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Some TMNT stuff really isn't for little kids. |
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Oroku Karai "<"A legend.">" Karai "<...I don't understand.>" Hayashi Toru "<I can explain. Please...>" Toru "<...Come sit.>" |
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Karai "<Very well, then...>" Karai "<Explain.>" Toru "<I thank you for your indulgence.>" Toru "<And you will be compensated for my granddaughter's regrettable error... But not with her life.>" |
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Toru "Ahem." Toru "<You've come to Tokyo while it is in the middle of a war, Oroku Karai. A messy wasteful war.>" Toru "<The yakuza faces a power vacuum, and sadly, there was no agreement on how best to fill it.>" Toru "<Because of this, there is war. We weaken ourselves, and compromise our ability to profit.>" Toru "<I don't enjoy wasting resources, but my chief rival and his allies are... They're not reasonable men.>" Toru "<It would be wrong to accept their leadership without challenge.>" Toru "<You understand this, yes? It's a difficult position to be in.>" Toru "<But then I find myself face to face with you—the woman who brought the Foot Clan into a new century—and I realized, you might be the solution to my problem.>" Karai "<I'm the "legend" you spoke of?>" Toru "<Oh, I beg your pardon, no. But this legend does have a connection to the Foot Clan.>" Toru "<...May I tell you a story?>" |
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"The Great Mongol Horde had just assumed control of what is now Korea, sealing the union by wedding a Mongolian princess to the king of those lands." "And for a brief time, Kublai Khan was content." "But the lust for conquest was reignited, legend has it, by a visitor—" "The god of war himself, Chi You." "They spoke for three days, after which the god had planted an overwhelming desire in the mind of the khan—" |
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"—A desire to invade Japan. They launched their attack in 1274, and initially the Mongols did very well." "Tsushima Island fell first." "And then Iki." "Hirato soon followed, and our ancestors knew fear." "History remembers a small company of samurai that turned the tide of that first invasion, holding off thousands of Mongols until reinforcements arrived and finally turned the invaders back." "But legend says it was one man. One man who made a bargain with gods." "They provided him with a sword of great power, on the condition he return it when the Mongol threat had passed." |
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"But both history and legend agree, at the Battle of Torikai-Gata, the Mongols were expelled." Karai "<And they returned seven years later, and typhoons destroyed their ships...>" Karai "<...I am aware of the history. What is it you want?>" Toru "<I want the sword.>" |
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Karai "<The sword? You think I have access to a magical sword?>" Karai "Ahahaha!" Toru "<No. I'm not a fool.>" Toru "<I don't believe in magic.>" Toru "<...But my rivals do.>" Toru "<I'm more a lover of history.>" Toru "<I believe there are times when legend and truth come together, and I believe the sword from the Battle of Torikai-Gata is just such a time.>" Toru "<I also believe the sword was acquired by the Foot Clan sometime during the Muromachi period.>" Karai "<I've read that it was acquired by Takeshi Tatsuo, who stored it on Hokkaido with other things that he valued.>" Karai "<"The useless baubles of a collector," according to my grandfather.>" |
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Toru "<Ah! But as the saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure. The very sight of that sword would provide me with an edge in dealing with my more superstitious colleagues.>" Toru "<For such an advantage, I would pay almost any price. What do you say?>" Karai "<Takeshi Tatsuo's collection was well hidden. Finding the sword might be a challenge...>" Karai "<...But one I will consider.>" Karai "<We'll speak again. But I warn you, you will not have me at a disadvantage again.>" Toru "Heh." Toru "<We'll see, won't we?>" |
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[A few days later...] Toshiro "<You're what?!>" HUK Karai "<I've made my decision, and I've made arrangements.>" Toshiro "<But... But it's forbidden!>" Karai "<Yes—by the Ashi no Himitsu, which is gone. By my grandfather, who is dead... And by the Foot Clan, which is no longer my concern.>" Karai "<I'm unexpectedly curious, Toshiro. Finding something that has been hidden away for so long...>" Karai "<...This is exactly the kind of thing I've been looking for.>" SHMP Toshiro "Oh!" Toshiro "<It is disrespectful, Karai. I can't follow you on this.>" Karai "<Then don't.>" |
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Koya "Gaaahhh! To make me—me!—fly like that... Trapped in a box, unable to soar, unable to see the sky... Haven't I been tortured enough?" Koya "Aaagh! I'd rather be dead!" Karai "There's no need for continued drama. Our lives have all changed recently, Koya." Karai "The only correct response is to adapt." Koya "Adapt?! How do you have to adapt? All you lost was your grandfather!" Koya "I was crippled! I'll never be whole again!" Koya "...And you're telling me to get over it?!" Bludgeon "Koya—!" |
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Karai "Hh." Karai "Rrraaagh!" |
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Karai "Koya—listen to me. I do understand." Karai "You lost what defined your life... But you still live." Karai "It's time to find a new definition." Karai "If you choose to do that, I'll do everything in my power to help." Karai "But your tantrums are a liability I will no longer tolerate. If you want to die, tell me now, and I'll make it quick. That would be better, wouldn't it?" Koya "No, I... I want to live, but..." Karai "Then it's as I said, I will help you." Karai "But first, let's accomplish our goal." |
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[Hours pass.] Bludgeon "Are we there yet?" Koya "He's right. We've been walking for forever. Are you sure we're going the right way?" Karai "...Perhaps not. I haven't seen a marker in an hour. It's possible I've misremembered what I've read about the location of Takeshi's cache." Karai "You two may rest while I meditate to joy my memory." Koya " "Jog her memory." Would it've killed her to be sure of where we were going? Or to bring a map?" Koya "You could hurt yourself trudging around out here, in all this." Bludgeon "I'm fine, Koya. My ability to perceive is getting stronger every day. It's not like seeing..." Bludgeon "...But it's close enough." |
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Koya "Well, maybe you should use your magic radar to find what we're looking for." Koya "...Because I'm starting to think we won't find it otherwise." Dragon (vision) "Your companion is right." Dragon (v) "You won't find what you're looking for." Karai (v) "Grandfather—?" |
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Dragon (v) "No. Merely a fellow traveler." Karai (v) "Did I meditate too deeply? Am I asleep?" Dragon (v) "You know too well, Oroku Karai, how easily gods and demons can visit the minds of mortals, asleep or awake." Karai (v) "...Or ghosts." Dragon (v) "Yes. Or ghosts." Dragon (v) "I know what you're looking for." Karai (v) "A relic of the Foot Clan." Dragon (v) "It is far more than that, girl. It is exactly what the legends say." Dragon (v) "And it has destroyed all who have wielded it. Is that a burden you seek for yourself?" Karai (v) "I was asked to find it by another." |
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Dragon (v) "People like you don't seek things like this for others. Items of status, items of power, items of significance. No. You're doing this for yourself." Dragon (v) "Speak the truth." Karai (v) "I was asked to find the sword, and that is the truth." Karai (v) "But the more I thought about it, the more it felt like something I had to do, yes. Will you help show me the way?" Dragon (v) "Do you know what you're asking? Do you know the dangers ahead?" Karai (v) "They don't matter. I will meet the challenge or I won't. Now, again, with respect—help me. Or let me go on my way." Dragon (v) "That sword is cursed, Oroku Karai, and it may break you. But you asked for my help with respect..." Dragon (v) "...And so, I will give it." FWOOOSSH |
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Karai "Koya. Bludgeon. Your break is over." Karai "Because now I know exactly where to go." Karai "There." KLIK RRRUUMMMBBBLE Karai "We're finally where we need to be. Let's go." |
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KACHUNG CHUNG CHUNG RUMMBLE Bludgeon "The door!" Karai "It doesn't matter. We're not turning back." Koya "Be careful, Bludgeon. The ground is uneven." KACHUNK Bludgeon "...Whoops..." |
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Koya "Bludgeon! Why didn't you watch where you were going with your stupid ESP?" Bludgeon "I couldn't get my bearings right away, and—" CHRRF Bludgeon "...Koya!" Bludgeon "I sense something!" Bludgeon "We're not alone down here!" |