Two updates in one day! On a roll today!
CHAPTER NINE
"My sons," King Splinter said to Donatello and Michelangelo, "I must inform you that I will leave the Castle today on urgent business."
This was a very throne-room like statement to make, but they weren't in the throne room. As a matter of fact, they were in the attic. Because, after all, that was where his sons were currently searching for their next clue.
"Father," Donnie said, "Does this have anything to do with Leo and Raph?"
"Are they in trouble?" Mikey asked.
"No, my sons." Splinter said, "I presume their journey together is still going well. But there is a very urgent matter that has been brought to my attention, and I fear I must leave as soon as possible."
Mikey and Don gave each other a glance and a nod.
"Then if you have to go Dad, take this." Mikey said, handing his father a katana.
It was a pretty shade of blue, but there was a piece of what looked like stone attached to the tip.
"This is?" King Splinter asked.
"Oh, it's a really cool katana we found here." Donnie explained, gesturing to the attic. "Mikey pulled it out of a stone block over there in the corner."
"Yeah, it's cool but it's not the sword we're looking for." Mikey said, "It doesn't sneeze at all. You should use it as a good luck charm!"
"...Thank you, my sons." King Splinter said, looking at the blue katana in his hands with some small amount of confusion.
"When are you leaving?" Donnie asked sadly.
"As soon as possible." King Splinter said, "My horse is being saddled as we speak."
The two brothers in the attic enveloped their father in a hug. Thankfully he was fast enough to pull the sword away before they gave him their hug-attack, so that they wouldn't accidentally injure themselves.
"Come back soon, Dad." Mikey whispered.
Donnie didn't say anything, he just hugged a little tighter.
They'd been without their father for so long, it was a little hard for them to let him go.
"Tough luck, Friend." One of the Foot soldiers with the blue armbands, who had brought them there, patted Leo on the back. "If we're up against you, we'll be sure to defeat you without too much pain."
"Thanks," Leo muttered dejectedly, slouched as he sat on the back end of the wagon. His feet were dangling off the edge, and the Foot soldier was sitting almost happily beside him.
"They're starting to make bets on you." Another one of the blue armbands Foot remarked, walking past the wagon. "You're one of only three Outsiders in the Succession Ceremony, and a lot of people are betting on how far you'll get before you lose."
"Got it." Leo mumbled.
"If you hadn't pushed the guy we could have taken it back." A third blue armband Foot soldier said, "But that technically counted as a hit, so..."
"I know!" Leo said, "I really didn't mean to."
"Oh, that was obvious." The Foot sitting next to Leo put his arm around Leo's shoulder, "But honestly? This is just too entertaining. You're not going to be able to back your way out of this one now, Bud."
Leo groaned, and placed his head in both hands.
"Will you all knock it off?" Karai said, walking up to the wagon. "The ceremony is going to start soon."
"So soon?" Leo asked.
"They're starting early because Karai is here." One of the Foot explained, "Not all the participants are even here yet."
"I heard we're starting with two of the Outsiders." Another Foot elaborated.
"Come on," Karai said, grabbing Leo by the arm, "Let's get you to the front for the opening."
"Wait," said Leo, "Am I one of the opening fighters?"
"I really hope not." Karai said, "But then again, it might be good if you are. Another Outsider would definitely go easier on you than a Foot soldier."
"Good luck." Said the fourth Foot soldier, in his deep and gravely voice.
"Thanks," Leo said. He was going to need it.
Karai led Leo over to the Succession Stone. Instead of being a simple stone, it was a large, raised stone platform surrounded by stone steps for the audience. Despite how large the platform was and the height of the stone steps, every seat was full of cheering Foot soldiers.
This was where the fights were held. In front of the stone platform was a short pillar, only waist-high, and on this pillar was carved the stone tablet that caused this mess.
"Welcome!" One of the Foot was standing in the middle of the platform, clearly the one leading this event. "Since our esteemed Karai is present, it is about time we begin the ceremony!"
"Ugh," Karai complained, still standing next to Leo.
"Now I know we are not all here," The Foot announcer continued, "So a few changes had to be made to the schedule. Two of our Outsiders were scheduled to begin the first fight, but one of them has not arrived yet."
"So you don't need to touch the tablet to enter?" Leo whispered to Karai.
"There's a few other ways," she whispered back, "Some people use the ceremony to become a Foot without being born one."
"Thankfully," the announcer Foot said, "We have another Outsider in a last minute entry, so the opening fight can begin as planned. Contenders, make your way to the middle of the stone!"
"...What?" Leo asked.
There were only three Outsiders, and he was one of them, right?
"Just get it over with," Karai said, giving him a push on the back. "Foot healers aren't that bad. Just be sure to actually put up a fight, or you might make him angry."
After taking a deep breath, Leo walked to the center of the platform. Someone else in normal, non-Foot garb walked out with him.
Leo looked around and took in the sights from the center of the-Wait a minute, what was he even doing?
How did things progress this way?
How did a simple trip to see the country end with him in the middle of a Foot succession battle?
This was almost as bad as the time Oroku Saki took him to the middle of an active battlefield without any weapons.
Wait a minute...he didn't have any weapons now, either.
"Glad my opponent is the useless guy." The other Outsider commented, brandishing a sword. "This'll be easy."
"AND NOW," the Foot announcer said, "BEGIN!"
What, so fast?
Leo dodged as the other Outsider swiped at him with a sword.
Calm down, Leo told himself. The shouts of the crowd faded into the background.
He couldn't rely on Karai or anyone else to get him through this. This was just like the time before he had been recognized as the Crown Prince.
What motivated him back then?
His brothers. He could do anything for them.
So, how could he bring that motivation here?
Leo avoided another strike of the sword, and reflexively bent down to grab some dust from the ground. He threw it into the Opponent's eyes and then ran behind the guy.
Calm down. Leo told himself again.
Back then, the motivation was his brothers. This time, it has to be about winning a battle. What happens if he loses? Well, he'd get hurt. That was fine, he'd been hurt before. He could live with that.
"Coward!" The other Outsider shouted, searching for him without realizing Leo was behind him, "No wonder you're just a slave to that-"
Name calling. That long string of words was name calling. But not calling him names, oh no, he could handle that.
This was about Karai.
Why didn't this guy like her? Leo didn't know. But he did know one thing.
If this opponent won the battle, he could marry Karai.
Yeah, Leo wasn't going to let that happen.
CALM DOWN! He told himself, and then began to move.
Still hiding behind the other Outsider, Leo jumped on his back. Grasping the enemy sword handle, still in the hand of the enemy, Leo wrenched it out of the Outsider's hand by pulling down hard in the direction where the enemy fingers met the sword handle.
From his experience of being bullied as a servant, Leo knew that it was extremely difficult to grasp something that was wrenched out of one's hand that way.
The enemy reached for the sword and at the same time twisted to try to get Leo off his back, so Leo hit him on the head with the sword handle to create space. The enemy stumbled, shouting in surprise, as Leo jumped off his back with the sword now in his hand.
Leo bounced backwards several steps, and then stopped. Standing with the sword pointing ahead of him, in a pose that his father had taught him as a child, Leo waited for the next move of the-
"I surrender!" The enemy shouted, and then he turned back from an enemy into a whimpering Outsider, kneeling down with both arms up.
...What?
Leo suddenly realized that the noise he had been ignoring was the crowd, cheering for the winner.
Him. The winner was him.
"AND WHAT A SURPRISE!" The Foot announcer shouted, "I think a few people became rich today, be sure to cash in on your bets! That may have been a short fight, but it's clear that we have a promising new Foot recruit and a true contender. What a great opening battle for this succession ceremony!"
Um, okay. He made it through somehow.
Leo handed the sword back to the fallen and now sniveling opponent, then made his way back to Karai. She was still standing at the edge of the platform.
"Great going," she said sarcastically, "Now you're in the next battle too. You could have lost this one, you know."
Leo groaned, facepalming.
"You got really upset at whatever he told you," Karai said, "What did he say?"
"Nothing." Leo muttered into his hand.
"Well, whatever it was, don't let it get into your head again. And just so you know," Karai said, "The third Outsider arrived while you were fighting, and mentioned he knows you. Said he would stop by to say Hello once the fight ended."
"Really?" Leo said, looking up. "What did he look like?"
"Older." Karai frowned, "Seriously, I think he's older than the age cutoff. Not looking forward to turning him down if he wins. I'm pretty glad you fought the easy guy instead of this one."
Easy guy? The guy he fought had a sword!
"But I'm amazed at you, idiot. How do you manage to know so many weird people?"
"Must be a gift." Leo quipped, too exhausted to be very polite. "Is he still around?"
"Yup, coming up behind you." Karai explained.
Leo turned around, and saw the last person in the world he expected to see. Or wanted to see.
"Ack! What are you doing here?" Leo asked, taking a step back defensively.
With a growl and clear hatred in his eyes, Oroku Saki crossed his arms. "I could ask you the same question, Brat."