6th may 2013/New York, Lair of the turtles
Normal pov:
Leonardo's room
It's been 18 hours since it happens but Leonardo was still mad at himself. Mad of his own disability, mad at his own inexperience, but over everything else he was sad that he broke his katana's again even if it was for the sake of a life.
Leonardo: "sigh..."
He took the broken rest of the blade's from the handle's and put them in a box for Donatello's workshop. But the handle's does he keep and scratched the date of their "Death" in (A common believe in japan is it, that everything has a life and a soul even rocks. So it isn't uncommon that a kind of burial is hold for respected tools.) When Leonardo had finished his little "ceremony" he put the handle's in a box with the letter's "SWORD TOMB." In the box where already 36 handle's were.
Leonardo: "Forgive me for my disability and thank you for helping me grow"
Leonardo tried but he failed many times in the past, but his fails were getting back more and more with his experience. Leonardo tried to let a katana only then break, when he had to save one or more life's (Jap: For an Samurai was his sword and it's intactness equal to his life). But there were time's where that wasn't working and in this time's his heart were arching more than when he did it for something "Worth" it.
Leonardo meditated more than usual in these times, only to come to the conclusion...
Leonardo: 'I did nothing wrong'
...an result he had many times in the past. And this result told him that he will see his mistake from this fight later with more experience. Just like he did it every time in the past.
But this time it was not only the "Death" of his sword's what did bother him. It was the new behavior of the foot bots and the near "friendly kill" of Karai.
Flash back:
5th may 2013/ Lair of the turtles/ Dojo (Jap: Trainings room/hall)
Leonardo pov:
Leonardo: "...and that is everything what happened, sensei (jap: teacher, artist)."
Sensei never lost once his calmness through my whole report of our assault attack on the Kraang/Foot clan shipment. Even when I mentioned the near friendly kill of Karai or Shredder's new order to the foot bot's. But, we his sons could see his inner riot. A clear sign was his ever so slightly twitching right ear. But only I did know why exactly he was so upset.
Splinter: "This is not good my sons."
Michelangelo: "Why, sensei?"
Sensei's voice took a tone of authority.
Splinter: "Because, if Oroku Saki gives such an order. Can that mean only one thing."
Raphael: "And that would be sensei?"
Splinter: "It means my sons, that the Shredder wants to take this conflict on the next stage. And as good as I know him it will be a bloody one."
Donatello: "That is indeed not good sensei!"
Splinter: "My sons, we have to prepare ourselves for the fight's who will come and they will be harder than any fight before!"
It dawned everyone of us that things getting really wild in the near future and that there were the possibility of us not surviving it.
Splinter: "But for tonight, you can rest. That was very good work my sons."
Unbelievable how he is doing that every time. But he managed it every time to show us the seriousness of a situation and then calmed us down so that we can think clearly once again. But only this time it affected only my brothers and not me, because there was still something else on my mind.
When my brothers started to leave they did notice that I was still sitting on my place.
Michelangelo: "Leo, are you coming or what?"
Leonardo: "Sorry guys, there is still something I need to discuss with master Splinter. I come later."
They looked at me for a moment as if they were asking what I had to discuss with Father, but they did know if I had something to talk about with him, then it will be important and I will tell them later.
Michelangelo: "Okay bro, but don't take to long. Good night Leo, master Splinter."
Donatello: "Good night together."
Raphael: "G'nigth."
When my brothers leaved we waited for any sound or Mikey who had his ear on the door. But we heard how all three were going into their respective room's.
Splinter: "So, what do you wish to discuss with me, Leonardo?"
I breathed deep in and out.
Leonardo: "Father I am asking for your permission to tell theothers the truth about "Miwa"!"
Again only his twitching right ear was telling me how he really felt.
Splinter: "Why do you need my permission Leonardo?"
Leonardo: "Because I don't want any of my brother's kill "accidentally" their "sister"."
He looked at me for a moment before he responded.
Splinter: "You misunderstood me Leonardo."
Leonardo: "Father?"
Splinter: "When I first told you, I asked you to not tell your brothers until it is absolutely necessary. And now it is necessary to tell them. So once again: Why do you need my permission Leonardo?"
I understood what he meant, but I was not finished yet.
Leonardo: "I want to tell "Her" too"
This time his whole body twitched, but he calmed down after one moment.
Splinter: "..."
I can understand him, why he hesitate so much. I literally asking him to tell his daughter that he, the man who she was told the murderer of he mother is in truth her real father and the man who razzed her is the true murder of her mother. And that her real father did not look out for justice of his murdered wife and dead believed child. No, he simply leaved the land and started with a new family fresh. (Totally ignoring the fact that he mutated at one point and that his family is a bunch of mutated turtles). It gave his story the taste of betrayal, because it looked like he simply forget his old family and replaced them with a new one. I can understand him, he fears that his daughter will hate him for that and with that everything what is left in this world of his late wife Tang Shen.
Splinter: "Will she even believe you, Leonardo?"
He is considering it. What takes much more courage then I could image.
Leonardo: "She has already some doubts about the Shredder and I did tell her that I know something she did not know."
That did spark his interest.
Splinter: "How much does she know already?"
Leonardo: "Only that there is more to this story then simply revenge."
He closed his eyes and remained silent for what appeared to be an hour. As he opened his eyes I believed I saw a tear in his eyes.
Splinter: "When you see the chance, tell her Leonardo. Tell her everything you know."
Leonardo: "I will Sensei."
I looked at him and saw a man who aged in one moment more then one decade. I saw a man who felt the weight of his past.
Splinter: "Good and now go and rest you will need your strength...(as I will need my.)"
He whispered the last part but I could hear it.
I stood up and leaved the dojo. When I opened the door I heard...
Splinter: "Leonardo..."
When I looked back I saw him standing before his shrine with his family photo in hand.
Leonardo: "Hai sensei?"
He breathed and shacked.
Splinter: "When you told her everything. Tell her, whatever opinion she may have of me, one thing will always be true, as the sky is blue over our head. That her mother loved her from the bottom of her heart. Tell her that Leonardo."
He looked in my way and I could see him openly cry.
Splinter: "Please Leonardo, you have to make her believe at least that. I could stand her hate, her curses even her disgust of me being her father. But it would kill me knowing her doubting her mothers love."
With these words he looked again to the picture in his hand, crying harder. It broke my heart to see him like this and with this picture before my eye's I swore something to me...
Leonardo: "When kami (Jap: God) wants it to be, so will I go to meet an enemy and come back with a sister."
With this words he looked at me and even smiled a little bit.
Splinter: "I am a little too old to believe in miracles Leonardo."
I gave him simply a smile of mine.
Leonardo: "Your daughter is still alive and within our reach! We are on a roll!"
That made smile brighter.
Leonardo: "Have a good night, Father."
Splinter: "Good night my son."
With new found hope and full of beans we were going to bed, to get the strength, we did know, will need.
In the night I had a strange dream about a kitten and a …...smiling cat? That I am shared this dream with everyone else did I find out on the following morning.
6th may 2013/ New York/ Lair of the turtles
Leonardo pov:
I was getting ready for our night patrol and thought about a way to tell my brothers and "Her" the truth without getting killed (Karai) or lose their respect. And so far I had no idea.
Leonardo: "sigh.."
When I got into our living room to get the others, did I see Mikey looking some random cartoons, Raph did read an comic and Donny helped April with her homework. A job who brought him his nickname "The Professor" from April and I can see that he is enjoying her attention.
Of course does everyone of us know about his crush on April, expect April herself. At least do I think that she doesn't know and Donatello made sure of it that no one of us is going to tell her especially Mikey. Well after he told us in very "Colorful" words what he will do to the one who will tell her, me and Raph needed nearly 2 hours to get Mikey out of that pipe. How he even get in that one is beyond me till today.
Leonardo: "Guys! It is time, we have to go."
Michelangelo: "Oh man! The cartoon was getting good!"
Raphael: "Well that can't be helped."
Donatello: "I'll be there in a moment! Well April and so you solve the problem. Any questions?"
April did only shake her head.
April: "No, Donny. Thanks for your help."
I could see his love struck face, when he was coming to us. But in the middle of the room.
Donatello: "It would be really no problem when you would need my help."
Leonardo: "Donny come on!"
April: "You heard your leader, now go. I get the rest on myself, oh all knowing professor."
Does she have to tease him so much? At least it did keep him going. We were already out of the Lair and I was happy that Donny didn't asked her a third time, when I heard back from the entrance...
Donatello: "April, It would really..."
OOOOH! FOR THE LOVE OF...
Leonardo: "DONATELLO! MOVE YOUR SHELL OR, KAMI HELP ME, I WILL!"
And with these words was he the fastest one of us on this patrol.
Time skip: 30 minutes later
6th may 2013/ New york/ somewhere over the roof's
For about 25 minutes I am holding a speech about discipline and concentration on a mission and I planned to hold it until we were going back, but...
Michelangelo: "Oh come one Leo! Take a chill pill. It is not so that you never made gogo eyes over Karai."
With this words he remembered me about the things I had to tell them. So did I took a moment to think about how to start. From the corner of my eyes I could see Mikey's surprise that he successfully silenced me.
Michelangelo: "Dude! I did it! HAHAHA!"
Raphael: "Oh man! When I would have known earlier what it takes to stop the long breathed speeches of our leader, I would talk about Karai the whole time."
I was already mad and wanted to give contra, when...
Donatello: "Eh, guys? When we are already speaking of Karai, isn't she that over there?"
Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo: "EEEHHH?!"
We followed his line of sight and he was right! She was really there only a few roof's on the left side ahead. And she was...waving to us?
Leonardo: "Well shit!"
Things getting better and better. Either I am very lucky or the poorest bastard under kami's sun.
Time skip: 15 minutes earlier
Karai pov:
I still can barely believe what mother told me yesterday. Not only tried my so called "Father" to kill my real parents, he kidnapped out the arms of my barely alive mother. And on top of that he told me that the horrible sins he did were committed by my real father. First I was furious and wanted to go right there back to the foot clan and take the head of my so called father. But to my luck, did mother stop me. She said that I was to weak in the moment to fight and even at my best would my chances be very, very bad at best. So did we make a plan to take down the Foot clan and the Kraang, what I thought was much overdue. The first step is one of the more difficult ones, we had to find the rest of our family and combine our power. And for that we have to convince them that we are no spies of the Shredder or some robot copies of the Kraang. On top of that the times in the past I tried to kill them makes the things not really better. This will be not easy.
At least the first part, "Finding them" will be the easier one and for that did me and mother parted. I am searching through this part of the city, she is looking through a few blocks away from her. I can only hope that she will find them first, because to them she is a blank page and not their near murderer.
Leonardo: "...an...th...is...y..."
I did hear Leonardo's voice but it was very quiet, so he has to be close and when he is so close so has to be his brothers. So much for not finding them first, me and my rotten luck. I looked around and saw them a few roof's away on the other street side. I could not really hear what they are saying but when I interpret Leonardo's body language right, was he in a foul mood at the moment. That situation is getting better and better. Not only have I to face them alone, the only person who might be on my side has a bad day.
Karai: "Sigh...Well here goes nothing."
With these words I stood in the middle of the roof and started waving and shouting. For a ninja feels that very funny. To my "Luck" did they see me and were coming to me, they leaped over the roofs and the street and stopped on the roof beside the one I am, with their weapons in hand. When they took their battle stance I could see that their eyes were looking for enemy's who were hiding. Everyone was searching, everyone but Leonardo. His eyes focused only on me and nothing else. Through our earlier fights did he learn that I am stronger than any foot clan soldier or Kraang bot. He does know that focusing on everything else but me would be fatal. Well normally I would fell honored by so much respect of an opponent like him, but today I have a different business with him and his brothers.
Karai: "Wow! Easy guys! I am alone and unarmed."
What the truth was, I was wearing no weapons and was in civil (My biker outfit). As much it felt different to wear civilian clothes, I felt naked without my weapons.
Leonardo: "What do you want, Karai?"
Straight to the point.
Karai: "I want to talk."
Raphael: "No one, want simply to talk! You are just buying time for your enforcement to arrive, so that you can crush us!"
He and his big mouth.
Karai: "Look grumpy, I could not fight you even if wanted!"
I showed them my bandaged hands and continued.
Karai: "Do you have any problem with me sitting down? My feet are not better then my hands."
They shared a look and shacked their heads. I sat down onto the edge of the roof and let my feet dangling down the abyss between the building.
Karai: "Ahhhhh...much better."
Leonardo: "One more time Karai. What do you want?"
I looked into his eyes and he in mine and I understood that dancing around each other guides us to nothing.
Karai: "Someone told me the "truth" Leonardo."
When I did ever surprised him then it was now. His whole body twitched once and he looked questioning at me. His brother were confused and were looking questioning at him. That could only mean that only he knows the whole story.
Raphael: "What is this crazy bitch talking about Leonardo?"
Michelangelo: "Raph is right. What do you know, Leo?"
Donatello: "As rare it might be, I have to say that the others are right. What does Karai mean Leo?"
What ever Leonardo wanted to say was silenced by me.
Karai: "First things first! I laid down the name "Karai." I am using now my birth name."
Raphael: "And that would be?"
Karai/Leonardo: "Miwa Hamato"
I was surprised that Leonardo spoke my name in the same time as I did.
Michelangelo: "Wait a minute, please! Isn't that the name of Sensei's daughter?"
Donatello: "Indeed! But didn't Sensei's daughter and wife die in the fire?"
Leonardo: "She didn't, the Shredder kidnapped her in these night and raised her as his own."
Donatello: "As creepy as the thought is, I have to ask: How do you even know all that and we not?"
Raphael: "That is something I want to know too."
He looked at me, as if he was asking for permission.
Miwa: "Tell him, that is something that even I want to know."
Leonardo: "Sensei told me."
Raphael/ Michelangelo/ Donatello: "Sensei?"
That surprised even me. When father told him, then I am asking myself for how long did he know about me?
Leonardo: "Yes, he told he me after his encounter with the Shredder. He told him to break his concentration but his plan backfired and he encouraged him to beat him up. He told me right after he came back."
Raphael: "And why didn't you tell it us? The fight was nearly 3 month's ago!"
A valid question Leonardo.
Leonardo: "He asked me to not tell you until it will be absolute necessary."
Raphael: "What does that mean? Doesn't he trust us enough? Or does he thought that we are to childish for that?"
An another good question if you ask me.
Leonardo: "No, he was more aware of your good nature. When you would have know the truth, would any of you be able to fight your sister?"
Raphael/ Donatello/ Michelangelo: "..."
Leonardo: "I though so!"
Donatello: "Okay, but..."
I observed them for a few minutes and I must say, it amused me. It looked like they did forgot that I was even there, not that I was complaining about it. It was interesting to see how my "brothers" are outside the battlefield. The red grumpy, Raphael, is a very emotional person and showed it openly. The violet geek, Donatello, is a more logical orientated person, I could see that at how analytic he made his questions. And the orange goofball, Michelangelo, was...not even moving. When I think about it he was not moving or speaking since Leonardo said, that it is true who I am. His face was still frozen in shock, it looked even like he was not even...
Miwa: "Eh, Guys!?"
Leonardo/ Donatello/ Raphael: "WHAT?!"
Miwa: "It could be only me, but it seems like Michelangelo stopped breathing because of shock."
They looked at each other for a moment and...
Donatello: "Hahahahaha! I can ensure you Miwa that it is NOT even remotely possible to...(feeling for his breath)...BY EINSTEINS BRAIN!"
You was saying?
Leonardo: "Do something Donny! He is turning violet already!"
Donatello: "I don't know how! Until a moment ago I thought that this is not even possible!"
Oh oh, not good.
Raphael: "I handle that!"
POOW!
Michelangelo: "EEEEEEEEEUUUUUUUUUUHHHHH! (inhale) cough! Cough! Cough!..."
One hit over the head as solution. I like his style!
Donatello: "Of all the stupid things you ever did, is that the new number one! How can someone forget to breath?!"
They looked very angry at him. I can't say I wouldn't do the same.
Michelangelo: "Sorry...guys...I...was to...freaked...out..."
He breathed a few times and then looked Leonardo at me.
Leonardo: "Okay back to the topic."
With these words the others focused on me again. I am so lucky...not.
Leonardo: "I have many questions for you, but the best is I begin with this one: Who told you?"
Tang Shen: "I did!"
Speak of the devil...
For my luck answered Mother that question for me. She was on the far end of the roof, out side of our sight- and hear range. And I find myself asking for how long she was there?
Raphael: "AND WHO THE HELL IS THAT NOW?!"
Tang Shen: "Watch your language young man!"
She came closer while she balanced on the edge of the roof and she looked like a cat. But she is like me in civil, jeans pants with a red top. The clothes were very simple but her natural charm would let any man shake in his boots.
Raphael: "EXCUSE ME?!"
Tang Shen: "I said: you should look out for what you are saying, Ra-Pha-El. Hoop!"
And with that she sat beside me, grinning.
Raphael: "Grrrr!"
The others were baffled.
Leonardo: "Okay but the question remains: who you are miss?"
She keep grinning while saying...
Tang Shen: "Try to guess, you have three chances Leonardo."
That confused them to no end and I have to say it is funny to tease these guys, but I have to end it.
Miwa: "Mother, please stop."
Leonardo/ Raphael/ Donatello/ Michelangelo: "Whaaaaa...!?"
Tang Shen: "Oh come on honey! You can't judge me for teasing your brothers, a little bit."
From the corner of my eyes I could see the four, how they followed our conversion with a stunned fascination.
Donatello: "Wait a sec, "Mother?" As in Mother through blood, as in Tang Shen the mother of Miwa Hamato and wife our Sensei Splinter, Hamato Yoshi? That kind of mother?"
She simply smiled warmly at him.
Tang Shen: "That is correct Donatello."
Now they were really stunned. Well they were until...
POOW!
Michelangelo: "OOW! Dude! What was that for?"
Raphael: "It looked like you stopped breathing again."
What a dork.
Tang Shen: "Raphael! As much it warms my heart to see you care about your brothers..."
She spoke white the authority of a mother with many year of experience. And that was strange sight if you think about it. She looked not older then 28 and she learned only a few days ago that she has five children.
Tang Shen: "...I would prefer it you show your love in a less violent way."
That stunned them once again even I was surprised. But what Raphael replied surprised me even more.
Raphael: "...Well I will try. (Dang it that is something Father would say)."
Donatello: "As heart warming that all is, I have to cut in and beg you to come back to the topic."
Tang Shen: "Sorry Donatello. So what is your next question?"
Donatello laughed short and humorless, as if she was joking.
Donatello: "For every answer we get, 10 new questions pop up. But the very first question is still unanswered, so I think we should begin with: What do you want?"
She closed her eyes for a moment to think about the question and when she reopened her eyes every inch of kindness was drained of her face. The playful cat was gone and what remained was a damn furious woman.
Tang Shen: "What I want?...I want my life back! I want the last 16 years back! I want the lost memory's of my husband and children! I want to see them grow up, have their problems, help them and care about them! But that is impossible to archive..."
With these words she was openly crying.
Tang Shen: "But what I can gain is the love of the family who is still there. I can gain the forgiveness of my daughter I was unable to protect, the love of sons I didn't bear and having the hope that I am still live in his heart."
I had no idea! Was that how she was feeling? A woman who was so much stolen from, that I could not even begin to understand what pain she was feeling. I did know the pain of losing my mother early and for a day even potential my father, but she lost so much more. Her lover, her children and so many years full of memory's, everything simply gone. And all what let her keep going was a little bit of hope.
Tang Shen: "So what do you say boys? Do you give us girls a little chance of family happiness?"
Michelangelo: "(sob)..(sob)..THAT IS SO HEART BREAKING!...(sob)"
He was right and the others had the same opinion. Raphael was facing away from us but I could see that he had problems with holding back his tears. Donatello tried to hide his tears too, but not so cramped as Raphael and Leonardo had his eyes...in the shadows?
Michelangelo: "I think we should take them back to the lair. Sensei would be happy to see them once again."
Donatello: "I have to agree with Miky."
Raphael: "..."
Leonardo: "...No."
Whatever I hoped he would say, that was it not.
Tang Shen/ Miwa/ Michelangelo/ Donatello/ Raphael: "NO?!"
He looked at us two with a very serious face.
Leonardo: "Yes, I said no. Or did you guys already forgot the April clone incident?"
Donatello: "Do you had to remind us?"
Leonardo: "Sorry Donny I can't take regard of your "Harem" dreams now!"
Whaaa...? What ever that meant it not only successfully silenced him, it let him turn into a deeeeeeeep shade of red.
Leonardo: "What I mean is, that we can not be sure that this is truly Tang Shen. The clone from back there, deceived even us and April is practically family. So how can we be sure that, that what is sitting before us not a shaped pile of goo?"
I have no idea what he is talking about, but his argument is valid.
Donatello: "Leonardo is right. Only Sensei Splinter could judge that, but how do we do it then, without showing them our lair?"
Leonardo: "There is a simple way. Donny a pen and paper, please."
He took the pen and paper from a very red Donatello and I observed how he withdraw-ed back into his shell. Leonardo scribbled something down and gave it to Mother.
Leonardo: "That is an address of a place you can talk from eye to eye with our Sensei."
Tang Shen: "Okay, thanks Leonardo."
Leonardo: "And be on time! Because..."
Tang Shen: "...you will not. I know how this game works."
Did I miss the joke or something? Because I have no idea what is going on.
Leonardo turned around and started to leave.
Leonardo: "Guys we are leaving!"
His tone let no room for other opinions, but I had to say it.
Miwa: "Leonardo!"
He stopped.
Leonardo: "What?"
Miwa: "Thank you!"
That felt so alien to say.
Leonardo: "Don't thank me until it is over."
A hand sign and a swift move later were all four brother gone only me and my mother were left behind. And the beginning silence was heavy. I do know this silence and learned early to hate it. A silence who reminded me with all its might that I am alone. In the past I have to fill with the sound of my fist hitting a sandbag, Only today I do understand that I have to fill it with the voices of my family, my real family. I can only hope that this will work because I couldn't stand the silence once more not even if mother is by my side, apropos...
Tang Shen: "Well that worked better than I hoped!"
Miwa: "And what do we now mother?"
She thought about it for a moment before she answered my question.
Tang Shen: "Nothing my child."
Miwa: "Nothing?!"
That is something completely against my nature!
Tang Shen: "Yes, nothing. We have done what we could and now its up to them. The only thing we can do is going to this place and hoping for the best and prepare for the worst."
Both options aren't really to my liking.
End of Ch.2
