#Splinter lives | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

starlightshadowsworld · 11 months

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Splinter lives.

@nrrrdgrrrl2002 you gave me an idea.

Instead of the cold hands of death he's pulled into the warm embraces of his children as they help him up.

Or rather some of his children, Donnie and Mikey are holding him.

While Raph is holding up Leo, who looks a lot worse for wear.

"Leo!"

Donnie and Mikey run over, any thought of their father vanishing at the sight of their big brother.

Splinter smiles, his cane back in his head and he steadies himself.

He is about to go to his son, to congratulate him, to show him how proud of him he is.

For the Shredder is gone.

But something feels amiss.

His son is nowhere near the Shredders body.

Splinter let's his gaze fall on his old friend.

The once mighty Oroku Saki lays crushed in a trash compactor.

And any pride Splinter feels vanishes.

His son hadn't made him proud.

Hadn't taken the task his father had given to him and succeeded in it.

He had failed him.

Casey and April returned, the two had vanished earlier. Now returning in the Party Wagon.

Neither looked happy.

"Case! Help me with Leo!" Said Raph, Casey went over and with a gentleness few knew he possessed he took Leo's other side and helped him to the van.

"Sorry we couldn't get anything bigger." Apologised April, Donnie smiled shaking his head "don't worry about it. But... What is this thing?"

April snorted "my dad's ol party wagon from his college days. He gave me the keys to my grandma's farmhouse so well be laying low their for a while."

She didn't mention he hadn't made it out but Donnie could put the pieces together.

"It won't be long" He said trying to comfort her and she smiled through it didn't reach her eyes.

The two settled into the van. It was a bit of a tight squeeze, but they made it work.

"Next time I'm just hijacking an ambulance." Grumbled Casey, beside him April snorted "real classy of you Jones."

Casey grinned though it was small "you know me Red." April smiled back, she thanked whatever God's existed that she'd befriended Casey Jones all that time ago. "Yeah, I know you. Now get us out of here."

Casey gave a thumbs up, turned the keys and drove away.

It didn't take long for the turtles to fall asleep. All of them somehow curling up together like they had when they were young.

April was humming one of the songs on the radio and Casey was drumming his fingers on the dashboard.

Splinter was awake.

How could he sleep after all that happened?

He looked at his students, his sons all sleeping peacefully as if nothing had happened.

Almost like he could sense the older rats gaze, Casey's hand paused.

"Splinter..." his voice was cold, nothing like anything Splinter had heard from the boy.

Casey met his gaze in the mirror, cold and unwavering.

"You try anything and you can walk it."

His voice said he was kidding.

And from the way April's posture went from relaxed to alert, she wouldn't stop him.

"What I do with my children is not your concern, Casey Jones."

Casey's eyes went alight with fire, his grip on the wheel tightened. "If you hurt them I'll kill you myself."

He said simply.

And he meant it.

Splinter couldn't help the scoff, the idea that a simple boy could defeat him.

Casey smiled but it wasn't kind.

"I've already killed one ninja master today, I'm open to another."

Splinters eyes widened, surely not... Surely... But he knew neither were lying.

A simple boy had killed the Shredder.

An undisciplined, reckless, angry child had taken out his old friend.

It was like a slap to the face.

"That was not your choice to make."

"Really? That's what you say to that?" Says April. "Your greatest enemy defeated and your mad it was Casey who did it?" She said, unable to process it.

"Sorry man, if I know you'd call dibs I totally would've done the same thing." Said Casey with a snort.

Splinter glared "it was Leo's responsibility, his job as leader."

Casey was silent before slamming his foot on the break.

Luckily the turtles remained snoozing.

Casey got out the van, and hauled Splinter out onto the floor in a heap.

"Your sons almost died and you don't even care, do you?! Leo might not be able to walk again and you don't care?!... If anyone's the failure it's you." Seethed Casey.

"Not only did you put all that pressure on Leo, you pushed him till he almost died and your mad he didn't?!" Hissed April.

Both of them looked at Splinter like he was the scum of the earth.

"Your the worst father I've ever met, and I've met mine so that's saying something." Said Casey shaking his head.

Splinter glared "I gave them everything I had! I raised 4 mutants in a sewer with no one to help me."

"Yeah no you don't get to pull the generational trauma card right now, get in line." Said April folding her arms.

"Why does it matter who kills the Shredder? If your that obsessed with it why didn't you do it? You failed the first time but you've had 16, 17 years to do it."

Splinter was seething that either of these children had the nerve to speak to him like that.

"Leo isn't you, you know that? Actually no I don't think you know it so let me spell it out for you. Leo isn't you, Raph isn't you, Donnie isn't you, Mikey isn't you. There better than you could ever be."

Splinter gave her a disbelieving look. "Ninja they may be, but they are undisciplined, reckle-"

"Do you even like them?" Asked Casey, "seriously, do you even care for them." Splinter sighs "of course I do."

Casey and April exchanged looks of disbelief. "Alright, name something you like about all of them that doesn't involve ninjutsu."

The silence spoke volumes.

Casey shook his head "unbelievable...how, how can you look at them and not love them. Their such lovable little dorks. Grew on me like a fungus."

April snorted "gross, but not untrue."

"You see them as nothing other than soilders to carry out your plans. I bet you don't know that Mikey wants to be a chef, pretty sure Mister Murakami is gonna give him 24/7 when he passes on." Said April fondly.

"Don's gonna out do us all, he's getting his GED." Said Casey with a smile. "Raph says drummer but he wants to be a kindergarten teacher. He tries to pretend but he loves those sticky lil guys, my lil sis adores him."

"And Leo, he's not sure just yet but he wants to travel the world. Those boys are gonna go far, no thanks to you." Says April.

Splinter is shocked "what? Did you think they were gonna spend their whole lives fighting for your dream?" She says with a look.

"... Raphael shouldn't around children. His anger is dangerous." Was all Splinter said.

Casey rolled his eyes "you ever think, oh wise ninja man that you purposely poking him with a stuck till he blows up is why his anger gets so bad. And you didn't even try to teach him how to control it, just humiliate him."

Splinter didn't say anything only frowned deeper.

April gently bumped her shoulder with his, reminding him he wasn't alone. Casey bumped hers back, thankful.

"And showing them the world... You'll expose them to humans."

Now both humans rolled their eyes at him.

"Splinter, do you know what a camera is?" Asked April, seriously. "Of course I do" He snapped.

"Well when people notice mutant happenings because of course they did. They took videos, uploaded em to the Internet.

Hell the whole rat king thing was broadcasted on live TV. Your sons are known, and no thanks from you their safe." She said, the mighty mutanimals had handed that.

"Mutants started integrating with humanity long ago, your kids are no different. Their all raking their courses online but I drop em off every morning for school with April. I'd say I'm suprised you didn't notice but... Yeah.

And their all hella smart, we're all gonna graduate togrther and move out to some flat we can squeeze into, Donnie's already got an internship lined up." Explained Casey, pride in his voice.

Splinter could stand stunned.

He had no idea.

"Careful you might blow his mind." Teased April. "I thought he was gonna explode when you asked him what a camera was, that's too advanced for an ol timer." Teased Casey.

Both bursting into laughter.

Leaving Splinter humiliated, all of this was wrong. So wrong. His sons were never to leave, a GED? Internships? It was all wrong. They were to be ninja, to fight the Shredder and protect this city.

Not act like children.

They were monsters, mutants they would never belong amongst humans.

This was wrong.

"You... Dare take my sons from their rightful path..." He hissed, but April and Casey we're done with him.

"If their rightful path is being a child soilder than yes, huh should've known you and Shredder were related. Given how you both raise your kids, I'm glad Karai got free of you both."

That sent Splinter foting at them, enraged.

No one talked about his Miwa like that.

Casey fell to the ground, April was about to use her powers to throw Splinter off when another voice came out.

"Leave them alone."

It was Leo, stumbling on his injured leg but his face determined.

"Stand down Leonardo."

"No, you always taught me to follow my instincts and mine say leave my family alone."

"I am your father!"

"Than why won't you act like it...just leave us alone to deal with this, your good at that."

Splinter glared but he did infact leave "you will regret this."

"Already do...Casey! Are you okay!" Asked Leo, Casey gave him a thumbs up as April helped him up. "I'm good man, just caught me suprise."

Leo nodded, he looked out to the distance where his father had gone before back at his friends.

His family.

"How much did you hear?" Asked April hesitantly "most of it... Thanks for standing up for us."

And he meant it.

Both of them had been strangers all that time ago but had both become people Leo was proud to call family.

"Always." Both of them echoed. "Now let's get this show back on the road" said Casey, helping Leo in and the trio returned to their seats.

"And Leo" said April, turning to face him. "We're both really proud of you." She smiled. Casey nodded in agreement "so proud."

Leo blinked in suprise before smiling. He felt a weight lift of his shoulders. Somehow that meant more than his father's approval ever had.

"Thanks. You think we could we listen to the radio?"

"Sure, but if Casey starts singing I'm out. Said April, receiving a sqawk of protest from Casey.

"I have the voice of angels Red, your just jealous."

Leo smiled, watching them banter and curled back up to his brothers who were awake.

Had been awake for a while.

"Hey Casey the Angels called they want their banscgnee scream back." Said Raph. Casey huffed but he was smiling.

"If it gets us going, I guess I can put up with Casey's voice." Said Donnie, "thanks Don!"

Mikey giggled af their antics and joined in as Casey sung his heart out.

Raph caught Leo's eyes and hugged him close. And Leo knew he had heard everything.

They knew April and Casey could handle it but would all have jumped in if they had too.

For each other.

And this thought Leo, this was home.

#Splinter lives #casey jones 2012 #april o'neil #and they are completely platonic #leo tmnt 2012 #Raph tmnt 2012 #Splinter bashing #Mikey tmnt 2012 #donnie tmnt 2012 #Teenage mutant ninja turtles 2012

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