Hanami – Chapter 14
Leonardo finished washing his hands, "I'm going to go find Raphael, and tell Master Splinter that breakfast is ready. I bet your sister, TwoSee is with one of them."
Cabbage nodded. "I'll go wake up the slug-a-beds." She swiped a biscuit on her way out of the kitchen. "Mike, this is delicious!" she called back over her shoulder. "Mmmm…"
Shima first. She hadn't moved at all since last night. Cabbage shook her arm gently; there was no response. She laid her fingers along her sister's neck; the pulse was a bit slow, but steady and strong. Cabbage snagged an emergency flashlight from beside the sofa, and thumbed-open her sister's eye. The pupil responded to the beam from the flashlight and contracted properly. Her eyes were not cloudy or blood-shot. She checked the color of the fingernails. They were a healthy green-yellow without the brownish cast that indicated oxygen-deprivation. She pushed open her sister's beak; her gums were a healthy pink. Her breath didn't smell too sweet; if it had, it could have indicated an overdose. Shima was usually one of the first ones to come around after sedation. Cabbage sat back and tried to think.
"You've had medical training, have you not, my child?" She startled and found an aged rat regarding her from the stairway banister.
"Yes. And I'm afraid that I don't understand. Shima has never had difficulties with this drug before. But this time, it's like she's just not in there. Her body is healthy, but with that slow breathing – it reminds me of when she meditates." Cabbage sighed. "If that's the case, then I'm not too worried. She only does it when she needs to, and she's always come back to us." She shook her head, "I just get a little scared that one of these days, it won't be that at all, but I won't know any better."
The rat joined her by the mattress. "My name is Splinter. I raised Leonardo and his brothers, training them in the art of ninjitsu. It is indeed a physical art, but the ways of meditation and spiritual self-control are the blocks upon which all else is built." He had Cabbage's undivided attention. "If you fear that your sister travels alone, I can teach you to be her beacon, and in time even to be her spiritual lifeline." Splinter laid his hand on Shima's forehead. "I have been able to watch over her since she was removed from her container. However, her spirit did not know mine, and would not come when I called. She is not currently in any danger, my child. You are right. She journeys back to her body even now. We must give her time."
Cabbage suddenly embraced Splinter. "Thank you! You have no idea what it would mean… to know for certain!" She released him, and sat back. Emotions drained away from her face, "Yes, please teach me."
The Master smiled, "Yes, my child." He paused, "I am going to have breakfast, will you join us?"
Cabbage nodded, and flashing her dimples, she stood up and offered Splinter her hand. "I'll join you in the kitchen, but first I have one more sister to wake."
Frogger was always a bitch to wake up. She had been solidly night-shifted by years of after-hours work at TGRI. She rarely saw dawn from the front. Her 'breakfasts' tended to be liquid caffeine. Coffee was the favorite, but just about any soda would do. The sedative only made it worse, and Cabbage knew it. 'Saved the worst for last. Oh well, I'll try it politely once, then we'll have some fun.' Cabbage grinned to herself, knowing full well that 'politely' wasn't gonna cut it.
"ThreeSee? ThreeSee, babe? It's time to get up." She shook her sister's shoulder vigorously, and whipped the blanket off her.
"Ung! Noooo…." ThreeSee buried her head beneath her pillow and went limp again.
"Okay!" Cabbage tore into the kitchen. "Donnie, pour up another mug of coffee for Frogger, will ya? And join me in the living room, I'm gonna need some help on this one." The dimples around her smile only added more menace to an already fiendish grin