Love Never Lost

Rise of the Turtles: Part 2

Brooke's POV:

We are all at the table, Raph & I on the right, and Leo & Donnie on the left. Father sits at the head of the table, while Mikey is mixing something on the stove. Since we live in the underground of the city, there isn't much to eat. So, like any ninja, we have to adapt to our environment by eating whatever we can stomach. In our case, algae & worms is all we can find.

Mikey: "There's more algae and worms left if anyone wants it. Anybody? Anybody?"

Leo: "No thanks."

Me: "I'll pass!"

Raph: "I'm good!"

Donnie: "All yours."

Mikey: "Well, I guess no one left room for...cake!"

He turns to face us to reveal that he's holding a cake-like substance.

Turtles & I: "Whoa!"

Donnie: "It is a cake!"

Raph: "Made of...algae, and worms."

Leo: "What's the frosting made out of?"

Mikey: "You don't wanna know. Happy Mutation & Adoption Day!"

Turtles & I: "Happy Mutation & Adoption Day!"

Splinter: "Ah, yes. Fifteen years ago today, our lives changed forever. Eight years after that, we met Brooke, accepted her as one of us, and we became the unlikeliest of families."

Mikey then slides to our father's side to ask something of him.

Mikey: "Tell us the stories, Master Splinter."

Splinter: "Michelangelo, I have told you the story of how you and your brothers came to be."

Me: "Plus, you were there when Splinter took me in as his own & brought me here to meet all of you. For which, I am profoundly grateful, Father."

Father turns to me with a warm smile as he nods, before turning to face his youngest child.

Mikey: "Please! Pleeeease!"

Raph then leaps to Mikey's side as he covers his mouth while turning to face our father.

Raph: "Please. It's the only way to shut Mikey up."

Splinter: "Ah, very well. Many years ago, when I was still human, I was leaving the pet store with four baby turtles."

Mikey: "That was us?"

Splinter: "Yes. Don't interrupt! I passed a strange man on the street. Something felt off about him. I decided to follow. A fight soon began between me and my supposed enemy. In the scuffle, a can of glowing, green ooze called mutagen shattered and covered the five of us. This morphed you four into what you are today, while I became the rat I am today. 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."

Splinter then shows us an empty can with a crack in its center. Mikey then takes it from his grasp and hugs it with an affectionate smile.

Mikey: "Mom."

Splinter: "Five years later, I was scavenging for food and resources when I ran into a young girl in an abandoned alley. I told her not to be afraid of my appearance, but she seemed to accept my appearance from the start. I noticed that she was alone, with no family or home to call her own, just as I had been before I adopted you four. I offered for her to come live with us in exchange for her promise to keep our existence a secret. She agreed, and I brought her here to meet her new brothers. Thankfully, she accepted you, just as you accepted her. From then on, your bonds grew to be stronger than any other I have seen. Never lose it. For someday, it may prove to be what stands between your prosperity and your demise."

The five of us turn to each other with warm smiles as we nod simultaneously. As far as I'm concerned, nothing can break our bonds as a family. Not now, not ever, not if I can help it. We all turn to once again face our father as Leo asks of him what we've wanted for many years now.

Leo: So Sensei, now that we're fifteen, I think we're finally ready to go up to the surface. Don't you?"

Father rises to stand as we await his response with bated breath.

Splinter: "Yes."

We all cheer, until Splinter finishes his statement.

Splinter: "...and no."

We're all disappointed, but I do my best to keep this under wraps. My brothers, on the other hand, see no point in this.

Mikey: "Oh, man, come on."

Leo: "Lame."

Raph: "I hate when he does that."

I roll my eyes at their bluntness before leaning over to whisper into Raph's ear with a nudge.

Me: "Real mature, Hot Shot."

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

I cough loudly in objection to that last part. Splinter acknowledges this and gives a revised extension to his previous statement.

Splinter: "That is, all of you except Brooke, lack the maturity to use your skills wisely."

I smile with a nod before we are interrupted with Donnie's interjection on the matter.

Donnie: "So, isn't that just no?"

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

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

Splinter: "No."

Donnie: "And yes?"

Splinter: "No!"

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

Splinter strokes his beard in thought as the guys give him puppy dog pouts, complete with the signature wide eyes. As much as I disagree with their methods, they deserve some freedom after spending the entirety of their lives underground.

Me: "Sensei, should you agree, I give you my word that I will protect them with my life. I guarantee that I'll bring them home without a scratch."

Splinter nods as he places his hand on my shoulder.

Splinter: "Your devotion to the safety of others is admirable, my daughter. As for the rest of you, if you promise to listen to your sister, you may go tonight."

The guys cheer and high-three one another while I playfully roll my eyes. My only hope is that I can keep my promise. Knowing these guys, that won't be easy. Oh well, let the adventure begin.

TO BE CONTINUED