Danny walked quickly through the training areas and into the remote storage section. There he found the rat.
"I have not seen you for many days," Splinter said. He sounded weak. Danny was a little concerned.
"I've been at my hideout a lot."
"And so you hide from your surrogate family as well as your own now..."
Danny shrugged. He was so confused. Splinter continued speaking, "I, too, once had a family, Daniel." Danny looked at Splinter. He knew Splinter was about to tell him a story from his own life. He hoped it would help him understand and decide.
"I was a pet, belonging to Master Yoshi. I learned the mysterious art of Ninjutsu by copying his moves while I was in my cage. Yoshi was one of the finest shadow warriors of his clan. His only rival was a man named Oroku Nagi."
While Danny listened intently, Splinter told him how Yoshi and Nagi had been in love with the same woman. Her name was Tang Shen. She didn't love Nagi, though. She loved Splinter's master, Yoshi. When Nagi heard about that, he flew into a rage and beat her.
"Yoshi arrived just in time to save Tang Shen, but when the fight was over, Nagi lay dead." Danny knew how serious it was if members of a clan killed one another. "The clan's code of honour was clear: Yoshi must now take his own life. But my master felt he had done nothing wrong, and so decided to flee with Tang Shen and me to America."
Danny was fascinated to listen to Splinter's story. What a life the rat had led!
"Nagi was dead," Splinter continued. "But he left behind a younger brother, Oroku Saki. Saki promised the clan to track down my master. He trained with hatred and became the most feared ninja warrior in all Japan. He turned the clan from one of honour to one of death and thievery without honour. When he was ready to fulfil his vow, he, too, came to America."
Splinter spoke more quietly now, "I remember when my master returned home to find his beloved Shen had been murdered. Then he saw her killer. Saki wasted no words. He attacked Yoshi right away with his katana. When he swung it for the first time, he knocked my cage on the floor and it broke. I leapt to the man's face, biting and clawing! But he threw me back to the floor and took one swipe with the sword. In an instant, half my ear was gone. But that wasn't the worst of it. With the same swipe, he killed Master Yoshi."
Danny felt Splinter's deep sadness at the loss.
"Whatever happened to this Saki guy?" Danny asked.
"No one really knows," Splinter said. Then he looked deeply into Danny's eyes. "But you wear his symbol upon your brow."
Without thinking, Danny reached up and felt the headband he'd put on. Saki and Shredder?
Well, Danny thought. I was right about one thing. Splinter's story sure has helped me decide some things about the course of my own life.
He took off his headband and dropped it on to the floor, for good.