A Colossal Mistake

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adult or adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Author's Note: I was originally going to put this up on Tuesday or Thursday however, I still haven't written up the next chapter of HTL. And not much time to concentrate on writing it before work so I figured why not give this to you earlier then expected.

Part Three:

Rama was at the kitchen table picking at a couple pieces of toast she looked up as Mike and Cathy entered.

" Uncle Donatello said I should try eatin' something but I'm not that hungry. Fact is I feel like I'm going to be sick," She muttered.

Cathy gave a small smile " That is to be expected Rama but you still have to try to nourish the baby. Come on it is time for all of us to talk."
Rama pushed her plate away and heaved a sigh " You're gonna ground me for the rest of my life aren't ya?" she inquired only half joking.

" The thought has crossed my mind Ramiela" Mike concurred.

Rama winced " You're still angry at me" she accused, " and the whole clan probably feels I disgraced them. Sensei will want to banish me or…" she blurted out suddenly.

" Ramiela cut the dramatics!" Mike barked then softened his tone a bit when he saw her wince " Just calm down all right? Yes I am angry and disappointed in your behaviour but Leo isn't going to be punishing you in any way, neither is Splinter." Mike paused and gave a wicked grin " Trust me when I say your child is probably going be punishment enough."

Cathy rested an arm around the girl's shoulders " Let's do this privately do you want to go talk in the meditation room or in your bedroom?"

" My bedroom I guess" Rama replied as she stood up.

A part of her felt relieved that they were going finally talk this out. She also felt better knowing that Sensei wasn't going be disciplining her in any way. She almost smiled then sobered when she considered that her dad might still want to kill her for having sex so early on, never mind getting pregnant from it.

She knew for a fact he was still angry with her, he only called her by her full name when she had gotten into some mischief that meant big trouble. It was the one sure way she knew of gauging how mad her dad was at any of her misdeeds, needless to say when he started calling her Ramiela over Rama it meant that it wasn't going to be good news for her.

Rama entered her room and sat on her bed she dreaded what was going happen now but another part of her wanted to get it over with, she sat stiffly hands clasped in her lap and waited for someone to begin.

Cathy sat beside her on the bed, while Mike leaned against the edge of the desk, which held Rama's computer.

" Let's get one thing straight Ramiela you have been told numerous times before not to rush into things. To wait until you were sure and…"

" But dad I did wait" Rama wailed in protest.

" That is why you are pregnant now huh? Because you waited?" Mike shot back cynically. He crossed his arms over his plastron and glared hard at his daughter his voice rising slightly with irritation.

Rama pulled back a bit " But…"

" No buts Ramiela you disregarded everything that we have tried to teach you in this matter."

" How can you even say that dad when you don't know any thing about it…" Rama protested sharply.

Mike cut Rama off with a wave of his hand and a dirty look, which caused her to lapse into sullen silence. " I think I know all that I need to about him. He couldn't have been that wonderful to disappear after the fact," Mike pointed out.

Rama glowered at her dad " Whatever!" she snorted.

" What EVER Ramiela. Look you made your choice. You do not bear full weight for the position you are now in but you do at least bear half correct?"

" Yeah I guess so" Rama hedged shrugging her shoulders.

" You guess so?" Mike's voice dripped with sarcasm as he spoke.

" Mike" Cathy said sternly giving him an icy stare.

" I thought he did care for me. We were together so long I thought he wanted to be with me. He said our relationship would grow stronger if we…" Rama grumbled.

" And where is he now Ramiela?" Mike inquired simply.

" I don't know he told me that he loved me and that he would stay with me" Rama said this in such a way that said she was trying to convince herself that it was true as much as to those she was speaking with. She wanted to believe in the words her boyfriend had told her even though; she probably knew it wasn't so.

Mike sighed as he reached out with well trained skills trying to see if he could pick up on any thing concerning this fellow of Rama's but Rama was too much of a ninja to permit that information. She would either give it willingly or not at all. Meaning she wanted to protect him from the wrath of her father.

Mike shook his head had he truly been any different with Shay? " You know I once believed that your mother would stay with me forever and help me raise you Ramiela. Even when she left I told myself she would come back because I loved her very much and I wanted her to be a part of our lives." Mike took a step or two to the bed he took one hand and placed it under her chin to raise her head so they could see one another eye to eye.

A single tear escaped Rama's eye and rolled slowly down her cheek. Mike brushed it away with his other hand.

" Instead of being able to do your own thing you will soon have…" Mike paused and inhaled slightly " a child of your own soon to care for and you can't change that fact Rama. You made your choice."

Cathy saw Rama's shoulder's slump and an anguished expression cross her face.

" Rama, you are very good with all of your cousins, and you won't be alone."

" I don't want it there has to be some way to change it" Rama half whined half yelled.

" If Don does another test later and it turns out negative then it might change your situation" Cathy replied doing her best to reassure the panicked teen. Rama was just starting to realize what she had gotten herself into. " The first reading could have been a false one however at the moment we have to go on the fact that you are pregnant."

Mike nodded agreement " Which means Rama you are going have to take on the responsibility for your child from now for many years to come."

" It could be changed" Rama whimpered.

" Not without killing the baby Rama," Cathy insisted.

Rama jerked back and shook her head " No I don't want to do that" she moaned.

Mike smiled a bit " I'm glad to hear that Rama. Listen honey it won't be so bad Cathy and I can give you a lot of free time but you are going have to do a good share of tending to the baby's needs. It won't be like you have to do it all alone."

" Can't I say something in my defense?" Rama wondered.

Mike shook his head it seemed Rama was having a very hard time accepting the fact she probably realized, now that it was too late, what she had gotten herself into and now wanted out.

" What can you say Rama? You went against what every one in our family told you. You knew what might happen. All that is left is to face the responsibilities." Mike stressed, " I know you think you're Prince Charming was something special but where is he now?" Mike asked.

Rama didn't respond at first just hung her head thinking for a bit. There was a lot of things she could possibly say to that and it took her a moment to decide " There might be one thing neither of you have considered."

" Fine you think there is another way? Can you turn back time there Ramiela? Go ahead enlighten us on what we might have overlooked here." Mike challenged.

Rama seemed to smirk as she thought to herself 'well if he insists.' She sat up straighter an impish gleam coming to her eyes and a smile spreading across her face " There is one thing I have to say, Happy April Fool's day dad" Rama announced gleefully.

" Rama it is March twentieth" Cathy exclaimed.

" Well, duh! Yeah I know that" Rama rolled her eyes " But if I waited until April first dad would have known and would never have fallen for it. I got Sensei's approval to pull this stunt early." Rama was starting to laugh with amusement.

" I can't believe both of you fell for that! Man what a riot, I managed to get two birds with one stone" the girl fell backward onto her bed holding her sides and laughing like crazy at her success.

Mike seemed baffled but a small grin was on his face, " You are not pregnant then Rama?" Mike asked hoping he could actually believe this wonderful news.

" Hell, NO! I'm a virgin and probably going to die that way too" Rama grumped making it sound like being a virgin was a great crime in and of itself.

" But Raph…" Mike began.

" Was in on the joke. He had to convince you that I was seeing some guy. My boyfriend is no more then a fig leaf of your imagination" Rama stated wondering what was funnier, her dad getting all riled up thinking she was pregnant, or the fact he now seemed to want her to be pregnant. She figured that her dad was hoping he could finally have the ultimate revenge if she was pregnant and now she had gone and ruined it making it truly hilarious.

She was finding it so funny she could hardly stop laughing.

" Aunt Karena got me some make up and we had to work with it to come up with something to make me look really ill" Rama explained between fits of laughter, " Uncle Donatello was the one who was able to really help in pulling off this stunt. I couldn't have done this without him. He found out how to make a negative test show positive."

Cathy realized that explained almost everything except for one " You were really sick though."

Rama laughed harder at that comment " That was just acting and hiding my true intent from dad. I deserve an oscar for my performance!" Rama boasted proudly. Then she started to mimic some of the things she had heard her dad say that she had found particularly funny.

" Gods, dad I thought you were going pop right out of your shell you were having such a fit!" Rama slapped her thigh.

Mike glanced at his highly amused daughter, who had really outdone herself for this joke and then to his wife " Tell me you weren't a part of any of this." He pleaded.

" Trust me I didn't know a thing" Cathy fumed gazing darkly at her stepdaughter.

" Are you kidding dad? Cathy would have let something slip somewhere. She isn't able to hide things the way a ninja can" Rama refuted that statement scorn in her voice.

" What exactly do you have to say for yourself young lady? Do you know all the worry and stress you put us through with this stunt?" Cathy demanded briskly.

Rama considered for a second " Yeah I'm aware of it. Make up sixteen dollars. Assorted pregnancy tests twenty eight dollars" Rama said simply guessing at the costs, "Pulling the ultimate joke on my dad. Priceless!" Rama whooped.

" I'm going to kill her Mike" Cathy remarked in irritation.

Mike was starting to laugh himself " Honey, you can't hurt her. If Leo has given her permission then it is part of the Rama day festivities and this stunt was sanctioned by the clan." Mike placed a reassuring hand on each of Cathy's shoulders and looked her in the eye " Besides your missing the point."

" What point?" Cathy almost hissed.

" Rama isn't pregnant!" Mike said with glee the relief evident in his tone. " Good one Rama, you really had me going!" Mike cheered her as he clapped her on a shoulder before starting to laugh.

Cathy glared at the two " Will one of you two laughing hyenas tell me how this stunt benefited her ninja training?" she demanded.

Cathy was well aware that part of the reason Leo permitted Rama to pull pranks on April Fool's day, from early in the morning until the afternoon, was that he saw it as being useful for her training. Of course the other reason, was it curbed Rama's inclination to pull practical jokes through out the rest of the year.

Rama was starting to get a hold of her self now so she sat up and wiped a few tears from her eyes that had come from simply laughing so hard and long.

" That is easy first I had to plan a strategy and be prepared for what ever might happen, just as I would in battle. I also had to make you see and believe that which is not. Deception is one of the ninja's greatest weapons" Rama explained simply " Last but not least a ninja often has to play a role when they are on assignment and keep their true intention hidden from those who might want to find him out. I had to do all of that to pull this joke off." Rama spoke with a great deal of pride and there was a smug satisfied air about her.

Seeing that Cathy's steely dark glare was not easing up in the slightest Rama decided she would have to use another technique negotiate, which meant sacrifice on her part but all things considered she was willing to do it.

" Relax Cathy because you were fooled right along with dad, I promise that I won't get you on April Fool's day. You and Uncle Donatello are both safe." She offered generously.

Mike was gaining control of his own laughter now " You are definitely my girl all right. A regular chip off the shell." Mike paused and bowed low to Rama, " Until this day I have held the title of the practical joker. Today you have truly whip my sorry butt in combat and made me a complete and utter fool."

Rama giggled in delight.

" I pass the title to you, you have more then earned it" Mike declared.

" Really?" Rama asked her eyes glowing.

" Really" Mike agreed, " On the other hand Ramiela…" Mike's tone grew very hard now " You ever pull a stunt like that on me again and I will personally ninja kick you out of your shell" Mike threatened.

Rama hardly looked intimidated " Yeah right! I'd like to see you try" she scoffed.

Mike began to chuckle again at the mere thought of how Rama had fooled him " I could never have pulled off a stunt like that." He muttered in admiration.

" Course not. You can't get pregnant" Rama retorted.

That was enough to cause both of them to go into new bouts of laughter at the thought of Mike being pregnant.

Cathy gave a frustrated sigh threw her arms up in the air " This is hopeless." She muttered before leaving the bedroom closing the door on the rising sound of merriment coming from behind her.

The End.

Author's note: For those of you who really believed Rama was pregnant looks like you fell for the early April Fool's Joke. Why not post this on April. Well as Rama put it " You would have known and not be taken in." Happy Fool's day to one and all. Ramica.