Part 25
"Hi Don." I said as I turned to see him.
"Leo you're here early. Lets go back to the house and rest for a bit."
"I'll wait here Don. I'll be ok, I haven't been here for a month and a half and I need sometime to myself."
"Please come with us Leo. You spend to much time to yourself. You and raph are going to have to make up one of these days." I looked down, knowing what Don said was true. I got up, even though I knew Raph wouldn't want to see me.
"Ok Donny, I'm coming." We walked back to the house and sat down in the living room. Michaelangelo was watching TV, April was sitting next to him. I could hear Ninjara and Raph in the kitchen working on tonights dinner. I sat down in a chair in the back of the room. Keeping an eye on my brothers. Donatello went and sat near me. I don't think that Mikey or April even heard me come in. But in away I would rather not talk right now any how.
"Hey Guys Ninjara wants to know if you guys want pear in the..." Raph stopped in the middle of his words and looked at me. "Oh look who finally decided to show up." He turned and walked back into the kitchen. That's when Mikey and Apirl noticed me.
"Hey Leo! I didn't hear you come in, you ninja you." Mikey said with a smile. He backed his wheel chair up and came over to me. "You never vistit dude!" I looked down and turned my head towards the window. I wanted to get things over with so I could go home. "Come on dude! Speak up, what's new?" Still I didn't have anything to say. "I saw the news about the bank robbery you stopped last week." I looked at Mikey.
"I'm sorry Mikey, I'm really not up for talking right now."
"YOU HAVE TO STOP THIS LEO! MASTER SPLINTER WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE YOU LIKE THIS! IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT HE'S GONE!" I looked at Donatello, I swear he just blew his fuse, but for once I'm not going to talk back.
"Yes it is" Mikey, Don and April looked at me in shock. It was the first time I've opened myself up that much. And for me to say it was my fault shocked them even more. "If I didn't get caught, the W's wouldn't be after us, Master Splinter woud be alive and I would not have these Blades in my arm!"
"Oh Leo," April walked over and put her arms around me. I broke down into tears in her arms.
"I miss Master Splinter. Only if I never got caught."
"You'll be ok Leo." April said. Mikey came up to me and put his arms around April and I. I have such a hard time with the fact that he's in a wheel chair. I can't wait for him to be on his feet again. Donatello got up, he had to break this up. It was to much for even him to see, time to get us to work.
"Well guys April and I will get things set up for tonight." Donatello said as he stood up to go outside. Don looked at Michaelangelo "You should get some rest, you shouldn't have traveled in your condution. The only reason you're here is because I couldn't leave you out of this."
"Ok Donny, I get the point dude." It was just minutes before I was alone. I understood why they left, and I didn't mind. I lyed down on the couch and shut my eyes.
"HEY LASY HEAD WAKE UP!!" I opened my eyes to see Raph standing above me. "Everyone is working getting stuff ready for tonight and you're sleeping?!!!"
"Don didn't ask for me to do anything and he's in charge of this."
"Oh! So our fearless leader needs to wait to be told to do something?! I thought you would look for something to be done and do it!"
"Look Raph! I'm no leader anymore!! We're not even a team! So stay off my shell! If Don needs me, he'll let me know!"
"You're right! You're not needed! Than why don't you just get your shell out of my house!"
"This isn't your house! It's Caseys!"
"Yea, well I don't see him liven here! Do you?" I grabbed Raph up against the wall and brought my baldes at him. I saw the fear and anger go into Raphs eyes at once. I pulled the blades back and set him down."
"I'll go once we're done tonight. Oh and don't worry, you wont see me for another year once I leave."
"Yea, well good! I can't wait till you're gone! I'll enjoy another year without your shell around!" I turned around to see Mikey in the door way. With tears in his eyes. He has always seen Raph and I fight, but never before go to hurt almost kill each other. Mike backed his wheel chair up and turned around.
"MICHAELANGELO!!!" I kiai and followed him.
"What?"
"Look, what you just saw..."
"What I just saw was you about to kill or hurt Raph!"
"I'm sorry Mikey. It's the blades! I was able to control myself enough not to hurt Raph though. I held myself back." Mike went down in tears. I stepped back to bump into Raph.
"SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE AROUND! EVERYTHING JUST FALLS APART!" I looked down, now I didn't know what to think. I knew Raph started it this time, but it didn't matter who started it. It mattered who ended it. I knew if I kept this up, it would be like a bunch of babies fighting over nothing. I turn and walked away from Raph.
I walked back towards Spinter's grave site. Once I got there I saw Don and April were still setting things up for tonight. I didn't want to get in their way so I just kept walking in the woods. I got to a river and sat down. I'll wait here till Sun set. Than I'll join the others.
While sitting there, I thought again of life before the W's. Michaelangleo never gave up his dream of letting humans know we're real, slowy. Since he woke up, he got things back into action. Making some live action TV show, but he sure is going to the limit with that. He's also having a new movie being made. I didn't get envold in this. Many ppl gave up on TMNT after I was in the W's. They would say one of the Turtles is evil, they're no good for our kids. It hurt all of us. I wanted to go back in time and stop myself from jumping into that fight with the W's, or to at least warn myself of what was about to happen. I wish the future Turtles warned us. I closed my eyes to clear all thoughts.
I felt the warm sun on my face as the sun set. I got up, but at the same time, just felt like sitting there. Each step I took, brought back the memories. How the W's got me. How I fought my borthers. How I made friends with Mokeshan. How I met Mark. How I got free. How Mikey was hurt. How Master Splinter died. Just than I looked up to see a fire in the fire pit. Donatello was sitting near it. Raphael was standing over Splinters grave. Michaelangelo in his wheel chair was off to the side, with tears in his eyes. I knew April and Ninjara was at the farm house getting the dinner set up for once we're done.
"Leo, I was afaird you lef after what Raph and Mikey told me."
"I wouldn't leave, not without saying good bye."
"Too bad." I looked over to see Raphael looking at me. "You're nothing but trouble Leo. If it wasn't for you, Master splinter would not be lying here dead!"
"RAPHAEL!! LEAVE LEO ALONE! HAVEN'T YOU HURT HIM ENOUGH WITH THE WAY YOU TREAT HIM!!!"
"Calm down Donny. I'm ok. It's Raph and we can't change him, I like him the way he is. Let's get started." Raph walked over and sat down near Donatello. Michaelangelo rolled his wheel chair over to the other side of Don, leaving me in between Raph and Mikey. Donatello started to read from some bible that April gave him. I closed my eyes , thinking of what Raph said. I know I did bame myself and that wasn't helping the matter. Once I started to hear what Don was reading, it sounded more like it was meant for Raphael and I, than Master Splinter.
"Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever enterth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and in cast out the draught?
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, muders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man."
I relaxed some with Donatello reading. I was starting to understand why Don pick this. It was about us being different, and how men wouldn't understand us. It asks if they understand us, than it says that they would first say bad things about us, than the evil will come forward which has shown in mans history. Yet, we still are to face this life, and the fact that some ppl are not evil. Don was trying to let us see that we have each other, but even with this, nothing was working, I still felt reponsable for Master Splinters death.
After Donatello finshed reading out of the bible we brought our heads down into medation. It felt so much like the time we lost Splinter to the foot, but this time we knew he was dead. Than to our surprise the fire made that same spark of nosice that from that night long ago. We did not dare open our eyes, we all stayed deep in our medation.
"For the pass year my sons, you have grown apart. I have not been here to help you, and you must understand that I'll never be back, but I will always be with you.
You have forgottan my teaching, and now it is time for you to remember." I heard the voice, but I couldn't believe it. Then I felt a warm touch pick my hand up and set it on.. could it be? Raph's hand? "Only you can help each other.
"It is time for you to be set free of your anger. Which now two of you hold, and it is time for the four of you to be one again.
Remember my sons I will always be with you. And I love you all."
"All went quiet. I opened my eyes to see my hand on Raphs hand. Why would Splinter do this? Did he know of our fights? Raph looked at me, we both knew Master Splinter meant something when putting our hands together but what could it mean? Neither Raph nor I said a word as we headed back to the fram house. Donatello and Michaelangelo were just watching us. They too knew something happened. Once we got back to the farm house, I saw Mark sitting on the prouch. April said she was going to invite them for the dinner, and I really didn't mind. Mark has been like my best friend for the past year.
"Hey Leo." Mark said getting up off the chair. "The others are inside."
"Ok, we're coming in now." At the table, Don told the Shapers, April and Ninjara what happened. Peter seemed real deep into the story, as if he knew what was going on.
"Raph. Leo. Will you two come with me to the fire pit?" Peter said, pushing his chair back to stand up. Raph and I looked at each other and both nodded yes. Once we got to the fire pit we sat down. Peter looked at the fire pit, which held our fire earlier and the flames came back to life.
"How Donatello told this story to me, one thing came to mind. Leonardo can I see your bades please?" I brought my right arm up and the blades came out. "Raph will you touch Leonardos blades?"
"WHAT?!!! WHY?!?!"
"Calm down Raph, if I'm right than we might be able to answer some questions." Raph reached over and touched the blades. "Now I have one question before we go on. Have you cut Raph with the blades since Splinter died?"
"NO! I wouldn't! I would bring them at him, but I never cut him, at least since Master Splinter died."
"Good, now what I want you to do is try and cut Raphs hand."
"WHAT? I DON'T THINK I WANT TO DO THIS! I'M OUTTA HERE!"
"Calm down Raph. If what I think doesn't work you'll just have a small cut."
"Ok, but I really don't like this." I brought my blades down and they didn't cut Raph. Raphs eyes widened, as did mine. I couldn't believe they didn't make a mark.
"What? How did that happen? I felt it touch, and I felt the cold metal push down. But I didn't get cut?"
"It is what I thought. Raph try and remove Leonardos blades." Raph reached up and grabbed the blades off my arms.
"It worked!!!!" I kiai in joy! "They're off!!!!" I looked at Peter, who still sat without a smile. "How did you know?"
"Can someone tell me what is going on? And how in the world did I remove these blades?"
"Well you see raph, those blades can only be removed by two ppl in the world. One is the person who put them on the one wearing them. The other is the choice of the one wearing the blades. But even that person would not know who it is. It would be the person that the one wearing the blades cares for the most.
"Leo cares for me the most?" I looked at Raph, as the same question hit me.
"Well Leo was right at first when he cared for Splinter the most. Yet when Spinter died, he cared for the next one in line the most, which was you."
"How did I even get on that line?"
"Well out of Leo's three brothers. You've always said how you felt about something, even if you knew it would get Leo mad. You never hid your anger of feeling about something. And is it not true when you were younger that you always stood up for Leo when he was in trouble. In Karate classes with Spinter, you were always right behind Leo."
"Wow you can read me better than I can read myself." I said looking at Peter.
"I didn't know you cared for me this much Leo." Raph said looking down. "I'm sorry for how I've been treating you. I guess I needed to take my anger out on someone and you.. well.."
"It's ok Raph. I have been mad at myself as well." Than I started to feel real dizy. The shock of removing the bades, that have been such a big part of my life that my system wasn't ready for them to be removed. I closed my eyes and when I went to open them, I passed out. When I woke up, I was in the farm house. I heard Raph and Kevin talking in the next room over. I peeked in. It was a shocker to me, to see Raph talking with a shaper. I thought he hated them. Raph looked up and noticed me.
"Hey Leo, how you feeling?"
"I'm ok. What's going on?"
"Nothing much. Kevin and I were talkinga bout where he came from. Michaelangelo and Mikey are playing Saga. Donatello is showing Peter some of his machines. Mark is outside, doing something, don't ask me. And April and Ninjara are cleaning up from dinner."
"Wow, sounds like everyone is up to something. I'm glad you are finally getting alone with the Shapers."
"Gee thanks Leo."
"Well what did the others say about my blades?"
"Well we're wondering Leo. You see Ninjara and I are moving back home and we were wondering if...??"
"Of course I'll come back!"
"Oh Leo, didn't mean to get your hopes up, we just wanted you to clean your old room out."
"What?!"
"Of course we want you back Leo!" Raph said with a smile on his face. "Lets be a team again." Raph walked over to me and put his hand on my shell. "Lets go see the others. It's time we all get back together. It's not fun just beating each other up all the time." We walked out of the room, Kevin saw us and followed.
"Hey Leo, good to see you up."
"Thanks Kevin, it's good to be back." We walked into the living room, where Michaelangelo was in his wheel chair, with Mikey lying on the ground, playing Saga. The two of them looked over. Michaelangleo dropped his controler and rolled over to me.
"Leonardo! You're up!" He hugged me. "Has Raph brough up about us being together again?"
"Yes Mikey, I'm coming home." I said, looking up to see Donatello and Brain walk in the room. "Hopefully things will go back to normal. I know Master Splinter is gone, but he'll always be with us."
"Glad you see that Leonardo, there's just one thing you'll have to over come, before things are fully back to normal, but that can take years." Peter said, "You have to let yourself know, it isn't your fault that Splinter is gone." I looked down knowing what he said was true.
April gave me a hug from behind. "Welcome back big shot! We missed you!" It felt great to be welcomed back into my family. Now it seemed we had four new members of our clan. The Shapers, have became like brothers to me, with all they have helped me with.
Mark walked in and smile at me. "Welcome back to the land of reality Leo." Mark said.
"Thanks Mark.. it just took a year for us to realize how to get those things off of me. Now I wont be jumping down my brothers shells for doing making mistakes like I was."
"Yea, and now I at least know that Leo still does care for us. I thought he was gone all the way." Raph said standing next to me.
"One thing we ask of you Turtles."
"What is that Mark?" I asked stepping forward seeing the look on Marks face.
"We ask that you help us, in our fight against the W's. We can use all the help we can get."
"We're with you." I said, shaking hands with Mark. The Shapers stayed and talked with us for hours, than had to go. But we knew to stay true to our promise. Things did start to go better for us, and the team got back together that day. Raph and I both were now more friends than we ever really were. But Raph still needs to learn to control his temper.
I remember when Raph finally asked me how I got to meet the Shapers, and I answered "Well Raph, when I first made friends with a Shaper, he was in The shape of a Turtle."
THE END
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