The Lotus clan has a difficult proposal that is bound to shatter the Hamato's relative peace.
Ooooooh oh you guys we're venturing deeper into the second act, this shit's getting intense!
And in other news, THIS STORY HAS BEEN NOMINATED IN FIVE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES HOLY CRAP! We just wanted to say thank you all SO MUCH for reading and for all the wonderful reviews that make us so happy, and now thank you as well for all the awesome nominations. Love! *blow kiss*
Ghost of a Chance has been nominated for:
-Best Action/Adventure
-Best Comedy
-Best Donatello
-Best Canon Ally: Karai
-Best multichapter
And as always, another huge thank you to our wonderful betas, Queequegg and Theherocomplex. It wouldn't be the same without you guys^^
A new gust of wind hit the roof and Leo's mask tails attacked his face, getting in his mouth. He spat and swat them away, praying nobody important had seen that.
The team arrived at the rendezvous point just after sundown, the same rooftop where they had met the Lotus the previous night. April and Casey had tagged along, refusing to miss it. Leo could trust April to be on her best behavior, but he had to give Casey a warning before allowing him to come.
The rooftop appeared empty, but Leo knew it was merely an illusion. He minded his posture because, knowing ninjas, he was probably being watched. There was a dull beep, and Donnie put away his tracking device. They'd brought it along just in case, but the thing had been silent the whole way there. Leo was beginning to think they would not be able to find that mutagen before the Purple Dragons, or someone worse, put it to use.
And of course the Lotus clan would wait until he was distracted with his own train of thought to show up. It was April's head-turn that tipped him off, and he looked over to see the entire clan standing to one side in the shadow of the big billboard, having seemingly materialized out of thin air.
Hachisu-no-Hana was the one to come forward, like the previous night, looking just as small and just as mighty. Behind him, Leo heard his team shift, and he gestured for them to stand down.
"It's an honor to see you again, members of the Hamato clan," she said with a brief bow, one that Leo mirrored. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Donnie, Mikey and April do it too, but not Casey, Raph or Karai. Well, three out of six, that was something. "Although I cannot help but notice some new faces," Hachisu-no-Hana added. Surprised or suspicious, her stoic voice gave nothing away.
"Don't worry, Hachisu-no-Hana-san," Leo assured just in case, making a motion towards April and Casey. "They're friends of ours, they represent no threat. I vouch for them."
Hachisu-no-Hana nodded. "Then what is your sensei's response, Leonardo-san?"
He straightened up."Our sensei agrees to meet with you," he said, projecting his voice so that it sounded proud and strong. "But only you may come for now, accompanied by two of your men, if you wish."
"Did he rehearse this?" someone murmured behind him. Couldn't be anyone other than Raph. A low snicker followed it, definitely Karai's. Leo had to bite back a sigh. At least they're getting along…
"Very well," Hachisu-no-Hana said, and then her tone hardened slightly, enough that Leo could interpret that she wasn't talking to him. "Jiro. Atsuko." In a heartbeat, two ninjas stepped forward to stand beside their leader. "You will come with me."
"Hai, kashira," they said in unison.
Leo guessed that the other ninjas were speaking in English out of respect for him and his team. The gesture was appreciated, even when it wouldn't have mattered for any of the Hamatos, as they all understood Japanese just fine. Even April was picking up some of it, although Leo wasn't sure to what extent. Casey, on the other hand…
Hachisu-no-Hana then turned to look over her shoulder. Her feet hadn't shifted one bit since she arrived, body always facing Leo.
"Iwao," she said.
A robust, square-faced man replied, "Kashira?"
"You are in charge of the rest. Go and wait where I told you for our return."
"Hai, kashira," said the ninja called Iwao, and with a simple gesture he ordered the rest of the clan to move, following him into the night, silent and swift.
"We're ready, Leonardo-san," Hasu said, once the others had vanished.
"Alright. Follow us," Leo said, and started the trek back to the lair, stopping at the nearest appropriate manhole.
As the cover was being lifted, the three ninjas looked down through the wisps of vapor rising from the dark pit, then at Leo, as though wondering if he was joking. Ignoring the sliver of shame in his chest, Leo went in first to clear up any lingering doubts.
Once the last of them was underground, he retrieved three strips of fabric from his belt and approached the Lotus leader.
"I'm afraid you'll have to wear these," Leo said, apologetically handing her the blindfolds. He didn't feel comfortable asking such a thing, but it was a necessary precaution. He cringed a little inside when he saw the faintest tinge of uncertainty in Hachisu-no-Hana's stoic gesture, but she agreed to wear the blindfold and ordered the other two to comply as well. Leo promised to guide them safely, and offered his arm to Hachisu-no-Hana. Her touch was careful and timid on his skin, and he cleared his throat without wanting to.
Each Lotus member was assigned a seeing-eye turtle. Raph led the old man called Jiro. And young Atsuko… Well, Casey volunteered, eyebrows waggling, flashing his gap-tooth smile at the girl, who very graciously ignored it as she put on her blindfold. Leo couldn't help noticing the brief scrunching of April's face at that. He would've reacted the same way if he wasn't trying to give a proper impression. He might not get another chance at something as special as this. An alliance! With another ninja clan! It had to be perfect. He wanted to be able to look back on this with pride, and hopefully the least amount of embarrassment. So he asked Donnie to lead Atsuko instead, refusing to let Casey hit on one of their honored guests, and Atsuko strutted over to the tall brother with such confidence in her steps that nobody would ever guess she couldn't see.
Leo led the group through the labyrinthine sewers, using detours and turning them around on more than one occasion, so that even experienced ninjas like these would find it impossible to make their way back. It took forever, but eventually they arrived at the turnstiles, and walked past them to the common room where Splinter was waiting for them expectantly.
"You can take them off now," Leo said.
The three ninjas removed their blindfolds and their gazes were irrevocably—and quite understandably—drawn to the giant rat standing at the entrance wearing a kimono. Leo sometimes forgot just how bizarre his family was, and it was moments like these, in the few occasions that they got to meet new people and he saw the bewilderment, often terror, that he was reminded of that little fact. Like true Japanese, the Lotus had done a good job of hiding any discomfort until then, but not even the most austere of ninja could keep a straight face at first laying eyes on his rat father.
Splinter couldn't help but smile at the newcomers' momentary faces of shock. Highly improper, but who could blame them? He would stare at himself too...
"Welcome to our home, members of the Lotus. I am Hamato Yoshi, sensei of the Hamato clan," he said with a short bow of his head, in English so that no one would be left out—he would have time to practice his mother tongue later. Over some tea, perhaps, he thought in delightful anticipation.
For a few moments, it appeared as though none of the guests would be capable of saying or doing anything, but then he saw something click in their leader's eyes and she finally came to, erasing all emotion from her gesture. Quickly, she took a step forward and bowed low before him, and her followers rapidly did the same.
"You are their sensei," Hachisu-no-Hana said, not so much a question as it was a realization—almost an apology, he would say, a trace of surprise in her otherwise unperturbed voice.
"Yes," he confirmed.
"I expected someone… Forgive me," she said, lowering her head again.
"That is quite alright," Splinter replied, holding up his hand and offering an understanding nod.
"You are very kind to allow us in your home. It's a great honor," Hachisu-no-Hana said.
This one is tough, he thought, admiring the fortitude that radiated from her aura—surely tempered by many thrashings. Like the finest katana. But even in the coldness of her eyes he could see many questions, none of which she dared ask.
There was a general smell of distrust in the air, of doubted intentions. Behind Hahisu-no-Hana and her followers, Splinter's children and protégées stood silently. They looked between the Lotus and their sensei, each through their own lens. Michelangelo, his sweet, innocent Michelangelo, seemed completely at ease as he flashed a proud smile, like nothing made him happier than to show his new friends his home. In contrast, Raphael looked upon them with distrust, never taking his eyes off them, as though he were always expecting the worst—much like Miwa, in fact, whose hand, like Raphael's, was at the hilt of her weapon. Donatello seemed happy enough to give them a chance in that scientific spirit of his, and see what interesting developments resulted from this visit. April and Casey stood at the back, as if they didn't dare interfere.
And Leonardo… of course, Leonardo would be thrilled. It was as blatant as the pearly speckles on his face, as much as he tried to hide it. His son was on pins and needles, looking to and fro like it was all too much to take in at once. There was that shimmer in his eyes, the one he got whenever someone mentioned that Space Heroes cartoon that he liked so much.
Splinter turned his attention back to Hachisu-no-Hana, who seemed to still be battling curiosity with a deep-seated regard for the rules. He decided to be clear with her, and save her the turmoil.
"I know what you are thinking. How did the Hamato clan become this?" he said, motioning around the lair, to his family and himself, and immediately Hachisu-no-Hana lowered her eyes to the floor.
"Forgive me. I meant no disrespect," she said.
"On the contrary," Splinter replied, making sure to sound friendly. "I will be happy to explain over some tea, if you can spare the time. A daughter of the Lotus is always welcome in the home of the Hamato. Please, follow me, and you can tell me what has brought you here, so far from our homeland."
The three newcomers seemed doubtful for a moment, reaching down to unzip their boots and then looking around them for some proper place to put them.
Splinter smiled. "You may just leave them there," he told them, pointing to a place beside the turnstiles, and watched in bemusement as April fidgeted indecisively for a bit before doing the same. She left her boots next to the other three pairs and stood waiting with a side glance at the visitors.
With another motion of his hand, Splinter invited them all to follow him, and he started towards the dojo.
"I am sorry about the safety measures," he said over his shoulder. "You will understand the secrecy of our home is very important to us."
"I understand, Hamato-sensei," the leader of the Lotus conceded, her light steps close behind. She sounded sincere when she said, "Thank you for granting us the honor."
Everybody started climbing the stairs to the dojo, Splinter's sovereign figure leading the way. Everybody except April.
There was something; something Leo had said earlier that kept nagging at the back of her mind, keeping her from going up the steps with the group. He had referred to her and Casey as "friends". Was that all they were? Just allies? Had she been naive to think herself an intrinsic member of the clan—a sister? They had been left behind countless occasions after all. That ninjas-only trope had been the cause of a lot of frustration and doubt for her.
She was probably reading too much into this, but Casey appeared hesitant as well. Everything seemed so formal, so… foreign, in a sense, that she suddenly felt like an alien where she had always felt at home. Would they be welcome up there? Was this also ninjas only? Only Hamatos allowed?
"Maybe we should stay outside," she said just as Leo passed them by—a test.
Leo halted for an instant, looked at her pensively, then nodded. "Alright, see you later."
She would be lying if she said that hadn't stung just a little bit.
"Yep, I guess we should," she muttered.
Casey stood next to her looking up at the group of people going up the steps, a slight grimace on his face. Maybe he felt the same way...
"Forget that," he huffed, waving his hand dismissively. "This sounds like some ultra boring ninja crap gonna go down in there."
Or not...
She sighed, watching the last of the ninjas disappear beyond the archways to the dojo. And on top of everything, she was getting a bad headache.
Hoping she didn't have the flu, or something, she turned around to join Casey at the pinball machine.
The dojo had probably never looked more beautiful, and that was saying something, all modesty aside. He had tidied up for this special occasion, beating the carpets with the help of his children so that the colors were brighter than ever; he had placed a myriad of candles strategically around the room, framing the paper panes to provide some extra dramatism to the epic tales illustrated there. Even the tree appeared more grand, with the orange light shining off its leaves. Splinter couldn't help but watch the faces of their guests as they entered the room looking all around, lifting their noses to the delightful aroma of freshly made tea and mochi. They had even managed to reduce the smell of sweat that usually permeated the dojo considerably, after many scented candles. It wasn't everyday that they had such special company over.
"Where's April and Casey?" Donatello asked as he joined his brothers and sister, bringing that little detail of the kids' absence to Splinter's attention.
"She said they'd rather stay outside," Leonardo said, shrugging. Splinter found it a little odd that April would want to miss this.
"What a wonderful place, Hamato-sensei," the oldest of the Lotus trio said delightedly, bringing Splinter's mind back into the room. The man's eyes were already intent on the trays full of cups and sweets.
"And that tree is truly majestic," the young girl said in a small voice full of wonder, and Splinter beamed inside.
"Thank you. Pardon me, what do I call you?" he asked politely.
The Lotus leader straightened up. "This is Jiro, and Atsuko," she said, and the old man and the girl nodded in turns. "I am Hachisu-no-Hana."
Splinter bowed his head. "Please have a seat. Help yourselves to whatever you like," he offered, signalling to the group of cushions, distributed in two lines facing each other with one cushion for each leader in front, and set out to prepare the tea. The man called Jiro practically bolted for the trays with a don't-mind-if-I-do look on his face, and served himself a nice plate-full before going to sit behind his kashira, who watched with the slightest press of her lips. The young woman named Atsuko giggled under her breath and she, the turtles and Miwa all took their own seats, while Splinter served their tea one by one.
"Your home really is full of hidden marvels, Hamato-sensei," Hachisu-no-Hana said pensively, still looking around and paying special attention to the tree.
"We make do," Splinter said modestly, but felt his chest swelling with pride. "Tell me, Hachisu-no-Hana. You are the daughter of Tarō and Riko?"
"Yes," she said, looking surprised that he should know that, head tilting ever so slightly.
"I knew them. I fought beside your father on two occasions. After that, we became friends. We were so young. I remember your mother and father bickered all the time back then. Just like siblings to bully each other on a daily basis," he added, turning to look at his children. His words had the expected effect on Leonardo, a crinkle of confusion between his brows. The others may or may not have noticed, but didn't show half as much expectancy. Miwa looked rather unimpressed, and Michelangelo didn't seem to have heard anything strange at all. Splinter reserved a proper explanation for later and continued, "That was, of course, before they fell in love."
"They told me stories," Hachisu-no-Hana said. "I had never met with a Hamato before, but I knew that if the Lotus needed help, your clan was the one to go to. We were very surprised, and happy to find it was still alive, and thriving. We all thought you were dead. The word was that there had been a revolt, lead by Oroku Saki."
Even after all these years, and all the times he had retold the same story, Splinter still felt a pang in his heart.
"Yes… Nearly eighteen years ago now," he explained, forlorn. "I was the only one left. That is why I am here. After Oroku Saki's betrayal, I fled to New York."
He then told the Lotus the same tale he had told his children time and again since they were toddlers, of how that canister of mutagen had changed him and his four newly-bought turtles forever. The Lotus knew about the aliens, of course; the whole world knew about the invasion of New York, so the name Kraang was familiar. Apparently the rumors of mutant monsters running around the city had reached Japan as well. Splinter's story only confirmed the way the two were connected.
After a few minutes in which the three guests stared in awe, he finished. "I taught my children everything they know, so that the Hamato clan could live on."
"Fascinating story, Hamato-sensei," Jiro said before taking another sip of his tea.
Splinter smiled gratefully. "Which brings us to our next question. What brought you here?" he asked gently, and with honest interest. He already had his suspicions, and though he had been eager to welcome the Lotus clan in spite of it, he had also feared having to let them down.
Hachisu-no-Hana nodded and sat up straight on her heels. "Hamato-sensei, we have come to put an end to the Shredder."
He remained quiet, listening for any reaction from his children. Without looking, he listened most intently for Miwa. But there was only ringing silence.
"Put an end to the Shredder, you say," he repeated at length.
"That is right, Hamato-sensei. The Foot is the cause of much grief in our clan, now more than ever with Oroku Saki as leader. Because of him our brothers and sisters are dead, our home burned to ashes. That is why those of us who are left have vowed to shed his blood, to honor the memory of the fallen, and present his head to their graves... or die trying."
Hachisu-no-Hana paused, as if waiting for Splinter to speak, but went on when he stayed silent.
"Your clan has suffered as much as ours. We have a common enemy. That is why we have come to ask for your help in defeating the Shredder, once and for all. It would be a great honor if the Hamato clan and the Lotus clan would once again fight beside one another. For the lost."
Splinter closed his eyes. So, it was exactly as he had feared. This time he could not help turning to look back at his family; every one of his children returned his gaze. He could sense the unease that had taken hold of them. They were waiting for his answer. And among all the gazes, ranging from exaltation to worry, there was Miwa's. The expression on her face was difficult to read. Out of all of them, she seemed the most serene. But that only worried Splinter more.
For once, no imminent threat seemed to be casting its dark shadow over the heads of his family. But Splinter knew this could not last. It never did. If they hadn't seen the Shredder in months, ever since they managed to get Miwa back from him, it did not mean he had accepted his defeat. Not a day went by that Splinter didn't dread his return, and whatever new and terrible means he had contrived to destroy them… and to get Miwa back.
Splinter did not rush an answer, but took in a long, soothing breath before addressing the Lotus again.
"You are familiar with the history of the Foot clan," Splinter said calmly, steeling himself as he faced their leader. It was never easy revisiting these memories. "Oroku Saki was, for all intents and purposes, my brother," he continued, because this was a part of their history almost nobody knew. "And I loved him as such. Until he found out about his true heritage. The Foot clan, his clan of origin, had been eradicated by the Hamato under the rule of my father. When he learned this, a lust for vengeance gripped his heart. He killed the man who had raised him as a son in cold blood. And he would have killed me too, but as chance would have it, I made it out unscathed. To this day, his thirst for revenge remains unsatisfied. It seems each day that passes he has more reasons to hate me." The Lotus warriors listened intently, seemingly enthralled by the story. Splinter cast a side glance at Miwa, whose eyes were fixed on the rug before her.
"All the more reason why he must die," Hachisu-no-Hana said.
"Please," Splinter murmured, vaguely aware of a dull throbbing in his forehead. He closed his eyes, trying to will the nuisance away, before continuing. He needed to make them understand. "This chain of betrayals and vendettas extends far beyond Oroku Saki. For it to stop, someone must break the chain. That is why, after having lost everything, I came here, to New York: to start a new life. And even after what first seemed like a horrible accident, I found four very good reasons to live again." He motioned behind him at his children, wishing he could look at them so he could see the same four radiant smiles that meant the world to him.
"I would never have gained this had I remained another link in the chain. And with time, destiny even brought back the daughter I thought I had lost," he continued with another motion at Miwa, but her face was as emotionless as a stone mask. Not taking his attention from his daughter, hoping to see some kind of acknowledgement, he went on, "So you see, it was vengeance that took away everything that I knew and loved. So I do not believe in it."
Splinter took a moment to assess his new headache, which was rapidly blossoming. A little absentmindedly, and seeing how he was getting nothing from Miwa, he let his eyes drift back to the strangers. Disappointment ghosted around the group like a cold mist.
"If you need shelter and rest, I offer you my home, in honor of the old friendship that bonded the Lotus and the Hamato. But no member of this clan will fight beside you when you exact your vengeance."
Hachisu-no-Hana, who had been sitting almost as quietly as Miwa all this time, had her hand on her sash, cupping her side. She seemed distracted, a thin wrinkle on her brow.
"Are you hurt?" he asked when he noticed, and she seemed confused for a moment.
"Not at all," she replied at last, hand drifting back down to rest at her thigh. Then she leaned forward in a deep bow that was mimicked by her two followers, all masters of temperance.
Meanwhile, his headache was getting worse, head buzzing like a struck gong, and he had to repress the urge to rub at his throbbing temples as he bowed back. He found himself wishing for the visitors to leave the dojo soon, when originally he had been so keen to have them.
"I understand your decision, Hamato-sensei," Hachisu-no-Hana said. "It's a pity that we won't be able to fight side by side this time. But we gladly accept your offer of hospitality. I promise on my honor, we will protect your secret with our lives."
Splinter nodded, and just the slight movement made his head pulse. "Then we will arrange for the rest of your clan to join us here," he said, finding it harder and harder to hide his discomfort, and directed his next words at the boys. "Leonardo, Donatello. Please guide our guests back to their comrades, and escort them all here."
His two sons said at once, "Hai, sensei."
Jiro cast a last glance at the left-over mochi, seemingly regretful, and followed his other two comrades out.
When the three guests exited the room lead by his two sons, he couldn't hold back a sigh of relief as immediately he felt the pressure on his head subside.
Something wasn't all right about Hachisu-no-Hana. It wasn't that she seemed wrong, not at all; it certainly wasn't a matter of trustworthiness, or he would never have offered his lair to her. There was simply… an aura around her. It was so faint he could barely sense it at a conscious level, so much that he hadn't noticed it until now. But it was there, softly curling its dark, grimy tendrils around his mind. Splinter only felt the deepest sympathy because she had to carry such burden.
Tea. Tea should help, he thought as he leaned forward to serve himself another cup which he hoped would ease the headache. In fact, he was going to need a lot of tea when Raphael was done here. His burly son stood to one side, obviously waiting for the Lotus to be out of earshot to tell him how much he disapproved.
Sure enough, as soon as it was clear that Donatello and Leonardo had led the three Lotus members out to the tunnels, Raphael stepped up. "Sensei-"
But before he could say more, Miwa shot up from the side suddenly kneeling before Splinter, surprising even him.
"Father. You must reconsider," she said, and even though her demeanor was docile, her voice was most demanding. Splinter knew exactly what she wanted, and it took a great deal of effort to hold her gaze.
"I have made my decision, Miwa," he said slowly.
"But you're wasting the perfect opportunity to finish the Shredder! When are we going to get help like this again?"
"Perhaps you weren't listening when I explained to Hachisu-no-Hana," he said in his warning voice, the voice he used when he wanted to bring a certain topic to an end. It usually worked wonders. But Miwa was not backing down.
"I heard perfectly," she spat, stubborn. This time her voice hummed with contained rage and Splinter tensed.
"Jūbun da!" He said, loud and stern, letting the whole weight of his authority fall on his daughter. His temples gave a disorienting throb at the effort, but he held her gaze firmly until she backed down and her head fell in a show of submission. He had never had to impose himself with Miwa before and it pained him having to do it now, when usually she appeared to hold him in such high regard. But she had a very obstinate, very harmful idea in her head that Splinter needed to prove wrong, for her sake.
He waited a few seconds, looking down on Miwa's slumped shoulders.
"If you heard, then you already know why I made this decision. You know, better than anyone, my daughter!"
But Miwa retorted, head still low, "What about our honor? What about mother? Doesn't she mean anything to you anymore?"
"Do you think murdering Oroku Saki will bring her back? That his blood will erase the suffering he has caused us?"
"It will end it!" Miwa all but yelled, eyes back on Splinter, sharp as knives. "Every day that Shredder lives on, is an insult!"
"Miwa!" Splinter raised his voice, if only to make her hear him. "Listen to you, my daughter! Look at what that man and his foul ideals have done to you!"
Miwa reeled as though his words had cut right through her.
"Father!" she said, glassy eyes full of pain and rage. Michelangelo let out a weak gasp, looking from them to the exit to Raphael, as though debating whether to leave or not. Splinter went on quickly, unable to see that look on any of them. His headache had finally settled as a muted pain behind his eyes.
"I know I cannot protect my children from all the evils of the world. That is why you train. That is why you are ninja. But I will not send you to die for something as futile as honor."
Miwa looked appalled. "How… how can you say that!"
"Do you know what is truly honorable? Leading a life of peace and integrity, being able to live unwavering under such precept. What is hard is learning to forget, to forgive."
Miwa scoffed, and before she could protest, Splinter continued. "And even I cannot forgive Oroku Saki for all the damage he has done, as hard as I have tried. But if I yield to these feelings of hatred, I am allowing him to rule my life, to destroy me even as he sits alone in his throne. That is what he is doing to you now, my daughter!"
She leaned forward, eyes almost beseeching. "If he was dead, you would be free of that! We would all be!"
"One is never free of vengeance. It latches on to your heart with its pernicious roots. It is never truly satisfied." Splinter shook his head slowly, for that was one thing she needed to understand: she was wrong. "You are speaking out of hatred, not reason," he tried to explain, calmly. "We will fight the Shredder when we must, and he may die that day by our blades. But not before." He looked into her eyes. "Never like this."
He watched his daughter, her bitter grimace, and for the first time in months he saw Karai.
She gave him a level glare, all trace of her respect for him gone. "So that is what we're gonna do. Hide in our little shelter of denial until Shredder finds us and erases us from the map."
"Miwa..."
"No! It's your turn to listen! Hiding and waiting here, pretending like nothing's up should not be an option for any ninja clan worth its name, father! We go out and we fight, and if we die then we will die with our head held high, not hiding in the ground like..."
She didn't end the sentence, breath held in a muted stutter.
"Rats?" Splinter finished for her, looked up at her in the frigid silence. She stared back, unyielding. He was sure she was prepared to challenge him. So he only lowered his eyes sadly.
Splinter caught a flash of yellow in his peripheral vision and turned to see April in the doorway, timidly eyeing the scene, her brow wrinkled in concern.
"I am sorry you see it that way, Miwa."
A beat.
"So am I, father," she said above him, ice cold, before marching off. She stepped out, passing by April without a fuss, but left behind her a trail of sour silence, tea getting cold in Splinter's hands, his head pounding. He felt a breach had torn open between him and his daughter. A deep gorge framed by unscalable walls.
That she wouldn't always agree with him was to be expected, but to this day she had respected him and his word devotedly. This was the first time she had gone against him, something he hadn't foreseen. Now he knew; she had been holding back. All this anger, all this hatred…
Raphael was standing to one side, arms crossed, looking a little shocked and slightly frustrated. His fingers drummed on his arm, mouth twisted in a thoughtful grimace, but he didn't say anything.
"Something you would like to add, Raphael?" Splinter asked softly.
Raphael looked up and his features softened. "No, sensei." For once, it seemed he did not want to add more fuel to the fire.
A light pressure on Splinter's shoulder tore him from his volatile train of thought and turned to see Michelangelo looking down at him with two big round eyes. It wasn't that long ago that he was little and the rumbling of thunder would compel him to venture across the lair alone, coming in Splinter's room to snuggle against his fur. Now he was offering his comfort. So determined, Splinter thought as he smiled. Family arguments had always seemed to affect him most, and would always go above and beyond to try to make it all better.
"It's gonna be okay, sensei. I'm sure Karaiwa will come around."
A tiny laugh hit Splinter's throat at the name Mikey had come up with for his daughter. It would seem it was more appropriate than anyone realized, he thought, wondering if he would ever get his Miwa back whole, or if some part of her would always belong to the Shredder.
He stood, wrapped his arms around his son and gave his shell a soft pat, and Michelangelo in turn hugged him tight. It still amazed Splinter how strong he had gotten over the years, and in a sudden flash of awareness, he realized he hadn't spent even a fraction of that time with his daughter. How could he expect her to be anything like himself?
"I'm sure you are right, my son," he said still, and smiled in spite of the knot in his chest.
My, my, my... We are so excited to show you guys what's coming.
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