TMNT-Grandpa Splinter

The dojo had always had this...scent to it that Magdalene Hamato couldn't quite figure out. It was musky with age and had a hint of something fresh, like jasmine. It reminded her of the inside of one of her friends' grandmothers home. Old and flowery. But unlike the old woman's home, the dojo didn't also smell like prunes. It had something appealing to it that her friend's grandmother's home didn't.

A hand was placed on her head and Maggie felt herself smile at the familiar warmth of the long, thing fingers against her scalp.

"Very good, my child. You have done enough practice for today. Go ahead and clean up so you can head home. Tell your father and mother I said 'hello,' alright?"

"Hai, Jiichan!"

The hand slipped away and Maggie looked up at her grandfather. The rat's brown fur had started to grey in places, but he still looked youthful despite that. Maggie had always loved her grandfather. He had this special place in her heart, but he always seemed...distant. He'd look at her with uncertainty, but he did love her. He pulled her into hugs and gave her kisses and even gave her fine toys over the years. But now that she was six, he was still a bit of a mystery to her.

The old man disappeared into the box that he called his room. Maggie sighed and cleaned the dojo up, putting away the weapons and tidying some stuff up here and there.

The little girl glanced at the box. She knew her grandfather liked to meditate alone at times and that the box was sort of...his way of saying he wanted to be alone, but Maggie couldn't help but wonder why he retreated like that.

Placing the last of the wooden swords away, Maggie glanced at the door to exit knowing her mom and dad would be waiting for her when she got home. She imagined her parents in the kitchen, her mom's orange hair flowing over her shoulders and her dad helping nearby by slicing and dicing with the skill only a true ninja could have. She imaged their smiling faces when she came home and their annoyed ones if she was late.

Picturing Donatello and April's annoyed faces made Maggie cringe, but she knew it'd bug her for the rest of the night if she didn't at least try to check on her grandfather. She tip toed to the open door and glanced in.

The old man seemed to be meditating, but when she looked closer she saw the small picture frame in his hand. Maggie came closer and peered around his arm at it. It was a picture of a man and woman holding a baby. Who were they?

"An old life long forgotten, young one."

Maggie jumped, forgetting just how sensitive her grandfather was to his surroundings. He placed the picture frame down, closed his eyes and sighed. She could see the sadness in his features.

The little girl glanced from the man in the picture to her grandfather and back again. She was young, but she felt as though the man and her grandfather were connected. Did that used to be him? Her father had told her stories of how her grandfather had used to be a man and her father and her uncles used to be regular turtles before an accident occurred...was that jiichan when he was human?

Maggie looked over the little girl. She didn't have any biological aunts...the girl must have been killed at some point when her grandfather was still human. Suddenly, she felt like she really understood the man for the first time in her life. Why looked at her the way he did, why he was so overprotective of her...

She crawled onto her grandfather's lap. Splinter's eyes shot open in surprise and she stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you, grandpa Splinter! I know I'm not the little girl in the picture, but I'm still here and I love you very much. Never forget that."

She felt the man stiffen with surprise. His arms wrapped around her tightly after a moment and snuggled his head into her small frame. She felt her shirt dampen a little and didn't have to look to know that he had teared up.

"I love you too, my child. So very much. And although there's a hole in my heart where Miwa should be, you have your very own spot that neither you nor your deceased aunt have to fight for. You both are very dear to me and there's nothing in this world that will have you two compete for my love. Ever. I love you, my child. So very much..."

Maggie felt herself grin and burry her face into his fur. He held her like that and she felt all the love he had for her pour into her soul. Yeah, he may not be like other grandfathers, but that's what made him special. Made him so unique. She loved the old man for all that he'd done for her and her family and that there was nothing that would come between the bond that she and the old man shared.