Getting Murphy

Rated K

Disclaimer: I don't own them. heavy sigh. Nor do I own Murphy and his law thank goodness.

Mike scowled, his brow showing deep concentration, "Ooooh, I'm never gonna get this." he muttered in frustration.

"Get what Mike?" Don asked as he looked up from the checker board, where he and Leo were playing the game.

"This game of mine, Splinter got for me." Mike replied holding up the hand held game.

Raph glanced over, "It's not just your game," he protested, "Master Splinter said it was all of ours." He countered quickly, " Let me play Mikey."

Mike clutched the toy tighter, " I just got it" He whined.

" You aren't gonna beat Donny's score." Raph taunted a grin crossing his beak.

" I might." Mike refuted.

" Give it here. I'll show ya how to do it" Raph offered.

" Uh-uh." Mike shook his head quickly back and forth as he rose to his feet.

Raph gave a strange grin and dived towards Mike tripping his brother up as Mike went to run, the toy flew out of his hands and up in the air crashing down on the concrete floor of the sewer pipe.

" Look at that, you wrecked it Raph!" Mike yelped.

"Well it's your fault!" Raph disputed quickly, " You should've given it to me when I asked."

Don got up and picked up the toy, " I think it's all right. The batteries fell out, they got to be around here. Lets just look for it."

The four young seven year old turtle children began to look everywhere in typical children fashion they stood and looked around the general area complaining " I can't find it. Can you?"

" What are we looking for again?" Mike asked curiously.

Raph smacked Mike, "Don't be such an idjit!"

Splinter entered the room, " What are you searching for my sons?" he wondered his brow furrowing slightly.

"The batteries for the game, they uh...fell out." Leo replied after glancing quickly at his brothers

" Did you forget you have a lesson in the dojo now?" Splinter asked, the four, the sudden surprised and crestfallen faces assured the ninja Master that the four had gotten caught up in their games and had indeed forgotten about the regular classes they had in the training room. " That is all right we will forgive it for now, let's all go in for your lesson and we can look for the batteries later." Splinter assured them, " They probably rolled somewhere under the furniture."

The young turtles quickly filed into the dojo, a room with training mats, and a few weapons that Master Splinter had acquired from somewhere at some time or other. Leonardo had taken a liking to the lessons they had in the dojo, and he was eager to start off. He was quite sure he would impress his father yet again with how well he could perform the kata they had been working on.

Splinter stood before them and watched as his young students bowed, he bowed in return. "Let us do some warm up exercises." He suggested leading them through some simple moves and stretches to get them ready and a few running races around the dojo. He clapped his hands once, and the four turtles quickly fell into place on the mat.

" You have all been doing so well on the kata that you have been shown I thought it was time to teach you some new move that will be used in a different kata." Splinter informed them, "Now pay attention and I will show you."

Leo watched intently, focusing on his father's every move, the stance he took, the movement of both hands and legs. Of course his Sensei was doing these moves quite slowly, and explaining each step so they would better understand. He was sure he would have no problem in performing this new move, it looked fairly simple really. Leo was slightly eager to show how well he could do.

"Now, when done properly it would look more like this," Splinter remarked as he performed the move at the proper place.

"Whoa kick a..."

" Raphael! None of that." Splinter snapped quickly his stick gently smacking the child's legs.

Raph scowled, " What?" he demanded.

" You know very well what you have to mind your lang...lang..." Leo began in a hushed voice.

" Language." Don supplied.

" Yeah, that...in the dojo!" Leo exclaimed loudly.

" Leonardo, Raphael is quite aware of the rules" Splinter chided, " lets see if you were paying attention, come and demonstrate the move for us."

Leo flushed a little even though heknew he had been paying attention, but he stepped forward eagerly, ignoring the snickers from Raph and Mike about getting caught. Though their guffaws quickly died when the Master turned sharp narrowed eyes on them. Leo tried to hide his smirk and decided to do his best to do the move exactly as Splinter had, at the proper speed that is, because it wasn't that hard to perform.

The young turtle determined to wow his mentor, took a stance and gave it all that he had, but in his haste to do the move, he overbalanced himself in the kick and he toppled to the mats causing his brothers to crack up laughing.

" Good one Leo"

" Do that again bro!"

Splinter glowered at the other three, " Enough, remember you will have to do this soon too." The Master informed them sharply, " Leonardo, you must slow down and let your body become familiar with the moves, speed comes later my son, now is the time to get the move right" He advised gently.

" Hai Master," Leo agreed as he stood up but as he put weight on one leg he winced.

" What is wrong Leonardo?" splinter asked suddenly concerned.

" I don't know it hurts." The blue masked turtle sniffed.

" What hurts and where?" Splinter asked.

" Here" Leo rubbed at his left ankle.

" You may have twisted it the wrong way." Splinter picked the boy up, and turned to the other three, " Work on the kata you are familiar with until I return." He ordered as he packed Leonardo out to the living room and set him down on the couch. He then went to the kitchen to retrieve a herbal liniment that he kept on hand for sprains and strains, as well as an ice pack. He propped Leo's foot up on a pillow and applied first the herbal remedy then the ice pack. " Stay there and rest it. It should be fine in time." Splinter smiled tenderly.

Leo sniffed, " But I'll miss the lesson."

" You will not be that far behind my son consider this instead a lesson to be patient or you will find things will go wrong on you. It is Murphy's law." Splinter replied as he rose to leave the room.

Leo scowled watching his Master leave for the dojo, ' Who is Murphy?' Leo wondered.

After the lesson the other three turtles and Splinter cheeked for the batteries, but none of them could find the missing part to run the small video game. Splinter sighed softly, " It seems Murphy's law is working well today. You will have to amuse yourself with something else my sons. I must go prepare lunch."

Leo who'd been sitting quietly watching spoke softly " Do you guys know who Murphy is?"

Raph shook his head, " The only ones I know are us." He answered a baffled look on his face. "Maybe he thinks Mikey had something to do with it but he doesn't want to say so."

" Uh-uh" Mike protested.

" Well you wrecked the game. Splintah doesn't want us blamin' ya is all." Raph pointed out.

" You wrecked it!" Mike shot back, " You jumped me."

" Did not"

"Did too Raph."

Raph went over and shoved Mike, " You did."

" Didn't" Mike pushed back.

For a moment there was the bickering back and forth followed quickly by Raph trying to punch Mike.

Don ran for the kitchen as his two brothers started with blows, " Master Splinter, Mike and Raph are fighting" the young turtle informed his father as he skidded to a halt in the kitchen.

Splinter sighed and rolled his eyes before turning to head in the other room, to see Mike and Raph rolling on the floor kicking and squabbling over whose fault it was. Splinter snapped, " Enough!" But the two combating turtles either didn't listen or hear. The rat's tail lashed the floor and his ears laid back, " That is enough my sons." He barked loudly, " Stop it this instance."

To back his words the Master dived in grabbed one of the turtles and pried him loose from his brother wedging his walking stick between the two to force them apart, " That is quite enough of that both of you." Splinter glowered at the two of them before he could continue.

Don sniffed, " Something smells like it is burning." He said.

Splinter realized he had left the can of soup on the stove and rushed to the kitchen to see if lunch could be salvaged.

" Splinter wasn't happy with you two" Leo remarked.

"It's his fault" Raph insisted pointing at Mike.

Mike stuck his tongue out at his brother, and headed for the kitchen, " Sensei, when's lunch? I'm starrrrr-ving."

Splinter turned and looked at Mike, " It will be shortly and might be quicker if I wasn't interrupted so much." Splinter replied in a frazzled way, that was common to parents everywhere, " Tell the others to wash up."

" Okay!" Mike grinned as he turned to let his brothers know he heard Splinter muttering something, the orange bandanna turtle paused, " Sensei, what was that you said?" He inquired puzzled.

" I was merely commenting to myself that Murphy's law and children go hand in hand." Splinter replied with a small smile, " Now go tell your brothers to get cleaned for lunch."

Mike headed into the living room and informed his brother's of what Splinter had said, he saw Don using a staff from the dojo to sweep out from under the couch, he was about to yell that Don had a weapon out of the dojo when he spied the batteries for the game.

"Cool bro, you found them." Mike smiled, "After lunch I call the game. Your a hero Don."

The young turtle beamed with pride at those words, " I was just wondering if they had rolled far under and I needed something with a long reach. My arm isn't long enough." Don explained bursting with pride, " I'll put this away." He gestured to the staff in hand, " Then I will come for lunch."

XXX

It was after lunch that Don popped the batteries into the game and turned it on giving it a test run to see how it worked, " It's good to go Mike."

" I want a turn," Raph complained.

" But..." Mike began then heaved a sigh, " All right Raph you can have the turn." He relented, he'd had enough of fighting with Raph and even though he really wanted to play the game he felt it wasn't worth it.

Raph tried a couple of times and a dark look crossed his face every time the game seemed to get the best of him, finally irritated at the music it played he flung it across the room, where it broke. "Stupid thin." Raph grouched glaring at the broken case and wires.

" Raph you broke it!" Mike wailed in shock, his eyes large.

Don glowered, " That was all of ours."

" Well, it broke before and I think it was still broke Donny it wouldn't let me win." Raph claimed innocently.

" It wasn't broken the batteries were missing and I found them." Don began.

" And fixed it so fix it again." Raph stated.

Don looked at the mess, " I don't know if I could." He lamented miserably.

Splinter came in and saw the crestfallen faces, and the wreck game, " What happened my sons?"

" Raph got mad..." Mike started but Raph clamped a hand over his brother's mouth.

" It slipped Sensei honest, it broke by accident." Raph insisted.

Splinter gave a shrewd look to his son and sighed as he sat down in his favourite chair, " Today is a very Murphy day. I can not wait for it to end." He glanced at the faces, " Why don't you go play in your room and keep Leonardo company, as he must rest his foot."

Don scowled as they headed for the bedroom, wondering why they were all being punished when it was clearly Raph's fault, and of course also wondering about who Murphy was. " Do any of you know who or what Murphy is?" Don inquired of his brothers once they entered the bedroom they all shared. " It isn't the first time he mentioned that name."

" He said it again?" Leo pounced, " When, where and why?" He demanded to know putting aside his book that he'd been reading.

Mike pounced quickly blurting out, " Before lunch I heard Sensei say it was Murphy's law." He announced proudly.

" Murphy's law?" Don asked.

Mike nodded quickly, " I heard him."

" A law like the police follow up topside." Don murmured. They all knew a little bit about that Splinter had told them everyone had rules to follow, and up above there were rules that were called laws. The police job was to go around and make sure no one broke these special rules and stopped those who tried to.

" Murphy made a law. I wonder what the law is?" Leo wondered aloud.

" Just a moment," Don scuttled out of the room and returned moment's later a look of eager anticipation in his eyes as he quickly squeezed into the small huddled circle of his brothers, " I asked Sensei about Murphy's law he says that the law is; if anything can go wrong it will and at the most in---inopportune--time." Don finished the hard word and puffed up his small chest a bit for getting the word right.

" Inopper whata?" Raph asked his brow furrowing in frustration.

" At the worst time." Don replied knowingly, though he himself had only just learned it.

"Well that's a stupid law!" Leo shook his head, " That's got to be wrong, why would people want a law like that."

" Do police have to make sure you don't break it?" Mike gasped as he glanced around nervously.

Raph hit Mike on the back of his head, "Well of course Mike Splinter said that the police gotta make sure everyone obeys the laws." He declared, " But why do we want things going wrong."

"Not just going wrong but at the worst moment" Don added seriously, "That law has to be changed. We gotta get Murphy to change the law."

Leo scowled, " Can we do that?"

Don shrugged, " It is his law Leo he should be able to change it."

Raph ran over to the toybox and found a skipping rope, that they used for such games as tying one another up, some jacks, and water spray guns. " Let's go find Murphy and kick him until he changes the law then."

XXX

Splinter sat relaxing in his favourite chair, his sons were quiet for the moment, but he was not too concerned just yet, like any parent he was fully aware that when children became quiet they were often up to something but he had heard nothing to disturb his one bit of peace, and he did wish to let it linger if only for a few seconds more. Besides Donatello had come in just a few minutes before asking about Murphy's law, the inquisitive turtle child had more then one opportunity to hear the words about Murphy's law today.

'Though I hope Murphy is done with us for today, for I am well done with him.' The Master reflected as he took a sip of his tea, suddenly he heard whispering.

" If he's lurking around here. Will get him."

"Boy he is soooo going get it" Mike chuckled.

Splinter rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh as he rose from his chair deciding now was the time to investigate before things got too far. He noted that even Leo was out of his bed sprawled under the kitchen table holding the end of a rope, Raph at the other end, jacks were sprinkled on the floor like a miniature version of caltrops that ninja used to scatter and hinder the enemy by way of tender feet getting poked. Splinter arched a bushy eyebrow as he looked to see Don and Mike with loaded water pistols.

" Dare I ask what is going on here?" He inquired.

"We set a trap for Murphy we are going get him to change his law." Mike piped up cheerfully. " It is a stupid law and the police shouldn't have to make sure people obey that."

Splinter's whiskers twitched, his tail slapped the floor in sudden amusement, his body began to shake and the old rat began to laugh and laugh, while four pairs of astonished eyes stared at their father and then turned to one another, before inexplicably being drawn back to their father as if to say, " That's it he's had it. He's finally cracked!'

Splinter dropped his one arm to hold his left side, and with the other he dried a tear, as he gasped for air trying to calm himself, with a quick meditation. Finally with breath hitching Splinter stared at his four sons, " No, you misunderstand my sons. Murphy is not a real person, rather his law is a saying that people use when things go wrong at the worst time. I suppose Murphy, if he existed felt there should be a law explaining the reason why things go wrong."

"You mean that law can't be changed?" Don asked in surprise.

" No, and the police do not have to enforce such laws either." Splinter informed them.

"Well that's just great that means things will always go wrong!" Raph huffed.

Mike grinned, " But you are missing the point Raph."

" Which is?" Raph asked.

" We get to blame Murphy!" Mike crowed cheerfully.

Splinter shook his head but didn't say anything, though he all ready had a feeling that Murphy might be blamed for some things in the near future .

The end.

Author's note: A few years back I was e-mailing a fanfiction author, I think it might have been Reinbeauchaser but I could be wrong there, and somehow we got to discussing young turtle's and Murphy's law. Well this story has been a few years in the making. That plot bunny just kept hanging on. I'd like to give credit to that author, whoever that person was, for the inspiration from long ago. Ramica.