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Chapter Seven: Secret Origins Part Two

Don looked up anxiously at the sight greeting him. Normally, he would consider it an interesting educational experience to become part of the virtual reality but now with the too real threat of dozens of angry Foot Ninja surrounding him, Raph, and Leo, the fact this was happen did not seem so interesting to Don.

A Foot Ninja raised his katana up into the air, rushing for Don and swinging it in the air, but Don managed to avoid the Foot Ninja before managing to catch his opponent with a kick but the Foot Ninja expertly landed on his feet. Another Foot Ninja stabbed a spear towards Don but the turtle grabbed it, flipping the Foot Ninja over but just as the ninja hit the ground, he popped right back up.

"I don't understand this," said Don, ducking a sword from another Ninja and leaping up, kicking him back but it only deterred the Ninja for a moment. "This is supposed to be virtual reality, they aren't supposed to see us, let alone attack us."

"What's worse, is they appear they can hurt us but we can't hurt them," said Leo, ducking underneath a chain that was aimed right between his eyes.

"Maybe it's time to start using that to our advantage," said Raph, rolling under a Naginata jab before flipping behind a Foot Ninja wielding a sword before grabbing his arm and his head, before turning him to a trio of sword wielding Foot Ninja. "Come on ladies, let's dance."

Raph backed up, using the Foot Ninja's own arm to block the shots from his fellow ninja, managing to break their weapons from the shots. Leo sprung up and kicked two of the Ninjas right into three more. Three ninjas tossed shurikens towards Don but he managed to duck. The weapons sliced the bamboo trees cleanly in half, causing the tops of the trees to beam Don right on the top of the head.

Splinter looked at the lack of progress his sons was making anxiously, while still guarding Michelangelo. It appeared that a few more minutes at this pace, the virtual Feudal Foot Ninjas would make short work of his sons, due to their enhanced skills and there ability to take insane amounts of punishment.

"My sons," ordered Splinter. "We must become shadows."

A Foot Ninja tossed a dagger at Leo but he just avoided the assault by leaping out of the way before kicking the ninja in the chest with both feet. Landing on his feet, the ninja flicked a sickle from a Kusari-Gama concealed in his sleeve at Leo.

"Guys, time to disappear," said Leo anxiously, avoiding getting decapitated by a rather quick and agile Feudal Foot Ninja before punching the Ninja back with an uppercut. "Raph, grab Mikey and head for the bamboo."

Raph slid over, ducking underneath a rapid fury of arrows shot towards him, before placing Mikey on his shoulders and back flipping straight into the bamboo, avoiding more arrows in the progress.

Don and Leo were left barely holding off the advances of the more skilled, Feudal Japan version of the Foot Ninjas. Splinter leaped up, kicking at the Bamboo trees, breaking off pieces of wood.

"My sons, catch!" yelled Splinter, kicking the bamboo sticks towards Leo and Don. Don caught a Bo staff shaped stick while Leo caught a pair of katana shaped sticks.

They backed off, swinging the makeshift weapons at the Foot Ninjas but a very familiar figure walked forward in the distance.

"Uh Oh, Here comes the Shredder's great, great, great, great, grand pappy," said Leo in horror as he joined Don and Splinter in making a mad dash to the forest, avoiding more arrows being shot towards them.

The Feudal Version of Shredder walked over towards the forest. He looked around but it appeared the mysterious creatures had eluded capture. Feudal Shredder turned around to his Foot Ninjas.

"Send some men to watch the path through the forest," commanded Feudal Shredder to the Foot Ninja. "They won't get far."

The Foot Ninja bowed before complying with their Master's orders, before quickly leaping into the forest. While the eyes on his helmet glowed bright red, Feudal Shredder turned to address the others.

"You others come with me," declared Feudal Shredder. "I have important business to attend to in the village."

The Feudal Shredder along with a group of Feudal Foot Ninjas watched out, observed at a safe distance from Leo and Don. Leo turned to his brother, looking rather curious at what this Feudal version of Shredder was about to do.

"Don, I'm going to follow Mr. Personality for a bit," whispered Leo in a low tone of voice. "Go find the others, I'll catch up."

All was quiet in the room where Hailey, Ginny, and Harry were observing the program. Harry looked around anxiously; his mother had slipped out to see what the problem was. Before he could get up to investigate the problem himself, Lily entered the room, looking rather pale.

"Someone tampered with the program, I don't know how or where they did the damage," said Lily darkly. "Mortu said that he is working on getting them out safely, with the help of Professor Honeycutt."

"What about shutting it down?" suggested Harry weakly.

"It would be that simple under normal circumstances, but as it has been tampered with, any energy disruption could very well destroy them," explained Lily. "I believe the only way to get them out at this present time is to disconnect their minds from the memory pods slowly and carefully."

Harry sat back continuing to watch, hoping they could find some way out of the program before it was too late.

The program appeared to shift to a time that was late at night, although there was now no visual shift due to the Turtles and Master Splinter now being part of the program. A sword smith and two helpers were putting the finishing touches a sword that was custom made for a strange person in a metal bodysuit, who promised he would make sure they got what was coming to them once they completed the sword to their specifications.

At that moment, Leo watched anxiously from above as the Feudal version of Shredder along with a dozen Feudal Foot Ninjas walked up towards the sword smith.

"Sword smith, is it finished?" asked Feudal Shredder.

"It is, the blade made exactly to your specifications but I must say the metal is amazing," said the sword smith. "I have never seen anything like it in my life."

Feudal Shredder snatched the blade up before pulling a very familiar looking hilt from behind his back and then jamming the metal right into the hilt.

"Nor will you ever again," said Feudal Shredder as the sword metal was surrounded by swirls of electric blue light before turning to address the sword smith and his helpers. "Just as ninja are said to be descended from the goblins, I give you the goblin sword, the Sword of Tengu."

Leo looked down at Feudal Shredder as he pointed the blade towards the sword smith and his two helpers.

"And now for your...payment," said Feudal Shredder before blasting all three men with an extremely powerful shockwave from the sword, killing them instantly. The villain admired the sword's craftsmanship. "The sword is perfect, no longer will my enemies hide from me, I will hunt them down and destroy them."

Leo looked down in horror as Feudal Shredder held the Sword of Tengu in the air. Feudal Shredder admired his sword for a few more seconds before setting off with his Foot Ninja.

Moments later, Leo joined Splinter and his brothers over in a remote area in the forest. Mikey lay still, remaining knocked out from Feudal Shredder's punch.

"How's Mikey holding up?" asked Leo with concern.

"Michelangelo is not that well," said Splinter. "And I fear in this dream world if we believe we have died, then we truly will have died. We must be careful."

"Well being careful won't be easy," said Leo in a bit of a sharp voice. "That guy that looks like the Shredder has just invented the Sword of Tengu."

A dark look came over Splinter's face as he heard this disturbing bit of news.

"This is not good," said Splinter anxiously. "Not good at all, we must all remain on our guards."

Outside the TCRI building, the National Guard was outside the building, ramming at the front door with a battering ram, but it remained locked, stubbornly refusing to let the Guard into the building. Another vicious ram triggered large metal plates to come down on all the windows as well as the front door, shielding them from the attacks. Needless to say, the General in charge of getting into the building to conduct the investigation was pissed off.

"My orders are to get inside this building to investigate those weird flashes of light and that's exactly what I'm going to do," said the General in a booming voice before turning to the National Guard troops. "All units open fire, hit it with everything you got."

All the National Guard raised their guns towards the armored doors before blasting it with bullet after bullet, attempting to put a dent into the entrance. After a few minutes of intense shooting, the General waved his hand to get the National Guard to stop.

"Cease fire, cease fire," ordered the General before awaiting the smoke to clear.

It took a couple of minutes but when the smoke completely cleared, it appeared not one of their shots had put a dent in this metal door.

"I don't believe this, it looks like I'm going to need some heavy ordinance," said the General pulling out a communications device. "I want Comanche One, Airborne, right now."

Deep within the TCRI Building, Mortu and Professor Honeycutt were still attempting to disconnect the minds of the Turtles and Master Splinter from the memory pods but all there efforts were in vain. A view screen came up, revealing the Council.

"Mortu, the human troops are attacking," started one of the Council Members.

"This location is no longer viable," continued the second Council Member.

"We must evacuate immediately," finished the third Council Member.

"We need to first save the Turtles and Master Splinter, they are under our care," said Mortu shortly.

"Are there lives," began one of the Council Members.

"More important than the lives," continued the second Council Member.

"Of the Utroms," finished the third Council Member.

"All life is precious, Council," said Mortu shortly.

"True," started the first Council Member.

"But you have a great responsibility," continued the second Council member.

"To your fellow Utroms," concluded the third Council Member before the view screen went blank.

"You must free my friends," said Professor Honeycutt.

"Of course Professor Honeycutt, we will not abandon them, we will find a way to save them" said Mortu before adding in undertone. "And ourselves."

Mikey continued to lay motionless inside the pod world as Leo, Raph, Don, and Master Splinter looked over him, with anxious looks on their faces.

A female scream from another section the forest brought them out of their thoughts.

"A fight in the forest," said Don, straining to pick up the sound.

"Over the hills, to the north of here," added Leo.

"Go investigate, I will look after your brother," ordered Master Splinter as Leo, Raph, and Don set off, attempting to find the source of the disturbance.

They looked through the trees, as an old man and his family appeared to be under attack by some Feudal Foot Ninjas.

"No, no, leave us alone," said the old man.

"Stay back," said a woman who appeared to be his daughter, brandishing a double edge sword as the Foot Ninjas went in to attack her but she somehow managed to block a series of sword blows with her weapon before leaping up and kicking two of the Feudal Japan era Foot Ninjas back.

"You know, I'm really starting to hate these old school Foot creeps as much as the modern day versions," remarked Raph.

The woman propelled herself into the air, kicking two Foot Ninjas back before slashing at the chest of one of the Foot Ninjas, causing him to fall down to the ground, bleeding to his eventual death.

"She's good, I like her," remarked Don as the woman blocked a spear with her double-edged sword before getting two Kusari-Gama chains wrapped around it, while attempting to yank her towards the sickles.

"Why don't we lend a hand?" suggested Leo, as he began to rush into battle along with Raph and Don but there was a disturbance from above as two Guardians dropped down from the trees, wielding swords.

They sliced at the chains, knocking the Foot Ninja back before rolling into action and knocking them back, slicing at them with the sword. As a result of this action, blood began to ooze from underneath the uniforms of the Foot Ninja before then dropped to the ground.

"All kinds of bozos coming to this party," said Raph.

At that point, a group of a dozen Foot Ninjas ran up the hill, ready for battle.

"A few too many, look," said Leo, pointing to the Foot Ninja who had leaped up, knocking the Guardians back and were about ready to finish them off but at that point the three Turtles jumped into action.

Don used his bamboo stick Bo staff replacement as a support, leaping up and doing a split kick on two of the Foot Ninja. It only deterred them for a second before they went back to the attack. Raph quickly blocked their swords with the two medium size bamboo sticks he required before leaping up and kicking them. From the impact, his adversaries dropped to the ground. The Foot Ninjas charged Raph and the hotheaded turtle found his makeshift weapons sliced in half followed by getting sliced into quarters.

"Looks like I'm doing this the old fashion way," said Raph, lifting up one of the Foot Ninjas and throwing him into the air, as a second Foot Ninja rushed at Raph, spear in hand. As the Foot Ninja flew towards the spear, he became impaled on the end of it.

Leo battled one of the assassins, using his bamboo katanas to block the shots before rolling into action and smashing the katana across the back of the head of one of the Foot Ninjas. The Guardians found themselves back up and they leaped at the Foot Ninjas, battling them back with the sword.

The woman blocked a couple of chains from Kusari-Gama thrown at her, batting the chain back with her double edged sword before a third Foot Ninja tossed a chain with a dagger on the end. She turned around in horror, as the dagger flew straight towards her eye but Leo leaped up, jamming his bamboo stick katana right on the end of the chain, causing the Feudal Foot Ninja to lose his balance and tumble into a half a dozen Feudal Foot Ninja.

The Foot Ninjas decided a retreat would be in their best interest, before rushing off away from the mysterious Turtle creatures that had ambushed them.

"Turtles kick serious ninja butt, even in ancient Japan," said Don, exchanging high threes with both Leo and Raph.

The old man looked at the Turtles in horror, disturbed by their unusual experience.

"Save us, save us from the kappa, goblins, goblins," cried the old man while turning to the Guardians.

"Somehow I don't think we are going to get the thanks we deserve," said Don coolly as the two Guardians raised their swords, advancing on the Turtles as the old man and his family left the scene.

"Look, we mean you no harm," said Leo desperately.

"Yeah, we don't want to fight," added Don.

"Although I like fighting," said Raph. "What I don't like is being trapped in this stupid Utrom video game."

The two Guardians stopped as they heard mention of the Utrom.

"The Utrom?" asked one of the Guardians in amazement.

"How do these strange Kappa know of the Utrom?” asked the second Guardian.

"Wait, I know these guys looked familiar," said Don pointing at the medallion on them. "See that medallion, our friends here must be an early incarnation of the Guardians."

Don turned to address the Guardians.

"Look, you work for the Utrom right," said Don but the Guardians did not speak, just nodding. "Look, we're stuck here just like them, and maybe they can help us."

"So can you take us to see them?" asked Leo but he received no answer. "Can you at least tell them we need to see them?"

"We will tell them," said one of the Guardians curtly before they began walking out.

"Wait, how will we know where to find them?" asked Don.

"If our Masters agree to an audience, they will find you," said the second Guardian simply before they disappeared in a blink of an eye in into the forest.

Stockman pulled off a vent with one of his robotic arms, before looking around in the security room. An Utrom was leaving the room just as Stockman came in, leaving the room completely open for Stockman to implement phase two. He climbed down the wall, towards the security control before placing one of his spider arms in a port in the security system, completely nullifying the defenses around the TCRI Building. Stockman decided it would be a good time to check in with his boss.

"Stockman here, phase two is complete," said Stockman. "Security is down, thanks to my genius."

Stockman paid for that little egotistical remark as his contact on the other end sent an electrical shockwave through his eyepiece. While it wasn't powerful enough to kill it, it was powerful enough to give Stockman a severe amount of pain.

"Ow, ow, sorry, sorry," said Stockman in desperation before the shockwave ended. "I should know better, Master."

Stockman began pressing controls on the security defense program, attempting to verify something before talking to his Master.

"I have detected an underground passageway that should allow you and your men to enter the building undetected," said Stockman. "I have just deactivated the security from that sector and now I can proceed to phase three."

Stockman scurried off to meet the Foot in the underground passageway he mentioned. He was not happy he was forced to work for that simpleton again, but due to the control chip implanted in his metal eye piece, he had no choice but comply with each of his orders.

Outside the TCRI Building, the General in charge of investigation looked up. The sky had been cleared so he picked up his communications device.

"The air has been cleared Comanche One," said the General. "Knock on the front door."

A helicopter aimed a missile launcher towards the front entrance of the TCRI Building.

"Roger that, hold on to your hats and hairpieces, this is going to be big," said the pilot before aiming the launcher and blasting a succession of three missiles at the door, blowing a hole through it.

Inside the TCRI Building, Mortu and Professor Honeycutt fell over due to the impact of the explosions outside.

"Oh dear, that can't be good," said the Fugitoid in an anxious voice.

Inside the room opposite of the Oracle Pod Chamber, Harry sprung up anxiously at the sound of the missiles, double-edged sword at the ready.

"The Muggle National Guard managed to blast a hole through the building, apparently," said Lily. "Which means, someone is screwing with the internal security control."

"But who, who could do such a thing?" asked Ginny.

"Whoever did it must have a decent understanding of Utrom technology?" said Hailey frowning. "Someone who is brilliant enough too."

Harry decided to sit down, wondering who exactly had taken the security down. He had several theories but he hoped against all hope that each and every one of them was wrong.

Outside, the General look pleased, as there was a gaping hole in the door where the missiles hit.

"That did it," said the General before turning to the National Guard. "Everyone inside, quickly."

The Council popped up on a view screen.

"Mortu, there has been a security breech," said the first Council Member.

"And internal security control is not responding," said the second Council Member.

"We have no choice," continued the third Council Member.

"We must evacuate immediately," said all three Council Members in unison.

"I agree," said Mortu before turning to another Utrom who was attempting to vainly release the Turtles from the system. "Seal off the lower floors and deploy the security robots. Prepare the Transmat room for immediate evacuation."

"Yes, sir," said the Utrom before walking off.

"But, you must free my friends," said Professor Honeycutt desperately.

"Of course, Professor, we will not abandon them," said Mortu. "If only they can activate the Pod's internal fail safe but that's too much to hope for."

Outside of the TCRI Building, the National Guard was in a battle with dozens of security robots, which had exited the building to block the Guard's progress inside, blasting rapid streams of laser fire at the Guard.

Back in the virtual projection Don, Raph, and Leo just returned from their meeting from the Guardians.

"Hey, guys, anyone for sushi," said Mikey who had apparently woke up from his Feudal Shredder induced injuries and was sitting around with Master Splinter, eating a raw fish roll.

"Mikey!" said the others happily rushing over.

"Ah, Mikey, you bum, I'm glad you're okay," said Raph.

"Now, Mikey, you know not a molecule of that food is real," said Don in a lecturing voice. "It's all part of this Utrom virtual projection."

"I know," said Mikey in between bites. "But right now it's real enough for me."

"Wait, that's the answer," said Splinter in sudden realization. "It is real enough for..."

Splinter was cut off by two Guardians leaping into the forest, with a man in a red robe and mushroom hat walking into the forest. The man untied his robe, to reveal Mortu the Utrom in the hole in the exosuit.

"Greetings, I am Mortu," said Mortu.

The Turtles and Splinter bowed in respect to Mortu.

"Mr. Mortu you are just the man we wanted to see," said Leo.

Mortu raised his eyebrow or the Utrom equivalent of such anyway as the Turtles and Master Splinter began to explain how they came to be here.

Deep within the basement of the TCRI building, Stockman climbed down the wall, before pressing a couple of buttons, causing a door to open. From a deep underground passageway, Hun, the four Foot Elite members, and a dozen regular Foot Ninjas entered the building. Of course, they were not the only ones entering from the basement of the TCRI building at this time. The last one to walk in was the most dangerous of all of the intruders.

"All is ready Master," said Stockman to the Shredder, who had walked into the building behind his men. "They don't suspect a thing."

Inside the pod world, Leo had just finished wrapping up the explanation of how they came here to Mortu.

"And then we became part of the virtual simulation, trapping us here," finished Leo. "So you see, we're now trapped here, with no way out."

"I do see, it is an interesting phenomenon," said Mortu with interest. "You do have much knowledge on our ways but your knowledge of the Shredder is incomplete. You should know that the Shredder is one of..."

Mortu was cut off by the evil laughter of the Shredder's ancestor who had showed up with a half a dozen Foot Ninjas. Feudal Shredder also had the Sword of Tengu in his hands.

"You know, it's quite fortuitous I should find you here, Mortu," said Feudal Shredder holding up the Sword of Tengu. "Now I get to display the full powers of the Sword of Tengu for your amusement and your destruction."

The two Guardians made a dash to subdue Shredder but it was all in vain as the Feudal villain blasted the two Guardians with an electrical shockwave for the Sword of Tengu. The four Turtles and Splinter attempted to go after the Feudal version of Shredder but Shredder blasted them back with a powerful wave with the sword. The villain then turned his attention to Mortu, blasting the sword to the exosuit causing it to vibrate. Mortu managed to evacuate the suit, before the exosuit blasted into pieces.

Splinter hit a rock as he was blasted with the sword and Leo quickly ran over to his Sensei to check on him.

"Leonardo, listen to me, I have little time to explain," said Splinter. "This virtual reality is merely an illusion within an illusion. An illusion of the mind. Control your mind and you will control the illusion.

Leo caught on to what Master Splinter was saying as he looked at Feudal Shredder advancing on Mortu, with the sword in hand and he decided to attempt to concentrate hard, to will the Sword of Tengu to him.

"Good bye, Mortu," said Feudal Shredder, raising the sword, ready to slice Mortu cleanly in half but it disappeared from his hands. "What! Where is the Sword of Tengu?"

The Sword of Tengu reappeared right in Leo's hands.

"It's right here!" yelled Leo.

"Whoa, how did Leo do that?" asked Mikey.

"You want it back?" asked Leo to the Feudal Shredder who charged him but Leo raised the sword, blasting Shredder with an electrical shockwave from the sword.

Leo swung the sword, blasting it towards Feudal Shredder again. Another blast caused Shredder to fly at high speed through bamboo trees and land at the bottom of a cliff with a thud.

Leo bowed down, as the Sword disappeared from his hands. The other Turtles rushed over to him.

"Way to go, Leo," said Don.

"Yeah, great moves bro," said Mikey.

"You are da Turtle," said Raph happily.

The two recovering Guardians picked up Mortu and they walked over to towards the Turtles.

"Your actions demonstrate what you say is true," said Mortu as one of the Guardians took out a miniature black cube. "Here, take this, it should help you return to where you belong."

"Wait if we're stuck in a video game, how can you give us anything that can help us in the real world?" asked Mikey. "We..you..I...oh my brain hurts."

"If this is truly a projection created by our technology then we Utroms have encoded an internal face safe that you can activate by using the virtual reset device you now possess," explained Mortu.

"Here, we go, I hope," said Leo, pressing the cube as they all crowded around Leo.

"Good bye and thank you," said Master Splinter.

"See you in a few hundred years," said Raph as a yellow light began to surround the Turtles and Splinter.

"Wait!" yelled Leo suddenly remembering something. "What was it you were trying to tell us about the Shredder before."

"The Shredder is an..."

In the Oracle Pod Room, the pods came undone, releasing the Turtles and Master Splinter back into the real world.

"They've done it, they've activated the pod's internal fail safe," said Mortu in relief. "But how?"

"You helped us," said Leo before clarifying. "Well not you you, but you. It's kind of a long story."

"Let's leave the particulars out of this, shall we," said Harry, who had entered the room along with his mother, Ginny, and Hailey.

"Yes, all that matters is you are safe and sound," said Professor Honeycutt.

"Still, I can't understand what could have made the Oracle Pods malfunction like that," said Mortu, frowning as he attempted to come with theories.

"Oh but I do," said a sinister but all too familiar voice.

Harry looked up; he could not believe his eyes. The Shredder along with a dozen Foot Ninja, the Foot Elite, Hun, and Baxter Stockman were entering the room at this time.

"The Shredder," yelled the four Turtles and Master Splinter in horror. Harry just glared hatefully at the nasty ninja and Ginny looked rather disturbed at the hateful look forming on her friend's face at the presence of this Shredder character who appeared like he could be about as nasty as You-Know-Who, perhaps even worse to the youngest Weasley.

"No, it can't be," said Leo in a horrified voice. "I finished you off myself, you can't possibly be alive."

"You merely separated my head from my body," said Shredder in a dismissive voice. "A courtesy I will gladly extend to you all, because none of you will be leaving here alive!"