Chapter # 21: The Mistake
Leonardo stood silent as his students entered the dojo along with his brothers and wives.
"Tonight, we will work on our sparring skills," he said. Raph and Mikey looked at their eldest brother. Was this a good idea? They had never done an all-out sparing competition match before when their wives were in view. They all knew that this decision had a large potential to turn out ugly.
Mikey knew that Faye and Michelle would especially not be happy about this. Had they even thought their wives how to spar? Mikey couldn't remember. Maybe Leo was right about staying more focused.
Leo and his brothers quickly paired everyone up according to age and rank. Everyone went to stand against the wall.
Raph lowered his voice to speak. "My boys first, if that's ok with you. Let's see if Dalton has learned his lesson, or if he will choose to miss the next test out." Leo nodded. That was fine with him.
Because Dakota had moved up and Dalton hadn't, the younger of the two brothers was now more skilled then before. It was going to be interesting.
"Dalton and Dakota," Leo called. "The two of you are up first."
"Yes, Sir!" both boys responded quickly to their sensei.
Raph had a bad feeling that he would be sleeping alone that night.
"What's sparring?" Faye whispered to Michelle as the two boys circled each other.
"I think it's when they fight one another," she replied.
"What!" cried Rebecca. She stomped over to her two sons to stop them. Seeing that his wife was about to get in the way, Raph reached for Rebecca, but was too late.
At that precise moment, Dalton through a punch toward his younger brother just as their mother stepped in between them.
Dalton's fist hit her square in the jaw, and Dakota, who was trying to block his brother's attach, ended up whacking his mother in the head.
"Aahhh!" cried Rebecca.
The dojo echoed Raph's swears and the thump of Rebecca hitting the ground. The children gasped in fright. The room was completely silent.
The boys stood stock still as their father bent down to scoop up his unconscious wife.
Donatello followed Raphael outside.
"I can't believe you hit Mommy," said Denver.
"I didn't mean to," Dakota exclaimed.
"She wasn't supposed to walk right in the middle of our sparring match," said Dalton.
Dakota looked up at his two uncles. He felt queasy. "Do you want us to continue, Sensei," he asked in a small voice.
"No," replied Leonardo. He knew that both of Raph's sons were nervous after what had happened. "In fact, the two of you are dismissed until morning," Leo said. Dalton and Dakota bowed to their Sensei before leaving the dojo.
"Logan and Andy, you're up." Leo commanded.
"Yes, Sir," the boys responded.
Faye grabbed Mikey's arm. "I don't want our boys to get hurt," she exclaimed.
"They will be fine," Mikey tried to reassure his wife, "as long as they follow the rules and obey Leo's instruction."
The two boys circled, keeping their eyes on one another. Then, Andy lunged at his brother.
"Flying winged monkey attack!" he shouted.
Faye shuddered.
Andy and Logan collided, but the attack was not a success. Logan countered with a back kick to his brother's head that sent him sprawling.
Their mother gasped in shock as did the other two women.
"There's no such thing as a flying winged monkey attack," Carson stated. "That was a basic throw."
"Sure there is," said Andy. "I just made it up."
"Enough!" said Leonardo. "Try again."
"Only, no monkey business," said Mikey.
Leo glared at his baby brother in response to his joke.
This time Andy succeeded in throwing his brother, and pinned him to the ground.
"How did Andy beat me?" Logan cried in shock.
"You let your guard down," Leo told him.
Logan's eyes began to feel with tears. He sat in the middle of the dojo as tears steamed down his face.
"Logan, we do not cry in this dojo," Leo said softly. "We learn from our mistake."
"Why are you crying Logan," asked his little sister, Jillian.
"I lost," Logan whined while wiping his face.
"That's ok," said Nathan. "Isn't it Daddy?" Nathan asked as he looked up at his father and uncle. "You usually win, so it was Andy's turn to beat you up."
"Are you still sure this was a good idea?" Mikey asked his brother with an amused expression on his face.
"It's going to be a long night," Leo replied.
"We seem to be odd one out," Mikey commented.
"We'll let Logan spar with Jane," Leo said. Is that ok with you?"
"Yeah, maybe then Logan won't be so fussy," Mikey grinned.
"Logan! Jane! "You're up!"
"Yes Sir!" They both replied.
Leo noticed that their wives had stopped gaping and gasping at everything that the kids did. Maybe they would be able to get through the night after all without being nagged for hours.
Jane had managed to get two points on Logan already. Logan was starting to get fussy about it.
"Stop hitting me! Fight fair," Logan whined as Jane managed to block another one of his blows. Logan tried a kick, but Jane jumped back, out of the way.
Michelangelo noticed that his son's frustration was getting the better of him. He knew better than to act like he was. He had taught him better than that. Leo did not put up with such behavior in the dojo often. Jane was a year older than Logan, but they and Andy were all at the same rank.
"Logan, fight like a ninja instead of whining like a baby," Mikey scolded. He ignored the scowl he could see on his wife's face. He knew he might be sleeping alone for a night or so.
Just then Logan managed to get a point on his cousin. Now he just needed one more to be even with Jane.
He noticed a certain area where Jane kept herself wide open. He wondered if his manner of attack would work for him again. It could also work against him if Jane was aware of her weak spot. Logan decided to chance it anyway, and it paid off, earning him another point. Now the two were tied.
From where he stood at the wall, Carson noticed that Logan's attitude began to improve a he scored one, and then another point. He knew his little cousin's behavior wouldn't help him at all where it came to real fighting. If he and his sister were to be the clan leaders some day, their ninjas sure had a lot to learn.
Logan and Jane were still sparring. Every time one would strike, the other would block.
"Go Logan!" shouted Andy.
"Go Jane!" shouted Jillian.
"Get him Jane!" shouted Franklyn.
"Come on Logan!" shouted Denver. "You can get her. She's only a girl!
"She'll show you what a girl can do," Jillian defended Jane.
Standing beside her husband, Michelle turned to Leo. "Why do you allow such things to go on?" she asked him.
"It helps prepare them for real fight," Leo replied.
"Real fighting….!" Michelle shut her mouth quickly. She opened it again to say something more, but Leo cut her off.
"I understand that you may not understand or agree with the training, but as Sensei, I will not be cut down in my dojo."
Michelle looked taken a back. Leo had never spoken to her that way before.
Leo felt bad, but that was that. At the moment he also had other pressing matters.
The kids were cheering on Logan and Jane.
Jane was doing a good job of flustering Logan. She blocked his punches and jumped out of the way of his kicks.
"Stay focused Logan," Leo said.
Logan lunged for Jane again, and that is when Jane decided to end the match. However, her attack didn't go as planned. Logan caught her, and sent Jane sprawling. He didn't mean to be so ruff, but Logan was glad that he had won.
"Good job Logan," Jane congratulated him as she picked herself up off the dojo floor.
Denver and Franklyn sparred next. Like his father, Denver's temper got the better of him, and Franklyn won.
After that was Nathan and Jillian. Both were just toddlers though, so their sparring match was more of a practice touch. However, the two were anything but short of words.
"I can see buggers up your nose," said Nathan.
"Your feet smell," said Jillian.
"Children, that isn't nice," Faye exclaimed.
"Well Logan and Andy say worse," Jillian said as she peered up at her mother.
As he always did, Leo declared their math a tie. Now it was time for Carson and Alex to spar.