Book 2: HomeFront

Stand and Deliver

 Leonardo sat patiently outside with his brothers. Master Splinter requested that he leave so he may speak with the girls. It could have been so he would hear something he shouldn't and get worked up about it, or just so the girls would be more comfortable speaking to their adoptive father respectively. They paused the movie, along with the reckless noise with it so the three inside could talk. That, and possibly catch some words with a little bit of eavesdropping. Michelangelo would try to force his ear to pick up the smallest of sounds behind a far away wall, but only barely with the held in breaths of all four of the brothers could he pick up a measly word that meant nothing to him. Donatello had begged for the young turtle to give up, but Mikey always wanted to be the spy.

Then, they heard the call.

"Leonardo." Their father's faltering voice hit the blue clad turtle as he immediately shot up from the couch and headed towards his sensei's quarters. Not far behind did his brothers follow, but a no-look, raise of his hand stop them in their tracks as he continued his way down. Leonardo felt his heart lighten up when he entered the room. The three inside turned to him quickly, smiles plastered on all faces. He approached Splinter cautiously as he waited to hear the verdict.

"If you truly wish to excel, I will appoint you a new sensei." Wait. What?

"A new sensei?" Leonardo spoke slowly. His head depreciated as his eyes dilated to incredible size. Foe all of his life, he knew he would only learn from his father, who, at the time, was the only person he could actually learn from. Now, after all the new events that have happened so quickly, he was going to meet someone completely different. They probably have different ways of teaching. Maybe they're nicer, or worse, stricter than Master Splinter? His years of retaining a great relationship with his sensei had finally run out in exchange to earn the same appreciation with an authentic, Japanese human instructor. Venus put an arm around his shoulder, smiling as she enjoyed his look of disbelief. Wanting to snap him out of it, Mona gripped his chin delicately and pulled it up. He blinked his eyes a couple times as she directed his face towards hers. Her soft studying and reassurance in her brown doe-like eyes soothed him as she spoke.

"She's a kunoichi, but will serve you well as a ninjitsu master."

"You are going to be sent to China to seek help from her." Splinter announced. The leader briefly shook his head, putting a hand to the side of it.

"I'm going to China?" He turned to Venus, who still had an arm around him. Her head nodded sweetly. "I'm going to China." He said quieter, accepting their solution.

"How will I know where to find her? Send me a map or something but, let's be serious. I'm gonna be way out of my element." Leonardo joked partially. Venus let her hand slip off of him. She turned towards him, swinging her body to one side with her hand on her hip. Her light blue bandana head cocked to the side in the cutest way.

"Well, no one said you were going alone."

"So," he turned to Splinter, letting a small smile form in his lips. "Mikey, Donnie, and Raph are coming too?" he asked excitedly. Never had he gone with his brothers somewhere far by themselves and definitely not out of the country. Yet, his sensei shook his head.

"No. Your brothers will stay." The smile that Leonardo was working on faded quicker than it came.

"But you just said-."

"The girls will be escorting you to their home." Splinter interrupted. The sleeve of his robe extended towards the two reptilian girls before them. One of them showed their appreciation towards their sensei comically a twist of the braids and an involuntary brush of the hand down their forearm; the other smiled briefly, but it wasn't as assuring as the reactions from the turtle girl. Both Leonardo and the elderly rat got a kick out of her "nonchalant" motions. "This is a wonderful leadership opportunity for you. The full responsibility of your brothers will not be on your shoulders as you take this time to rely only on yourself and train with the best. Then, and only then, will you return as their leader and new teacher." Teacher, he said teacher, Leo was thinking.

"Really, sensei?" Leo asked in incredulity.

"Really."

Astonished, or better yet, overjoyed that he may train with the best of ninjitsu, Leonardo couldn't think of a better way to thank his father and adopted sisters than to shower them with warm "thank you"'s followed by a hug that was meant to pop their eyeballs out of their sockets, but his better self refrained him from doing so. The receivers returned his appreciation in a hug.

"It will be so nice to see home again." Venus commented as Leonardo let her go out of his hug. Mona Lisa shrugged.

"Yeah." She replied without reserve.

"You don't sound very excited." The room became silent. The lizard lady folded her arms into herself and rocked side to side.

"I love home, I really do but-." She cut herself off, thinking of a better way of putting her point. "I don't think going back will be good for me."

"But, you... wanted to go months ago." The room became silent again. Leonardo wanted to take back bringing up the sensitive subject from earlier. That fight got too heated too fast and eventually broke the two sisters. Of course, they have patched up and mended their relationship, but Leonardo wouldn't want to risk it by scratching the surface. Instead of relying on that past piece of information, they avoided it altogether.

"I just can't, okay." Mona lifted her head up high. "Going back to that house, seeing the sights and such might bring back some memories." She toyed with her bottom lip, holding back bits that she didn't want to enter their discussion. "Memories I'd rather forget." Mona admitted sullenly. Then, her expression lightened up and her arms unfolded. "Besides, you're capable of handling yourself. I trust you to go back and help Leonardo." She placed a webbed hand on her little sister's freckled shoulder. Venus looked down at it and back to the brown eyes of her sister in amazement.

"Are you really letting me do this on my own?" She asked eagerly. Mona Lisa bobbed her head up and down. Her smile grew bigger in amusement to her sister's reaction as the turtle squeezed her tight. She felt as if she had given her sister the biggest gift she's ever received from her.

"Of course I'll come if you'd need me, but until I get it, I trust you will come back here in one piece." Finishing, Mona's gaze went from her sister to Leonardo. She raised her brow at him, warning him to look out for her or he'll come home to a vengeful older sister. Catching her intentions, Leonardo nodded and put both of his hands up to his chest in surrender that he acknowledged her threat and accepted it. When he did, Mona lowered her brow and looked back to her sister who removed herself from her body.

"Thank you."

"So," The two broke their little "love fest" and turned to Leonardo, who took a sneaking step towards them his hands behind his shell. "Do I get to know her name?" He meant the name of his new sensei. Venus nodded.

"Her name is Hamato Miwa."