Heya Everyone and happy Winter Solstice!
Just another four days till Christmas! Hope you're all ready! I think I am! But I'm sure there will be something I've forgotten, knowing me!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy my latest fic to get you into the Christmas Spirit!
Pandora's Christmas Caper
Chapter One
Snow fell heavily in the rural area in the State of Massachusetts one moonlit night, covering the landscape and giving a magical feel in the air.
Much of the snow was undisturbed and the only sounds that could be heard were the wailing of the wind and the full moon gave off a silvery light, making everything look ghostly and haunting.
In a wooden farmhouse near a snow covered wood, a warm light shone through the woods, as well as the coloured lights of a Christmas tree that stood next to one of the windows, and within the house in the living area were four male humanoid turtles, a female humanoid Lizard, a giant male grey rat, and two humans, a red headed female and a black haired male.
The red headed woman was placing some gifts under the tree singing 'Rocking Around the Christmas Tree'
"You sing so sweetly April!" said the black haired man.
"Thanks Casey!" smiled April "I do love Christmas songs!"
She looked over to the mutants who were sitting in the Living area and she looked at the blue masked turtle who had a small human 7 month-old baby on his lap, a pretty Japanese girl with silky black hair and wearing a white snowman jumpsuit.
"It's Kemeko's first Christmas!" she said with a sigh "Poor child, It's a shame Karai isn't here, nor Chaplin to enjoy it with her."
"Yeah." said Casey "But Kemeko will carry on her legacy, and achieve so much with Leo looking after her."
As he spoke he looked at Kemeko who grasped Leonardo's green finger and gnawed on it slightly with her gums making the turtle chuckle and lean down and mouth her hair with his lips.
"Awww!" said April "That's so sweet!"
"He does make me proud!" A voice made the two humans jump and they looked across to see the giant rat Master Splinter walking over "He has become such an affectionate father to her, and I know Karai and Chaplin are looking down on him and their daughter!"
As they talked, they suddenly saw a small turtle/Lizard Hybrid running down the stairs excitedly in her red pyjamas and holding a white teddy bear dressed as a Geisha in one hand and a brown bear dressed as a black ninja, followed by a red masked turtle.
"Hey! Wait up little Geisha!"
"Speaking of parents!" laughed Casey watching the scene "Looks like Raph's got his little princess running rings around him!"
"Pandora!" Raphael cried as he tried to dive for Pandora again "Calm down!"
"It's Christmas!" Pandora squealed "It's Christmas soon!"
She soon ran into the arms of another turtle, this time with a purple mask on.
"Thanks Donny!" said Raphael taking a few deep breathes.
"No worries." said Donatello looking down at Pandora "Okay you little imp, calm down okay, we only got two more sleeps and it'll be Christmas Day!"
Pandora smiled brightly.
"And you know what that means!" came the voice of her mother, a female lizard wearing a pink headband around her hair and wearing a stylish pink jogging suit whose name was Monalisa.
"That you must be a calm and a good girl!" added an orange masked turtle named Michelangelo "And Santa will come!"
Pandora instantly stood up straight and grinned.
"I'll be a good girl!" she said.
"Brilliant!" said Donatello "I know you will be!"
"And she is!" said Raphael "Most of the time." he added under his breath.
Leonardo smiled at the scene then looked down at Kemeko.
"I wonder if you'll be as hyper as your big sister over there?" he asked to which Kemeko gurgled and giggled at him.
"No!" he chuckled as he pulled her close to him and nuzzled her "You're gonna be a good girl! Yes you are! You're gonna be a good girl!"
Pandora ran to the window and looked out at the window at the snow lit up by the moonlight.
"It's so pretty!" she said, she looked at her parents, pleading in her wide eyes.
"Please can I go out and play? It's snowing!"
Mona chuckled.
"Not tonight Little Geisha." she laughed "You just had your bath and it's almost time for bed!"
"Awwww!" Pandora pouted.
"Don't worry sweetie!" said Raphael kneeling down to her level "Tomorrow you can go out to play! You can build a snowman, and we'll have a snowball fight!"
"And make Snow Angels!" Michelangelo squeaked excitedly "And go sledging!"
"Yay!" Pandora said, cheering up instantly.
"Come on sweetie!" said Leonardo "Why don't you and Kemeko watch something before bedtime!"
Pandora agreed and quickly walked up to the sofa where Leonardo sat and the blue masked turtle placed Kemeko between him and Pandora and the human girl snuggled up to the reptilian hybrid.
Everyone melted with love when they saw the two children cuddle up together and Pandora gave Kemeko her Geisha Bear to cuddle which she held her ninja bed.
"What would you like to watch kiddo?" asked Michelangelo as he held up some Christmas films.
"The Snowman and Father Christmas!" said Pandora "Please!"
"Sure!" said Michelangelo "I know how much you love those films at Christmas!"
He set up the DVD player and started to play the films as the two young girls cuddled up clutching their bears.
As that happened, Splinter walked up behind Leonardo and leaned down.
"You've done so well my son." he said "You've shown how good a father you can be to Kemeko, that child thinks the world of you."
Leonardo looked up at his master.
"It's my duty to do so Master." he said "I made a promise to Karai as she took her last breath I would take care of Kemeko, it hasn't been easy, but I have kept at it, it's what she would have wanted."
Splinter smiled and patted his son's shell.
"Karai and Chaplin would be proud! They're watching over us this Christmas, and they would be pleased to know Kemeko is having a wonderful first Christmas!"
As Splinter and Leonardo talked, Donatello placed a couple of pictures that were framed in some baubles on the tree.
"I had these made so that we can remember them." he said "And it'll be something for Kemeko to put on the tree every year when she grows up, and a way to honour her parents."
"You're a genius Donatello!" said Mona as she looked at the baubles "She'll love them!"
April soon walked over with a tray of hot chocolate which she placed on a nearby table, which Michelangelo didn't hesitate to grab along with a large helping of marshmallows and whipped cream before sitting next to Pandora who was swaying with Kemeko as the song 'Walking in the Air' played on the film.
April meanwhile walked over to Pandora and gave her a gingerbread man as well as some orange juice.
"Make sure you brush your teeth before bedtime sweetie!"
"I will!" smiled Pandora "Thank you Auntie April!"
After a while, the short films finished and the mutants, April and Casey looked at Kemeko and Pandora who were snuggled together.
Kemeko had fallen asleep but Pandora was switching between dozing off and waking up.
"Bedtime." said Mona as she gently picked up Pandora and placed her over her shoulder and Leonardo picked up Kemeko and held her against his plastron.
"I look forward to us playing in the snow tomorrow!" said Michelangelo "It's not often we get to go out and just be ourselves!"
"That's the good thing about the farmhouse." said Raphael "No trouble out to get us! No Foot Soldiers, No Purple Dragons and especially no Venomous Five!"
"Thank goodness!" said Donatello.
Leonardo said nothing as he walked up the stairs to where he and Kemeko would sleep, it had been the suggestion of April and Casey that they spend Christmas at the Farmhouse, not just because it was a nice change of scenery, but also because they wanted to get away from New York especially now that the Shredder had returned.
After he had been released from his Ice prison by his loyal foot, he had sworn revenge on Karai, Chaplin and all those who turned on him and defeated him, he had succeeded in killing Chaplin and Karai, but Karai had give birth to Kemeko and when she died, she had entrusted her daughter to Leonardo to look after her.
Leonardo had promised and he was determined to honour that promise.
The Farmhouse was one of the best places to stay away until things cooled down back in New York, and Leonardo was relieved to be away from most of the places that reminded him of where the Shredder had attacked them and killed Karai.
He walked into his room and over to a cot where he gently placed Kemeko down and kissed her.
"Sleep tight my Lotus Blossom." he said "My sweet lily flower."
Kemeko moved a little yet she made no noise as she settled into a deep sleep.
Leonardo pulled a cover over her and placed Geisha Bear next to her. (Pandora had said earlier that Kemeko could sleep with her Geisha Bear whilst she had her Ninja Bear to cuddle)
"Sweet dreams baby..." he whispered, he then left the room and saw Raphael and Mona settling Pandora down.
The sleepy reptile cuddled her ninja bear close and looked at her parents sleepily.
"Can I go play outside please?" she asked.
"Of course sweetie!" said Mona "You can play outside after breakfast tomorrow! We'll have lots of fun together!"
"And Uncle Mikey will take you for a walk in the woods if you like?" said Raphael.
"Oh yes please!" Pandora smiled "I love an adventure with Uncle Mikey!"
"That's a good girl!" said Mona "Now go to sleep, you need your energy for tomorrow!"
"Okay..." said Pandora sleepily.
"Goodnight sweetheart!" Mona whispered.
"Night mum, night daddy!" Pandora called.
"Sleep tight kiddo!" said Raphael turning off the light but leaving a small night-light on as Pandora snuggled down.
Leonardo smiled at the sight, then slowly walked down stairs making sure the baby monitor was on as he went.
Awww! Such sweet moments there! And it's Kemeko's second debut since her introduction in Karai's Legacy!
The Snowman and Father Christmas are two great animated short films which are a hit with the kids at Christmas! Both are based on Children's books written by Raymond Briggs.
