's past to the others. Airi had been escorted out near the beginning of the story, and a good number of the younger members had gotten physically ill at points. The older generation looked utterly horrified.
"Oh my God…" Mizuki managed.
"It seems you carry burdens no child…" Asuka paused, shaking her head. "No… burdens no one should ever have to carry."
"No wonder Miko won't leave you alone…" Tai muttered. "I forgot he was trained as a therapy dog…"
"Yeah, my story is… dark to say the least, but I'm doing better now," Hisako replied. "I've got friends. Family. A purpose."
"Damn right, you do," said Vee.
A moment of silence passed before a man looking like an older version of Tai, and a woman looking like an older Erika and Airi, stepped forward.
"Well, Yoshi, you've certainly kept busy the past sixteen years." the man remarked.
"Then again, you never were one to settle down," said the woman.
Splinter chuckled. "That's the truth, Shiden."
He grasped forearms with the man, shaking, as the woman gave Kasumi a friendly hug.
"My children, I would like you to meet Matsuda Shiden and his wife Mika," Splinter introduced.
"I take it this young man is your son," Kasumi gestured to Tai. "He looks just like you, Shiden."
"I get that a lot," Tai said. "I'm Taiichi. Call me Tai."
"There's also our daughter Erika, and our youngest Airi," Mika said. "They left the room a bit ago."
Airi peeked back in at that moment. "Can we come back in now?"
"Yes, Airi," Mika confirmed. "The bad story is over."
"Bad…" Splinter's eyes drifted to Hisako.
"They had to find out somehow, Dad," Hisako defended.
Airi entered at that, followed by Erika, who was wiping her mouth, pale but composed.
"As a medic, I thought nothing could shake me up, make me queasy," she muttered. "Man, was I wrong…"
"Why are you sick, nee-san?" Airi asked, confused.
"We'll talk about it later. When you're older."
"Much older," Mika agreed.
"You're the medic?" Kasumi asked.
"She's really good," Donnie added.
"Not to toot my own horn or anything" Erika remarked.
"You did an excellent job tending to Seiko after her outburst," Splinter said. "I see a bright future ahead of you."
Erika bowed at that. "Thank you, Master Yoshi."
"Call me Splinter, if you please."
Erika shrugged. "If you insist."
Kasumi's eyes then fell on Jade.
"Ah, Sumiko," she greeted. "You haven't changed a day."
"I'm Jade, actually."
Kasumi blinked. "Oh, my apologies. You're the spitting image of her."
"Where is Sumiko?" Splinter asked.
Jade looked away. "She's dead."
"Oh…" Splinter winced. "You have my condolences."
"What... happened?" Kasumi questioned.
"She was cut down by Hattori Tatsu," Tai answered.
Splinter perked. "The Blind Swordsman?"
"Whoa…" Mikey let out. "He sounds badass."
"He is exceptionally dangerous," Splinter clarified. "Born blind, his four senses easily compensate for his lack of sight."
"There's nothing badass about him," Jade said bitterly. "Call him Hattori Tatsu. Call him the Blind Swordsman. Call him whatever you want. To me, he's nothing but the bastard who murdered my big sister."
Hana lay a comforting hand on Jade's back.
"He will pay for his crimes, Jade," she assured. "One day. I promise."
Jade put a hand on Hana's, smiling. Mikey perked.
"Ohh, now I get it," he realized.
"Like I said, pink and orange flag," said Hisako.
"All right, since Hisako's already onto me, the cat's out of the bag," Jade sighed, taking a deep breath. "I-I'm gay."
"Cool," Leo said, not even phased in the slightest.
"Do you really have the Lesbian pride flag in your room?" Donnie asked.
"Hanging behind her bed," Hisako confirmed.
"Hey, that's where my Ace flag is hanging," Vee remarked.
Jade perked in surprise. "Wait, that's it? Just 'cool'?"
"C'mon, Jade," said Raph. "We're mutant turtles, our dad's a rat, Hisako's psychic, and Kagome's dating me. You really think we're gonna judge you just because you don't like boys?"
"Yeah, let your freak flag fly." Vee agreed.
"Hmm, think we should make some sort of mutant flag?" Mikey asked, getting smacked by Raph. "What? It's a fair question."
"Okay, fair point," Jade admitted, ignoring Mikey and Raph as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I've just gotten flack for it my whole life."
"We care only what's in your heart, Jade," Splinter informed her. "Not who it desires."
"Yeah, there's nothing wrong with it," Leo added. "Love who you wanna love, y'know?"
"Exactly," Hana agreed.
"So who are you?" Kagome asked. "I don't think we've met you yet."
"Mashimi Hana. Yukio's my dad."
"A father at last," Splinter mused. "I can only imagine Oyuki was quite jealous."
Yukio sighed. "She left the clan about a year ago."
"A shame," said Kasumi. "She showed much promise."
"Who's Oyuki?" Donnie asked.
"My little sister," Yukio explained. "She's not much older than you. I took her in after our parents died."
"Father, mother, brother... Dad was a bit of everything to Aunt Oyuki," Hana remarked. "But she didn't think there was any point in keeping the Hamato Clan going without Master Yoshi. As far as she was concerned, it died with him."
"Good thing Dad's not that easy to kill," Mikey mused.
"As for Mom, she died when I was two." Hana raised her sword. "This was hers."
"Wield it with honor," Splinter told her.
Kasumi turned to Makoto and Akemi. "And what about you two?"
"I'm Makoto, and this is Akemi," Makoto said. "Seiko's our mom."
"I found them on the streets of Tokyo seven years ago," Seiko chimed in. "Their birth parents were killed by yakuza." She chuckled slightly. "I knew they were fighters from the moment I met them."
Makoto blushed. "I tried to fight her off with a stick."
"You were protecting your sister. It was quite commendable. Even if you did cave the second I offered you food and a bath."
"I did make you pinky promise," Makoto pointed out.
"Said he'd make her drink a thousand needles (3)," Akemi added.
They shared a laugh at that.
"I should probably go next." Mizuki stepped forward. "I'm Kanzaki Mizuki. Tai and I have been dating since junior high."
Mikey let out a whistle, taking note of Mizuki's beauty. "Dude, you hit the jackpot."
"You should see her when she gets the chance to actually use her bow," Tai said. "If you guys hadn't stopped her, Hisako would have been dead."
"You're that accurate, huh?" Hisako asked.
Mizuki turned and fired an arrow across the room, where it hit a decal in the stair railing. It hit the dead center.
"I've trained in kyudo since I could hold a bow and arrow," she said, lowering her bow. "If I wanted to, I could hit a hummingbird at fifty yards. Blindfolded."
"Okay, you're exaggerating," Donnie insisted.
Mizuki smirked playfully. "Only a little. That's the crazy part."
"I guess that just leaves you, Asuka-san," Leo said.
"Let's just say Hisako's not the only majo among us." Asuka raised her hand, a small gust of wind circling around it. The Turtles all stared in amazement.
"Amazing…" Vee said. "Genuine ki arts."
Asuka smiled. "You've done your homework."
"It's always been fascinating to me," Vee admitted. "But this is the first time I've seen them in person."
"I feel I should be insulted," Hisako deadpanned.
"Your powers aren't ki based."
"Aren't Dad's Healing Hands ki arts too?" Mikey questioned.
"Indeed they are, but Asuka's abilities are of a much higher caliber than my own," Splinter said. "I am quite impressed."
"Eh, just something passed down through my family." Asuka remarked.
Erika perked. "You know the Healing Hands?"
"I am surprised you do not," Splinter remarked.
"The scrolls were lost when the dojo burned," Erika explained.
"Actually, we brought them here to New York," Kasumi clarified.
"No wonder we couldn't find them…" Erika realized. "Master Splinter, I hate to impose, but could you teach me the Healing Hand?"
Splinter smiled. "I would be delighted."
"Yes!" Erika pumped her fist happily. "Once I learn that, I'll be the perfect medical ninja!"
Tai just chuckled. "You dork."
At the reminder of the dojo burning, Yukio's face grew serious. He let out a sigh before putting on a tired smile.
"Children, would it be alright for the adults to have a chance to talk?" he asked. "There are things we need to discuss, and I believe all of you could use a break from all this talking."
"Yeah, sure," Leo nodded.
"Play! Play!" Airi cheered.
"You wanna play?" Hisako asked. "Alright then!"
Her mist cradled Airi again, lifting her off the ground. She began running off, Airi flying after her.
"Hey, wait up!" Mikey shouted.
The younger members all began to trickle out of the room. Once they were gone, Yukio turned to Splinter.
"Tell me, Yoshi…" he began, "what machinations has Saki concocted now?"
Splinter sighed, sitting down. "He... formed an alliance with the aliens that invaded the city two months ago. The ones from Hisako's story."
"The ones who created the ooze that transformed you?" Mika asked.
Splinter nodded.
"Believe us when we say that Hisako's stories about him are not exaggerated," Kasumi added. "And there is little doubt in my mind that Saki allied with him for the simple fact that we feared the creature."
"He sold out all of mankind and allied with that beast just to get even with you?!" Shiden demanded.
"Bastard!" Seiko kicked the couch in a rage. "Why didn't Master Yuta just leave him behind in the ruins of the Foot village when he had the chance?!"
"Seiko!" Yukio admonished.
" I can't be the only one thinking it, Yukio! Oroku Saki is a parasite who causes nothing but death and misery everywhere he goes! The world would be a much better place without him around to cause havoc!"
"Enough!" Splinter snapped. "Do not insult my father for attempting to show compassion, Seiko."
Seiko took a deep breath, regaining her senses. "I'm sorry, Master. But after everything he's done to you, to your clan, your family... don't you want him to suffer?"
"Believe it or not... yes," Splinter confessed, much to Seiko's surprise. "All I have ever wanted to do is kill him. A day does not go by when I don't think about subjecting him to every horrendous torture he's dealt out to others and then... ending him." He sighed. "But if I do that, if I allow myself to go down into that place... I will never come back. (4)"
"Yoshi…" Kasumi let out.
"It is why I have always strived to teach my children compassion, and to seek justice, not vengeance. It accomplishes nothing, Seiko, and only leads to more pain and anger."
Seiko sighed, sitting down. "Yeah... every time I thought of hunting him down and killing him, I remembered your teachings. Not to mention the example I'd be setting for my kids."
Splinter's expression softened at that. "Children have a way of softening even the darkest of hearts."
The quiet was suddenly broken by a small explosion, followed by the sound of creaking, tearing metal. Everyone jumped at that, just as the door opened, the assorted teens slowly coming back in, whistling innocently. Leo and Raph were supporting a dazed Hisako on either side. Their eyes drifted across the teens, then over to a parked car that was now completely demolished, and a shattered stop sign.
"And what, pray tell, was that?" Splinter asked.
"Oh, nothing!" Vee said a bit too quickly.
"What's wrong with Hisako?" Kasumi questioned.
"Oh! That!" Leo exclaimed. "Um, well, she was, um-"
"Hit-" Raph began.
"By a-" Donnie continued.
"Bus?" Mikey offered, grinning sheepishly.
Everyone turned to him at that.
"Hit by a bus?!" Makoto demanded.
" That was your best excuse?" Tai let out.
"Well, what was I supposed to say?" Mikey defended. "Meteor? Cow? Flying building?"
"Enough!" Seiko shouted.
"Explain this, NOW!" Kasumi ordered.
Everyone stiffened.
"Well…" Leo began.
Flashback
The Turtles were still chasing Hisako as she flew Airi around, the rest of the Hamato Clan teens following. Soon, they made their way outside for some fresh air.
"Wheeee!" Airi cheered, giggling.
"Ground control, we're coming in for a landing!" Hisako declared.
She plopped Airi down on a small bench, then flopped down herself, a bit out of breath.
"That mist of yours is something else," Tai remarked. "What else can you do with it?"
"It's not the mist that does anything," Hisako clarified. "The mist is more like a physical manifestation of my own mental energies."
"Can you shoot stuff from your hands?" Makoto asked. "Y'know, like this?"
He cupped his hands at his sides before shooting them out in a familiar motion. At their looks, he rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm a Dragon Ball fan."
"Honestly, I've never tried," Hisako admitted.
"Well, let's try it," Makoto snagged a can from one of the trash cans, setting it up on top of a car. "Knock the can off the car, and you win!"
Hisako stood up, focusing as her hands glowed green. She cupped them at her sides, breathing deeply, before her eyes snapped open, glowing green, and thrust her cupped palms out. She then let out a shout as she sent a ball of green energy at the can. However, the second the ball touched the can, it exploded. They recoiled at that, looking up as the smoke cleared to see that the ball had destroyed the can... as well as demolished the car and dented the stop sign next to it. There was a thump beside them as Hisako collapsed. Leo quickly helped her up.
"...I think we better go."
Flashback Over
"It's Makoto's fault!" Mikey quickly exclaimed. "Hisako pulling off a Kamehameha Wave was his idea!"
"How was I supposed to know it'd go off like that?!" Makoto objected. "And that was a Hadoken! It was a ball! The Kamehameha is a beam!"
Splinter pinched the bridge of his snout.
"Perhaps we should put the lot of them in the Hashi for a few hours," Kasumi suggested.
Before they could object, Kagome's T-Phone rang.
"Oh thank you, merciful God…" she whispered before pulling it out of her pocket. "It's Sam.
"Oh, great," Raph deadpanned.
"Be nice, Raph," Leo replied. "He's been a great asset."
"Oh yeah?" Raph retorted. "Then where were all the Guardians when the city was being attacked?"
"Hey, it's because of Sam we knew about the invasion ahead of time," Kagome pointed out.
As she answered the call, Leo turned to the confused Clan, quickly bringing them up to speed.
"Sam is a member of a group of protectors known as the Guardians," he explained. "Our relationship with them is... strained at best, but it's getting better."
"Yeah, okay. We'll be there soon," Kagome said before hanging up. "Sam wants us all to meet him at TCRI. It sounds important."
"TCRI?" Erika repeated. "That's where they're stationed?"
"Indeed," Kasumi confirmed. "Believe me when I say that we were surprised as well. Me especially when I learned Kohaku was one such Guardian."
"Your husband, the accountant?" Shiden questioned. "Always the one you least expect."
"Well, you were gonna be introduced to TCRI eventually," Donnie said. "Better sooner than later."
"And just to let you know ahead of time, TCRI's run by Utroms, like Krang," Leo cut in.
That definitely got their attention.
"Doesn't that make them, y'know, the bad guys?" Jade asked.
"No, Jade," Splinter replied. "You cannot say any race or species as a whole is kind or cruel. Every person is shaped by the circumstances they live within, and all of our choices are limited by the world we live in."
"Yeah, they may have screwed up in the past, but they're trying to be good allies," Hisako added. "The least we can do is try to make peace with them."
"Right, let's head out," Leo decided.
Soon, the entire Hamato Clan was gathered before the TCRI building.
"Y'know, I was expecting something a bit more…" Makoto began.
"Alien?" Mikey offered, getting a nod. "Yeah, I feel the same way."
"Considering these guys are trying to hide out, it makes more sense not to stand out," Donnie pointed out.
Hisako approached the door, knocking loudly. The door slid open, revealing Sam, who gaped a bit at the sight of the clan behind the Turtles.
"Uh, what's with the entourage?" he asked.
"They're... extended family." Hisako replied.
"Relax, they're with us." Leo added. "They go where we go."
"Don't worry, they can keep a secret." Donnie assured.
"Alright then." Sam allowed, letting them all in. He led them to the elevator and up to Mortu's office, knocking on the door. A moment passed before Mortu opened the door. He had his shirt unbuttoned and open to reveal the Utrom inside; the rest of the clan instinctively recoiled.
"Well," Mortu began, "it seems your clan has grown quite a bit since we last spoke."
"You could say that," Leo remarked.
"Well, any friend of the Turtles is a friend of ours. And I thank you for coming." Mortu stepped aside, allowing them into the office.
"I apologize if this comes off as rude, but we heard that you made a mistake, and that your relationship with the Turtles is strained at best," Seiko said. "Maybe you'd be willing to elaborate on the situation so we know exactly what we're dealing with."
"Very well," Mortu nodded. "In fact, we have been hoping for a chance to inform Rita of her heritage. Specifically, the origin of her psychic abilities."
"Rita?" Hana asked before perking. "Oh, you mean Hisako."
Hisako nodded. "It's my birth name, as weird as that is to say. I'm still getting used to the fact that I had a name before I was adopted."
Samson was called in before long, beginning the story alongside Mortu.
"Rita's father, Richard, was my best friend. I was the best man at his wedding," he turned to Hisako. "You have his hair, and Renee's eyes."
Hisako blushed, but said nothing.
"How did you become a Guardian?" Mikey asked. "Something tells me it's not exactly a job you can submit an application for."
"No, it isn't," Samson confirmed. "It happened completely by chance. Richard and I were just fresh out of college, roommates looking to find our first job. One night, we came across a gentleman being accosted by a group of identical men. They demanded something that the man was carrying, something he refused to give them. Unable to stand on the sidelines, Richard charged in. I followed not far behind. The two of us had both been rather active during our school years, having both taken martial arts training, though we were far from the ninjas that you all are. Still, we held our own against these assailants, but in the fight, the secret of the man we were rescuing was revealed."
"The skin of my exoframe was torn, exposing the circuitry," Mortu added. "Considering their selflessness, I gave them a choice: to walk away and forever wonder about what they had witnessed, or join me and be introduced to a new world beyond anything they knew."
"As you can see, we chose the latter option," Samson said. "We trained and became some of the most trusted Guardians of our time. And it was here that Richard met his future wife, and your mother."
"And before they knew it, wedding bells and ultrasounds." Kagome mused.
"What about Hisako?" Mikey asked. "If she was born naturally, where'd her powers come from?"
Mortu adjusted his glasses. "Rita is a mutant. Like you five and your father. Not long after she was conceived, Renee was injured on a mission. We put her in a healing vat, using mutagen to heal her wounds."
"Whoa whoa, hold up," Donnie cut in. "Mutagen is a medicine?!"
"The particular ooze we use is its base mixture," Samson elaborated. "It has potent regenerative and curative properties. Different mutagenic formulas have different uses."
"So Hisako was exposed to mutagen in utero," Donnie realized. "Without unhealthy or damaged cells to heal, it boosted her healthy ones. It definitely explains how she picked up ninjutsu so quickly."
"And how she healed and grew as easily as she did," Leo added. "A normal person probably would have never recovered physically."
"...I'm afraid to ask." Erika let out.
Kagome sighed. "When we found her, she was skin and bones. It took over a year of physical therapy before she could walk under her own power."
"It… wasn't pretty," Hisako added.
"Hold on…" Jade piped up. "If you guys are some super strong warriors, how'd Hisako end up… like that?"
Mortu's expression fell. "It happened not long after she was born. Krang's men raided our facility, killing many. Including Rita's parents. We were forced to flee... and didn't know Krang had taken her."
A dead silence followed before Hisako perked, sensing a massive amount of rage tinged with sorrow coming from Jade. The girl in green took a threatening step forward, scowling.
"You lazy, neglectful, good-for-nothing motherfu-" she hissed.
Before she could get any further, Hana grabbed her from behind.
"Jade!" she yelled. "We're not trying to start a fight here! Get a grip!"
"They abandoned a kid, Hana!" Jade shouted. "A baby to be tortured!"
"And not a day goes by that we don't regret our negligence," Mortu told her. "I wouldn't wish the fate that befell Rita on my worst enemy."
"Before this gets any more depressing, allow me to get to why we called you here in the first place." Sam quickly cut in.
"An excellent idea." Splinter agreed.
Hana turned to Jade. "Are you finished?"
"Yeah…" Jade pulled away. "I'm done."
"Why'd you call us, Sam?" Kagome asked. "And why was it so important that we had to come to you?"
Sam sighed. "We have reason to believe that Krang has resurfaced."
"WHAT?!" the Hamato family shrieked.
"How's that possible?!" Leo demanded. "Hisako shredded the Technodrome's systems! It's at the bottom of the ocean!"
"You saw him and his slimeball of a partner go down with the ship, didn't you, bro?" Raph asked.
Leo nodded. "He and Ch'rell were trapped in the Technodrome when I got out. There were no more escape pods."
"How could they have survived?" Hisako asked. "Much less resurfaced?"
"I know Krang better than anyone," Mortu replied. "He's stubborn. And resilient."
"Reminds me of another scumbag we know," Mizuki remarked.
"If he's alive, then he's got to have a new plan since the Technodrome failed," Donnie mused. "Any idea what it is?"
"The Technodrome is still the key to Krang's plan," Sam answered. "He's most likely looking for a way to fix it."
"Of course he is," Hisako muttered, her hands shaking and the lights flickering. "He'd never go far without his fortress from hell."
"How can he fix it?!" Raph demanded. "Hisako more or less blew it the fuck up!"
"Language!" all the adults shouted.
Raph flinched, looking sheepish. "Sorry…"
"Technodromes are resilient pieces of machinery," Mortu replied.
"Wait. Technodromes?" Leo asked in shock. "As in, there's more than one?"
Hisako stumbled back and Splinter quickly caught her in his arms.
"Uh, how many are there?" Mikey questioned.
"More importantly, how many does Krang have?" Raph demanded.
"Just the one," Sam assured. "Technodromes are mass-produced on the Utrom homeworld. The one you guys took down is Krang's personal flagship."
"Oh, thank God," Donnie said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I thought he had an entire fleet of them."
"Anyway, Krang's communication network has picked back up," Sam went on. "There's a warehouse near the caves where the Technodrome was stashed. They found something there. Something Krang thinks he can use to repower the Technodrome."
"Oh, hell no!" Raph shouted. "He's not turning that thing back on!"
"Where's the warehouse?" Leo demanded. "We need to get there yesterday."
"It's just above the underground caverns.," Sam specified.
"Then we better hurry, and make sure the Technodrome keeps doing its Titanic impression," Vee declared.
"Thank you for the information," Splinter said, bowing politely to Mortu, who returned it as the rat master turned to the others. "Come. We have much to prepare for."
Author's Note:
(1) The pattern is the "Go ninja go" chorus from Vanilla Ice's Ninja Rap.
(2) an informal Japanese title for "Big Brother"
(3) The Japanese oath used when pinky swearing. Yubikiri genman, uso tsuitara hari senbon nomasu, yubi kitta which colloquially means: "Pinky promise pledge: If you're lying, I'll make you drink a thousand needles. Pinky promised!"
(4) Taken from Batman: Under the Red Hood.
Major edit here; they meet at the Hamato Clan's apartments. Also, I'm making more of an effort to build up Hana and Jade's eventual relationship.
Asuka is from the Super Nintendo game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters.
Voice cast for this chapter:
* Asuka- Elizabeth Maxwell (Ymir from Attack on Titan, Winter Schnee from RWBY, Midnight from My Hero Academia, Caulifla from Dragon Ball Super, Sae Niijima from Persona 5, Arisa Uotani in the 2019 Fruits Basket anime)
* Shiden- John Burgmeier (Tien Shinhan from Dragon Ball, Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho, Shigure Sohma from Fruits Basket, Freed Justine from Fairy Tail)
* Mika- Lydia Mackay (Kyoko Honda in the 2019 Fruits Basket anime, Trisha Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist, Boa Hancock from One Piece, Madam Red from Black Butler)
* Airi- Brittney Karbowski (Alice Maresato from Highschool of the Dead, Wendy Marvell from Fairy Tail, Misaka Mikoto from A Certain Magical Index/Scientific Railgun, Chizuru Yukimura from Hakuoki, Ikaros from Heaven's Lost Property, Selim Bradley/Pride from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Citrinne from Fire Emblem Engage)
Please R&R. Until next time!