A Turtle That Was Hidden (TMNT Book 2)

To Teach a Turtle

We traveled the way I had gone. Naomi was leading, so I guess I did have the coordinates correct when I was randomly running through these tunnels practically like a maze. Before I knew it, we were back at the lair.

Just like Naomi usually did on her way back, she led the way to the pool entrance. Sophie looked at the water cautiously before doing a cannonball inside of it, sending an array of water cascading down on Naomi and I. I wiped the water away as Naomi stepped in the clear water and followed Sophie down into its depths.

As I wiped the last drop off, I realized I was getting in the water anyway, so there wasn’t that much point to it. I jumped in and followed the shadows of Naomi and Sophie up to the lair.

When I got up to dry myself off, Naomi was already in the dojo and Sophie was looking around in gaping awe. Well, I hate to admit that was my reaction when I first saw this place. The last place Sophie visited was the dojo where Naomi was at.

Looking around, I noticed the boys weren’t here. Must’ve left up to the surface without us. All the better. Too much of a shock might pull us all into a downward spiral.

“Oh, Sophia!” I heard Sensei call out happily. “Naomi and Mikito actually let you here?”

“Of course!” Sophie’s happy voice piped up. “And it’s amazing!”

“This is Sophia?” Splinter asked.

I walked in and everyone was surrounding the new turtle. But if I nearly got beat up by a creepy Naomi, only I care. These tunnels have one out of their usual luster… Not that I’d know, but still.

“Yes.” Sensei nodded. “This is the hidden turtle that I kept.”

Splinter looked at Mii-wa. “It is good to be trustful with your pupils, Mii-wa. No trust can become devastating.”

Like all of us, Splinter is a mutant as well, only a large human-rat hybrid. He wears a dark red robe and amber eyes that show most of his expressions. His long, single fur strand, I guess? is white. He taught the boys everything they need to know about their ninjitsu. We think Mii-wa is his daughter.

“I know, Splinter.” Mii-wa bowed. She was treating him like a teacher. Maybe she was learning from him as we her? “But this is the only thing I’m keeping from them.”

“Sometimes,” Splinter said, turning around into his room, “There is more lie in the truth than meets the ear.”

We all looked at him as he closed the sliding door. Mii-wa looked slightly troubled, but shook it off.

“Well, how’s your training coming along? I haven’t seen it in a while.” Mii-wa smiled at Sophie.

Sophie looked at me with a smart look on her face. “Of course, Sensei. I wanna go against Mikito.”

“Well.” Sensei said, looking at me, “Do you think that would be okay, Mikito?”

“Fine.” I said quickly.

Naomi nodded and sat in a corner, watching us with a careful gaze. Sophie grabbed and unsheathed her mini Katana. I got out one of my double swords. This may be easier than I knew, but she has been training with Naomi, so I got out the other one just in case.

We circled one another, Sensei standing beside Naomi. Our eyes hardened to try and intimidate each other. Her glare toward me worked a little because it reminded me of Naomi so much.

Without warning, she jumped at me, spinning in a full 360 parallel to the ground, jabbing out. Her figure was slim, so it didn’t surprise me she could do that. I twisted out of the way, bringing my right handed sword to block while my left sword when to attack.

Sophie rolled out of the way after I had blocked her attack. She stood up and put both hands on her sword hilt. She was serious. I could tell. Although she wasn’t as serious as Naomi or me, her attention skills were impressive. It was like she watched my every move, whether it be step or twitch.

I wasn’t sure whether not to attack this time, but she jumped to the side of me, slashing out before I could think about an attack. I jumped up, but she grabbed my leg and tossed me down.

“Oof!” I felt the air leave my chest. I looked up and Sophie was still standing, not on me and threatening to choke me like Naomi would have. I guess we really are all different. Standing up, I put one sword up for better balance.

His time, I lunged at her, swiping my sword down to her feet. Like I had hoped, she jumped and before she landed, I jumped in the air, did a no-hand cartwheel and then kicked out at her, sending her flying to the wall.

“Ow!” she cried as she fell to the floor upside down. She looked up at me with brown eyes. Smiling, she righted herself and rubbed the top of her head. “You’re good. I can’t cope with you, let alone Naomi.”

“So, you can’t defeat Naomi either?” I asked, sheathing my sword.

Sophia shook her head. “No way! Only Sensei can do that.”

I looked over at the two in the corner. Naomi was smiling as if she had never been beaten in her life. Her eyes were closed, so I thought she was in thought. Getting up, she rolled her elbow and looked at me.

“So? What about that fight you were talking about?” Naomi asked.

I got both swords out. “Totally ready.”

“Sophie, watch and learn.”

Before I knew it, Naomi was after me without a staff. A first for her. She tripped me, but I rolled away before she could overpower me like she always did when I was like that. Her blue gaze stayed normal as she looked at me on the ground on her knees.

My thoughts went to other things rather than my battling technique. I still thought she was a mind reader.

“Would you stop considering that? It drives me insane.” she snapped, getting up.

I blinked. “Maybe stay out of my mind in the first place outta help, don’t ya think?”

“Sometimes.” Naomi shrugged, getting her staff out finally. “Now I want you to make a goal.”

“And what’s that?” I asked as we started circling one another.

“Bend my staff.”

“WHAT?!” both me and Sensei squealed at the same time. I pointed at her with a sword, “You just had it fixed and you ant it broke again? Are you crazy?”

“As crazy as Donnie having a brilliant ideal.” Naomi smirked. She extended the metal stick to its full length.

I laughed and feigned to the left, and Naomi jumped to the right as a response, jabbing her staff at my head. Ducking in a reaction, I felt a solid thwack on my head as she brought her staff down on my head.

I reeled back for a moment to gather my surroundings. She was twirling the staff innocently as I glared at her. I leaped at her from the ground, swiping my swords in opposite directions, one that Leo taught me better at.

Naomi jumped back, doing a back flip while she was at it and blocked both swords with a horizontal metal staff. Iron against iron. As I was about to move my swords to use a horizontal attack, Naomi brought her legs between one of mine and twisted me down hard on the ground. I lost one of my swords.

She clamped down on my sword wrist quickly. I was on my side, making it uncomfortable for me to move either of my hands or arms. She looked at me and smirked as I heard footsteps, a cry, and a shift of weight from my partner.

“Mikito!” Mikey cried.

The boys were back.