Second Chance - Chapter 5 - One

Splinter sat on the toilet with his oldest son sitting on the floor in front of him watching. Once done, he cleaned himself, stood up, and flushed and then turned to Leonardo with an encouraging smile.

“That does not look to hard, does it? Do you wish to try?”

Leo stood up and eagerly waddled to the toilet.

Splinter chuckled. “Very well, then.” He lifted him and set him on the toilet, making certain that he was secure so his tiny bottom wouldn't get swallowed by the big bowl. “Hold on to the sides now, so you do not fall in.”

Leo obeyed and Splinter knelt down in front of him.

“Now that you're up there, you may just go whenever you're ready,” he said.

Leo's little face looked concentrated for a moment, and then transformed to one of pride as the sound of dribbling could be heard echoing inside the bowl.

Splinter smiled from ear to ear. “Well, look at you, Leonardo, using the potty like a big boy.”

“'ike daddy,” Leo chirped.

“Yes, just like daddy,” Splinter cooed. “Are you all done?”

Leo nodded.

“Okay, now you must clean yourself,” he instructed and handed Leo a wad of toilet paper. “Do a good job.”

“'Kay,” Leo took the paper, wiped himself clean, and dropped it in the toilet.

“Good boy.” Splinter lifted him off of the bowl and set him back on the floor. “Now for the fun part. You get to flush it.”

Leo wrapped his chubby fingers around the lever and pulled it down with pride. He giggled as he watched the water swish around.

“Bye bye, pee-pee,” he said, waving into the bowl.

Splinter chuckled. “That is much more fun than a diaper, yes? Much cleaner too.”

Leo nodded and held up his hands. “Was' han's?”

“Very good, Leonardo. Yes, now you must wash your hands. Always wash your hands after using the potty.”

Leo waddled to the sink and eagerly jumped up and down with his hands held high. Splinter held him up so he could reach the sink, holding him in one arm while working the faucet with the other.

Raphael waddled into the room and tugged on Splinter's kimono.

“Dadda, hung'y,” he whined.

“You are hungry?” Splinter cooed, setting Leo back on the floor.

Raph nodded and rubbed his belly. “Food...”

“Very well, it is almost lunch time, but guess what your big brother did?”

Raph blinked.

“He used the potty for the first time,” Splinter said, ruffling the top of Leo's head. “We are so proud of him, aren't we?”

Raph scrunched up his little face. “I do...'at.”

“I know you could do that, and you may give it a try whenever you want.” He pulled a new diaper out of the cabinet. “Come Leonardo, I must put a new diaper on you.”

“No,” Leo whined. “I big boy. No diapie...”

“Yes and I am very proud of you, but for right now, I want you to still wear a diaper to be safe.”

Leo begrudgingly complied.

“Remember Leonardo, even though I still want you to wear a diaper, I would still like you to tell me when you need to go so you can use the potty, understand?”

Leo nodded.

“Would you like to try, Raphael?”

Raph shook his head. “No, hung'y.”

“Well, how about after lunch?”

Raph nodded. “'kay...”

Splinter took both of his oldest boys into his arms. “Come now,” he said. “I have a surprise for you.”

He took the two into the kitchen and sat them down at the table.

“Donatello, Michelangelo,” he called as he exited the kitchen and entered the living room. “It is lunch time.”

Mikey's little face lit up. He dropped the car he was rolling around and crawled to his father's feet.

Splinter scooped him up. “Come Donatello, it is time to eat.”

Donnie held on to the block in his hands. “No...f-food...” he tried to protest.

Splinter held firm and went to his second youngest son. “No, Donatello, you must come eat lunch. You may play with your blocks when you're finished, now put the block down.”

Donnie groaned, but complied.

“Good boy,” Splinter praised and scooped him up with his free arm. “I have a surprise for you, anyway.”

He set Donatello in a chair next to Raphael and carried Mikey while he served each of his boys a plate of worms and algae, only today he stuck a candle in each one. He took his own chair and sat Mikey in his lap.

“My sons,” he said with a grin, “do you know what today is?”

No one answered; they all watched him, waiting for an answer.

“Today is your...birthday. It has been one whole year since I became your daddy,” he planted a kiss on the top of Mikey's head for emphasis. “Happy birthday, my sons. You are all one-year-old today.” He held up one finger. “This many.”

Mikey grabbed onto the finger and stuck it in his mouth.

Splinter chuckled. “No Michelangelo, that is not food.”

Mikey glanced at him. “F-food...”

Splinter's eyes widened. “Did you say 'food', Michelangelo? Did you speak?”

“F-food...” Mikey repeated, reaching for his plate in front of him.

“You did!” He hugged him. “I am so proud of you. Very, very good.”

Mikey whined. “Food...”

Splinter chuckled at him and picked up his chopsticks. “I am sorry,” he said and gathered up some food in the chopsticks, “here you go.” Mikey eagerly took a bite.

He looked all around the table, watching his sons eat; all of them clumsily using their chopsticks that he had only recently taught them to use. All of them except Michelangelo, who was still a bit too little to use utensils, and Raphael, who, momentarily, was decided to use his fingers.

“Raphael,” Splinter scolded, “remember what I have taught you. You are not to eat with your fingers. It is dirty. Use the chopsticks, please.”

Raph groaned, but complied.

“Are  you boys ready to see your next surprise?”

“Yes!” Leo chirped.

“Very well,” he said and pulled a small box out from under the table. “I have a present for each of you.” Out of the box, he pulled out four homemade bandanas of the colors red, blue, purple, and orange. “I made these especially for you boys to help keep your heads warm...and because I thought they'd look nice since none of you wear clothing. I carefully chose a color for each of you.”

Splinter set Michelangelo down on the chair and first picked up the blue bandana. “For my brave little lion, I made a blue bandana.” He carefully put the bandana over Leo's head and tied it in the back, covering his eyes, which looked perfectly through the eye holes. He gingerly kissed the top of his head. “Happy birthday, Leonardo, who just used the potty for the first time today.”

Next, he picked up the red bandana and went to Raphael. “For my little fireball, I made a red bandana.” He fastened the bandana on Raph's head and kissed him as well. “Happy birthday, Raphael.”

Third, he picked up the purple bandana and went to Donatello. “For my little genius, I made a purple bandana.” He fastened it onto Donatello's head a bit tighter since he seemed to have a smaller head than the older two. He pecked him on his head. “Happy birthday, Donatello.”

Last, he picked up the orange bandana and went to Michelangelo, who was licking the bottom of the bowl that he had cleaned out. “And for my little ray of sunshine, I made an orange bandana.” He wrapped it around the smallest's head and then scooped him up and kissed him. “Happy birthday, Michelangelo, who has said his first word today and I'm very proud of.”

He looked around to each of them with a wide grin. “What handsome little boys I have. I could not be more proud of you all.” He looked to Raph. “Now Raphael, would you like to try and use the potty?”

“Eww,” Leo whined and held his nose.

Splinter went near Raph and got a whiff. He sighed. “I can see you have already gone. Perhaps another day then.”

A/N: I understand that they call it their “Mutation Day”, but for this part I changed that because I did not think Splinter would want to explain mutation to them while they're still so young. They wouldn't understand.