Hi Guest, thank you for alerting me to the coding errors I missed. I appreciate your reviews and info. Here's the next chapter. Please keep the reviews coming. Thanks and Peace :)
Ch 4. And Things Get Worse.
Donnie looked up at his brothers from where he laid on the floor of the dojo. He was panting hard and rubbing his head gingerly as a headache was starting to form from the bump he received when he was thrown against the wall. He watched as Leo, who like he and the others, was covered in bruises and sweating profusely, slowly stood and turned to face his Sensei, who was currently standing in the middle of the dojo watching his four sons with narrowed, angry eyes.
"Sensei," Leo began as he took a small step toward him. "We've been going at this for over three hours and we're all exhausted…"
"And hungry." Mikey chimed in.
Leo looked over at Mikey then around at the other turtles as they started to slowly get themselves off the floor. "What say we call it a night and continue this tomorrow?"
Splinter watched as his sons stood and stretched their tired aching muscles. He turned back to Leo and shook his head. "You four are becoming a disappointment." He said angrily. The four brothers looked at each other in surprise and, after a gesture from Splinter, knelt in front of him. "You failed to find me in a simple game of ninja tag and then you fail to defeat me in sparring matches." His tail swished angrily from side to side as he walked back and forth in front of them. "The Shredder is out there somewhere and is determined to kill us the way he killed my Master Yoshi!" He turned fiery eyes on them. "And you want to continue this tomorrow!?"
"But Master Splinter..." Donnie attempted to plead with him but he was quickly cut off.
"ENOUGH!" Splinter yelled out causing each turtle to flinch in fear. "If you will not help me rid this world of the evil that is the Shredder then I will do it myself!"
"What the shell?" Raph demanded as the turtles watched in shock as Splinter suddenly turned away from them, grabbed a katana from off the wall and began to quickly leave the dojo. They looked at each other in confusion before standing up and running after him.
"Sensei, wait!" Mikey called as he reached out and grabbed Splinter's arm. Splinter spun around and quickly grabbed onto Mikey's arm. The younger turtle gasped in pain as he was suddenly spun around while his arm was forcefully twisted and brought around to the back of his shell.
"You will not stop me from killing the evil that has infested this world!" Splinter screamed out as he shoved Mikey away from him.
As Mikey stumbled away from Splinter, he was quickly grabbed by Donnie and Raph who assisted in keeping him from falling onto the floor. The three turtles looked at their master in shock as Leo carefully made his way toward the angry rat.
"Master Splinter," Leo began as he placed a soothing hand on Mikey's shoulder while he gently coaxed his brothers further away from Splinter. "Please, listen to me, we know you want revenge on Saki for what he did to your Master but..." He glanced back at his brothers with an uncertain look before looking back at his Sensei. "But I just got back from a long trip and the others haven't eaten in quite some time so how bout we go into the kitchen and have some dinner," Leo spoke softly and calmly as he attempted to get Splinter away from the door. "I can tell you about my trip and then maybe later, if you still wish to go, we'll gather our things and all of us will go to Shredder's lair and deal with him."
Splinter seemed to calm down slightly as he listened to Leonardo. He watched as his son gestured his hand toward the kitchen and with a sharp nod, took his katana from it's sheath on his back and place it on the couch. He then followed the four turtles to the table to eat and while Mikey quickly whipped up a dinner of mac n' cheese with hot dogs, Donnie made some tea for Leo and Splinter.
As they listened to the oldest turtle tell them about his time in Usagi's world, Donnie continued to work on his lap top in hopes of finding something that would help with Splinter's continuing age regression. But his researching was cut short when out of the corner of his eye, he watched Splinter quickly down his tea then slam his cup onto the table while eyeing his four sons angrily. The turtles looked at each other nervously as Leo continued to tell them of his trip but it was clear to each of them their rat master was getting very agitated and it was becoming more obvious as the time waned on, that it was everything he could do to not jump up and walk out the lair; so while Leo and Raph attempted to keep Splinter's attention on them, Mikey finished supper and quickly scooped a large amount for his Sensei.
"Here ya go Master Splinter." Mikey said in a slightly quaking voice as he placed a big bowl in front of him. "I made it extra cheesy for you."
Splinter looked up and noticed his youngest was looking at him with frightened eyes as he neared him. Breathing deeply, he calmed himself down and nodded his thanks to him. He then took a large bite and smiled up at the orange banded turtle. "As always Michelangelo," He said as he took another bite, "You have once again outdone yourself."
Mikey relaxed slightly and continued to dish out the supper for his brothers while Donnie placed another steaming cup of tea in front of Splinter. "Here you are Sensei," Donnie said as he sat in his designated seat. "This will help to relax you."
Splinter took a sip of the tea and nodded to him. "Thank you Donatello," He said. "But I do not need to relax, I need all of you to eat and then gather your gear so we may go and deal with Oroku Saki." He clenched his fist and jaw as he spoke.
"Please father," Leo placed a soothing hand on Splinter's paw, "Let's just enjoy our time together," He pleaded. "I've been gone for a month and would really just like to sit and catch up with everyone."
Splinter narrowed his eyes as he looked from one son to the other. He took a deep calming breath and nodded. "Very well," He said as he took another sip of his tea. "But just while we are eating dinner." He continued to eat. "Afterwards, we will go after the Shredder."
"Hai Sensei." The four turtles chorused.
The family of five sat around the table, attempting to enjoy their meal while catching up on the past month's events. But the air in the lair was thick with tension as Splinter continued to look out toward the door to the tunnels. But as they continued to eat, the turtles began to notice Splinter looking tired and he was having a hard time keeping his eyes opened.
Finally, Donnie cleared his throat and motioned to his brothers. "Um Sensei," Donnie said rather nervously as he and the others stood from the table. "Why don't you finish your tea while we go and get our gear."
Splinter nodded slowly as his four sons left the kitchen and walked toward the dojo. "Whatcha give him Don?" Raph questioned in a low voice.
"Just something to help him relax as well as hopefully put him to sleep," Donnie replied with a small smile.
"For how long?" Mikey wondered.
"Long enough for me to hopefully get in touch with the Fugitoid and see about an antidote." Donnie told him. They made their way into the dojo and began to gather their weapons.
"What if Sensei isn't asleep when we get back to the kitchen?" Raph asked as they started making their way back.
"We'll head toward Shredder's lair and do what Sensei wants to do." Leo responded. "And hopefully, along the way, he'll fall asleep and we can come back here and continue with trying to find a way to help him."
The boys peaked into the kitchen and were relieved to see Splinter had finally nodded off. Raphael gently picked him up and brought him back to his room where he placed him on his tatami mat. After quietly walking out, the four turtles quickly made their way toward the lab. Leo, Raph and Mikey stood back and watched as Donatello once again attempted to make contact with the robot but all his efforts were futile. The Fugitoid was still not reachable.
Leo gave a heavy sigh and crossed his arms as he watched Donnie turn off his space communicator. "This is not what I was hoping to come home to." He groused angrily.
"Well would ya have rather come home to a dead Sensei?" Raph rounded in on him with anger in his eyes and his fist raised. "We were tryin' to help him," He stated adamantly. "We weren't tryin' ta make ya life difficult Fearless Leader." He said in a sarcastic tone while he pointed his finger in Leo's face.
"Knock it Raph." Leo said as he slapped his finger away from him. "I understand what you were trying to do." He told him. "I just don't agree with it."
"We all had issues with what we were doin' Leo." Raph insisted getting his face closer to his older brother's. "What? You think we enjoyed watchin' Splinta be in pain every night while you were off wanderin' around in Usagi's world?!"
"Do you think I…."
"Will you two please stop arguing long enough for me to figure out some sort of antidote to this herb?" Donnie demanded as he turned toward the two bickering turtles.
Leo backed away from Raph and leaned against one of Donnie's lab tables. He rubbed his tired eyes and breathed deeply. "Sorry Donnie," He said as he looked over at Raph. "You're right Raph," He said as Raph's eye ridges shot up in surprise. "I wasn't here, I didn't know what you guys were going through and I shouldn't be complaining." He looked down at the floor sadly. "I shouldn't be angry with you; I know you all were just trying to help Sensei." He stuck his hand out toward his red clad brother. "Sorry about what I said." He told him.
Raph grasped Leo's hand and shook it. "It's okay Fearless," He said with a small smile. "And I'm sorry too bro, I should've kept ma mouth shut." The two turtles smiled at each other then turned toward Donnie. They, along with Mikey, gathered around the genius as he typed furiously into his computer.
While the four turtles were attempting to find some sort of cure for their Sensei, back in Splinter's room, after they had left, the now young rat suddenly opened his eyes and sat up as a pain shot through him. After a moment, he looked around his room and cursed angrily as he realized his sons attempt at drugging him. 'They think they can stop me from completing my mission.' He growled angrily to himself as he quietly made his way out of his room and toward the couch where his katana still laid. After placing the katana in the sheath on his back he slowly made his way toward the lair's exit. 'I will show these turtles no one stops me from getting rid of my enemies.' He walked out the door and down the sewer tunnel toward the manhole cover nearest to Saki's tower. He made his way up the ladder and slowly removed the cover. As he cautiously stepped out onto the street, he removed his katana from it's sheath on his back and looked back down at the tunnel. He hissed angrily as his mind thought back to the four turtles that had tried to stop him. 'No one stops me,' he told himself once again, 'and after I have dealt with Saki I will deal with them.' He gripped the hilt of his katana hard and made his way to the rooftops.
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So what does everyone think so far? Please R&R. Thanks and peace :)
