"Welcome to our lair!"
"Lair?"
"It's what we like ta call our home."
"There is a need to... hide?" Akari looked up and around in awe. Never had she ever ever imagined any place in the underground sewage to look anything like she was looking at then. The cavernous space was lighted with strange lanterns in different hues, and the walls were painted with topside scenery and western calligraphy which, unexpectedly, held its own charm.
"Their world is mostly of humans, the existence of non-humans like us is not common knowledge here," Usagi explained to the white tiger as they were ushered into the kitchen.
"After owning the Sando Brothers I have a hankering for crab meat," Leonardo grinned.
"You... wish to eat crab? After defeating crab people?"
"Yeah," Leo cheerfully responded.
The two white-furred foreigners looked at each other, then Usagi inquired with utmost diplomacy, "Would it be... possible to eat fish instead?"
"Oh sure! We only have kani sticks anyway, they're made of fish! " Mikey assured, fresh out of the shower after successfully getting rid of Mrs. Nubbins' tuna breath of himself.
Leo threw his hands up jubilantly, "Win-win situation!"
"I was going to make deconstructed pizza instead of baked sushi, but considering our guests," Michelangelo bowed to Akari and Usagi, "I think this may be more their style."
"Technically, California Maki is not of Japan origin," Donatello corrected, leading Raphael past the green transparent doors of their med bay to see to any injuries from their series of fights earlier that day.
"Check Mikey first, he's already started cookin'," the eldest turtle brother insisted.
"I'm ok, Raph! Donnie's already checked me over," Mikey replied, artfully arranging the toppings inside the baking pans before popping them in the oven. "Make sure you take a bath, you're the one who almost got swallowed by a giant cat."
"I'll take care of our visitors," the blue turtle volunteered as he ushered them to their seats.
Thank you, Leonardo-san," the rabbit bowed to their host, "We have tended to our wounds." Turning to his companion, "If there is nothing more you need, we're hoping you could explain why you refuse to go home."
The female tiger looked down, "...I was not abducted, I ran away."
Leonardo bent down in front of her with sympathetic eyes. "You don't have to say anymore than you want. You are safe and among friends," he ended with a small smile.
Usagi nodded, "We will discuss further, but you must be famished after our... journey today."
"O-ho! I see you have brought guests?" everyone turned towards Splinter who just entered the kitchen/dining space.
"Dad, this is Usagi," Leo gestured to the ronin, who exchanged bows with the elderly rat, "And this is Akari," who also bowed in turn. "Usagi, Akari, this is our dad Splinter!"
"Gomen kudasai."
"Do not concern yourselves, I am honored to finally meet my son's... friends?" the old rat mutant turned to Leo to confirm, who nodded. "I have heard that you are from another world?"
"Yes, I met Leonardo-san during my travels between villages..." the rabbit smiled, setting aside questions such as how four turtle brothers have a rat for a father, "In my world, I mean."
"Yeah, I was messing around... I mean, training to use my odachi," the red-eared slider quickly corrected himself, "When the portal dropped me off to their world, kinda literally."
"You mentioned you've been visiting their world for months now?" Raph piped up, while not saying 'Coulda told us about it sooner,' by his tone, Leo heard it loud and clear nonetheless.
"Uhhh yeah..." the second eldest turtle answered with a wide smile, "I was gaining confidence the more my odachi would actually do what I wanted it to do, eheh!"
"Dinner's ready!" Mikey's cheerful voice rang as he carried a tray with mitten-covered hands, followed by Raph carrying the other, steaming fresh off the oven. Donnie helped set the table, placing plates, chopsticks and nori sheets for everyone. Everyone sat down to enjoy their dinner, polite conversation flowing easily.
"...A geisha, you say? No wonder you move with such grace, Akari-san!"
"Thank you, Splinter-san," the white tiger demurely giggled behind a sleeve of her kimono.
Finishing their dinner, the Hamato clan leader addressed the two. "We'll have beddings prepared for you both at the common area," he declared as he prompted his sons with a glance, who went off to get futons.
"Oh no, we have imposed on you enough, Splinter-san."
"Nonsense, I refuse to send you out travelling at such a late hour," the elder Hamato waved dismissively as he signaled Leo to lead them.
"You are too kind, thank you."
Helping them into well-worn accent chairs as his brothers arranged the futons, Leo turned to Usagi, "Soooo... we're not bringing Akari back to her Hakutora clan? Is... is that okay?"
Akari sighed, "I'm afraid not. Was it my brother Toshihiro who sent you?"
"Hai. He is the head of the clan."
She fell into silent deliberation, before looking at Usagi, "You have been patient with me, despite our... difficulties. I will let you bring me back to him. I advise you not to do any of his bidding ever again."
The rabbit frowned in confusion, "You have just said that you do not wish to go back."
"I will run away again. That is why you must not involve yourself with my clan any further."
"I can help you escape..."
"No. My brother is powerful and his followers are fanatics, believing us gods descended from Byakko himself." She kept her face neutral, yet her eyes betrayed her sadness, "Having you deliver me is the best way to ensure your safety. May it make up for all that I have put you through."
"But Akari-san..."
"I am tired. Let us end our discussion here," she said with finality, walking to wards one of the futons, "We will leave on the morrow."
~🤍🐯~
"How did you like the baked sushi we made, Akari-chan?"
"It was delicious, thank you," she answered in honesty, despite never having tried sushi prepared in a such a way before. "I must ask, however... why are you all children?"
"So we could play with you, silly!" the four turtle tots answered, pulling her by her paws.
She looked down at her tiny hands, apparently a cub herself, "Where are we going?" she laughed as she ran along with them.
"Home!"
She froze when she looked up at the Hakutora clan's ancestral mansion, "This..."
"Welcome back, little sister..." she heard Toshihiro growl as her throat was seized in her brother's grip.
"N-no! Stop!" she choked as he threw her down on the floor face first, pinning her beneath him.
"Time to fulfill our destiny," he started pawing at her as he bit hard at her nape, "For the purity of our divine lineage..."
She sat bolt upright in her futon, eyes wide and breathing fast in panic as she held her head in her hands.
'I can't... I can't do this.' she moved her arms around to hold herself tightly, claws drawing blood, 'I'm sorry...'
