From The Shadows: Goodbye || BOOK 3 (TMNT)

Prologue

     Takao and Splinter sat in the dojo. They meditated together, in peace and silence. Master Splinter, however, wanted to address the elephant in the room.

     "I know you did not ask for my advice, but I believe you would benefit from telling her the truth."

     Takao sighs. "I so badly want to."

     "What is stopping you?"

     "What I want is something I can never have. I want to be in her life. I want to be her father. But I can't. It's too late for normalcy."

     "If you see an opportunity to reposition yourself in your child's life, you should do so. These chances don't come very often and they don't come to every parent."

     "I'm... sorry." Takao felt overridden with guilt. He knew Yoshi was speaking from his own experiences. He was talking about Miwa.

     "Nothing is stopping you now."

     "My commitment is to protect her. To kill the Shredder. I fear if she knows me, who she really is, she will put herself in even more danger."

     Master Splinter strokes his beard. He did acknowledge that Carrie often throws herself into harm's way. But, that only seemed to make telling the truth a better option. Someday she would figure it out. Better to hear it from Takao than anyone else.

     "Can you promise to keep it a secret?" Takao asks.

     Splinter reluctantly nods. At the end of the day, it wasn't up to him. "I know my sons will as well."

     "It is more important now than ever to advance their training."

     Splinter turned to Takao. He, of course, had every intention of doing so. To have Takao tell him it needed to be done surprised him. He knew something was off.

     "What do you know, Takao?"

     "It's more about what I don't know." Takao holds his breath. He exhales. "I have not been able to contact Noah since Carrie woke up."

     Master Splinter remained silent.

     "There has been no word from Sasha. All my attempts to communicate have led nowhere. My other soldiers haven't been able to either."

     "What do you make of this disappearance?"

     "I'm certain Sasha joined the Foot. She and I... she and the Adachi clan... have a very complicated relationship. It would not surprise me in the slightest if that anger now manifested itself towards me with the help of Noah's formula."

     "We will be prepared for her arrival."

     "You'll have to be more than prepared. She has the same power as Carrie now. But... I know Sasha can use it. This power hasn't been hidden from her, unlike Carrie. She'll train it."

     Splinter shakes his head. A soldier like that under Shredder's fist was worrisome. It was terrifying.

     "When Ms. White and Mr. Jones settle on a new area to live, I will escort them out of the city," Takao confesses. "Once that is done, I will attempt to find Sasha and bring her back. Hopefully, before you must encounter her."

     Splinter smiles, although he wished his friend would stay. "I am grateful for all that you have done for my family."

     Before their conversation could continue, the shoji door slid open. Carrie stood, frozen.

     "Oh, sorry... am I interrupting?"

     Splinter shakes his head. "Not at all."

     Carrie approached the rat. She paid no attention to Takao. She had a mission.