It wasn't often nowadays for Hamato Splinter to find himself making his way through the concrete jungles of New York City. Of course, when his sons were younger, he would often scavenge for food and other supplies to keep his family alive. But his sons were now fourteen and the duties of scavenging were not his sole burden any longer. The boys were able to slip into places unseen and procure food that was far more palatable than the table scraps and garbage castoffs Splinter had been able to find alone. That, and with Donatello's ingenuity, they had a refrigerator capable of keeping perishable items cold and unspoiled. Splinter had done the best he could all these years, often forsaking his own meal, for them to have more. It was so much easier now with teenagers to share the workload.

This evening, however, he had gathered his four sons and declared it to be time for a training run. He sons knew to hide themselves from any human who might be passing by. But there was only so much agility that they could practice in the small confines of their lair. He needed to get them out onto the streets, or rather above the streets, to practice traversing the city. They were excited, as any teenager with limited freedoms would be, and keeping them focused and centered was a full-time task. Finally Splinter called an end to the lesson and allowed them some time to burn off energy. They raced each other to the next roof top, making a game of the jump, challenging each other to do more complicated acrobatic feats. The trick was to keep silent while doing it. A task his youngest was struggling with as he whooped and hollered while crossing one roof to the other in a series of tumbles and flips.

His eldest son lingered behind his brothers, keeping pace with his father, giving the rat a small sympathetic smile. His sons knew to stay within his eyesight, but this one for some reason chose not to engage in the games of his brothers. He was already so serious for such a young teenager.

"My son," Splinter said finally. "Why do you not join your brothers in their fun?"

Leonardo turned slightly to regard the rat and then just shook his head. "Someone should stay back here with you, Sensei."

Splinter's eyes furrowed for a moment before understanding lit them. "Why is that, Leonardo? "

It was hard to squirm while running, but Leo did his best to attempt it at the direct question. "I…I think…I mean…it seems rude to just leave you behind while we…"

Splinter gave his son a look and then picked up the pace to sprint past him. The rat overtook Raphael and Donatello at the next leap to perform three somersaults with a full lay out before landing in a three-point stance by his youngest son. Michelangelo's eye ridges raised and then he burst out into applause.

"Encore!" he crowed as his brothers caught up to them.

"Whoa, Master Splinter," Raphael laughed. "Where you been hidin those moves?"

Splinter gave them an enigmatic smile. "My sons, I am not as old as you believe I am."

Leonardo looked chagrined at his assumptions about Splinter's abilities. "I don't think we ever asked, Sensei. How old WERE you when you were mutated?"

Splinter considered that question. As a rat, he had little concept of the passage of time. He did remember that in his life as a rat, he had seen one Obon festival pass, while perched on the shoulder of Hamato Yoshi. "I am not sure, Leonardo. Less than a year definitely."

You could see his sons' minds being blown at this piece of information.

"Dude…Sensei is like a teenager," Mike said in disbelief.

Splinter blinked and then shook his head. "Not quite, Michelangelo. "

"Rats don't age like humans do; or turtles for that matter," Donatello remarked. But anyone could see that the subject interested him. "At less than a year, Splinter might have technically been a juvenile when mutated, but an adult now."

Splinter thought back to his life as a pet of Hamato Yoshi and Tang Shen; another lifetime ago. There were some things that he could remember as if it happened yesterday. But other memories were as elusive as a dream. When he was first mutated, trying to care for four infants, and he himself was starving, cold and miserable, he would try to call upon those memories as a way to sustain him. His life with Yoshi had been much simpler and, in some ways, happier, despite his status as a common rat.

He shook himself from those times and focused on the thriving teenagers before him. "I received a crash course in infant care, that is true, My Sons." And in turn "grew up" rather quickly. "But that was another life ago. For now, my point remains. I have taught you much, but I am still the Master." He gave a small, wry grin, which his sons whole heartedly returned.

"Come, it is time that we…"

A shriek of fright suddenly pierced the night and as one, the family of ninjas ran to the edge of the rooftop to peer into the alleyway below.

"Stay here, My Sons," Splinter directed going toward the fire escape. "I will return momentarily."

His sons looked at each other and gave chase to their father.

"Sensei, we can help," Leo said. "You've trained us to…"

Splinter shook his head. "Ie," slipping into his native tongue to give his students a direct order. "You will remain here. I will not be long." With that final order, the rat slipped over the side of the rooftop. He nimbly made his way down the fire escape and into the alley below. It would not have been the first time Splinter rescued a human from some type of criminal. He preferred to stay out of the affairs of those on the surface, but his honor would not allow an innocent person to come to harm if he could help it. Splinter sniffed the air and glanced around. The smell of humans was all around him, but there was another smell. It was something different and peculiar; not human or any animal he had ever encountered.

Whoever had made the shrieking sound was gone now. In the alleyway, Splinter was still well hidden from humans passing by and in a city the size of New York, one shriek did not call anyone's attention. With one more quick glance around the alley, he turned to make his way back up to his sons. It was getting late, and there was no way to find the person who may have been in trouble. Before he could scale the ladder back towards the top of the roof, his ears pricked up in alarm. The smell of the Other was stronger and felt acutely aware that he was being watched. Better to go now and quickly before he could be discovered. The ninja rat was silent as he grabbed the ladder, but a hand grasped his shoulder and yanked him backwards sending him crashing into the far wall.

Splinter choked back his own cry of alarm, his teeth clacking together at the impact. Instantly in battle mode and ready to defend himself and escape, Splinter launched himself toward the assailant. Even as he attacked, he noticed something even more off about the man than his smell; even more than the ring of tattoos circling the man's face and the imposing stature. The man's eyes glowed a brilliant blue. Splinter's eyes widened, and he tried to pull back his attack. Better to flee! But the man shot forward and caught Splinter in a vice-like grip. Splinter was unable to look away from the man's glowing eyes. He struggled ineffectively, thinking of his sons not so far away.

"You're different," the man growled low. He raised his hand which also began glowing the same blue. "You're different. But you'll do." Splinter fought against the grip as best he could, but the strength of this man was overwhelming. He growled, feeling the hand touch his forehead…

Splinter awoke with a gasp, shooting up into a seated position, breathing heavily. He looked around wildly. The room was bathed in darkness and his eyes were taking longer to adjust.

"Shhh," a warm feminine voice soothed, a hand lightly touching his head, as she seated herself beside him. The hand gave way to a cool cloth pressed against the same spot that Splinter recognized as being injured. Splinter jerked away. How had he not sensed another presence in the room with him, much less one so close!

"Settle yourself, Kakera," the woman's voice said again. "You were injured in training today."

Kakera? Kakera! Splinter turned to look at the woman so close to him, his hands coming up to fend her off. His heart hammered in his chest as he searched for answers to his confusion. "Who…?" He needed to get away! Find his sons!

The woman backed off slightly and gave him a warm smile. "Just try to relax, My Son. It will all come back to you in a moment. You were training with the masters earlier and took a blow to the head. You have been unconscious all evening."

Splinter blinked wildly at her, even as his mind supplied the identity of this woman. His breath came out in a short exhale, and his eyes rounded in surprise.

"SHEN!?"

(This characters in this fic that are not canon are the brain child of mine and my RP partner Machias Banshee and based loosely on some of our RPs. So, we are going to have to suspend some belief that people in Japan will be speaking English. I do not know Japanese, and even if I did, I'd rather not spend so much time trying to translate. That being said…)

Kakera: Splinter

Ie: No