Q&A-time again. :)

AMNWolfDog asked if this a LeoXApril-story of if it still supports Apritello. (I so saw this question coming. XD) First of all, I want to keep this story as canon as possible, and although I am a big fan of Apritello, except for Donnie's crush, a few hints, and April hugging and kissing him, nothing else has happened yet. We still don't know if Apritello is going to happen or not (I really hope for it, though). So I won't write too many Apritello-moments in this story, only them being friends and a few hints here and there, just like the show. Well, until it becomes canon – IF it becomes canon, that is. As for Leo and April, I write them as friends as well. I would like to see these two getting more screen time together, but in the meantime I'll write about them to fill in for the lack of screen time. But I'll write them as friends – until April ends up with Leo in the show and it becomes canon, which I really can't see happening.

erica phoenix16 said she was wondering if they have fanfiction sites for children because you need to be at least 13 to join those sites. Well, that's the reason Leo looked up a suitable fanfiction forMadelyn. And that's the reason why and Leo READ the fanfiction to Madelyn or give her print-outs to continue reading herself. They would never let her access such a site all by herself. Madelyn won't join any fanfiction sites. When she, Leo, and April are going to write a fanfiction together, it is going to be April who joins a site. They would never leave Madelyn unattended when it comes to fanfiction sites – or the internet, for that matter.

Okay, that's it. Back to the story. ^^

Chapter 37: Training Plan

When Master Splinter walked past Leo's room, he couldn't help, but glance inside when he found the door open – only to find his oldest son perched on his bed, bent over what seemed to him like the most difficult Sudoku one could think of. Leo's brows were furrowed and a frustrated sigh left his mouth while his eyes were glued to the piece of paper in front of him. His fingers played with the pencil in his hand, unnoticed to him as if they had their own life, since he was concentrating all his attention to the piece of paper.

A frown appeared on Splinter's face, thinking about if it would be better to leave his son alone and let him figure this out by himself or offer his help, but when Leonardo sighed once more, it was settled. Splinter could at least ask what was going on.

"What troubles you, Leonardo?" he asked through the open door, and Leo's head immediately snapped up.

"Nothing," he replied when he set eyes on his sensei before he turned back to his paper. "Nothing important."

"Well, you seem very troubled for something that isn't even important," Splinter went on. "Mind if I come in?"

"No, not all," Leo replied and beckoned his sensei to have a seat on the bed next to him.

Splinter gave a warm smile as he entered the room and did as his son wished. He peeked over Leo's shoulder and was only a little bit disappointed when he couldn't make out a Sudoku grid on it, but just notes in Leo's flawless handwriting.

"So, what is this about?" he asked.

"Well," Leo started, "I promised Madelyn some time ago that I would show her some basics in self-defense." He looked at his sensei, not sure how he would react to that. "Nothing difficult, just a few basics."

"I see," Splinter said. "But you know if you train her, you are responsible."

"Hai, sensei," Leo replied. "But she was so afraid and insecure when her father got hurt in a car accident and after they were taken hostage by the Rat King that I am willing to take the burden of this responsibility if it makes her feel safer."

"That's very noble from you, Leonardo." Splinter smiled at his son. "You already have a lot of responsibilities for such a young age and still you care for that little girl so much that you agree on putting even more of that on your shoulders."

Leo just nodded in response. But when he turned back to his paper, he sighed again.

"But I guess that is not what is troubling you, am I right?" Splinter asked.

Leo nodded again. "It's about this basics-stuff!" he burst out, slamming one hand on the piece of paper. "I don't seem to be able to get it right!"
"What do you mean?"

"Well, basics, sensei," Leo explained. This just earned him a frown from Splinter, and Leo realized that repeating what he practically just had burst out at a normal voice couldn't really be considered an explanation.

"It's just that all I can think of seems far too advanced for Madelyn," he tried again. "She's a little girl, just a beginner, but when I think of the easy stuff one part of my brain keeps telling me that this is too easy, and I don't want her to believe that I think she is stupid or won't get it when I start with too easy things."

"Hmmmm." Splinter stroked his beard. "I can see your point, Leonardo, but from what I know of this Madelyn, I can tell that she must be a cheerful little girl. And this reminds me of you and your brothers when you were little. And when I started training you, you all were so eager to learn, you didn't care if things were too easy. On the contrary, you were proud and gained more self-confidence with every new thing you learned, and the sooner you figured it out, the better it seemed to work for you, the more eagerly you wanted to learn something new." He looked at Leo. "So, don't you care about if it is too easy for her or not, just do it." And with that he took the piece of paper away from Leo and crumpled it up. "And forget your notes. Just think of the first thing you want to show her. Everything else is going to evolve from there."

Leo whose eyes had widened in shock when he saw what Splinter did to his carefully taken notes, relaxed again. Splinter always did things for a reason, and maybe he was right.

"Is that what you did when you started training us?" he asked. "Let it evolve from there?"

"Well, you of course need an overall-plan, a result you want to achieve" Splinter admitted. "But I am sure you have that already."

Leo nodded, but then he lowered his eyes, thinking if he should ask the question that was already waiting on the tip of his tongue. He looked at Splinter and the warmth in his father's eyes assured him.

"Sensei," he started.

"Yes?"

"Why did you start training us to become ninjas?" he finally asked.

Splinter's eyes widened a bit at this question, but then he relaxed again. "Well, I think it was the same reason you want to teach Madelyn a few basics," he said after a little while in which he had thought of the best way to put this into words. "I wanted you to feel safe, I wanted to prepare you for life. And ninjitsu was what I knew. It was – and still is – my way of preparing you for what you are going to face in your lives." He paused for another moment. "I know that me being a ninja master doesn't automatically mean that my children…" – he flinched the tiniest of bits when he said that, but Leo noticed and he knew that he was thinking of Karai, no, Miwa because otherwise he would have said "sons" – "…had to become ninjas as well. I hoped for it, though. All I did was teaching you what I could do best. I think this is what all parents do. I wanted you to participate in what was important to me – just as you were an important part of my life – and always will be."

"I see, sensei," Leo said. "Thank you, father." Splinter looked at him, but before he could say anything, Leo continued, "For letting us participate in this important part of your life."

Splinter just looked at him with a warm smile before he placed a hand on Leo's shoulder.

"You are welcome, my son."

When Splinter had left, Leo took Madelyn's letter out from the drawer of his bedside table. He had gotten it from April this afternoon, but thought he needed to set up a training plan first. But now that he had decided to go with what Splinter had suggested he could finally read it.

With a smile he yanked the letter open.

Dear Mr. Turtle,

It was so nice to see you on the weekend! I had a lot of fun.
Okay. I will ask Mr. Red next time I see him about getting mad. I want to know what kind of stories he can tell me about it.
Billy mentioned the superhero-outfit, and I bet it looked amazing. Mr. Beam is really good at this. I can't wait to see Mrs. Sparkling Hair's new outfit. And I really hope he can make me a dress one day. It will be beautiful!
Could you please tell your brothers my thanks for helping you teaching Billy a lesson? You all did a great job, and I am really thankful for that.
I forgot to mention that I really want to see you wearing the superhero-outfit. Do you think you could wear it next time we meet? The cape must look so amazing!
The 'Unicornia'-fanfiction you found is so beautiful! I really, really like it. And there are so many more chapters you and April can read to me. This is so great!
And I really enjoyed making my own unicorn. Morning Dew looks awesome. And so do your and April's unicorns. April told me today that you had suggested 'Aurora' as a name for her unicorn and that she decided to really name her 'Aurora'. This is such a beautiful name, and it fits her unicorn really well. Have you decided for a name for your unicorn yet, Mr. Turtle?
I haven't talked to April about writing a fanfiction together yet, but now that we all have our own unicorns, I think it is just logical that we write our own story. This will be great! Our unicorns will be best friends and experience adventures together!
I hope we can meet soon!

Yours,
Madelyn

When Leo was finished with the letter his eyes wandered over to the clothes hook where his superhero-outfit was hanging. He shifted a bit uneasily when he thought of its uncomfortableness and the itchy fabric, but if it made Madelyn happy, he would have to wear it once again. It wouldn't kill him – well, as long as his cape didn't get entangled at a real bad time, while he was jumping down a building or so. He just needed to be careful. But he still didn't get the obsessiveness of superheroes with capes. They were so unpractical! He slightly shook his head at this thought.

Then his eyes wandered over to Madelyn's picture of his unicorn. He still had no idea how to name it. Heck, he even had no idea what a good unicorn name would be!

Then he thought of Madelyn mentioning that it would be great if Mikey could make her a dress. So he needed to talk to Mikey anyway. And after all, his little brother was the naming-stuff-expert. Maybe Mikey could think of a unicorn-name as well.

And with that he got up and marched over to the door.

"Mikey!" he called out once he was in the corridor. "Can you help me with something, bro?"

When he arrived back at his room half an hour later, he just slumped down on his bed with a groan.

"Cleaning duty!" he called out. "Why does it always have to be cleaning duty?"

The next afternoon April was picking up Madelyn. They had planned on going to the playground, but while Madelyn was getting ready, Mr. Dearing took April aside.

The thoughtful look on his face made April frown.

"April," he said, "I heard some rumors that there is a strange guy hanging around the playground sometimes. I know, people like to talk and some do overreact, but this isn't something one should take lightly. So, please be careful, will you? And if anything looks suspicious, just the teeniest, tiniest bit, call me. Don't hesitate, just call me, okay?"

And with that he placed a hand on her shoulder and repeated firmly, "Call me!"

Under his keen look, all April could do was nod and say, "Of course, Mr. Dearing!"

And that moment Madelyn left her room and skipped over to them.

Mr. Dearing's earnest look immediately turned into a warm smile when he turned to his daughter.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

Madelyn just nodded in response, walked over to April and the teenage girl took her by the hand.

"We'll be back in about an hour!" she said to Mr. Dearing, and with that she and Madelyn left the apartment.

At the playground April was perched on one of the benches, scanning her surroundings closely. If there was any strange guy nearby, he sure was good in hiding – or more likely, he wasn't even there. Her brows were furrowed as she made one last overall-look before she took out her laptop out from her messenger bag with a determined nod. Now that she was sure the coast was clear, there was something she needed to take care of. She placed the laptop on her lap and opened a document. She couldn't access her messenger board here. It was easier to do that – and hide her digital tracks – at home. So she had decided to prescribe what she wanted to say to all the people that had given her feedback to her "Some Answers to Some Questions"-post – which had been sixty-nine yesterday when she had last checked the board– and post it later when she was back home.
She looked over to Madelyn who was playing in the sandpit with one of her dolls to check if she was okay, then scanned her surroundings once more, and then started writing.

Thank you all for your feedback. As you know I can't go into much detail, but I can assure that what I have told you before is true. And from your replies I realize now that I am not the only one who had known that something strange is going on in this city.

She was tapping away one her laptop for half an hour now, only glancing over to Madelyn every once in a while. But what she didn't see was the man standing in the shadows of a nearby building, wearing dark clothes that made him nearly invisible, even to a kunoichi. And that April was focusing on Madelyn and her writing, helped this guy a lot to stay hidden. He was looking over to the playground, the sandpit, to be correct, and a grin appeared on his face.

"Pretty little girl wants to play with me!" he mumbled happily.