A/N: Two chaps in one day. I'm moving fairly quickly with this and think I'm near the end, so I'll probably post a chapter a day if possible. Again, thanks to Rhoda J for checking this all out for me. Once again, translations are listed at the end and I have numbered the sequences so you'll know where they are. I wish there was a way for you all to just hover over the sentence and get the trans. ah, but ff isn't that cool yet. One day.
運命が割り当てれば
Yuku Sue Unmei
CHAPTER FOUR
In the universe as a whole, there are millions – literally millions – of different timelines and dimensions that one could travel to. And those were just the ones counted as 'present' timelines. There were so many paths that went different ways, choices made that went one way, decisions not chosen that went another…so many choices and so very little time.
The current year for her was 2025 in the dimension known as Nexus, otherwise known as the dimension where the Battle Nexus tournaments were held. She was heading back to her second residence, a dimension known as Edo, where she would hopefully talk some sense into the current lady there. The lady's son, the crown prince of Edo, was causing her and all of time a great big, fat headache.
It wasn't that she didn't like the boy, she did! He was her nephew after all, even if it was by marriage. Still, she had watched him grow and she could easily see the resemblance of both mother and father in him. This craziness he had gotten himself into was just that…craziness. Hadn't he learned from her own stories how badly time could be altered by just one little mistake? He was smarter than that, however this 'quest' he was on had apparently sucked every and all reasonable sense from him.
She had tried to be nice. The first time she had discovered it, she had gone to him immediately and was heartbroken at the scene she had come to. She had known about it, of course. She had been there and she had been ready to bring the turtle back in an instant but had been stopped. "This is how it has to be," he said, before shimmering away and letting her deal with the consequences.
At the time, she didn't have the heart to tell him, but when she came upon the scene again and again and in different dimensions too, it was getting to be too much. After the fifty-seventh time, she had exploded at him that he was in the wrong dimension and every time he went to change something, it changed everything on a whole scale. Of course, he didn't care.
And could she really blame him? Of course not, he was trying to save his father's life.
But that was the tricky thing about time and space. Things happened in one dimension that wouldn't necessarily happen in another. So while he was trying to save his father in one dimension, he was perfectly fine in another. She hadn't told him the extreme consequences of what he was doing – she figured he got the message when he went too far back into the past.
Waving her scepter in a twirl, the sorceress found herself in a modest, but high class bedroom. Looking around, she didn't see her husband anywhere, nor any evidence that he had been in the room. Shaking her head slightly, she left and made her way downstairs. Reaching the bottom steps, she could clearly hear the laughter and squealing of children at play and it brought a smile to her face. Never had she thought she would get to this point; oh, she had wished it and it was interesting to note that she had never imagined the kind of happiness with her version of a husband that she had with her actual husband.
Turning away from the sounds of delight, she made her way into a bright foyer where she hoped to find her intended target. As luck would have it, she did indeed find the person she was looking for, though it saddened her to see this young being so depressed and despondent. "I have returned, your majesty," she said, bowing in respect.
"Konnichiha, Ane-san,"(1) the being whispered. "You bring news?"
"Unfortunately, yes," the woman replied. "He won't listen to me. I'm thinking, perhaps, you might come with me, to help him understand."
"I don't know if I can do that."
"Why not?"
The being turned slightly to face the sorceress. "Perhaps I have the faith that he will accomplish what he has set out to do," the being whispered. "I have to believe what he is doing is the right thing."
"What he is doing is screwing around with time!" the sorceress exclaimed. "He's already managed to mishandle at least three different alternate dimensions that I've had to fix, thank you very much! And…that sneaky little bastard managed to lose me last time and now I have no clue as to where he is or when he is!"
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't call my son a sneaky little bastard."
"Well he is," the woman huffed. "No doubt from his father. I've heard stories about him when he was smaller. Always getting in to this or that." The sorceress knew she had made a mistake when the royal turned away from her. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I wasn't thinking…"
The being shook her head. "It's alright, it's just…" she sighed. "You've been gone, I'm surprised no one tried contacting you. It's been so…so very hard, these last few months…this year…I feel as though I've lost everything. My father, my husband…and now my son seems to be further and further away from me."
"I'm sorry, your highness," the sorceress asked in confusion. "Why would someone contact me? Contact me about what?"
"Gifu…"(2) she began, sniffing. "Sensei…he is dead. And I'm afraid…I shall soon follow."
Master Splinter had seen many things in his old age, things much more surreal than that of an ordinary rat. He had been special from the very first and it seemed the Gods had given blessings when sending him into the home of the Ancient One.
The aged master had always believed in fate, but was also tied into the reality of any situation that came his way. He felt it was fate that had guided him into the kitchen of the Ancient One and fate that Tang Shen had been kind and gracious enough to give him food. It was fate that led Hamato Yoshi and Yukio Mashimi to save Mr. Mortu of the Utroms and fate that led them to be Guardians. Splinter could not and would not believe it to be fate for Mashimi's betrayal or Shen's death or even for the Shredder finding his master and slaying him.
He would however believe it was fate that brought four baby turtles into his life.
The thought of his sons filled him now, as he meditated on the events of the evening. He always worried when his sons went out, as they were never far from danger. Though the Shredder was no longer a problem for them, they still had other foes. Despite a truce to take care of the true and original Shredder, they still had to be wary of the likes of Agent Bishop, Hun and the Purple Dragons, and especially Karai. He was always on edge until they all returned home, completely whole – if not for a few bruises and scrapes – and intact.
This new situation with Nick presented another problem all together. Splinter prided himself on knowing people, of sensing if their intentions and interactions with them would be sound or foolhardy. This was 'trusting his gut'. His gut had told him from the very beginning that the woman who fed him and petted him, cared for him, was a good person. His gut told him to trust her and her constant companion, his Master Yoshi. It was his gut that told him the round one was also good, even if he didn't spent much time with him. This was the person he sought in order to deliver Master Yoshi's ashes and to tell him of his murder.
Splinter's gut had told him not to trust Mashimi. The young man seemed to be filled with anger, but for what purpose, the rat didn't know. Even now, he could only remember the feelings he had in Mashimi's presence and they all harbored ill will. It was Splinter's gut that told him to run after four baby turtles who had spilled into the sewers and were covered in a strange green goo. It had been his gut to trust the young red head his sons had rescued and brought home, as well as his gut that said that while Casey Jones could be an utter menace at times, he had complete and uncompromising loyalty to him and his sons.
It was his gut that surprised him and said that this young Nick was someone he was or at least should be trusting of. He tried to study the young turtle, but found that his sons had thought him to be an unwanted visitor, but from what Splinter could see, the kame did not seem to show any malice to him nor his family. His demeanor did come off as a bit cocky and arrogant, but his eyes…they were kind; they reminded him of Tang Shen and Master Yoshi…reminded him of his own son. The aged rat could see the boy was lying, but for what purpose he did not know. He seemed unsure, if that was the word, of how to explain his being there. It almost appeared that the young kame hadn't planned this visit or at very least, hadn't planned on meeting his sons and arriving here.
Did he believe the young kame to be from the future? Yes. Yes, he did indeed believe this Nick had come from a future where they existed, but were perhaps no more.
Did he believe Nick was there to save them? Again, he believed this to also be true. Nick had come from his time to theirs in order to save them from some evil.
Did he believe Nick when he said they were close? Yes, but to a point. Splinter couldn't quite grasp the answer, but he knew Nick to be lying about this. Not at their closeness, but at the relationship of it. Yes, he believed that this young kame was indeed close to him and his sons, but not the kind of closeness he rated when, for instance, speaking of Leatherhead or Professor Honeycutt. They were friends, yes, but close; bordering on family. In fact, he agreed with a statement Leatherhead had once said, that he was family, like a cousin. Was Nick a cousin? No, Splinter believed their bond was much closer, such as what they had with April and Casey.
He believed Nick to truly be family. Splinter felt a…protectiveness, one he could only experience in being a father. Was Nick another son? No…but perhaps in another capacity maybe.
Perhaps it was too soon to say. Leonardo had gone to inquire answers from the Daimyo and maybe then this mystery could be cleared up. He didn't know, but he did want to speak to this young kame before events – and fate – took the opportunity out of his hands.
Leo's arrival back in the lair had surprisingly gone unnoticed by their new guest. The eldest turtle hadn't met any opposition as he made his way back home and was curious as to the sleeping figure that rested on the couch so peacefully. He couldn't help but stare at this newcomer; everything in him screamed something wasn't right with this picture, especially after what he had learned from his trip to Edo, but in looking at this turtle – sleeping so soundly on their couch – Leo found himself feeling a protectiveness he only felt with his family and friends.
Just who was this strange turtle?
Turning, it seemed as though everyone had gone to bed. The door to Master Splinter's room was shut tightly, though he remembered it had been closed when he left earlier; he looked up and saw that Raph and Mike's doors seemed to be open, but he didn't hear the usual sounds that came from within. That just left Donnie, who's bright 'Do Not Disturb' light was glaring from the darkness of the lair. Leo figured that's where everyone was.
Making his way silently across the floor, Leo found himself at Don's door and knocking softly. He waited for a moment before the door was opened a crack, an eye visible in between. The door opened wider to allow him access and Leo nodded to his brothers as he entered. "Figured you were all here," he whispered, looking at Raph as his immediate younger brother moved away from the door to lean against a nearby wall.
"What cha find out, bro?" Mikey asked from his position on Donnie's bed.
Leo related what he had discovered from the Daimyo and Usagi, which did nothing to temper any of their suspicions or anger. "That little shit," Raph growled. "Now we know he's up to something! I say we go out there and make him tell us what this is all about."
"We can't do that, Raph."
"And why the fuck not?"
As Leo sighed, feeling a great headache coming on - one only Raph could give him - Donnie spoke for the first time. "Because we're still gathering info, Raph," he said. "What good would it do if our suspect knew we had him under suspicion?"
"Dude," Mikey piped up. "He already knows he's under suspicion. Raphie boy here went ahead and told him as much."
"Fact of the matter is," Don continued. "We don't know who this guy is. We need to get our facts together. First, he claims to be from the future; I'd like to test that theory out tomorrow when he wakes up. Second, he claims to know us. That we can attest to, as he clearly has been to the lair and apparently several times at that. And, I must've given him the code. No one outside of us or April and Casey know it.
"Third, he says he's here to prevent Lord Hebi's goons from getting to us. That in itself, if you go from Leo's findings, is a half truth at best. Either someone or something is after us or Lord Hebi will come in to power, just not at this time and point."
"So where exactly does that leave us, Genius?" Raph groused.
"It leaves us with more questions than answers," Leo replied.
"I have a theory on that," Donnie murmured. His brothers looked at him, awaiting whatever thoughts the brainy turtle had. "I think his story to Raph and Mikey is somewhat true; I think he is family, just not a 'family friend' as he claims. Unfortunately, I can't really test that theory unless I get a blood sample."
"That's why you're showing him the lab tomorrow?" asked Leo.
"Partly," Donnie said. "They said he was asking about it, so why not give him the grand tour?"
"Isn't that a bit dangerous?" questioned Leo. "There's a lot of stuff in there that…"
"Won't fall in to the wrong hands, bro," Don assure him. "Mainly, I want to check out this time device of his. Lord Simultaneous owes us a few favors that I think I can call on."
"Are you kidding me?" exclaimed Mike. "Lord S hates us! We keep screwing with his time wand thingie!"
"Time scepter," the brainy turtle corrected. "And that isn't us; that's Renet. However, if push comes to shove, Renet owes us big too and if there's anyone who knows about time travel, it's Renet."
"I won't lie," Leo whispered. "I don't like this one bit. But as long as this guy is here, we can't let him know we're on to him. Once we find the truth – real or not – we'll confront him, but not before." That was sent to an unhappy Raph. "We need to get to the bottom of this. The sooner, the better."
Nov 10th
It is day now and already so much has happened. I believe I have calculated the dates correctly and have arrived at least a few days to a week before events which will take my father away from me. And I do not intend to let that happen.
However, I've encountered a bit of resistance, but it was to be expected I guess. I still have no idea where Leo went last night; all I know is this morning things seemed to be filled with even more suspicion than I could have expected. Donatello granted my request to see his lab, with him in it of course. I couldn't refuse. I saw that Master Splinter kept glancing at me periodically; I know that look. He wants to see me privately once I get a change and in those moments, I know I cannot keep things from him.
I will have to tell my story and I'm remised to do so.
Leo and Raph spoke about going on a training run later tonight and they even invited me to practice this morning. I think Raph was more shocked than anything, but Leo said he wouldn't dare take a 'novice' out without first seeing what I could do. You would think I would take that as an insult, but I know he doesn't mean it that way. They just don't know, but today I will show them. Having defeated my trainers is how I got a somewhat ok for what I'm currently doing.
Not that they knew I would be doing this.
They have three generations of training on their side and for Leo, two Senseis. I have the advantage though – I have four generations of training and two Senseis myself. I do not hold illusions that I will come out the victor – it was hard winning one fight against Raph – but I would like to show them, show him that I'm fully capable of protecting them.
They are, after all, my family.
Morning practice began at seven o'clock as it always did. Today would be Nick's day. He had slept fitfully the night before, horrifying visions making him toss and turn. Despite the disturbing dreams, he was still up with the rest of the turtles at six o'clock. He had just smirked at the surprise look he received from Donatello when he came into the kitchen to make coffee, especially when he saw there was a fresh pot just begging for the taking. Even Leo, who had spent the hour before meditating, had been quite surprised to see Nick sitting happily at the table.
Mikey managed to get up around six thirty, only because his stomach demanded sustenance. The orange branded turtle got to work right away in making a lumberjack breakfast – eggs, bacon, sausage, toast – the whole works. Don and Leo quietly observed that happiness that showed on Nick's face as Mikey talked about different events relating - and not relating – to cooking. In these moments, Nick seemed quite at ease, as though he was home.
At home…with family.
Donnie, always curious, couldn't help but pry into the life of this younger turtle. Nick didn't seem so guarded now, especially as Mikey engaged him in conversation. The brainy turtle began easily, asking how he slept and if any of them had woken him so early. Don listened as the turtle explained how he was always up this early, due to class of some type. His teachers never let him off easy, even if he was playing video games till early in the morning. Mikey of course asked what games he played and was elated to find extended versions of games that he himself was familiar with.
Next Donnie asked about family and how he knew them, to be exact. This did tip Nick, who tried unsuccessfully to deflect the question with something else. In the end, he just said they were friends of his uncles and mother and that he spent a lot of with them outside of his own home. Donnie let it go for the moment, hoping he could delve more into the turtle's background without distractions.
Around six forty-five, Raph made his appearance and literally swallowed his breakfast in one bite. He was not, by any means, a morning person and he usually waited till the very last second to get up and be ready for the morning's training. It was also at this time that April O'Neill-Jones arrived, with her infant daughter. Nick had to bite his tongue in order to polite and greet the red head as she introduced herself. Mikey, of course, stole the little girl away, seeing she wanted to be in the company of her favorite uncle, causing Raph to hit the younger turtle on the back of the head.
Nick wasn't sure if he wanted to see the baby. He had seen pictures of her when she had been a baby, but it was nothing in comparison of really seeing her as a baby. He clearly remembered her as she was in his world – all grown up, with long dark red hair, baby blue eyes she had inherited from her father, and the softest body he had ever touched. Thinking about her made him wistful and gave him a longing to return home. She had understood his quest, maybe better than anyone, and she had supported him in it. Kissing her goodbye had probably been the hardest thing he ever had to do.
For April, seeing a fifth turtle greet her in the kitchen had been odd to say the least. She wasn't sure who this new turtle was, but like Donnie, curiosity eventually won out to the point that she began talking to him. He obviously knew who she was, without talking to the guys before hand, and she couldn't help but notice his eyes kept following Michele around like some love sick puppy. That, in itself, was a bit disturbing, but she opted to keep her eye on him at any point.
Gathering in the dojo at six fifty-seven, five turtles and one human stood waiting for their sensei to come through the door. April was just glad Michele was old enough that she wouldn't fuss every five seconds and she took into account that being around her uncles seemed to soothe the girl in a way that her pacifier or toys just couldn't. Master Splinter entered, coming to rest at the head of his students like he always had. If he was surprised to see Nick there, he never once showed it. Bowing in respect, the aged rat stood and watched his pupils follow suit.
"Pinan oyobi rohai wo shitte iruka?"(3) asked Splinter, as he looked at his new student.
"Hai, Sensei."
Master Splinter nodded before continuing. "Kyou watashi ha Nihongo deanatawo oshie masu," he said. Looking at April, he asked, "Wakarimasu ka?"
April bowed. "Hai, Sensei," she said. "Wakarimasu."
Her answer caused Nick to turn and look at her. He hadn't thought April knew Japanese nor that she appeared to be in the intermediate levels when it came to it.
"Ressun wo kaishi shimasu."
The reason Master Splinter pick these exact katas didn't escape Nick. Of course he would pick something that he hoped would get the young turtle to tell all he knew. The aged rat had done this before, when Nick had been a child and the lamp had somehow broken. The katas were to relax you, focus you on your movements and nothing else around you. They were calming and the effect would be to put a person in a state where their minds were clearer and more to observe their surroundings.
In Splinter's case, it was used as a way to get little turtles to likely confess to a misdeed. And it usually worked.
When they had completed five katas, Splinter broke them up into sparring groups. For this day, it worked very well, as the ninja master could break everyone up into three separate groups, though choosing the victor of the final bout would be difficult. While he knew April had just moved to chunin, he wasn't sure about Nick. He had performed his katas brilliantly and if anything, it pulled a red flag to the aged rat. Nick had obviously been trained by someone of the old ways. He decided the young kame would fare well again Leonardo, despite the look of obvious glee from Raphael, who hoped he would get a chance at the young turtle. It was decided then – Leonardo vs. Nick, Donatello vs. Raphael, and Michelangelo vs. April. That would hopefully give him the advantage of watching young Nick, as well as a chance to play with his granddaughter.
Nick was a bit a nervous, he could admit that. Though Splinter said they wouldn't be using weapons, he still knew Leonardo was more than capable of defeating him without the use of anything at hand. Both Leo and Raph had been extremely hard to beat when he had gone up against them. Raph did tend to be a hothead, but when he was focused, it was as though nothing could get past him. Leo was methodical, leery, and always observant of his opponents. As with Raph, it never seemed as though Nick could get past him.
"Youi was ii desu ka?"(4) asked Leo, as he took his stance. Nick followed suit, knowing what the elder was trying to do.
"Hai."
"Kanarazu."
Nick knew a challenge when he heard one and he wasn't one to disappoint. He came at Leo with a fist that was easily blocked. Nick was definitely on the offense, as he gave blow after blow, though nothing actually landed. Seeing that he was about to lose any type of advantage he had hoped for and that's exactly what Leo was looking for. The others observed their fight; Master Splinter mostly observed Nick's techniques, seeing most were very familiar to him, as they were something he had been taught by his own master and ones he had taught his own sons. He was still a beginner, but held his own against Leonardo, making him at least on a level slightly above that of April.
Their bout was short, though Leo made a point to correct his opponent with every swing. In the end, Leonardo was defeated, but only by a small margin, surprising the sword carrying turtle. "Not bad," he said, eyeing Nick in an odd matter of respect.
Surprising him even further, Nick bowed to him, saying softly, "Domo arigato, Sensei." Nick, realizing what he had said, hurriedly began to correct himself. "Sorry," he blushed. "I say that to anyone who gives me advice." Leo gave a hesitant nod, before going over and sitting down.
The rest of practice went without issue – April managed to one up Mikey in their spar, while Donnie used Raph's own anger to best him in theirs. Nick of course watched the matches, enraptured by what he saw. To him, these matches never tired for him, as he had always enjoyed watching the turtles spar with each other. They each had their own style, which against each other could hinder or be of benefit. He had never seen them in a battle before, but he had been told their different styles had more than once complemented each other and had saved their lives on numerous occasions.
Except for a very important one, he thought, bitterly. He never understood how his father had been caught the way he was. Looking at his performance that morning, how could anyone have trapped him? The young kame didn't know, but he figured anyone could have an off day; he just didn't think his father would have one in the middle of a blood filled battle.
They took a break before their final matches. Nick would go on to face April and the winner would in turn face Donatello. The kame did have to worry about that – he had seen April in action and had been stunned. The April Jones of his world didn't know moves like the ones she demonstrated against Mikey or perhaps Nick had just never seen her in action before. Not for the first time he wondered if he had gotten the dimensions wrong or if he just didn't know this woman as well as he thought he did. And on the off chance he did indeed win, he would have to contend with Donatello and Nick knew, like his brothers, the purple branded turtle was always looking for an opening, was always observant.
The group sat around, mostly discussing various things. Nick couldn't help the way his eyes strayed towards Donatello and little Michele. The sight, though touching, seemed to pull at the young kame's emotional strings. How many times had this happened throughout the years? He didn't know what seemed odder – the fact that he was looking at Michele as a baby, when she had most definitely grown up in his time or…
"You seem quiet."
The approach had been silent, just as the statement had been. It caused Nick to whirl around in surprise, coming face to face with April. "Sorry," she said, holding her hands up. "Didn't mean to startle you. I just noticed you seemed a little preoccupied."
"My apologizes," Nick murmured. "I was thinking, that's all."
"And those thoughts happen to include my daughter?"
The kame's eyes widen slightly. Was this de ja vu? Hadn't they had this conversation before? "Why…what would make you think that?"
Moving closer to him, April whispered, "I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation; however, I do not take kindly to strange men looking at my daughter the way you are."
Oh dear…even I couldn't believe it when I heard it. She thought I was some sick turtle pedophile!? I couldn't tell her the reasons – that her baby was the woman I was in love with back in my time. I didn't even know if she was aware of my purpose here.
"You've got it all wrong, April," Nick said, trying to placate the young woman. "I…don't know how much you know about me…"
"Aside from the fact that I just discovered you existed today?"
Nick couldn't help but grimace. "Yeah," he said, sheepishly. "There is that. The long and short of it is, I'm from the future with ties to the turtles here."
"I gathered," the red head replied, raising an eyebrow. "Seeing as I only know four giant turtles."
"Right."
"I take it you know who I am then?"
The young kame nodded. "As well as your daughter," he said. "Though she's much…bigger where I come from."
The two were silent as Master Splinter called for them to resume their training exercise. April gave the young turtle a smirk as she made her way to the mat, in order to get ready for their bout. Nick toughened his resolve – this was only a training match, with someone he normally did not train with.
No pressure.
He took his stance across from April, both bowing to each other. Nick was a bit wary on how he should be attacking – not knowing how April fought put him at a disadvantage. Should be on defense or offense? Was she quick like Mikey? Or calculating like Leo? Did she let her anger lead her like Raph? Or did she prefer her opponents to come to her, like Donatello? Nick was interrupted by a whoosh of air, signaling that April had just waited for her opponent to distract himself.
Damn! Always thinking!
The young kame had no other choice but to be on defense, as April came at him with cunning precision. So, he thought. She has her own teaching generation. He hadn't counted on that and it certainly showed. Doing a quick flip over her, he landed behind her and sent a standing leg kick her way, barely missing her. It was time to show this woman who he truly was. Coming at her, Nick was a flurry of punches and kicks, all of which April blocked, despite their intensity. Nick knew he could win this; he just needed to wear her down. It would be simple, it would be easy…
It would happen in slow motion, that's what he remembered. He had been launching a right fist towards her, when his hand faintly touched air. Then the floor seemed to come out from underneath him, then he saw the ceiling, and then his shell met the softness of the mat below. When he opened his eyes, April's fist was there to greet him, just hovering between his eyes.
I have been taught, by my grandfather, by my uncles, by my mother that women in general are a force unlike any I have or will ever see. They are, to us men, a precious gift that should be cherished and protected. This has always held true when it came to the women in my life, though I had never truly understood until I fell in love myself. So, being the new age turtle that I was, I had thought, had hoped, that my defeat at the hands of April O'Neill would be something I should and would learn from.
I am sorry to say that this inner, peaceful turtle had apparently taken lunch at the precise moment I felt my body lift in the air as April did a leg sweep to bring me down. I am…ashamed at my reaction to it. It wasn't fair! I didn't even know the woman knew martial arts, much less the art of ninjutsu. I had been trained by two masters, two! I was a fourth level - fifth if you counted the great and mysterious Ancient One – student of ninjutsu.
How in hell had I been beaten by a girl!?
I was supposed to be showing these people that I was competent, that they would be proud – if they ever discovered the truth – of the warrior I had become. It's not to say that I believe women to be inferior. Hardly! My mother could be a strict disciplinarian when she put her mind to it. Even Master Splinter deferred to her in my moments of childish recklessness. Cutting one's own switch in order to be spanked by it was not a pleasant experience and I certainly understood why no one went against Splinter's cane.
But…I was embarrassed. There is no excuse, but I was. And I was being babyish. I have known the rules of the dojo since I was old enough to understand, younger then even. What I did was inexcusable.
Nick knew it before he did it, knew it was wrong and would bring shame not only on him, but his elders as well. But he couldn't help it. He was having a ninja tantrum – that's what Raphael had sometimes called them – and his little tantrum won out in the end.
He could only see red and could only feel humiliation. He was convinced they were laughing at him, laughing at what a big turtle he said he was, had proclaimed he was, being reduced to a loser. Who had gotten beat by a girl. That was all he could think about as he spun on his shell, performing a leg sweep on April and bringing her down. He immediately flipped to his feet, hoping to catch her off guard.
Again, his arrogance and his anger helped land him in more trouble as he turned. He hadn't expected her to recover as fast she did, thinking that after a baby, she had to be rusty. Besides, he was younger, faster, stronger…he was unprepared. Again. Thinking she would flip to her feet as he had done, he was caught off guard and stumbled back when her feet connected with his stomach and then seemed to upper cut his chin, spinning him slightly. Shaking it off, Nick felt the kick to his shell and he was once again introduced to the mat, this time face to face.
And now he was madder than hell. Turning, he intended on showing Mrs. Jones the exact training he had, only to be stopped by her foot in his face. She was perfectly balanced, standing on her left leg, while her right was extended, only a few inches from his face, which immediately turned red.
How could he have forgotten she was a gymnast?
"Juuban!"(5) Splinter commanded, causing April to pivot, moving her leg away from him and placing it back on the floor. "While you indeed have the skills, young one," the ninja master addressed the kame. "You must learn to temper your emotions and learn to stand down. You are most fortunate that April stopped when she did or you would be spending the day in our medical facility. My sons do not take kindly to those that intend to harm their sister."
I saw it then, the looks of absolute fury on each of their faces. And I could see the disappointment there, too. Perhaps it was me interjecting what I felt and what I knew my uncles and father may feel knowing what I had done. I had lost the match and to continue after I had lost brought dishonor to not only to myself, but to my clan as well. I knew better. I have always known better.
In that moment, I failed my clan.
I failed my father.
"Hai, Sensei," the kame whispered, head down and apparently remorseful. "Gomen nasai." Turning to April, he bowed respectfully. "Gomen nasai, obasan."
Splinter only rose at furry eyebrow at the title, but said nothing. "April is the victor," he said, calmly. "Donatello, you are next. Nick, please sit near me to watch."
"Hai."
Embarrassed more than anything in the world was a complete understatement for me this morning. I sat quietly next to Master Splinter and didn't bother to watch the spar match between Donatello and April. I'm not even sure who won, I just kept thinking about what had happened. I'm still ashamed. I couldn't even manage to get happy at the prospect that Donatello was giving me a tour of his lab. I mean, I tried, but I could see the barely controlled anger that Raph and Leo had towards me.
I really fucked up.
With my first few hours, I had already managed to alienate parts of my family. Good going, Nick. I wish I could say that I was excited about being in Donatello's lab – not to say that I wasn't – I just couldn't stop the way I felt. And then he actually said it was alright, that everything was going to be okay…
Donnie knew the look of regret, sorrow, embarrassment, and guilt when he saw it. Not so much that he saw this type of look all the time, but the very fact that he had seen this look on his brothers' faces was all it took. He had been quite surprised at the seemingly underhandedness the young kame showed earlier in the day. Even Raph at his worse would never attack after a bout was over and while they all knew April was more than capable of taking care of herself, it still didn't prevent the four of them from giving the youngster the evil eye.
Truth to told, Donnie was absolutely fascinated by this young kame from the future. He still felt as though Nick wouldn't do them any harm, but those earlier suspicions he had were ringing like emergency klaxons. Morning practice had just confirmed it. Nick wasn't telling them the whole story. He hoped now, being alone with said turtle, would bring about more of this story he was refusing to tell them. But first, he had to make sure the guy didn't think they were going to strangle him in his sleep.
"Don't worry about earlier," he said, watching the teenager shuffle by a bed they kept in case. It was ironic that Donnie's lab – in which he did any and all 'big' experiments – had somehow morphed into a pseudo med facility. It certainly wasn't anything you'd find in a real hospital, but it was pretty close. Over the years, they had managed to get quite a lot of medical equipment, from syringes to medications to even an old x-ray machine Donnie hoped to convert into something smaller. With this being a med area, Donnie had taken to doing rudimentary things in his room; but for the big stuff, he came to his lab.
"April's a lot tougher than she looks," he continued, managing to get a smirk from the younger kame.
"You're telling me."
"I take it the April you know doesn't know martial arts?"
Nick shrugged. "Not the one I know," he sighed. "Or maybe I just don't know her as well as I thought. I mean, she's Shelly's mom!"
Shelly?, Don asked himself mentally. A part of his brain immediately identified that Nick must be talking about Michele, but he found that strange. They never called her 'Shelly'. Either the kame realized what he had said or his attention was taken for the moment as he realized where he was.
It's only now that I realized what I had said in his lab, but at the time, I was so guilt ridden for my earlier behavior, I didn't even know I had agreed to let Donatello show me his lab; and only when I looked up did I realized I was actually there.
I must say I'm surprised how, despite the fact that I have arrived seventeen years in the past, things have not changed. There are differences, of course, but not much. As I've said, the lair isn't as different here as it is in my time. It feels like…the furniture has been moved, if only to give some variety. As I stood in the lab, it didn't feel as though I was anywhere but where I was supposed to be. Things looked remarkably the same – there was the spare cot that was used as a medical bed; a tray off to the side that held medical instruments; cabinets that were full of medicines and the herbs that Master Splinter liked to use whenever we got sick…
There was a chemistry area, complete with the original beaker and vials…these were proudly displayed in remembrance of childhood and life in my time. For some reason, I was just drawn to the set, never seeing it out of its protective case before.
"Like chemistry?" Donnie asked, watching as Nick seemed to be drawn to his first ever chemistry set. How it had managed to survive for twelve years, especially with some of the stuff he came up with, he would never know. Nick nodded slowly. "I've had that set for years," he continued. "My very first one. It was a birthday present from Master Splinter and my brothers when I was ten. Do a lot of chem., do you?"
Nick's eyes were glued to the set, before shaking his head and looking slightly at Donnie. "Nanotech is my field," he whispered. "My…my uncle was a scientist."
"No kidding?" Donnie asked, highly interested, though more in learning about Nick's specific work in nanotechnology and what his uncle did now than learning more about the young kame. "What he specialize in? Your uncle, I mean."
The brainy turtle could clearly see his question was met with a deep sadness that he nearly slapped himself for asking. "Listen, I didn't mean…"
"No," Nick chuckled softly. "I mean, it's…it's alright. He um…didn't really have a specialty. I mean, if I had to pick, I'd say biophys, but…he loved anything science. Didn't matter what."
"I'm sorry," Don whispered. "I take it…he's no longer with you."
Nick nodded.
"How old…were you when he died?"
"Just a baby," Nick murmured. "I don't remember him. Everything I know is what others have told me."
"I'm sorry," Don repeated. "It seems as though you would've been close. Was he your father's brother? Or your mother's?"
"My father's."
"Were they close?"
Nick was silent for a time, before looking up at Donnie. "You could say they were one in the same."
Don nodded, understanding completely. Nick's uncle and father must've twins or were a part of a large clutch, much like his own brothers. Donnie had done a lot of research back in the day, after he had lived through that second mutation thanks to Bishop. The mutagen that had changed them had always been a source of fascination for him – how had the Utroms created it, what had been the original purpose, why had it caused the changes in them – and that had always lead him to questions about him and his brothers.
It was no secret that Master Splinter was their adoptive father, hands down, and Don knew his brothers probably never thought about where they came from or who their parents were. Mikey had, in their youth and after they had gotten a TV, gone through this phase about who their mother was, who their father was. In time, the younger turtle just accepted what was known to him – Master Splinter had saved them and taken them in. He was their father, regardless of species or biology.
And while Donnie felt that as well – biology did not make a parent necessarily – his scientific brain always asked, who, why, and how. The brainy turtle was realistic; at minimum, he and his brothers were pet shop turtles, meaning they probably didn't share the same parents at all; at maximum, they shared at least one parent, be it mother or father. There were times Donnie was convinced they were partly related – he figured at least Raph and Leo or Raph and Mikey were actual siblings; even he and Leo could be actually related – and then there were times Don was convinced there was no way any of them could be from the same clutch.
When they were smaller, still children in his mind, the brainy turtle clung to the belief that he was the third in a set of quadruplets. Then, they did look a bit like each other, especially without their signature colored masks and they were the best of friends. While they were most likely all the same age, or at least made so by the Utrom ooze, all of them noticed there was a hierarchy, a need to have an oldest, a middle child, and a youngest. Leo was clearly the oldest, with the way he made sure everyone was taken care of, fed, played with, etc; Mikey was clearly the youngest with his ever constant demands for attention.
That left him and Raph. Still to this day, Donnie was unsure who was the oldest between the two. They shifted back and forth – Raph was the protector, Donnie the confidant – that it was always hard to tell. But, Donnie had no doubts about this, they were the middle children of their family and prone to 'middle child syndrome', though that was mostly Raph, but the brainy turtle could admit that sometimes he used his brains to get attention away from Leo and Mikey.
"Do you do a lot of work in here?"
The question brought Donnie out of his musings and he looked at Nick, as the young kame was examining something in his hand. "Mostly big stuff," he answered, trying to peer around him. "Major medicines or things that will probably blow up…what're you doing?"
Nick held an empty vial up to his face, before looking down at the others which seemed to be filled with various liquids. "Nucleosynthesis?" he whispered, looking over his shoulder at the brainier turtle. "You do realize that what you're attempting isn't found here on Earth, or at least won't be for quite some time."
Donnie regarded the younger turtle contemptively. "And just what is it do you think I'm trying to do?" he asked. "Nucleosynthesis isn't exactly a foreign concept."
"It is when you try to produce it within a lab," Nick countered.
Again, Don looked at this turtle, not sure if he should be awed or highly suspicious. "Coming from the future," he began. "I highly doubt that you are somehow unfamiliar with alien species or their knowledge of us."
"Where do you think I got the materials for my time watch?"
"Just how well do you know this family and our friends?"
"Well enough."
Of course, this was when the ole turtle luck came true to form. Raph says that and has ever since I was a kid. I had always wondered what that meant until I began this journey of mine. Having a time watch or rather, a highly stylized dimensional transporter, had been – if I may say – a stroke of genius and not because I could go through time and space and stop the murder of my father.
No, having this device was great because after all the times I had been thwarted, I decided it was high time I knew when she would show up. I mapped out her signature and inputted it into the device, setting it to alert me when she was even remotely close to a time that I resided in.
She was near.
Unfortunately, in order to keep myself hidden, I had kept the device on vibrate – high intensity. To say the sudden reverbs of my wrist shocked me was an understatement. Again, turtle luck won out because the sudden movement caused me to drop the very vial I had in hand. I tried my best to catch it, only cutting my hand slightly in the process. I was mortified.
Could I be any stupider today?
Donatello was nice enough to bandage me up, saying it was just a small cut and nothing to worry about. But I couldn't help but worry. I had broken a vial! Something, that for me, was like taking a knife to the famous Mona Lisa or putting a dent in the Leaning Tower of Piza. Yes, I was fine, but his chem. set wasn't and it was because of me.
Donnie tried his best to calm the younger kame down. It was just a vial, it wasn't like he couldn't get more. He and April swapped stuff all the time, but it seemed to go on deaf ears. Only when Leo came in, hearing the shattering of glass, did the kame perk up a little. The leader looked between the two of them, wondering what was going on, but decided it would be best to talk to Donnie alone.
Instead, he announced, "Training tonight, nine o'clock. Master Splinter thought you put on an impressive performance today, Nick. Perhaps you'd like to join us tonight."
The teen, though still guilty over breaking a part of Don's set, couldn't help but get a little excited. "You want me to run with you guys?" he asked, looking between Donnie and Leo.
Leo just nodded, shooting a look to his younger brother. "It'll certainly put us at an advantage," Donnie suggested. "Especially if we run into Casey along the way. 'The more, the merrier,' as Raph would say."
"Raph wouldn't say that," Nick stated, before shutting his mouth tightly. And he wondered why people called him 'motor mouth'.
Leo studied the kame before smirking. "Mikey would though," he said, his eyes betraying the smile on his face. If he wasn't suspicious before… "Nine o'clock," he repeated. "Don't be late." He turned, assumedly going to tell the other two his plans for the evening.
"Go get some ice on that," Donnie said, nodding to the youngster's bandaged hand. "It'll take the sting out."
Nick nodded, sending a smile to the scientist before heading towards the kitchen. Don watched him go, gears in his head once again spinning wildly and out of control. He began to pick up larger shards of glass before he got to one that was obviously blood stained. Smiling, the scientist nodded triumphantly.
"Gotcha."
TRANSLATIONS:
1. Good morning, big sister.
2. Father in law
3. Splinter:Do you know the pinan and rohai? (these are katas)
Nick: Yes, Sensei.
Splinter: Today, I will instruct you in Japanese. (to April) Do you understand?
April: Yes, Sensi. I understand.
Splinter: Start the lesson.
4. Leo: Are you ready?
Nick: Yes.
Leo: By all means.
5. Splinter: Enough!
Nick: Yes Sensei. I'm sorry. (to April) I'm sorry, Aunt.