A Sense Of Family
Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adolescent or adult transformed shadow warrior chelonians.
Chapter Twenty One: Trust Starts Here
KALIANN:
I felt the excitement and exhilaration, even before they returned home, so I knew things had gone well. Course that was almost a given in our clan, but of course there had been times when we hadn't fared so well. The Foot invasion probably being one of those worst case scenarios. Yet I scowled slightly when I noted that Uncle Mike and Rama weren't among the rest of the family as they came in. Surely they all wouldn't be feeling so thrilled if something terrible had happened.
Mom noted the absence of two members and asked dad about it as she and I helped tend to the injuries. Dad chuckled a little at her concern "They are both fine. I think Rama just needed some time and space to come to terms with a few things Karena, and Mike of course had to go look after her." He assured her.
Still it was a relief to see them enter the lair.
I stood in awe as Rama went after Aiden and forced the truth from him. I always knew Aiden was afraid of Rama, and that he more or less held her responsible for what she had done to our family. I also knew how good he was at hiding his fear, so it really shouldn't have surprised me that his deepest concern seemed to be about losing me to Rama. I rubbed the scar on my neck absently, the faint reminder of that time. I mean Aiden and I shared so much, there was very little about my brother I didn't know about.
I watched Aiden leave the room, knowing he wanted to be alone. He didn't like confessing his fears where all could see or hear about it. He wanted to act like he was strong, like it didn't matter to him. I heard Rama make an apology before leaving to head home and the rest of the family dispersed, mom and dad headed off towards their bedroom, their arms around one another talking softly. I decided to go talk to Aiden, knowing that mom and dad would be giving him a lecturing later on and after that he wouldn't want to listen to anything I had to say on top of it.
I was fully aware that mom and dad would be trying to come to agreement over how to deal with Aiden's problem and deciding on an appropriate punishment for both of us. I hated waiting for the verdict, it was always the worst and sometimes I swore they put off telling us that sort of thing just to make us squirm a bit more. I mean once you knew that you were grounded or had to write an essay or what ever the case was it didn't seem half as bad as everything your mind cooked up while waiting.
To get to Aiden I had to get around my parents, and instead of reminding them I was near by I opted to go into ninja mode, keep to the shadows and slip past without disturbing them. I knew they were always so cuddly,well maybe romantic is a better word, after battle. Any kid alive, mutant or otherwise doesn't care to interrupt intimate moments with their parents. Heck most kids don't even want to admit their parents make love, as if after becoming a parent you are suppose to stop those sort of activities unless trying for another child.
Mom and Dad paused. Dad pulled mom into his arms and murmured something softly to her.
"I was afraid I was going lose you Leo" Mom whispered as she threw her arms about his neck.
"That is always your greatest fear and it seems there is little I can do to ease it for you. I can't even avoid fighting the Foot. Still if I hadn't given in to Rama's ludicrous idea of allowing her to lead, things may have gone worse for all of us." dad remarked casually.
I knew I shouldn't listen in to their conversation but I hung back from carrying on my way to see what else I could learn.
"The way the Foot had it arranged there was no way we could have reached Aiden in time to stop Washi from killing him first, and probably more of us would have fallen by even attempting it." Dad gave a snort of disbelief, "Would you believe Ramiela actually stood there and talked him into letting Aiden go in exchange for..."
I listened as dad outlined what Rama had done for Aiden and the family. I saw dad glance almost in my direction as if he picked up my presence and I decided to move along before I had eavesdropping on private conversation added to my lists of misdeeds for the night.
Sure, I had wanted Aiden back with the family, he was my brother and while we might not always get along he was still the closest friend I had. But to think that Rama had been willing to give up her life for Aiden who hated her. I liked Rama too, she was almost like an older sister I guess. Not always that nice or friendly but still helpful and kind in a rough sort of way.
I recalled some of the things Rama and Mike had told me about the stuff she had gone through from Yukio as a child, things like being starved, deprived of food and water. Beaten with whips, chains and other ninja weapons. Mike told me that Yukio once, when he found Rama trying to escape had poured some acid on her and watched. I also was aware that most the family believed she had been trained as a full ninja, but also to use kunoichi skills, and had probably been used sexually for some years.
I shuddered as I thought of all those horrible things. I could never see mom or dad telling me to go 'sleep' with those they wanted destroyed. It was a stomach churning thought. I also knew there was lots of pain and torture that Rama didn't remember on top of the stuff we were aware of, and I knew the family was right Rama had suffered far worse at Yukio's hands then we had. Yes, we had lost more then half of our family, but they had died quickly and hadn't really suffered. It could have been worse. Yukio could have tortured and slowly killed a number of our family if we'd all been taken prisoner. While I missed my Aunts and Cousins I was grateful for the fact that they didn't suffer.
I tapped on Aiden's door "Aiden can I come in?" I called, when I didn't receive an answer I decided to enter the room anyways. He was lying on his bed with his back to the door.
"Aiden." I spoke gently.
"Go away" his sulky tone was clear.
"Aiden, I'm sorry that you feel the way you do about Rama. I guess that is why you ratted on me huh? I really wish you hadn't told mom and them about me practicing with Rama" I confessed, "I actually hated you for that and thought about getting you back. But I guess you were worried about me and my safety."
Aiden sniffed and rolled over looking at me "She isn't safe." He grumped.
"Rama isn't going to hurt us now Aiden. I know for a fact she'll keep her word, even if dad offers her a place in the clan she won't take it unless you can accept her as a part of it." I informed him.
"Good I don't want to accept her, and this way I can keep her out." He retorted sharply.
"That isn't very nice Aiden" I accused, "You will keep Rama from having a real family, the family she belongs to. She ha been outside of our family for so long. She has never had parents that cared about keeping her safe from harm. No Yukio hurt her often."
"Why should I care what he did to her?" Aiden demanded.
"If you cared then maybe you could see past your hatred. She didn't have to help you tonight, so why do you think she took your place huh?" I shot out.
"I don't give a damn Kali. She is a Foot Soldier and the Foot is our enemy." He said this as if it was mantra.
"You might not care Aiden, but I do. I don't want to lose you because you are my brother and my friend. I would have felt so guilty to find out you died tonight, especially after our disobedience, because I know if I hadn't of gone topside you wouldn't have gone alone." I sighed and looked away, "But Rama is also my friend too, and I don't want to lose her either. It would also hurt Uncle Mike to lose Rama. So even if you don't care about Rama you will still be hurting those you care about Aiden."
Aiden just sat up on the edge of his bed not bothering to answer me.
"Rama is my friend and I trust her Aiden, she doesn't like liars." I assured him.
"She lied tonight, which proves she is a hypocrite. If she lied once she will do it again" He told me with a smirk.
"When did she lie?" I asked, knowing my brother tried to avoid Rama so how could he know when or if she had been speaking falsely about anything.
"She told the Foot she was leader of our Clan, which she isn't, so she lied," he reported with conviction.
I shook my head, "You are stretching there bro. Rama was leading the clan, because she asked dad to lead for this mission. Seems like her plan to lead got everyone home safe, which proves she really does know how to lead. Not to mention she didn't lie to any of us or the enemy." I pounced, "Besides there is nothing wrong in lying to the enemy if it buys time or aids you in escape."
"She was suposta die tonight" Aiden muttered.
"So you should have been the one to die tonight. I should have died when her katana came at my neck. We all should have died while Yukio held us prisoner. So if we can all be alive in spite of that fact why can't Rama be alive now?" I insisted, "Your reasons aren't very logical." I smirked, "You know you promised to visit with Rama and I'm going hold you to it, and I expect you to be nice to her." I declared, "After all I was afraid of Rama too at first when ever I saw her all I could do was think of the bad stuff, but once I gave her a chance I realized that there is good in her too, now I use that in place of those bad things." I told him, "Judge Rama on who she is now Aiden, not what she was like before."
"I don't want to visit her" Aiden raged pushing away from me and starting to pace on the floor.
"That means you are going back on a promise Aiden. Look who the liar is now!" I scoffed, "What you did got us both in trouble, visiting with Rama won't get either of us in dutch with our parents."
"I don't lie!" Aiden retorted quickly.
"Then prove it" I snapped, "keep your promise Aiden, give Rama a chance."
"Why? Give me one good reason."
I rolled my eyes in frustration, gosh he could be the most stubborn thick shelled person I'd ever met. "You want reasons I'll give you them. First she saved your life you can at least say thank you for it. Secondly she knows fighting stuff that dad doesn't know about we can learn a lot from her. Third she is family, whether you like it or not Aiden, so we owe it to her; to give her a chance to fit in and accept her. Four She knows massive information about the Foot Clan and the people there so she will be useful to the Clan. Five..." I was ticking off the reasons on my fingers as I went.
Aiden threw his hands up in the air "I said one reason not a bunch of them." He grouched.
"I can list more then one though now where was I..."
"Never mind sis, I'll go" he relented, "I'll go and I'll be nice but only just this once and after that forget it Kali."
"You have to promise to give her a real chance on this visit Aiden."
"I never said anything about that!" Aiden retorted.
"No I know you didn't but we were topside longer then you said we would be, so I feel you owe me." I insisted.
"Whatever!" Aiden said.
I shook my head and left his room, I felt bad that he was letting his fear of how she had been get in his way of who she was now. Course I knew I had been no better at first and considering the images and all we lost it really wasn't the easiest thing to get over. Still I found when I had finally forgiven Rama, I had felt more free and able to give her another chance. I was hoping that Rama could show Aiden that she wasn't the monster he thought of her, and then maybe he too could forgive and be free of the hurt and loss.
If Aiden could look past his own fears and see that Rama was fighting to be free of demons of her own, to fit in with those she thought of as strangers, well, he might be able to be more understanding
XXX
Even though we were both punished,as expected, when I asked dad about us visiting Rama he glanced at Aiden.
"You want to go too Son?" He inquired arching an eye ridge up.
"I told Kali, I'd go once. I sorta promised I would" he agreed acting as if I was going do some cruel and unspeakable acts instead, then again maybe he would have preferred that.
I saw dad glance at mom then he smiled "Very well. I will permit you to visit with Rama, but otherwise you two are confined to the lair, and to make sure of it you must have an escort." He agreed.
Dad liked it when ever any of us tried to confront a fear, he said a fear you are willing to face is hopefully one that will soon be beaten.
So, we obeyed dad's orders and headed over to Rama's with mom and Heiwa later that day. When Rama opened the door she couldn't quite hide her surprise at seeing Aiden she arched an eye ridge as she greeted him and invited us all to come in.
"We figured to come for a visit and Aiden agreed to give you a fair chance" I told her.
"Like hell" Aiden retorted quietly.
"Aiden!" I rounded on him.
"Kaliann!" Rama snapped glaring at me and shaking her head, "You can't force him to accept me."
"HA!" Aiden barked almost gloating, "She is right so this visit is worthless."
Mom smiled, "Oh I don't know Aiden I never thought I'd see you agree with Rama on anything. But you just did so this visit hasn't been worthless."
"Besides Aiden you'll be breaking your promise." I pointed out.
Rama chuckled "A promise kept by force isn't one meant to bring honour Kaliann. Yukio ruled by force, look what it gained him." She gave a small smile "I ought to knock you up side the head to see if some sense will go in with it." She teased, "Ryu must accept me on his own terms." She turned and bowed to Aiden, "I thank you for coming and you are welcome to stay to visit if you like. But I also understand if you want to be elsewhere, I'm not sure what your promise was to Kaliann but as far as I'm concerned it has been fulfilled."
Aiden blinked a bit narrowing his eyes before shrugging his shoulders "No I did promise Kali, even before last night. I'll stay." He agreed.
"Then come in and make yourself at home." Rama offered.
Aiden followed us into the garden for tea, he glanced around at the fish swimming in the tank before sitting on a bench away from the table, trying to look around with out showing that he was interested in what was going on around him.
"Thanks for helping Aiden Rama I appreciate it." I told her.
"I did only what I had to do Kali." she assured me.
"Did everything you had to do but die" Aiden grumbled.
Mom turned an gave him a dirty look.
"You have a point Aiden, I did bargain to die after all, and even agreed not to fight death when it came, however Washi never brought it. He was too distracted by other thoughts." Rama nodded her head, " I took advantage of the situation but then, that is the very nature of Ninja, to turn the tables in your favour." Rama smiled my way, "Now excuse me and I'll get the tea ready, Aiden would you like some tea, or would you prefer juice or water."
Aiden shrugged, "Juice I guess" he then saw mom's stern look and quickly added "Please."
Rama left us in the garden and as soon as she left mom turned on Aiden.
"You agreed to stay Aiden, even if it is to avoid cleaning the weapons in the dojo and scrubbing the dojo floor." Mom hinted, "So mind your manners."
Rama returned a few minutes later with the tea and other refreshments she poured a glass of juice and offered it to Aiden, "There is room for you here. Or are you more comfortable where you are?"
Aiden shrugged, "I dunno. I'm okay here I guess."
Rama made a soft humming noise, "Feeling a little out of place huh? Welcome to the way I feel most the time." Rama gave a wry grin, " I sometimes feel as if I could never fit in. Yet the more I see of your family the less I seem to understand."
"What do ya mean. Nothings wrong with my family" Aiden corrected her.
"No Aiden, Ryu you have misunderstood. The fault is with me. I am so used to how I was raised, you don't talk back, you don't challenge the leader of the clan, you don't rely on anyone, you rule by force and fear. Money is all that matters for with it you can do anything." Rama snorted in disgust, "I look at your family they have so little in monetary gains and yet there is so much more there love, caring, help and hope. It is so different from what I am used to that it is like I'm from some alien world or planet trying to understand your way of life, and going 'what they do this here, well what does that serve them." Rama gave an astonished shocked tone to her words.
Aiden grimaced a bit "You mean the fault was how you were raised?"
"Not necessarily, in most aspects yes, but that life style taught me a great deal giving me strengths and other assets that can be useful wherever I go. Such as asking your dad to lead, I did that because I knew I could better keep you all safe by taking the lead. Course my knowledge of the Foot was also a factor in taking leadership. Still I knew I could get free faster and easier, no matter who had taken control of the Foot, then Leonardo could." Rama explained, "I learned I can be badly hurt and survive, that nothing can get me down and keep me there. I learned to use any information available to me, to aid me in any aspect," She gave a weak smile, "this I learned when young to avoid lessons from father."
" I can see why you want to avoid that" Aiden remarked ruefully, he rubbed the arm that Yukio had broken." We never tried to hurt you, though and I know you have often gone after Uncle Raphael and dad." He accused a hint of bitterness in his tone.
Rama nodded, "I know I don't want to hurt them. I really don't it is just some times there is a feeling, a sense that I have to" Rama admitted nervously, "Don says it is a part of the programming Yukio did to convince me to be his tool. Yukio made me hate them, hate all of you a great deal. There are times I feel I still hate but I know there is no basis for this loathing." Rama sighed, "Dad and Don have been working with me so that there is less chance of it and I have a feeling now that I have had a chance to, well, know them better that it won't happen as frequently."
Aiden came over and slipped into a chair "But you still could."
Rama looked him in the eye, "I honestly don't want to hurt any of you Ryu. Even when I saw you during that invasion, I knew there was something. It was as if it was the key, but I didn't know to what lock." Rama smiled, "Yes it is possible I could still harm you, or any of your family. I can't deny it, because I am not sure myself that I am beyond doing it. There is still a great deal I have to learn Aiden. In the end I don't think I could hurt you as my desire to not harm your family keeps growing stronger, with every thing I see, hear and learn."
Aiden seemed to weigh her words in silence for a while, and since he was keeping silent we filled the gap with chat of our own. I saw Aiden steal a few cookies off the plate an nibble on them, he seemed content to just sit an listen while enjoying what little free time both of us were going have for a bit. Finally he glanced up and stammered "Thanks for helping me, and for keeping dad away from capture."
I smiled at his words doing my best not to gloat or carry on about it. For he had thanked her without being asked too, and while he might not have totally buried his grudge about Rama, at least he was sincere in his words. Perhaps by sitting here and just listening to the conversation, and the fact that Rama herself had admitted the truth, that perhaps his family wasn't safe, instead of her lying and telling him it wouldn't happen, was starting to help him see Rama wasn't who he might think she was. Either way he didn't seem so belligerent towards her now.
Rama flashed him a warm smile, as if it was the best thing she had heard, and she bowed deeply towards him, offering him a great deal of respect in that simple gesture "You are most welcome. I was happy to do it."
I raised my cup and sipped my tea, feeling a thrill of excitement travel down my spine. I knew this wasn't much but it was a start and we all have to start somewhere.
TBC