Hello again!
Last place we left off, Kemeko planned to try the exercise topside with Leonardo. How will she far this time? Well, read below!
Chapter Eight
"You sure about this Kemeko?" Leonardo asked as he knelt before his adopted daughter.
"I'm positive daddy!" Kemeko said "I wish to face the darkness again, and embrace it, if I can be a true Ninja!"
After her father, uncles and aunt arrived back from patrol, which turned out to be quite eventful since they managed to stop some Purple Dragons from attacking a group of Chinese tourists as they were returning to their hotel from a night on the town.
After Leonardo had freshened up, Kemeko went up and told him what she wanted to do.
"I tried again with the blindfold." Kemeko said "Whilst in the playroom with Pandora and I did what you told me, pushing away all the negative thoughts and focused on the positives!"
Leonardo smiled.
"Pandora said I should kick the darkness's butt! Or at least shake hands with it and agree to be friends!" Kemeko stated with determination.
Leonardo chuckled.
"Pandora sure knows how to word things!" he said, "That spirited girl!"
Kemeko nodded.
"So can we go topside tonight please?" Kemeko asked "Please? I really want to do this!"
Leonardo placed his hands on Kemeko's shoulders.
"Okay then Lotus." He said "If you wish to do this, then we shall! You have lessons later, but once those are over, we shall go topside and work on our exercise!"
Kemeko's eyes shone.
"Cool!" she said "Thanks daddy!"
Leonardo then pulled her into a hug.
"You're welcome Lotus Blossom, now you go and get to your lessons with Donatello, and I'll see you afterwards!"
Kemeko nodded and after kissing Leonardo's cheek she skipped off to lessons.
Leonardo watched her go then stood up to gather all he needed for their trip topside later.
"She's a determined spirit." He thought then looked at a photo of Karai on his shelf.
"She's got your spark for sure Karai, she works hard to get where she wants to be!" he sighed bitterly "You'd be so proud of her." He placed his fingers on the photo "She's going to be a great ninja."
A couple of hours later, the girls emerged from Donatello's lessons.
Pandora was carrying a couple of books and looking rather relieved to get out of class yet was a little annoyed because Donatello had told her to do some reading before tomorrow.
Kemeko meanwhile was light on her feet as she went to meet Leonardo to begin their execise.
"You're lucky!" Pandora groaned "you get to go topside whilst I have to do some boring reading!"
"It's not for pleasure Pandora." Kemeko reminded her "it's work, I need to work on conquering the dark!"
"Yeah of course." Pandora nodded "But still, I'd rather do that than this!" she looked at the books which were of first grade science, reading and spelling.
"Stop whinging Pandora." Monalisa's stern voice cut in and both girls looked up.
"I used to enjoy science when I was at school." The lizard lady informed "And general knowledge is important, even if you both are going to be ninjas like me, the turtles and our friends in Mutopia."
"I guess." The young hybrid sighed.
"Come on Pandora." Mona offered "Let's go in the kitchen and do some homework, then afterwards you can play video games with Uncle Mikey!"
"Okay!" Pandora grinned cheering up instantly and following her mother to the kitchen, yet she turned to Kemeko "Good luck in kicking Darkness's butt!"
"Or making friends with it!" Kemeko added to which the girls both laughed.
Leonardo soon appeared with a bag over his shoulder and his katana on his back and approached Kemeko.
"Are you ready Lotus Blossom?" he asked to which the little Japanese girl nodded, and Leonardo took her hand.
"Then let's go." He smiled.
"Be careful out there my son!" Splinter called after Leonardo.
"We will!" Leonardo called back and patted his shell-cell showing he would call if there was any trouble, which he hoped there wouldn't be.
Before long, Leonardo and Kemeko made it topside.
"Okay Kemeko." Leonardo said as he knelt to his daughter's level "You remember the rules out here?
"I do yes daddy." Kemeko said "Stay close to you, and if there's trouble, run and hide!"
"That's my girl!" Leonardo chuckled flicking Kemeko's chin then he lowered himself further "Up you get."
Kemeko instantly climbed onto his back and held on tight before Leonardo leapt up onto the rooftops.
He did a few flips, Kemeko holding on tight to his shell and neck and ran over to the rooftops, keeping his eyes and hears open for any trouble, especially for any Foot Ninja.
Before long, the duo arrived at the same spot they stopped at the previous night.
"Here we are again." Leonardo smiled then did a quick check around them to make sure they were safe from both danger from the Foot, but also any human eyes that would see them.
"You ready to begin?" he asked.
Kemeko nodded.
"I sure am!" she smiled and sat down cross legged.
Leonardo sat behind her and took out the black blindfold.
"Ready?" he asked again to which Kemeko nodded and sat up straight.
Leonardo gently placed the blindfold over his daughter's eyes and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Okay sweetie, just like before, relax, think of nothing, imagine nothing, just see the darkness, feel the darkness, listen to the silence."
Kemeko nodded and closed her eyes behind the blindfold, she thought about what she had accomplished in the playroom back in the lair, where she knew she was safe, where her family and all her possessions were.
She felt Leonardo's hands on her shoulders, and she took a deep breath.
"Just think positive." She thought to herself, "think positive."
She took another deep breath and she imagined a bright light had appeared and was guiding her, she kept listening to the silence around her, beyond the traffic in the city, the soft wind and the odd bird.
Leonardo watched her and didn't move his hands.
He expected Kemeko start panicking again, but so far, nothing was happening, he breathed quietly and slowly watching his daughter sit there with the blindfold on.
"Yes…" he thought "Yes, well done Kemeko, I know you can do this!"
He continued to watch her as well as look around and listen for any danger than might approach.
"That a girl Kemeko!" he thought, a smile gracing his face as he continued to watch her and no movement nor fear came from the little girl.
Kemeko meanwhile kept still and kept pushing the negative feelings away and focused on the light she had formed in her head.
As she sat there, she had felt some fears return to her, and she almost started to panic, but she pushed them away.
"Don't let fear control me!" she told herself "Fear does not control me!"
She kept repeating those words and focusing on the light until suddenly she began to hear something, something not natural.
"Huh?" she listened again, and the sound started to get clearer.
As she listened more, her stomach dipped and her heart started to beat faster.
It was a hissing sound!
So it looks like Kemeko's doing well so far! She's calm and focusing hard on keeping positive whilst facing the darkness.
But what's this? It seems our little heroine has heard trouble! I suppose a few of you can guess what or rather who it might be!
Sorry to leave on a cliffhanger, and that this chapters a little shorter, but check back soon!