A Turtles Last Secret (TMNT book 3)

Rat King's Splinter

“See?” Rat King smiled. His teeth were all knocked out of place, so it was really creepy. “I have control over your Sensei. And now that I do, I will be unstoppable!”

Sophie whispered, I think to herself, “Except you’ll have to face Shredder… That’ll be your own issue.”

Rat King continued anyway, “He can be my eyes, and my protector.”

Leo stood up, “Sensei would never want that!” he looked at Splinter. “Please, Sensei, come back.” Nothing, not even a whisker twitch from Splinter, until Leo added, “Father, please.”

“Well that’s a little new…” Sophie muttered. I nodded.

Splinter shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. His eyes opened and they looked normal, but then Rat King unveiled his own eyes. I shuddered. Never again will I look at Naomi’s unreadable eyes again, because those were just creepy! With a blink, Splinter’s eyes had gone from amber to red.

“All right, guys,” Leo breathed. “Time to take down Splinter. And without hesitation.”

“Where’s Naomi when you need her?” I asked myself. “She could be a little helpful.”

As Splinter got out his own Katana, we all got out our weapons, not really wanting to fight Splinter. Maybe Naomi was right about training for the future… I just realized that she can become a fortune cookie or something.

We all ran at Splinter, but he jumped, going behind us. He quickly grabbed hold of Mikey’s nun chucks and sent him flying. Raph and I separated on either side of him, slashing out with our weapons.

He grabbed Raph’s Sais and then parried my swords with his own. With a flick of a wrist, my sword was yanked from my hands and Raph sent flying. Before I could get my other sword out, he had jumped and kicked me away.

“Ow…” I muttered, rubbing my head. Looking down, I saw Leo, Donnie, and Sophie all get similar tosses, only in different areas. Sophie was thrown at me and I had to avoid her.

Donnie got up using his staff, “I just have a horrible realization. Sensei’s been going easy on us all these years!”

“Thanks for the comforting thought, Donnie!” Sophie growled as she got up. “Now how do we stop a master at ninjitsu? There’s six of us and the best one isn’t even here.”

“I don’t know.” I sighed, grabbing my other sword. “Hopefully he’ll come to.”

“Well,” Sophie said. “We could always go after Rat King.”

“The worst nick name ever!” Mikey announced as he heard our conversation.

“Seems like a smart idea, but he’ll see it coming.” I breathed.

“No he won’t.” Sophie smirked. “He’s blind by the sound of it. You heard him say that Splinter would be his eyes. Let’s go get him.”

I looked at her, “Fine, but if we get Splintered, it’s your fault.”

“Really?” she asked as I jumped away. “‘Splintered’?” but she followed me anyway. Running toward the place where Rat King was at, we started to jump at him, but, sure enough, Splinter came from nowhere and knocked us away.

“Okay…” Sophie groaned under me. “My fault, then. We just got Splintered…”

“Oh, so now you agree with what I say.” I gasped, trying to get off her. I helped her up as Leo was trying to talk some sense into Splinter.

As Splinter hesitated, Leo called out, “Now, guys!” We took the signal and tackled the mutated rat. He looked disappointed. Leo kneeled down to him, “Please, Sensei, your sons need you.”

“What about daughters?” Sophie grunted, trying to hold him down with everyone else.

Without warning, Splinter jumped up, sending us all back against the wall. Mikey somehow landed beside me, and he got up before me, helping me up. Looking over, Splinter had the blade over Leo’s throat.

“Oh, sewer apples…” I breathed

“Leo!” I heard Sophie call from a different section.

Rat King started talking to Splinter using mind control or something, “Finish them. You are needed by me.”

“I am needed,” Splinter began in hypnotic voice before changing it to his usual voice. “With my sons!”

“Well,” I leaned back. “Splinter’s back for now.”

With a twist on his heel, Splinter ran at the Rat King with his blade ready. Instead of slashing out at him, he jabbed him in the stomach with two fingers, sending him back against the far wall.

“Sweet!” I heard Donnie breath out in relief.

We all gathered around Splinter.

Leo spoke first, “Are you okay, Sensei?”

Splinter nodded for the first time today, “Yes, my son.”

“Now what do we do about Rat King?” I asked, turning over to him sprawled on the ground. Before any of us could take a step toward him, a horde of rats ran over him, making him disappear before them. “Not creepy at all…”

“I think two other beings would be curious on how this worked out,” Sophie nodded. “April and Naomi.”

“I should apologize to April…” Splinter trailed off, already heading off toward the lair. We all followed him.

In the lair, Naomi was in the dojo with April. Splinter retreated in it with Leo. Both April and Splinter exchanged words back and forth before April left, leaving the way she always did. Then Leo and Splinter exchanged some words.

Bored, Mikey, me, Sophie, Raph, and Donnie appeared at the dojo entrance as Leo was being tossed through the air by Splinter. We avoided the flying Turtle.

Walking away, Splinter said, “But I have not taught you everything.”

“Well, we are still in learning…” Donnie muttered.

“That was fun.” Naomi grinned. “So, how’d it go?”