- Chapter 57 -
Vision Quest
A week after the incident with Bigfoot, Leo was in the woods, standing up in the trees with a makeshift bow and arrow, with his eyes on a deer. As he nocked an arrow and prepared to fire, the deer sensed something and immediately ran away. Sighing, Leo jumped down from the tree... and aggravated his bad leg on landing. The blue-banded turtle let out a yelp of pain, then fell down a ridge. As he pulled himself up, a shadow fell over him. He looked up, seeing the deer literally standing over him, now in a humanoid, two-legged form.
"What the…" Leo said in shock. "What the hell are you?"
The deer said nothing. After a few minutes of looking over Leo, it turned and walked away, leaving Leo dumbstruck.
Back at the farmhouse, the others were training by splitting logs. Raph was with Mikey, Hisako was with Vee, Kagome was with Donnie, and April was with Casey.
"Alright, team," Raph declared. "If we can clobber Krangdroids and Footbots, we can crack logs."
To demonstrate, he threw a few logs into the air and shattered them with a few well-placed kicks. Mikey smashed them with his nunchucks, making weird whooping noises the entire time. Vee punched one, then kicked the other. Hisako shattered hers with a split kick. Donnie punched his to splinters. And Kagome shattered hers with a few karate chops. April took a deep breath, then punched her own log… only to end up hurting her hand.
"Ow!" she yelped, recoiling and backing off as she shook out her battered knuckles.
"Takes a little practice," Raph told her.
"Remember, it's not just physical strength that breaks the wood," Donnie added. "It's also inner strength."
"Right," April said. "I can do this."
She prepared to try again, but perked up, Hisako doing the same.
"Leo?" both girls said aloud, turning to the woods.
Sure enough, Leo hobbled out of the woods, using his bow as a makeshift crutch.
"Guess the deer hunt didn't go as you planned?" Casey asked as he approached.
"No," Leo admitted. "But I had a realization in the woods."
"That going out with a bum leg was a stupid idea?" Kagome questioned.
"No, it's just what I need," Leo decided. "What we all need."
Raph raised an eyebrow. "To get beat up by the cast of Bambi?"
"Raph, I'm serious," Leo insisted. "We're so caught up in T-Phones, junk food, and TV that we've become at odds with nature. A true ninja must become one with it to master himself."
"Hey, man!" Mikey objected. "You leave TV out of this."
"Leo does have a point, guys," Vee admitted. "Look at us! It's been over three months, and we've made no progress taking New York back from Krang."
"Hey, we've been trying to heal, and training our butts off," Casey reminded her.
"Master Splinter and Kasumi did it," Donnie recalled. "They once said only when you become one with nature can you make peace with yourself."
"So…" Hisako began, "we go camping out in the woods and that will magically make us better ninjas?"
"Three days of meditation and practicing awareness out in the woods," Leo told them all. "Eating only what we can forage."
"Leo, I think Shredder may have caused you some brain damage, man," Casey said.
"No, he's right," April countered. "Camping's a great idea. I'm tired of being stuck in the farmhouse."
"Sorry, April," Leo turned to her. "Ninjas only."
"What?" April objected. "But… I'm almost a kunoichi!"
"Key word being 'almost'," Raph pointed out. "This ain't horseshoes."
"We can just have our own campout here," Casey suggested. "I know it won't be a ninja mission, but we can make s'mores, roast weenies… whatever you want."
"Do you mind looking after Midnight as well?" Hisako questioned. "I don't want to have to worry about her getting enough food while she's still a growing puppy."
"Absolutely," April assured her. "Don't worry. Casey and I will take good care of her."
Donnie's face fell slightly as they went inside to pack.
-X-
They all packed up the essentials, Mikey petting Klunk in the freezer and Hisako rubbing Midnight's belly while Donnie watched April and Casey train outside.
"Okay," he began. "I'm all for getting in tune with nature... but those two are gonna be getting in tune with each other."
Raph promptly smacked him upside the head as the others all looked at the purple turtle in annoyance.
"Oh, for Bushido's sake, Donnie," Hisako rolled her eyes. "Get your head out of the gutter."
"You have to learn to let it go," Leo told him. "We have to leave all our worries and fears behind."
The Hamato septet hiked out into the woods, Leo talking as they went.
"We've mastered our weapons, stealth, and hand-to-hand combat. But we haven't learned the very first of the eighteen ninjutsu disciplines: the Seishin syuyou . Spiritual refinement. All true ninjas must master it."
"This is gonna be interesting," Kagome mused.
"I second that emotion," Hisako agreed.
"Hey, who says I'm not spiritually refined-" Mikey cut himself off with a loud burp, getting a look of disgust from the others.
"Oh yeah," Raph said sarcastically. "You've got class shooting out your ass."
Vee rolled her eyes. "Like you're one to talk, Raph."
"Okay, you win," Mikey conceded. "Let's get refined."
-X-
Their first day in the woods was interesting, to say the least. Foraging proved difficult, especially for Mikey, who kept losing his food to squirrels.
"Damn it!" Mikey cursed. "Squirrels are evil!"
He grabbed a handful of acorns, and soon found himself being chased by a whole pack of squirrels.
"So…" Leo asked, "anyone gonna help him.
Raph shrugged as he watched Mikey run. "Become one with nature. I'd say he's on the right track."
Mikey dove into a creek to avoid the squirrels. After a minute of angry chittering, the bushy-tailed rodents gave up and retreated, and Mikey popped out, gasping for breath.
"Are they gone?" he asked, getting out of the water and shaking himself off.
"Yes, doofus," Vee told him. "They're gone."
Mikey sighed. "This is nuts."
"Well, look on the bright side," Kagome suggested. "At least things can't get-"
At that very moment, a thunderclap sounded, and they looked up to see ominous rain clouds overhead.
"Excuse me," Mikey piped up. "Were you going to say 'worse'?"
"Uh, no," Kagome said quickly. "Absolutely not. I've revised the whole thing."
"C'mon!" Donnie shouted.
The seven retreated into a nearby cave, making sure to grab some firewood as they went, and sat there, watching the rain come down in sheets.
"Well… this certainly is an unpleasant outing," Hisako deadpanned.
Vee shrugged. "You know the old saying. Misery builds character."
"No one said this would be easy," Leo told them. "We can do this."
He made a fire pit, and set down a pile of twigs and kindling. Raph rapidly rubbed some sticks together, and soon, the fire started, much to the group's joy. Kagome glanced out of the cave mouth at the rain in front of them.
"From the looks of that downpour, I think we're gonna be here a while," she remarked.
"Now's a good time for meditation, then," Leo decided.
All seven of them assumed meditative positions, closing their eyes and focusing.
-X-
The next morning, the rain stopped, and the group found themselves standing on rocks in the middle of the creek, practicing their katas. All seven of them moved in perfect sync… and then Mikey slipped and fell in the water. A green halo surrounded him as Hisako pulled him out and set him back on the rock. Focusing, and making sure to keep his footing this time, Mikey got back into the groove.
Later, they tried their hand at foraging. This time, when the squirrels came, Mikey shared what he had found. They took it gratefully, still leaving him with food to spare, and not chasing him into the creek again.
"Phew," he sighed. "Glad that worked."
-X-
Eventually, night fell, and the wind started picking up. Leo turned to see the deer he had unsuccessfully hunted earlier watching them from nearby.
"Guys, look," he pointed out. "That same deer. I think it's been following us."
Raph scoffed. "Probably laughing at the seven dumb kids lost in the woods."
"No…" Hisako let out. "It's... different. I can't put my finger on it, but it feels... powerful."
"Well, in the Shinto religion, deer are considered messengers of the divine," Donnie noted. "It could be a sign we're on the right track."
Hisako turned to him. "Donnie, I highly doubt some random deer is some sort of divine messenger. And if it was, why would it be in the middle of fuck-off nowhere Massachusetts?"
The deer went behind a tree, emerging in the same humanoid form Leo saw it assume earlier. Everyone but Leo gasped.
"A mutant?!" Kagome exclaimed.
"Uh-uh," Hisako replied. "This is something else…" Mikey went to open his mouth. "I still refuse to believe it's some sort of divine messenger, Mikey."
The deer-man looked at them, then pointed to a small clearing in the woods nearby before walking away.
"I... think it wants us to set up camp there," Leo realized.
"And why should we listen to the freaky dear thing?" Raph questioned.
"Because considering the freaky shit we've dealt with, this is one of the first to help us," Vee replied.
Raph shrugged. "Fair enough."
The seven set up a campfire and all sat around it, bored and half-asleep. As they were about to doze off, the campfire suddenly turned blue and began flaring up. They all sat up, staring at the flames.
"What the-?!" Kagome let out in shock.
The flames coalesced together, forming into a ghostly blue image of Splinter.
"Dad?!/Master Splinter?!" all seven let out in surprised unison.
Splinter smiled, his voice echoing as if he were in a cave as he spoke. "Hello, my children. "
"Are…" Mikey stammered, "are you like… a ghost?"
"My spirit has become detached from my body, but that body still lives."
"Mom!" Kagome piped up. "Please, tell me! Is she-?"
"I have sensed her near my body. Kasumi lives, and tends to me even now."
Kagome fell back, smiling in relief.
"You're both alive?!" Leo asked. "Where are you, Dad? Let us help you!"
"You cannot. Not as you are now. If you cannot find your inner spiritual strength, none of you will stand a chance against the Shredder."
"But Dad," Leo spoke up, "my leg injury, it's physical. Until I heal-"
Splinter placed a ghostly hand on Leo's shoulder, cutting him off. "We choose what holds us back, and what moves us forward."
"Okay," Vee nodded. "Tell us what we need to do."
"Each of you must journey out alone and face your spiritual adversary," Splinter informed them, looking each member of the group in the eye as he went on. "Raphael, your temper is like a fire that you must learn to focus for power. Michelangelo, your mind is overrun with distractions. Learn to be strong and calm, like the forest. Donatello, you rely too much on your mind, and not on your body. Be strong, like the mountain. Venus, you have lived in the shadows of your siblings for far too long. Become your own person, and step into the light. Hisako, your past is an anchor that weighs you down. Cut yourself free, and fly like the birds. Kagome, you have allowed others to dictate your path all your life. Be like the river, and follow your own path. Leonardo, you must be the leader in body and spirit. Be like the wind. Let nothing weigh you down."
They all nodded in understanding, taking these words to heart.
"Be warned, your greatest trial awaits on the spiritual plane. For the challenges you face there will be just as deadly as those you face in the real world." They all absorbed the news, and Splinter looked at them, smiling warmly. "And know this: together, there is nothing your seven minds cannot accomplish. Help each other. Draw upon one another. And never forget the true force that binds you. The same force that brought me here tonight. That which I gladly return, with my final words..."
As he faded from view, Splinter gave said final words: "I love you all… my children."
As their father vanished, there wasn't a dry eye among the seven. Raph wrapped an arm around a weeping, smiling Kagome, while squeezing Leo's hand. Donnie and Vee comforted Mikey and Hisako, who were crying the hardest out of all of them.
"They're alive…" Hisako said in relief, wiping her eyes. "They're both alive…"
"C'mon," Leo told them. "We better get some sleep."
For the first time in three months, they all slept peacefully.
The next morning, the other six awoke to see Leo already awake, looking out at the forest. He turned to them.
"Dad made our quest clear. And it's time we get started. Each of us will forge new armor and weapons. And then we carry on alone, to the spirit realm. Where the unreal becomes real, and we meet our ultimate fate."
They split up, forging new weapons and armor as they did. Donnie carved himself a mask similar to Casey's out of bark, and attached a poleaxe blade to his staff. Raph forged himself a pair of tekko-kagi claws like Shredder's, but with a makeshift flamethrower and gas tank attached. Mikey whipped up a pair of kama, attaching them to a chain. Vee made herself a pair of tonfas similar to Erika's, complete with hidden blades, while Leo opted to use his bow and arrow.
Hisako forged herself a pair of manriki-gusari (1), binding the chains around her forearms (2) as she dressed in an old green sweatsuit from April's attic. She bound her hands and feet in fighting tape, smeared green warpaint under her eyes, then shook her hair out of its usual ponytail before braiding it.
Kagome opted to make herself a large shuriken the size of her torso, with her new outfit consisting of a grey top over a black shirt with a sand colored scarf over it, long fingerless mesh gloves with a magenta strap, a pair of crooked black belts with gold accents across her hips, a dark grey mini skirt, thigh-high black stockings and a pair of black boots with a belt strap across them.
After their preparations, the seven met back up, the Turtles all wearing hoods and cloaks in muted versions of their bandana colors.
"It's time," Leo announced. "Good luck, you guys." He bowed to the other six. "Kentou ou."
"Kentou ou," the others intoned, bowing back before they all ran off in opposite directions.
As they went, an unnatural fog surrounded them all, obscuring their sight.
Vee was the first to emerge, finding herself in a cave. There were sporadic holes in the ceiling, letting white light in.
"What the hell…" she muttered. "I was just in the woods, wasn't I?"
She looked back, but the cave seemed to extend forever. The light through the holes was too bright to make out anything, and too high to reach. As she continued to look around, a familiar laugh echoed through the cave, followed by an equally familiar voice.
"Poor little lost girl... all alone."
"No way…" Vee said in surprise. "It can't be her!"
She turned to see Karai step into the light. Her skin was white, almost scaly, and her eyes were completely green, with snake-like slit pupils.
"Karai?!" Vee let out. "Karai, it's me. Vee?"
"Who?" Karai asked, tilting her head. "All I see is a shadow."
She suddenly darted out of the light, and out of the blue, a snake tail caught Vee in the belly, slamming her into the wall.
"Your brothers and Hisako aren't here to save you now, Vee!" Karai gloated as Vee frantically looked around.
Hisako found herself standing on a massive tree limb. She looked down, seeing nothing but fog.
"Well… this is new," she remarked, before taking a breath. "Okay, I can do this."
She made her way across the branch, and soon found herself surrounded by Krangdroids.
Hisako sighed. "Of course."
She unwound a length of the chains around her arms, holding onto them and rapidly spinning the manriki. Swinging the chains expertly, she soon smashed all the attacking Krangdroids.
"This is a dream, nothing more," she declared. "There's nothing to be afraid of."
"Is that so, Oracle?"
Hisako stiffened, slowly turning to see a leering, smirking Ch'rell behind her in his exosuit.
"No… No, no, NO!" She nervously backed up. "You're not real! You're NOT REAL!"
"Tell me," Ch'rell began, "if I wasn't real, could I do this ?!"
He lunged forward, grabbing Hisako by the throat and bodily lifting her up to stare her in the eye. "I am the thing that keeps you up at night. The evil that haunts every dark corner of your mind. I will never rest, Oracle... and you will never be rid of me."
Kagome opened her eyes, finding herself standing on a rock in the middle of a large river. The river in question stretched for miles in all directions, and more rocks formed a path before her.
"Huh," she said aloud. "Guess Splinter wasn't kidding when he said 'be like the river.'"
She began hopping across the rocks, and it wasn't long before she found herself surrounded by Footbots on both sides. After a minute, she smirked, picking the big shuriken off of her back.
"Y'know," she began, "I kinda missed smashing you rust buckets."
The Footbots all charged at her, but Kagome began swinging and throwing the shuriken all over the place, tearing through them like paper.
"That all you got?" Kagome boasted.
Suddenly, a massive fist slammed into her from behind. Kagome fell into the water, turning around to see Tokka standing there.
"Nope," the turtle mutant said simply.
Kagome slowly pulled herself up as Tokka moved toward her.
"Ohhh… crap," the girl let out.
Leo slowly walked through the woods, hobbling slightly as he went. It wasn't long before he stopped short, finding himself facing the deer yet again. It looked him in the eyes, then took off running.
"Hey, wait!" Leo shouted, hurrying after it.
The fog cleared, and Leo found himself standing on an old rope bridge.
"Ooookay," he remarked. "Definitely weird."
The deer appeared in its humanoid form, pointing to the end of the bridge, and Leo nodded in understanding before making his way across. He made it a few feet, before finding himself surrounded by Footbots.
"Footbots," Leo muttered, drawing his bow.
They all charged at him, but Leo shot them in the heads with arrows as they came, eventually dropping them all.
"That's it?" he asked. "I've still got more arrows, guys!"
The bridge suddenly started shaking, and Leo froze as he saw one of the ropes break.
As the bridge snapped in two, Leo grabbed one of the ropes, swinging into the mountain side before climbing his way up.
"Not as tough as I thought," he mused before making his way up the mountain, where he was faced with the deer again.
"What do you want from me?" Leo asked. "What is your lesson?"
"Lesson?" Leo gasped, whirling around to see Shredder behind him. "You've already failed, boy!"
"Shredder!" Leo shouted, drawing his swords.
He charged at him and they clashed briefly before Shredder forced him back.
"You were too weak to stand without your master," Shredder gloated before getting behind Leo. "And now… you can barely stand at all."
He stomped on the back of Leo's bad leg, getting a scream of pain from the blue turtle.
Mikey found himself in a forest of tall, slender trees, the tops obscured by the fog, which was so thick, he could barely see a few feet in front of him. As he made his way along, he froze, seeing what looked like ten glowing red eyes peering out through the fog.
"Okay," Mikey let out. "Either I'm about to fight a ten eyed monster, or I'm about to have serious company."
The fog cleared, revealing a swarm of Footbots, all glaring at him.
"I've got serious company!" Mikey shouted.
The Footbots all charged at him, and Mikey jumped between the trees, clashing with them and slicing them up.
"Aw, yeah!" Mikey bragged. "Forgot how much fun this is. Anyone else?"
Suddenly, something fast came up and knocked him into a tree. Mikey pulled himself up, gasping to see Rahzar smirking at him.
"Been waiting a long time for this," the dog mutant boasted.
"Rahzar?!" Mikey exclaimed, before chuckling nervously. "Good dog. You want a nice, juicy bone?"
Rahzar chuckled darkly. "Oh, you have many bones I can feast on."
Raph found himself underwater, and rapidly swam up, surfacing to see he was in a cave.
"So much for finding a hidden pirate ship," he quipped before pulling himself out of the water, seeing multiple torches lit behind him.
"Hmmm…" Raph mused. "Somebody's gotta be here keeping those torches lit."
On cue, multiple Footbots materialized from the darkness, revealing themselves to be the ones holding said torches. Raph gasped in surprise, then grinned. "Finally, some excitement!"
The Footbots charged and Raph attacked, slicing them up with his claws and burning several more with his flamethrower.
"I would have been way more into this spirit quest if I knew I'd get to slap some Foot around!" he boasted.
Just then, the water below began bubbling. From it leapt Fishface, landing on his feet before Raph.
"Fishface?" Raph exclaimed. "Here?!"
"Surprised to see me, tartaruga?" Fishface retorted. "That temper of yours fizzles fast under water, doesn't it?"
He jumped into the air, coming at Raph with a kick.
Donnie emerged from the fog on a mountainside, walking along a path.
"For all I know, this isn't even the right direction," he mused. "Boy, I really miss GPS guidance right now."
Just then, several chunks of the mountain started falling down. Donnie yelped, narrowly avoiding them before looking up to see numerous Footbots pounding on the mountainside with sledgehammers.
"Are you nuts?!" Donnie demanded. "You're gonna bring the whole mountain down! Unless… you don't care what happens 'cause you're an apparition from the spirit plane."
They pounded on the mountain again, breaking free more rocks that Donnie narrowly avoided before several charged down at him.
"I hate being right all the time," Donnie remarked. He dodged a few more rocks before drawing his axe and making his way up. "You wanna bring half the mountain down?! Fine by me!"
He brought the axe down with all his might, causing an avalanche that crushed the Footbots and swept them down the mountainside.
"Yes! It worked!" Donnie cheered, chuckling. "This Seishin syuyou is way easier than I thought. All it takes is a little quick thinking and-"
Before he could finish, Tiger Claw burst out of the rock behind him, snarling. "We're just getting started."
"Tiger Claw?!" Donnie gulped. "No, you're just a spirit, too. You can't be real!"
Without warning, Tiger Claw decked him, knocking him flat on his back.
"Does that feel real to you?" he questioned.
"Absolutely…" Donnie wheezed, getting back up.
"Now…" Tiger Claw cracked his knuckles, "let's see how quick your thinking is when I smash your head into the rocks."
Ch'rell threw Hisako across the tree branch, smashing her against the tree itself.
"Is this all you have?" he asked. "You're still as weak as when I first played with you."
"Please…" Hisako pleaded, holding out a hand. "Just leave me alone... what did I do to deserve this?"
Ch'rell laughed evilly.
"No matter how strong you get, how old you get, I will always be there!" he taunted. "A shadow on your soul, dragging you back to the darkest depths of your mind!"
Hisako flinched, but then recalled Splinter's advice. Taking a deep breath, she managed to compose herself.
"No," she said aloud. "We choose what holds us back… and what moves us forward."
She stood up, feeling the fear leave her body. "I am Hamato Hisako. Daughter of Hamato Yoshi. Sister to Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Venus de Milo." She glared at Ch'rell, pointing at him. "I'm not afraid of you anymore, Ch'rell! And I'm done running from you!"
She exploded with power, hovering in the air before the terrified brain creature.
"What is this?!" Ch'rell demanded.
"You have no more power over me."
Her manriki ablaze with a green halo, she swung it at him, smashing his face in and knocking him off of the branch. Landing back on the branch, she walked over, watching her hated former bogeyman fall to his demise.
"And when I meet you in the real world, you're gonna pay for everything you've done," She vowed before turning and walking away. "You've haunted me for fifteen years. And as of today, your hold on me... is broken."
Vee jumped back to avoid a tail whip from Karai.
"Poor Venus. So hopeless and scared without big brother Leo and the rest to back you up," Karai taunted cruelly, chuckling. "Without your siblings, you're nothing. You're shit !"
"That… that's not true!" Vee insisted.
"Isn't it?" Karai questioned. "You're a fifth wheel. Part of a matching set, with no skill to call your own."
Vee looked around, uncertain, then composed herself as she recalled Splinter's words. "You're right. I have been in the shadow of Leo and the others all this time. But not anymore."
Gripping her tonfas, she stepped under one of the ceiling lights. "I am Venus de Milo, daughter of Hamato Splinter! And it's time I stepped into the light!"
Karai came barreling at her in full snake mode. One of Vee's tonfas blocked her jaw, the other her snake hands, and Vee used the snake mutant's own momentum against her as she threw her to the ground. Popping out the hidden blades in her tonfas, Vee pierced through Karai's chest, and the snake girl gasped and fell limp, fading away. Vee stood up with a sigh.
"I'm sorry, Karai. When we get home... we'll save the real you."
Tokka punched Kagome in the face, knocking her back into the water.
"So, this is what following Splinter's advice leads you to, girl," she mused. "A watery grave."
"Screw you," Kagome spat.
Tokka chuckled darkly. "Always the good daughter, doing what Mommy says... and keeping your relationship with that hothead Raphael under wraps."
That actually got Kagome to stiffen slightly. Seeing the moment of weakness, Tokka immediately doubled down. "But then again, who could blame you? A human and a mutant... disgusting. I can't imagine how screwed up your kids would be."
"SHUT UP!" Kagome screamed, standing up.
"Oh, did I strike a nerve?" Tokka quipped.
"It's my choice," Kagome hissed. "Being with Raph has its ups and downs, I won't deny that. But I love him... and he makes me happy. Something you and Rahzar could never understand!"
She yanked the shuriken off of her back and threw it at Tokka, who couldn't get out of the way in time and ended up sliced in half at the waist.
"I decide what I want," Kagome said as Tokka dissipated. "And nobody, especially you, can change my mind."
In the cave, things were going badly for Raph. Fishface knocked him into the water, then jumped in, beating him senseless before tossing him back on land. Raph coughed and wheezed, spitting out a mouthful of water before pulling himself up.
"Breathe, Raph," he said to himself. "Splinter is right. I need to concentrate and focus my anger. Sharpen it. Give it form."
He did so, and pressed a button on the flamethrowers, igniting the claws.
"Ready for another swim?" Fishface asked, approaching him. "I bet your toys don't work so well under water."
Raph whirled on him, charging and impaling him on the flaming claws.
"Gotta love an old-fashioned fish fry!" he declared as Fishface exploded into red dust. "Eat it!"
In the forest, Mikey was having his own troubles, with Rahzar running circles around him. He stopped, thinking.
"Okay, Mikey," he muttered to himself. "What did Master Splinter say? Be still and calm like the forest."
He closed his eyes, trying to do so… but visions of Klunk appeared in his head.
"Not now, Klunk!" he snapped, pushing the images away. "I need to focus."
He did so, concentrating, and heard Rahzar approach. The dog mutant jumped in from above, but Mikey dodged all of his attacks before stabbing him in the nose with his kamas.
"Booyakasha!" he declared as Rahzar dissipated into orange smoke.
On the mountain, Tiger Claw snatched Donnie's axe out of his hand before knocking him down to a lower cliff. Laughing maniacally, he slammed the axe into the side of the mountain, causing a massive avalanche.
"Yipe!" Donnie screamed, dodging rocks left and right.
Eventually, the avalanche stopped, and Tiger Claw climbed down after him. Donnie clenched his fists before pulling his mask down over his face.
"I gotta stand my ground," he muttered. "Immovable, right?"
Tiger Claw charged at him and they grappled.
"And they say you're the smart one? I'm twice your size and three times your strength. You will fall!"
After a minute, Donnie lashed out with his foot, tripping Tiger Claw up and sending him falling off the mountain.
"I'm much more than that," he declared as Tiger Claw fell screaming.
Shredder punched Leo in the stomach before tossing him into the cliff side.
"Your wounded leg is like a ball and chain, dragging you toward defeat," he declared. "You can never hope to win against me."
Leo tried to stab him with an arrow, but Shredder just grabbed his arm and kicked him aside. He landed hard, grunting in pain. He struggled to get up, but found his strength and will drained from him.
"He's right…" Leo muttered in despair. "My injury is always gonna hold me back. I can't win."
At that moment, he heard a noise, and looked up to see the deer in its humanoid form, floating over him. It pointed at his leg, shaking his head, and Leo got it at that.
"Of course…" he realized, standing up. "The pain is just in my mind. It's just an excuse. It's not real."
Shredder reappeared as a giant, towering over Leo and the mountain as he laughed. "It is time we end this, turtle!"
"I agree!" Leo shouted back.
Shredder stabbed at him, but Leo dodged, running along the blade and dodging his attacks. Eventually, he leapt up, nocking an arrow and firing it into Shredder's milky right eye.
Shredder roared in pain, reeling back before dissipating into black smoke.
"I beat you on the spirit plane," Leo remarked. "And one day, I'll beat you in the real world."
He sheathed his swords, looking out on the horizon. "I'm ready."
At the farmhouse, April and Casey were training again, April about to try to break the log.
"Hold it steady, Casey," April instructed. "I'm gonna break it this time."
"I'm warning you, Red," Casey began, "if you hit me in the face again…"
"You'll do what?" April retorted.
Casey held up the log, and April split it in two with a precise kick.
"Yes! I did it! Booyakasha!" She froze, stunned by her own words. "I can't believe I just said that."
At that moment, she perked up, sensing something. Midnight did the same thing, lifting her head from where she was napping and letting out a happy bark. All of them turned to see the Turtles, Hisako, and Kagome emerging from the woods. All of them were carrying banners and wearing their new gear. April and Casey looked on in shock at the sight.
"Whoa…" April let out. "What happened out there?"
Leo looked at her and Casey, his gaze filled with determination.
"It's time," he announced. "We're going back to New York... and finishing our business with Shredder and Krang."
"Alright folks, I've got some news for all of you. This will be my last broadcast for a bit. You see, we've decided that we're done sitting on the sidelines. We're coming home, and we're going to do our part to save everyone. So keep your heads up and just you wait, because the next time I broadcast, it will be to a free New York City! This has been the Sewer Hour with Cowabunga Carl."
Author's Note:
(1): A chain weapon originating in Japan. It is weighted on both ends, and is useful in heavy strikes, limb/joint locks, and trapping weapons. Raph used them as the Nightwatcher in the 2007 movie.
(2): Think like Kratos and his chain blades from God of War.
Well, there you have it. Next chapter, the fight to free New York City begins.
Please R&R. Until next time!