Hi guys! I know it has been forever since I updated, and for that I apologize. I hope it's worth the wait.
On another note, I have changed my name. I am no longer Tatsu Rose. Turns out, there is a real Tatsu Rose, whereas I had just been using it as a pen-name. So, in light of that, I am now Tatsuki Vermilion. So no freaking out or anything like that. No one has stolen anything, nor have I given anything up.
I'm selfish like that.
In any case enjoy!
Nothing is Stronger Than Family: Part One
Requested By: XxWolfMan95xX
Anime: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2014 Movie
Reader:
Serena O'Neil
Female
28
Waist-length brown hair, bangs on both sides of her face, jade-colored eyes, small chest, slight curves, white shirt, black zip-up hoodie, gray sweat-pants, converse.
Florist, Mother figure, dear friend
Human
Ninjutsu
Character:
Master Splinter
Male
32
Gray and brown rat with a yellow robe and black belt with a medal on the front
Sensei, Father, Dear friend
Ninjutsu
Plot: Serena saved Splinter from the fire when her uncle, April's father, burned it after finding out the truth behind Sacks' plan.
Relationship: Developing
Word Count: 4,603
"C'mon April!" Serena dragged her younger cousin behind her. The other brunette stumbled as she struggled to keep pace.
"I'm starting to think you're more excited to see them than I am." Serena chuckled, finally catching on and slowing down. April gratefully took her wrist back, rubbing it. "Geez, Siren. Watch the strength, would ya'?"
"Sorry, Ariel. Training does that to a person." April sighed, hoisting her backpack higher onto her shoulder.
"I still don't understand the appeal of Ninjutsu."
"And you never will." Serena snickered at the glare, pushing the door to the lab open. The girls were visiting April's father at his work. He was experimenting on turtles and a rat, testing a mutagen that could theoretically reverse the effects of injuries and diseases. If done correctly, it could prove to be a cure for cancer.
Serena was always excited to spend time with her cousin and her father. She chalked it up to loving April as a younger sister, and wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. When it came to April's father, she just said she loved seeing her favorite uncle. In reality…
She just wanted to get out of her house.
Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, Serena skipped up the stairs, carefree once again. April's father turned around, a smile breaking out on his face when he saw his niece and his daughter. "Hi girls. did you come to see the boys?" Both nodded. April dropped her bag, getting out her camera. Serena made her rounds, saying hi to everyone.
"Hello Leo. How's my big boy doing today?" The small box turtle with the blue spot on his shell blinked at her before turning around. Serena chuckled as another turtle took his place. "Raphael you need to curb that temper of yours. It's not nice to push your big brother around." The scientist shook his head at his niece.
"You know, sometimes I swear you talk to them like a mother would to her children." Serena stood, placing her hands on her hips.
"Well someone has to balance it out. I mean, all they have is male influence. Someone has to take up the role of a mother." He smiled.
"You know they wouldn't have that in the wild, right?"
"Well they aren't in the wild, are they?"
"Touché." The man turned back to his work as Serena made her way to her favorite: a small gray rat she had named Splinter. Serena crouched in front of the cage, smiling as Splinter ran out to greet her. She giggled, reaching inside her pants pocket to grab a piece of cheese she had brought with her. She dropped it in the cage, laughing as Splinter greedily ate the cheese.
"You like that?" Splinter chittered. Serena smiled. "I got something to show you, Splinter." Moving her shirt to the side, she reached inside to pull out a necklace. On it were two pendants: a turtle and a rat.
"See these? I had your name engraved on the back of the rat, and the turtles' names engraved on the back of the turtle. See?" She turned them over, showing him. The rat stared at the metal pieces, before turning his attention to her shoulder.
Serena hummed softly in surprise, following his beady gaze. Her eyes widened at the sight of the bandages. She quickly put her shirt back in its original place, tucking the necklace under the fabric. She hastily looked around, breathing a quiet sigh of relief when no one else had notice.
"Oh, you saw that, huh?" Splinter tilted his head. Serena leaned closer to the cage. "Don't tell anyone, okay? I know Uncle Kirby wouldn't believe me if I told him." Splinter blinked, which Serena took as affirmation.
"Daddy came home drunk again. He got really mad at me, and threw his beer bottle at me. It didn't directly hit me, but it shattered on the table, and a couple shards lodged themselves in my shoulder." Serena ducked her head. Splinter scratched on the glass. When she looked at him, he looked at her uncle, and then the phone.
"You're wondering why I haven't told anyone?" Splinter nodded. Serena bit her lip. "Well… it's because…" her voice dropped to a whisper. "He told me he would kill me if I told anyone." Splinter's beady eyes widened.
Before anymore could happen, the fire alarms went off, and smoke filled the room.
新命、昔の恋
Serena sighed to herself as she locked up her flower shop. It was a small store on 3rd street, but it brought in a lot of money for her and April. They needed it too. Serena was already out of college, as was April, but the elder cousin was the only one who had a job she actually enjoyed. Today was an exception, though.
"I can't believe it's been sixteen years already." Heaving another sigh, the twenty-eight year old woman dug in her pocket for her phone as she walked down the street. Dialing April's number, she only had to wait two rings before she picked up. "Hey Ariel."
"Hey Siren. What's up?"
"Just calling to tell ya I'm gonna meet you at home." Serena smirked as she rounded the corner. "You… are… at home, right?' A pause was all she needed to know. "Come on, April. Just give it a rest already."
"I can't! I know what I saw was the mysterious vigilante! I just have to prove it!" Serena chuckled to herself.
Out of the corner of her eye, a shadow moved.
"Whatever you say, Ms. Head of Wall Street." April huffed.
"Don't patronize me."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Serena sighed. "Just be home before midnight this time, alright?"
"I'll try. See ya."
"Bye." The second Serena's hand exited her pocket for the second time, a hand clamped around her mouth as she was pulled into the alley. She screamed in surprise. Whirling out of the grip, her eyes widened at the sight. "F… Father."
The clearly crazed man drew out an eight inch fixed-blade. "You little wench! I told you I would kill you if you ever told anyone!" Serena's heart caught in her throat. All of her training hadn't prepared her for this. With no weapon, and no resolve…
She ran.
Tearing out of the alley, Serena could hear his heavy footsteps pounding behind her. Her mind was ablaze.
'What do I do? I can't go home and lead him to April. If I call the police, he'll just vanish. No… he'll go after Mom.' Her teeth ground together. 'Like hell I'm letting him near my family ever again!'
Ducking down an alley, she looked around. It was a dead end. She considered climbing the fire escape. 'That'll leave me as a cat in a tree.' A manhole cover sat on the ground before her. "Guess I'm going down." Lifting the steel covering, she had just recovered the ladder when she heard her father run into the alley.
Not bothering to wait, she slid down the ladder, missing the sewage. She ran to the left, not looking behind her, not wanting to. Sheer luck was all she had at the moment, and, right now, it was more than enough.
新命、昔の恋
Splinter sighed to himself as he wandered the tunnels of New York's sewer system. It was his morning walk, although this one was longer than most. Today was the anniversary of the day he and his sons had been set free. His eyes narrowed slightly in thought.
"I wonder whatever happened to Serena. She must have grown into a fine young woman by now… if her father hasn't killed her." His heart clenched at the thought. "How on earth could any father bring himself to harm his own child?"
He was snapped from his thoughts by a piercing scream. Turning around sharply, he followed the echoes. Running on all fours, he soon came to the spot. What he saw horrified him.
A young woman was being beaten by an older man. Her body was covered in bruises and cuts. Her bag lay next to her, abandoned. She was slumped on the ground, begging him to stop.
"Die!" he raised his arm to bring a knife down on her, but he never got the chance.
Snarling, Splinter leapt out of the shadows, latching his teeth into the man's shoulder. He screamed in pain, crumbling back. Going with it, Splinter flung him over his shoulder, feeling satisfaction surge through him at the crack his body made against the cobblestones. When he regained his feet, his eyes widened in terror at the sight of Splinter standing protectively over the young woman.
"Get lost." Splinter hissed. The man screamed again, tearing away. Snorting, the rat turned around to look at the young woman. She had passed out. Realizing that the man could easily come back, Splinter picked up the female human. Cradling her to his chest, he ran back to his home, praying he would make it in time.
"Donatello!" The third oldest turtle looked up in shock at the sight of his sensei holding a young woman. That faded away to horror at the desperate glint in Splinter's eyes… and the wounds covering the woman's body. Nodding, he ran to his lab, Splinter right behind. His brothers had come out at Splinter's shout, and stood around as Donatello began to tend to the human female's wounds. They stood quietly, awaiting an explanation.
"I found her being beaten by a human man." Raphael growled, clenching his fists. "He ran towards the old sewer station." Leonardo blinked.
"But… that old flooring can't hold anything anymore."
"Good thing too." Raphael crossed his arms. "I would've done worse than let him fall to his death."
"You wouldn't have let him die, dude." Michelangelo sauntered in, taking a slurp of Orange Crush. He leaned over Donatello's shoulder, whistling. "She's quite the looke-oof!" He stumbled back, holding his plastron. "Ow! What was that for, Donnie!?" he whined.
"For being rude, Michelangelo! Now back off and let me wo- huh?" Don tilted his head, picking up something around her neck. Turning it over, his eyes widened behind his glasses. "Uh… Master Splinter? You're… going to want to see this." Everyone stepped over.
Donatello had removed the young woman's shirt, leaving her in her sports bra. Had it not been for the situation, the scientist most likely would have blushed to his toes.
Her entire torso was covered in scars. Some were old… very old. Others were most likely the ones her attacker had inflicted before Splinter had saved her. What Donatello was holding were two pendants on a dog-tag chain. One was a turtle, and the other was a rat. And… carved on the backs…
Were each, and every one of their names.
"Serena…"
新命、昔の恋
Serena moaned, lifting a hand to hold her head. Her eyes slowly cracked open. Instead of the ceiling of her room, she was staring at cobblestones. Her entire body stiffened as the most recent events came back to her.
Slowly sitting up, she looked around her. Whatever was covering her fell off, bunching around her waist. Looking down, she realized that whoever had rescued her had dressed her in an old kimono. Sensing another presence, Serena looked to her right. A massive rat was kneeling two yards away from her. His eyes were closed as he appeared to be sleeping. However, she knew from experience that he wasn't.
"Who are you? Where am I?" The rat's eyes cracked open, revealing golden irises. The similarity to those that belonged to a certain rat of her childhood did not escape her notice.
"You are in my home," he responded in a deep voice. "As to who I am… look at your necklace. My name is written there." Serena gasped, one hand coming up to clutch the pendants. Her eyes overflowed with tears, the salty drops trailing down her cheeks.
"Splinter… you're alive!" Splinter smiled. Standing up, he walked over to embrace the sobbing young woman. She wrapped her arms around his waist, ignoring the pain. Her hands fisted themselves in his kimono as she buried her face in his shoulder. "I can't believe it."
"I'm very much alive, Serena. Thanks to you." He pulled back, gently wiping her cheeks dry. "And my sons are alive as well."
"Your… sons?" He nodded, turning around without removing his arm from her shoulders.
"Ni oite shōnen-tachi o go riyō kudasai. Kanojo ga kakusei shidesu.1" Four massive turtles walked in. Each adorned different clothing, giving them some semblance of modesty. What they also wore were ninja weapons… and different colored masks. The colors told Serena who they were in seconds.
Serena looked at each of them, smiling as she remembered their names. "Leonardo…" The turtle wearing the blue mask and twin katana smiled, bowing to her.
"Kore wa, Hogo-sha Serena ni anata ni aete meiyona.2" Serena chuckled, bowing her head in return.
"Anata wa tsuneni, Leonarudo· mottomo sonchō sa reta. Kore wa saishūtekini dōyō ni anata o mitasu tame no.3" Leonardo smiled, rising from his bow. Serena continued looking over the turtles. She smirked at the one leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. "It seems you haven't changed either, Raphael."
The turtle with twin sai and red mask started, his golden eyes widening. He scoffed softly, smirking. "It really is you, huh? You sure have grown up from that skinny girl we knew." Serena laughed.
"I get that a lot." She watched as the turtle with the orange mask draped an arm over Raph's shoulders.
"Raphie here wouldn't leave the room while you were asleep." He grunted when Raph slammed his elbow into his plastron.
"Oh? And what were you doing Michelangelo?"
"Bothering me." She looked at the last turtle.
"I see. I always had you pinned as the smart one, Donatello." The purple mask's eyeholes widened. "I saw you checking out the pins on your cage." He blushed.
"You remember that, huh?"
"I was at your birth, remember?" He chuckled.
"Can't say I do."
"But I do." Splinter's arm tightened around Serena's shoulders. "Serena, how would you like to stay here? At least until your wounds are healed." Serena smiled up at the rat. Lifting a hand, she interlaced her fingers with his.
"I would like that very much."
新命、昔の恋
Serena sipped on the cup of tea, leaning further into the chair. Sounds of metal clashing rang into the room from the dojo. She would have been in there, had she not already spent three hours sparring with Leo. Her shoulders were killing her.
It had been two months since the whole ordeal in the tunnels. Her wounds had long since healed, but she hadn't gone back. After fixing her laptop, with help from Donatello of course, she emailed April, giving her an overview of what happened. She didn't mention anything about the boys or Splinter, knowing that her overzealous little cousin wouldn't hesitate to run down to the sewers to videotape the mysterious vigilantes that had been helping the city. Instead, she had simply told her that her father had escaped from prison, so she was lying low for a little while. April had responded with a simple 'Be safe. I love you'.
After that, Serena had really settled into life with Splinter and his sons. Leonardo had taken over the role of her sensei, teaching her Ninjutsu. He didn't have much of his work cut out for him, since she had been taking it a lot longer than he had. However, he was much more proficient at it, so it was an equal tradeoff.
Raphael was the overprotective one. He didn't overtly show it like the others, but if anyone was keeping tabs on Serena, making sure she was alright, it was him. Serena had caught sight of his shadow hanging around the outside of the dojo more than once. She never mentioned it to him, or any of the others, but she's sure they knew.
Donatello was an absolute lifesaver, in more ways than one. First of all, he was the one who had patched her up after her father had attacked her. Secondly, he was able to hack into her work and submit an email telling them she'll be out of commission for a few months. Evidently, they had heard about her father breaking out of jail, so they were very generous in allowing her to lay low until he was caught again.
Michelangelo… was Michelangelo. Crazy, excitable, always wanting to be around Serena… he was inseparable from her. He acted like a little kid, to be perfect honest. And, if she was perfectly honest with herself, she didn't mind.
Over the past few months, Serena had become like a mother to all of the turtles. Splinter was thrilled at revelation of all of his sons taking so well to Serena. He had been worried that they, namely Raphael, would be hostile towards her. However, it seemed that they, even though they were still so young at the time, remembered her from the lab. If he was honest with himself… he didn't altogether mind the prospect of her staying their mother.
It was weird to him, feeling this way. Sure, while he was a normal rat, he loved Serena. As a pet loved their master. And as a father, he had felt the love of a parent towards his sons. But what he felt for Serena… it was another love entirely. What he didn't know…
Was that he wasn't the only one dealing with these troubling feelings.
新命、昔の恋
Serena sighed as she stretched, grunting in pleasure as her joints cracked. After the boys had gone on a training mission, she had gone to bed. Glancing over at the clock, she realized she had slept through most of the day. Groaning, she climbed out of bed, expecting to be glomped by Michelangelo.
It didn't happen.
Instead, the lair was eerily quiet. Narrowing her eyes, Serena crept around, looking for signs of life. All pointed towards the one room that the boys hated going into: the Hasshi. Serena groaned as she pushed open the door.
Everyone was in their designated places: Raphael knitting while standing on one foot on a tricycle, Donatello bouncing a ball back and forth on a spinning table, Leonardo balancing eggs on chopsticks while doing the splits, and Michelangelo doing a handstand on a rotating chair. Splinter was talking to them, seemingly oblivious to Serena's presence. She knew better than that. Instead, she sat on the ground as she watched him punish his sons.
'I wonder what happened this time.'
Splinter threw a pizza down in front of the boys. Michelangelo immediately began to shake. As Splinter walked towards him, agonizingly counting off the cheeses, Michelangelo broke, spilling everything that had happened while Serena was asleep. Her heart dropped into her feet at what she heard.
'April… no.'
新命、昔の恋
April sniffed through the bag. "Are we… in the sewer?"
"No…"
"Technically yes."
"Yeah. It's the sewer." The bag was removed from her head, letting April look around.
"We brought them here, April." The woman looked to her left. A very familiar young woman was standing next to a massive rat. She stepped down the ledge, walking over to them. The young woman smiled at her, opening her arms. "Hey."
"Serena!" April flung herself into her elder cousin's arms. "I… I can't believe this! This is where you've been all this time!?" Serena laughed, pulling back.
"Yep. April, this is Splinter." Serena rested a hand on the rat's shoulder. "Remember him?" April nodded.
"Yeah, but… a lot smaller." Splinter chuckled. Motioning to the ground, he sat down. April sat directly in front of him. Serena sat next to him, while the boys sat on his left.
"Listen closely, April." Splinter stroked his beard. "I don't remember a time before living in that laboratory. That fateful night started like any other…
"Sacks gave us our injections. Your father made sure our vital signs were strong. And you, as always, provided us with a special treat. After the brothers went to sleep, I heard loud voices.
"There was the smell of smoke. Alarms sounded. Your father had discovered the truth behind the man he was working for. He set fire to the lab. His last breath was taken, trying to destroy Shredder's plan."
April's hands fisted themselves on her lap. Serena reached out, patting her younger cousin's left hand. April smiled softly, nodding in thanks. Serena sat back, allowing Splinter to continue his story.
"I was terrified. But then you and Serena appeared, and ushered us to safety. I never had a voice then, but I thank you now, April, as I thanked Serena." Splinter bowed his head in respect towards the younger O'Neil. "We wandered the sewers until I found this place.
"It was then that the mutagen that was injected into our blood began to change us in miraculous ways. I saw how your father loved you, and I knew I had to show that same love to the turtles. I became their father, and they became my sons. Like all children, they were drawn to the distractions of popular culture. And I knew one day they would want to explore the world above.
"They would be ridiculed. They would need to learn how to protect themselves. Both mentally and physically. And then, I found a way.
"First, I would teach myself the ancient art of Ninjutsu. The brothers followed my lead, accelerating at a wondrous rate. Their gift was also their passion. They lived, breathed, and dreamed all things martial arts.
"Then, they were ready. Everything they are, and everything that they've become, was made possible by the bravery that you displayed that fateful night." April shook her head in disbelief.
"I… we… were just little girls."
"And you gave us freedom, where others would have kept us in cages." Serena smiled at her cousin. Her reaction was much the same as Serena's had been when Splinter told her the story. Splinter nudged Serena's knee with his, not expecting her to keep the contact. She did.
"Why did you bring me here?" April asked.
"To find out who you told of our existence."
"Nobody that believes me. Except for Eric Sacks." Splinter sighed.
"Sacks…" The rat ninja stood. "Just as I feared. Sacks is not a friend. His soul has been poisoned, by the influence of a dark master: The Shredder. Shredder practically raised Sacks in Japan. He's like a father to him. Sacks will do anything for his master."
"Wha… Sacks and Shredder? So why aren't we out there hunting them down?"
"Because, Raphael, the Shredder is a skilled warrior, who's cruelty is ever-reaching. And you are just teenagers." Raph growled. "The mutagen in your blood is of great value to them. Now that Sacks has confirmation that you are alive, I fear they will bring the fight to us." Serena looked at April as she took out a business card. Jade eyes widened at the name.
"Oh no." Just then, alarms went off.
"Perimeter breach. We've got incoming!" Everyone gathered around Donnie's monitors. Serena's heart was in her throat. "Oh no, oh no. We've got two breaches: Fan room, and weapons wall." Serena looked at Leo.
"We need to get you guys out of here."
"We don't have time." Leo looked at his brothers. "Mikey, flank left. Donnie on me. We gotta go. Go, go, go!" The turtles ran towards the dojo. Serena grabbed April's hand.
"Come on!" She dragged the younger woman to the kitchen.
"How do you know your way around?"
"I've been living here for the past few months, remember? Now get down!"
"No!" Splinter's shout rang through the home. "Get back!" A blast destroyed the weapons wall. A katana wedged itself in the wall between the girls' heads.
"Stay here." Serena grabbed the sword, twirling it behind her. "I'm going to find the guys." April just nodded, her fear evident in her eyes. Serena smiled comfortingly, resting a hand on the side of April's face. "Hey, don't worry, alright? I'll be fine."
With that, Serena jumped out from behind the desk. She circled around, sticking to the shadows. Glancing in the dojo, she saw Splinter taking out several armed men. 'He's fine.' She saw Leo, Raph, and Donnie fighting next. Hearing clanking, Taigā glanced over her shoulder to see Mikey spring up from the floor.
"I meant to do that! I meant to do it!"
"We've got a breach in the fan room!"
"Raph! Get to the fan room!"
"Why are you always telling me what to do!?" Raph punched a man behind Leo.
"Just go." Leo picked up his katana. "Mikey! We gotta get the girls out of here, now!"
"I'm got this!" The orange-masked terrapin jumped on his skateboard. He landed on one man. "April! Come with me!" He grabbed the woman's hands.
"I got a safe place for you to hide, and in case you get thirsty, I got a secret stash of Orange Crush behind the fridge." April stared at him. "Don't tell Raph!" She nodded. She ran with Mikey, ducking into his hiding spot. From here, she could watch everything.
A man in armor jumped into the dojo. "All these years, I've been trying to recreate the mutagen. And you… you just handed it to me." Splinter took off his sandals.
"You will not lay a hand on my sons." Splinter grabbed a katana, twirling it in his hand. A chuckle sounded behind the metal mask.
"Your sons? You think you're their father!?" Shredder unsheathed his blades. Serena's heart dropped, but she didn't allow it to faze her. Instead of sitting by and doing nothing, she made her way through the rubble, trying to get to Splinter.
Splinter grunted as Shredder threw him into the ground. Just as he looked up at what he thought would be his death, a flash of black came into his vison. Serena jumped up onto the grate and slammed a katana into Shredder's power bank. The apparatus sparked and shuddered, allowing Splinter to crawl to his feet as Shredder whirled around.
"You stupid little girl!"
"Serena!" Splinter jumped up, wrapping his tail around the girl's waist. He flung her back into a room. She gasped in pain as she made contact with the cement. He winced slightly at the thud she made, but he knew it wasn't fatal.
Standing, Serena limped her way over to a table. She rested against the wood. As her eyes lifted, her heart dropped. Splinter had locked them out of the dojo. Leo reached through the metal bars.
"Sensei! Dad! Dad! What are you – What are you doing!?"
"Run! Hide!" Shredder jumped across the gap, grabbing Splinter by the back of his kimono. "Save yourselves!" He threw the rat across the dojo. Leo and his brothers were able to lift the grate. They faced off against the intruders, weapons at the ready.
Shredder picked up a now unconscious Splinter. "Children, drop your weapons. Or your… father… will die." Gritting his teeth, Leo threw down his katana. Donnie and Mikey followed suit. Serena could only watch as Shredder slammed his fist into Splinter's torso… and as the boys were electrocuted. Her body wouldn't respond… not matter how much she tried to make it move.
As they walked out, Shredder noticed that he had one less mutant quarry than he had originally come for. "Where's the fourth?" The Foot solider next to him looked up.
"He's dead."
"Destroy this place." As soon as they were out of range, they blew up the sewer home.
Translations:
1) Come on in boys. She's awake.
2) It is an honor to meet you, Guardian Serena.
3) You were always the most respectful, Leonardo. It is a pleasure to finally meet you as well.
Wasn't planning on this being a twofer, but I was just having too much fun. Besides, you guys deserve a longer one since you've been so patient with me. I love you guys! No promises, but I plan on having Part Two up this week as well, this weekend at the latest.