Bad Blood
By Red Turtle
Part I - Reflections
The pinks and golds of the evening sky enhanced this rare moment in life, in which I sat down with my sons to a respectable meal of sushi outside, away from human life and danger. We were dining high up on a mountain, and tonight we would all sleep here, breathing in the fresh air and the dreams it would bring with it. Tomorrow we would arrive at the temple of my long time dear friend Akira, a friend I haven't seen since my exile to America and subsequent transformation into a rat. I can't wait for Akira's reaction, and to the ensuing discussion for what this meant to a Buddhist. Was this a form of reincarnation and was it higher or less than human? All kinds of questions.
I am eternally grateful for this opportunity to visit Akira after so many years. Akira had arranged for me to come by whatever means he deemed best, and to bring my sons as well. I had traveled by ship, in the lowest class so that no one cared that we stayed covered and didn't talk to anyone. This one-week trip had actually been harder than years hiding in the sewers, for the whole time we did not dare relax, even in our own rooms, for fear of discovery.
Once away from the ship it had gotten much easier, for me anyway. We traveled by Yak and Camel, across deserts and through mountains to reach here. I had deliberately taken as long a route as I could, for I wanted to imbued my sons with as much of Japan's experience as I could. And it was working. Tonight for the first time they had accepted the simple fish and rice meal with no cracks about the taste and no mention of soda, pizza, chips, or any of the other junk food they were accustomed too. And their behavior was markedly changed as well. They were calmer, quieter, observing their surrounding with sharper senses. Yes, this trip was definitely the best thing to ever happen to us.
I allowed my thoughts to roam to when they were all younger. The last time they had been so quiet and peaceful was those brief moments (years?) of ten, eleven and twelve. All four had been quite serious youth back then, always respecting my wishes, eating as a family together, practicing with diligence, cleaning up after themselves, and most of all they didn't talk as much. Donatello least of all of course but even Michelangelo had been noticeable less.well noisy.
They seemed to have a pattern for a while, if they started to get anxious or mad they would leave on their own accord, as far from the lair as allowed, and return a couple hours later quiet and relaxed again. Having been a young human boy at one point, I suspected this had something to do with their maturing into adolescents, and this theory was confirmed with their thirteenth birthday. I swear on all that is holy, as soon as they blew the candles out on that thirteenth birthday cake something happened to all of them. Suddenly Raph and Leo were always at each others throats, Michelangelo was either constantly talking, belching, farting or eating in the most obnoxious ways possible, and Donatello's quietness became loudest of all, as he would then go for days with out being heard or seen outside of ninjizu, and that got increasingly difficult to keep them all in. Any other education ended up being abandoned totally and I had to just hope that being able to read and basic math would get them through life.
Teenagers. Sigh.
Now they were sixteen year old, and maybe another change was happening to them. Maybe they would come out of this experience closure and more mature, which was all I could ask for.
"How far away is Akira's temple, master?" Leonardo inquired. He was anxious to get there, he wanted to meet my friend and he truly wanted to see me happy.
"It will be about three more hours travel."
"Why don't we try to get there tonight them?" Raphael asked, a glint of his impulsiveness showing through in his eyes, but I actually loved that in him now that he had gone so many days with out swearing or fighting his brothers. I could really get to know him here, in a way that was impossible in the confines of the city.
"Because we need to rest first. The climb will be very hard from here, and we have already done a fair amount of travel today. Besides, it is rude to arrive as a guest after midnight."
I don't know whether that last part is an actual rule, but I thought it made a good deal of sense. I shouldn't want to wake Akira up.
"Does he have a library at the temple?" Donatello asked.
Here is another trait that, while annoying in the city, here I find it admirable. I detest Donatello's constant immersement in books and computers, something none of the others of us can begin to share with him, but now I smile fondly at the vision of him running to Akira's library and delving into the ancient books and parchments kept there. Besides, perhaps some religious orientated study would be good for him.
"Yes, Donatello, he has a vast library, and there are some of the most rarest books kept there. You will learn a lot from him."
Donatello's face lit up. I hardly ever see him happy, but then I don't see him much. Besides hiding himself, I find him the hardest of all of them to look at. Some reason, I always feel compelled to look away, and only with the strongest dedication can I ever meet his eyes. His eyes are different than the others, but they're not ugly by any means. They are only a few shades lighter, almost more of a yellow than a brown, but with green skin it goes rather well, I think. Still, even now I try to smile at him and instead find myself smiling at the ground. Oh well.
"Do you think that he'll."?
Michelangelo had started to ask me something, and based on how he trailed off he probably rethought the question and decided it was something not worthy of my attention. I haven't seen him try so hard to think through his comments since.well, since he turned thirteen. I assume the question was about food, and since he is trying so hard I am going to encourage him, rather than let him feel embarrassed or dumb.
"He will prepare a feast for us when we arrive. I already sent him a letter describing what types of food you all like, and he will do his best to arrange it. I doubt there will be pizza, but he will probably have cheese, possibly chocolate and sweet things, and he may introduce you to new glutinous experiences you had not imagined existed before. Does that answer your question, my son?"
"Yes master", he replied, positively beaming. Unlike with Donatello, I am able to smile back at him. I even try to turn a little bit back to Donatello, but suddenly find myself facing Leonardo instead.
"Do we have anything for him?" Michelangelo then asks.
Wow, thinking of others. Definitely an improvement in his personality.
"Yes. I have brought him a gift, an expression of my gratitude for bringing us here."
"It has been a good trip, hasn't it master?" Leo commented, already getting his sleeping area organized. The others begin to follow suit.
"Yes, My sons, it has indeed."
Part I - Reflections
The pinks and golds of the evening sky enhanced this rare moment in life, in which I sat down with my sons to a respectable meal of sushi outside, away from human life and danger. We were dining high up on a mountain, and tonight we would all sleep here, breathing in the fresh air and the dreams it would bring with it. Tomorrow we would arrive at the temple of my long time dear friend Akira, a friend I haven't seen since my exile to America and subsequent transformation into a rat. I can't wait for Akira's reaction, and to the ensuing discussion for what this meant to a Buddhist. Was this a form of reincarnation and was it higher or less than human? All kinds of questions.
I am eternally grateful for this opportunity to visit Akira after so many years. Akira had arranged for me to come by whatever means he deemed best, and to bring my sons as well. I had traveled by ship, in the lowest class so that no one cared that we stayed covered and didn't talk to anyone. This one-week trip had actually been harder than years hiding in the sewers, for the whole time we did not dare relax, even in our own rooms, for fear of discovery.
Once away from the ship it had gotten much easier, for me anyway. We traveled by Yak and Camel, across deserts and through mountains to reach here. I had deliberately taken as long a route as I could, for I wanted to imbued my sons with as much of Japan's experience as I could. And it was working. Tonight for the first time they had accepted the simple fish and rice meal with no cracks about the taste and no mention of soda, pizza, chips, or any of the other junk food they were accustomed too. And their behavior was markedly changed as well. They were calmer, quieter, observing their surrounding with sharper senses. Yes, this trip was definitely the best thing to ever happen to us.
I allowed my thoughts to roam to when they were all younger. The last time they had been so quiet and peaceful was those brief moments (years?) of ten, eleven and twelve. All four had been quite serious youth back then, always respecting my wishes, eating as a family together, practicing with diligence, cleaning up after themselves, and most of all they didn't talk as much. Donatello least of all of course but even Michelangelo had been noticeable less.well noisy.
They seemed to have a pattern for a while, if they started to get anxious or mad they would leave on their own accord, as far from the lair as allowed, and return a couple hours later quiet and relaxed again. Having been a young human boy at one point, I suspected this had something to do with their maturing into adolescents, and this theory was confirmed with their thirteenth birthday. I swear on all that is holy, as soon as they blew the candles out on that thirteenth birthday cake something happened to all of them. Suddenly Raph and Leo were always at each others throats, Michelangelo was either constantly talking, belching, farting or eating in the most obnoxious ways possible, and Donatello's quietness became loudest of all, as he would then go for days with out being heard or seen outside of ninjizu, and that got increasingly difficult to keep them all in. Any other education ended up being abandoned totally and I had to just hope that being able to read and basic math would get them through life.
Teenagers. Sigh.
Now they were sixteen year old, and maybe another change was happening to them. Maybe they would come out of this experience closure and more mature, which was all I could ask for.
"How far away is Akira's temple, master?" Leonardo inquired. He was anxious to get there, he wanted to meet my friend and he truly wanted to see me happy.
"It will be about three more hours travel."
"Why don't we try to get there tonight them?" Raphael asked, a glint of his impulsiveness showing through in his eyes, but I actually loved that in him now that he had gone so many days with out swearing or fighting his brothers. I could really get to know him here, in a way that was impossible in the confines of the city.
"Because we need to rest first. The climb will be very hard from here, and we have already done a fair amount of travel today. Besides, it is rude to arrive as a guest after midnight."
I don't know whether that last part is an actual rule, but I thought it made a good deal of sense. I shouldn't want to wake Akira up.
"Does he have a library at the temple?" Donatello asked.
Here is another trait that, while annoying in the city, here I find it admirable. I detest Donatello's constant immersement in books and computers, something none of the others of us can begin to share with him, but now I smile fondly at the vision of him running to Akira's library and delving into the ancient books and parchments kept there. Besides, perhaps some religious orientated study would be good for him.
"Yes, Donatello, he has a vast library, and there are some of the most rarest books kept there. You will learn a lot from him."
Donatello's face lit up. I hardly ever see him happy, but then I don't see him much. Besides hiding himself, I find him the hardest of all of them to look at. Some reason, I always feel compelled to look away, and only with the strongest dedication can I ever meet his eyes. His eyes are different than the others, but they're not ugly by any means. They are only a few shades lighter, almost more of a yellow than a brown, but with green skin it goes rather well, I think. Still, even now I try to smile at him and instead find myself smiling at the ground. Oh well.
"Do you think that he'll."?
Michelangelo had started to ask me something, and based on how he trailed off he probably rethought the question and decided it was something not worthy of my attention. I haven't seen him try so hard to think through his comments since.well, since he turned thirteen. I assume the question was about food, and since he is trying so hard I am going to encourage him, rather than let him feel embarrassed or dumb.
"He will prepare a feast for us when we arrive. I already sent him a letter describing what types of food you all like, and he will do his best to arrange it. I doubt there will be pizza, but he will probably have cheese, possibly chocolate and sweet things, and he may introduce you to new glutinous experiences you had not imagined existed before. Does that answer your question, my son?"
"Yes master", he replied, positively beaming. Unlike with Donatello, I am able to smile back at him. I even try to turn a little bit back to Donatello, but suddenly find myself facing Leonardo instead.
"Do we have anything for him?" Michelangelo then asks.
Wow, thinking of others. Definitely an improvement in his personality.
"Yes. I have brought him a gift, an expression of my gratitude for bringing us here."
"It has been a good trip, hasn't it master?" Leo commented, already getting his sleeping area organized. The others begin to follow suit.
"Yes, My sons, it has indeed."