Fire In Her Eyes (A TMNT Story)

I Toy With A Couple Of Dangerous Weapons

Sitting in criss-crossed positions, the turtles and I are placed next to each other in the middle of the dojo, waiting for our Master's instructions. After the turtles' daily four hour training session, Splinter had called me in the dojo to join them for what he called a special occasion. I just hoped it wasn't another one-on-one with one of the turtles again.

My middle finger anxiously taps on my right knee in anticipation as the rat ninjutsu teacher slowly paces around the rugs on the floor, his hands rubbing his chin beard in deep thought. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of waiting, Splinter turns to us with his hands behind his back.

"Andrea, you have been doing remarkably well these past few weeks. Not only in your ninjutsu training but in your pyrokinesis as well," he says, proudly with a smile.

I return the smile, grinning at him. "Thank you, Master Splinter."

"In response to your progress, I have decided that now is a good time to give you a weapon."

My eyes light up in surprise. "Really?"

Splinter nods.

"But don't I have to be a fully fledged ninja before I get a weapon?"

"Not officially. You only have to skilled enough to wield one correctly, and I believe you more than capable," Splinter explains. "Besides, April was right around where you are before I gave her a weapon."

"Hm, that makes sense. So, what do I get?"

Splinter gestures for me to follow him as he makes his way to the back of the room. I look at the turtles for affirmation— Leo nods in approval; Donnie makes a head gesture to follow Splinter; Raph has is arms crossed, rolling his eyes, seemingly uninterested in any of this; Mikey gives me a thumbs up, grinning from ear to ear. I smile at their support and follow Splinter to the back of the dojo, where he leads me to a wooden closet. 

"In my many years in ninjutzu, I have learned that the weapon often chooses you just as much as you choose the weapon," he informs me.

I tilt my head to the side in questioning. "You mean like the wands in Harry Potter?"

Spinter smirks over his shoulder. "Precisely," he says before opening the closet doors revealing the numerous items of weaponry hanging in the closet. There were all different kinds of swords, knives, axes and many other weapons that I have never seen before.

"Whoa," I marvel at the display of ancient Japanese weaponry laying before me. "And I get to choose any of them?"

"Take your pick," Splinter says, motioning towards the closet.

Slowly eyeing all the various options of equipment I had in front of me, my hand extends toward a long pole with a sharp curved blade with long ridges at the end. 

"Ah, the ko-naginata— a very common weapon among women warriors," Splinter details as I grab the pole and take it into my hands. "Smaller and much faster than the a usual naginata. How does it feel?"

I weigh it in my hands. "Alright."

"Why don't you try it out?" Splinter suggests. I hold up the pole weapon in a ready stance.

"Don't hurt yourself," I hear Raph snark before Leo elbows him. I try to ignore him while trying a couple of swings with the staff blade. It didn't feel right. I give a few more awkward jabs to the air before the end of the pole gets caught between my legs and I stumble forward. Splinter catches me by the back of my shirt before I can hit the ground with one hand while also grabbing the spear with the other.

"Hehe," I nervously laugh as Splinter pulls me to my feet. "Sorry."

"Perhaps we should try a more close quarters weapon," Splinter says to me, putting back the naginata and picking up a pair of daggers and handing them to me.