So. First Father’s Day I decided to spend without my dad. And from Day 1 of being in this fandom, I have always admired everyone’s favorite rat dad. Imperfect though Master Splinter is, he always proves himself to be a savvy sensei and a supportive dad. I always admired that in the dude, and looked up to his character so much as a kid.
So today I thought long and hard, and found what I loved about Splinter. Here (along with my drawings) are my conclusions.
He is a listening ear, and a source of gentle support when he witnesses his sons struggling, even (especially) with obstacles they must ultimately face alone.
He learns and appreciates the intricacies of each of his boys’ personalities, and believes undoubtedly that they can succeed in whatever they put their mind to.
He finds ways to share in his sons’ joys, finding his own way to relate to them, and in turn they want to make him proud with what they achieve.
He acts fearless, even when he doesn’t feel it. His character, at the end of the day, is there to protect his sons, and do his best to teach them how to protect themselves one day.
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After experiencing something that bizarre, wasn't he supposed to wake up and think for a second it had all been a dream?
Well, either Raph had a very strong sense of reality, or he was still dreaming. He felt grounded in his present reality the moment consciousness started to creep in.
He was sprawled across two air mattresses. Donnie and Mikey were on the couch behind him, snoring softly. Blue light from the TV immediately brought up thoughts of Oscar the fish pretending to be a shark slayer, a sassy emperor turned llama, and a plot Raph had already been half asleep for about a monk who wanted to be a wrestler.
He closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep again, drifting unpleasantly in and out of consciousness.
It was weird; Donnie had mentioned meeting Master Splinter and himself in the morning, but he hadn't said anything about Leo. He had listed Leo among his brothers, though, hadn't he? Raph couldn't remember for sure.
Someone nearly tripped over him and swore under their breath. It was an unfamiliar voice, but a very familiar sentiment; he knew exactly who it must be. He closed his eyes a little tighter and put an arm over his head. He was not ready to meet himself, not half asleep like this.
Himself was apparently not ready to meet him either. He stepped around him, mumbling his shock and confusion. Pretty soon another door clicked shut and there was silence.
He didn't know how hard he slept and couldn't guess how long had passed before soft light from then kitchen had him half-opening his eyes. They easily slid shut again, but he listened idly to the whispers that had replaced Mikey and Donnie's snores.
"We're not sure. He just appeared, he doesn't know how either."
"Is Raphael awake?"
"I haven't seen him this morning, Sensei."
"Hmm. This may be very challenging for him. For two to fill the shoes of one, is a very uncomfortable walk."
"I don't think that'll really be a problem. Raph has been--I doubt he'll be around much, and, well--"
Donnie sucked in a breath that had Raph tensing up. There was so much stress in that sharp inhale, contrasting with his gentle voice. He almost sounded more like Leo than the Donnie Raph was used to.
"He's only a kid. Sixteen at most. I think we really just need to let him be a kid until we can get him home."
Something like indignation burned in Raph's chest. Just a kid--who did this guy think he was? His cushy little talk on the phone all day job was nothing to what Raph and his brothers, his real brothers, had been through. He didn't need to be babied, he needed to get home!
He needed to get home. The realization sank heavily into his being. How long had it been for his brothers? Did Leo ever actually talk to them about what Donnie found?
Shredder was out of jail. April's punk friend knew where the lair was. There was so much going in and he needed to be with his brothers.
He did not need to be here getting babied by a sleep-deprived miniature version of Don who acted way too much like Leo.
Then again, he thought bitterly, Donnie always did do whatever Leo asked.
He grabbed the couch and hoisted himself up, stretching and biting down a yawn. He felt awkward, but he shambled into the kitchen, trying to appear respectful and competent and old for his age.
"Good morning," Donnie smiled softly at him. He and a small reddish mutant who must be his sensei were sitting at the kitchen table.
Raph scowled; he did not appreciate being made to feel like this guy's little brother. It was Donnie! Donnie looked up to Raph. He definitely didn't coddle him.
Seeing Master Splinter was the weirdest thing yet, and he was trying not to focus on that.
"Raphael," the old rat rasped, "How wonderful to meet you. I hope you can feel at home in our world, until we are able to create a path back to your true home."
Raph averted his eyes, trying not to think about how this Master Splinter had a different voice and fur color than his Master Splinter.
"Yes Sensei. Uh, thanks." He took a seat next to Donnie, sitting stiffly. He didn't have a lot of experience being a guest in someone's home, and didn't feel too sure what was polite.
"Mikey's bringing back doughnuts for breakfast," Donnie announced. "I asked him to get whatever he could that wasn't sweet, too, but we'll see how he does." His eyes crinkled in fond amusement.
Raph ignored a dull ache in his chest at the thought of Michelangelo going by his favorite donut shop. It was such an ordeal to do something so simple, and for that reason they rarely did.
Just a couple nights ago, he'd been watching Mikey ruin their game-watching spot by taking a shot at Vernon with Donnie's peashooter. It had been a short time, but it was crazy how much more complicated things had gotten since then. Since there was now a chance that someday, Mikey could sit in the stands if he chose to.
"It gave me hope," he'd told Raph.
Well, maybe things would work out for the kid after all. Maybe Leo and Donnie would see sense, and maybe--
Maybe Raph would never see them again.
"That sounds good," he blurted, realizing it would be polite to say something. Splinter and Don were both watching him. Somehow the scrutiny made it harder to hold back tears.
"I'll go see if I can wake Raph," Donnie said delicately, looking politely away. "You'll like him--I mean, of course you will, he's more or less you. He always wanted a brother who was--" He coughed as he realized he'd started rambling. "Well, you'll like him." He hurried away.
Leaving Raph alone with Master Splinter.
He really needed to have a talk with this Donnie about ditching him in an unfamiliar world.
The old rat reached a paw out to sit gently on top of Raph's hand.
"You are young to be so far from home."
"I didn't leave on purpose," Raph retorted. Then, worried that might have been rude, he added, "Sensei."
"Of course not," the old rat's ears dipped in sympathy.
Raised voices made them both tense up. The argument was muffled behind a closed bedroom door, to the point Raph couldn't make out the words, but the tone was plain enough.
Leo missing; Donnie and Raph arguing; Mikey off to run errands by himself; Master Splinter flinching at the noise as if he were helpless to stop it. It was like a bunch of random puzzle pieces that didn't even look like they belonged in the same box. Something was seriously wrong with this family, and it was really putting Raph on edge not being able to tell what.
"We will do whatever we can to make you comfortable until we can send you home. You only ever need ask."
So, Raph asked.
"Where's Leo?"
For a moment, this other Splinter looked shocked, devastated, even. Raph barely had time to register the expression, and couldn't tell whether it was a witness to a horrible crime or a perpetrator caught before it smoothed into something calm and in control.
That disturbed him more than anything else had.
"Leonardo is on a journey that has taken him far away from home. I am confident it will eventually bring him back to us, and he will be so mich the stronger for it." A reassuring smile, far too much like his own sensei's, set Raph's teeth on edge.
"Perhaps your time away from home can be a journey as well. Circumstance is an unpredictable, but a very effective teacher."
Raph blinked, frowning heavily as he processed the idea: unpredictable. That was one trait he would never have attributed to Master Splinter.
It fit this one pretty well, he thought.
Donnie reappeared, slumping back into a chair and putting his face in his hands with an angry sigh.
"I don't think Raph had a very good night," he announced. "You might be able to meet him another time."
Raph fidgeted in his seat. There was a lot about this world that didn't make sense. His alternate self not wanting to meet him was not one of them.
He couldn't deny he'd been wondering, all through the movies last night, whether his brothers wouldn't happily trade him for a version of himself from another reality.
For all he knew, they already had.
And if he'd stayed in his own dimension while that happened, he wouldn't want to meet the guy either.
