Beyond the Sewers || TMNT

Chapter Two

After training, the six turtles and their father sat, eating a meal together, consisting of algae and worms. Leo, Raph, Cat and Splinter ate with no complaints, but Mari and Donnie kept picking at their food, disgusted. Mikey, their chef, was at the pot, stirring up the rest of its contents.

"There's a little more algae and worms left if anyone wants it," Mikey said, still stirring. He held up the pot in front of his siblings and sensei. "Anybody? Anybody?" he questioned eagerly.

"No thanks," Leo said hurriedly.

"I'm good," Raph claimed.

"Ew, gross," was all Mari said.

"All yours." That was Donnie.

"I'll pass," says Cat

"Well, I guess no one left room for," Mikey paused for dramatic effect, wearing a wide grin on his face. "...cake!" he exclaimed, holding up the cake that was previously behind his hands and placed it in front of his siblings, who wore astounding expressions plastered to their faces.

"Whoa!" the other five - Leo, Raph, Mari, Donnie and Cat — said.

"It is a cake!" Donnie gasped.

"Made of...algae," Raph pointed out.

"And worms," Mari added blankly.

"Ooh! Ohh!" Cat raised her hand excitedly, wearing a happy grin. "What's the frosting made out of?"

"You don't wanna know," Mikey said, pulling the cake back slightly. Then he brightened up. "Happy Mutation Day!"

"Happy Mutation Day!" Leo, Raph, Mari, Donnie and Cat yelled back happily.

"Ah, yes," Splinter finally spoke up. "Fifteen years ago today, our lives changed forever and we became the unlikeliest of families."

"Tell us the story, Master Splinter," Mikey said with a soft smile.

"Oh, yes, please!" Cat squealed. "It's my favorite story ever!"

"Michelangelo, Caterina," Splinter looked at them, "I have already told it many times."

"Please! Pleeeease!" Mikey and Cat begged in unison, clasping their hands together pleadingly. Cat even gave him the adorable little eyes, that only sometimes work. She wasn't sure how she couldn't get away with more things. Her siblings and father must be cute blind, as opposed to color blind.

With each hand, Raph covered his younger siblings mouths, stopping their pleading. "Please," Raph said, exasperated. "It's the only way to shut Mikey and Cat up."

Cat licked Raph's hand and, being disgusted, he whacked her head.

Splinter pretended not to notice. "Ah, very well," he gave in. "Many years ago, when I was still human, I was leaving the pet store with six baby turtles."

"That was us?" Mikey questioned.

"Yes. Don't interrupt!" Splinter said. "I passed a strange man on the street. Something felt off about him. I decided to follow." He told the rest of the story, everyone listening transfixed. "That was the beginning of our life together. It was the mysterious substance in this canister that, in a way, gave birth to us all." He held up the very canister that he was talking about.

"Mom," Mikey said, hugging the canister. Everyone looked at him weirdly, except for Cat, who nodded eagerly.

"So sensei, now that we're fifteen," Leo started. "I think we're finally ready to go up to the surface, don't you?

"Yes," Splinter said, much to everyone's delight. They began celebrating, but their hopes were dashed when he said, "and no."

"Oh, man, come on," Mikey says.

"Lame," Leo muttered.

"Way to get our hopes up." Mari scoffed.

"I hate when he does that," Raph said.

Donnie and Cat merely groaned.

"You have grown powerful, but you are still young," Splinter continued. "You lack the maturity to use your skills wisely."

"So, sensei, isn't that just no?" Donnie asked.

"Yes..." Splinter paused, "and no. Wisdom comes from experience and experience comes from making mistakes."

"Aha!" Donnie exclaimed. "So in order for us to gain the wisdom, we have to make the mistakes. So we can go."

"No," Splinter said.

"And yes?" Mari asked hopefully.

"No!" Splinter yelled.

"Oh..." Donnie and Mari both muttered.

"Sensei," Leo said, "we know you're trying to protect us, but we can't spend our whole lives hiding down here."

"For once, Leo is right," Mari said, causing Leo to glare at her for only a second.

Splinter sighed and looked down, only to see all six of his children out of their seats and onto their knees, giving him the pleading eyes "Mm," Splinter stroked his beard. "You may go tonight," he finally decided.

Everyone cheered.

"High three!" Mikey yelled out, and everyone, except for Mari who rudely declined, obliged.

That night, Leo was watching television.

"Gentleman, I have a bold and daring plan. There's no time for hesitation. My orders must be carried out without question!" Leo said, speaking at the same time as Captain Ryan from his favorite TV show. He even had the same pose.

"Aye, sir!"

"You know this show is stupid, right?" Raph asked from behind his comic.

Mari, who sat next to him, with a book, set it down and said, "Now that's factual."

"Space Heroes is a great show and Captain Ryan is a great hero," Leo told his younger siblings. "Someday, I am gonna be just like him."

"Well, you do like to hear yourself talk, so you're on your way," Cat teases with a light giggle. She stood on all fours, her sister, Mari, and her brother, Raph, using her as a place to rest their feet. They said that she would be a good sister if she allowed them to do so. But she was really starting to regret doing so. At least she'll have sister of the year award, right?

"It's go time!" Mikey said, as he and Donnie came out.

They all made sure they had their weapons, and stood in front of Master Splinter.

"You are going up to a strange and hostile world. You must maintain awareness at all times," Splinter said, walking back and forth in front of his sons and daughters.

"Aye, sensei!" the six said, preparing to leave.

"Stay in the shadows," Splinter said, stopping in one place.

"Aye, sensei!" they said, ready to leave again.

"Don't talk to strangers," Splinter stopped them again.

"Aye, sensei!" the turtles said blankly, about to leave.

"Everyone is a stranger," Splinter quickly added.

"Aye, sensei!" The turtles, even Cat, was starting to get annoyed now.

"Make sure you go before you leave," Splinter said. "The restrooms up there are filthy."

"Sensei!" they protested.

"Are we able to leave now?" Mari said with an agitated groan.

"Yes." Splinter nodded. "Good luck, my children."

"I am so pumped!" "Surface time!" "This is awesome" Oh, this is gonna be epic!" "Finally!" they all said respectfully at the same time, running off, not even staying to hear the last things their sensei yelled out at them.

"Look both ways before crossing the street!"