A Sense of Family

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

Chapter Six: Building Bridges

Leonardo:

Ever since Splinter's demise I have felt the responsibility of leadership settle a bit heavier upon my shoulders. Of course that was too be expected and some of my responsibility could be delegated to others with in the clan such as teaching, but other things could not be passed off, one of my main concerns was, quite understandably, Ramiela.

Teenagers I knew could be naturally rebellious against any form of authority, as they sought to find their niche in the world, but Rama, thanks to Yukio, had been taught long ago that I was nothing more than an enemy and to be hated, so Yukio's training and brainwashing added to the every day turbulence of teen misbehaviour and attitude. She loathed me and wasn't about to give me any respect. How was I to gain her respect, her loyalty? Rama's return to our family meant that I now had to work hard to try and find a way to bring her into our clan while maintaining a certain amount of balance between who we were.

It was a pity Splinter wasn't around, for, I could use his assistance on this, not only that he might have made Ramiela's adjustment and transition back into our clan a little smoother on all involved.

I wasn't unsympathetic to Rama's plight, I realized she had been made to make a drastic choice at a young age, a choice that no child ought to be forced to make and yet she had chosen her path at that time perhaps hoping we would come for her yet. I knew she was still very much a member of our family, though I admit during our capture I could not allow myself to think along those lines, I instead held firm that she was a Foot and could not change. I had to for my own family's safety.

Yet Ramiela had changed, done so enough to help us and to later return to aid me in getting away from the Foot headquarters.

We had never given up on any family member, unless they were dead, so it didn't seem right to me, to reward her by killing her, or declaring war upon her, especially as she had aided us in our escape, so I was willing to overlook certain behaviour and outbursts from her, also with her being Ronin, she didn't have to answer to me about her behaviour. I had no right to stomp down and punish her for her lack of respect towards me, so she gained further leeway in being ronin. It suited her for this space and time, and yet I often wondered if keeping her a ronin only caused more problems.

I knew Karena and the children didn't need the stress of seeing some of Rama's more volatile displays towards us, so it made sense to keep her separate from the rest of the family, but in keeping her apart from us she could never fully prove she was worthy, after all we hardly saw her. Karena wasn't comfortable around Ramiela and much as I insisted Rama and Mike ought to join us for meals, Karena had put her foot down insisting that meals were quiet times and a way for me to unwind, that would not happen if Rama was here. My wife had many excuses born of fear, I didn't blame her for them, she was not a warrior trained and had seen us tortured, defenseless, and I knew she didn't want to think of me, being so weak that I could not protect her or my children.

I wanted to accept Rama into our clan, make her truly one of us, as Mike kept begging me to do, but I couldn't do that right this instant either, for to do so would mean that I felt she was trustworthy, that we could rely on her in the midst of a battle to not falter or to switch sides suddenly attacking us. Sparring sessions disintegrated so quickly that I knew she was not up to that yet, she wasn't reliable and we couldn't trust our lives to her. In other words there was doubt and doubt might keep us from forging the strong team we needed in battle.

Not to say that I didn't see hope. Like Mike there had been times when I seen something, fleeting though it was, come over Rama and she seemed far more like a young teenager instead of a person who had grown shallow, bitter and wise from seeing too much, learning too much of the wrong things in their life. Don kept me informed of some of the talks he had with Rama, and Yukio had trained her as a proper kunoichi, having her trained to use her body to get close to those he wanted dead in any way possible. It wouldn't surprise me if Yukio allowed certain friends to use her for a hefty fee, and most likely telling Kirra he wanted her to a service a friend for a favour. Rama readily admitted that she had used sex to get near targets for Yukio, or at least admitted such things to Don and Mike.

Mike always felt bad learning of the awful things Yukio had done to Rama, and I was surprised that he was able to not berate or belittle Yukio in any way, knowing that it might incur Rama's wrath. If anything he would tell her he was sorry Yukio had done those things to her, and it was no way for a child to be raised.

I sighed in frustration and remorse, knowing the hope that I saw, now and again never seemed to last long before Rama was dashing it to the ground. Yet she had accepted Don and recently Kali had switched camps in Rama's favour, in fact I overheard her telling Aiden " Rama isn't that bad Aiden, not really once you know her. You really shouldn't call her a Foot."

"Well she is Kali" Aiden remarked sharply. I was glad my daughter could see past her fears finally and wipe the slate clean giving Rama the second chance she so deserved.

Old habits were like dear friends, we held onto them because it was comfortable, even if it wasn't the nicest thing to be around, and it is never easy to just be done of it. That held true for Aiden, and Raphael who refused to allow Rama to break free from her past, and for Rama who allowed the past to rule her.

I didn't know how to bridge the gap between us to prove to her that I wanted to help her, that I was a friend to her. How I missed the day when she looked up at me waiting to learn all I could impart to her, her eagerness to learn ninjitsu and her cheerful respectful call as she greeted me.

I had been reading through some of Splinter's old scrolls in hopes of finding something that might be useful in this area, now sat back in my chair, stretching my arms, and legs, easing kinks out of them, and hearing slight cracks and pops as things settled back into position. I rubbed my eyes and gave a shake of my head before standing up to head for the kitchen for a drink and a late lunch.

Raph entered the kitchen as I was busy making a sandwich, he reached in the fridge, not even looking my way, but I couldn't help but notice the injuries that were fresh and the dried blood on his throat. I shook my head in irritation, knowing full well he had probably started the battle.

" All right Raph, who have you been fighting with?" I asked though I felt I knew the answer, after all the only one I knew who could get close enough to Raph to cause such injuries was Rama.

"Kirra who the hell d'ya think Leo?" Raph hissed in reply, " I caught her on a rooftop having a little get together with her Foot friends, probably sellin' us out."

I scowled skeptically, " Why would Ramiela want to talk to the Foot? They will want her dead after what she has done" I pointed out.

"Maybe Kirra didn't switch sides Leo" Raph essayed, " Or perhaps she is trying to get back in with her family, deals can be worked out ya know."

I considered his words silently, trained and raised as a Foot soldier it was not beyond the realm of possibility that Rama would try to get back with her old clan. It was familiar to her and she could be feeling out of place being without a clan, tired of being a ronin she might seek other avenues of possibilities.

"Are you sure you didn't misjudge what you saw Raph?" I wondered.

" There is no damn way Leo, I tell ya she is up to somethin." Raph insisted slamming the fridge door and glaring hard at me.

He sounded sure of himself, but there might be more to this story, "Raph sit down and tell me what you saw then" I offered as I sat at the table.

He gave me a disdainful look " What is it going take you to see Leo that..." he began.

I stood up and gave him a hard stern look, " I want all the information Raph, I can't make a decision on something that isn't firm. It would be wrong" I snapped cutting him off, " We both know a ninja does not go against the whole clan, to do so is cause for death." I reminded him, " it would take some pretty fancy talking for Rama to convince the Foot to welcome her back in the fold, and even if they did she'd be low on the clan's totem pole." I sank back down to my chair as Raph flopped onto a chair across from me, " I don't even think that our escape was part of an elaborate plan of Rama's to further torture us" I declared using a rumour I had often heard him speak. " Let's face it the Foot Soldiers had us, they could have killed us at any moment. Letting us go free would be a high calculated risk, a chance they wouldn't take. You know a bird in the hand bit."

Raph mumbled something before telling me what he had seen, he did let me know the Foot Soldiers and Rama had both had weapons drawn and had injuries, but they all seemed to be standing casually talking with one another.

I asked a few questions turning things over in my mind, not having enough information to validate or deny Raph's claim. I knew Raph didn't trust her, but he was sincere in his information, but I couldn't judge Rama on that alone. I'd have to hear what she had to say, because I still didn't understand why the Foot would even bother trying to strike up conversation with her, unless they felt that Kirra was the best person to lead them, and that didn't make sense considering the ultimate betrayal she had given the entire clan. It seemed I would have to get her side of the story.

I wanted to talk with her about a few things, a talk that was over due, I had procrastinated slightly upon it. Procrastination was usually something I avoided, but while I wanted to speak to Rama I had kept hoping for a time when she might be more open and receptive to what I had to say, instead of closing herself off and treating me like public enemy number one. I was hoping she would, accept my words and not twist them to mean something that they shouldn't. Obviously that time hadn't come yet and it probably wasn't going to, now thanks to recent events I might as well try my best to get through to her now and hope for the best.

Mike answered the door when I arrived, " Leo I don't think this is a great time for a visit. Rama is hurt and she is riled up about something" Mike warned me.

" I need to talk with her Mike, so I'll take my chances."

Mike glanced over his shoulder and stepped out in the sewer shutting the door behind him "Leo, trust me on this one. She doesn't talk when she's like this!"

" I'll risk it Mike" I retorted.

" All right Leo, but if she kills you, I refuse to be held responsible for it" he informed me in a half joking way as he opened the door and gestured me in. He followed behind me " Rama, Leo is here to come see you."

" I don't want to see him. He has no authority over me. He's nothing but a hypocrite!" She yelled from somewhere in their home.

I interjected before Mike could answer, " I know something happened between you, the Foot and Raph earlier today. I just want to hear your side of events so if I hear any rumours about your allegiance I can stop them."

Rama came storming into the front area, she stood glaring at me, I could easily see her fresh wounds, " What good will it do me? You all feel I'm nothing more than a Foot Soldier any way. I'll be wasting my time and my breath." she flared.

" I think no such thing" I reassured her soothingly, I couldn't help but notice her eyes were slightly red as if she had been crying and I wondered what would cause the hardened kunoichi to shed tears.

She snorted in disbelief " I am just a ronin, why should I believe you? Or listen to you? You will side with your clan members over the likes of me!"

Mike gave Rama a pained look " Give Leo a chance, He's not so bad. Look he did come here to see you and hear you out" he pleaded kindly.

" Why it won't make any difference!" Rama flared.

" You won't know what difference it will make or not, unless you are willing to try and give it a chance. Doesn't the fact that he is here to listen to you mean anything?" Mike wondered softly.

Rama shrugged indifferently a sullen look crossing her face as she considered, " It is no good if it is used to condemn me" She said

" Who said I want to condemn you?" I asked.

Rama sneered snorting a bit " I have been condemned since I saved your life and accidentally killed my father," she sighed almost wistfully, " The better person died that day" she declared sharply.

I arched an eye ridge not about to dispute or challenge her words as I took a deep breath, "Can we discuss this reasonably Ramiela?"

She cocked her head giving a slight nod as if finally assenting.

" Good can we sit down somewhere?" I inquired hopefully.

I knew I had to be careful, for Rama could switch sides in an instant, and I knew how easily she'd turn on us in other instances.

" In the garden" she relented turning on her heels to lead the way, gesturing for me to follow. I did so, and paused for a moment awe struck at the garden corner, I knew Don had put a lot of work into this but had not seen the end result and I stared at every thing, what a wonderful meditation spot, I mused as I sat down at the table across from her, Mike sat between us keeping a wary eye on both of us, probably expecting the two of us to come out fighting or something.

" So what happened to you today Ramiela?" I asked softly.

Rama glared at me for a moment, probably weighing the options of telling me, or not, then almost reluctantly she began.

" I was alone and they snuck up on me. my guard was down" she confessed uneasily, " We fought but then they just drew back and stood there. I didn't want to charge them, there were quite a few the odds were not in my favour."

I nodded in understanding gently listening to her words saying nothing for fear that what ever I might say may only shut her up.

" I don't know why the Foot backed off, they could have done more damage if they kept coming. Perhaps they knew Raphael was in the area and they wanted to lead him to me and set things up to discredit me." She glanced up looking me straight on " I have no more connections with the Foot." She declared at last.

Her sincerity was clear, " I believe you Ramiela. It makes sense and in some ways I wouldn't put it past the Foot to try such an act, they know there may be tensions between you and the rest of us, therefore it is natural for them to play upon it."

Rama scowled as if she didn't believe what I was saying, it was clear to me that if though I sided with her, she didn't trust me, she was suspicious of it.

"Have faith in me Ramiela, you used to" I said kindly smiling at her.

" Faith and trust is a two way street Leonardo-san" she replied her Japanese accent coming through quite strongly all of a sudden, " How can you expect me to trust you, when members of your clan don't trust me." She pointed out, " I deserve trust too."

" You have a point" I agreed amiably, " Raph though has always been stubborn and has never taken direction well." I smiled, " You have a lot in common that way."

She tensed slightly, her back straightened and her eyes grew slightly harder as she smirked " Why should I take direction from you? Are you my Jonin? No I have none." She reminded me, " Yet you act like you are."

" Don't tell me that you prefer to be a ronin and wish to stay one for the rest of your days Ramiela." I said.

She bowed her head shaking it, in denial " A ronin is never fully safe, especially when they are hunted" she mumbled.

I nodded, " I treat you like a part of my clan because I fully expect that one day you will be a member of my clan. I haven't forgotten what I offered you and I intend to keep my word to you." I assured her again reminding her of what had been agreed upon, " If you are having troubles with my clan members try to come to me. I can't resolve troublesome issues if you continue to carry that burden for yourself" I explained, " If there is something we can do for you, please let me know." I paused before continuing, " Rama at no time should you feel that it is us against you. Do you understand?"

Rama nodded a bit, I could almost sense her wanting to say, it has always been you against me that will never change, I saw her tremble and swallow, before she said softly " I will try Leonardo."

Even as she said it, I knew it wouldn't be easy for her to do but I hoped by offering it she would come to accept it sooner or later.

" Ramiela, you are a ronin now it is true but that is not a role you are meant to play forever. You must rely on a clan, and we must rely on you. You aren't alone, no matter how you may feel."

Rama raised her head a small smile on her face and even Mike was sitting back beaming, as if he saw far more than I did, and he probably did as he knew Rama best. I felt her smile while small wasn't very encouraging, was at least better than her being angry at me, if anything she did seem to contemplate my words and I felt that there may be a possibility to bridge the gap yet. I decided to talk with her a little more in hopes of starting some bond, no matter how small, between us.

TBC