Chapter two: The secret is out





The Okasanas' apartment was absolutely breathtaking! It was like a tall castle among a small village. As the group stood outside, marveling at the sight, Han described every detail. Built in 1898, it was owned by a successful businessman who loved gothic architecture. Inspired by the man's nine year-old daughter and the pictures of the Norte Dame, he created a regal estate, complete with gargoyles and statues of angels. It stayed in the man's family for generations, until 1929, when the world was hit by The Great Depression. Then the estate was sold to the city to pay off the family's financial debts. From then on, the house sat, wearing out with the passing time. It became a place for the homeless to sleep, for drug dealers to sell, and for fugitives to hide. Finally in 1965, the house was bought by Han, was had just moved from Japan. After years of renovating, the house was restored to its brilliant glory.

"Its like, really Wayne Manor, huh?" Michanagelo cracked. Raphael smack his own forehead.

"God, Mike." He shoved Mike forward as they followed everyone inside.

Linda, was lost in thought, hung up her coat and headed up the stairs to her bedroom.

"Linda, honey!" Wendy shouted. " Where are you going?" Don't be rude to our guests. Come into the kitchen and help me make some coffee."

Linda sighed heavily and pounded back down the stairs. On her way to the kitchen, she passed Raphael.

"Yeah," He said. " Don't be rude."

Linda glared at him. " Shut up. Don't talk to me." She turned up her nose and followed her mother. Leonardo tapped Raphs' shoulder.

"What are you doing now?" Leo demanded. " I hope you're not causing problems again." Raph's only response was his infamous eye roll that Leo was used to seeing. "That's what I thought." He grabbed Raph's arm and dragged him into the sitting room.

"How many floors does this apartment have?" Donatello asked Han.

"It's four, five if you count the attic." He looked around the room, like it was his first time in the house himself. " There wasn't really any "life" in the house until I married Wendy. She was an art major in design and she gave it some personality."

"I think she did a wonderful job." April gushed. " It's beautiful in here." She marveled at the forest green and deep maroon colors, with cream accents. " It's almost a castle."

Han laughed. " Well, it might as well be! It cost me a fortune!" Laughter all around this time. " But, it was all for my wife, so it was whatever her heart desired."

Splinter found a seat in a cream armchair with a high back, covered with a maroon chenille blanket. The seat was very wide and very comfy.

" Well, I will go help my family, so find a seat and I will be right back." He turned on his heels and hurried out of the room.

Mike sat down next to Leo and Don on the forest green sofa, while April and Casey shared the matching love seat. Raph chose to sit in the floor, holding Samantha in his lap.

"So what is the deal with this guy?" Raph asked Splinter. " Is he bad news?"

Splinter studied the ceiling for a moment before he spoke. "No my son. Han was a very good friend and powerful ally to my master. He and Yoshi grew up in the same village and studied the martial arts together. It was Han that invaded Saki's hideout as a spy for the rebels."

Splinter looked a t Raphael. " Does he trouble you in some way, my son?"

Raph shook his head. " Not at all. It's his daughter. Somethin' about her don't seem right."

This time it was Leonardo who rolled his eyes. " Not again."

"What?" Raph looked at Leo in disgust.

"Why do you always pass judgement on someone before you even know them. Just because she blew you off, is that is?"

Raph became defensive. " Okay, first off, she was starin' at us like we're freaks, and second, it was Mikey she blew off." He lifted Samantha in the air and waved her around like an airplane. " Why are you defending her for anyway?"

" I'm not defending anyone!" Leo raised his voice a little too high. " I just don't see why you don't trust her."

Splinter eyed Raph and Leo, waiting for a fight to emerge. Please not here, my sons, He thought. Show respect to the hosts.

Raph set Samantha back down and stared at Leo. " Maybe 'cause I don't trust nobody!"

Leo was about to respond when Wendy entered the sitting room, carrying a tray of cups and cookies in one hand, a tea kettle in the other.

" I didn't think this was the coffee kind of crowd, so I made some tea instead." She smiled widely, her teeth white as pearls. Linda followed behind, her head down, still thinking and worrying about what her father was about to tell her.

"I love this house, Wendy." April said as she was handed her cup of tea. " You'll have to come over to our place and help me decorate."

Wendy seemed flattered. " Oh, I'm not that good. I just dabbled in interior design in college."

April looked confused. " Well, your husband said you majored in it."

"Oh, well I did. Then I changed to teaching." She handed Don his tea.

"Thank you." He replied. " What do you teach, if you don't mind me asking?"

Wendy sat in the armchair across from Splinter. " Oh I don't teach anymore, but when I did, I taught physiology and genetics."

Don's eyes lite up. " Really?"

Raph laughed at his brother. " Oh boy. Here we go with the geek talk." Wendy looked confused.

" Did I say something wrong?" Don flashed Rah a dirty look, as did Leo.

"No, ma'am." Leo said. " Our brother Don has had an interest in science since the day his was born."

Wendy looked surprised. " Well, that's really interesting." She stood up, straightening out her light brown skirt. " I just happen to have my old teaching books if you would like to have them, Donatello."

Don smiled." Really? Gee, thanks."

"I'll go upstairs right now and get them." She walked past Linda on her way out. "Linda, honey, sit down. You'll make our guests uncomfortable."

Linda stood in the doorway, arms wrapped herself in some kind of defense. She had been studying her parents house guests carefully, deciding if she should join them. She had already decided long ago she didn't like Raphael. He constantly watched her, she felt his eyes on her. Everyone else seemed alright, even the turtle who had tired to flirt with her early. She laughed slightly, then caught her mouth in her hand before anyone saw her. Linda walked slowly through the room, watching the giant clock above the fireplace mantle. She glanced at Raphael with her peripheral vision, noting that he didn't look her. It made Linda relax slightly as she took the chair across from Splinter. She pulled down the forest green blanket, using it as another form of security. How a blanket could protect her, she had no idea. Linda eyes flashed around the room, looking at everything but the guests. Splinter sensed her uneasiness.

"Are you alright, my child?"

Linda jumped at Splinter's voice. She smiled slightly. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Splinter reached his hand to Linda and patted her own hand. " Everything is fine. You will know more soon."

Linda stared at Splinter's hand. Its long, humanoid fingers seemed to go on forever, the fingernails very sharp. Her first instinct was to pull away, but Splinter's touch seemed to put her nerves to rest, like some kind of spell.

"So, Linda," April smiled at the girl. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen." Linda answered blankly.

"Cool!" Mike exclaimed. " Same age as us."

Rah rolled his eyes again. " Shut up, Mikey. Geesh!"

"So that means you are in your junior year in high school?" April poured herself some more tea.

"Yes," Linda didn't like to be asked so many questions, but she didn't want to be rude.

"Have you decided what you want to do after high school?" April asked another question, much to her chagrin.

"Um, no not really." She shifted in her seat. Raphael sensed Linda was becoming uncomfortable. " I might take a break for a year and travel to Japan to further study the martial arts."

This time, Leonardo's eyes lighten up. " You study the martial arts?"

Linda slightly blushed as Leo looked at her. " Yes, I have since the age of 7. I'm working on my third degree belt right now." She reached down and grabbed a butter cookies off the tray on the coffee table. " I just want to learn the spiritual side more. Get a deeper kind of connection to it."

"That's great." Leo smiled. "My brothers and I are train in the martial arts as well."

Linda was shocked. " Really? No way!"

Splinter smiled. " Yes, child. I myself have taught them over the years. Everything that I have learned, I have passed it on to them."

"That's so cool!" She looked over at Rah. " Maybe we can spar someday, Raphael." Her suggestion was only half kidding.

Raphael raised an eyebrow. "What?!"

Everyone laughed, which made Linda smile and feel at ease. She glanced over at Leo, who was smiled back at her. It was good to know she made a connection with him. Wendy appeared, a huge stack of books in her arms. Don jumped up and ran over to help her.

" Now, I think I have more in the attic, but I would take me forever to find them right now." She handed half of the stack to Don. " Give me another day and I'll find them."

" This is great. Thank you very much." He sat the stack down by the door and pulled the van keys out of Leo's coat pocket. " I'll go put these outside."

"I'll help you. Let me get my coat." Wendy, dropped her stack and put on her coat. Don opened the door for her and they went outside.

Linda looked around at everyone again. Then she noticed something. " Where is my father?"

Like magic, Han appeared in the doorway. In his hands, was a long black box, covered in red Japanese characters. Under his arm, there was a old black book. It's spine was also covered in red Japanese characters.

Linda stood up, letting her father have her seat. Everyone moved closer to him, curiosity filling the air.

"Come closer my dear." Linda obeyed as Han opened the long black box. Linda gasped as she watched her father pulled out a long sword. The silver shone brightly in the light, flashing Linda in the eyes. The handle was black, wrapped in red fabric that hung down a foot from the base. The bottom of the sword was inscribed with a dragon, rubies in the place or the eyes. To Linda, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. He lifted it up to her.

" You may hold it, if you want." Han smiled as he saw the look in his daughters' eyes. Linda hesitated for a second, then gently grabbed the sword. She looked closely at it, noticing there were no scratches or impurities of any kind of the sword. She studied the engraved dragon, the ruby eyes shined brightly.

"It's absolutely perfect," Leo whispered loudly over Linda's shoulder. She didn't noticed he was studying it from behind her.

"That sword was given to me when I was thirteen by my great-grandfather. It has been in my family since the 14th century." Han looked at the sword and thought about the past.

" In the time of my youth, my village was always a target for war. Every day brought more fear into our lives, wondering when the next attack would be. Of course, you would think that in the 20th century, war in small villages would be an absurd thing, but it was a war for the territory. The Foot Clan, was also another problem. They wanted our men to join them, to leave home and leave our women and children with no protection, which none would.

I meet Yoshi in school. He was a quite, reflected child. Never one for violence, so I was surprised when he began to train in the ways of the ninja, and study the way of the warrior. This in turn gave me some interest in the subject. To hear him talk about the psychical and spirituality aspects of ninjustu, I started my training soon after. Together, we grew to become great friends and allies.

Over time, the Foot had grown in numbers and were taking control of the surrounding villages. This was also the time a young man by the name of Oroku Saki began to take his place of power in the Foot. A group of highly train warriors in our village knew this Saki was a dangerous man and knew that if he was to be in complete control, we were all doomed. I was asked to become an insider, a spy if you will, and penetrate from the inside so that we might so kind of advantage in this battle. That same day I was given my assignment, I went to find Yoshi and ask for his help, but I was told that Yoshi had left, fled because of Saki. This of course made me angry. That anger became my disadvantage as I told the Foot I wanted to join them, but Saki saw through my lies. It was like he could see into my soul, to the very heart of my mission.

I fled from the Foot. I fled from the disgrace I felt for letting down my village. I heard later that my village had been burnt to the ground, by Saki's orders.

I lived for some time in Tokyo, hiding from the Foot, watching my every step. Making sure I wasn't being followed. In Tokyo, I did find a former Foot member, who had only joined the Foot so that he could live. He told me of my old friend Yoshi, that he had fled to The United States during the wars. So, I too, moved to the United States, hoping to find my long lost friend. I looked for him for years, finding nothing."

Han paused, wiping the tears that had formed in his eyes. Splinter patted Han on the shoulder, consoling him. He smiled at Splinter in recognition and looked back at his daughter. The look in her eyes was of great respect. Han grabbed Linda's hand.

" I am sorry I never told you about this my daughter." He grabbed her chin in his other hand. " I wanted such a great life for you. I never wanted this anger passed down to you."

" I understand, Father." Linda had also began to cry. " I understand."

Han smiled. " I want you to keep the sword." Linda shook her head violently.

" No father! I can't do that. This sword has too much meaning for you!" She shoved the sword back to her father.

" Damn, if you don't want it, I'll take it!" Mike reached for the sword, but was cut short as Leo smacked his hand away.

"Yes please, Linda." Han pushed back to her. " Since you are my only child, I want you to keep it in the family. One day you might pass it down to your child." He smiled. Linda eyes began to flood with tears again as she clenched the sword closer to her chest.

" Thank you." She looked at her father, then the sword. " I will take very good care of it."

Han then remembered the book in his lap. " Here, Linda. Take this too. It is my old Bushido code book. It holds the more spiritual side of the ninja within its' pages."

Linda grasped the book with her other hand. " I will read it every day."

Han smiled at his daughter. He was so relieved to have finally told her everything. Now there were no longer any secrets between them.


It was around one in the morning when the Turtles said their goodbyes to the Okasanas. April and Casey had left early when Samantha had become cranky. Linda walked out the door and down the front steps beside of Leo, the two in deep conversation about swords. Donatello helped Splinter into the van, then allowed Raph and Mike in after. He shut the side door and crawled into the passenger side.

"You know," Leo stopped in front of the van. " You should come over to our place sometime and see mine and Splinter's sword collection. It's really interesting."

Mike cracked open the back window. " Yeah, interesting like watching a show on fungus." Raph joined him in laughter. Leo shook his head.

" I would like that, Leonardo." Linda shyly smiled at him.

Leo's eyes became big. " Really? Okay. Just let me know. Your father has our number. Just call."

" Okay." Linda nodded.

Raph jumped into the front seat and leaned across Don. " Okay, kiss her goodnight already and let's go home!"

Leo spun around and glared at Raph, who in returned gave Leo a big smile. Linda laughed quietly.

" Anyway," Leo turned back to Linda. " I'll see you later. Bye." He walked around the van and jumped into the drivers seat. Linda turned to walk back up the stairs when she heard Raphael's voice.

"OUCH! Why the hell did you hit me, Leo?!"

Linda laughed again and walked back into the house. She sighed as she closed the door. Leaning back, she thought of Leo and how they seemed so in tuned. It was so good to find someone else who was just like her. Linda smiled to herself and walked up the stairs to her room.