Chapter Six
A Waiting Game
The next day, it was time for the Hamato clan's guests to return to Mutopia.
Kemeko hugged everyone and thanked them for coming to her birthday party and how she was looking forward to seeing them all back in Chicago.
When she came to her cousins, she fist-bumped them and hugged them and said how she was excited to join them in their missions.
"It's gonna be so awesome!" Loki cheered "All of us together taking down bad guys and saving the city!"
"Oh yeah! We're unbelievable!" Pandora cheered.
Raphael as he heard that looked at his daughter then at Michelangelo remembering how his younger brother had said the exact same thing years back.
The Orange masked turtle meanwhile was nuzzling and kissing Kate and saying how much he would miss her, and Kate was giggling and saying how sweet he was and that they would be together again soon enough.
Percy was chortling at the scene behind his hands until Heather and Sarah elbowed him making him quit his laughing.
Monalisa hugged Sephie, then she turned to Jake to say goodbye to him.
"Look after yourself little brother." She said giving him a squeeze.
"Don't worry Mona!" Amber grinned winking and clicking her tongue as she stood next to the male human "He's in good hands with me!"
Monalisa smiled at the iguana and Jake chuckled and blushed a little embarrassed, but he wrapped an arm around Amber's shoulders.
"I sure am lucky!" he grinned "I got someone looking out for me in Mutopia!"
After a few minutes of saying goodbye the Mutopians headed out of the lair and into the tunnels to return to the surface and find the Ninjet to return home.
Leonardo walked with Tyroth out of the exit both to see them all off to the right exit as well as talk to the dragon alone and out of earshot of the rest of the family, especially Kemeko.
"Kemeko had a great birthday, and I'm really glad you were here to help us celebrate." The Blue masked turtle said.
"It's our pleasure." Tyroth smiled patting Leonardo's shoulder "And it was a good idea to let the child enjoy her day yesterday."
Leonardo smiled yet it was a little wavily.
Tyroth noticed and turned to him.
"Look my friend, just tell the truth, she can't hate you for telling the truth."
"I guess not." Leonardo said.
"Let me know what happens okay?" Tyroth said "I'm on the other end of the phone and I'll be right there in a flash, or at least as quick as I can if there's a problem!"
"You got it!" Leonardo said and bowed to the Dragon then gave him a fist bump which the dragon returned then he turned to follow the others.
Leonardo watched the Mutopians leave the tunnels and go around the corner, yet even though he couldn't see them, he could hear their voices echoing in the darkness.
Sighing, he turned back to walk to the lair.
Back in the main lair, the Hamato Clan waited for Leonardo and looked around the lair, almost taking in slowly how quiet it was after so much noise and excitement.
"Anyone got that funny feeling you know?" Michelangelo asked, "Almost like entering a nightclub after everyone has gone?"
"Or a large tourist attraction like a theme park empty after hours?" Monalisa asked "I get you little bro."
Kemeko sighed.
"It was a great birthday." She said, "I can't believe I'm thirteen now."
"Pretty sweet huh?" Pandora asked winking at her human cousin "Come on, how about some training so you can be prepared for your first field trip topside?"
Kemeko thought for a moment then she smiled.
"Okay!" she then followed Pandora to the Dojo.
Splinter shook his head and chuckled.
"Typical Pandora!" he said.
"Just be careful alright?" Monalisa called over "Remember you're only sparring!"
"Yes mum!" Pandora called over her shoulder as she put her metal claws on as well as picked up Mr Swinger.
Kemeko in turn picked up her tanto and bladed boomerang and the two girls stood opposite each other on the thin crash mats.
As Pandora stood opposite Kemeko she did a few stretches and warm up exercises, and she looked her cousin up and down and remembered what she had heard in the meditation room when she chased after the ball she and the other children had played with at the party.
"What was he talking about?" she thought "What was Uncle Leo going to tell Kemeko?"
She couldn't think what it could be, and in a way, she felt guilty she had eavesdropped on her uncle especially as her parents said it was impolite.
"Ready to rock Pandora?" Kemeko's voice brought her back to earth.
"Huh?" the Hybrid asked as she looked up "Oh yeah! Bring it Kem!"
She crouched and clawed her hands.
"Get ready to feel my claws!"
Kemeko smirked and took out her tanto.
"Let's dance!" she said.
The grown-ups stood at the side and watched the two girls.
"Remember the sparring rules!" Monalisa called out.
"We will!" both girls called over in unison.
"They know the rules hun." Raphael reassured his mate, yet he watched Pandora closely as he knew very well that like him, she could get carried away.
Meanwhile, Leonardo returned to the main lair and as he did, he saw Kemeko and Pandora had started sparring together.
He quickly hurried over to watch and stood behind Splinter.
As he observed Kemeko he saw she was welding her tanto and stabbing and thrusting at Pandora who dodged and moved to avoid her moves almost like Monalisa did in her crane kung fu, but then she was strike unexpectedly.
The blue masked turtle sighed.
Kemeko leapt around and slashed and stabbed with her tanto as well as gave the odd battle cry as she sparred with her cousin/honoured sister, and he could see Karai in her.
Many memories came to the blue masked turtle as he remembered when he and Karai had fought, and he felt a tingle in his shoulder where she had stabbed him accidently.
He moved his hand up to where his shell had been chipped off by her blade, before it was a painful memory but now it had been bittersweet since her death.
Kemeko cried out as she thrust her tanto at Pandora who dodged and evaded the blades as well as slashed with her claws.
"You're getting better at dodging!" Kemeko remarked as she slashed her blades.
Pandora smirked.
"Thanks! And you're getting better at missing!" so saying she used her tail to catch Kemeko's ankles and the Asian girl fell on her back then Pandora jumped on top of her and pinned her down before positioning a claw at her face.
"Gotcha!" she said cockily "You're dead!"
"No fair!" Kemeko cried out "You got a tail!"
"I know!" Pandora said proudly lifting her tail and waving it at Kemeko "Too bad you don't!"
"Oh, shut up and let me up!" Kemeko snapped to which Pandora laughed and stood up holding out her hand to Kemeko to which she took her hand, and the hybrid pulled her up.
"I have to admit Pandora." Kemeko said "Since you joined the grown-ups in fighting the Foot Clan and the Venomous Five, you've gotten better and stronger!"
"Well, you got to!" Pandora replied, "The Foot Clan and the Venomous Five are worse than the Purple Dragons, so you got to be ready for anything!"
"That I can believe." Kemeko said.
"You ready for another round?" Pandora asked.
"Not right now." Kemeko said "I need a rest."
Pandora was a little disappointed, but she understood.
"Okay!" she smiled "I'll just keep myself warm till you're ready!" she patted Kemeko's back then skipped over to some wooden dummies to practice her punching and slashing with her claws.
"Nice work there, kids!" Michelangelo cheered and Donatello agreed as he clapped.
Raphael walked over to his daughter and stood before her as she slashed and punched the wooden dummies.
"I'm really pleased to see that you're passing on knowledge to your younger cousin about what she will face when she reaches your age!" he said with a knowing smile.
Pandora stopped slashing and looked up at her father.
"Oh for sure dad!" she said "As much as I love danger and showing off in fighting, I'm not one to take it lightly and I want to make sure Kemeko is prepared for what I face every time I go topside with you!"
Raphael nodded and smirked.
"I'm glad to hear that!" he said "anyway, if you still got some energy left, you want to spar with me?"
"Okay dad!" Pandora grinned, her eyes lighting up and she clawed her hands "Ready to be trounced?"
"Bring it kid!" Raphael smirked.
Monalisa shook her head and chuckled.
"They'll be at it for hours!" she laughed and turned to Donatello and Michelangelo who smiled at her.
"Shall we leave them to it?" she asked.
"Sure!" the two younger turtles said in unison.
"Who's up for a Wii game?" Michelangelo suggested "Mario Party?"
"Count me in!" Monalisa grinned.
"The loser has to wash up after dinner!" Donatello said.
"Deal!" Monalisa and Michelangelo said as they walked with the purple masked turtle to the TV area.
Leonardo continued to watch Kemeko as she did a few stretches and contortion moves to loosen herself up before she was ready to spar with Pandora again and at the same time, he looked to his older brother and niece who were sparring together.
Raphael was using his sai to fight against his daughter whilst Pandora had decided to use Mr Swinger and before long, they were putting up a good fight between them.
Splinter looked up at his eldest son and saw his look, the old rat was no fool when he knew what was troubling his children and he placed a hand on Leonardo's.
"I can sense your fears my son." He said, "But you know you must tell Kemeko the truth."
Leonardo nodded.
"Yes Sensei." He said, "I do plan to tell her, but when things are fully calm, I will, I just need the right moment, I'll arrange a good moment to tell her, I have all the things needed, the possessions Karai left me, and the messages she recorded."
"I know you can do it my son." Splinter said encouragingly patting Leonardo's paw "I know you can."
So the Mutopians have left New York and now Kemeko's Birthday celebrations are over, Leonardo needs to think about how to approach his adopted daughter with the truth.