#nurturingflame

Though Eliza was ashamed to admit that Splinter was on the top of her ‘cravings’ list, she was immediately relieved of the guilt by Phoenix’s typical acceptance of her ferrety tendencies.

“I guess having a girl’s night with Medusa is a much better option than the alternative.” Eliza chuckled lightly at her own poor humor. “In fact some girl time sounds like a good idea all around. What do you think?”

“What do I think about what?” Phoenix questioned, sounding slightly suspicious.

“About Gwyn and I spending some time at the warehouse?” The ferret said brightly before switching her tone to pleading, gripping both of the healer's hands between her own. “Pleeease?? Donnie is suppose to work on a new room for us and I know that Gwyn is going to get underfoot and we both could use some time in the sun.” Eliza looked her friend in the eye, practically begging. “Being here is driving me crazy. I need a break.”

Phoenix pursed her lips, the ferret’s eyes large, her hands warm over her own.  “Splinter won’t like that…” she said slowly, and her heart immediately sank when Eliza’s look did.

Phoenix had such a difficult time reading the rat master.  Most of the time she got the impression he was not happy with her at all, or that he outright disliked her.  Then, other times, he was friendly, or what she surmised was friendly for him.  And then there was the night of their dancing in the dojo, when he’d seemed...happy.  She liked that Splinter, but doubted she’d have the privilege of seeing that one again.  Not after how it ended.

“Ok,” she said, feeling slightly guilty for agreeing and slightly relieved when Eliza perked up.  “I don’t mind having you over for as long as you want to stay.”  She glanced toward the door.  “But you have to help me with Mr. We-Don’t-Need-To-Go-Anywhere-Where-Someone-Might-See-Us.”

“Ya know, from someone who’s children get in trouble all the time I'm kinda sick of that argument.” Eliza huffed though she was elated with the Phoenix’s permission to stay with her. “Of course I'm going to back you up on this one. We've been ‘good girls’ and following his rules for weeks now. It's time to test just how much leeway we've earned.”

“You make it sound like you're asking for early parole.” Phoenix snickered.

“Hey, it's not that far from the truth!” Eliza stood and paced the room a few times while the healer started to pack her bag. “We could just tell him what we intend to do and hash it out like reasonable adults. Oorrrrr…”

“Or?”

“Or we could unleash our secret weapon on him.”

“And that would be?”

Eliza’s smile was almost predatory. “Gwyn, of course.”

Phoenix raised her eyebrows, as if she’d heard the ferret mutant incorrectly.  “Your daughter is our secret weapon?”  It was usually she who was saying such things, and sicking Medusa on someone was not something she would do lightly.  But then again, Phoenix’s daughter could eat people.  Gwyn had no chance of doing that.

Eliza stooped and slung her arm over the shorter woman, ignoring the twinge of discomfort as the new position allowed to one of the twins to kick her in the kidney. “My dear sweet Phoenix, you have no idea just how much that girl has our venerable ninja master wrapped around her little finger. Hold on, let me show you.” Eliza pulled her phone from her pocket and quickly swiped through her pictures till she found the one she wanted. “Look at that and tell me that she couldn’t get away with murder.”

Gwyn was sitting next to Splinter at a low table observing intently as the rat was in the process of folding paper. Perched precariously on his head was a completed paper crane while Gwyn had an origami flower tucked behind her ear. It was the epitome of a candid moment where the subjects were unaware they were being observed, just enjoying the activity they were absorbed in. The smile curling Splinter’s muzzle however, was unmistakable.

Eliza felt some of her annoyance drain. “If Gwyn wants to go on a sleepover, I very much doubt that Yoshi would be able to put up too much resistance. But, maybe we should keep it as our ace in the hole.” The ferret stood straighter as Phoenix looked at the picture, rubbing her belly in an attempt to settle the babies before they became too active.

“Come on, Splinter should be making himself some tea right about now. Why don’t we see if we can catch him in the kitchen. Who knows, maybe he’ll be reasonable for once.” Eliza said optimistically as she headed for the door.

Seeing the picture on the phone, Phoenix felt a stab of jealousy.  She wasn’t exactly sure what caused it.  Was it that her own children were no longer that age, where they delighted in such little things as papermaking?  Was it that they were now too old to be absorbed in her in such a fundamental way as Gwyn seemed to be with Splinter in the photo?  Was it the fact that the photo existed, an item she had precious few of, and none of them candid shots such as this?  Or was it the fact that a father figure was involved with a child, something her children never had?  She shook her head, dispelling the feeling with a sigh and smiling up at her friend as she left the room.

Eliza was correct, Splinter was in the kitchen, preparing himself some tea.  He raised his eyebrows as they entered, as if their appearance truly surprised him, before lowering his head in a small greeting.  “Ladies,” he said smoothly.  “Would you care to join me?”

“Yes, please!” Phoenix said brightly, skipping forward.  She had no idea where the man got his tea, or what made his preparing it so good, but it was the best stuff she’d tasted in a long, long time.  If they could a sweetener down in the sewers, it would be perfect…

Though it was not unusual to see the two women around the lair, it was a surprise for them to join him, usually preferring to keep their own company during The Phoenix's visits.

He smiled and motioned to the little healer to take a seat, his heart wavered just a bit to feel the exuberance she seemed to exude with her girlish skip. He turned to retrieve a second mug from the cabinet only to bump in Eliza who was already there. “Pardon me.”

“No problem, I was just getting myself a glass too.” She smiled cordially, before holding out the very vessel he was planning to retrieve, “You two enjoy your tea, I have some sweet herbal brewed in the fridge already.”

“Thank you.” Splinter replied rotely, inwardly he was put off balance. This was the most interaction she’d had with him nearly all week. Eliza didn't leave the room either, but started to flit here and there, as she often did when in the kitchen, but still managing to stay engaged in the light small talk as Splinter prepared tea for himself and The Phoenix.

“Is there anything you require?” he asked, placing the steaming cup in front of the small woman. At the same time, as if by magic a small plate of cookies and peanut butter crackers, one of his favorite non cheese snacks, appeared on the counter.

He could already hear Eliza chewing on something crunchy and when he looked up her eyes held a smile as she finished her mouthful and then sipped on her tall glass of herbal sweet tea. He blinked, something in the air was off, but the pleasant scene was too nice to allow ill thoughts to taint the mood. He returned his attention to the Phoenix, picking up his dropped thought. “I believe we may still have some milk.”

She raised her brows, smiling again.  He remembered she liked milk with her tea!  “Really?” she breathed, as if he’d just offered her a diamond.  Her family never had milk unless Chategris provided it for them, and she knew very well that when the cat mutant had it,  it was stolen.  It occurred to her that Splinter and his boys probably didn’t have any either, before Eliza’s arrival into their home.  While dumpster diving only provided sour milk, the grocery store had plenty of fresh.  Money and a human daughter provided a great deal for people who could not allow themselves to be seen in public.

Then she remembered why they were there.  As he stood up and turned to fridge, she turned to Eliza, her smile fading.

She liked Splinter when he was like this, not just because he was accommodating, but that certainly helped.  But he was sweet, in his own gruff way, like how he remembered she liked milk with her tea.  He had no reason to remember that, he didn’t take milk in his tea.  In fact, he had a very ritualistic way in which he drank it, she realized with a start.  “Oh,” she moaned, guilt eating at her shoulders as they dropped.

Splinter turned with a speed that surprised her, one moment he was facing the fridge, and in a blink, he was facing her and Eliza, the milk jug in his hand, the liquid inside barely sloshing.  His eyebrows were raised in concern, his golden eyes wide, but then his brows dropped in confusion.  “What is the matter?” he asked slowly.

Phoenix bit her lip, glancing at Eliza again.

Splinter turned to the ferret mutant, his brows up once again, the soft expression on his face slowly disappearing.

“Eliza was thinking,” Phoenix said yammered, gripping her cup of tea so tightly that her knuckles were turning white, “that she could be out of you and your boys’ hair while you guys were fixing up her and Gwyn’s space.”

“Was she?” he asked smoothly, eyes still on the ferret.  

Eliza gave her friend a sour look though she didn't see it, focused as she was on her mug. Splinter placed the milk before the Phoenix calmly before taking his customary seat. He gave no further comment, instead waiting for one of the women to elaborate.

Eliza rolled her eyes from the Phoenix as she poured the milk into her tea, back to him, affecting a casual smile in the process. “Yes, yes I was actually,” she said, her voice slightly pinched. “I just thought that construction might go faster if Gwyn wasn't asking Donnie questions every five minutes, annoying Leo, making Raph mad, or distracting Mikey.”

Splinter took a sip of his tea, trying to remain calm, though he was incensed. How dare she try to manipulate him, did he not have four teenage boys? Did she truly think he would not see through such a ruse. Well, two could play at this game.

The Rat King roared, but then fell backward his back hitting the table.  “No!” he cried.  “You are mine!”

“Not so fast, Rat King,” Mikey popped out of nowhere, carrying a cooler.   He opened it, and out came a pink, brown and cream thing, flopping on the Rat King’s face with a wet splat.  “Ice Cream Kitty, away!”

He screamed, his burned, shrivelled arms flailing in the air as the sound of a cat filled his ears.  In desperation, he managed to grab the thing, and fling it off of him.

“Was that April’s cat?” Donnie asked, as Splinter sprinted forward.

“Absolutely not,” Mikey crossed his arms indignantly.

The Rat King ran to a garbage shaft, gripping the handle of the rusted machine, he cried.  “Take her,” he pointed to The Phoenix, still struggling on the floor.    “Destroy them all!”  He pulled the lever, and the floor dropped out from under him.

Phoenix screamed when a giant rat bit through her chains, freeing her wrists.  She brought her hands up to the beasts bony face, but it did no damage, as it grabbed her in its mouth and bounded after it’s master.

Splinter, not far behind, plunged down the shaft, until all of them were lost from view.

Eliza could hear the sounds of struggle occurring below and for once in her life she was itching to join in the fray. Then all at once huge rats bounded onto the upper level that they had forced her to wait at. Well, she thought as she flexed her claws before standing up, I guess this is my cue.

The rat must have noticed her movement because it turned towards her with a hiss and immediately she responded in kind, hunching lower to brace herself for it’s attack. But before she could engage a turtle shell blocked her view and she could hear the shink of Leonardo’s blades.

“Stay back.” He threw at her as he engaged HER opponent in battle. “You need to take cover Mrs. V.”

If she had the inclination she would have rolled her eyes but she was distracted by the screams of the humans down below. They were scattering everywhere and had almost cleared from the chamber. Then she saw it, on the second level, making an exit into the tunnels, one of those monstrosities was dragging Gwyn, her Gwyn, behind it.

A blood lust like she had never felt before bubbled up inside of her and she saw red. Dropping to all fours she ran across the broken concrete till she found an opening that would get her down to the level she needed. Ignoring the cries behind her to wait, she launched herself off the edge and into battle.

Falling down the shaft, following The Rat King, Phoenix had trouble getting her breath with the force of the fall.  She was wedged in the large rat’s mouth like a dog with a bone, her legs sticking out of one end and her head and shoulders out of the other.  The quickly approaching floor, just past the Rat King himself, made her stomach flop.  A small burning on her neck made her look up, to see sparks falling about her as Splinter followed them, all fours against the metal shaft, his claws causing a shower of sparks in his attempt to slow his fall.

Her body jerked hard as the rat hit the floor, immediately breaking out in a run.  She reached with her hands still bound to each other for the creature’s nose, to try and steady herself, as the hopping run of the rat made her body lurch this way and that like a rag doll.

She managed to use an upjerk to complete a sit up and grab onto a bony protrusion on the rat’s muzzle.  With the insane shaking finally subsiding some, she was able to concentrate a little more on her surroundings.  Splinter was following them, on all fours and to her surprise, he was catching up!  He and the Rat King were having some sort of discourse about control.  “I would like some more control over my life, please!” she shrieked.

As if her request was a magic spell, a sea of rats crashed down in a turn in the sewer tunnel, filling her with horror.  “Not good!” she cried, but like her previous request, it seemed to go unnoticed.

What was not unnoticed, by her at least, was that the sewer suddenly turned into the old sewers of the original city, ancient and pretty, with brick work decorating tunnel heads and junctures.  What kind of civil engineer decorates a sewer? she wondered errantly, before the rat leapt into the air, dropping her on an outcropping, leaving her alone on a little island of what was once an aqueduct of some kind.  

A few islands away, The Rat King laughed, looking down the side at Splinter, hanging on by only his claws, the ground many stories below hidden in fog.

Eliza’s trajectory landed her on the back of the massive rat and she instinctively dug her claws in. The effect was immediate though the outcome was mixed. The beast roared its displeasure, releasing it’s hold on Gwynevere in the process. It then immediately started bucking and Eliza bared down, attempting not to be thrown like a rookie at the rodeo, even though that was a fair estimation of her actual fight prowess. She lasted her eight seconds but not much farther beyond that before she was thrown into a nearby wall.

“Mom!” Gwyn was at her side and the ferret embraced her with a fierceness born of fear, ignoring the ache that was now present in her right hip.

“Are you ok?” She exclaimed as she patted the girl down in a frantic effort to see if anything was broken.. “How’s your le..” The mother daughter moment was short-lived as the massive rat was in front of them again, pinning them between itself and the wall at their backs. “Stay behind me.” She said as she stood and shielded Gwyn with her body.

Time seemed to slow as Eliza crouched down. Air left her lungs slowly, becoming a growl as it passed through her throat, her snout curled and quivering as the sound reverberated off the roof of her mouth before the breath finally left her to steam in the cooler air of the crumbling underground. With her next inhale she could smell the rat, the dampness that clung to its underbelly from traveling in the sewers, the rankness of it’s breath from feasting on garbage and the irony sweetness of the blood from the puncture wounds she had given it. Eliza shifted her body forward, sniffing the air with greater boldness and the rat slinked back half a step. She could smell something new now. Fear.

The small retreat sent a trill of anticipation up Eliza’s spine that was foreign to her mind but seemed very right in her body. Was she actually looking forward to mixing it up with this giant rat? Apparently, yes. But she couldn't forget the reason why she was about to fight.

“Gwyn,” she said without looking away from the creature's beady red eyes. “get away as soon as you see a chance. The turtles are here along with April. Find help and stay safe.”

“But mom…” She felt her daughter press against her back, seeking comfort. Eliza could smell her hesitation, and so could the mutated rat. The ferret’s advantage was disappearing as the rat stepped forward again with renewed confidence.

Eliza pressed the girl away with one hand, launching herself at her enemy in the next instant. She was only able to push the giant back a few feet, with her best effort at a football tackle, before it's snapping jaws caught her arm and threw her to the ground. Her own mass kept her from being flung about like a rag doll but she was seriously concerned about her shoulder staying in it's socket with the monster tossing its head with that much force. She was thankful when it let her go but horrified when it turned it’s head to track Gwynevere as the girl tried to make her escape.

Now trapped underneath the beast, held down by a massive paw on her chest, the ferret had few options to counter as the rat stretched out it’s neck, snapping towards Gwyn in an effort to keep the girl near the wall. And if the terrified high-pitched scream was any indication, it was working.

“I wouldn’t push them too much,” Phoenix warned.  Despite the Rat King’s promise, she had little doubt he would hurt someone given a valid reason.  Trying to escape was probably a valid reason.  And this girl was just that--a girl.  She couldn’t be but 15 or 16 years old.  “What’s your name?” she asked gently...at least she hope it was gently and not terrified.

“Irma, Irma Langinstein.” The teen knelt down, mostly to reduce her center of gravity so the cage would stop swinging so much. Her stomach was already upset, she didn’t need to add motion sickness to the equation. “Why does he want us?” She asked the woman. She had a clear view of her from her prison. “Who does this kind of thing anyway? Mad scientists in the sewers with giant rats. It’s crazy!!”

Phoenix chuckled, here was a plucky youngster.  “It is crazy, Irma,” she agreed.  She looked around her, as if something new would appear.  When nothing did, she pulled on her wrists, but her bonds held strong.  “He wants to turn us all into rat people,” she said.  “I would imagine that those of us who don’t change will be...terminated.”  She sighed, realizing how hokey that sounded, even to her old ears.  “How did you end up down here?  Before anyone else?  You don’t really leave crackers in the alley for rats, do you?”  If she did, no wonder that The Rat King nabbed her first.

“Rat people? Seriously?” She looked for some sign the lady was pranking her but saw that she was being completely serious. “I mean, humans and rats share a good percentage of genetic make-up, so I guess it could be plausible. If I wasn’t about to be a test subject it might be interesting to look at that research.” Irma shook her head, banishing her rambling thoughts.

“No. Well… not since I was a little kid anyway.” She responded to the woman’s questioning. “I was just walking with my friends down an alley. Well technically my friend April. Casey Jones just happened to be there, before they ditched me. Again.” She recounted with a pout. Then she plucked out a possible relative piece of info from the incident. “I was talking about how I liked rats better than cats though. April was snuggling up to a mangy stray. I was less than enthused about it.”

Taking a deep breath, in an attempt to calm herself, Phoenix said, “A mangy stray?”  April...Casey Jones...she felt that a jigsaw puzzle had been laid before her and she could identify how any of the pieces came together.  She knew that she looked afraid, You have to stay calm, this is just a kid.  But they ditched her right before she was taken.  “They left you right before you were grabbed?” she said slowly.  Please let the girl be exaggerating.  

“Yeah.” Irma said with a raised eyebrow wondering why it was so important. “They took off on his bike and as soon as they turned the corner this huge rat grabbed my ankle and dragged me down in the sewers. Took a while to get here but, tada.” She flung her hands out. “Here I am.”

“Next time I decide to try and spare April that brute’s company, I’m going to the library instead.”

Phoenix looked down the tunnel where The Rat King had rode, her mouth turning down to a frown.  Why didn’t the rat take April and Casey, if it grabbed Irma right after they left.  It was obvious where the two teens were headed.  She felt the color drain from her face.  Splinter might not come to save her, he had no real reason to.  But April could convince the Turtles to come and save her friend, and then Splinter would be compelled to come and help his sons.  There was no way that they could take on so many rats and win.  Even though they were small--

Just then, another huge rat, followed by six more, came in carrying people in their mouths.  They were each deposited into cages, just as Irma had been. So much for small enemies, Phoenix thought.  The Rat King had a bunch of large ones!

She closed her eyes tight again, hoping that when she opened them, all of this would be gone.

The Rat King stood atop the highrise, his eyes scanning the many sights that his rats presented to him.  Sometimes it was easy, he could catch one and hold onto it, the rat becoming an extension of himself.  Other times, he had to concentrate a little more, as if trying to get a fuzzy radio station into focus.   Aristotle saw the many huge rats ransacking the city, grabbing screaming citizens and then whisking them underground.  A guard rat at his lair saw the cages filling up, the woman to the side with her eyes closed tight in fear.  A familiar sight, one that he had searched for regularly for months, caught his attention, and he turned down the many tunnels of minds, to settle on only one mind.

The rat now named Ladybug.

Splinter meditated, trying to repair the mental blocks the Rag King had torn down while inside his mind. He was also trying to ignore the guilt and worry that was threatening to overwhelm him. The looks on the children's faces as then went to battle against the Rat King did not help.

Even more damning had been the absolute fear in Gwyn’s face. He hadn’t seen the girl since and assumed that she had went to join her mother in their room. Neither had yet to be seen in the common area.

Then his mind was filled with visions, his inner eye tinted red. Gwyn’s face came into view but he didn’t recognize her surroundings except to see that she was in a tunnel. She was not in the lair. And panic swelled within him. “Noo!!” He screamed, clutching his head. “Leave her alone!”

Ladybug squeaked, and at The Rat King’s command, licked Gwyn’s ear.  “Yes,” he said softly.  “Go into the tunnels, child.  There are so many twists and turns, it is hard to know where to go.”

At that, the little hooded rat jumped off of her shoulder and began to dash down a side tunnel.  She turned, looking back at the human girl, as if waiting.

Splinter growled, frozen with inaction. The pain in head was excruciating. He tried to force the Rat King from his mind, but as he did he lost the vision of Gwyn and that scared him even more.

What could he do? If the child was near he might be able to sniff her out on his own. But if she had traveled too far he would have no chance of finding her.

His hands balled into fists and he did the one thing he was loathe to do. He opened his mind and asked. “What do you want,” his teeth clenched as he talked out loud to the empty dojo. “My King.”

The Rat King laughed, even while his eyes still saw Gwyn, turning down the tunnel toward his lair.  “You know what I want,” he answered.  He would not let his beloved brother off so easy, he would make him say it--make him want to do his bidding.

Ladybug ran at a full trot, Gwyn chasing behind.  As the rat looked back, The Rat King, and Splinter through him, could see the girl’s long golden hair flare out behind her as she ran, calling “Ladybug, stop!”

The rat did at she was told, just at the edge of Gwyn’s vision.   She ran back to her new owner, scrambling at her leg.  Gwyn bent down, her hair blocking the view of anything except what seemed like red-tinged gold curtain, and then put her on her shoulder.  “Where are you running off to?”

Then, in front of them, a giant rat, with a bony  muzzle, fangs, not teeth, bulging out of its mouth, emerged from the shadows.

Gwyn screamed.

Splinter screamed along with the girl, the echos of his angry cry bouncing off of the empty walls of the lair. “Do not hurt her!!” He reached through the bond he had with the Rat King. Trying in some way to influence the beasts as the mad scientist did, only to be thrown back into his own body forcefully.

“You know what I want,” The Rat King’s voice echoed.

Splinter knew, but he also knew more than the man had wanted him to see. As much as the Rat King had bragged about his control over the rats, it also made his mind open to a will that choose to look for it’s secrets. He still didn’t know where Gwyn was, but he knew where she was being taken.

Another round of huge rats entered the large chamber, and everyone already there watched in horror as they were now being deposited several to a cage.  Anyone who tried to escape was viciously thrown back into the swinging trap, several people had already been knocked unconsciousness in their attempts to get away.

“Gwyn!” Phoenix recognized one of the humans being carried, and began to pull at her bonds again, her wrists beginning to become bloodied.  What was he doing with her, her specifically?  

He was making sure that Splinter would come.  Unlike her, she realized, Gwyn wasn’t bait.  Gwyn was a poker chip.

She’d seen how the rat mutant had fawned, if that is what one could call it with him, over the girl.  Despite having four sons, he was obviously a girl person, the way he treated April and Gwyn were volumes different than the four turtles.  It wasn’t that he was easier on them, but more like softer.  Granted, neither girl was his daughter to do with as he pleased, but Phoenix had gotten the impression more than once that if they had been, he would still have treated them in a different manner.  He seemed to hold a very warm spot for Gwyn, whether because of her gender, her age, or her mother, Phoenix hadn’t yet figured out.

Michelangelo stared at the frozen deliciousness he'd spread out before himself on the table in Donnie's lab.  Even four days later, the room still smelled of the feast that his family, Mrs. V, and The Children of the Phoenix had partaken in.  The giant chairs that Donnie had constructed were not longer there, each of the three mutants they were made for having taken them home.  Medusa had been thrilled to pieces with her first ever chair.  Sad life never sitting in a chair, the teen thought.  Even sadder to let this ice cream melt.

The ice cream was almost gone, and his plan was to make a many scooped concoction meant to finish it off before someone else beat him to it.  He pushed the jar of mutagen, or retro-mutagen, or maybe it wasn't-mutagen-at-all, out of the way.   Donnie really needs to do a better job of putting stuff back where it belongs, he thought.  All of this lab equipment is blocking my food prep.  

"What are you doing with the ice cream on my table?" Donnie came up behind him.  Mikey turned to see his taller brother standing with his hip popped out, his arms crossed his plastron.  "Hmmm?"

"Fixing you," he drawled, "a big bowl of ice cream!"  He turned and began to scoop the dessert into a bowl.

"What were you doing before you decided to serve me ice cream?" Donnie asked suspiciously.

"Serving myself ice cream?" Mikey presented the brainiac with a heaping bowl.

"Why don't you fix Mrs. V and Phoenix bowls," Leo suggested, sauntering into the lab.  "They've been sequestered in Mrs. V's room for a long time now."

"What do you think they're doing in there?" Donnie asked, handing a bowl to Leo and taking one himself.

"I dunno," Leo shrugged as they walked away.  "I heard Phoenix say that Mrs. V was right not to imbibe, apparently she had to use her own medical knowledge on a hangover."

Ice cream is so much better than sake.  Mikey's mouth watered as his brother's voices drifted away.  Not that he had ever tried sake, but if you had to take medicine after drinking it, then it couldn't be good.  He stuffed a large spoonful of ice cream into his mouth before beginning to serve up another bowl. Piling it high, he admired it.  It sparkled in the low light, the ice crystals on the cream beginning to melt into a smooth dripping loveliness.  He took a long lick.

"Where's the one you were going to make me?" Donnie snapped Mikey out of his reverie.

Sighing, Mikey handed the bowl to his brother, just as April's voice hit his ears.  "Hi guys.  Look what I found!"

"Are you sure you measured right?" Eliza asked as she exited her room behind the Phoenix, tweaking her shirt, hoping that it would fall in more flattering creases to hide her stomach bump. They had just spent more than an hour in the most detailed check-up she had undergone to date. "Pregnant or not, adding four inches to my waist-line in a week seems a bit extreme." Her friend just snickered in a knowing way as they made their way towards the common area of the lair.

The Children of the Phoenix had stopped by in the early evening the day after the party, with their rather haggard looking mother in tow. Eliza had slept in late that day and thus had gotten a late start in cleaning up the aftermath. The boys had helped of course, though Eliza noted with no small degree of annoyance that her own daughter was MIA, mostly likely off in some hidden nook bonding with her new pet. Regardless, the result was that she was still elbow deep in pots and pans when her company arrived. She was immediately relieved of duty by an insistant Acros who then recruited his brother to his aid while Medusa when off to find Donatello. Apparently she wanted to ask the craftsman turtle if she could take her custom-built chair back to the warehouse.

When Eliza turned her attention to the Phoenix, it was apparent that the small woman was not nearly as chipper as her adopted offspring. When asked she just grumbled something about a newfound distaste for 'fine' sake and maybe a disparaging word or two about Mirakami's lineage, which Eliza hoped would not be repeated in the blind chef's company. Taking pity on her friend, Eliza put on the kettle and discretely went to ask Splinter if he happened to have any tea blends that would help. The end result was a pleasant enough tea time and chat between three adults. Splinter and the Phoenix with their 'day after' brew and Eliza with the iron enhancer the healer had made for the pregnant ferret. With lots of sugar.

As the tea was consumed the small healer had a more healthy color returned to her and was guiding the conversation back around to Eliza. Mostly as to how to ascertain the health of the babies, now that they had shown movement. However, they were interrupted by the children, furred, shelled and scaled alike. They had loaded all three chairs into the shell-raiser and wanted to deliver them to the warehouse before the Hamato boys planned to head out on patrol. The Phoenix left with the group, with the caution that Eliza wasn't off the hook, and a promise to come back soon. Today's exam was the fulfillment of that threat.

Eliza had been weighed, measured, poked and prodded, all in the Phoenix's goal to not only judge the health of the pregnancy, but to have a base understanding of Eliza's ferrety physiology, or as much as she could with basic observation. It was a lot of asking Eliza to bend this way and that, understanding how the ferret's body moved normally so the healer could then make note of any changes that the pregnancy caused. The end result was a mix between a doctor's visit and a yoga class.

As they moved towards the pit the sound of young voices brought her attention to the lab just as April and Casey were making their way there as well. Her accute hearing heard the word 'ice cream' being bantered about just as Donatello and Leonardo meet them with bowls of the sweet treat. "Ohh, snack time." She smiled in anticipation as she accepted the bowl from Donnie freeing him to return to the lab, "thank you boys I can go for this about now."

"You're welcome." Leonardo said politely while holding out his bowl to the Phoenix who seemed to be contemplating whither she wanted the treat or not.

She caught the smaller woman raising an eyebrow at her. "Hey! Don't give me that look. I've been good. But even leftover chicken gets boring after a few days. Not to mention that having Ladybug around has not being helping on the craving front. I think ice cream is a much better option."

Then the squee of "KITTY!" came through the door and Eliza caught a glimpse of an orange tabby being danced around by green hands.

"Oh for heaven's sake." She muttered as she stepped into the lab, an ecstatic Mikey cuddling a weather worn ally cat, blissfully ignoring the agitated chatter of the other teens. Her mind immediately went to how this new arrival could complicate her own situation. Not bad enough I have to keep myself from snacking on my daughters' pet, now I have to make sure the cat doesn't get to it either. Because it was plain to see that Mikey was already enamored and if he turned his watery baby blues on the rest of the family she was certain the cat was not leaving anytime soon.

"Okay, whose idea was this?" she asked the room, but a shrinking and suddenly shy April made the answer all too clear. "Really. April?" The ferret sighed in an exasperated but defeated way all parents do when there is no way out of a pickle a wayward child puts them in.

"It's only temporary." The teen tried to defend sheepishly.

"Un hun." Eliza shook her head and walked over to the ice cream spread, serving herself an extra scoop of the quickly melting treat. Hey, she deserved extra for dealing with this kind of stress. "You're telling Splinter." She declared without looking back as she deposited off the last of the mint chocolate chip in her bowl.

"Master Splinter is meditating right now," Donnie said in a pensive voice.  "You'll have to tell him later."

"Yeah," Casey Jones chuckled, "what if the cat goes nuts and attacks him when he's not paying attention?  She could feed off of his body for months!"

"There is something seriously wrong with you," Donnie snapped, crossing his arms over his chest.

"That was pretty gross, Casey," Phoenix agreed, handing the young man her bowl after putting only a spoonful in her mouth.  She turned to Eliza and smiled as Mikey let out a lovesick sigh.  "You be good," she told the ferret.  "And I'll be back."

"Let me get your bag," Eliza turned toward her room.

Phoenix held a hand out, again peeking at Mikey as he let out a squeak.  "I can get it.   Make sure you hold the cat when you introduce it to Ladybug."  She sang the last words, almost as a tease.

Mikey gasped and growled out, "Nononononono!"

"Everything OK Mikey?" April asked, waving as the healer left.

"Yeah," he said, his shell pressed against the table.  "It's cold, it's cool.  Like ice cream."

Eliza swallowed hers.  "Get the cat off the table, Michelangelo."

"Okie dokie!" he squealed, turning, grabbing the feline in his arms, and running toward the kitchen.

Eliza rolled her eyes.  "I need a nap."

For days, he had watched.  Through the eyes of Ladybug, The Rat King was able to see most of the Turtles lair, spy upon the interactions between those living there.  The girl who had taken Ladybug as her own did not restrict herself to only one or two parts of the lair, but roamed freely.  However, the girl did not go where he wanted her to go, and he had to wait until she was sleeping with her ferret-mother before he could tell the fancy rat to wander.

So the doe snuck out when the girl was solidly asleep, only once causing the ferret mutant's whiskers to twitch, into the dojo to watch the sleeping or meditating form of Splinter.

Ah, his Splinter.  The Rat King had been watching his general, his bodyguard, his brother in body, heart, and soul long before Ladybug had made her presence known to the human girl called Gwyn.  The Rat King did not want to play his hand too early, so he had only tickled Splinter's presence in his dreams, wandering in convoluted places that made little sense, places filled with cherry blossoms, old style Japanese buildings, the clinging of steel weapons, and the cooing of a baby.  But the little fancy rat doe had her eye on the rat mutant and his household during his waking hours.   It was in that way that he'd felt the weakening of Master's Splinter's mind.

Even drunk, filled with the blood warming fuzziness of sake, Master Splinter was formidable.  His mind was firm, watching the goings on about him with a nonjudgemental eye.  However, The Rat King was able to feel the rat mutant, much the same way he could feel his many brothers and sisters.  With the emotional impressions of Splinter, and the visual information of Ladybug, he had formulated his plan.  He needed only to wait until the right time.

He had thought he would have to wait longer, but fate was smiling on him.  

Ladybug saw, at the beginning of what seemed to be the ninja turtle's fighting lesson, Splinter training each of the boys, separately and together.  Then The Rat King felt Splinter's wall crack, as the sound of a woman came to his ears, met with the higher voice of another woman in typical, almost squealy female greeting.  Ladybug was no longer in the dojo, as Gwyn had scooped her up, and carried her to the sounds of the voices, showing The Rat King her mother, the ferret mutant Eliza, and the mutant healer, The Phoenix, hugging each other.

At the same time, he felt Splinter's attention shatter.  Only a shard, for that moment, was on his sons, another on their training, another on their obedience, but several more stretched out from the dojo, to the voices of the women, a recollection of how each one smelled, looked, moved.  The Rat King felt the Ninja Master's swell of affection for the little girl, for the ferret, for the healer, and he felt the body he was observing clench with desire.

Much like his own heart did when he longed for his brother, who rejected him, rejected who he was.  But no longer.

Splinter put on a blindfold, taking the lesson in a different direction, to regain his focus.  

"This doesn't seem fair," Leonardo said.

"I assure you," Splinter replied.  "It isn't."

Again the voices of the women came to his ears, as he moved to avoid Leonardo's strike, his attention split.  The Rat King reached out his desire, clear for the Ninja Master, to match that which the Ninja Master himself felt for...The Rat King could not quite tell what.

The first move was made, his second was now in the waiting.  He would have what he wanted.

Phoenix followed the flashlight down the sewer tunnel, her mind a whirl with the information she'd gleaned from Eliza in this last visit.  She was still seeing how the woman moved in her mind's eye, her flexibility was amazing.  She could practically turn herself in two, despite the two babies growing in her belly.  The way that the mutagen had modified her spine in making her an anthropomorphic ferret was fascinating in and of itself, and she had to keep bringing her mind back to the actual measurements that mattered.  She chuckled, shaking her head.  You're an obstetrician at the moment, she reminded herself.  See what her body can do for its sake after the babies come.

As her muffled laugh faded in echo, she heard, "Eek."

She stopped, casting the flashlight about to find the owner of the voice.

It was just a plain rat, grey with a pink nose, and a pink tail, and pink feet.  It lay on its side, and squeaked again meekly. When she softened her eyes, to see the glow that was not a glow that emanated from everything, she saw very little of it around the rat.  It was as if it was being suck in from the rat’s center instead of exuding out as it should.  She picked the rodent up, and held its limp, warm body in her hands.  She could feel its little heart beating against her palm.  She rubbed it gently, and as she did, she gave it some of the tingly light.  The thought and look of the process, when she was self-aware enough to watch it, never failed to fascinate her.  Everything she looked at gave off the glow that wasn’t a glow, a type of shimmering in the air that indicated its existence.  The tingly light that came out of her hands, almost of its own accord, had a different kind of glow to it, an almost light, the shimmer from it was white in color, but translucent.  It did not look like it felt.  It was a sheet, one continuous emanation of light, while it felt as if ants or spiders were coming out of her palms through her pores and into the pores of the creature she was giving it to.  She knew it wasn’t hers, that she didn’t make the light.  The light came from somewhere else, the same place as the great firebird that had come to her all those years ago, the same place as the voice that was not her voice, the same place as the poetry.

A gift from the Universe, she thought errantly.  Like Eliza's babies.

The tingling stopped in her hands, and she held the rat for a while longer.  She smiled ironically.  “Medusa would eat you,” she said to it softly.  “And here I am trying to help you heal yourself.”

The rat raised its head, as if it understood her, and then wiggled to get down.  She put it on the ground gently, and it ran off down the tunnel.  Ti stopped, looking back at her, as if waiting, ran a little farther, then waited again.  She watched it, the soft glow that was not a glow fading into the dark of the tunnel only shortly after she could no longer see its physical body.

She picked up her flashlight and followed the rat.  She turned a corner, and shone her light on several rats eating some garbage in the tunnel.  The all looked at her, squeaked loudly, and then ran off farther down the tunnel.  The one she had helped, however, waited for her to catch up, then ran off again.

She grew increasingly uneasy as she stood in the dark tunnel, deep in the sewer, away from any way out that she knew of.  A few rats, brown and gray, chittered beside her and ran forward a little, but were still well within the beam of her flashlight.

“Do I follow you?” she asked out loud, feeling rather silly as that was what she was already doing.

The rats waited.

“You know your life is getting really weird when you start talking to rats, and they answer you,” she smiled.  "And they are mutated."

Miles away, deep underneath New York City, a presence stirred from it’s still observance of the night. A crooked smiled emerged under bandaged eyes. The small warm bodies surrounding it began to fidget as they sensed their master’s excitement.

“Well, well, my old friend.” The voice creaked in the darkness only to be answered by the chittering of a thousand voices, “I have not felt this particular emotion from you before. We shall have to investigate.”

A bony and withered hand brought a single white rat up so that it was level with a sunken face. “Perhaps Aristotle, there is something new that we can offer our brother after all.” Pink eyes began to glow as the white rat looked over it’s shoulder towards the far away lair. “ Hmmm… Yes. I see now. Very interesting… very interesting indeed.”

“Go.” The figure extended a mangled finger and a swarm of small bodies flowed past him in a never ending wave. “We cannot let this opportunity pass us by. Stay hidden and wait for my signal. Then bring her to me.” The rats ran with the cackle of their King following them. “Bring them both, and I shall have my knight and my queen.”

Splinter had not been surprised at the edict that they all dance, he knew from the way the night was going that it would come to this at some point.  But he would not make it easy.  No.

Mikey had been the first to come and pull at him, quite physically to get him onto the dance floor.  "Pllleeeeeaaase, Sensei!"  He used those huge guilt, inducing eyes that he had mastered at a very young age.  They always, without fail, pulled at Splinter's heartstrings.    When Donnie and Leo joined in, he was almost overcome...almost.  He was used to standing up to his boys, despite their pleas and begging.  Oh, he'd give in, but not until the time was right, and it was not right yet.  He had to work to hide an amused smile.

What did surprise him was when The Phoenix wiggled her way in between the boys,  not a great feat in and of itself with her size.  She laughed and reached for his hand.  Her felt the pressing of her chi against his, she was expansive and high, obviously, on both alcohol and music. Her breath smelled of the high quality sake she'd unceremoniously downed before joining the other females in their little display.  It was pleasant, warm and mixed with her smell of herbs, oil and honey.  A jolt went through him when she touched him, as if a bubble popped between his energy and hers, though she didn't seem to notice in the least.  She laughed and pulled at him, much in the same way Mikey was doing, "Yes, come one, Sensei!"  Her voice was teasing and so were her bright green eyes.

No, it was not the time to capitulate yet. It was going to something greater than mere pulling to cause him to concede.  And if he wished, he could out last any of his sons.  He was quite sure, if wanted to, he could outlast the little healer, also. Her grip slipped off of his fingers as she tugged gently, and he felt a smug satisfaction that he didn't even budge and more so when she came back to tug at him again.

Then the smell of musk and honeysuckle combined with herbs, honey, and sweat, and Eliza was in front of him, having bumped his son and the healer out of the way. Her teasing warmed his chest, he liked when she was happy, when Gwyn was happy.  He liked that they were all going out of their way to get him to dance, to join the festivities.  They were his, Leo, Raph, Donnie, Mikey, April, Casey, Eliza, and Gwyn.  His friends were here, new ones, who were proving to be friendlier than he had anticipated, and old ones, who had brought fine sake to a fine celebration of friendship.

Eliza leaned into him, and it wasn't possible not to see at least some of her ample curves.  It was one of the first times he'd considered, Grant mustn't have had a chance in the world...and his feeling of amusement grew so that his smile ghosted his lips.

But then, she'd issued a challenge.  A real challenge. For a moment, he bristled internally, there was a difference between a challenge and a playful coaxing  But then he reminded himself, this is a party, and she is teasing.  But the confrontation brought into focus that simple dismissals were too low an ante.  A feral feeling, akin to the thrill of a hunt, crept up from his gut.  "Are you saying that I am afraid?"

He heard Phoenix giggle next to him, as Eliza shrugged and replied.

But it was Murikami who came to save his honor at having to concede defeat.  "You are outnumbered, Splinter-san," he said.  "Surrender before you are overrun."

"Your friend is a smart man," Phoenix said, jumping to her feet.

The tip of one side of Splinter's lips raised as his smile threatened to burst forth.  He took Eliza's hand, a warm, comforting feeling enveloping him, but released it almost immediately once he was up.

In a flash, he was in the middle of the dance floor, as if he'd just appeared there,  his face stern and his heart soaring.  "Michelangelo," he said.  "If you please."

In a move that mimicked his father's, Mikey appeared suddenly at the turntable, irreverently spinning a record in his hands.  He placed it down, dropped the needle, and "Soul Train" began to blare.

Splinter twirled, his tail whipping behind him, his legs twisting and turning as he did, to end with his head down, his arm upraised, and a finger pointing to the sky.   The single move sent the room into whoops.  The children all smiled impressively, The Phoenix jumped up and down laughing and clapping her hands like a small child, and Eliza popped her hip out, placing her hand on it and smiling smugly.

He did nothing to hide his own smile now.  They thought this was good?  No, he hadn't even started.

As Splinter took center stage Eliza had to admit that he was rather impressive. His dancing was far more acrobatic than she would have thought possible in a robe, she  wished that he were wearing pants, bellbottoms would have been appropriate, so that she could see his legs and footwork better.

After Splinter’s solo performance everyone else joined in and it wasn’t long before they were all joined together in a twisting ‘train line’ dancing its way through the dojo. She was towards the middle of the pack with Murikami in front of her and Acros with a firm handle on her hips from his place behind her. After one circuit around the room and a loop past the tree the line formation broke apart, people and mutants dancing in smaller groups or signally.

Murikami was scooped up by Medusa, who then joined Casey and Raph. Eliza was about to shimmy her way over to Splinter, Phoenix and Leo when she felt a tug on her hips and found herself pulled back against a fuzzy chest. “No fair Mrs. V.,” Acros rumbled in her ear and she felt the vibrations through her back. “I haven’t had a dance yet.”

“You’re right, Teddy Bear.” The ferret woman teased, using the nickname she had over heard Phoenix use. “I wouldn’t want to be accused of choosing favorites.” She smiled as she leaned into him more, moving her body sinuously. The music continued with a mixed disco beat and Eliza lost herself in the rhythm. At some point Aretha Franklin’s rendition of 'Respect’ came on and she twisted in Acros’ grip so that she was facing him.

Now muzzle to muzzle she began to sing to him. The words leaving her in a slow seductive tone as they danced close together. As the song built she backed away from the circle of his arms, letting her voice soar louder and unrestrained, unaware of the others who were now observing her performance. She didn’t care, she was free, higher than the notes that erupted from her and bounced off of the vaulted ceiling.

The room watched as Eliza put her elongated neck up, threw her triangular head back and belted out "R-E-S-P-E-C-T, tell you what it means to me!" Arcos laughed, his teeth showing in a predatory fashion. "I have nothing up the utmost respect for you, Eliza," he rumbled. He'd gotten much too close a look at those pretty eyes just under those pretty little ears to let something that scrumptious go so easily.  With his arms still out, he danced toward her, as if what she had done was choreographed between the two of them.

Splinter made a move to intervene, once Eliza's show was dojo-wide, but the bear's mother, put her hand on his forearm.  "Let them have fun," she said.  Her eyes twinkled in a way that made him sway.  He blinked, not sure if it was her, the music, or the drink.  "She'll be here when she wakes up in the morning."

"Of course she will," Leo replied.

While the innuendo was lost on his eldest son, it was not lost on him, and  indignation flared in his breast. "She's making a fool--"

"Let her have fun," Phoenix interrupted him, and the indignation turned to anger.  She took a step toward him, so they were very close together, and her look became knowing.  "She's dancing.  We all look like fools when we dance.  That's part of the point."  She pulled at his arm, as if tugging him down to her level.  She was a smidgen shorter than April, but no where near as built.  However, the strength in her tug was surprising, more so in that he found himself bending slightly.  "When was the last time she had fun?"  He squinted at her scowling, her breath still smelling like warm sake.  Her jade eyes returned his stare with her own, "When was the last time you had fun, Yoshi?"

The sound of his name from her lips almost bowled him over.  It shouldn't have, he knew it shouldn't, she'd heard Eliza say his name only a few minutes before.  He hadn't given her permission to use his name, he wanted to tell himself, but that wasn't what struck him.  It was the ultimately familiar way in which she said it, as if she'd been calling him that from the get-go, that caught him.  He should be angry at her for doing so.  But he wasn't.  He glanced back over at Eliza, who was consciously trying to look like she was unconsciously avoiding Arcos' arms.  

Phoenix tugged at him again.  "Song's over, Fancy Feet," she teased.  "No more respect."  A slower song came on, and the little healer let out a whoop, had both of his hands in hers before the first bar was played, and was pulling one of them to her hip.  "Dance with me!" she commanded with a laugh.  He chuckled, taking up position in front of her, realizing there was little else he could do.  As Murikami had noted, he was outnumbered, it appeared.  It also appeared he was being overrun.

Eliza ducked and weaved teasingly but without any real attempt to escape being recaptured by Acros. It was inevitable and she giggled at his antics when she was firmly cocooned in his arms once again. His massive paws held her firmly, one on her back just below the shoulder blade and the other impressively half encircling her more than amble hip. When a slow song came through the speakers Eliza gave a little push against his chest, her natural inclination to go and check on Gwyn, but the bear did not budge. Instead he began to sway and the ferret mother had little choice but to follow his lead.

"You do realize," she said, her tone light, "that this constitutes as three dances?" Without realizing it she dug her fingers a little deeper into his pelt, the tips of her filed claws grazing the skin underneath as she looked up at him through her eyelashes coyly. "Now you've had more than your fair share."

Acros laughed under his breath, the sound was deep and vibrated through both their bodies. "Not sure if I care too much about being fair anymore if the scales are tipped in my favor."

Eliza laughed out loud and wriggled her arms free so that she could swat at him. The young man just smiled, with those soft expressive lips that Eliza had come to envy, and twirled them around the floor. The ferret put her hands on his broad shoulders to stabilize herself. As the song progressed she became more relaxed eventually her fingers found themselves interwoven behind his neck and her head resting on his shoulder and chest, bringing the dancers closer than she would have normally allowed. But there was something so comforting about being embraced, for that's what they were doing more than dancing by the time the song came to a close, by someone bigger than herself. It was not a sensation that she had been privy to regularly after losing Grant. She didn't want to think about it too much, just wanted to tuck the feeling away for days when the loneliness became too real. She was grateful but couldn't bring herself to verbalize it. Thankfully Acros was warm and silent when she pushed away from him slowly, just smiling at her kindly, though his eyes twinkled with an inner amusement as they separated.

Eliza smiled back at him shyly but was saved from any awkwardness by a bouncy Gwyn appearing at her side. "Mom! Mom!! Guess what?!"

"What?" the mother responded brightly.

"Everyone heard you singing, your A was flat bytheway, and started talking about karaoke!" the girl was hardly taking a breath in her excitement to pass along her news. "I said I love singing too and then Mikey said that he did and I said we should do karaoke and April said we could do lip sync battles and Donnie agreed and I asked everyone else, well I mean everyone cept' the adults, but I'm asking you now, and they said that it was cool. So that's what we're doing next and Donnie is setting everything up. Will you do the first one, cause I don't want to go first, but Leo said he would sing Aladdin with me!! Isn't that great!"

Eliza laughed, genuinely happy for her daughter. "That is great Bugaboo! I'll sing, just let me grab something real quick." Eliza rubbed her stomach to emphasize the point. "I'm feeling a little peckish."

Acros, who was still at her side, leaned in, worry on his features. "Are you ok?" He made to place a paw on her abdomen but thought twice about it and let his arm fall to the side. "Do you need to rest?"

"Oh I'm fine." Eliza waved one hand in dismissal while the other settled on the rise of her stomach, the gesture instantly recognizable though there was little to outwardly distinguish any new curves from her naturally plump frame. "All that dancing has finally caught up to me. I just need a snack. The buffet is still in the lab. I'll just grab a plate and be right back to enjoy the show."

"If things get set up early let someone else start Gwyn," The girl made to protest but Eliza silenced her with a look. "I promise that I'll take my turn. Go. Have fun." She shooed them both towards the dj table before heading towards the exit and the lair beyond. Focused on her suddenly voracious appetite she did not see the shadow that followed her into the lab.

"Are you alright, Mrs. V?" Leo's voice drifted through the darkened room as the ferret woman fixed herself a plate of the remaining kinds of chicken from the buffet.

He'd seen her make a hasty exit, and expected she need to go to the restroom.  But then, both his father and Phoenix looked the way she'd gone with slightly concerned looks on their faces.  They were about to separate in their dancing when he had nodded to his sensei.  There was a pregnant pause, where his father and the little healer will still touching in their dance, before his father nodded back at him.

Eliza startled and had to do a little juggle to keep her plate of BBQ chicken and potatoes from tumbling to the floor. Looking over her shoulder the darker fur of her natural mask crinkled between her eyes in agitation as she saw Leo. Freakin' ninjas.

"I'm just fine." She heard the annoyance in her voice and took a small cleansing breath. She knew the hostility was unwarranted. "Thank you Leo." She said much more amicably as she took her plate to the table near where he was standing and taking a seat. "I got a little hungry is all."

She smiled at him before tucking into a thigh, chewing thoughtfully as she evaluated the teen. She and Leonardo didn't always see eye to eye but she had noticed that over the last week he had made a more concerted effort to be accommodating. Though sometimes she felt overwhelmed by his occasional hovering. As she was scooping a forkful of seasoned potatoes another thought crossed her mind. Eliza paused her meal as she felt a genuine affection for the teen bloom within her. "You didn't have give into Gwyn like that," She looked up from her plate and meet his gaze. "but I'm really grateful you did. That song means a lot to her, to both of us."

He smiled, basking in the praise.  He was his father's son, hovering and the love of praise were two things that had definitely inherited from the rat.  "It was nothing," he said.  "She doesn't seem to be too into the dancing.  I want her to have a good time, too."  The girl, while usually very out spoken and upbeat, had not participated in the festivities earlier in the evening.  He had assumed she was simply waiting for the right time, but when Mrs. V had left the dojo, then come back in to announce and all girl's dance, he'd realized, after getting back on the dance floor, that Gwyn was trepidatious about dancing.  He couldn't see why.  She'd done just fine on the floor.  Granted, she wasn't going to win any dancing competitions, but she was just a joyous as everyone else, and Leo knew that was what a celebration was about.

And wasn't this a celebration?  Albeit, he wasn't entirely sure what the celebration was about, specifically, but is a fabulous one nonetheless.  The food was good, the drink was good, the companionship was good, the dancing was good.  He liked having so many people dancing together.  It was a much different feeling than just them and April.  It almost made the experience more exhilarating.  He wondered if that's why people went to dance clubs.  Seeing his father dance had been a delight.   Oh, he knew Sensei would get up on the floor eventually, but it was a hoot to see everyone cajoling him.  Seeing him slow dance with Phoenix was disconcerting, though.  It was as if he shouldn't be doing something like with anyone.  Tang Shen was too important in their lives for him to desecrate her memory that way.  He knew in his head it wasn't a desecration, but in a way, it felt that way.