Chapter Twenty
Good News
At the farmhouse, Mona was standing in the middle of the living room practising her Kung Fu. Pandora was laying in her basket gurgling at a small butterfly mobile that dangled above her.
April was standing next to Mona wearing a ninja suit like her lizard friend and was copying the moves Mona did.
"I love the Crane style." April commented as she spread her arms out and balanced on one leg "I feel balanced and relaxed, I can feel all the energy flowing through me like a waterfall."
Mona smiled at April.
"My instructor told me 'A Crane is like a drop after drop of water, individually/seemingly doing nothing but wearing out over time, inevitably'" said Mona "'The Crane does not seek to win; the Crane just seeks not to loose. It is not competitive or combative but co-operative and contributory."
"Where did those words come from Mona?" asked April.
"My instructor said they were old Chinese sayings," Mona answered "They mean the crane is patient, the crane is always aware, the crane is always observant."
April didn't say anything but she listened carefully to Mona's words feeling inspired, and she continued to follow Mona's moves.
Finally Mona ended with a low stance with her arms level and balanced.
April copied and they stood up and bowed to each other.
"I'm not a master April." Mona said humbly, "But I know a few moves to help others,"
"I think you're a good teacher." said April kindly "I really enjoyed that."
Mona blushed and was about to start on a different style when her Shell-cell rang making both her and April jump.
April instantly picked up the phone and spoke into it.
"April!" they heard Michelangelo's excited voice on the other side.
"Mikey!" cried April "You ok?"
Mona stood bolt upright and walked closer to April so she too could hear what was going on.
"You're not going to believe this April!" Michelangelo's voice came again "But I swear Lady Luck has given us a call!"
"What's happened?" asked April, there was a slight impatience in her voice as she asked what was going on.
"We've found a new home!" cried Michelangelo "There's this place deep underground in the North Western part of the sewers and it's bigger than the old lair! In fact we could fit five times of it in here!"
"Honestly?" cried April, her eyes widened and she turned to Mona who had heard every word that had been said.
"Indeed!" said Michelangelo "We're already deciding what to do with it! Where the TV's going to go! Where we'll have our kitchen and training areas..."
Michelangelo paused slightly.
"And we've seen there are more rooms in this underground palace than we had before, which means Pandora will have a bedroom and a playroom if she so desires!"
Mona's face brightened up, and April too beamed.
Looking at her lizard friend, April saw he hadn't seen such a bright look on Mona's face since Pandora was born.
Mona walked over to Pandora's basket and picked up the tiny reptilian baby before cradling her close to her chest.
"Oh Pandora..." she sighed "Your father, grandfather and uncles have done so well finding us a new home! We'll be going back to New York soon!"
As if understanding her mother, Pandora gave a small gurgle and waved her tiny hands.
April cooed at the sight of the mother and daughter bonding.
"I think Pandora's happy Mikey." she said "She's gurgling away, she knows she's going home and going to be reunited with her daddy, uncles and Granddad Splinter!"
"Awesome!" said Michelangelo happily "I can't wait to see her either...oh hold on..."
There was another pause then Michelangelo spoke again.
"Hey April...Raph wants to talk to Mona."
"Sure." said April, she turned to Mona who took the shell-cell and whilst holding Pandora in one hand raised the shell-cell to her ear.
"Raph?" she said softly.
A broken voice was heard on the other side.
"Mona...I can't tell you how good it is to hear your voice again...I've missed you so much..."
Mona felt her throat tighten and tears pooled in her eyes as she heard Raphael speak.
He had obviously missed her and she could tell he had been crying.
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to leave you and Pandora, but we had to find a new place, as the week went by, we were at our wits end, we had no luck finding a home,then Mikey stumbled across one! Literally!"
Mona let out a hearty chuckle.
"I knew you lot would find somewhere." she said softly "I trusted you."
"And now we'll be able to be a family again." Raphael said in a choked voice "I can't wait for you to come home."
As he spoke, Raphael could hear Pandora gurgling as she heard the sound of her father's voice.
"Awww, Pandora's saying how happy she is that we're going to be coming home soon." said Mona "She's missed her daddy so much."
She heard a choking sound on the other side, obviously Raphael was trying to hold in his cries at the sound of his daughter's gurgling.
"I've missed you too little geisha." he said still in a choked voice "You'll be with daddy, Granddad Splinter and your uncles soon."
Mona smiled again as she rocked Pandora who continued to gurgle.
"We can't wait to see you again hun." she said.
"I know babe." said Raphael "But we got to get this place set up and all, Casey's going to drive all the stuff we found from the old lair that didn't get damaged and bring it here, and Don with our help will get furniture and other stuff set up, including electricity, and we'll try and set up Pandora's room again."
"I know you'll do just fine." said Mona softly "I just wish I was there to help."
"You need to be safe Mona." said Raphael "I know you can handle yourself but Pandora needs her mother, I just wish I was there to help you, as Pandora's father I should be there."
"I'm fine hun." said Mona "And so's Pandora, April's been great helping me, and we can't wait to see you again."
"We shall inform you and April when you can return, Casey will come back to the Farmhouse to bring you home." said Raphael "I miss you so much." he choked back a sob at the last part.
"I miss you too." Mona whispered as a tear fell from her eyes.
April smiled softly as Mona and Raphael whispered loving goodbyes before Mona hung up on the shell-cell and held Pandora close.
"Hear that sweetie!" she said excitedly to the gurgling baby "We're going back to New York! And you'll have your room back! And maybe even a playroom!"
Pandora gurgled again and waved her tiny hands.
"She seems happy about that!" smiled April.
Mona walked over and embraced April tightly.
"Oh man!" she said "This is the best news I've heard! We'll get our home back!"
April hugged Mona back.
"And hopefully you'll be safer too." said April "Hopefully that evil Arashi and Arden won't find you lot down there."
Mona looked solemn again as she thought about the evil men.
"I'll make sure those two won't hurt Pandora..." she said "When she's old enough we will be teaching her the ways of the ninja, but her being safe is a priority."
She held Pandora close to her as the tiny reptile placed her hand in her mouth and gummed it.
"And I want her to have a good childhood without worrying about what goes on topside," Mona continued "But I will not sugar coat anything, I can't shield her from everything in this world."
"No parent can." said April "Pandora will find out eventually what dangers surround you, and what you face everyday, and I know you'll do what's right."
She stroked Pandora's soft head and smiled at how cute she looked.
"But you can't worry about that now Mona, not until she's old enough to understand."
"You're right." said Mona "I'll try not to..." and she leaned down to kiss Pandora's tiny forehead as the baby reptile relaxed into her chest and closed her eyes for a little nap.
Awww, that was a sweet phone conversation between Mona and Raphael. Not long until they're together again!
Hope you liked the little Kung Fu lesson Mona was teaching April, those quotes about the crane I wrote were from a website that spoke about the Kung Fu crane style. I always thought that was my favourite style and if I ever wanted to try Kung Fu, that's what I'd love to learn above the others!
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Should have another up soon! If the block doesn't hit me! lol!
Love Bloodrayne666