Karai's Path, part 4/Transcript

YOU'RE NOT ON
NICKTOONS
ANYMORE!

Some TMNT stuff really isn't for little kids.

IDW Chronology
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Page 1[]

[Hundreds of years ago the Kira no Ken—a weapon blessed by the gods—was lent to mankind.]

[When the gods demanded its return, men refused. And so its blessings were twisted into a curse.]

[The sword was eventually secreted away by the founder of the Foot Clan, and the memory of it faded, becoming just another story.]

Oroku Karai "<Do you submit, guardian?>"

[Until now.]

Ocho ""

Karai "<Your end? No.>"

Karai ""

Page 2[]

Karai "<You will promise me your loyalty and show us the way out of this cave.>"

Karai "<If you serve me well, I'll find a way to free you from this form you have been trapped in.>"

Karai "<Do we have an agreement?>"

Ocho "..."

SHOOM

Karai "<It's already morning? We were down there that long?!>"

Bludgeon "At least we have something to show for our trouble."

Bludgeon "A magic sword, another mutant... And that small carving you took, Koya. Is that... Is it shaped like a bird?"

Koya "How did—I mean, be quiet, it was just a—"

Page 3[]

Koya "You must have made a mistake, Bludgeon."

Bludgeon "I—hm. Maybe I did."

Ocho "He made more than one."

Ocho "I'm not a "mutant," sea-beast. I am yokai."

Ocho "I was once able to take any form I wished... But now, the best I can do is change my tongue to speak your language."

Ocho "Freedom from this prison is my only reason for joining you."

Bludgeon "I'm sorry for your frustration. And for your presence."

Bludgeon "My senses tell me there is something off about you. It's Karai's decision, but I suspect you'll bring us nothing but—"

SNIFF SNIFF

Bludgeon "—Blood."

Koya "Eh?"

Bludgeon "I smell human blood. Lots of it."

Page 4[]

Bludgeon "—This way!"

Karai "<These men—what happened here?>"

Toshiro "<Clearly it was fate, Karai—>"

Toshiro "—Forcing me to follow you north after all."

Karai "Toshiro?"

Karai "<...What is she doing with you?>"

Toshiro "<These men intended to ambush you, Karai.>"

Toshiro "<If not for this young woman's intervention, you might eb dead.>"

Natsu "<Yeah. Uh... Well... Like I told him, I owed you.>"

Page 5[]

Natsu "<My grandfather didn't care about a sword.>"

Natsu "<He figured you were too much of a threat to let live and didn't want to take any chances about it.>"

Natsu "<He talked you into leaving and had you watched, waiting to make a move.>"

Natsu "<Look, just wasn't honorable, and that concept still has some meaning for me... So I figure this makes us even, right?>"

Karai "<Not quite.>"

BLAM

Page 6[]

Karai "<Now we're even.>"

Toshiro "<How generous of you to be so forgiving.>"

Karai "<I'm in a generous mood. And I've finally decided on a path.>"

Toshiro "Oh?"

Karai "<I'm not a part of the Foot Clan anymore, but it is still a part of me... And Grandfather's plans of bringing order through control are still viable.>"

Karai "<So I will honor him by seeing his plans to fruition.>"

Karai "<...And I will start with your grandfather's organization. Are we going to have a problem?>"

Natsu "<...No. He asked for it.>"

Natsu ""

Karai "<Then we shall return to Tokyo, Natsu, where we will part...>"

Karai "<As neither friend nor enemy.>"

Page 7[]

[Tokyo. That evening.]

RING RING

Hayashi Toru "<Is it done?>"

Karai ><No, Hayashi Toru, it is not. And now—><

Karai ><—I'm coming for you.><

Toru "<No—!>"

Page 8[]

Karai "<Hah. You should see how he runs, Toshiro.>"

Toshiro ><I'm sure it's very entertaining—><

Toshiro "<—But you should have taken him out with a well-placed arrow.>"

Karai ><No, old friend. He deserves the anticipation of death.><

Toshiro ""

Toshiro "<And yes, before you ask, your reinforcements are on the way.>"

Toshiro "<In a surprising turn all the access codes Natsu provided have turned out to be legitimate.>"

Karai "<Perhaps it was good I decided not to kill her.>"

Page 9[]

Toru "{Pant}"

beep boop

Toru "<Come on... Faster.>"

SHHFF

Toru "<At last!>"

Toru "{Pant}"

Toru "<There. Relax.>"

Toru "<There is enough security to hold off an army, and accessing this room just put them all on high alert.>"

Toru "<No one can stand against such odds...>"

Page 10[]

"<—I am safe.>"

DING

Koya "Hello, prey."

Page 11[]

Bludgeon "I can hear your heartbeat, Koya. It's so steady."

Bludgeon "I can't remember the last time you were so calm. I'm happy for you."

Koya "There's a trick to it, Bludgeon—"

Koya "—I just focus on getting what I want, and it makes me happy."

Ocho "Don't talk. Kill!"

Page 12[]

Ocho "Kill"

Ocho "Everything"

Toru "<No...>"

Toru "<What?! This is—>"

BEEP

Karai ><Did you really think your security was made to stop me, Hayashi Toru?><

Page 13[]

Karai "<I'm insulted. I am no ordinary threat.>"

Toru "<You are no threat! You are no threat at all!>"

Karai ><Don't say things we both know aren't true.><

><Your technological denses have been disabled.><

><Your men have likewise been dealt with.><

Karai ><This is over, Hayashi Toru, and I have won.><

Karai >Your territories. Your assets. Your place in the world. They are now mine.<

Page 14[]

Toru "<They—you—no! I will never allow this!>"

Karai ><The only choice you have left is whether you come out and die with honor, or force me to come after you.><

Toru "<Come in after—ha!>"

Toru "<This room is state of the art, girl. Airtight. Bombproof.>"

Toru "<Enough supplies to last for months—and closed system communication to contact more men...>"

Toru "<...Men who will come prepared for you and your freaks.>"

Karai "<You once offered to tell me a story. Now I have one for you.>"

Karai "<Once upon a time, there was a warrior who had lost her way in the world. She met a nobleman who suggested a quest for a magic sword.>"

Karai "<The quest was a ruse, for the nobleman feared the warrior.>"

Karai "<He didn't believe the sword he'd sent her for existed, and was merely looking to have the warrior killed.>"

Karai "<He didn't have the courage to face her himself.>"

Karai "<The warrior soon discovered two things: First, that the sword was very real...>"

Page 15[]

SVISHH

SVASHHH

SHINZZ

KWHAM

Karai "<—And second, the nobleman's treachery.>"

Karai "<Tell me. How would the yakuza deal with such a thing?>"

Page 16[]

Toru "<>"

BLAM BLAM

PWING KPWINGG

Karai ""

Karai "<You would not be a match for me in your prime.>"

FWIP

SHLIK

Toru "Nyarrggh!"

Page 17[]

Karai "<Did you learn nothing? Your granddaughter tried that against me.>"

Karai "<It didn't work for her. Why would it work for you?>"

Karai "Kiyaaai!"

SSLASH

Toru "Nnghh!"

Toru "<That sword—it is cursed... Using it will cost you your soul!>"

Karai "<My soul is secure, old man—and this time, no stories will stay my hand.>"

SHIK

Page 18[]

DING

Toshiro "<Are you finished now?>"

Karai "<I'm finished here.>"

Karai "<I've seen to Toru, and I've collected all I need to assume control of his businesses.>"

Toshiro "<Your grandfather would have been proud.>"

Karai "<And I've only just begun...>"

[A few weeks later.]

Karai "Gentlemen. I thank you all for joining me."

Page 19[]

Yakuza Boss A "<We know your reputation, Oroku Karai, or we wouldn't be here.>"

Yakuza Boss B "<Yes. What is it you want?>"

Karai "<Ultimately? I want order, gentlemen. And I've decided to start with you.>"

Karai "<You're at war with each other because you can't agree on how to best fill a power vacuum.>"

Karai "<My solution: Going forward, I'll be in charge. Agree and profit. Decline and you'll be removed.>"

Yakuza Boss A ""

Yakuza Boss C "<Agreed. And if you think to pit your forces against all of ours, girl—with respect—you'll lose.>"

Karai "<With respect, I doubt that very much.>"

Karai "<But I don't intend to fight a war just yet.>"

Page 20[]

Karai "<First, I'm going to send a message—to your lieutenants.>"

Natsu "<Maybe they should've said yes.>"

Toshiro "<Clearly.>"

Karai "<There. I believe that message will be understood.>"

Karai ""

Karai "<...I will return to New York.>"