10102/A Turtle and a Dragon Meet

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A Turtle and a Dragon Meet
Date of Scene: 19 November 2019
Location: Somewhere east of Manhattan
Synopsis: Leonardo seeks out Richard Dragon. The conversation might be as exhausting as actual sparring.
Cast of Characters: Dragon, Leonardo




Dragon has posed:
It's late, quiet and peaceful in Richard's new dojo. Being a littlebit past midnight, all his students, or to be more precise his very few students, have already left, and he's alone after his own serie of exercise. In that relatively large rectangular room that used to be a store of some sort, Richard Dragon had indeed set a few tatami mats, some wooden mannequins for practice, plus several racks of training weapons. But now, the piece of furniture he's using is a low table in front of which he's sitting, a cup of tea in front of him, from which he takes an occasional sip from time to time.
His clothes are just a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, with short sleeves that expose his toned arms in rebellious defiance to the lowering temperature outside. His hair are wild as always, and that contrasts deeply with the calm, srrene and controlled aura that surrounds him and his perfectly trained body.

Leonardo has posed:
It seemed like the sort of place that would fit the rumors and tales he'd heard of. Modest, unassuming, yet no doubt fitting the man in question. The one who's been by here a few times happened to spot a couple people either entering or exiting the building, their body language quite different depending on whether they were coming or going.

One thing that stood out to the observer? The visitors looked like they had backgrounds in the martial arts. Perhaps different practices, but a background all the same. So did the watcher.

It's taken a week or two for the decision to be made, a few times passing the area before he was certain of what he was about to do, for once he did it there would be no rewinding, no do-overs.

There was a side door leading in. Leonardo, the mutant turtle complete with shell, mask, katanas and all, knocked.

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon should be surprised by someone knocking on his door past midnight, but if his years and experience taught him something, is that such a thing is not even the most uncommon thing that could happen. By now, it's almost expected, and that's why his voice raises enough to be perfectly heard on the other side of the door as he announces "it's open!" and then, the cup of tea raises from the saucer guided by his right hand, coming to his lips so that that someone on the other side of the door could have the first image of the man as being calmly drinking tea, completely relaxed and unthreatening.

Leonardo has posed:
One last opportunity presented to change his mind and leave, and the visitor would be well within sensible reason to do so. Go through that door, and one thing will be indisputably obvious.

The door swings open slowly, and the first thing the man with his tea will spot is a green foot and leg, based on some form of humanity while being very different as soon as it's seen. This is followed by a padded knee, a thigh, then the sight of a hand with two thick fingers and a thumb, evidence of a shell, dual katanas across the back, and a humanoid turtle masked in blue.

The first thing Leonardo does upon entering and closing the door is to bend forward in a formal bow. "I apologize for bothering you at this late hour. It's not late for me, but..yeah."

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon looks at the, creature, entering after lowering his cup, holding it in front of his chest for a second, then setting it down and standing up from his chair with a slow but fluid movement. Then, he sidesteps on the left so not to have the table in front of him, and returns the bow before returning, and sitting back, to his chair. "as you see I'm still awake, so no need to apologize." he states, his eyes calmly set on the turtle and never leaving it, his face still a mask of serenity inspite of the quite, strange sight. "what can I do for you?"

Leonardo has posed:
"How do you wish to be addressed?" the turtle asks. For what he is, he looks and sounds young, yet there is something about him that suggests a maturity beyond his years. At least, in some respects. "I am Leonardo, of Clan Hamato." He waits to see if any of that rings a bell in the man, but he remains standing near the door in a neutral stance, hands left at his sides, visible. It may be noted the belt he wears across his front and midsection features a few shuriken tucked into them. "I came..to talk. And to listen."

Dragon has posed:
"Richard works just fine, I think. Unless you have another idea, but for talking, and listening, Richard is definitely the right option" the Dragon replies, gesturing with his left hand towards a currently empty chair in front of him "please, Leonardo of clan Hamato, feel free to take a seat, I'd be as glad to talk and listen as you are" and, if he recognizes the clan's name, he doesn't express it in words nor in gestures, for now at least, his mind probably wanting to assess before being assessed himself.

Leonardo has posed:
Given an invitation to enter further, Leonardo allows himself a glance about the dojo, noting the style, the things stationed here and there, then his attention returns to the man who, so far, is doing a fine job of accepting what he's witnessing before him.

A single nod follows, then the ninja - for the mask and blades and all suggest little else as to what he could be - moves toward the chair, only to take up a kneeling position near it, facing the man. "I know you are the one called Dragon. Some use Grandmaster, or Sensei. But if you are all right with Richard, I will use that." Making himself comfortable - he could easily meditate if he shifted the position around a bit further - he says, "My brothers and I..no, my family, we have a problem and I thought it might be helpful to hear your thoughts."

Dragon has posed:
The style of the dojo is simple and practical. No decoration, nothing that would somewhat reduce the functionality of the place. The weapon racks hold any kind of imaginable weapon, from wooden blades to staves, spears, axes, hammers as well as scimitars, katanas, tanto, ninjatos, in short training wooden replicas of any weapon for any fighting style eastern or western. "well, as I said, talking is one of my favourite activities, and odd as it is, I much prefer that to other things. As for my title, well, that's for those who don't just want to talk, and titles are something that other people must give to the title holder, not he to himself. So ultimately, the choice, is yours" he explains, noting the position of Leonardo next to the chair. "so, what troubles you and your family, Leonardo?"

Leonardo has posed:
Nodding, Leo switches gears to focus on the matter at hand, the reason he's here. "We have a mortal enemy. I am sure you have heard of the Foot Clan and its leader, the one known as the Shredder, Oroku Saki." The direction he goes in next will depend on what sort of familiarity Richard shows, or chooses to reveal.

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon leans backwards in his chair, taking again the cup of tea in his right hand and sipping it slowly as he listens "would you want some tea?" he asks, before nodding in aknowledgement to Leonardo's words "I am aware of it, yes... I know both the Foot clan's leader and the hamato's clan leader, indeed..." he admits

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo reaches up to do something he may have forgotten initially. His fingers, deft and nimble in spite of their larger size, undo the mask from around his eyes, folding it up neatly and deliberately before setting it to one side. It alters the way his face and expressions appear, seeming to reveal more of him than with it on. His eyes are expressive, conveying that youthful side, curiosity mixed with experience.

"Thank you," he nods to the offer, then he admits, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you know them. You didn't seem shocked when you saw me." He leaves out asking how, explaining instead, "Then you must know they are locked into a war that I can't see ending any other way than with one or both of them dead."

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon hints at a small smile when Leonardo decides to remove his mask, and stands up from his chair to walk towards a cupboard, from which he gets a cup at first, filling them with hot water from a kettle, and dropping a teabag into it afterwards before setting it in front of the turtle "there you go..." he says, taking his chair again and sitting back on it.
"hmm, such is the curse of wars, sometimes, they don't stop until one of the two parties has surrendered or been defeated... Especially if the generals are so different, and so similar... Do tell me, do you want for the war to be over, Leonardo?"

Leonardo has posed:
The lack of the mask may suggest even more of a youthful appearance, though it certainly isn't obvious with a mutant turtle compared to a normal human. The way Leonardo talks shows a mixture of his age relative to what wisdom he possesses. He nods to the tea, allowing it time to steep.

"And I don't want my Sensei to be the one who dies," he says, the obvious thing one would expect to hear. As to the question of wanting the war to end, his answer is quick. "Of course I do." Yet there is something more that is unsaid.

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon places both hands on the table, to the sides of his own cup, who is soon taken in his left hand and raised to his lips to take a small sip "hmm, so your original statement was supposed to be, I'd like for the war to end with the death of the Shredder because I can't see it ending with him living... Hm?" he asks, yet his voice holds no judgement, just calmly stating another version of the previous phrase.
"but?" he asks then, sensing perhaps the unspoken part yet unknowing of its content.

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo's gaze averts itself from the man before him. "If one must die, yes, I would rather it be the Shredder. But they were friends once. Why do either of them /have/ to die? If they were truly friends, even brothers...I know what my Sensei would say, though. The part that makes it harder?"

He considers the tea, bringing the cup to his lips. It looks small for his hands, for his mouth. A brief sip, then he sets it back down. "Our Master would give his life up to keep us safe, but there are times I fear he is going too far down the path the Shredder has. I know he has killed to send a message." The furrowing of his brows indicates how much this troubles him. He must hold a different opinion of killing.

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon listens quietly, waiting till Leonardo has finished speaking before asking "is killing always wrong? I mean, it isn't always right, but is it always wrong too?" the cup, now completely empty, touching the saucer with a light sound that precedes complete silence for a couple of seconds "is there anything about your sensei that is giving you thought, Leonardo?"

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo's answer is not long in coming; this is something he has thought about before. "If it is necessary and justified, it cannot be entirely wrong. Do you take the life of one to save the lives of thousands?" That is the philosophical question which appears to have an obvious answer, but is it always that simple? "What if the one lived a pure life and the thousands were all criminals?"

The turtle frowns, an expression that more notably tugs the corners of his mouth downward compared to something more normal. "I worry that to defeat the Shredder, Sensei will become too much like him. Must one become that which one seeks to defeat, in order to defeat it?"

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon chuckles lightly, the hint of a smile again surfacing on his face "well, like everything, this matter is a quite relative thing... Is the life of a criminal less important than the life of a policeman? How much, and on what scale, do we value a human life? Do we consider its potential, so what the person could do, or what that person has already done when valuing its life? Who tells us that that tousand of criminals couldn't, one day, find the mistake of their way and instead become a tousand heroes fighting for the good of everyone? Or, perhaps the opposite, we save that pure person letting tousands of criminals die, only for that person to turn into the next dark lord of the universe..." he tilts his head a bit, then asks "and what of you, Leonardo, what would you do to put an end to the war? If you were Splinter, if you were in charge, what would you do?"

Leonardo has posed:
"Sun Tzu said 'To know your enemy, you must become your enemy,'" Leonardo notes. "But I don't think he meant killing just to send a message. I know he talked of knowing yourself and knowing your enemy as well."

A sip of tea follows, but for him it's nearly the entire cup in one go. He gestures with a hand, palm up. "You can't know for sure what would happen, so you can only do what you think is right at the time. I want to believe nobody is beyond redemption, but I have a family to protect. I've been afraid to ask Master Splinter about his methods. I think he is trying to show the Shredder he will do whatever is necessary, to give him reason to pause. I don't know if I could do the same thing, in that position. I don't like killing."

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon hmms thoughtfully for a moment, then states "what he meant, probably, was to enter into your enemy's head and think like him... If I want to know what a murderer thinks I don't necessarily need to grab a knife and go stabbing left and right at innocent people" he closes his eyes for a moment, probably in contemplation of something "lets imagine a scenario, then... The shredder is disarmed, in front of you, on the ground... If it makes your life easier such is a position obtained after a long fight, that he lost, against all of you, you and your brothers... You have your katanas, both of them, aimed at his throat... You know a flick of your wrist, would end the war, would prevent more bloodshed... YOu know the Shredder, so tell me, Leonardo, what would your wrists do?"

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo agrees. "Of course, you must know not only yourself, but your enemy to have any hope of winning. Know his tendencies, what he thinks, what he will do. Then you can be ready for anything." And yet, as many times as he's likely gone over the very picture Richard paints for him, the turtle grows quiet. He studies the tea. He considers the man. He examines, again, the weaponry and objects set up for training.

Then, he confesses, "Sometimes I would turn my wrists and take his head myself, especially if he took anyone important to me. Sometimes I would offer him the chance to commit seppuku. As..evil as he has been, I don't believe he's forgotten all sense of honor. But if he has, I am sure he would kill me if I hesitated. Whatever I felt I had to do in that moment..." He struggles with this scenario, which may explain why he is here in the first place.

Dragon has posed:
"and would you take the risk?" Richard asks "of having him stand, get a weapon, only because you thinkhe'll disembovel himself with it?" he tilts his head "well, another scenario for you... It's your sensei now the one who towers, well, towers as Splinter could tower, over Shredder's defeated body wielding, lets imagine him wielding for some reason a giant greataxe... Splinter screams a CHIAI, then splits Shredder's body in half... What'll you think of your sensei?"

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo's wide mouth draws out, thin, a straight line. He does not answer the question of taking that risk or not before the new situation is given. The first thing that pops into his head is something not even he would have expected. "I'd think you were watching a horror movie earlier," he says before clearing his throat, reaching for the tea once more to finish it off swiftly. "I..trust Sensei to do what he believes is necessary. I try to trust."

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon chuckles slightly and shakes his head "well, no, not exactly... I mean I watched one yesterday, not really my choice, but still... My plan is to provide you with a scenario that is likely while not being exactly one that you've thought yourself" he grins, then smiles slightly "you try, but sometimes fail?" he asks, keeping a neutral expression "what if your sensei were to, instead, stab Shredder from an unseen position, assaulting him from the shadows, not giving him a possibility to fight back?" he asks "and yeah, he's stabbing the Shredder with a pen, a very sharp pen..."

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo alters his position just so, taking up a good meditation stance, even allowing his eyes to slide closed gently. He is trying to find the center of his balance, to help aid him in answering. "I have learned much, but I am still young. Sensei reminds me of that often," he says, exhaling slowly with his hands resting at his knees. "We would know the pen really is mightier than the sword, but..there is no honor..in not allowing your opponent the chance to fight back."

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon remains both still and quiet, allowing Leonardo his time to meditate and think "we would also not get the end to this war... Is honor worth some more lives? On the other hand, are we better than those we try to defeat, if we act without honor? It, reminds me, of that discussion we were having earlier about the right or wrong in taking a life..."

Leonardo has posed:
One eye opens, then the other. Leonardo states, unequivocally, "I would rather die with honor than live without honor. If that answers your question." And, it may be one of his eventual downfalls, for all he or anyone else knows. It may also be one of the most important things he can hold on to no matter what else happens.

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon nods in understanding "your enemy knows that, and that's why, in a way, he'll have an advantage over you... You have several advantages on him, Leonardo, but those are for you to find" he simply states. "what I'm sure of, is that right and wrong are not set into stone... Another thing I know is, experience not always makes you right, just because I'm older and wiser it doesn't mean I can't fail, or see things you don't... At the same time, I'm not saying just because you've a more fresh mind you will know more than me..."

Leonardo has posed:
"I understand that, but honor defines me. Without it, I am nothing," Leonardo offers in return, his expression turning more grim. "And I know what you are saying. I may end up in a place where I have to consider compromising myself to do what needs to be done. I believe I can find a way without losing what I am." He doubles down, adding, "I /have/ to believe I can. Right and wrong can change in an instant, but I pray that I can find the right answer when I must. Master Splinter is very wise, but I know that does not always make him right. He takes on things so we may not have to."

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon nods in approval, and immediately after shakes his head "well, I'd think carefully if you truly want a single trait defining you, Leonardo... If you're nothing without honor, if honor is the only feature that defines you, well, you either must have it very strong, or it becomes like a, uhm, a person who can do well a single thing? Like, you know how to fight with katanas... But you also know what to do with other weapons, right? I mean they may not be your main specialization but you can still do without your blades... If you think you'd be nothing without honor, well, wouldn't it be like saying I'd be nothing without my katanas?"

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo offers up a grimace. "I didn't..mean it quite like that." He might have been getting into hyperbole, trying to make a point about what he believes honor means. "It's like my word. If I promise something, I am going to try my best to do it." His eyes scan over the weapons on display and he explains, "Master Splinter has taught us to be able to use each other's weapons if we need to. We cannot rely on just the ones we're best with."

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon nods and glances at the weapons briefly "yes, what I mean is, that if you were to give up your honor temporarily to win a war, saving lives if you want... Well, would it be such a crime?" he asks "I'd reason on that, and most of all, I wouldn't condemn your actions before taking them... That oftentimes leads to esitation in the wrong moment, and you end up with a blade piercing you from part to part..."

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo lets a long breath come in and out before he admits, "That's the question I can't answer without a doubt yet." No more, no less.

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon nods again in understanding, and again leans his head to the right "and, do you think there'll ever be an answer to such a question? Such as the question if killing is right or wrong, if renouncing to your honor to save lives is right or wrong... If right is right and wrong is wrong..."

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo's expression twists and contorts at this, the mental exercise feeling almost as strenuous as an intense sparring session, only for different reasons. "I guess I'll know in that moment, and find out if /I/ was right or wrong, won't I?"

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon nods, approvingly again "one thing is planning ahead, another thing is planning too much... Because you can't predict all variables, you can't predict everything no matter how hard you think and plan, and so you can't always be prepared. holding on to your values, and taking an informed choice when the moment presents itself, though, is very possible... But, as I said, doing something out of your usual standards, for a greater purpose, not necessarily means losing yourself... Be aware of it, when the time comes"

Leonardo has posed:
Leonardo nods slowly. None of this may have settled his concerns about Splinter's methods, but it may have given him some additional insight into his own thought processes. "I can only hope it ends well for us, without additional loss. My brothers mean everything to me. So does my Sensei. Even my friends. I don't want to lose any of them because I hesitated." By the time he finishes, he is looking directly at Richard Dragon, his enlarged mouth still a grim line, but his eyes holding a depth of thought to them.

Then he wonders, "Do you feel like a pizza? All this thinking is making me hungry."

Dragon has posed:
Richard Dragon smiles a bit "hope is something that they'll never steal from those who want to hold it close! It's a great tool, if well used... Hold it dear to you, and then, turn it into reality." he speaks, nodding afterwards "well yeah, sure! Pizza is always great... I can order some, there's a place nearby that makes some amazing italian pizza...."

Leonardo has posed:
"Probably better you get the door when they get here, then. I can pay you back for my half," Leonardo says, slowly and fluidly rising to his feet before examining the wooden dummies and such. "I could work up more of an appetite on these."