Motherly Affection

Raindrops

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Hallo, everyone. Hoping you're all well.

A few more chapters left…..

Abayo for now!

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Quote:

"It is not arrogance to know, and believe, and claim it to your heart that you are ever in the very center of God's attention... because this is where you rightfully belong. Why do we always place ourselves into the obscure characters in our life stories...why do we always think we're the loser sidekicks who never get noticed?! God is shouting to us "No way!..You are my Aragorn, you are my Maximus... you get to win!" -Sarah Mayfield

The woman winced as Splinter continued to stare into the depths of his tea.

"Those moments were….very troublesome. There was nowhere to go, nowhere to run-I could not even head forward for my children, knowing

that, if I did, I would expose all five of us in an instant….

…..there had been no time, even when I tried pushing through the evacuation crowds. I was losing any and all indication of their scent-the rain

was falling down so quickly…."

The rat lowered his eyes.

"By the time I managed to shake off the advance guard, it…had been too late. My sons were no longer where I'd left them….and the storm was

moving in fast.

I was not at all prepared for such an event-and it had been terrifying, I assure you. We had many places to meet underground in case we

became separated-but nothing really planned in advance for the surface world terrain. Either they had been swept away….or…"

He cringed.

"After searching in the city grounds and being unsuccessful, I headed back to the Undergrounds to see if they might have swum to one of the old

vintage points still in the sewers….flooded, but not completely submerged. I checked all six, but there had been….nothing.

That was when I figured that they might have been swept into one of the evacuation squad vehicles by mistake-and hurried to swim upwards.

They had to stop soon enough near South Point…..on top of the old draining juncture below. Possessed of that hope, I hurried.

But….it was not to be."

His voice had become somewhat bemused at this point.

"New York had declared a state of emergency…and, in case of such a flood, activated the full force of the sewage drainyards…

….with….me…well…."

Mary's eyes had already widened with horror at this point, and, it was with a violently shaking hand that she seized Splinter's hand.

The rat absentmindedly patted hers with his own, and looked at his tea again, eyes distant.

It was a moment or so before Mary found her voice.

"But….surely….y-you didn't…you weren't…."

The rat looked downwards, and Mary's eyes widened again.

"I….had to admit, they knew what they were doing with such devices. About two-thirds or so of the resulting rainwater from the storm

was….drained.

And I.....with it."

Mary felt sick as she seized Splinter's arm, the rat slowly lifting his head to give her a somewhat puzzled look.

"S-Splinter-san….I…are you alright? How did you-in all that….?"

Her voice trailed off, and the rat smiled once again, patting her on the head this time.

"I….have learned my methods. Still, although it was not an….easy pilgrimage, it ended, as all do-in good time.

The water was to be drained some miles away from the far too flooded city pipes…..and distributed it with some of its sister systems, still in the

state.

I ended up in a small ditch after climbing my way through one of the older piping systems once the water pressure decreased somewhat….and

then, passed out for a short period of time."

He paused again.

"Perhaps….not for such a small period of time. I do not know….but then began my journey to locate my sons. After finding that I was still in the

state of New York-and that no such news of my sons being spotted or captured had been made known…..I went to the refugee system in

disguise.

I did not find them there, much to my grief. I did not know whether or not they were safe-if they themselves had been separated….if they had

been…."

The rat's palms were now being clasped very tightly to one another, and he was trembling slightly.

"….forgive me. The days were very; very long….and yet so very short, as dwindling hours told me that they could be anywhere at all.

When I finally did pinpoint their location….it again, had been too late. You and Ken-san had run off already….and, after speaking to Jessi-

san…well, I feared I would be too late."

He shuddered.

"As for what occurred next-you know better then I. My sons did not have much of a chance to say much when we got them home. How and why

they ended up near your home is a story only they can tell….as I am lost for answers."

There was no denying it-something was definitely up with the chibis. Mary gave him an uncertain frown.

"But….I…."

She shook her head, and opted for another question.

"How ARE the little guys doing? Are they okay?"

Something flickered in the rat's eyes.

"Do you…wish to see them?" his voice was quiet, but just a little anxious.

"I need…..to go back to them, anyway. They still need a bit of ten-"

The woman swallowed.

"Master Splinter….what's wrong? What happened to the little guys?"

The rat turned to look at her.

"Words will not be accurate, Miss Mary-but they will indeed recover. I assure you."

The woman felt faintly lightheaded.

"Then…yes. Of course."

Splinter gave a nod of approval, sighed, then rose from his position. Mary was just amazed his feet hadn't fallen asleep at this time from sitting

on them so long.

"Then come. I will more than gladly oblige."

And this, dear readers-is where I leave you for a bit. Please take care.