//------------------------------// // New Opponent // Story: Turtles of Equestria // by Wildcard25 //------------------------------// One morning in Ponyville, Twilight, Spike, and Starlight were escorting Sunset Shimmer, the mutant brothers, and their human pals through town. Today Twilight had something special planned for them, "So you're literally taking us to school, Twilight?" Mikey asked. "That's right, Mikey. I volunteered you all to speak to the kids at the Ponyville Schoolhouse." Twilight explained. "And why did you do that, exactly?" Raph asked, clearly not wanting to do it. "Because you guys are ambassadors from another world. I'm sure the fillies and colts would love to know more about you." Twilight said. "Yeah bros, we got lots of wisdom to share." Mikey said. "I don't think telling kids not to eat pizza while hanging upside down counts for wisdom, Mikey." Donnie replied. "It is when you've eaten an entire pizza by yourself." Mikey retorted. "Well, I think it's a good idea," Leo said, "With the knowledge and wisdom Splinter's passed down to us, we can give the same to others." "It'll feel like we're all senseis." April put in. "Sweet! Casey Jones is going to be a sensei." Casey with feeling hyped. "Oh, yeah, they'll definitely learn a lot from you, Casey." Donnie said in sarcasm. "Well, this is it." Spike said, as they stood outside the school house. "This is the school?" Karai asked. "Looks like something out of an old show." Mikey said. Coming out from the school was the resident teacher Cheerilee, "Twilight, good morning. And how're you all all today?" "We're doing fine, Cheerilee." Spike answered. "And we brought the guests Twilight promised." Starlight added. Cheerilee took notice of the group, "Oh, this is wonderful. Welcome to the school house. I'm Cheerilee. Thank you for coming to meet with the children." "No problem, ma'am." Leo answered. "Please come inside, class will be starting soon." Cheerilee showed them all inside. They walked in and saw Cheerilee stand before her class. The New York ninjas saw among the students included the CMC which they met before, including Snips and Snails. Casey whispered to the others, "Dudes, Snips and Snails are still kids here?" "Maybe they were held back in this universe?" April guessed. Cheerilee spoke up to her students, "All right, class. Settle down, please. Today I have a special treat for you all," at the sound of that the students gave her their undivided attention, "Thanks to Princess Twilight, we have some very special guests visiting us from another world. Come on, everypony." The group walked into the classroom and stood before the students. The kids were fascinated by the group, especially the fact four of them were standing on their hind hooves, while some of the colts stared lovingly at April, Karai, and Shini. Cheerilee spoke to the group, "Now please introduce yourselves to the students." Leo went first, "Hello, everypony. My name is Leonardo, and these are my brothers. Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. And these four are our friends, April, Karai, Casey, and Shini." Donnie spoke up, "As you've been told we're not from Equestria but rather another world." "And in that world my bros and I aren't even ponies." Mikey added. "Then what are you?" a colt named Featherweight asked. "We're turtles." Raph answered. "Turtles?" a filly named Twist asked. "My brothers speak the truth," Leo confirmed, "And we're not just ordinary turtles. We're mutant turtles." "Mutants?" Silver Spoon asked. "What's a mutant?" Applebloom asked. Donnie answered, "A mutant is a creature not born regularly like most species. We were originally ordinary turtles until we came into contact with a substance called mutagen that altered our DNA and our bodies making us into beings who can talk and walk like others." "Is that why you four walk on your hind hooves?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Exactly." Donnie confirmed. April spoke up on behalf of herself, and her human friends, "While we on the other hand are called humans back in our world." Sunset spoke up, "I was born in Equestria, but for the last few years I've spent time in the other world as a human like them. It may be very different from Equestria, but there are similarities." "Any questions?" Leo asked. Snips raised his hoof, "What's with the weapons you're all carrying?" "They're our ninja weapons." Leo answered. "You guys are ninjas?" a colt named Pipsqueak asked. "Well, most of us." Raph motioned to Casey who spoke to the kids. "I may not be a ninja, but Casey Jones is New York's number one vigilante." "How did you learn to become ninja?" Scootaloo asked. "From our late father Master Splinter." Donnie answered. "He taught us so much growing up." Mikey said. "And left us with plenty of wisdom to remember." Karai added. "What kind of wisdom?" Snails wondered. Raph answered, "I was taught that anger is a dangerous ally. It clouds my judgment. He taught me that I need to control it or else it will control me." Karai went next, "My father taught me I am who I choose to be. And not what others make me." "Sensei taught me that my mind's always been overrun with distractions, and to avoid being distracted I should be strong and calm like the forest." Mikey said. "From Master Splinter I learned to always trust my instincts." April said. "He taught me about not relying too much on the strength of the mind but to rely on the strength of the body as well." Donnie said. Sunset put in her own words, "Sensei also taught me not keep a veil of grief over myself as a reminder of who I used to be, or I would never feel truly accepted by my friends or anyone." "I've been taught countless times many words of wisdom about being a leader to my brothers and friends, but I will always remember these special words. When in darkness, look towards the light." Leo finished. The kids listened having felt moved by their lessons, and began applauding. Off to the side Twilight, Spike, and Starlight watched, as Twilight spoke, "It's nice they can finally share the wisdom Master Splinter left them to others." "Feels like he's here with us now, you know?" Spike asked. "I do have that feeling, Spike." Twilight smiled. Meanwhile in Ponyville, the cloaked unicorn was sneaking around blending with the shadows. He hid in a tree and looked out into the distance, "This time I will observe them up close. Dusk Ninjas!" multiple red eyes appeared in the shadows of the tree, "You have your orders." the ninjas vanished. Back at the school house during recess time, the brothers and teens were having some fun with the kids during recess. Leo was showing some of the kids moves with his two swords. With every move he made the kids clapped their hooves. Donnie was fixing Featherweight's camera, and when it was done Featherweight took Donnie's picture as thanks. Mikey was telling kids the story about how he defeated Kavaxas, "And then I used the seal to make hothead open a portal to the netherworld and forced him to go back and take all his ghosts with him!" The kids gasped in awe, as a filly spoke, "Wow, Mikey, you're amazing!" "I know." Mikey answered. Karai and Shini were speaking with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, "Do you used to do bad stuff too?" Karai asked. Diamond Tiara sighed, "Yes. I let my mom especially mold me into the pony she wanted me to be, and because of that my biggest fear has been the idea of disappointing her. But thanks to the Cutie Mark Crusaders I saw I don't have to be a pony I don't wanna be. And since then I've been a lot nicer to every pony blank flank or not." she smiled. Karai smiled and ruffled her head, "You did the right thing, Diamond Tiara. Just because someone tries to mold you into their image doesn't mean you have to be who they want you to be. And I know just like me you'll continue to be a better pony than you ever were." "Thanks, Karai." D.T smiled. Shini spoke to Silver Spoon, "And you make sure not to let your friend fall down that dark path again, ok, Silver?" "You can count on me, Shini." Silver Spoon promised. Raph and Casey were running around playing with the kids, while April watched with the CMC laughing, "Now this is a side of those two I've never seen before." April told the trio. "How do you stand putting up with all those guys?" Scootaloo asked. "It's not easy, but they're all good for a laugh." the red haired kunoichi answered, "And when my dad was missing they were like an extended family to me." she smiled. Sweetie Belle spoke up, "April, can I ask you something?" "Sure, Sweetie Belle." "I noticed you've done a lot of staring at Donnie over there." she motioned to the smart one. April did a double take, "Staring? I wasn't staring!" "Ya kinda were." Applebloom said. "April, do you 'like' like Donnie?" Sweetie Belle asked. April was taken aback by Sweetie Belle's question, and wasn't sure how to answer the young filly or her friends. She didn't have to think about it long, as a ninja star nailed at the ground alerting the whole group. "Where'd that come from?" Applebloom asked. "One guess." April said, as Dusk Ninjas started dropping in like they did before. "Not these guys again." Donnie groaned. "Looking for a second helping, huh?" Raph asked while punching his hands. "Well, we got plenty to give ya." Casey added, as he grabbed a hockey stick. Twilight turned to Cheerilee, "Take the kids to safety. We'll deal with them." "Students, follow me!" Cheerilee ordered, as they headed inside the school house. "Ninja's take 'em down!" Leo ordered, as the group engaged the Dusk Ninjas. Much like before, the team were using their ninja skills to combat their enemies resulting in the ninjas going poof. Watching from the safety of the school house were the kids, with many commenting, "Look at Mikey go!" Snips cheered. "Raph and Casey are showing them who's the boss." Snails added. "Look at the way April and Karai are moving." Sweetie Belle gasped. "Yes. It's like ballet for the two." Diamond Tiara agreed. "Leo's so calm and collect." Applebloom marveled. "And Shini's illusions are throwing those ninjas off." Scootaloo put in. "I like how Donnie's analyzing his opponents moves and what they'll do next." Featherweight said. "And see how Sunset Shimmer's throwing those knives?" Pipsqueak asked in amazement, "She may be my second favorite pony ever." As they got too close to the window, one of the Dusk Ninjas was throw against it going splat like a bug. The children screamed and backed away in startle. Cheerilee called, "Children step away from the windows!" the kids obeying their teacher's order backed away. Back on the outside, Mikey spoke to his bros, "You know this isn't as hard as it was the first time." "Maybe because we know what we're up against." April replied, as she used her magic to make her tessen and tanto strike two Dusk Ninjas. Karai shifted into her snake form and used her serpent strikes against some Dusk Ninjas before becoming a pony again, "Wish we knew where they were coming from." Eventually the Dusk Ninjas vanished, leaving the group confused, "Oh, is that it?" Raph asked in disappointment. The group stood down thinking it was over, until April concentrated, "What's wrong, April?" Twilight asked. "Guys, we're being watched." she answered. The group rearmed themselves, until they heard clapping. Walking out from behind a tree was the cloaked figure, who spoke, "Bravo. What an extraordinary performance, you've all put on." "Who the heck are you supposed to be?" Karai asked suspiciously. "Just a spectator." he answered. The group could see through his lie, as Leo spoke, "You're the one who sent these ninjas after us and from before." "All true. I was hoping my Dusk Ninjas would've roughed you up more than how you looked, but sadly they failed that time and this time." "What's you're problem with us, yo?" Casey asked. "Yeah, why're you sicking your ninjas on us?" Mikey inquired. "To test your abilities of course. And after witnessing you today you all fight very well in your own styles. But still you're nothing but trouble to the likes of me." "I'm getting tired of your riddles!" Raph grabbed his sais and ran at him screaming. "Raph, no!" Leo shouted, but Raph didn't stop. Raph engaged the cloaked figure who dodged and blocked his strikes, before knocking Raph's head into the tree before kicking him aside, "Ok, bad move." Raph groaned. "That guy's good." Casey gasped. "Let's attack him together." Leo said, while gripping his swords. "Smart move." Karai agreed, as they engaged the stranger. With every move they made, the stranger kept dodging or intercepting their attacks before knocking them aside. Leo ran to strike at the stranger, who in turn unsheathed a sword from his back. The sword had a red grip and guard with a brown tassel at the bottom of the grip, and was contained in a black sheath. The enemy used his sword against Leo's two swords reaching a stalemate. "You handle the sword well, but compared to me, you've got a long way to go." he blasted him with magic from his horn knocking Leo back. "Leo!" The group cried, before running over to him. "Are you ok?" Twilight asked in concern. "Yeah, that magic beam was unexpected. "This guy fights just like the Shredder." Karai noted. "Yeah. I wonder," Mikey pondered before calling out to their enemy, "Hey, does the name Shredder ring any bells in you?" The figure answered, "I know nothing of any Shredder." "So much for my idea of him being Shredder's pony counterpart." Mikey shrugged. "Shredder counterpart or not, this guy's not going to be taking us down!" Leo said, as he got up and prepared for another go. He and the figure once again engaged in swordplay, with both looking evenly matched. In the midst of their fight, Leo found an opening and took a swipe only for his sword to shred the cloak off his enemy. The enemy they had been fighting left everyone in shock. The figure was a unicorn pony who like the turtles stood on his back hooves and had hands. His coat was a grayish silver color, his mane and tail were messy and black as night with a big red streak in his mane. His eyes were as green as mutagen. A scar ran across his right cheek, and the cutie mark on his flank was a sword much like the one he was carrying covered by an aura of lightning. He was wearing a black ninja belt like Leo's connecting his sheath to his back and around his waist was another ninja belt containing pockets for ninja stars and kunai. "No way!" Raph gasped. "Dudes, he's like us!" Mikey gasped. "But how?" Donnie asked in confusion. "If I can get close to him, maybe I can read his mind and see why." Sunset said, planning to attack. The figure seeing he was exposed had to make an escape, "It seems I must cut this meeting short, but make no mistake. You haven't seen the last of Blade Swipe." "Blade Swipe?" Twilight and Starlight asked. "Later." Blade Swipe used a smoke bomb to make his escape. Mikey groaned, "I hate it when the bad guys use our way of making a getaway!" "Who was that akuma?" Shini asked. "I don't know, but I do know he wasn't bluffing," Leo said, while looking out into the distance, "We might be seeing him again real soon." Suddenly they heard a big round of applause coming from the kids and Cheerilee who came outside once the perimeter was clear of enemies. They gathered around congratulating them, which they accepted with pride. Off to t he side Sunset sighed, "I wish I could've gotten closer to him so I could read his thoughts." "There'll be other times, Sunset." Spike assured her. "Spike's correct," Twilight confirmed, "That Blade Swipe will come back. So we all must be ready." At Blade's lair, the anthro pony collected himself before taking a seat to catch his breath, "I'll admit those ninjas are unlike any pony I've ever faced in all my years. They would make excellent servants, if I can win them to my side. But that will be the plan for another day. Now I must rest and conserve my energy." he laid down to rest.