The Legacy

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

Chapter Seven - Discipline

Michaelangelo:

Later that night I had a talk with Splinter and Raph about Rama's sai stealing problem, hoping that maybe if we put our heads together we could find a way to outfox that wily daughter of mine.

I leaned back on the couch " I don't know what to do to get her to stop taking your sais Raph, and this new stunt she has of taking off when she grabs hold of them really worries me" I confessed, " she knows she isn't suppose to have it." I shook my head in frustration " I really don't know what to do with her."

Splinter cocked his head " Perhaps Michaelangelo you ought to do nothing."

I jerked my head a bit and blinked in surprise at Splinter's suggestion he couldn't really mean that " Tell me you are joking Master, this is not a rule I can go easy on or ignore" I declared, " I mean it isn't like her rule of picking up her toys when she is done playing with them."

Splinter laughed the tip of his tail tapping the floor in his amusement " What I meant my son, is that perhaps it is Raphael who ought to be the one to deal with her." He clarified turning his head to gaze at Raph.

" What?" Raph wondered. " She ain't my kid Master."

" No but it is your weapon that she takes and you encourage her to break other rules" Splinter pointed out, " Ramiela is also aware that you don't care to discipline her, that plus the fact you are quick to comfort her after she has been punished tells her many things" Splinter gave Raph a shrewd look " Mostly that you are a pushover." He smiled " Now if you were to discipline her it might take a bit but once she saw you didn't approve of her behaviour then she might drop the game."

" I don't know the first thing about disciplining her" Raph disputed, " Sides doesn't she have enough adults jumping on her."

Splinter laid back his ears and his hair bristled slightly " It takes a village to raise a child Raphael."

" Beside discipline isn't that hard Raph take away a favourite toy for awhile, stand her in the corner or make her do some exercises" I listed off some samples " Yell at her Raph, I know you are good at that you do it with almost every one else in the house." I teased a bit, " The important thing is not to give in to her."

" Come on Mike she is a kid and you know what we were like when we were her age." Raph stated.

I nodded wincing inwardly as I gave Splinter an apologetic stare. I was sort of surprised the old rat hadn't turned prematurely grey with some of the antics Raph and I had pulled in our youth. It had seemed what I didn't think of Raph did and the two of us together was a sure bet that some chaos would rein somewhere soon.

" Yeah I remember we pushed and Splinter didn't give into us, at least most of the time he didn't." I gave him a grateful smile for his patience and perseverance with the two of us " Rama will push too and she happens to know who the weakest link happens to be."

" All right all ready" Raph growled.

I knew he was angry and really didn't want to be a part of this he was agreeing more to get us off his back.

" Raph look I don't want you to feel bad if Rama was to get hurt somehow when she takes your sai off you. I don't want her being 'blooded' that way." I soothed.

Blooded was the clans term for the first time our blood was spilled in battle. It was when you really learned the games you played as a youth had so much more to give you. While in this instance the term wasn't quite correct it was still adequate.

" I want to stop her before she is hurt Raph and for some reason you don't seem to know or realize that she does it." I insisted.

Raph sighed a bit crossing his arms over his plastron, " I don't know how she does it. How she can get away with it as often as she does but I don't want to see her getting hurt either Mike." Raph admitted.

I sensed that he really was, confused by the matter and that it was beyond him still I also felt that he was resigned to stopping her before she accidentally injured her self.

" All of us must learn to live with rules Raphael, by helping us you are showing Ramiela that even the breaking of a single rule could mean tragedy for our family." Splinter explained " Ramiela must learn to obey many rules in the years to come that is why it is so important why she learns now."

Raph nodded slightly " I'll try it. I just hope it works" he muttered more to himself then to us.

Personally I was also hoping that it would work because if Raph failed to get the point across then I knew that Leo, as her Sensei, would have the right to discipline her and he wouldn't go easy on her because of the seriousness involved with the weapon rule, plus the fact she had been punished before for the infraction, meant that Leo would throw the book at her.

…

I went to Rama's bedroom before calling it a night, I didn't have to patrol tonight so I was looking for a chance to catch up on some sleep, only I found Rama sitting up in her bed a sulky look on her face.

" Hey babe, have a bad dream?"

" No. Can't sleep daddy" Rama replied sniffing a bit.

I went and sat on the edge of her bed " Why can't you sleep?"

" No Elmo, No Franklin" She heaved a sigh and gave me a forlorn look " I needs them to sleep daddy" she insisted " Please!"

" Nice try Rama I liked how you used your please too" I assured her " But the answer is no I told you that you could have them back in the morning."

Rama's face crumpled and she started to cry. I wrapped my arms about her as she sobbed letting her know I was there, that I still loved her but also that I was going remain firm.

Splinter had warned me before Rama had turned two years old what to expect he had cautioned me that a child learned very quickly who was in control.

" A child needs to learn that a parent is willing to follow through and keep his word no matter what. You give in when she cries or throws a fit and she will control you my son and then we will all have a problem." He counselled me " Therefore whether you promise a treat for something well done or a punishment for incorrect behaviour follow through and she will learn the value of truth and she will trust you more."

I found it very easy to keep my promises to her, following through on disciplinary measures took a great deal more resolve on my part, especially when Rama acted like this.

Besides there were a few times that I felt I had gone overboard and been hard on her, expecting too much from her and she had seemed repentant enough.

" I hate punishes" Rama whimpered tears in her eyes and her breath hitching slightly.

" I hate them too Rama" I agreed.

" Then don't do them daddy." She said.

I laughed a bit " If only it were that easy Rama. I have to punish you when you are bad it helps you to know when you've done some thing wrong" I explained tenderly " I know it is hard to be good all of the time Rama llama ding dong, but in a strange way when I punish you I am telling you I love you and care for you."

Rama pulled back giving me a strange look like she couldn't quite figure that one out.

I cupped her round face in my hands " I do love you Rama and I will always love you no matter what." I kissed the top of her beak " Want to sleep in my room tonight Rama?"

" Can I daddy?" Rama asked quickly.

" Sure you can Rama" I told her. I hadn't said that she had to sleep in her room tonight I had only told her that her favourite stuffed friends were going be put away so I felt that I wasn't going back on anything.

" Shell ride?" Rama wondered.

I laughed, " Climb aboard hold tight" I agreed. " Next stop is daddy's bed."

Rama sniffed one last time as she went and clung to my carapace for a ride into my bedroom.

I packed her into my room and tucked her into my bed beside me it didn't take long at all before she was fast asleep.

…

I was woken up by her jumping on the bed, " Daddy, daddy can I have Elmo and Franklin now pleeeeeease." She begged.

" All right let me get my eyes open at least" I mumbled.

" It morning you said" Rama insisted petulantly.

" I know what I said. I am up okay?" I grumbled as I sat up in bed.

How or where in the world, does she get so much energy this early in the day? I mused to myself as I rubbed sleep from my eyes as I went to retrieve her toys, knowing Rama wouldn't leave me alone until I had done so.

Splinter:

I woke early in the morning, as was my habit and my eyes immediately fell on the rubber snake that I had found in my bedding before going to sleep.

I knew Michaelangelo was far past such childish pranks but I would not put it past him to urge his daughter into such stunts.

I also knew that it was quite possible for Ramiela her self to come up with the idea on her own, she did have quite a sense of humour and she took a very keen interest in jokes of all kinds much as her father had when he was her age.

There was a great deal of Michaelangelo in my grand daughter for I knew she could make her father feel as guilty over punishments as he once had made me feel. I figured in a few more years she'd be conning her way out of most of her punishments. I only hoped that Ramiela would show more interest in ninjitsu then her father had.

So far things seemed to be favourable in that light.

I pulled on my kimono and picked up the snake before heading out to the kitchen as I entered the room I spotted Ramiela sitting at the table enjoying her breakfast, she turned her head and giggled merrily.

" Master Splinter found present" she chortled.

" What present?" Michaelangelo demanded suddenly turning to see me.

I held out the toy snake " This present I found it in my bedding."

He tried to keep his face stern but he failed miserably for his lips curled up into an inevitable smile " Did you really do that Rama?" he asked of her sounding almost pleased.

I lashed my tail " I would not encourage such behaviour my son." I cautioned him sternly.

" Of course Master" He bowed towards me but I could tell he was having the hardest time keeping a straight face and I knew that disciplining Ramiela would be totally out of the question if he broke.

Once a child has earned laughter, from any adult, they know they have the upper hand. I had learned that the hard way with Michaelangelo.

Ramiela smiled at her father " Yup left present for Splinter" she replied almost innocently but I caught a glint in her eye that told me it was far more then that, even to her.

" Rama it isn't nice to play tricks on your sensei or on a Master for that matter" Michaelangelo finally managed, however he didn't sound very sincere. Then he chuckled " Good one Rama! But we are going have to teach you to play these tricks on Donny, or better yet Raph!"

" Michaelangelo!" I barked as his stern lecture turned to praise, but alas I was too late.

" Master she is my daughter, so she must be allowed to let her 'creativity' out some where but I will try to keep it from you" He laughed, " A snake in the bed."

I rolled my eyes as Ramiela's smile grew and she started to laugh as well, knowing that her father had now given his approval of her joke in more ways then one.

" Did I ever think of that?" Mike wondered.

" No you had other ways, which I refuse to speak of at the moment, for fear of further encouraging your daughter."

Michaelangelo gulped as he got himself back under control " I am really sorry Master I just couldn't help it" He confessed.

I gave him a hard stern look, which softened a bit as I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder " Don't worry a bout it too much I lost a few to you that way, though afterwards I'd resolve that next time you would not sway me" I smiled a bit " Sometimes you did sway me, sometimes you didn't" I smirked, " Just try to keep her pranks to a minimum my son."

" Yes Master" He obliged.

" I'm starting to wonder why I ever cursed you with the parent's curse" I sighed reflectively.

He grinned, " You mean the old I hope you have a kid just like you curse?"

" That is the one. She has too much of you Michaelangelo."

" I guess there is no denying whose kid she is." He spoke with pride.

Ramiela jumped down from her chair ran over to hug her dad " I daddy's girl" she said boastfully.

" Got that right babe!" Michaelangelo agreed as he swooped her into his arms.

TBC

Gemdrive2000: Welcome back to one of your favourites in re-write then. Rama's sai stealing is a classic or so it seems. A gratitude for your insight.

Reinbeauchaser: Ninja is indeed in the blood either that or poor Raph studied the abridged book of Ninjitsu. Many might remember that Mike has his own fun in the concerns of Leo and Karena and their possible future. A gratitude for your insight

Lenni: Yes your kind of fun and a few others as well, with more sai stealing and trouble to come. Glad you enjoyed the 'shake' joke. A gratitude for your insight.