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Some TMNT stuff really isn't for little kids. |
- IDW Chronology
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[The Foot Clan's Genin Training Facility, Westchester County, New York.] Toshiro "Let us begin!" Toshiro "And remember: You must move as one. It is a simple thing, but it will help you learn precision." Oroku Karai "And precision is a valuable asset." Toshiro "<I wish you wouldn't do that to my students.>" Karai "<It serves a purpose. I now know who is able to steel themselves against surprise.>" Toshiro "<Really? I thought you did it because it amused you.>" Karai "<It is good to see you again, old man.>" Toshiro "<And what brings you to the school today? Do you need new soldiers already? These ones are not ready.>" Karai "<Clearly. But no, Toshiro-sa. This time I've come for counsel.>" |
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Toshiro "Students! Continue." Toshiro "<Let's take a walk.>" Toshiro "<You typically keep your own counsel.>" Karai "<Other perspectives can help one find the proper direction. And at the moment I am unsure what the proper direction is.>" Karai "<My position in the Foot Clan has been... Altered, and I must decide how to proceed.>" Toshiro "<If you cannot accept your new place, you must either challenge the master for leadership, or, perhaps, disappear.>" Karai "<I cannot best my grandfather... Not yet. Nor can I leave. No, without the Foot Clan, I am nothing.>" Toshiro "<That cannot be true. What were you before you felt this way?>" Karai "<...Younger.>" Karai "<When I was a child, my father told me stories of the Foot Clan's legendary kunoichi. He told me to remember that we had descended from a powerful ninja clan, and that I should embrace and draw strength from this.>" Karai "<But as I grew, it became clear that he did not follow his own advice. My father had no use for the past. His modern version of the Foot Clan was a legion of lawyers and accountants.>" Karai "<They were as capable of deceit and trickery as any ninja, but their weapons were far less effective...>" |
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Oroku Yori (flashback) "<And why wasn't I made aware of this sooner, Nakamura? I will not do business with the Russians.>" Nakamura (fb) "<Maybe if you'd read the last round of contracts a little more closely, Oroku Yori. It was part of the price of acquisition.>" Nakamura (fb) "<All they really want is a seat at the table. A vote. You're still in charge, and we make a lot of money.>" Yori (fb) "<How much money?>" Nakamura (fb) "<More than enough to soothe the growing pains. The Foot Clan is finally going to be worthwhile. World-class, you'll see.>" [<The fact that my father's mind could be changed so easily with the promise of money that he allowed a subordinate to speak to him so disrespectfully...>] [<It was disappointing. And the opposite of everything he had told me to believe in.>] Oroku Karai's Mother (fb) "<Karai?>" Mother (fb) "<What do you think you're doing? I've told you not to eavesdrop! Why must you always embarrass me?>" Karai (fb) "<I'm sorry, Mother. I wasn't there long, I... I was looking for my book, and Father was busy, so I was waiting...>" SWAK Mother (fb) "<If you want a book, go to our library. That's what it's there for.>" |
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[<I hated when my mother treated me like an idiot... But at least she hadn't sent me to my room.>] [<I enjoyed the rare times I was allowed to visit the library. There was so much to look through, and if I was lucky, I would stumble onto something truly exceptional...>] [<...Such as the Ashi no Himitsu.>] [<My father used to keep it downstairs to show off to visitors, but I had never been allowed to look.>] [<And now here it was, sitting out in the open, more proof of my father's lack of respect for the past.>] [<The book was amazing. It contained all of the history of the Foot Clan—of my family. And better—>] [<—It contained detailed instruction in our methods as well.>] |
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[<And so it began. During the day, I was the proper girl that my mother wanted me to be.>] [<At night, I studied the Ashi no Himitsu, hoping to become what my father could not.>] THWOK [<For years I lived like this.>] [<Relishing each test of my growing skill.>] KRAKK [<It was the only time I felt truly alive—>] MUTANIMALS LIVE [<—But it was exhausting.>] |
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[<Even in my dreams there was little chance to rest.>] Oroku Saki (fb) (dream) "<You have remarkable form for one with no true instruction—>" Saki (fb) (d) "<—Perhaps you are of my blood after all.>" Karai (fb) (d) "<Who—>" Saki (fb) (d) "<I am Oroku Saki, girl.>" Saki (fb) (d) "<You may call be Grandfather.>" |
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Saki (fb) (d) "<You do not fear me.>" Karai (fb) (d) "<I have read the words of Oroku Saki. He died hundreds of years ago, which makes this a dream.>" Karai (fb) (d) "And what do I have to fear from a dream?" Karai (fb) (d) "What—" SCHLICK Karai (fb) (d) "Ai!" Saki (fb) (d) "<Does one feel pain in a dream, Granddaughter?>" Karai (fb) (d) "<You are a—ngh—a ghost, then. Why have you come to me?>" Saki (fb) (d) "<Hah. And still you do not fear me. Very good.>" Saki (fb) (d) "<The Foot Clan have been corrupted, Granddaughter. I have seen it, and I am disappointed.>" Karai (fb) (d) "<Don't be. I plan to take it back.>" Saki (fb) (d) "<And how will you do that?>" Karai (fb) (d) "<By any means necessary. It is due to my father's decisions that we have gone astray, so it is my duty to fix it.>" |
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Saki (fb) (d) "<It is our duty, Granddaughter.>" Karai (fb) (d) "<But... You're dead.>" Saki (fb) (d) "<That can be changed. You could bring me back, you alone. And then, together, we could return the Foot Clan to its rightful place.>" Saki (fb) (d) "<I will teach you things, Granddaughter. Things that have been lost to the years. Things that my heir would deserve to know...>" Karai (fb) (d) "<To draw strength from the past.>" Karai (fb) (d) "<I have seen the ritual in the Ashi no Himitsu. I will bring you back, Grandfather, or I will try...>" Karai (fb) (d) "<But I must correct my father's mistake first, and that I must do on my own.>" Saki (fb) (d) "<I have waited for centuries, Granddaughter. I can wait a little bit longer. But I have your promise. I will hold you to it.>" Saki (fb) (d) "<Wake now.>" "<Wake, and remember.>" "<Remember your promises—to me, and to yourself.>" |
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[<The next few years were spent building my resources.>] [<Finding the right people...>] [<Teaching them enough to be useful...>] [<...And using them in my campaign to rave out the cancer that had overtaken the Foot.>] |
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Nakamura (fb) "—But it was the third one in a week! Surely we don't need to convene a meeting just to approve extra security. We're being targeted by—" Nakamura (fb) "—Well, no, I don't know who. But all the same, I think that we should... I—Yes, sir. Yes, I will request that Mr. Oroku call a meeting to discuss our options." Nakamura (fb) "Thank you." Nakamura (fb) "Unbelievable!" DEET DEET DEET Nakamura (fb) "What?!" Karai (fb) >The Foot Clan no longer requires your services.< Nakamura (fb) "What do you—who is this? Do you know who you're speaking to?" Karai (fb) >Of course...< KNASH Nakamura (fb) "Oh!" |
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Nakamura (fb) "Hff! Hff!" SHUK SHUK SHUK Nakamura (fb) "Arrgh!" Karai (fb) "You are part of the price of acquisition." |
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Karai "<Without Nakamura, my father was consumed by the morass the Foot had become. The stress eventually killed him, leaving me free to rebuild without interference.>" Toshiro "<You resurrected the Foot Clan, yes. And then you resurrected the jonin. Incredible accomplishments, especially from one so young.>" Karai "<And that is my problem, Toshiro. It is why I sought your counsel.>" Karai "<The Foot Clan is on the verge of power that rivals any in its history, yet the jonin I resurrected has chosen another as his second.>" Karai "<Toshiro—if I have nothing to offer but my past successes, what am I?>" Leonardo "So, you've been up here whining to an old man. It makes sense." Karai "What—?!" Leo "And that is why you're no longer chunin, Karai." Leo "You don't have the strength to deal with things on your own." Karai "You." Karai "Why are you here?" |
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Leo "Watch your tone. I'm here to assess this facility for the master—" Leo "—And so far, I'm not impressed. We'll be needing more ninja soon, and the students I just saw practicing are next to worthless." Leo "Are you that bad of a teacher, old man?" Karai "With... Respect, this man is an excellent teacher." Leo "I've seen no evidence of that." Karai "Perhaps you would if you gave him the proper amount of time to train new recruits before you send them to their deaths." Leo "Are you suggesting they have another purpose?" Karai "No, I'm—" Leo "I don't care." Leo "Your opinion is worthless to me. In fact, your only worth is in how fast you can do what I tell you to do." Leo "Beyond that, you're obsolete." |
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[I truly hate this creature.] [All my effort to bring the Foot back to glory could be undone by him in a moment.] [But I cannot stop him without defying the master.] Leo "You look like you have something to say." Leo "Maybe you disagree? Don't think you're obsolete?" Leo "Poor little Karai, of course you are. I've heard you trying to rouse the genin before battle, going on about the honor of the Foot Clan, and taking strength from our past." Leo "The past is where the dead live. Leaders must look to the future." Leo "Hm. Touched a nerve, didn't I? Will you go crying to the master next, about how his chunin hurt your feelings?" Leo "I tell you what—I'm willing to settle things now. If you think you're better suited to lead than I am, prove it." Leo "Attack me." Leo "Well? Are you—" THWACK Leo "—Ngh!" |
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Karai "Hrr!" Leo "This may not be a wasted trip after all." Leo "It appears I'll finally get to put you in your place." Leo "Kiyaa!!" |
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[I know I should not have attacked hm, but at least I cannot be faulted for disobedience.] CHNK [We have fought before, many times, but this time is different.] [He seems slower.] THUT [Less certain in his movement.] [I could end him today, once and for all.] |
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Karai "Kiyai!" KRKK Leo "Unh!" Leo "Nnnghhh..." [After all, the turtle did provoke this fight.] [Still...] Leo "Wha—" Leo "Hunh!" FWUMP |
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Karai "I submit... Chunin." Leo "I told you that you were nothing." Leo "I hope this has reminded you of your place." Karai "I definitely know what I deserve." Leo "And as for you, old man—if the quality of training does not improve, my next visit will not be so pleasant." Toshiro "Hai, Chunin." Leo "Hnh. I'll be watching." Toshiro "<Tell me why you did not kill him.>" Karai "<Because he beat me.>" Toshiro "<I am an old man, not a blind one.>" Karai "<Hmph. I did not kill him because I know how my grandfather thinks. If I had killed his chunin, he would in turn kill me for disrespecting his will.>" Karai "<No, I must change my grandfather's mind first.>" |
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Karai "<But make no mistaken, I still claim victory today.>" Karai "<I could feel his hesitation, with the blade at my throat. He didn't have the resolve to kill me.>" Toshiro "<And if he had?>" Karai "<Then we both would have deserved our fates.>" Karai "<He is weak, Toshiro. An animal playing at being a man. And he no longer thinks of me as a threat... One day, I shall have my revenge.>" Karai "<The turtle will realize that he should have killed me when I gave him the chance. He will know that my skill surpasses his. His spirit will be broken, and I will end him.>" Karai "<Still, he was right about one thing.>" Toshiro "<Oh?>" Karai "<A leader should concern herself with the future.>" Toshiro "<So you have decided on a direction after all?>" |
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[Two days later.] Shorai Research & Development ROOM 6 Karai "The future belongs to those who can take it." Karai "We are limited only by the level of power that we possess." Karai "You all know this. That's why you volunteered. You all want the power to change the future, and I alone can give it to you." Karai "I need only two of you. And so, we will conduct one final test to determine who will move forward." Bebop "Uhm..." Bebop "What kinda test?" |
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KRAK Karai "The simplest one of all." Karai "Last ones standing stay." Karai "Let us begin." |