Note: The Characters Tyroth, Sephie, Loki, Freya and Sonia belong to Tyroth Darkstorm, also there are references to my fanfic 'A Father's Lament' in this chapter, you can find the fanfic on my page.
Chapter Fourteen
Getting it off my Chest
A little while later, Leonardo sat in his room staring at his laptop computer.
He had not long sent a message to Tyroth to inform him of what had taken place.
After he had collapsed in his sensei's arms and cried into his lap after telling Kemeko the truth, he had been comforted by his brothers and by Monalisa and they had just held each other in silence.
Then they had coaxed him to the sofa and gave him some tea to calm his nerves and they asked him what had happened.
It was then through sobs, Leonardo told them everything and how Kemeko had taken the news.
Splinter also confirmed what Leonardo said was true and the other turtles and Monalisa was saddened but they weren't surprised that Kemeko would react that way.
Monalisa only knew too well how she had reacted when she had reunited with her brothers nine years ago and Jake had informed her of her mother's death from Cancer as well as a broken heart at her disappearance, and it had hit her like a ton of bricks.
To be given such hard hitting news, it was enough to shock anyone to the core and she could only imagine how Kemeko was feeling.
But she told her adopted older brother he had done the right thing, that he had told the truth, and that Karai and Chaplin would be so proud of him.
The other turtles and Splinter agreed whole heartedly and said he was very brave for doing so.
Leonardo had listened to them, and he tried to tell himself the same, but he still felt dreadful and wondered if his relationship with Kemeko would be affected badly because of what had occurred.
He loved his adopted daughter so much; he loved her more than life itself and he would willingly give his life for her, just as Karai had done.
After a few minutes, a buzzing came from Leonardo's phone and the blue masked turtle almost jumped out of his shell.
Looking at it, he saw it was Tyroth who had responded to his message saying he was ready to speak.
Leonardo looked at his computer and activated Skype and before long, Tyroth's face appeared on the screen.
"Hey Leo!" Tyroth said, his face serious and his voice soft "I understand you needed to talk to me, and it was about Kemeko."
Leonardo nodded.
"Am I correct to guess that you had the talk with her?"
Leonardo again nodded silently as tears fell from his eyes.
"By Odin…" Tyroth sighed "I can only imagine what happened."
"You don't know the half of it, Big T." Leonardo choked "It was the hardest thing I had to do…But I knew I had to…. Karai made me promise."
"And you did the right thing!" Tyroth said firmly "You told that beautiful girl the truth! It would have been worse if she had heard it from someone else…"
Leonardo sucked in a breath, and he lowered his head clenching his fists, and it was then Tyroth saw the turtle's demeaner and he gasped.
"Wait a minute…." He said then realised that he had not heard the full story of what had happened.
"How?" he asked as Leonardo looked up at him through the computer screen.
It was then that Leonardo told him about taking Kemeko on her first patrol topside and how things had gone well to start with and how they had managed to fight some small time Purple Dragons but were then confronted by Foot Ninja.
He didn't tell Tyroth that the Ninja were doppelgängers of Arashi and Dr Arden, only that they were ambushed and one of them that had attacked Kemeko had let slip about Karai and how Kemeko matched her looks and fighting style.
At once, the colour drained from Tyroth's face as he listened.
"Oh, hell no…" he said.
Leonardo nodded.
"I had to tell Kemeko everything, why those ninjas knew her mother and father, she was so shocked, I've never seen her so upset, it was like she had been stabbed through the chest…. like her heart was ripped out….and I caused it!"
Leonardo clenched his fists harder.
"I've hurt her, I've broken her heart! But I had to tell the truth!"
"Leo!"
"I've hurt her so much, all because I told the truth…. now she hates me…she wouldn't let me touch her, comfort her, or anything!"
"Leonardo!"
"I did it out of love! I love her! I love her so much! That's why I told the truth!"
"LEONARDO!"
Tyroth's bellowing voice through the computer made the turtle look up with tear filled eyes and he looked at his friend who glared at him through the screen, both with serious but compassionate eyes.
"Listen to me Leonardo! And listen well! Do you remember when you first came to Mutopia with Kemeko, and you told me everything that happened and how you feared telling her the truth?"
Flashback
Leonardo sat on his bed cradling baby Kemeko in his arms as he told Tyroth everything that had transpired that brought him and Kemeko together, the return of the Shredder and Karai coming to them for help and giving birth to Kemeko and then the battle against the Shredder that cost Karai her life, and how Karai as she lay dying had made Leonardo promise to look after Kemeko as well as tell her the truth about her origins.
"There's another thing I'm worried about as well." Leonardo admitted.
"What?" asked Tyroth.
"When it would be best to explain to Kemeko about her true heritage." Leonardo said, "She will one day ask why she's not like me or the others, as we're mutants and she is human, she'll know she was not born of us, but born human."
Tyroth bit his lip worried, it was true, seeing Kemeko, she would want to know many answers to questions she might have.
"Karai said she didn't want me to lie to Kemeko, but to tell her the whole truth and nothing but the truth about her link to the Shredder, and the Foot." Leonardo said, "And I promised on my honour I would, but I'm scared of how I can tell her, and how she'll take it."
Tyroth shook his head, that was a tough question.
"I fear she'll hate me." Leonardo said, "She'll feel anger, or she'll even hate herself because she's related to the Shredder, if not by Blood but by connection by her parents before her, she might even feel scared that she'll turn out like Shredder."
"That will never happen!" Tyroth interrupted "and that's a fact! She'll never turn into the Shredder, not as long as you are there to guide her! Not just you, but your brothers, adopted sister, your sensei, and me! Along with the rest of Mutopia and April and Casey!"
Leonardo agreed but he still felt worried.
"I'm still scared." he said "Kemeko will one day find out the truth, but will she be able to understand? Or take the blow, when is a good time? When will she be old enough to understand?"
"I can't answer that for you Leo." said Tyroth, "But I do know this, you'll find out in your own way, when the time is right, you will know that you will be able to tell her everything she needs to know, yes it might be hard to stomach, even I find it hard to stomach and I'm not Kemeko."
Leonardo sighed.
"Listen Leo." Tyroth soothed placing a large hand on the blue masked turtle's shoulder, "You can't start worrying about things that haven't happened yet, you can plan what to do when the time comes, you can't keep worrying about it. I'm sure Raph and Mona have a few things to tell Pandora, and Mona will want to tell Pandora about her past, and her human family, and so will Sephie and I about our pasts when the twins are old enough to understand."
Leonardo looked at Kemeko.
"I suppose you're right Tyroth." he said, "I can't keep worrying about the future, whatever will be, will be."
End Flashback
"I know she feels anger as well as hurt right now." Tyroth soothed, "But trust me when I say, I'm sure she's not angry at you, just angry at the situation, it will take a while, but she will come around and she will thank you for telling her the truth."
Tyroth took a few breaths.
"Listen, do you want me to talk to Sephie? Maybe she could speak to Kemeko? You know how good she is at getting people to open up about her feelings, especially given her passion to be a counsellor?"
Leonardo sighed.
"I don't know T." he said "But I will keep it in mind, given how good Sephie is, after all, she did help Mona, and Diablo before he went rogue…" he winced as he mentioned the Mutopian Traitor's name.
"Sorry…" he said in a guilty tone.
"It's alright." Tyroth quickly assured his friend.
"Anyway, if you need someone to speak to on a professional level, whether it be you, or Kemeko, then I will get Sephie to help, okay?"
"Thank you, T." Leonardo said, "I can't tell you how much that helps!"
"Anytime Leo." Tyroth said "And as I said before, we are here to support you, and I will tell you true, Kemeko may feel angry and hurt, but she will be grateful to know the truth, she will come around, she could never hate you, especially with how well you have raised her, and taught her the path of honour, love, courage and family!"
Leonardo sighed and lowered his head.
"I hope so T." he said, "I hope so…."
Meanwhile in Mutopia, unknown to Tyroth, his youngest son Loki had been walking past his parent's room looking for his dad and he saw him sitting at the desk in their room talking to Leonardo and heard him talking.
The young Geckoling paused as he hovered outside the door, and he peeked through the crack in the door.
As he listened, he only picked up a few words, but he did realise how serious the conversation was.
As he listened Loki heard Leonardo's lament about what he had spoken to Kemeko about her family and her connections with the Foot and the Shredder.
"Oh, no way!" he thought "Kemeko is the Granddaughter of the Shredder? The ruthless leader of the evil Foot Clan? The One we've heard so many horror stories of?!"
He quickly stepped away from the door and stood against the wall as he tried to think clearly as well as wonder if what he heard was true.
The teenage Geckoling waited by the door and continued to listen, as much as he knew it was wrong to listen in on people's private conversations, this was too important to ignore, and he wanted to know more.
After five minutes, Loki heard his father finish the conversation with Leonardo and he heard the dragon stand up, so he felt it was best to leave the area as quick as he could.
As he fled the residential area he headed to Sonia's playroom, he couldn't wait to tell his twin sister Freya as well as his cousin Sonia what he heard.
So Leonardo had told Tyroth what has happened, and the Dragon has told him he did the right thing is there to support him.
Yet the Dragon's son Loki has evesdropped on the conversation and is off to tell his twin sister and older cousin! Opps!