Leader's Challenge.

Rating K

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Splinter silently contemplated his students, at almost nine years of age, all of them had already learned enough of hand to hand combat gymnastics and were learning how to use the few weapons Splinter had managed to acquire for their training. There was also, the fact that they were starting to focus on meditation for Splinter knew that ninjitsu was not just of the body but also of the mind, and only through meditation could one clear the mind, and learn to open themselves to find balance in harmony and nature.

Splinter smiled as he sipped his tea, then gave a rueful smile harmony was often in short supply in a home, with four young boys in it.

"Mikey you give that back!" came a yell from the living room.

"Ya gotta come git it first!" Mike whooped.

"Go round him"

"We've got you covered Mike." Leo cautioned.

"Still can't get me!" Mike taunted loudly

A crash was heard, and Splinter reflectively flattened his ears to his head, as his tail thumped on the floor in irritation, There are days I wish I hadn't been so eager to see them walk or talk. He told himself as he got up to see what the general fuss was about this time. The ninja Master rose from his meditating position on the floor and walked out of the dojo, to see all four of his sons in a ball on the floor, rolling over with punches flying.

"Ow!"

"Ouch!"

"Don't grab there."

Splinter shook his head his tail slashed along the floor, his eyes narrowed and with deft moves of his walking stick he managed to thump each student "That is enough!" the rat warned.

The four boys got up and seeing the look on their father's face fell instantly silent, standing quickly to their feet their gazes adverted anywhere but at one another or toward their father.

"What is the meaning of this my sons? What started it all?" Splinter demanded, as he glowered at four turtles.

Raph pointed to Leo, Leo pointed to Mike, Mike pointed to Don and Don pointed to Raph, " He started it!" they chorused in unison.

Splinter gave an exasperated shake of his head as Mike rolled his large innocent eyes, "Please Splinter, we didn't mean to get so noisy it..."

Splinter stopped his son with one look. Mike swallowed as he lapsed into silence looking at his toes.

"You four must learn to work as a team and rely on one another." Splinter remarked, Yet every team needs a leader and how do I choose when all of them are so close in age? All of them have their strengths and weaknesses, they need someone to look to, if I am not here. Splinter sighed, "Why don't you go play a quiet game together?" he suggested, " The game of life or monopoly."

Don smiled, "I want to be banker."

The other three realizing they were in no, real, serious trouble agreed. "Sure Don you and Leo are best at math anyway." Mike chirped.

Splinter watched them and nodded his head. It is time for me to make my choice, but who and how? The ninja Master's whiskers twitched as he considered these thoughts. Splinter continued to ponder this dilemma after he had his sons tucked into bed, and he was still no closer to an answer. However by the following morning Splinter recalled a test that had been done at the dojo in Japan back when he had been merely a pet of Yoshi, but that test was given to many students. Splinter recalled how amazed and curious he had been when he ha first seen the test, his eyes opened wide and his whiskers twitched wildly.

Perhaps I can set up a similar test with my sons. Splinter mused to himself. After morning lesson he called for his sons attention " I want to see how well you are all doing with meditation and I am going be checking your abilities singly, not in a group. Michelangelo you will be first right after breakfast."

Mike winced, and groaned "Awwwww do I hafta Sensei. Why do I always have to go first when it comes to things like this?" Mike asked rolling his eyes.

"Michelangelo that is quite enough my decision has been made. You will be first, Donatello will go second, Raphael third and Leonardo fourth." Splinter declared.

Mike pouted, "I'm gonna miss the best cartoons."

"The sooner it is done then the sooner you have time to yourself" Splinter pointed out.

Mike grinned, "Hey yeah that's right!"

Splinter thumped his tail, "You will not bother your brothers while they are being tested."

Mike sighed, "Sure take the fun out of it." he muttered to himself.

XXX

Mike sighed, as he sat in the lotus position I've been here forever! His stomach rumbled telling him that he had perhaps been forgotten in the dojo. He got up and wandered over to look at some of the weapons that Splinter had managed to get, there was some he was itching to try.

"Michelangelo why are you not meditating?" Splinter inquired startling the young turtle to turn around.

Mike jutted out his bottom lip "I tried Master, really I did but I..." He began making up a quick alibi as he went.

Splinter nodded, "Do not have the patience to sit still for long." The rat concluded, he patted the young turtle on his shoulder, "That is all right I am sure you did your best Michelangelo and as you get older you should be able to maintain focus."

Mike smiled, "I did good?"

Splinter nodded, Or as well as I can expect from him, he amended to himself. "Send Donatello in."

Mike nodded and gave a quick bow before scrambling from the dojo.

Donatello knew what was expected, he was quieter, and more reflective by nature and Splinter hoped that Don would do better then Michelangelo who found sitting still a challenge in and of itself. Splinter waited for half an hour, the same amount of time he had waited for Michelangelo before going to the dojo.

The ninja Master saw that Donatello was sitting properly in the lotus position and he smiled, gently Splinter reached out with his ninja instincts to probe at his son just a little, and realized that Donatello was not even close to meditating, well maybe that wasn't quite right for the boy was deep in thought, and that was the problem. He had not emptied his mind, he was not receptive to things around him. He seemed totally unaware of his Master.

"Donatello my son." Splinter called softly.

Don opened his eyes and gave a small smile "Hai Master," he stood up and bowed.

"Where were your thoughts my son?" Splinter asked kindly.

"I was thinking of something I read in a book about the dinosaurs and extinction along with the fact that no one is really sure whether it was an ice age or meteorite that caused the death. Both issues have there pros and cons." Don replied enthusiastically, "I'd like to try and figure out which theory is more accurate."

Splinter arched an eyebrow, " I am impressed that you were able to keep your mind focused on such a problem as that. But Donatello try to remember in meditation one must make their mind go blank." He reminded the turtle.

Don hung his head, a crestfallen look on his face, "I'm sorry Master, I tried but..."

"That is all right Donatello," Splinter was quick to reassure this sensitive son of his, "You did remarkably well and I am pleased with how far you have gotten. There are things you need to work on yes, but that gives you a goal to work towards."

Don gave a trembling smile, "Yes Master, thank you."

"You are most welcome. Send in Raphael."

Splinter knew that if anything would cause a road block to Raph it would be the boy's temper and impatience. He was very quick in ninja lessons, and he worked hard but he was easily provoked. He wasn't quite sure what would happen in Raphael's meditation test, but he would see soon enough.

Splinter waited the same time as he had with his other two sons, and when he snuck softly into the dojo it was to be rewarded with the sight of Raph sticking to the required exercise, but the boy's posture alone was a dead give away that Raphael was getting irritated by this, starting to chafe, in reality Raphael did far better at the physical aspects of ninjitsu, not caring so much for the mental ones. But a ninja needed both. Splinter gave a soft inward sigh, wondering if any of his sons would be capable of passing this test.

' Perhaps it is too soon for them.' He thought before rousing his son. Splinter went and kneeled in front of Raphael, "My son, tell me what has bothered you so, meditation is supposed to be relaxing?"

Raph hung his head then looked up at his father, the small turtle heaved a large sigh before raising his head to meet his mentor's gaze " I just don't see the point of all this," he remarked bluntly.

Splinter smiled, Raphael was blunt and too the point. He was quite willing to call a spade a spade, and it was a trait the ninja Master admired in his son. "A ninja must act in accord, his mind and body in harmony Raphael. Anger can help you by giving energy in a battle, but it can control you and lead you into danger."

"I've heard this before Master" Raph groaned.

"Yes but you have not taken it to your heart Raphael. You have good instincts in the dojo, and if you could find that balance I speak of, then you could become a powerful fighter indeed" Splinter advised gently.

What he said was true, Raphael in sparring almost seemed to tune into his instincts and move away from a blow, or block a strike instantaneously. However if one of his brother's got the better of him he was just as likely to stop listening to reason and charge in making more mistakes that lead to his downfall.

"Still Raphael you have done well, now you are dismissed and you can send in Leonardo."

Leo had been questioning his brothers on what had happened, he knew that Sensei had only asked that they meditate, a simple enough exercise, but the young turtle had a feeling there was more to it then that, however neither Don nor Mike were able to clue him in on what it was, because neither of them had achieved proper meditation. Probably why Sensei had us go in the order he did. He knew Mike and Don would be least likely to maintain meditation.

"I wish I knew what he is looking for." Leo moaned.

"Chill bro, he just wants us to meditate." Mike comforted his brother.

"Your up Leo " Raph announced.

Leo was almost grateful, that it was finally his turn the waiting was getting to him, but he paused to look at his red masked brother, "Raph what happened?"

"It's meditatin' Leo nuthin happened" Raph replied with a shrug.

Leo huffed he longed to investigate further but he didn't want to keep his Master waiting, so he headed toward the dojo, still mentally wondering what it was Splinter was really after. He entered the dojo and bowed to his father.

"I want you to meditate, until I come to get you Leonardo." Splinter instructed him as he had the other three before him.

"Hai Sensei" Leo agreed. He sat down on the tatami mats in the lotus position, he closed his eyes and took a deep calming, cleansing breath even as Splinter left the dojo.

Splinter's own doubts were bothering him, and he held off on checking on Leonardo, but he calmed his own mind and sipped some tea before entering the dojo to check on the progress of his student for it had to be seen through. As Splinter neared the dojo he kept his ninja senses alert and he could all ready tell that Leonardo had gone further then any of his brothers in this exercise. Splinter paused, pleased with Leonardo's achievement, and wondering if he ought to carry through with the rest of the exercise.

'It would be good to see if he could. I am sure Raphael could have sensed it if he had only been successful in obtaining proper meditation.' Splinter mused to himself, he finally decided to still his own thoughts and go on with the test, but he planned to be ready to withdraw or hold back if it were to fail. Splinter slipped ever so softly into the dojo and he gripped his walking cane. Suddenly something happened to the ninja Master. He who was normally so calm, now had a mask of anger, sheer hatred etched on his face, the sneer of his lip, the gleam in his eye spoke more of murder then of, benevolence.

The ninja Master crept on silent feet behind Leo, raising his staff to bring it down on his unsuspecting student's head, a he staff swung down. Leo rolled to one side away from the blow and up onto his feet, taking an instant defensive posture. "Mmmmm...Mas...Master?" the youth stammered his eyes large with shock, his bottom jaw hanging open as he stared at his father, in total disbelief. Leo gaped at his Master wondering if perhaps some one or some thing had taken over his beloved mentor.

Splinter relaxed, and his face grew calm again "It is all right Leonardo, tell me though why did you move?"

The first thought that sprang to the blue masked youth was, If I hadn't you might have killed me! sprang to his mind, but instead he took a deep shaky breath. "I don't understand," he muttered instead.

"Did you feel anything?" Splinter stressed.

" I felt like I had to move." Leo admitted.

"You heeded that warning too." Splinter pointed out, he glanced at his son, "Leonardo I would not harm you for any reason" Splinter soothed the distraught lad gently, "I would not have hit you at all, if you had not moved." Splinter assured him, "It was a test and you have passed it with flying colours." Splinter kneeled in front of Leo and pulled him into his arms, "My son you have a strong sense of mental and physical and I believe that it is time to increase your training as you are ready for it."

Leo beamed at those words, "Really?" He asked, now forgetting his discomfort of the recent events, he had passed the test. He had known there was something more to it then just meditating.

"Really why don't you come with me and we will talk." Splinter stated calmly as he released Leonardo from the hug and stood up.

Leo nodded his head eagerly, feeling very special he took his father's offered hand and followed him out of the dojo.

The End