CH:12 Origin Story

All of us are gathered in the dojo with the sensei holding a piece of fabric. Sitting facing the turtles and I as we are all resting on our knees in a row, we look at him with wide eyes.

Master Splinter heaves a big sigh before saying, "My son's, I never told you the full truth of how we came to be what we are before, as I feared that your training would be tainted with anger and vengeance as mine is."

"Yay! Bedtime story!" Mikey cheers.

Raphael smacks him in the back of the head making Mikey yell, "Ow!" Then Raph scolds him saying, "Don't interrupt."

Sensei shakes his head with a chuckle before he continues, "Well I told you four, many times about my beloved Master Yoshi but now I shall tell you all the truth of how he died..." He pauses for a moment, stroking his beard tuff before continuing. "At the hands of the Shredder."

The turtles and I all exchange looks before we all look back at Master Splinter with wide eyes waiting for him to continue.

"As you four know, my master was a ninja of great power. One of the greatest practitioners of ninjutsu in many centuries. I was his pet rat, and while my master was training, my cage was kept in his dojo. It amused him to see me mimic his movements... but it was more than mere mimicry. Slowly, through observation, I learned his art - The mysterious martial art of ninjutsu! I could not have had a better teacher, for it was said that Hamato Yoshi was the greatest shadow warrior of his clan. Yoshi was one of the famous Foot Clan, the most feared warriors and assassins in all Japan. Another member of the Foot Clan, Oroku Nagi, was Yoshi's rival. He and my master competed fiercely in all things... especially for the love of a young woman, Tang Shen. Both tried to win her heart, but from the start she only loved one. My master, Hamato Yoshi. Nagi was insanely jealous. One fateful night, he went to Tang Shen's home and demanded that she love him. She refused. In a rage, Nagi began to beat her. At that same moment, Yoshi entered the room... and saw Nagi poised to strike over Shen's bleeding body! Yoshi's world vanished in a red haze... and when it cleared, Nagi was no more. But Yoshi's shame was great. By killing another member of his clan, he had dishonored himself. His choices were simple, but not easy... To take his own life, and hope for honor in the next, or flee with Shen to another country and try to start a new life. He chose the latter, taking along with him a few belongings, including me, and came with Shen to New York City. Here my master started a new clan, the Hamato Clan, and prospered.

"Meanwhile in Japan. Nagi's family, especially his younger brother, Saki, were morning his death. The seven-year-old Saki vowed vengeance on Yoshi. The Foot took hold of Saki's anger and used it to bend him to their own purposes. Saki began intensive training in the ninja art, and soon surpassed his teachers. As he grew older, his hatred of Yoshi grew deep and bitter.

"At eighteen he proven to be their most cunning and proficient assassin and able to lead. So the head of the Foot Clan choose to send him to United States to be the leader of their New York Foot Clan branch. He took the offer since it was his chance to avenge his brothers death. Saki moved quickly, within a year he had built the New York Foot into a force to be reckoned with. Under Saki's leadership, the Foot was soon dominant in many criminal activities. Among them drug smuggling and arms running... and their specialty, assassination. Saki, now called the Shredder, was very successful. Even though the Hamato Clan tried to foil their plans, they rarely succeeded. But even with all his success, Saki was not satisfied. In his dark heart burned a fierce hatred for Yoshi and Shen.

"For many years I was happy, we were a family. But that all ended when the Shredder sent his Foot Ninja to attack my master. My master battled honorably, but through their dishonorable ways the Foot Ninja overpowered him and killed his wife before his eyes."

Splinter let out a long sigh and put down the piece of fabric before he looks back up at us and continues, "Then the Shredder entered. They accused my master for working for their enemies and being a traitor to the Foot Clan. They wanted information. They were relentless. But my master only said one thing, "He who lives without honour, will end without honour." Right before he passed out. To which the Shredder said, "This is a waist of time. Finish him." I tried to save my master, but my efforts were in vain. Although I did leave my mark on the face of a big brute of a man before he threw me out the window. I grabbed onto the ledge, but I could barely hold on. Then I heard the shredder say, "I will finish you, myself!" I heard a slashing sound right before my strength gave out and I fell to the garbage filled alley bellow. The shredder had taken my beloved Master Yoshi from me. From the world." Splinter says with a shaky breath.

Taking a deep breath before continuing, "But I had to go on living as a common rat on the streets. I made an nice burrow in the sewers and lived every day just to survive.

"Atleast until one fateful day. It was a day that started just like any other, but ended changing the course of many lives." Sensei pauses looking at the turtles, " I know that you four all know the rest of the story but I shall go into greater detail for our friend here." Splinter finishes saying with a smile towards me.

With a stroke of his beard tuff he says, "Now were was I... Oh right! I witnessed an accident. A young boy carried a jar with four pet baby infant turtles. An old blind man was crossing the street, when he was almost run down by a large truck. Another man came running out of the crowd to help save the blind man, bumping the young boy by accident during his heroic deed. The young boy dropped the jar of turtles and they crashed into a little stream, flowing down towards a drain. As the truck swerved a metal canister bounced out of the back, hitting the boy in the head before getting swept way down the same drain as the turtles. It smashed open releasing a green glowing ooze that covered their bodies. I took pity. Gathering them up a coffee can, getting covered in the same ooze in the process. Then I took them to my burrow.

"The next morning, I had awoke to find the four had doubled in size! The ooze had affected their growth. It changed me also, making me larger and more intelligent. They followed me everywhere, except above ground. I knew the people of the surface would not understand. We are so... different." At this he paused and looked at me saying, "Unfortunately now my dear, you must live this life as well." I nodded in acknowledgement as I remembered Casey's and April's reaction when they saw me.

Sensei gave me a sad smile before he continues, "I was amazed by their dexterity. But even so, I was not prepared for what happened one day. One actually said a word... my name!" At this Master Splinter glances at Leo before finishing his recollection, "Soon they were all speaking, with intelligence following soon after that. Realizing that sometimes the world above is a dangerous place, I began teaching them ninjutsu, the secret arts of stealth and power, and all that I knew of this world.

"From a battered book on renaissance art that I fished out of a storm drain, I chose names for each of them. Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo." Sensei gestures to each of them as he says their names, and they all nod in return. Splinter finishes by saying, "That was nearly 19 years ago now." He looks down with a solemn look in his eyes.

"Wow! So you really raised the turtles from infancy?! You truly are like a father to them." I couldn't help but admire the love and affection Splinter shows.

"Heh heh, yes." He says as he strokes his beard tuff right before he gets serious and continuous saying, "But now we have a pressing matter to discuss. This sword." At this he gestures to the sword that's been laying on the floor between all of us this whole time. "We cannot allow this to fall in the wrong hands"

I looked down at the sword, holding my chin and thinking hard about how we can safely utilize it.

Donny speaks up saying, "I believe if I put it in a lead-lined box, that should stop the foot ninjas from detecting it."

This gives me an idea so I say, "And then we could hook that sword-box up to your guys's own power grid so you don't have to rely on the City's power anymore."

This suggestion makes Donny look at me with really wide eyes before he stammers out, "D-do you think t-thats possible?"

I smile at him before replying, "Shouldn't be too hard to integrate it into your technology, I'll help you with it tomorrow." The moment I say this Donny blushes really hard before agreeing.

And with that the turtles and Sensei all get up and start heading off to their respective bedrooms. I stay rooted to the spot looking down at the floor, really not sure where to go or what to do. Just as I am about to give in and retire to the couch, I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look over and see Leonardo standing behind me.

"Oh hey", I say as I get to my feet.

Leo smiles at me and says, "You can crash in my room for the night if you like. I'll take the couch", he offers quite chivalrously making me blush.

"Thanks Leo, I really appreciate it." and just for the hell of it I gave him a little kiss on the cheek before I went off to bed leaving him rooted to the spot.

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Hey readers!

Sorry if I don't wright as meny chapters today as this one needed lots of fact-checking, making it quite a bit more time consuming. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy!

Cheers!