The Legacy

Chapter Twenty Four - Therapy

Michaelangelo:

The first full day we were on the farm, we decided to get together and play a game of soccer out in the field, neither Rama or Karena wanted to join us, so it was going be a two on two match Don and Leo, against Raph and myself.

Karena took Rama by the hand and lead her to the sidelines telling her " Every sports needs spectators to cheer on the favourite team, so we will watch and cheer." She sat down and Rama instantly cuddled up on Karena's lap as we began to play.

We'd only been playing for about ten minutes, with a lot of action going both ways, when Rama decided to change her mind. All of our running and yelling must have appealed to her, for she suddenly shot off Karena's lap and out onto the playing field managing to steal the ball from Don and kick it towards Raph, Raphael lost no time whatsoever into shooting the ball into the goal.

" All right Ramiela, try it again" Raph urged her.

Well with Rama playing, she didn't seem to care who she kicked the ball to, or which goal she headed the ball for, the object was to kick the ball and get in the goal, that was all she needed to know and she did it well.

We realized, at that point, that keeping score was useless. Course it didn't really matter to us who won or lost the game to begin with we were only doing it for some outside fun. I think my brother's would agree that rules really didn't matter, not when we got to see Rama running and having fun again for the first time in a long time.

After the soccer game was over we did a quick game of tickle tag, and Karena decided to join us for that.

After we were all sufficiently worn out from running around, Rama collapsed back into the long grass, sighing in a contented way her chest heaving slightly " I thirsty" she complained.

" Let's go back to the house and get a drink then Rama, and maybe a snack too, I'm starved," I suggested.

" S'okay daddy" Rama got up and turned to look at Leo " Sensay?"

" Yes Ramiela?"

" I didn't know you and Uncle Donatello plays." Rama remarked her voice filled with awe.

Leo bent down swooping her up into his arms and dropping her lightly onto his shoulder, " I like to play but I don't get much chance to do it."

I snickered; " It would spoil his image at home" I interjected.

" Should play more often Sensay. I likes playing with you" Rama informed him.

" Really? Then you will love your ninja lessons" Leo stated.

Rama scowled, drumming her heel sharply on Leo's plastron " I don't want lessons. I want to play." She moped.

Leo laughed at her, " Oh trust me, when you are here all your ninja lessons will be fun. We will be playing hide and seek out here, and other fun games" Leo assured her.

" Really?" Rama squirmed so much, she slid off Leo's shoulder he caught her with ease and placed her on the ground.

…

Rama quickly became addicted to the great outdoors, early in the morning she'd wake up and run outside before having breakfast, and usually I had to drag her to her bed, literally kicking and screaming, for the night.

Over the next few days Rama joined us in our games when she felt like it, other times she didn't, and many times even when she decided she wasn't going to play she'd dive in to join the fun.

There were plenty of new games to teach her like tag, soccer, baseball, and Frisbee. Ninja games consisted of running races, playing follow the leader as well as hide and seek. Personally I think, Rama just loved the idea of Leo playing, in fact she started to call him Uncle Leonardo, instead of Sensei and Leo never corrected her on it.

Quiet things turned out to be a thing of the past, between playing outside and caring for her new found pet Rama was starting to become more active and a handful of energy that she'd always had been.

Rama also started to talk a bit more about Shay, not a great deal but bits and pieces and she asked me a bunch of questions, like why had Shay taken her.

I answered as best I could, doing my best to be truthful with her, but at the same time trying not to say too much for fear it would scare her further, or simply because she wasn't able to understand.

She was sleeping better within a matter of days the fresh air and exercise helped lull her into a deep slumber, though she would wake once in a while, whimpering in terror. However by the time I got to her she seemed all right and willing to continue sleeping in her room. I learned quickly that Baka helped ease her fears, for he was always curled up on the bed close beside her, and she would wake up and stroke him, which set him to purring. It seemed as long as Baka was happy and content then, Rama wasn't as afraid.

Though on the third night of our stay Rama woke screaming in fear, she was in a wild frantic panic that not even Baka could comfort her, so I packed her into my room with Baka following at my heel.

He meowed until I picked him up and placed him on the bed, with his one bad leg, he had difficulty climbing onto beds and he preferred getting service whenever he could con someone into it.

I'll say one thing for Baka was he was the pleasantest of creatures I had ever met. I recalled Klunk had been a fairly nice cat, but he was not always easy to please, more independent the way you expect a cat to be.

Baka was so friendly and amiable that he followed Rama wherever she went, if we let him and, man, that cat could purr. I have never heard any cat's motor run as much or as loudly as his did.

All he needed to start his motor running was for someone to look at him, or talk to him, or pat him. Any type of attention and he'd start to purr, often doing so to the point where it seemed his whole body vibrated.

Rama could pick him up hug him, squeeze him and he would lay there and purr loudly and she would beam ear-to-ear claiming " Baka likes me!"

Baka of course wasn't as stupid as his name suggested, he knew how to get into the easy life, and now that he had a foot in the door, there was no way he was going turn back now. The cat was named Baka but he was anything but and I had to wonder where Raph came up with that name.

….

Leo and Karena were spending a great deal of their spare time with one another and Raph and I just couldn't help but give him a bad time about it. At times we would joke around in Japanese because of little ears being rather close by.

Raph had started Rama on the chant " Karena and Leo sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g" bit. Or the other thing he had managed somehow to teach her was to say " Smooching. Yuck!"

All any of us had to do was say the word smooch around Rama and that would be her response and usually pulling the most sour, disgusting face she could, shake her head and stick out her tongue while doing so. It was rather hilarious to watch. Needless to say we all said smooch around her a lot just to watch the show she'd put on.

Of course we had to give Leo a bad time, he expected it from us, if we didn't deliver he just might worry; besides that at the moment he was an easy target and far too good of a one to pass up on.

I was still helping Karena with her Japanese where I could but we now had to keep our lessons short. I don't think it mattered much anymore, she knew enough to carry on a conversation without making a complete fool of herself. What she knew she would be able to use on Leo, if he ever spoke Japanese to her, or she could say something to him in the language and catch him off guard, surprising him.

….

On our fourth day on the farm we decided to go for a camp out for the night, typically Rama was very intrigued by the aspect of sleeping out under the stars.

" We really going sleep outside daddy?" she asked in a way that said ' you are joking about this right?'

" Yes Rama, it is supposed to be a clear night and Don says there will be a big meteorite shower tonight, it ought to be quite the show." I replied.

" What dat daddy?"

I turned arching an eye ridge " A meteorite shower is a bunch of shooting stars. On any night you can see some stars shooting across the sky in bright streaks" I explained, " But sometimes they have lots of them and then it is called a meteorite shower. Another name for a shooting star is a falling star, because the star is falling. They die and fall in a blaze of glory." I smiled wistfully, " Some people say if you make a wish on a falling star it comes true."

" Can Baka come see stars fall daddy?"

" No babe, he best stay here tonight, we are only going be gone over night so he won't miss you too much." I decided, " We will be back in the morning and we will leave plenty of food and water out for Baka."

" How you cook outside Daddy?" Rama asked next.

" By fire Rama we are going have hamburger and potato chips for dinner and a special snack later on" I promised her.

" What snack?" Rama demanded immediately.

" Ah, that my dear Rama llama ding dong is the surprise" I informed her.

" Tell me!" Rama insisted stomping her foot.

" No you are just going have to wait," I told her sharply giving her a dark look and she quickly subsided.

…

We chose a spot not too far out from the house and near enough to the woods to be close to the wood we needed for a fire, though far enough from the trees, that there would be no risk, of the branches of the forest catching a stray spark and causing a fire.

We had all finished supper sometime before and Rama kept pestering for the treat I had promised her earlier.

" Come on Mike I'm ready for it too. It is the best part of any campout" Raph added his pleas to Rama, soon begging me much as she was " Please Mike, please, Come on Mike make with the goodies."

" Okay all right all ready!" I snapped caving in, " Geesh Raph I really don't know which is worse Rama or you." I muttered in exasperation. I sighed and chuckled a bit as I glanced at Rama " Tonight Rama we are having s'mores."

Raph licked his lips " That is what I'm here for." He agreed.

I dug out the packages of chocolate bars, the marshmallows and the thing of graham crackers. I broke up the chocolate and wrapped it in foil setting it on rocks near the fire to melt them, while showing Rama how to roast marshmallows.

When the first s'more was ready I gave it to her to try, she bit into the treat and her eyes grew large and round as she quickly scarfed down the rest of it.

" More, more, MORE. Like em lots" She declared in a singsong way.

I laughed at her " Oh you are family Rama."

Don grinned " Well that is why they are called s'mores they are so good you always, want more."

After the chocolate and graham crackers were gone we were stuck to just roasting and eating marshmallows. Rama loved pulling her treats apart to lick the melted sweet gooey centre.

By the time we were finished Rama had melted marshmallow all over her face and hands and even in her hair. She was a complete mess.

It was a darn good thing that we had brought a jug of water and a washcloth with us, though I had a feeling we ought to have brought a hose to spray her down instead. Rama did her part by trying to lick the gooey stuff off, though I think she only managed to spread it out even further.

Leo chuckled " You are a sticky mess" he chided gently.

" Kiss" Rama lunged for him.

Leo ducked to one side grabbing her wrists in his hands and holding her at arm's length " Uh uh not until you are cleaned up or I will be needing a bath."

Raph had disappeared before now he slipped up behind Leo in perfect stealth mode, dumping a bucket of water all over Leo " One bath coming up."

" Raph!" Leo roared getting to his feet and chasing after Raph who was all ready into the woods.

Don whistled as he watched them go " He best watch it, Leo will get revenge."

I nodded in full agreement " Leo can be very good at it too, when he wants to be that is."

Don snapped his fingers as he stared into the bright flames " I know he is going go for the hand in the cold water routine while Raph is sleeping."

Karena gasped, " He wouldn't!" she sounded shocked.

" Oh he would Karena," I corrected, " Out here with Leo, just about anything goes." I smirked and couldn't hold back a giggle as I recalled one time, " Leo once snuck some of April's makeup and did up Raph's face, then snapped his picture. I believe Raph found and destroyed all the pictures" I paused arching an eye ridge, " But Leo still has the negatives somewhere. What can I say? I have trained Leo well. Out here Leo will play practical jokes, but it seems Raph is usually his target."

" But not always" Don was quick to amend, " Though Raph has a way of pushing Leo's buttons, don't let it worry you, at home they may fight, here it is all good fun."

Karena shook her head laughing " I like seeing Leo like this, course I wouldn't have believed he was capable of it, if I hadn't seen it for myself."

" It is Leo's way of relieving stress," I explained.

Leo returned and dropped down by Karena's side placing an arm around her and pulling her into a one armed hug.

" Where Uncle Raphiel?" Rama asked.

" He is a little tied up at the moment Ramiela" Leo smirked, " He'll be along in time."

" I take it you are timing his escape then?" Don inquired simply.

" Of course I am" Leo replied.

" Oh no" Karena tried her best not to smile as it dawned on her the truth of the matter, " You really did tie him up" she sounded shocked but there was no way she could hide the smile on her face.

Leo looked at her innocently as he pointed a thick thumb towards his plastron " Who me?" he gave a little shrug, " Yeah I guess so, the real pain of it all is that Raph being a ninja will get out of it eventually."

" Remind me to never get you mad at me" Karena stated.

" I'm not mad" Leo corrected her. " Raphael knows around here I retaliate with creativity."

Raph strolled casually into camp tossing bits of rope Leo's way " Try harder next time that wasn't even a challenge."

Leo smiled, and then glanced at Karena " Care to join me for a walk?"

" I don't know am I safe with you?" Karena asked.

Leo stood up giving her a low bow " On my word of honour" he assured her, offering his hand.

Karena gave a small smile " Okay then, I'll risk it."

" I comes too," Rama announced quickly.

" Rama, Leo and Karena don't want company right now" I cut in.

" Why?"
" Cause they want to go off and smooch kid" Raph told her.

" Smooch. Yuck!"

" And make kissy faces at each other" Raph continued.

"Gross!" Rama yelled making a face.

Oh no, Raph had somehow trained her to another one.

" That is enough Raph you are corrupting my daughter." I declared.

Raph waved me off with a flick of the wrist " Your daughter was corrupt from the day she was born, she is your daughter after all" Raph countered.

" I wants to go with Karena and Uncle Leonardo" Rama whined.

" Maybe another time baby" I soothed, " Right now two is company and three is a crowd" I insisted.

As Leo and Karena went to leave Raph got an evil grin and called after him " Leosan dotei kore made de O ushinaie ka" ( I am not going translate this, those who really want to know what Raph said let me know in a review and I will e-mail it to you.)

"Raphael!" Leo snapped sharply his stance stiffening.

" Kare wa kame gyogi no warui" ( He is a naughty turtle) I said quickly for Karena's benefit.

Karena was forced to hide a smile as Leo then turned to yell at me.

" Cut it out both of you" he scolded, " There is no need for Japanese when Karena doesn't understand it," he then quickly reminded us " Just because we are on vacation doesn't mean we can forget our manners."

Raph and I looked to one another before we bowed in unison but I was the one to voice the apology " Forgive us Karena, for we have forgotten our manners momentarily. We truly meant no offence."

" None was taken" she assured us, though I had a distinct feeling she'd be asking me later what Raph had said to upset Leo so.

She knew that dotei was his, so what Raph had said referred to Leo himself, she also knew that ka denoted a question, as the Japanese didn't use voice inflection in their language, it was everything else she didn't know.

I was hoping she'd forget to ask for Raph really had been extremely naughty and if Karena had fully understood his question then both Leo and, she, herself could have been embarrassed. Though Raph was only trying to goad Leo on with that loaded and highly inappropriate question.

TBC

Lady of Randomness: No Canadians do not use weird or funny grammar, though many Americans feel we write words funny, like color and favor and word check says you forgot the U, and have funny money, course many Canadians would say the same things about Americans. LOL! A gratitude for our insight.

Misterfooch: Klunk isn't around for the Rama series, Mike lost him before Rama was born so now a new cat has entered the turtle's lives. Actually Baka is based on a very lovable very purring cat I once owned. Did you find the turtle music to down load? A gratitude for your insight.

Lenni: Um next chapter is the one you are looking for I believe. So here is your newest update for you to freak over. A gratitude for your insight.

Lunar Ninja: I don't recognize your banks of hankie pankie though it is so much fun to read. People seem to love seeing the calm controlled leader as a blithering idiot. I didn't know Raph wore undies course Rama and Baka did put him through a lot. A gratitude for your insight.

Chibi Rose Angel: See what declaring yourself Empress gets you? Nothing but trouble you might be better off dropping that title. Hopefully you didn't have to wait too long for this update. I am almost done the rewrite for The Enemy and then I can concentrate on polishing off this rewrite. A gratitude for your insight