Midori: Chapter Eleven
***
Michaelangelo walked out of his room yawning and stretching. Raph followed shortly after, rubbing his eyes.
"Gah, all that excitement last night and we still have to get up this early."
"Can't we go back to bed sensei?" Mike asked.
"You ask that every morning, Michaelangelo, even after quiet nights. Donatello, get Leonardo up."
Don was half way out of the car he shared with Leo when Splinter had asked him the question. "He's not in there. He must be up already."
Splinter frowned. It was unlike Leonardo to disappear. If he was indeed up already then he would have started practice early, like he often did, but it was obvious that he was not. He was rarely the last one up. "Start warming up without him," Splinter decided.
"Okay," Don said, tying on his bandanna. "Just let me check up on our patient. Make sure her trip into the sewers didn't cause any infections."
When Don first pushed open the door he didn't see Midori in her usual place on the bed. Then his eyes moved down to the floor, and he could only stare at the sight. "Um, I found Leo," he called out to the others.
Splinter was the first one at the doorway, but it took a few seconds for the meaning behind Donny's words to sink in for Raph and Mike. They looked over Splinter's head and saw Leo on the floor, sitting up against the base of the bed, Midori curled up against his chest. They were both still fast asleep.
Splinter turned sharply to his students. "I told you all to warm up."
"No way!" Raph cried as Mike and Don tried to pull him away. "I wanna be here for this."
All the commotion stirred the two sleepers. Leo yawned and opened his eyes to see his entire family looking down at him. He wasn't sure why they were looking at him until the weight on his chest shifted as Midori started to wake up. Then the realization hit him. He gently set Midori off to the side and stood quickly. "This isn't what it looks like."
Splinter raised an eyebrow. "It appears that you spent the night in here."
"Well, uh…" Leo stammered. "Yeah," he finally admitted. He felt his face grow hot.
"We were talking and we must have drifted off," Midori said as she pulled herself up onto the bed.
"Talkin' with Leo'll do that to ya," Raph chuckled.
Splinter shot a warning glance towards Raphael, then turned back. "Leonardo, please go start your warm-ups with your brothers. I will see to Midori's wounds."
Leo gulped. He knew exactly what was going through his brothers' minds, and without Splinter there to supervise, they'd lay it on him thick.
It started after they had finished their stretches and katas and had paired off for sparring. Just his luck, he got Raphael.
"So," Raphael started as they circled each other. "Sleep well last night?"
Leo answered with a punch he knew Raphael could easily dodge, then followed through with a kick to Raphael's side. He wasn't about to let Raphael's comments get to him.
Raphael blocked the kick with his arm, pushing Leo's leg away from him, hoping to disrupt his brother's balance. Leo used the momentum Raph had provided to lash out with a backhand while Raph went for a direct hit to his face.
Both blows hit, but not very hard. They both reeled back and readied themselves for the next bout.
***
Splinter sat next to Midori on the bed and began checking her wounds. She was healing well. "Let me see your feet," he said.
Midori pulled her feet up for Splinter to inspect. She wanted to tell him that Leonardo had already helped her clean up last night, but something about the silence kept her quiet.
Splinter finally finished looking her over. "Tell me, what did the two of you spend all night talking about?"
Midori suddenly felt very embarrassed, like she'd been caught doing something she hadn't known was wrong. "Leonardo told me the story of your origins. Then I talked about my life. They were both long stories."
Splinter cocked his head to the side. "Yes, I suppose so. Come, it's almost time for breakfast."
Midori looked up in confusion. They'd always brought her her meals. Even though they made it clear that she wasn't a prisoner, she'd been confined to this car, except to use the bathroom.
Splinter took her hand. "Come now, it's time for you to leave this room. After your attempted escape last night, I realize that you can be up and about without risking further injury."
Midori nodded and followed him out silently.
***
Taro paced before four of his soldiers. His four best and strongest soldiers to be exact. The four who had passed all the training and tests required to become his Elite Guards, Taro's personal bodyguards.
"We are ready to expand once again," Taro said. "You have your orders. Go, secure our place within this city."
They placed their right fists over their hearts and bowed before leaving.
Taro went back to his desk after dismissing them. He was still upset over losing Midori. Not in a personal way, but rather because he had such plans for her. She was a formidable warrior with a strong will and a sharp mind. She could have brought great power to the Foot. But for all her strengths, she still had those weaknesses that made her seem so human.
Water under the bridge, he decided, knowing there was no way to change things now. There was no way he could have just let her go, not with all the knowledge she possessed about the Foot.
On to bigger and better things. Taro had managed to rebuild the empire back to its original state. The city was once again in a panic about this new rash of crimes. Miss April O'Neil had started reporting their crimes, tying them to last year's wave. He paid them no mind. The police turned a deaf ear to her theories and even if they listened, Taro had about as much faith in them as the O'Neil woman did.
He leaned back in his chair. He would take this clan farther that his father ever could. They would soon spread west, across the country. And from there, to Japan, to take over the original Foot Clan.
***