Come Dance With Me.
Disclaimer: I still don't own them. How sad!
Author's Note: Well it was supposed to be a one shot but a couple reviewers mentioned wanting to see Splinter, somehow in on the action. But the Master is old and rock music isn't really his style. This chapter is for the Master, and for those who wanted it. Ramica
Part Two: The Master's Song.
Leo finished his lesson with his student, it was a few weeks after Rama's impromptu dance training session in the dojo. "You know, I've been thinking…"
"Careful sensei you might get hurt doing that," the girl quipped giving him a cheeky grin.
"Are you pushing for some flips, or perhaps an essay on respect for your instructor?" Leo inquired arching an eye ridge as he stared at the girl through narrowed eyes.
Ramiela was fighting to keep a smile from off her face, "Really Sensei, you leave yourself open for attack, and then complain when I gently take advantage of it. You, know if I left myself open like that in battle, I'd be getting extra training sessions as well, as a lecture."
"You are your father's daughter," Leo muttered, with a shake of his head, "but you do have a point, being a Mike child means one should never give you an opening - of any kind."
Ramiela sat down on the mats in a lotus position, "So, anyways what were you going to say?"
"I believe Master Splinter would have loved, to see your display of dance and martial arts mixed but rock and roll is not his style. He never cared for it or the heavy metal, or rap style music we listened to in our day."
" You, listened to that sort of stuff?" Rama asked disbelief in her voice.
"A little, though it was more your father and Raph's style of music." He confessed.
Rama gave a sage nod as if to say, she thought as much.
"Being a rat, Splinter's hearing has always been a little more sensitive then ours and certain notes in that style of music is very jarring, and very irritating to him," Leo explained. " As he has gotten older his tolerance level has gone down."
Rama sighed, "Slow songs are doable to some extent - maybe do a tango but I'm not much into ball room dancing. To work out you need good music, something that fuels the punches and kicks as well as the getting' do-oown." the girl drew out the last word, and laughed at the look on her Sensei's face.
" It doesn't have to be slow, just not too rocking," Leo corrected.
Rama sighed and rolled her eyes, "Sure take the fun out of it Sensei," she half snorted.
"Come on don't you want to know if the true spiritual leader of the clan can dance, know if he can be trusted?" Leo half mocked. Reminding her of her words about 'never trusting a spiritual leader who could not dance.'
"He's the Master of course he can be trusted." Rama declared, with pride.
"Ah, but you have no idea if he can dance, not unless you can find a dance that will move him," Leo suggested, then he paused and looked at the girl who was resting at his feet. "Then again maybe you aren't up to the challenge, though I figured a girl who comes up with all of those practical jokes on April Fool's ought to be up to the challenge. But maybe, I'm mistaken."
Rama's back straightened, and she crossed her arms over her plastron, "Are you challenging me?"
"What do you think?" Leo inquired, not even trying to answer her question.
"Okay fine! You are on Sensei, I'll find the music and we'll see what happens." Rama smirked.
Leo nodded, "You find the music, and I'll make sure the Master will be here for it from there on in it is between you, and him."
XXX
It took a while for Ramiela to find the right song, she knew classical music would probably suit the Master's desires and not all classical music was necessarily boring she was rather fond of Pachbel's cannon, which was soothing and comforting perfect for sleeping or meditation, which was interchangeable as far as she was concerned. Of course there was Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture with the guns and cannons - perfect music for dancing a war battle - but it would not be suited to the Master's Sensitive ears.
Tango or Salsa type music might be fun to try but Rama felt tango wasn't her style, though salsa might be worth trying but perhaps the Master would not be willing to keep up with such a spicy fast paced dance.
There was soft, slow romantic soothing music but she also needed something that fit with the moves of a kata or sparring and finding the right music for that was not easy.
Ramiela sighed and continued to search for some form of music that would be acceptable by the Master, while at the same time suited to the dance form that needed to be shown.
The girl had a vast array of music, and she loved songs of all kinds, she listened to country, classic, rock, and a variety of other music. "Hmmm," she glanced through her numerous cds, tapes and shuffled through songs and music on her ipod.
She checked out show tunes from Cats, Evita and soundtracks of movies she scoured and searched, scanned, mused and debated. She had a few options and would listen to them carefully, trying to see if any of the music might bother or disturb the Master's more sensitive hearing. Then would either reject the song or put it down as a possibility.
The song would decide in the end if the Master danced or not, so the Master's song had to encourage him to join in, but before that there had to be other music that might lure him to watch and be drawn in.
Rama was aware the Master could no longer move as he once had when she was young, he was very old and his body stiffer, he might be able to handle kicks but not as high as he once managed and there was also arthritic joints to consider.
'If we are going pull this off we best do it when it isn't so cold or damp, when his joints won't pain him so.' She smiled, 'It would be fun, just to dance with him, even without the sparring effect.'
Finally, after a great deal of time and consideration she came across the perfect selection of music to play for the Master. Just in case she was wrong, or had picked things that had slipped past her guard she played her selection of tunes for her sensei to get his opinion.
XXX
Leo knew he had to be careful with how things were approached to their Master, Splinter could not sense any subterfuge, and while their were days and times when his mind wandered - there were other times of sharp, crystal clarity that showed all too well, that he was still a Master in more ways then one.
"Master if you are up to it, I think Ramiela could use a little help with some of her meditative focus. I think the two of us working with her would be beneficial to her." Leo spoke calmly, hiding his true intent deep as he poured the tea and offered the cup to his mentor with a bow.
"What do you expect of her Leonardo, her mind is always running so hard it is often difficult to quiet it, and like her father it is almost impossible to pin her down." Splinter replied, his whiskers twitched a little, wondering about something. Sensing perhaps that there was something Leonardo was not saying, but he was quite willing to aid and take a hand in his grand daughter's training whenever possible, for she did not yet know of the path she walked. Splinter was aware though, for he had picked been the one to pick her as the future Jonin of the clan after Leonardo stepped down. "We will see if together we can show her what true focus means."
"Thank you Master."
As it grew time for Ramiela's lesson, Splinter headed to the dojo. His ears twitched as he heard soft strain of music, and he wondered if Leonardo was going try music as a form of getting Ramiela to focus and relax into a more meditative state.
As the music was low, and not disturbing others in the lair he was willing to let it go. As he entered the dojo he could hear the music change just a little, it became a bit quicker in tempo but the notes were still relaxing enough to him.
He paused as he saw Leonardo, his sword out and raised locked against Ramiela's blade, the girl back stepped and spun bringing her arm down, and seeming to pull Leo's sword almost with her. She stepped into him as their arms raised once more, Leo sidestepped to the left as she swung her leg up as if to kick at him with her move.
Splinter watched the moves for a moment, his nose and ears twitching a bit, his tail moving lazily over the mats as he watched, suddenly he blinked and paused, a little awed as he realized the harmony the co-ordination of what he was watching.
For a moment, his hair bristled, and his spine stiffened a little with irritation as he realized that he had been tricked, and then a small smile crept slowly across his face, for he knew without a doubt that the trick had been well played and worth it, to see the view before him.
The two warriors back flipped in unison and landed on the mats as if in perfect synchronicity.
Splinter relaxed a little leaning on his cane and watching each move as if ready to fault either of them for the slightest misstep, after all he was still the Master of ninjitsu in this clan. But he admired each move, and counter step.
At the end of the song Rama bowed to her sensei and he to her. Then turned to smile at the old rat, " Rippa Sensei yurusu watashitachi suru atarashii kenshu" (honoured teacher forgive us, we were doing new training.)
Splinter smiled hearing the Japanese words, "Kenshu ima dansu to geijutsu ka" (Training is now dance and art?)
"Hai," Rama replied honestly, "But were not ninja trained in various art forms, like theatre and dance?"
"Yes Ramiela and a ninja never knew when talents or skills in different arts might place them in the right spot for a mission." Master Splinter agreed with a nod of his head.
Ramiela grinned a little, "Would you like to try the new training?" she wondered, and gave him an expectant look.
Splinter chuckled softly with amusement, "And you the student wishes to teach, now Ramiela?"
Rama took a deep breath, "Well haven't you said that even a teacher can learn from the student at times," She countered. "Besides, it isn't like I'd really be teaching anyways. You all ready know it Master it is what you taught us and you learned it from Master Yoshi himself."
Suddenly the music, that was still playing shifted to a new song, this one had a very Asian style pace and rhythm to it. Splinter's ears perked slightly and his whiskers twitched, his dark eyes seemed to grow a bit darker for a brief moment.
"Hamato Yoshi used to practice the shushi-no-kon-sho to this music for Tang Shen."
Rama smiled, "Really?" She seemed to consider " It does seem to fit the moves of that kata doesn't it? I know it has been a while Master but do you think you could do it? I could restart the song at the beginning if you want to do the shushi -no-kon-sho."
Splinter nodded, "I should be able to handle most of the kata, it might be nice if only for the memory."
Rama moved over to the cd player and pushed the required buttons for the machine to replay the track it was on. She paused it and turned to insure that Splinter was ready before hitting play.
Leo silently reached out to his brothers, 'Guys, if you don't want to miss this you best get to the dojo at ninja speed.'
Splinter had taken his position on the mat and bowed as if to an imaginary opponent, and Ramiela clicked the music to begin as she watched the first few moves performed by the Master.
The moves were not at top speed, but there was no denying that one making the preliminary steps of the kata was familiar with it, in every sense of the word.
Rama suddenly darted in katana in hand to give Splinter the opponent, she too knew that bo kata inside and out, she could tell you each step of the one hundred and fifty moves that comprised the kata. She knew the moves that were going come and each one that had been made, and so knowing it meant she could easily play the attacker of the kata giving Splinter a true opponent.
Splinter seemed to pick up a little more speed as if by having the girl spar with him pushed him a little further. But Ramiela was very careful to not push too hard.
By the time that song was over another Japanese style song had begun and the shushi-no-kon-sho was over. But the two were locked in the combat dance and both of them moved across the mat.
Only this time it was Ramiela who lead the moves, starting to mold the steps of battle far more into the moves of a dance.
The other three turtles had arrived and leaned in the door way watching the two ninjas, the elderly master and his grand daughter dance together while in the midst of sparring.
When the song was finished Rama bowed to the Master, "It is true what they say Master, one is never too old to learn."
"Ah, Ramiela," Splinter smiled, "It is also true that at times even a child can lead with wisdom and strength." He reached out and pulled her into a hug, "Arigato gozaimasu rippa mago-musume." (Thank you honoured Grand daughter.)
The end.