Turtle Tots: WORLD TOUR!
Tragedy in Sichuan
中国Leo、ドン、MikeyおよびRaphの心痛の悲劇
Quote: I guess when your heart gets broken you sort of start to see cracks in everything. I'm convinced that tragedy wants to harden us and our mission is never to let it.
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Splinter sighed as the boat's engines roared into the night.
They had....just barely made it back to the ship.....
The rat had to nearly leap into the harbor before the ship hoisted anchor.
Splinter slowly turned to face the crate where his sons were sleeping.
Although they had been....healed, as it were, the extreme cold at harbor was enough to make Splinter fear of a relapse, so the turtles had been given watered down herbal tea, a
quick dinner and a warm wash, and then, an early bed.
Splinter glanced up, where the turtles' new cloaks softly glimmered in the shadows.
Had those....truly been from a....
The rat slowly shook his head.
Perhaps he would never know.
Surprisingly enough, the turtles did not argue about being sent to an early bed. They seemed completely exhausted.
After they had dropped the children back home when the violent snowstorms came to a cease hours later, Splinter could hear the man who had accused him in the Inn say, in a
sneering tone:
"Cet étranger est un weirdo, bien…" Then, he paused, and added somewhat grudgingly,
"....but you cannot deny he has style."
*******************
Splinter managed a faint smile before it quickly became an apparition.
He was tired of traveling....and so were the little ones, he could tell.
It would almost be....nice to return to the sewers below New York. To meditate in the dojo....not in this cargo bank. To be on dry land for more then twelve hours or so....
....watch the young ones in their insane play....
...and rest with the knowledge he had done the best he could do for his Master.
Raph shifted in his sleep, murmuring. Splinter managed another faint smile.
At least his young ones had been able to breathe fresh air for once.
Perhaps this extremely, excrutiatingly long trip had proved to be more blessing then curse.
Perhaps they were going to Japan at last!
Splinter listened hopefully at the bottom of the stairs at the chattering raised above the rushing of the waves the next day.
The air was growing slightly warmer....so that was s
People were speaking the oriental culture outside on the docks.....
....but it was slightly different then the Japanese he had learned to use as his main language.
Was it merely careless speaking?
Or....something else altogether, perhaps?
************************
Splinter watched his sons at play, mostly running about with their new cloaks on and making them sparkle in the lamplight. Occasionally, he would make a "sshhh" motion
whenever a guard was scheduled to walk past, and the turtles would duck into the corners of the boat to avoid the beam of orange illumination that his flashlight would
flicker around.
Mikey let out a tiny sigh as the beam of light slowly drifted away.
He was AFRAID of the darkness.
Why was it his family's greatest protector?
* * * * * * *
Hours later, Leo stumbled upon a flag that made Splinter think carefully.
It looked so familiar...not the flag of his homeland, Japan.....but it was crimson with golden stars dusted around it....
Wait a second.
GOLD STARS?!
That could only mean....
China.
They were actually in....China.
As Mikey gazed at the land from the deck that night, he had to rub his head for a moment, looking puzzled.
"Sensei....I know I said that I wanted to dig a hole to China....but you didn't have to go through this much trouble!"
The rat raised an eyebrow as he turned to face the little comic.
"Believe me, my son, it was unintentional."
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Sei-sei....why do we have to wear two cloaks?"
It was now time to leave ship. Don squirmed just a bit as Splinter tugged his new violet cloak over his old patched, teal one. Splinter hesitated.
"My sons....the air here.....is not very good. I want you four to stay close behind me at all times. Understand? This part of China....is just a bit dangerous."
Leo blinked. The rat's tone was very sharp, and his dark eyes were locked in place of their own brown orbs.
".....yes, Sensei," chorused four voices.
Underneath a crate, Don shot a puzzled look at his brothers.
As the sailors had disembarked, a nasty hush overtook them. Everything had been muffled, even footsteps, as they dropped anchor, some people actually bowing their heads as
they walked up and down stairs, reaching for the new cargo load.
Splinter frowned. There was so much chaos about outside....even louder then the other docks.
Of course, China WAS the most populated country in the world....but something didn't seem right. It was far too....chaotic outside. Much more then even Tokyo.
After reassuring himself that they were completely unrecognizable underneath their bunting, Splinter lifted the lid.
And the box clattered to the side as Splinter staggered up, eyes wide as the turtles sat, frozen to the spot.
Everywhere you looked, there was ruin. Leo ducked behind Splinter, clutching the hems of his cloak as he did so.
Cars lying in a heap, some completely smashed. More bicycles then anything else, but they too, looked as if they had seen better days.
Humans dashing about everywhere like grasshoppers, most with dirty faces.
There were shards of broken glass everywhere. Doors that had fallen off their hinges. Bricks, wood, and foundation lying in crushed piles.
People in white uniforms ducking in and out of buildings, looking sweaty and disheveled, carrying stretchers with a feebly stirring human on top.
And, everywhere, in the sirens, strangled shouts, coughing, spluttering, there was high pitched, hysteric screaming and sobbing.
And everywhere, the scent of rust and salt.
********************
Don clapped his hands over his mouth, eyes streaming, as a wild eyed woman screamed her lament into the sky beside a motionless young man, tears falling freely down her face
as she pounded her fists into the earth again and again, sobbing.
You didn't need to speak the same language to understand her pain.
Raph was making an odd, strangled sound as he attempted to choke back the sobs.
Mikey had long since buried his hands in his hands as he violently shook.
Splinter could only gaze at the sight, eyes burning as the hot tears trickled down his face.
And again, history brought a dark chapter into a series of unfortunate events we call time.
Splinter extended a shaking hand to a crumpled newspaper lying on the ground.
Odd...it had red stains on it, and something written in it with bold, black permanent marker. Splinter was more accustomed to Japanese kanji, but they shared many characteristics
with the Japanese format. He supposed he could take a shot at it.
He slowly turned the circled part to him, squinting.
LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Oh, dear.
It could be considered a felony for a Chinese citizen to so blatantly exclaim against the communist party....
Did that explain the stains?
On the afternoon of May 12, 2008, a 7.9-magnitude earthquake hit Sichuan Province, a mountainous region in Western China, killing about 70,000 people and leaving over 18,000 missing. Over 15 million people lived in the affected area, including almost 4 million in the city of Chengdu.
Since the Tangshan earthquake in 1976, which killed over 240,000 people, China has required that new structures withstand major quakes. But the collapse of schools, hospitals and factories in several different areas around Sichuan has raised questions about how rigorously such codes have been enforced during China's recent, epic building boom.
In June 2008, low-lying areas in one of the towns most devastated by the earthquake were flooded as a torrent of water was released from a dangerous lake formed by landslides, dislodging wrecked homes, cars and corpses.
The surge of floodwater into the town, Beichuan, was part of an effort by engineers and soldiers to drain Tangjiashan, one of more than 30 so-called quake lakes that were formed by landslides. For weeks, the dam of rock and mud holding back the rising waters of the Jian River there had threatened to burst and flood towns and cities downstream that are home to 1.3 million people.
Thousands of the initial quake's victims were children crushed in shoddily built schools, inciting protests by parents. Local police harassed the protestors and the government criticized them. At least one human rights advocate who championed their cause was arrested.
The Chinese government has refused to release the number of students who died or their names. But one official report soon after the earthquake estimated that up to 10,000 students died in the collapse of 7,000 classrooms and dormitory rooms.
And-"
Splinter had read enough. Biting his lip, he gently held out his arms, and, sure enough, four turtles came hurrying in.
"Shhhh," he whispered, feeling Leo's body shake violently.
How he was so afraid of this when they had mutated, he would never know It felt so natural holding his sons-as natural as breathing.
Just like the ability to feel pain.
Mikey jerked.
Someone was screaming particulary loudly. He reluctantly turned from Splinter's warm arms to stare down the hill, squinting.
"Nihao! NIHAO! Help! HELP!"
Another woman was screaming into the air for assistance as a man, face now beet red with effort, attempted to pull a fallen beam up into the air so that the woman....
....could pull out a sobbing little girl.
But failing miserably.
Splinter leapt up, heart pounding a disjointed rhythm as he rushed behind the bend, leaping over more structural foundation remains as he did so, four turtles hurrying in his
wake.
Ni Gao took another deep breath, struggling to raise the heavy beam just a bit higher....but the beam continued to slide from sweaty, splintered hands....
No! Chou kia was his only child!
His little girl! She would not die-not today, and not by his hands!
But the beam grew heavier....
...until it raised itself by a fracton of a an inch.
Ni stared. A cloaked figure had darted up from behind him, and began to heave at the enormous block of wood.
Ni put all his strength into the next pull, gasping as sweat rolled down his forehead, panting as the wood raised tantalizingly...inch by smallest inch.....
Splinter grunted, and tugged harder. Ni hastened to do the same.
The woman attempted to tug the little girl out, but no luck.
"Please! PULL HARDER!"
But the two were already at breaking point. Don was suddenly thrust upon by inspiration.
"Guys! Help me out, here!"
Immediately, the turtles understood what Don meant. Slowly, very slowly, Leo inched underneath the wooden block, allowing it to rest on his shell for a moment. Wincing at the
pressure, Don and Raph each seized an ankle, while Mikey inched up besides Leo, gasping.
This was HEAVY!
The slight three inches off the ground were not much, but it was all they needed. The breathless young woman managed to slide the little girl out, inch by inch.
"She is out! She is free!"
The two managed to hold the block just long enough for Raph and Don to yank Mikey and Leo out before the block finally slipped from their hands.
SMASH.
The beam burst, splinters and chunks of wood flying everywhere. The turtles winced at the noise as it echoed throughout the already chaotic streets, and Chou Kia's frantic cries
echoed with those of her parents.
One of those who wept for joy. Her father's frantic hugs would not cease, nor her mother's frantic kisses.
The woman, still clutching Kia, bowed deeply as Ni thrust himself into a bow.
"Thank you, kind sirs," he managed to gasp, burying his red face in his now very wet hand.
"My little girl! My little-" then he broke off, shuddering as he wept, shaking his head over and over again.
Leo and Don glanced at each other, gulping.
Why didn't they feel any better?
As it transpired, Kia was only slightly scraped, but her clothing had been torn to pieces. She was a ragged mess, but very much alive.
And she had very healthy lungs, judging by how she was yelping.
Before Splinter turned away, Raph shyly untied his crimson cloak that was hanging over his grey and held it timidly to the two still flustered people.
"....um.....here. She might want somethin' to wear."
Raph smiled faintly before wiping his eyes.
What good did THAT do? Three people....
...in the dozens.....hundreds....thousands desperate?
* * * * * *
Mikey carefully draped the golden yellow around the faintly stirring little boy. Paramedics were getting ready to rush him to the hospital....at least he now was covered in hopeful
color.
Mikey groaned as they wheeled the boy in, the boy's trembling, questing hand groping blindly on the stretcher, felt the soft material, and clutched it beneath his fingers.
What good was THAT going to do?
Don sighed as he gently covered an old woman's shoulders with the violet material. She gratefully clutched it as she rocked back and forth, moaning as she wrung her hands.
Her apartment had been completely caved in.
Donatello sighed, feeling ridiculous.
How was one possession going to make up for all that she lost?
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The sapphire material looked nice on the little girl, whose father was being bandaged for his broken leg, but Leo had to sigh sadly.
It would not heal him any faster. Nor would it her.
Splinter's heart felt like it would burst with quiet pride as he watched each child gladly give up their new cloak.
But none of them seemed to believe it did any good.
It had been something of a relief when the time came for boarding.
Leo buried his head in the pillows, lying still for a moment.
He wasn't sure if he wanted to come back anytime soon.
------------
"My sons...please. Eat something."
But the turtles didn't touch their plates, even as the ship made its way for a new destination. Splinter groaned.
They had been sitting in the crate all this time, looking completely miserable...when they weren't burying their faces into their comfort items.
Finally, the rat leapt in nimbly beside them.
"My sons....do not lament so. Healing will come in time, but only if you allow it to do so. This is no display of weakness-rather one of strength."
Raph just groaned.
"STRENGTH? How can it be that if it hurts so much?"
"Well....some people believe that pain is weakness leaving the body."
"If that's true, I'm almost as strong as you," mumbled Don, wiping already rather bloodshot eyes.
Splinter smiled.
"Do you not see what good you have done today? Assisting in a rescue, giving comfort to those who would have otherwise-with your own possesions?"
Splinter drew a small tap on Leo's nose, who managed a watery giggle as he hid is face between his hands.
Mikey frowned.
"But....Sei-Sei....that was only..."
"One or two people? Every wave begins with a small drop of water. There will be happiness shortly following-when people can step back from this disaster and see what they DO
have-their lives.
And a chance to start over."
Splinter let out a small sigh as he made to more out, but four pairs tugged on his arm.
The rat slowly turned to face imploring expressions. He managed a small smile as he lay down.
".....very well, little ones."
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The Chinese flag was lowered that night as the ship made way for a new location.
And it was replaced by a plan white flag, with a large red dot in its center.