It was an hour from the statue till they saw the wall. It was a deep red stone, and it ran roughly eight feet above the ground. As they drew closer, they could see a single gate made of a deep red lacquered wood. Mikey blinked at the sight of it. Just beyond, they could see houses and carts moving pulled by oxen and horses. Despite how busy the street seemed, no one was coming through the gate onto the fields.
"It…even looks a little like the west gate and look….." Don pointed as they got closer "Am I nuts, or does that kind of look like the ancient Japan version of the Dakota?"
The building was royal, like a small palace, but there was something in the roof style that made them all think of the famous apartment building.
"She turned New York into ancient Japan?" Leo asked.
"No," Donnie said "I don't think so. Not exactly. This isn't ancient Japan. This is a mythical Japan. A place that never actually existed. The buildings, the walls, our clothes, all of these things are from various periods. The inn we found Yamauba in….her stories are old. Really old. Likely over 1000 years ago, but her inn was from the early 1800's by design. Our clothes are from the 1600s. That style of gate is likely from around the mid-1300s. The years are all over the place. It's like someone's idea of a Yokai anime or something. None of this fits together."
Leo nodded "Alright. Let's go out there and see what we can find. So far no one's seemed very bothered by how we look. Hopefully, that'll last."
They headed for the gate and stepped through. They found themselves on a fairly busy street, with a row of shops in front of them. Several had stalls in front of them selling fruit, cloth, and other goods.
"Uh, Leo?" Mikey asked.
Leo turned to look at him and realized that the street behind them was lined with other shops. There was no wall, no gate, and no lands beyond. It was like the park had never existed.
"I hope Raph and Jess are okay," said Donnie.
They had moved through the forest for nearly 3 hours walking on the path before the trees parted and they came out onto a vast expanse of grass. There was something on the horizon that suggested a wall.
"We're going that way." He pointed to the distant wall. She nodded, and they started across the grass.
They had only gone for less than 3 minutes when a dark group of shapes appeared on the horizon and then headed toward them at a quick pace. The figures separated as they approached, and Jessie realized they were on horseback.
Raph frowned and held out an arm. Jessie stopped short. "I don't like this," Raph said, glancing at her. "If this goes south, you head for the trees."
The horses thundered closer, and they could see there were warriors clad in armor on them. They started to separate and Raph realized that they were going to try and circle them. "Get outta here! Run!" He barked at her.
Jessie drew her slingshot and started to race for the treeline. She thought when she got to cover she could start to fire down on them.
One of the horsemen split away and started after her. Raph moved, leaping up and knocking the man off his horse. But there were two more that went after Jessie, as the remaining four surrounded him.
The obvious leader looked them over from horseback. "So, you have found your way into the empire." the man growled. Two of the four had long spears, one had a bow aimed at him, and the leader drew a katana.
"What empire?" Raph shot back "This ain't even a place."
The man looked around. "We will take him alive if we may. Master wants the honor of dealing with him."
"Come and get me. I can take every one of you." Raph snarled.
The leader charged at him, and Raphael parried his sword with one sai while turning his shell harshly into the horse's side. He felt bad for hurting the animal, but it stumbled, and the rider was thrown forward, even as the horse turned and rushed away.
Raph was on the leader before the man was able to gain his feet. He threw an elbow in the man's face, just as the spearmen thrust forward with their weapons, and made him leap back.
He turned and started toward them and then heard Jessie yell in pain and anger. His head whipped around, and he saw one of the horsemen dragging a struggling Jessie back from the edge of the wood. She twisted and kneed the man in the stomach hard. He didn't let go, but the second horseman stepped in and backhanded the girl, stunning her.
"Drop your weapons and surrender," Said the leader, wiping at his bloody mouth "We have orders to bring you back alive, not the girl. Fight, and we will kill her."
Raph's eyes narrowed, but he dropped his Sais.
He was still as his hands were bound. By the time the two horsemen rejoined them, Jessie was also bound. They threw Raph over the back of one horse, Jessie over the other, and thundered toward the gate.
Oroku Saki looked out at what was once New York. Releasing the Kitsune had been a complete fluke by one of his men who had stolen some of the art artifacts. He was not a man who easily shared power, but he was also not a fool. A business arrangement could be made to benefit all parties.
He tipped his head slightly. It was strange to rule over a kingdom that had never been, but if it was what she created to fulfill her end of their deal he was content.
If she proved more trouble than the partnership was worth he would dispose of her. He knew the old stories well enough to know how such things could be done. But for now, this was acceptable.
If the New York he would rule had changed to this, what difference did it make? And somewhere in it, were the turtles he would destroy. The fox-witch could have the rat for now, but he knew the other freaks would be drawn to it.
There was a knock on his door, and he turned "Come" he said.
A small girl no more than ten years old came in. She was dressed in a formal Kimono, her hair pinned up. She was of Asian descent. Not, he thought, Japanese. Her kimono was green with embroidered white rabbits leaping across it, and her eyes were sweet and utterly blank like a child who is found sleepwalking.
"My mistress gives greetings, and sends a message." The child said.
Saki crossed the room to her. Normally such a small girl would shrink back from the imposing man. Even without his armor, he was a grim sight. He took the scroll from her, studying the girl for a moment. He was a cruel man, but the fact that the fox witch was collecting children was distasteful even to him.
"What is your name, little one?" he asked.
"Usagi" She replied.
"Usagi. Sit in the adjoining chamber and I will have a sweet brought to you as I compose my reply."
"Yes, oh great one." The girl said and did as told.
No, that didn't sit well with him at all. It was dishonorable. Perhaps the witch would have to be disposed of.
He turned and walked back to the seat in the center of the room…a throne really. He sat, unrolled the message, and read. His mouth turned down more as he did.
Most of the people around them didn't raise an eyebrow, although a few gave them curious glances. That might have been because they saw a few figures within the crowd that weren't human. Two people walked by with no faces, which was unnerving but didn't seem to be particularly hostile.
A woman came from one of the doorways and slid her arm through Mike's. The turtle looked at her startled. She was quite beautiful, dark-haired, and dressed in a fine silk kimono. "Ah," She said "Just who I was waiting for."
"Sorry, you've got the wrong turtle" Leo slid to his other side.
"No. I know my turtles. But you don't know your foxes, and you should." The tip of a fox's tail twitched just at the bottom of her robes "Come on, brothers. You haven't eaten, and you need to hear a tale or two." She started to lead Mike toward a nearby tea house.
Don looked at Leo "What do you think?"
"Stay on guard," Leo said and followed them.
They sat at a low table, and a meal of soup and steamed buns was brought to them. There was a shimmer around the woman, and in a blink, an anthropomorphic fox was sitting there in her fine robes, her ears twitching with the sounds of the room. The fox-woman poured the tea.
Very softly she said "She isn't Tamamo-no-Mae. Her true name is unknown to me, but Tamamo-no-Mae was punished for her wicked deeds by being changed into a stone many many years ago. She uses our ancient sister's name because it brings fear."
"What's your name?" Mike asked.
The fox smiled, "You can call me Akane." She said "Names are powerful things here. Be careful with yours. I advise nicknames."
"You're a fox, she's a fox. Why help us?" Leo said bluntly.
"Because Kitsune aren't all alike. I don't like what she's doing, and I don't want those children to be hurt." Akane said testily "There's a reason why we exist in our world, and you in yours. Crossing over is one thing. Both sides do it, and as long as it's only occasionally it's actually good for both places. But destroying the line….that's a disaster waiting to happen. She doesn't care. She just wants power."
Donatello nodded a little "We're listening."
"We'll call her Tamamo anyway. Tamamo was also imprisoned in an artifact, in her mirror many years ago for her crimes. She's tried this before. Rumor has it that a man on your side came across the mirror not knowing what it was and released her. She's made a deal with him. That's why this time is so dangerous. It's not just her ... it's him too. One from each side working together makes the break even more dangerous."
"Do you know who the man is?" Leo said.
"No. But they say he leads an army of warriors. Ninja. Skilled and cruel, and a human's footprint is on their banner." Akane sipped her tea, her ears flattening against her skull giving away her distaste at the thought.
"We know them. The foot. His name is Oroku Saki." said Donatello darkly.
"Then you know they are not kind." The fox said.
"No, they aren't." Said Leo.
"Tamamo isn't alone. There are several helping her along with your Oroku Saki." Akana warned "I don't know all of them, but I do know that Kyuso the rat is in league with her. There may be others."
Mike shook his head "No that's not a Yokai. That's our Sensei, Master Splinter. He's a big rat like we're big turtles."
Akane shook her head "The body may be of your Sensei, but the soul inside it is Tesso." She said.
"How do you know all of this?" Leo asked, and Akane laughed softly.
"Because I'm Kitsune," She said "That's what we do. We listen to everything, and we give people what they think they want so they tell us things. Just like courtesans and companions have always done." she smiled "You'd be surprised what people will say to you just because you're a beautiful woman." She raised an eyebrow "I said I wasn't like her, I didn't say I wasn't a trickster. We all have our natures."
The three brothers looked at each other. "Have you heard anything about another….uh…Yokai? Like us?" Said Mike.
Her face got serious "No. Which should worry you. I had heard about you before you came out of the forest."
"Maybe a girl? About 19, long brown hair, a…well…." Mikey shrugged "I guess if you didn't hear about him, she wouldn't stand out."
"I'll keep my ears open." Said Akane "But you should….."
One of the teahouse attendants slipped over to Akane, leaned down, and whispered in her ear.
The Kitsune looked at the younger girl, smiled, and slipped her a coin "Well done" She murmured.
But when she turned back to the turtles, her face was grave "Your fourth has been taken to the palace of the empress at the northern tip of the city. The girl you spoke of is with him."
The three brothers sat in silence for a moment.
"Do you know how to stop all this?" Leo said.
"I know she is tied to her mirror," Akane said.
"We already tried that. Smashing the mirror didn't do anything" Said Mike.
"Maybe thats not the way. I can't say." Said Akane "I don't know what IS the answer, but my informants are always right- the mirror is tied to her."
She motioned to the same girl that had whispered to her "I'll give you a guide to get you to the palace. That's the best I can do for you." she looked at the brothers "I'm not a warrior. I want her stopped, but I'm not going to walk into a fight I can't win. That will be your job."
She motioned, "Finish your food, you're going to need it."
Jessie was harshly dumped into a cell, her hands still bound. They took her weapons, and her lockpicks, but left the book of paper and the brush kit in the pouch at her belt.
As soon as she was alone, she started to try to work the ropes off her wrists. They were tight and her hands were behind her back. As she tried, there was a sudden warmth there, like gentle hands. She felt something working the rope, and suddenly they fell away as if someone had untied her.
She turned but there was no one there. She smiled a little and rubbed her wrist "Thanks Splinter" She murmured. Her face hurt, but she didn't seem to have any permanent damage done.
It was a dungeon. Straight out of a fantasy novel. The good part of that was the lock was manual. They had taken her picks, but that wasn't the only tool at her disposal.
If she was still in her regular street clothes, she would have other options. She always kept small things like her bobby pins hidden in little pockets and sewn into waistbands and cuffs. She examined the Japanese clothes she was in, and to her relief, she found that they had been translated over. Two pieces of wire were sewn into the belt. Where her bobby pins would have been sewn into the hem, there was a pair of small iron hair-pins.
She studied the lock. Using one of the pieces of wire, she started to mess with it, trying to feel where the tumblers were. It was a good lock, and she frowned. She worked at it for nearly five minutes, and she couldn't get the wire to hook correctly.
The whole thing was frustrating. She rattled the door. "Damn it." She muttered.
"Yeah, that's what I was thinkin'" A voice from across the cells said. She looked up to see Raph at the bars. She was on her feet in a second and to the front of her cell "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, they knocked me around pretty hard after they separated us." He said "Knocked me out. Just came to. Are you ok? He hit you pretty hard, kid."
She shook her head "I'm fine. I've had worse. They took my lock picks, but they didn't get everything. The locks are hard though, I dunno if I can get it open with what I still have."
"Wait, the master thief of New York doubts herself?" Raph smirked, but Jessie didn't return it. "It's not funny Raph. This is really bad."
"I know." he said "But I'm not kidding. You're the best at this. Don't get frustrated." He chuckled "Can't believe that just came from me."
She leaned on the bars "Any idea where this is?"
"Some kind of palace." he said "I got a glimpse of it as we came up to it. Kinda hard to see face down on the back of a horse."
She nodded and looked up the hallway "I'm going to keep trying. Keep an eye out for anyone coming down?"
"I'm on it, Kid," Raph said. She went back to working on the lock.
The girl was waiting for them at the front of the teahouse and led them into the street. She was dressed as the other teahouse attendants, but she was not Japanese. She was in her mid-teens, with deeply tanned skin and a long brown braid. She was dressed in a blue kimono that was less decorated than Akane's with smaller sleeves. Her green sash had a small inro- a small lacquered box- hanging from a cord, the top counter weighed by a netsuke figure in the shape of a tiny white fox.
Akane nodded "Nova knows the city like the back of her hand. She'll lead you well." As they stepped into the street, there was another shimmer and Akane took her human form again "Go on. Best of luck to you."
Nova grinned a little, and they started up the street. She walked with her hands folded into her kimono and her head down slightly, but Leo could see that she was watching everything.
"Most people here won't want to hinder you." She said softly. "But some still work for the empress. Her eyes are everywhere." She stuck to the alleys mostly, slipping between buildings and sometimes bringing them over rooftops.
"Have you always been at the teahouse?" Leo asked.
She frowned a little "I don't remember being anywhere else. I remember growing up there when my mother died, under Akane. But Akane told me I've only been here for a day or so. That I'm from your New York. Everything I remember was put in me when this place changed." She sighed "I trust Akane, but I can't remember any of that. I hate the idea that something changed me like that. I want to stop it."
"We will." Mike promised "We'll make sure it gets fixed okay? Don't worry."
Nova smiled a little again "Thank you, Kappa."
They examined the palace from the roof of the building across the way. It was a beautiful, strange thing. It looked similar to the Osaka Palace, but it was even larger. Built like a skyscraper towering over all the buildings around it. Like someone had taken an idea from the fourteenth century and lain it over a modern New York highrise.
"She has guards on every level. And on that side…." Nova pointed to the north of the building "The Oni lives."
"The Oni?" Leo asked.
"I've never seen him free from his armor. Covered in blades, and silver. He moves like a tiger, and he speaks like thunder. The empress has some kind of arrangement with him." Nova frowned.
"The Shredder." Leo looked at his brothers gravely.
Donatello looked the building over "If they're being held, they're likely in the lower levels. Maybe even a basement level." He looked at Nova "Can you get us into the sewer system here?"
Nova nodded "Yes. Easy. Follow me."
They went back down to the street level. There were no longer manholes in the stone streets, but there were large grates that allowed rainwater and household waste that was thrown down to flow into the sewers. Nova quickly brought them to one in the back of a nearby alley that was loose of its brackets, and she was able to pull the iron bars free from one side and swing it open like a door.
Leonardo smiled at Nova "Thank you. We'll go alone from now, we don't want to put you in any danger." he said.
Nova nodded. She took the inro off her obi and handed it to Leonardo "This might help you." She said. "If you need them, throw one to the floor and the flash and smoke will help to hide you. There are three within." She said. She bowed to them and trotted out of the alley, and back into the flow of the city.
They slid down into the sewer tunnel, a wide stone tunnel. Donatello motioned "This way," he said, "We're only about a block away from the building."
"Someone's coming" Raph hissed, and Jessie slipped her tools back into the sleeves of her robe. A moment later a patrol of four armored guards came, similar to the men on horseback that had taken them.
They opened Raph's cell "You will come with us quietly." Said the leader "Or the girl will suffer."
Jessie stood at the bars of her cell looking at him with open distress. Raph gave her a crooked smile "Don't look like that. I'll be back before ya miss me."
"Quiet," the leader said. Raph went forward into the hall, and they surrounded him. The leader said something to one of the guards in Japanese and he hung back, taking a position in front of Jessie's cell as the other three led Raphael out of the area.
Jessie swore internally. She couldn't continue with the door. Her mind was racing and fear was threatening to take over.
She walked back to the center of the cell and sat, taking out the boy's book and his ink kit. She opened the box, prepared the ink, and began to put the finishing touches on the painting of herself as a cat-woman. It let her focus and think and kept the fear at bay. She had to think. She had to.
Raph noted where they walked, marking each hallway and each turn as they came up from the dungeon. They moved up long stone stairways, and he noted that the place seemed a lot bigger within than outside. He wondered if that was just perception, or some part of this weird magic…or whatever all this was.
The men lead him up a long corridor, through several sliding wooden screen doors covered in paper, and painted with various scenes. Finally, they came to a large room draped in silk scrolls painted with foxes, and a dias covered in rich fabrics and pillows. The fox woman, now in a hybrid form of a fox humanoid, sat on the pillows with a low table of fine foods before her.
Tama smiled a little and motioned to her guards "Leave him. Wait outside."
The man bowed and did as they were told.
Raph folded his arms "Am I supposed to be impressed."
Tama popped a sweet into her mouth "Saki wants to kill you outright. I don't think that would be very fun, don't you? Not very sporting."
"Yeah? You think the rest of this is really fun?" Raph said.
"Oh come now, look around." Tama said "Isn't this so much better? Even the humans are happier."
"Sure, mind control is good like that." Raph snorted "What's the point, Lady? What's the damn endgame?"
Tama looked at him for a long moment, and then "I'm going to give you a chance. If you rise to my challenge, I'll let you go." she smiled "But you might want to stay….."
"And you gonna let Jessie go too?" Raph said, "I ain't leaving without my friend."
"Is that what she is?" Tama smiled, but her eyes narrowed as she did "Why do you care? She's a thief and a human. A street rat. You are something far more extraordinary. Her fate has nothing to do with you."
Raph didn't answer, he just stared her down.
She sighed. "If you pass my challenges, then maybe I will consider it." She smiled a little "Maybe I will give her a challenge too. Might be amusing to see the little pickpocket run."
She stood and gracefully strode toward him. There were tiny golden bells sewn on the hem of her sleeves and along her Obi, and they rang out sweetly as she moved.
"If you amuse me, I may favor you. I may give you honors. Give your brothers my favor." she smiled.
"You gonna let that…thing whatever it is….stay inside my father?" He said coldly.
"Tesso is enjoying his stay. But not forever. Earn my favor and I will bring your father back. I'll even let your little thief join my children. Don't you think she needs a mother too?" Tama leaned her head back slightly "She's far older than my other children, but…she needs a mother's love."
Raph's eyes narrowed "Sounds great. And I know you'll keep up your end of the bargain how?"
"You don't." She smiled "My dear Kappa. It is best that you know now, that Saki knows now, that you ALL know now that I am mistress of all things. This world is mine. Your life is at my whim." She tipped her head "So…make me happy. Entertain me. Earn your place in the order of my paradise."
"Right," Raph said shortly. "And how do you want me to do that, Lady?"
She clapped her hands for the guards "Good. I will show you."