Beyond the Sewers || TMNT

Chapter Four

"And so your inability to work together allowed them all to get away," Splinter said angrily, his six children sitting in front of him with lowered heads. Mari wasn't sure why they decided to tell Splinter about the mistakes that were made that night.

"It's not my fault!" Mari said, glaring at Raph. "He's the one that bumped into me."

"Well, maybe if I didn't have to waste time arguing with hero boy, I could've saved them," Raph said, referring to Leo.

"Well, if Cat hasn't gotten in my way, I could've done it," Leo said.

Cat pouted. "Well, maybe if Donnie watched where he was pointing that thing!" she said, pointing at her brother's staff. "Oh, and going off by yourself wasn't such a smart idea!" She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Well, it would've worked out great if somebody hadn't hit me in the head with their nunchucks!" Donnie glared at Mikey.

"Well, none of this would've happened if..." Mikey looked to his right, only to realize that there was no one else to blame, "somebody hadn't trusted us to go up there in the first place!" Everyone gasped at what Mikey was implying and Mikey was instantly filled with regret and dread. "Oh, geez. Sensei, I didn't mean to—"

"No, Michelangelo. You are right," Splinter interrupted.

"I am?" Mikey asked.

"He is?" Leo, Raph, Mari and Donnie questioned in disbelief, while Cat only voiced the same question in confusion.

"You were not fully prepared for what was up there," Splinter told them. "I trained you to fight as individuals, not as a team. And as your teacher, your father, the responsibility for that is mine. Perhaps in another year we can try again."

"Another year? Ha!" Donnie said in disbelief. "Has everybody forgotten that people were kidnapped? They don't have a year! sensei, we have to do something now! You weren't there, sensei. You didn't see the way that girl looked into my eyes. She was scared. And she was counting on me—" His siblings glared at him, "—us to save her!"

Splinter thought about what Donnie said. He turned around and gazed in the picture frame of the family he once had, remembering the tragedy that had befallen him all those years ago. "Yes, you must save her," he finally decided.

"I agree, sensei," Leo said. "But in that fight, we weren't exactly a well-oiled machine."

"Like that robot—" Mikey started.

"—with the brain thingy," Cat finished.

"Give it a rest!" Raph snapped.

"And never finish each other sentences ever again," Mari shuddered.

"Hmm," Splinter wondered, stroking his beard. "If you are to fight more effectively as a unit, you are going to need a leader."

"Can I be the leader?" Leo asked.

"Why should you be the leader?" Raph questioned. "I kicked your butt. I should be the leader."

"And I kicked your butt, so I should be leader!" Mari said.

"Hey, I'm smarter than all you guys put together. It should be me," Donnie said.

"No way!" Mikey protested. "It should be me!" Everyone looked at him strangely and so he said, "I don't really have a reason. I just think it would be neat."

"Ooh, I wanna be leader!" Cat said. Once again, everyone looked at another of their siblings strangely. "Unlike Mikey, I have a reason! Cuz I'm super adorable." She let out a giggle in the end.

"God, help us if she's leader," Raph muttered.

"This is a difficult decision," Splinter said, going over to his room. "I will meditate on it." He closed the door, but then opened it a second later. "It's Leonardo."