Total Turtle Transformation (TMNT Book 4)

Memories Are a Blessing...?

Donnie was the first out of the Sub, running in the main room only to stop to see April. “April! Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” April nodded.

The rest of us walked in and even Splinter was waiting for us. He gestured for us to sit down, which we did. Sophie and Natasha came in as well, sitting down and looking at us questioningly.

“April, what happened?” Donnie asked.

April smiled and explained about fighting Karai, nearly loosing, but then winning at the end by making Karai unbalanced and throwing her down stairs. I listened in amazement. She took her training seriously and Splinter was teaching her quickly.

After the story Splinter stroked his beard and then said, “So Shredder said he wanted you?”

“Yeah,” April nodded.

“That means he will stop at nothing to get to you… I think it would be safest for you to stay down here with us.”

“What? What about my life? School? Friends?” April asked.

“You will have to miss, April. I’m sorry, but I don’t want to loose another one of this family…” Splinter muttered.

Huh? All of us looked at each other confused. Splinter looked at me and Sophie and we both gulped, knowing he wanted to talk with us. He then turned back to April.

“So you will stay down here… Understand?”

“Hai, Master Splinter…” April nodded.

Everyone got up and left, Splinter gesturing to Sophie and I to follow him. We walked in his room, which was a little different… He turned to us.

“I’m sorry to say, but Mii-wa has abandoned you both…” Splinter sighed, looking at us each with his ears slightly down.

“What?” Sophie asked. “What do you mean ‘abandoned’?”

“She overheard me and April talking a day or two back, and she grew hurt and left, leaving a note for the two of you, and maybe Naomi when she returns…”

“Where’s the note?” I asked.

Without a word, Splinter reached over at a shelf and grabbed a piece of paper, giving it to me. I opened it up, since it was folded like all notes are, and read it.

“‘Dear Mikito, Sophia, and Naomi, I’m sorry, but I’m not coming back. The reason is for my own, and my personal past life… I can’t stay knowing this piece of information. No, I’m not going to be like Naomi who will be back after my request is complete. I’m just leaving… So now, Splinter will be your Sensei. Make sure you refer to him as it too. Give him the same respect you gave me as I taught you as you were growing up… Farewell, your Sensei, Mii-wa.’”

I closed the note back and gave it to Sophie to read it for herself. Splinter looked at the note as Sophie read it, and then reread it. She looked up, “What did you talk with April about?”

“My family… Mii-wa, my Mii-wa, should actually be the same age as April… She knew she wasn’t close to the age April is, so she knew she wasn’t my daughter.” he sighed, then continued. “She stuck around believing she had finally found her father. I’m sorry, Mikito, Sophia… I didn’t know she was listening…”

Sophie looked down at the letter and frowned, throwing it down on the ground. She turned and left in an angered rush. I looked at Sensei and leaned down to pick up the note, folding it up once more.

Bowing respectfully to Splinter, I turned and left in a more calmly state than Sophie, going to my bedroom and putting the note on a shelf. After that, I climbed in bed, covering up and thinking about the past. About Mii-wa, Naomi, being young, learning about what I knew now…