Remember [Book 1]

9 - Mikito

What did I need to prove? What did Naomi need to prove? What did we need to prove?! We had nothing to give them. Nothing! No memories, no evidence, no nothing. What did we need to prove?

The thoughts ran through my head as I left the Shell Raiser. I didn't care who followed or even if anyone did. I went to the dojo, the one place where I did feel like I was welcomed.

Inside the dojo, Splinter was sitting at a traditional Japanese Chabudai. He was making and drinking tea. Seeing me, he set his cup down and gestured to the opposite side for me to sit. I didn't argue and got on my knees, looking down.

He didn't speak. Instead, he gestured again beside me. A few moments later, Naomi joined me. I felt her tail wrap around me. It was comforting, almost like a hug. I smiled a little and looked at her. She gave a small smile back. We then both proceeded to look at Splinter.  The rat poured two more cups of tea. These were ours and we took them and drank slowly since it was still hot.

That's when he spoke, "You two are not going with my sons?"

"No," I answered as I looked down again. "We don't deserve to be with them..."

"And why not?" Splinter proceeded to ask. "Although you two do not share the same skills as them, you are key observers and quick learners. And they could always use a getaway driver from how often they get into trouble."

"It's not that, Splinter."

"Then?"

I took a deep breath, "What do we have to prove to give them to gain their trust?"

Splinter's ears perked up a little but he didn't reply right away. Beside me, Naomi took another sip of tea. She set her glass down and looked at Splinter, waiting as well. We were both wondering how to become a part of the team. He never answered.

Naomi, seemingly unchanged from the wait, sounded rather impatient, "I may not remember anything but some letters, but I did know that to work as a team, you need trust."

"Is that all you need?" Splinter challenged Naomi, looking at her.

Taken back, she breathed out a small huff, "Of course not..."

"Then what do you think requires a good team?"

After a long pause in thought, Naomi answered, "Communication, trust, effort, and understanding..." She paused and looked at her tea cup. "And they don't understand us..."

I, too, looked down at my cup as she said the final statement. My hands were wrapped around the cup, thinking deeply. We really didn't any of those things. Naomi wasn't much of a talker, I was still warming up to them so I was shy and didn't want to speak yet. It was obvious we didn't have their trust. The boys over power us so our effort to them must not seem like much. And, like Naomi said, they didn't understand us.

"Girls," Splinter finally spoke up. My head snapped up. "My sons have had each other through the years. They haven't had anyone else other than April to come down. You are new to them. But they are warming up to you two."

"How?" I asked.

"They've been watching you as you have watched them. What have you noticed, Mikito?"

I paused and thought about it. "Mikey showed me around the lair... He and I play video games a lot. He's even helped me train. Leo's been helpful too!" I smiled, understanding it. "And Donnie's given us our T-Phones and put their numbers in it."

Splinter nodded and then looked at Naomi. She blinked and paused. "Uhh... Donnie's let me go behind the scenes into how he works his gadgets. Leo's been understanding and he likes to offer tips on things..."

Looking between the two of us, Splinter nodded. "My sons are growing used to you. Just in their own ways."

"Raphael doesn't seem to be," Naomi said rather harshly. Looking at her, her face was in a very noticeable frown.

"Raphael is a very stubborn character," Splinter sighed. I took another sip of tea. Mine was getting cold. "He learns in a different way, as does everyone. Everyone learns in their own way."

Naomi grew quiet again and looked at her cup. She took a sip again, emptying her cup.

I turned back to Splinter, "So... If they're warming up to us, and short of trusting us, why don't they consider us part of their team?"

"Patience is the ninja's core value, Mikito. You must learn that." Splinter advised. "Teamwork isn't about just one group of many individuals."

"It can be more than one group," Naomi finished slowly. "It's to help spread the work around." Splinter nodded with a soft simile.

"And we have Naomi's basics of teamwork!" I exclaimed happily. I bounced on my legs a little in excitement. "We communicate! Well... Kind of..." I giggled as I looked at Naomi. She gave a small scoff but let me continue. "We trust each other. Our effort is toward helping each other. And we understand one another!"

Again, Splinter nodded. He offered to pour another cup of tea for us. I accepted, as did Naomi. "You two are quick learners. You also understand and accept things around you. Although confused of your past, you two will grow into two fine Kunoichi."

Naomi smiled and bowed, setting her glass down. I followed suit, almost sticking my nose in my tea. I giggled and looked at them. Splinter chuckled and Naomi rolled her eyes.

For a while, we simply enjoyed the silence of the lair and drank tea. Splinter was very good at making tea because this was some of the better tea I remember drinking. Then again, it was the only tea I remember drinking.

Sitting in the silence got me thinking, though. If me and Naomi were a team of our own, did that mean we could go on our own missions? Just Mikito and Naomi, kicking tail on the surface! That would be awesome! And soon, we may be able to pull being able to join the boys on their missions, whatever they may be. Maybe if we went on a mission, we would remember who we were? I would like to know who I was. Would Naomi want to as well? She seemed content where she was at, but it was always hard to tell.

Eventually, Splinter ran out of tea. We drank the rest of it and helped him put it all away. Together, me and Naomi helped Splinter and cleaned the dojo a little. It was nice to be a part of a team when they were willing to put effort into it as well. Splinter was right: We were a team. I smiled at the thought.

"Thank you girls for helping me with tea and dojo cleaning," Splinter finally said. He was standing at his room door. "I do believe the boys will be returning soon. I will be meditating if you need me."

I bowed in response, smiling. Naomi in the other hand asked, "When will we learn to meditate, Splinter?"

As if shocked she would ask, Splinter's ears pricked up again. He paused in thought and then chuckled. "Tomorrow. I feel as if today will be a good day for each of you, including my sons."

What did he mean by that?

Naomi didn't say anything else. Instead, she bowed as I did, letting the rat know we were done talking. He slid open his door and disappeared inside. I looked over at Naomi. She was looking to where Splinter disappeared to. When she noticed me looking at her, she gave a soft smile and came up.

"Come on," she chirped. She was in an awfully talkative mood today. "Let's go do some clothes shopping for me while we wait for the boys."

"Clothes?" I grinned. Although I knew I couldn't fit any around my shell,  I wanted to ask anyway, "Can I get some?"