Chapter 5:
The journey of a thousand steps starts with one tea cart

Back at the Hamato Hovel Michelangelo was having a difficult time giving people their tea and food because of his shell and of his weapons, the nunchucks, which just like Raphael’s sais never left him. “Excuse me. Pardon me. Sorry.” The orange masked turtle apologized as he tried to maneuver through the narrow path of tables.

“Hey, watch it, Mikey.” A pig customer commented as he got hit by the turtle’s shell while trying to walk through. The youngest of the turtles looked to his left and saw that he had hit someone with the edge of his shell.

“Sorry about that. Come on Mikey, suck it up.” He said to the customer and then to himself since he knew that he was slacking off in terms of serving. Since he saw the blue masked turtle deliver food without bumping anyone. He tried angling himself differently, but that ended in disaster as well

“Ew, gross.” A child’s voice said aloud. The ninja looked behind him and saw that the tips of his chucks were in a rabbit woman’s open top teapot.

“Oh man, a thousand pardons miss.” Mikey said after getting his weapons out of her tea and looked right at her. He had heard comments from the towns folk of them having their weapons on when they worked mainly for health issues, but he and the others clean their weapons every night.

‘He’s really making us look bad.’ The angered turtle thought as he watched the show from the top of their home/restaurant. ’I should probably help, but after the time I got ticked off to the guy that short changed me father thinks that I stay up here.’ He thought and remembered how he pinned a pig to one of the inner walls with one of his sais inches away from going through one of the nostrils. His fond memory went away when a gong was heard down below.

“What?” The comedian said after hearing the gong as well and saw that someone had left a poster. He headed over there to see what it was about, but something told him that since it had his favorite fighter with four others it had to have been something good. “Master Oogway’s choosing the Dragon Warrior! Today!” Michelangelo said aloud after reading the kanji, thankful that their father taught them the meaning of the lines.

‘So, that’s what that gong was about?’ Leonardo thought as he heard his brother’s statement. He too heard of them, but the difference was that he was more into learning their styles: not their junk.

“Everyone! Get to the Jade Palace! One of the Five is gonna get the Dragon Scroll!” Mikey announced to all that were just trying to just drink their tea in peace.

‘I better get going before father tries to stop me.’ Donatello thought after filling the last barrel of rice and then used speed to sneak away. While he was leaving the child of the four had gotten to a table to emphasize why the citizens should be leaving.

“We’ve waited 1,000 years for this! Just take your tea with you!” The turtle walked over to an elderly rabbit, who was trying to pay, and leave to go to it, but the chucker interrupted him with, “This is the greatest day in kung fu history! Don’t worry about paying the bill - Just go!” He pushed the money back onto him and was about to follow the crowd until a voice stopped him.

“Michelangelo! Where are you going?” Splinter questioned to the shell of his son. In truth he heard all the rumors of this village looking for a true warrior, and he knew that his sons were all for seeing who it was, but that did not mean he had to make it easy for them.

“To the Jade Palace.” He answered his father with some hint of sorrow in his voice since he had a feeling that the elderly rat would not allow such a thing from him or the other three.

“I know that, my son, but you are forgetting your tea cart.” Splinter said while putting a couple of containers that Donatello had filled up onto the cart. Naturally the clown tried to weasel out of it.

“Well, what about Leo, he can do it?” He tried the oldest first, but as soon as he said that he saw that the blue one wall jumped before joining the crowd. “Okay, that’s out. How about Don?” He suggested the genius of the brothers. The problem was that he saw the purple one go building hopping. “I’m grasping at straws here, but what about Raph?” He suggested the red one, praying that he hadn’t left yet.

“No way, Mikey. Master Splinter said he wanted you to do it. Besides you get along with kids.” The turtle said to his brother while just walking over to the front door. “Even though they can beat you in an IQ test.” He said just before leaving, which got on the orange one’s nerves a bit, but he had to deal with father first.

“There goes the last option, Michelangelo, but on the upside the whole valley will be there, and you’ll sell tea and rice balls to all of them.” The rat said after seeing the others leave and pushing the cart to the last son.

“Selling tea and rice balls?” Mikey questioned since that did not sound very exciting compared to meeting a certain snake face to face. The father gave him a slow nod, which meant that it was non negotiable, but he had to try. “But, father, I was thinking, maybe I…” He stalled as he saw that stern look in the rodent’s eyes.

“Go on?” He questioned wondering if he could come up with a believable lie since it was really evident that he wanted to go now.
“I was just thinking maybe I…” The teenager said and could not think of how to finish it without hurting his feelings. “…could also sell the raisin scones. They’re about to go bad.” He finished his lie since he was never really good at lying to a creature that raised them, well not to his face.

“That is a wise idea, my son.” The master of ninja of the five said to the young one. He knew that it was a lie, but he did have a point since there were only a few people that chose those. “I just knew that you and your brothers would make fine tea serving waiters.” He said while walking back to the counter in case someone showed up.

“Yeah. Glad I could help.” The young one said while placing his hand on the cart and began to walk over to the palace. After he left the rat looked at the entrance and one thought occupied him.

‘I pray that he does take it up there because there is some of that tea packs a mighty punch.’ As for the Jade Palace itself, there were already several people there, and a few were using a parade dragon for their celebration.

“I’m a kung fu warrior!” A young rabbit said in happiness as he ran around.

“Me too!” His best friend added while running right beside him. As the children ran around and played before the show there were a few that were still finding a good spot to see the show.

“There’s spots at the top.” A pig clad in yellow cloth said to his friend.

“Let’s go.” The pig in purple cloth acknowledged when he saw what his pal was pointing at. As more and more villagers were calmly walking up the stairs Michelangelo was at the base with the cart in front of him and his mouth wide open.

‘Oh, man that is a long way up.’ He thought before coming up with a way to carry such a thing. He turned it to where the handle was toward the stairs and began to pull. After a slight tug of war fight with the cart he let go of the cart for a breather while laying on his shell. “Almost there.” He said thinking that he had been doing it for two hours, and was nearly there, but he was in for a let down when he looked at the stairs. “No! Oh, no!” He said when he saw that he only climbed ten steps.

“Really sorry about this Mikey.” Donatello said to his brother as he and Raph were walking up the stairs. There was a part of the brainiac that felt bad for going by roof, but he felt better after what the red turtle had to say.

“But don’t worry. We’ll try to remember to bring ya souvenir and tell you all about it in vague detail.” That said the two of them ran up the stairs with ease. As the orange turtle saw the two leave a thought occurred to the comic reader; one that he had to say aloud.
“No. I’ll tell them it in vague detail and I’ll bring me back a souvenir.” He said and then took off the hat and apron before running up the stairs. As he ran he did not notice that the greenery moved without any wind around; he just wanted to get there before purple and red did.

“It is an historic day. Isn’t it, Master Oogway?” Sifu said while watching the prep work being done and then to the turtle that was walking down the stairs.

“Yes, and one I feared I would not live to see.” The turtle answered while walking to a big landing that was in front of the center ring. “Are your students ready?” He questioned as he stared at the five young ones.

“Yes, Master Oogway.” The red panda said in a serious tone, knowing that one of the five will be the one that the shellback will choose. The older fighter looked at the shorter one and saw that his eyes still lacked one familiar emotion, so decided to tell him of the second purpose of this event.

“Now know this, old friend. Whomever I choose will not only bring peace to the valley…” He started while getting as close as that long neck of his would let him and finished with, “…but also to you.” The Galapagos creature finished walking to where he saw the ring and the five.

‘What is he talking about? I am just fine.’ The red panda pondered as he watched the tortoise walk. A pig in a solid yellow outfit walked beside Oogway, and decided it was time for an important announcement.

Copy Rights:
TMNT, and the others, are owned by Eastman/Laird and Fox Box.
Kung Fu Panda, and the others, are owned by Dreamworks.