Wow, it's been awhile since I've posted. I feel really rusty. Anyway... Here goes nothing.
I own nothing. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Master Splinter belong to... Nickelodeon.
It was rare that the ninja master had a true moment to himself. His sons were usually around and had a tendency to be loud. Most of his "free" time was devoted to meditation... or his soap operas. So much happened in even a single episode! They were truly 'must see TV.' Today, however, was different. The boys were out running in the sewers, and Everett had already discovered that his fiancé, Anita, was actually his half brother. Who would have thought! It was a fascinating conclusion to that story arc. Though so many questions remained! He had already double checked that tomorrow's episode would be saved in the DV...RDV...DRVD...VID... tomorrow's episode would be recorded. After a short meditation session those crazy kids still had not returned. So Splinter had moved to the dojo. Raphael and Michelangelo had spent the previous evening repairing equipment after a little 'brotherly spat'. There was nothing left to mend.
What would he do with his time?
Master Splinter looked around the dojo and smiled. He then moved to the CD player Raphael had tried to hide in a corner and turned on some music. Splinter was well aware of the device's presence, but he saw no harm in it so allowed it to stay.
The soft, gentle tones were low and slow. The music was content in the background, and at just the right level to improve focus rather than diminish it. Slowly, carefully and with a grace that seemed completely out of place for a giant rat, Master Splinter performed. Position to position, each movement had purpose and placement. It was one of the first katas his boys had learned, but Master Splinter knew that one should always take the time to keep the basics sharp, for they are the foundation. If the foundation became weak, even the mightiest skyscraper would collapse.
The original kata concluded, but Splinter continued. His movements retained all the grace and precision of their predecessors. The music progressed. It remained in the background, but the flow changed. With it, Splinter's movements changed.
No longer seemed to have a true rhythm, the music flowed like water in a stream. So to, did Splinter.
The precision remained. The grace remained.
The deadliness of each motion had it been performed quickly vanished.
Splinter achieved a oneness with the music that was, to him, an all new form of meditation. The music was his melody, but Splinter felt himself become the harmony. He joined the music. It was beautiful. It was amazing. It was a brief moment of pure freedom he had never before experienced. The oneness he felt with the music was incredible.
This was joy.
Four turtles stood at the entrance to the dojo. All they could do was stare as Master Splinter leaped and spun around the space. This was not martial arts as they knew it. In fact, they were fairly certain it was not a martial art at all. A silent shared glance told each what they were all thinking. "No one says a word."