A/N #2 : I hate profanity. It inspired this fic because too many people cuss and I think they need to stick a bar of soap in their mouths. Cussing is not cool. It's disgusting. I'm all the way with Splinter on this fic…
Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT
Someone needs to wash his mouth…
OOOOO
"Shi-"
"Raph!" Leo screamed. "Language! You know what Master Splinter thinks of profanity!"
"Yeah, well, he ain't here right now is he!" Raph snapped back. "But THEY are!"
Raph pointed behind them to where a herd of foot ninja was chasing them over the roof tops. While the turtles were gaining distance, they were beinging to slow down.
"Just keep moving!" Leo yelled. "And keep your mouth shut if you aren't going to say anything useful!"
A small training run between the two of them had gone south almost immediatly as they stepped out of the lair. Truthfully, it was suppose to be what Master Splinter called their "weekly bonding time" to "understand one another better." Translation: Splinter wanted to kick them out for a while because they had been fighting more than usual lately.
Raph glanced behind him. "Fu-"
"Raph!" Leo growled. "How many times do I have to tell you? Stop cussing!"
"Seriously Leo!" Raph yelled. "We're getting chased by a about a hundred Foot and yer givin me a lecture over cuss words!"
"Just shut up!"
OOOOO
Two hours later they arrived back at the lair, both of them sweating and as cranky as ever.
As it turned out they had spent a total of fifteen minutes running from the Foot then finally found a hiding place. Long story short the spent a little over an hour and a half pratically on top of each other in a dumpster.
Raph was fumming and mumbling cuss words under his breath just loud enough for Leo to hear him. Leo sent a burning glare his way.
"Would you quit it!" Leo finally shouted.
"Maybe if you hadn't let them chase us off!" Raph exploded. "I can't believe you let them do that! That was the single most embarassin' moment of my life!"
"Raph-"
"Ya f***ing let them get away! Ya let them beat our shells then chase us off. I feel like a f***ing coward!"
Leo bristled visibly. He growled through clenched teeth. "Raph…"
"I can't belive I let ya-"
"Would you shut the h*** up and let me talk!"
Silence followed as soon as the word slipped out of Leo's mouth. Leo's eyes widened in shock at what had come out of his mouth. Raph stared at him as he tried to figure out what had just happened.
"Leo…did you jus-"
"Leonardo! Raphael!"
Both of them tensed up at the stern voice that had sounded loudly from behind them.
Slowly they turned and behind them there he stood.
Master Splinter.
Splinter strode over gracefully and stared sternly into his sons' eye. Both Leo and Raph cringed and shrunk visibly under his glare.
"I know not the means of why you two are spewing words of filth in my house but it will stop this instant!" Splinter practically roared, banging his walking stick on the ground once for emphasis. "What do you two have to say for yourselves?"
Neither of them answered.
Splinter looked back and forth between them. "Well?"
Leo looked up meekly. "How many flips do you want us to do Sensei?" Leo asked softly.
Splinter sighed then brought his hnd to his face. He rubbed his chin in thought. "I believe, this time, there will be a different form of punishment. One that will get the point across, since your flips seem to not be working. My son's, come with me to the bathroom…"
OOOOO
"Ooo… they got it good!" Mikey snickered quietly outside the bathroom door. "Ha!"
"Keep it down." Don hissed, shushing him . "If Splinter hears us…"
"It's just-" Mikey cut off and slapped his hand over his mouth as a surge of laughter poured over him. Smiling, he peeked back into the bathroom.
Both of his two oldest brothers were sitting on the edge of the bathtub in front of Master Splinter, heads down in shame. They sat wordlessly, letting Splinter glare holes into them.
Then again, it would be hard to talk with a bar of soap in your mouth.
Mikey giggled and looked away before he burst out laughing. Okay, maybe he could handle just Raph sitting with a bar of soap in his mouth, but Leo sitting next to him with the same treatment? Mikey thought one ot his lungs would explode from trying not to laugh. But that wasn't the best part…
Don was getting the whole thing on camera.
"I believe your time is up." Splinter's voice rang through the air. Mikey heard his brothers moving inside and soon after, spitting as they tried to get the awful flavor out of their mouths. "This foul language is unacceptable in this household. You will follow this punishment with fifty flips in the dojo. Next time, instead of five minutes of soap, it will be seven and your flips will double. I will not approve of this nasty language in my house! Understood?!"
There were two meek "yes Sensei"'s that followed.
"Now…" Splinter said quite calmly, after dishing out short but effective lecture. "Donatello! Michelangelo! Come in here!"
Mikey looked at Donnie in panic and Don sent him the same look. Should they acknowledge the call? How could Sensei know they were there?
"I will not ask you two again!" Splinter shouted. "Come in here! And bring that ridiculus recording device with you."
Slowly, both of them went to their feet. Don pushed the door open and Mikey followed him in.
Mikey hung his head, much like his oldest brothers had been doing moments before. Splinter was radiating anger and so were Raph and Leo as soon as they realized the device in Don's hand was a video recorder.
"Why you litt-" Raph began with a growl.
"Yame!" Splinter shouted. He turned to the two youngest. "Donatello, give me the device. Leonardo, Raphael, go start your flips. "
As Raph and Leo left, Donnie handed the device to Splinter and he confiscated it. He sighed wearily.
"Donatello, Michelangelo, I believe you two are mature enough to know it is intrusive to eavesdrop on your brothers' punishment let alone record it. It is rude and disrespectful. I am very disappointed in you two." Splinter said calmly. "You two will be cleaning this bathroom as punishment for this immature behavior."
Mikey sighed heavily. A little too heavily.
Splinter narrowed his eyes. "Since that is not enough, Michelangelo, you will join Leonardo and Raphael first for flips before you help Donatello."
Mikey shrank back but didn't sigh again. "Yes Sensei."
Without another word, Splinter turned and left, heading to his room.
As he walked down the hall Splinter sighed, and ageing weariness setting in his bones. A slight headache had sprouted along with it and he was glad that his children were occupied for the moment so he wouldn't have to deal with their ruckess. He loved them all dearly but being a single parent of four teenagers was the deffinition of patience.
When he came to the door he opened it then closed it behind him softly. His mind wandering to more peacful places, Splinter drifted quietly over to the wall where three pictures hung. The center depicted his Master Yoshi in his youth; a picture given to him by the ancient one.
"Oh, my Master." Splinter shook his head and sighed. "What am I to do with them?"
Silently, he glanced at the picture to his left, showing his children when they were toddlers, playing together as Splinter had been trying to figure out how to work the camera and in the proccess had taken a picture without knowing. It was their first picture.
Splinter reached out and traced his finger along the frame, thinking of how frail they had been when they were so small. and how many time he'd thought he'd lose them to cold, hunger, but mostly sickness. All of them had been terribly sick constantly when they were younger. This picture had been at one of the better times.
He moved onto the last one to his right. It was current, showing the immense age difference between the far left. His son's had grown up to be strong and steady yet they were still learning. They still needed help and guidence.
They were still his boy's, his son's and they were still children. Ones that at times, still got into a bit of trouble.
Splinter smiled and shook his head, turning away from the pictures.
"Kids."