Hanami – Chapter 2
The mini-van bumped along the two-lane highway, Splinter riding shotgun behind a pair of sunshades that blocked the view in, but not the view out. In an overcast sky, the sun was still too weak to burn off the fog that crept across the ground. Trees grew from the gray mist stretched along winding highway. The winter had been a long one, all five of them underground, trying to give each other space. Of course, the winter was not yet completely finished; the clammy fog was the result of last night's cold snap. However it seemed to the Master that everything was, in the way of the young, impatient to break through the frozen ground. Only a few weeks left in February. Splinter smiled as he allowed himself a springtime metaphor, "Like bulbs in the earth, we look forward to the time we are allowed some sunlight."
"Why do Donnie and Leo get the back seat? They get all that space, and I have to share with Rage-man here? This seat's smaller and Raphael is sprawling onto my side! Raphael just grinned and lounged aggressively.
"Take this time for mediation my sons. Since none of you could agree on a radio station, there will be silence." Splinter paused. "Raphael, sit up." Raph sullenly pulled out of Mikey's space. Mike started massaging the arm that had been pinned between the bench seat and Raph's shell.
"It's fallen asleep," he mumbled. "So Donnie, what's the good doctor sending you? And why doesn't "NERD EXPRESS" deliver to city addresses?"
"For the 5 billionth time, Mike, I don't know. I think April's right, though about him not wanting to send us something that could be easily traced, I mean, he left so many things unsaid. I don't think he could have made that letter any more vague if he wanted to."
"Oh, and incidentally Mike," April chimed in, glancing into the rearview mirror, "I thought there were parcels for ALL of you."
"What the hell am I gonna do with dweeb gear?" Raph grumbled beneath his breath.
"Sell it to Donnie."
"Good idea, Mike."
"Damn, guys. I think Dr. P sent you the entire lab." April gestured at the 4 identical wooden crates sitting on the front lawn. "Oh, Splinter, this is for you." She passed over a large manila envelope. "Probably assembly instructions or something. Look, I've got to be going if I'm gonna finish packing tonight." April kissed Splinter on the cheek and hugged the guys. "You'll have to tell me what's in all that when I get back. Have fun, and try not to destroy anything valuable." She hopped into the van and drove off down the gravel driveway.
"Alright! Let's open these puppies up!"
"Mike! Don't open those out here! If it's machinery, it'll be sensitive to the damp, and anyways Master Splinter's envelope says "OPEN FIRST."
"But Donnie…" Mike had one of Raph's sais in his hand with its point wedged under the lip of the crate closest to him. Just then Raph checked his belt, "Hey! Give that back! You little turd-burglar, you can't use it like that, it's a weapon, not a crow bar!"
Splinter sighed, "My sons, let us go inside and read what the Doctor has to say before proceeding." Mike looked longingly at the 4 wooden crates each 3ft long by 2ft wide by 2ft tall. "I wanna know what's in the boxes," he pouted, but Splinter held open the door and said, "They will keep Michelangelo."
"Turd-burglar?"
"What's it to you, Leo?"
"That's just the first time I've heard that one, s'all."
The falling dark and gathering fog obscured the crates on the lawn.