Chapter Sixteen
I'll be ready….
A Little while later, everyone was gathered at the kitchen table as they prepared to eat supper.
That is, all but Kemeko, since hearing the news, the human Asian girl had refused to leave her room, even though Pandora had gone to call her to dinner, her cousin/honoured sister refused to open her door or acknowledge her which worried the young hybrid.
When she had arrived at the kitchen/diner, she told her parents, uncles and grandfather and they were saddened as well as worried.
Splinter then suggested that she take some food up to Kemeko's room so that she didn't go hungry.
Pandora agreed and had taken a tray of food up to her bedroom which included some fried fish, potatoes, and a side salad as well as a chocolate pudding and a drink.
She had knocked on the door to inform Kemeko but again got no answer, so she left the food outside the door and reminded her it was there before returning to the table.
All through the meal, no-one said a word, and the only sounds heard were chewing and slurping.
Michelangelo never once made a joke or even attempted to start a conversation.
Leonardo stared at his food and pushed it around on his plate, he was so worried about Kemeko he had practically lost his appetite.
The other turtles, Monalisa, Pandora and Splinter just ate and drank in silence.
The hybrid looked to the entrance of the diner and thought again about Kemeko and wondered how she was.
"Don't keep all the hurt to yourself Kem." She thought "It's not good for you! Please….if you'll let me, I'll talk to you, and you can let out your woes, I'm here for you, I promise."
Meanwhile, Kemeko was still in her room, she had seen the tray of food that Pandora had left for her, but she wasn't hungry, she was so angry and upset as well as heartbroken.
She had laid on the bed and cried for a long time, refusing to answer the door when she heard her cousin calling for her.
After a while, she decided that she couldn't relax, and she needed to expel some of this anger and sadness within her.
The Asian girl knew the best way was to go to the dojo/gym, where she had often seen Pandora and Raphael taking out their anger on the sandbag.
Getting up from her bed and picking up her weapons, Kemeko crept out of her bedroom, she knew the rest of the family were in the kitchen having supper and they wouldn't be out for a while.
Stealthily as she could, as she had been taught how to by her father, Uncles, Aunt, and Grandfather, she slipped into the dojo.
There she could see all the gym equipment, Mona's plum flower poles, the wooden blocks as well as some targets for archery and ninja star throwing practice.
Kemeko looked around the room and she soon came to the sandbag her Uncle Raphael loved to punch and beat up.
She did a few stretches then she faced the punch bag and started to punch and kick it.
Each time she did, she thought about what she had learnt from Leonardo.
"Why?" she asked herself over and over "Why?"
She punched, she kicked and she even headbutted the bag, as she did, she imagined it being the Foot Soldiers, and the Shredder, she fantasised making them pay for what they did, killing her real parents and leaving her an orphan.
"How could he?" she asked herself "How could Shredder do that to his daughter? He was supposed to love her! Like any father is supposed to! Why did he do it? Why!?"
All these questions ran through the girl's head, but she found no answers, and it frustrated her to no end.
As Kemeko punched and kicked the sandbag, she grunted and growled and sweat dripped from her forehead and soaked her ebony hair.
She was so angry, she was so hurt, she wanted to wake up from this bad dream, but she knew it was impossible.
It was all real, and there was no denying it.
"Why?" she gasped as she punched and kicked the bag with all her strength yet no matter how hard she hit, or how fast she moved, she couldn't get this anger and frustration out of her body, she then began to scream as she punched and kicked the bag.
"Fuck it!" she yelled "Fuck it! Fuck it! Fuck it all!"
Meanwhile, as the Asian girls screamed and shouted as she punched the bag, her voice had attracted the attentions of her family and they hurried from the Kitchen Diner and saw her in the dojo/gym beating the crap out of the sandbag.
Leonardo lowered his head in sadness as he watched, and Splinter placed a hand on his shoulder.
As well as feel sad for his daughter, the blue masked turtle also felt a connection with Kemeko over what he was observing, as he remembered feeling the same angry and frightened feelings many years ago when he and his family had fought the Shredder for the last time before he was blasted into space, and he was stabbed by Karai.
He could see himself at that time reflected in Kemeko, and he was praying to the powers that be that it wasn't going to happen to her, that she would snap and do something she regretted, just like he had.
Raphael also noticed his older brother's discomfort and he placed a hand on his in comfort.
Michelangelo and Donatello had also felt the same fear as they watched, and they too looked at Leonardo remembering very well that stressful and scary time.
Pandora meanwhile watched Kemeko, and she wanted to go over and comfort her cousin.
She looked up at Monalisa who looked down at her, the two females exchanged looks and Monalisa saw in Pandora's eyes what she wanted to do, and she silently gave her blessing before the hybrid slowly walked into the dojo.
Raphael watched his daughter, and the other turtles and Splinter crossed their fingers as well as backed away from the entrance.
As Pandora entered the dojo, Kemeko had kicked and punched the sandbag so much that her knuckles as well as the tops of her feet were bruised, and tears were pouring from her eyes mixing with her sweat and her hair was sticking to her face.
Pandora walked over and held out her hand to her cousin/honoured sister.
As she did so, Kemeko stopped attacking the sandbag and she collapsed onto her knees and began to sob, heartbroken.
Pandora stepped closer and she gently touched Kemeko's shoulder, yet the human Asian girl didn't move.
"Kem?" she asked.
Kemeko didn't answer but just continued to sob.
"Kemi." Pandora repeated "if you don't want to talk that's okay, but just know I'm here, I'm here to listen, okay?"
Kemeko looked up at Pandora.
"It's not good to hold anything in!" Pandora reminded her cousin "It'll do more harm than good! Please! Just let it out!"
Kemeko sniffled and hiccupped.
She took a few deep breaths then she glared.
"He killed my parents…" she whispered, "He killed them…He took them away!"
"What?" Pandora asked.
"Shredder!" Kemeko replied "He killed my parents! He killed his own daughter and son-in-law!"
Pandora blinked and shook her head.
"HE FUCKING KILLED THEM!" Kemeko screamed making Pandora jump and the grown-ups watching from the doorway also recoiled in shock.
"Oh shit…" Raphael murmured.
Leonardo just lowered his head more and tears fell to which both Splinter and Raphael grasped his hands to support him.
Michelangelo looked at Donatello and Monalisa.
"It's a Godsend Pandora's there to support Kemeko." He spoke.
"Indeed yes." Donatello agreed.
"Pandora is indeed reckless, impulsive and maybe rather rude and cocky, but she does know when to be serious and be there for those when they need comfort." Monalisa said "I'm so proud of her."
"Likewise, hun." Raphael said as he comforted Leonardo.
Kemeko clawed her hands as she sobbed.
"Why Pandora?" she asked "Why? Why, why, why!?"
Pandora wasn't sure how to answer her cousin, but she just pulled Kemeko into a hug and held her close.
"I don't know Kem." She said, "I got no answers, but just know I'm here for you, alright?"
Kemeko nodded and hugged Pandora back tightly, grateful for her support.
"Just cry Kem." Pandora whispered "Just cry….you need it…"
As the hybrid hugged her cousin, she started to hum the tune to Eva Cassidy's 'Time After Time' to soothe her, the lullaby her mother sang to her and Kemeko as well as soothed them with when they were upset.
Kemeko's sobs soon ceased as she hugged Pandora and listened to her humming, but she still felt angry inside.
"Shredder…." She thought to herself "You evil creature…. you killed my parents…. I hope you and I meet…. because when we do…I'll be ready…. when we meet…I will make you pay! I promise you!"
She gripped Pandora tightly and sobbed into her lap, all the while, the Hybrid let her sob and stroked her hair.
"Shredder will pay…all of the Foot will pay for taking away my mother and father!"
Poor Kemeko, the pain, the anger and the betrayal she must be feeling.
I have to admit I got inspiration from the film 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban' when I wrote this chapter, one of mine and my younger brother's favouraites in the Harry Potter series!
Also, I'm sure a few of you saw references to 'The Ancient One' episode from TMNT 2003!