Worlds Below
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story. Pity!
Chapter five:
Father quickly realized that Vincent's room was quite crowded with all of them in there, quickly excused himself "I am sure you wish to speak to Donatello in private so perhaps, now that you are here we will leave you be." He glanced at his adopted son, "Vincent, I'm sure could bring you some tea or juice." he hinted.
"Of course I'd be glad to" Vincent added quickly.
"Tea will be fine" Splinter replied as he sank in the chair near the bed.
Don smiled at his father, "I hope you didn't worry about me too much" he muttered as his glance strayed from his mentor towards Leo, Don was fully aware that Leo would be the one most likely to fret over any disappearance. Don watched Vincent, father and Catherine leave the way they had come.
"I am fully aware you are quite capable of caring for your self Donatello. However I can not deny that I was relieved to hear that you were in better circumstances than what was expected" Splinter answered carefully. "Also it was good to know that you were not being held prisoner somewhere." Splinter knew with their enemies tracking Don down would be difficult, though the family would do so as they had many times before at other times.
"Vincent, father and the people I have met down here are very hospitable." Don sat back on the bed against the pile of pillows, "But I do think they are being extremely cautious I feel up to moving around but they keep a close eye on me and keep telling me I should rest and not be up or about."
Raph snickered "They probably used ta dealin' wit normal people Donny, not with the likes of us. I mean we are used to moving around and fightin' battles even when we are busted up."
Don couldn't help but grin, "Yeah, that's true, but I haven't really told Vincent much about us being Ninja yet. I don't know how much more I can handle of just lying around."
"Well Donny I can help you there. Raph sort of sat on my game boy and well..." Mike began.
Don rolled his eyes, "I don't want to hear it Mikey."
"Give Don an excuse to stay away from home Mike" Leo mocked lightly, "I'm glad you are safe Don, but seriously how badly injured are you, and what happened?"
"Just some contusions, lacerations and a slight concussion. No broken bones, but I'm bruised and hurt enough to feel it with the slightest movement" Don replied easily, "I was on my way back when I was jumped, I didn't even have time to call for help" he groaned and wiped a hand over his face, "I managed to get away but got blocked in by some more Foot, by the time I managed to get them knocked out, or otherwise out of commission I was pretty out of it." Don confessed wearily.
Leo scowled, at the news the Foot were getting more active again. "Wonder what he's up to now."
Raph raised his head, "Someone's coming" he reported quickly. "It isn't Vincent though."
Leo nodded "Whoever it is seems to be more timid, wary. Vincent he feels, more, almost ninja like in some ways."
"He walks in silence" Splinter agreed. "Still I am sure there is nothing to be afraid of." Splinter gestured to the chess board and the pieces "Care to go again my son?" He looked towards Don.
"Sure you can take first move." Don said sweeping up the game pieces to set up his end of the board.
Mike was strolling around the room looking at the odds and ends Vincent had crammed in his room "This almost looks as good as my room."
"Only Vincent has more taste" Raph commented dryly, he looked up again sure that there was someone spying on them, he turned to face the bottom of the stairs, "Why donchya come down here? We don't bite."
"Raph is known to bark though." Mike laughed.
Raph strolled over and hit Mike on the back of the head.
"Ow what was that for?" Mike complained.
"What d'ya think it was for numbskull?" Raph retorted.
Splinter mumbled something under his breath and focused on the game board, he had learned to keep his sanity while raising his sons it was necessary to leave them be sometimes he would step in but mostly he let them solve their own issues with one another. He moved a pawn out. Don hardly glanced at his mentor's move before he countered with his own move.
Mike picked up one object and heard a low voice suddenly reprimand him "Put it down. Mouse won't let you take from Vincent."
Raph hearing this snorted contemptuously and turned to the stairs casting a shrewd glance up the ladder, as he crossed his arms over his plastron "But it's okay for Mouse to take from us?"
"Raphael leave it!" Splinter ordered, "What was taken helped Donatello, therefore it went to the care of our own any ways. There is balance, and we must keep it."
Mouse shrank back in the shadows when he heard Raph's tone. He didn't know how to reply to these strangers who had been welcomed into their home.
Don looked up "Mouse, Vincent told me you like building things. Vincent says you are good with your hands." Don's tone was eager and friendly, "I like working on projects too. I'd like to see you. I'm sure we can be friends."
Mouse shifted in the shadows, not sure if he ought to go out and see these beings, or if he should stay where he was hiding in the shadows at the top of the ladder.
Don put on his most persuasive tone, "Mouse none of us are going hurt you, we are all aware what you did and none of us mind at all."
"Don't count on it " Raph muttered as he pulled a sai to fiddle with it.
Don glared at his brother "Put it away Raph."
Raph grunted but slipped his weapon back where it belonged. With a weary sigh, rolling his eyes. "Come on kid. We know your there it isn't like you're hiding from us."
Don tried another tactic, "Vincent said you had mentioned taking electricity off the city for use down here. It is possible, I've done it for my family. But of course the number of people that must live in the tunnels here, well it might be a bit more difficult to do so without attracting attention, still an alternative may be possible." Don hinted.
This was too much for Mouse, he glanced down at Arthur who was all ready heading for the ladder and scrambling down to the lower level. Mouse slowly hesitantly crept out from the shadows and stood at the top, he could see Arthur was all ready making friends with the turtle who wore the orange mask.
The orange masked turtle looked up, "You don't look much like a mouse, not like Splinter here. Now he's a real rat."
"Michaelangelo that is enough!" Splinter cautioned.
While Raph gave him another thump upside the head, to Mike's protests of course.
Vincent was just returning with the tea at that point, "Mouse why don't you come down and meet our new friends?" Vincent suggested.
"Okay. Good. Okay fine" Mouse remarked feeling a bit braver with Vincent near by, "Mouse want know why you have swords?" he inquired.
Raph sneered "Not all of us have swords. Don usually just has a stick."
Don knew that Raph's teasing was his way of letting Don know, that he Raph, was glad Don was all right. But Don couldn't help but bristle at the word stick, his weapon was far more then that, "Overgrown forks" he shot back at Raph.
Splinter looked at the boy who still hung back and seemed to be keeping Vincent between him and them, the ninja Master was also fully aware of Vincent watching and waiting patiently for a reply. As Vincent handed Splinter a cup of tea Splinter thanked him, then turned to the boy. " Your friend Vincent I am sure knows of the dangers that people may pose to him because of his difference that sets him apart. He doesn't look the way humans expect other to look, and even though his heart is good, many would not wait to see if he is gentle of soul or not, they would judge him merely on looks alone."
Mouse nodded, "That why Vincent must be careful." he assured Splinter, "No one here wants Vincent hurt by those who not understand. Who hate...too much."
Splinter bowed his head and sipped his tea, before moving a knight on the game board, " When I found these four baby turtles crawling in the strange ooze from a broken canister. I had no idea what would come of it. I had merely been a pet rat who had lost his owners through cruel fate. Yet I was old enough and wise enough to know that when we started to change that the world outside could never accept us and thus we must remain forever in the shadows."
"Go on" Mouse urged as Splinter paused. The children of the tunnels loved stories of any kind and Mouse was no exception.
" I had been the pet of an Asian man named Yoshi. Yoshi had been a student and later a teacher in the martial arts, the ancient fighting of hand and foot, but also taught in how to use the weapons of feudal Japan, when the peasants battled against the cruel rulers by using simple farm tools. I had watched and learned from my Master, and knowing the dangers that awaited my four sons, whom I love, I feared for their very lives, especially as I had no knowledge of how long I may live. I knew that I could die and then they would be alone in the world." Splinter explained as he watched Don make a move. " How could I protect those I cared for? How could I keep my family safe even when I was gone? These questions bothered me for a long time. " Splinter confessed, "Then I realized there was one thing I could do to aid them, and that was to teach them the art of fighting that I ha learned from Yoshi."
Vincent had heard of martial artist before but had never seen any, but also knowing his friends fears he spoke up "Mouse I think may be afraid that you may try to harm one of us with your weapons."
Splinter shook his head in refusal, "Never for though I have taught my sons to fight. I have also taught them the value of life. To honour and respect all living beings."
Mouse gloated, "Mouse think you lie. Mouse saw red one kill." he gestured to Raph. "Saw him kill men dressed all in black."
Raph shrugged and smiled as if it was an honour. "I'd do it again too!" He stated.
Splinter shot Raph a sharp look that caused the turtle to lapse into silence. "We value all life, even the life of those who seek to harm us, but when the odds are against any of my sons, then they must decide for themselves how to handle the situation. I have taught my sons to never use any more force than is necessary, to do only what it takes to gain control, a life taken is not one that can be restored. However I would sooner see my sons take a life if it means, that they will continue to survive, for I do not wish to lose any of my sons."
Vincent nodded understanding, he heard the same sort of sincerity, and concern in Splinter's tone as he heard from Father, about him. He noted that while the rat was talking and seemed entirely focused on them he was still playing a good game against Don. "Who are these men in black that Mouse speaks of?" he inquired curiously.
"They have become our enemies." Splinter heaved a weary sigh, " There are many forms of martial arts, karate, tai chi, kung fu, tae kwon do and more. The one I have trained my sons in is the art of ninjitsu, because it was what Yoshi had known, plus the ninja uses shadows to his advantage, as we must live our lives in the shadows of this city then we have no other choice but to become part of the shadows. It is true that in the past the ninja was known for assassination and spying" Splinter confessed.
Mouse shot a warning look Vincent's way "See. Mouse told you." He retorted.
Splinter chuckled, "Yet each clan is unique and has their own specialty. My one desire was to teach my sons the skills to survive, while also giving them the training, discipline and knowledge they would need to aid them in surviving in a world that may not be able to accept them. Valuing life meant they had to do their best to not escalate a battle, but to keep their skills honed they had to practice their art, and not just in matches against one another. So at night my sons patrol the city and stop crimes, help those who may fall victim to mugging, rapes and other dangers." Splinter explained, "During these patrols they often learned and thwarted the plans of a gang of ninja that are in New York. These ninja are lead by the very man who killed my Master Yoshi. He is a deadly dangerous man who cares not for life, only for gaining more power for himself." Splinter's eyes narrowed, "It would be like a ninja to ask my sons to kill this man, who has taken Yoshi and his wife Shen but I could not ask this of my sons for his death could not bring Yoshi or Shen back." Splinter bowed his head sadly in reflection, "But because my sons have thwarted the plans of Oroku Saki on many occasions he now pits his army of ninja against my sons whenever and where ever he can."
"So they have become your enemies" Vincent concluded.
"Yes, and the only life they value is their own, if even that. But my sons are honourable, they do not kill unless they are left no other resources. They never take a life unless they feel they have no other choice left." Splinter concluded turning back to the game at hand. He scowled, and made a move.
Don smiled "Check Master." Don looked over at Vincent and Mouse, "We usually call Splinter Master, or Sensei, because that is what any instructor of martial arts is is not because we are his servants."
Splinter could still sense some nervousness and trepidation on Mouse's part. " Mouse, my sons would no more harm you then they would harm one another."
Mike snickered "Bad example Master, after all we often bruise one another in sparring, and Raph's often hitting me if he isn't punching the bag."
"Mike your a living punching bag" Raph commented.
"In sparring one must hold back, while sharpening their skills, hence a few bruises teach you to avoid the blow next time." Splinter stated.
"Isn't that what you told me when I was learning to handle my chucks?" Mike asked.
Splinter nodded "Indeed it is my son."
"Check mate" Don announced as he made the final move. "Chess is a game of mathematics, and I excel at that."
"Which is also why he's so hard to beat in wei chi and a game of go between Leo and Don can last like forever." Mike laughed. "He's such a techno geek."
Don sat back "Watch it Mike or I won't repair your game boy."
"Hey I meant that in the nicest way bro" Mike assured Don.
Vincent rose and gathered the tea cups, " I would like to see a match of your sons skills, not to mention I'd like to learn this game you keep speaking of."
Mike groaned, "Tell us you don't have a large area here to practice."
"Actually we do, we use it for plays in the winter and other sources of entertainment." Vincent replied quickly.
"Show us where it is and I, Mike and Raph can give you a great demonstration. Don here better not join for a few more days." Leo said.
"I'd like to watch though" Don cut in.
"You should stay here and rest" Vincent cut in.
Leo went over "Look Vincent we appreciate your concern but Don is fully capable of knowing what he is up to, and really he does better if he can move around or do things. Besides we all heal quite quickly. Raph and I can assist Don there and it isn't like he'll be participating. Don is basically our doctor at home he knows what is best and he will need a few more days before getting back into practice with us."
Vincent looked at Leo and then at Don, finally he nodded "All right." he finally permitted.
Raph went over and held out a closed hand to Don "Looks like your sprung after all Don." He opened his fist allowing a purple bandanna to fall out of it.
Don beamed and grabbed hold of it, "You said it Raph." He gratefully took hold of the mask and tied it into place.
TBC