Up to Chapter Ten! Excited to make it here, especially since there was a long period of time where I lost the motivation to write. Hope you all enjoy this chapter!
CHAPTER TEN
"Hey Donnie, I think I found something!" Mikey said, examining the attic rafters.
"What is it?" Don asked, setting down the stack of interesting old newspapers he had been examining.
"Look at this, there's something written in the wood."
"Something written at the height of the Castle," Donnie said, "Let me see!"
The two of them carefully looked at the words engraved into the wood.
"Mustache." Mikey read.
"Mikey, there's more to it than that." Donnie said, "Here, let's make a rubbing with a paper and pencil."
After laying paper over the words and rubbing the depressions with the side of a pencil, Donnie set the paper on the floor so they could both read it.
"Back to the Beginning, Make a Mustache, Remember the Period." Donnie read.
"O-kay," Mikey said, "Definitely our clue."
"Let's see how fast we can solve this one." Donnie said, "We should contact April again. And Mikey, we're going to need more paper!"
"Sure thing, Don! There's a ton of it right over there." He went to go grab some.
"Not those, Mikey! Those newspapers are antiques!"
King Splinter's carriage stopped unexpectedly in the middle of the road.
Royal carriages are often given the highest form of respect and have the ability to go anywhere without stopping. The last time his carriage stopped in the middle of the road, was the time he had been ambushed and separated him from his family.
So, after grabbing his royal sword and leaving behind the blue one his sons had given him, he quickly stepped out of the carriage to check on the situation.
"Your Highness, we're under attack!" One of the knights escorting the carriage shouted, then immediately turned on his horse and rode down the road.
It did not take a battle expert to see that the knights on horseback were all concentrated on an area of the road ahead fighting Foot ninjas, who were naturally on foot.
However, even though they were on foot, the Foot were advancing towards the knights who were gradually backing their horses.
"Get inside the carriage!" One of the knights cried to the King, but Splinter had other plans.
He raised his sword and stood in a battle stance, when-
Out of nowhere, appearing from the woods instead of the road, was another horseman.
With a battle cry, there was a flash of steel. The Foot in that area were scattered, their steady wall of soldiers crumbled as it was broken apart from the unexpected direction. The King's knights took advantage of this and fought back, and the tide of battle instantly changed.
A few Foot soldiers apparently decided to retreat. Running past the King, they jumped onto his carriage and madly drove it away. A few knights on horseback followed them, even as other knights started rounding up the Foot who had stayed behind as prisoners.
But that didn't matter right now.
Splinter recognized the horseman who had saved them.
"RAPHAEL!" He shouted, getting Raph's attention. "What are you doing, my son? Where are Leonardo and Usagi?"
"What?" Raph called back, his mind shifting back from battle mode as he steered Whitey over to the King. "Dad! I didn't realize this was yours. Listen, the Foot are attacking the countryside an' I came for reinforcements-"
"Raphael." King Splinter said in his most commanding voice, "Answer my question, son. Where are Leonardo and Usagi?"
"Usagi is in this one village a few miles away-"
"And your brother is with him?"
"Leo...Leo! Um, no. He ain't there." Raph said, dismounting from his horse.
He blushed and hung his head, actions that brought immediate alarm to the King.
Raphael does not usually behave this way.
"Your Majesty," Raph said, switching his language to something more formal, "I regret to say that Leonardo is missing."
"...What."
"He got lost. We tried searchin' fer him, we really did! But then we got stuck in this village that was barricaded by the enemy, and the Foot just kept attacking and attacking, and I'm really sorry Dad but I guess I forgot-"
"Raphael." King Splinter said, "How long ago did you lose your brother?"
"Um," Raph said, kicking an imaginary pebble, "It happened on the day we left."
Splinter took his sword out and slashed it through a tree that grew near the road, both to let out his energy and his anger.
Thankfully, he had the presence of mind to arrange it so that the tree did not fall on the road and block their path.
"Raphael." King Splinter sheathed his sword, ignoring the mixtured looks of alarm and admiration that his son and the knights were giving him, "We must search for him immediately, before he comes to harm. Your brother is not used to being outside the palace."
Two knights on horseback rode up from the road, "Apologies, Your Highness." One of them said, "The Foot who stole the carriage got away."
"Then send for another carriage, immediately." King Splinter said. "We must ignore the search for my brother and redirect all attention to finding my son. "
"The search for-wait! Do you mean Uncle Saki is-"
"Correct, Raphael. He has recently escaped from prison." Splinter said, starting to walk towards one of the knights.
Then he stopped mid-step and turned towards Raphael.
"My son," he said, "Did you say that the Foot are attacking the countryside?"
"Yeah," Raphael said.
"Then, this indicates that my brother..."
Splinter thought deeply for a moment, then gave his orders.
"You," he pointed to one of the knights on horseback, "Prepare to send a message to the Daimyo. I will give you the message in a moment. You there," he pointed to a different knight, "Take a platoon and begin searching for Leonardo. You, you and you-I want you to take your platoons to both investigate the attacks and protect the villages. You, take your platoon and follow me as I search for my brother. Raphael, go back to the Palace. In my absence and the absence of your older brother, you must take command and protect against a possible war."
"Yes Father." Raph bowed.
"Poor Leonardo," Splinter couldn't help saying, allowing himself a moment before he had to concentrate on other matters, "My son! All alone, without any friends or family."
Leo was in shock. There was his Uncle, standing there in front of him. This should have been impossible for numerous reasons. For one thing, Oroku Saki had been placed in the most guarded section of prison. For another-
"What's the matter, lost what little brains you have left?" his uncle taunted.
"Looks like you both do know each other," Karai commented.
Leo jumped, he almost forgot that she was still standing next to him.
"Seriously Friend, for someone who clearly doesn't get out much it's a wonder how you know so many people." Karai continued.
"Friend?" Oroku Saki asked, frowning.
"Yeah, he said to call him Friend. So you know him by another name?" Karai spoke off-handedly.
Did she forget that Leo told her his real name when they first met?
"Eh, Friend works. This kid is a hard worker but really naive. It fits." Uncle said, shrugging his shoulders.
That...might have been the closest he ever came to giving Leo a compliment.
"I know, right? I blame whoever raised him." Karai said flippantly.
She didn't notice, but Saki actually looked a little uncomfortable after she said that.
Well, if anyone can be said to have raised Leo...
"So, what are you doing here?" Leo said, speaking directly to his uncle.
"Entering the ceremony, same as you."
"But why?"
Didn't the Foot know who he was? Why would he need to enter as an Outsider?
Suddenly, Leo realized.
The Foot didn't know his uncle without his armor. So if he wanted to get into the Foot, and he couldn't use his Shredder armor...
"Now you're getting in." His uncle said, smirking as he saw understanding in Leo's eyes. "While I'm taking part in the ceremony, just call me Saki."
"You sure about that?" Karai asked, "That's almost like calling yourself Steward Saki."
Saki cracked his knuckles, as if to show that a powerful name was exactly what he wanted to convey.
"Alright then," Karai said, rolling her eyes. "I'll leave you two to catch up."
And she...started to walk away, unknowingly leaving Leo behind with his worst enemy.
"Karai, wait!" Leo said while reaching out to her, but Saki grabbed him by the arm and held him back.
With a quick twist of Leo's shoulders, the two were now face to face.
"I think we should have a talk in private, don't you?" The Shredder asked, smirking.