The Shadow's Secret│TMNT

35 || Ninja Training

"Sutoppu!" 

I almost fell over when I didn't follow through with my side kick, but managed to steady myself and turn slightly to face Splinter.  It was too difficult to mask my heavy breathing, so I didn't.

"Your making very good progress, Raiya. Much better than I'd assumed you would. Your memories appear to be of great help to you and will allow your training to progress much faster than the brothers', which means you will be able to choose a weapon soon."

I grinned excitedly, my chest and shoulders still rising and falling rapidly with my breaths.

"You've done well today, we'll continue tomorrow."

I nodded and bowed, only stepping off the podium once he'd retreated to his room.

"What kinda weapon are ya gonna choose?"

I turned to see Raphael walking in from his room.

You're shitting me. "Were you watching me?" I asked, still a bit breathless.

"'Course I was, what else am I supposed to do down here?"

I crossed my arms. "That's rude, you know. And a violation of my privacy."

Raph snorted. "If you're so concerned about us ogling you then maybe you should wear something else."

I looked down at my white tank top that was more askew than appropriate during an intensive training session, showing part of my bra and quite a bit of cleavage. Okay, I may have forgotten to wear a sports bra, but I couldn't help that my memory was worse than a goldfish's! I hastily straightened my shirt in embarrassment. Poor Master Splinter! I could've been flashing him the whole time! 

"Okay, In my defence I did bring a jacket, but I couldn't exactly train in it." I retorted in annoyance. My leather jacket—along with my backpack—laid discarded on the corner of Raph's bed, but I was too hot to go put it on now. Raph rolled his eyes and went to the weapons wall. My curiosity got the better of me and I followed him over.

The wall held an assortment of knives, daggers, metal star-shaped things, swords, nunchucks, staffs, sai, pickaxe-looking things, small maces, batons and things connected with chains. There were so many items, I just couldn't take them all in. I knew that I knew what all these weapons were called, but the names were floating somewhere in the mysterious ocean in the back of my mind.

"Do you know how to use all of these?" I asked in awe.

"Yeah, but not very well."

"Really!?" I can barely shoot a basketball.

He nodded and grabbed a small knife from the wall. It had a long, flat blade and a leather-wrapped handle with a ring on the pommel.

"Know what this is?" He asked, holding it up.

"A throwing knife?" I guessed a little hesitantly.

"Sorta, yeah. It's called a kunai."

I gasped as the word echoed through my mind and sent me to a place of rolling green hills and sunny warmth. This is a kunai. The blade buried itself into a wooden pillar with a satisfying thud. The wind blew across my face, smelling of horse manure and cherry blossoms.

"Raiy?" I blinked a few times, my world coming back into focus.

"Sorry, I was pulled into one of my ancestral memories when you said that."

He grinned devilishly, reminding me of Mikey when he agreed to help me pull that stunt on Leo not long ago. "Throw it."

I recoiled in surprise. "You're kidding, right?"