TMNT: Papa Splinter

Raphael's Childhood Trauma

Splinter was walking along the sewers with his four 6-year-old sons with him. Splinter eyed them as they were all laughing and talking, excited to be out of the lair for the first time. Splinter...was less so. He knew he had to teach his sons how to make their way around the sewers at some point in case anything happens, but he knew how curious young minds could be and he feared that his little sons would want to explore more which would probably lead them to danger.

"Papa!" Splinter turned to see little Mikey beaming at him as he held up his arms. "Up! Up!" Splinter chuckled and picked up Mikey putting him on his shoulders.

While he was doing that, he did not notice little Raph moving ahead until he saw him at the end of the tunnel. He gasped. "Raphael, get back here right now!" He scolded and Raph pouted before slowly obeying. Splinter looked at him sternly. "What did I say before we left?"

Raph sighed. "Never move ahead of you and always stay close behind you."

"Why?" Splinter pushed and Raph sighed again dramatically. "In case a human show up." '

"Exactly." Splinter said before looking at the rest of his sons. "I know you are all excited, but you must remember that even though we are not on the surface, it is still dangerous here in the sewers. People come down here to work or some foolish teenagers come to mess around. If any of them see you, they will hurt you, do you understand?"

"Hai Papa." Leo, Donnie, and Mikey said, and Splinter looked towards his still pouting son. "Raphael?"

"But Papa, we could totally take a human if any show up!"

"Raphael-" Splinter started but Raph interrupted, "What? We could! I have gotten really good at the sais! You said so yourself!"

"Yes, you are getting really good." Splinter agreed. "But you still have a lot to learn, my son and we do not want to run in to humans even if we could 'take them.'"

"Why not?!" Raph asked.

"Because true warriors do not go looking for fights, Raphael. If we can avoid getting ourselves into trouble than we should." Splinter said wisely as he started to walk with the others following while Raph just scrunched up his face. "That's dumb."

Splinter sighed but chose not to say anything. After all, he thought the same when he was Raphael's age and knew from experience that he will grow out of it eventually. He was still young and just needed more time to learn.

"Papa, I want to go down!" Mikey said. "Alright but hold my hand, ok? I do not want you wondering off." Splinter said while setting him down and pinching his cheek, causing him to giggle.

After a while, Splinter found what he was looking for and looked sternly at his sons. "See that light up there?" He said while pointing up and the others nodded. "That is called a manhole, it's a way up to the surface. I am going up there to get supplies while you four wait down here, ok?"

The others nodded.

"Now listen, I am only showing this to you boys just in case...I won't be able to bring supplies. You are never to go up here, there are humans everywhere who could seriously hurt you. You are never to go up here unless for emergencies, understand?"

Again, they nodded but Splinter still was not satisfied, and he point a finger at them warningly as he glared. "If I find out that you boys put one finger on this ladder, you will be severely punished, do you understand me?!"

Looking scared now, the boys nodded, and Splinter gave them one last look before climbing up the ladder.

Leo looked at Donnie a bit concern. "What did he mean by 'Just in case I won't be able to bring supplies?'