AN:

(Could this be… A new oneshot in this book? Never say never, I guess.)

2012 turtles. Splinter speaking. Inspired by the episode "Attack of the Mega Shredder!"

You know, one of these episodes where Leo straight up ignores Splinter's orders to do whatever the shell he wants. (In that case, retrieving a brain worm to cure Karai.) I guess it must slightly irritate his father.

(This episode also includes an "oh-my-brother-is-probably-dead-I-guess-I-should-look-vaguely-sad" moment, not unlike the last episode of the first season, and while I take issue with this it's not the subject of this oneshot.)

Genre: Family

Independence of Mind

My eyes scan the room, in case they were mistaken and my two other sons are here.

They're not.

"Where are your brothers?"

Donatello, Raphael, April and Casey are facing me, all looking very embarrassed. I'm afraid to understand what happened. I know Leonardo wasn't happy with my decision to ground them all in the lair until Raphael's leg heals. He's eager to find a brain worm so Donatello can work on a cure for Karai. Did he disobey me and leave the lair with Michelangelo? But then, why is Donatello still here?

Donatello takes upon himself to answer my question.

"Hehe. Uh… That's a good question, Sensei."

I struggle to keep calm. I can tell that he's not messing with me; they genuinely don't know. Raphael looks dejected. Not only is he sidelined, but his brothers also didn't bother to tell him where they were going.

How could Leonardo be so careless? What was he thinking? I know he's eager to save Karai, but this is beyond the line.

My voice remains steady. "Call them."

"We already tried, Sensei. They're not picking up." Donatello looks concerned, which is never a good sign.

"Did they tell you anything?" I pry.

The four teenagers in front of me look at each other, making the answer obvious.

"What did they tell you?"

Donatello sighs. "Uh… Leo thought there were too many of us last time. He wanted to… go solo." He braces himself for my reaction, but I'm not angry at him.

"I see."

At least Leonardo didn't go solo after all. I'm relieved to know Michelangelo is with him.

"We must help them!" Raphael exclaims.

"No!" I almost shout. "You're injured. Besides, you don't know what your brothers are up to. If they're counting on stealth, you could do more harm than good."

"So we just wait?" April's voice carries her concern and her disappointment.

"Yes. We just wait," I say firmly.

It turned out that waiting wasn't an option after all. Donatello, Raphael, April and Casey have left in the Turtle Mech to defeat the giant monster wreaking havoc on the city, and hopefully find Leonardo and Michelangelo.

I must say it's clever. This way, Raphael doesn't have to use his leg.

Now I'm the only one waiting.

Something must have gone wrong, as I feared. The Foot hideout is well guarded. Why can't I make Leonardo understand that I don't want to lose him or any of his brothers to save Karai? That their lives are precious to me, essential even?

I can't bear the thought to grieve again for one of my children.

They're all in front of me. My sons, my babies. Alive and safe, as they should be. They not only managed to defeat the monster, they also have one of the brain worms. Leonardo was smiling when he came inside the lair, but his smile disappeared as soon as he saw me.

At least he still has that much common sense.

"What were you thinking?" I demand from Leonardo and Michelangelo.

Leonardo swallows hard and steps forward. "It was my idea."

"It was my idea to come with him!" Michelangelo immediately protests, stepping forward too in order to stay close to his brother.

"You went to the Foot headquarters."

It's not a question, but Leonardo answers anyways. He's embarrassed but doesn't avert his eyes.

"Yes, we did."

"Didn't I forbid you to leave the lair?"

Leonardo grimaces. "You did," he admits.

I stay silent for a while, letting him feel all the weight of my disapproval. When I finally talk, my voice is dangerously calm.

"What happened?"

"We got captured by Bebop and Rocksteady."

"They wanted to mutate us together!" Michelangelo's face shows well enough what he thinks of the idea.

"We managed to escape, but they had created a giant mutant," Leonardo goes on.

"And he swallowed me whole!" Michelangelo says.

I look at him, trying to guess whether this sentence is literal or not. Apparently it is, and yet Michelangelo grins as if it's a pleasure to be eaten alive.

"But I destroyed him! From the inside, like a sneaky ninja," he adds proudly.

A few more questions, a lot more answers, and I finally manage to get the whole tale. Once again, my sons have been both stupid and courageous.

And lucky. So very, very lucky.

It's clear that Michelangelo saved the day, and my sons and their friends are in a mood to celebrate. I don't have the heart to deny them that.

Later, I'll talk to Leonardo one-on-one. I'll lecture him to my heart's content, hoping to get through to him - but somehow I doubt that I will. He doesn't regret the decision he took, it's plain obvious when he gives Donatello the brain worm. There is so much hope on his face.

He would do it again, no matter what I say. No matter how I punish him.

It's like this time he staged Karai's rescue behind my back. He didn't hesitate to go against my orders and do what he deemed right.

It's one of the qualities that make him a good leader. I know I can't expect him to follow my orders to the letter, not when I've tried to help him on his journey as his brothers' leader.

I guess I'm scared that it will also take him away from me.

My son takes his own decisions, and I can only pray that most of the time they will be right.

And that when they won't, his brothers will be there to back him up no matter what.