Yo, I'm Rori.
This will be a couple of shots of Leo's time in South America. There will be references to the 2003 series. There might be a sequel; you'll see why in later chapters. We'll see how this goes.
I'm going to say: Leo and Raph are about 18. Don is about 17. Mikey is about 16.
I don't own TMNT
Chapter 1: Leaving?
"Do ya hafta go?"
"Master Splinter wants me to become a better leader. He thinks this will help."
"Yeah, but...fer a whole year?"
The silence that followed was heavier than I expected. The reason I was leaving was to give Raph and me some space; we've been butting heads way too much this past year. I told Raph first, partly because I wasn't sure how he'd react to it and a really small part of me blamed him for it. I would never admit that part of me existed; I'd rather pretend it didn't. Being the oldest, I was the role model, I was to set the example and guide them along.
There were times I hated it.
Yes, I loved my brothers and father - they were all I had, dammit. Yes, I loved being a ninja, and I wouldn't change how I lived my life. How many people could say that they've gone to an alien planet, or have an alligator as a friend or something equally outlandish? But when the others got hurt, when they were sick or when we found something that normal people couldn't dream of to swallow, I hated it. I couldn't be a full body shield for them all. I wasn't smart enough to mix chemicals and make medicines.
...I couldn't protect them from nightmares.
I watched as Raph slowly swallowed the idea of me leaving the safety of the lair, of leaving our family, of leaving him, for an entire year. His golden eyes darted back and fourth, not really focusing on anything as he internally fought with himself. His hands started shaking, his shoulders tensed. His hands curled into fists on the kitchen table top and he stood fast enough to knock his chair over with a clatter. I watched him stalk past, "Raph..."
He didn't answer as he walked right into Sensei's room, not bothering to knock.
This was not going to end well.
-TMNT-
A few hours later, it was dinner time. It was quiet, the clicking of dishes sounding loud and ominous. Mikey and Don had been told, and Raph didn't say a word the rest of the evening. Mikey put his head in his hands after Master Splinter made it very, very clear that this was not optional and that the matter was closed. Don didn't seem to have an appetite, probably because he knew what was coming next.
"Donatello."
"Yes, master?"
"In your brother's absence, you will lead this team."
"Hai, sensei." There was an undercurrent of devastation in his tone that had Raph look at him questioningly. I bit back a sad sigh; Raph just so damn oblivious. It was times like this I wanted to just smack some sense into him. With me being gone, Don would be his new, temporary leader. And with the way he gave me hell, he'd give Donnie it a thousand times worse, without even realizing it.
Not to mention that Don wasn't any sort of leader. He'd rather follow Mikey than lead, and if that doesn't ring some bright red alarm bells, nothing would. He'd let Raph go out just about every night just to avoid a fight; he'd let Mikey order pizza at least twice a week to get out of staring at those blue, puppy dog eyes. I chanced a glance at our Father.
Was my becoming a better leader so important that he'd leave his three youngest on a self destructive path for a year? That could cause serious damage!
No.
No. He'd be here. He wasn't leaving any time soon. He wouldn't just up and walk away. He'd keep Raph and Mikey in line. Don wouldn't have it so hard. Raph never did like yelling at Don; our second youngest brother had a way of making him feel like he just kicked a puppy in the head repeatedly. Raph never really yelled at Mikey for something serious. He'd vent with Don, and then yell at Mikey for being an idiot and just hug him tight. He couldn't bring himself to yell at Mikey for anything serious.
They're gonna be fine.
Right?
-TMNT-
"Its not all gloom and doom, right?"
I don't want to leave.
"Mikey..."
I don't want to be in some jungle in the middle of nowhere.
"No, Don. Its not." He grinned, showing off something he had in his hands. I had one more night left in the lair. "Look! Its a radio-thing. Like, a cross-country radio thing. Ya know?"
What if something happens and I'm not here to help?
"You mean a long distance radio?" Don snatched it from his hands, eyes narrowing as he used it to point at Mikey, "Where did you find these?"
What if they get captured?
With a shit eating grin, Mikey shrugged and said, "Does it matter? Dude, we can talk like every day if we wanted to! And, we can send letters! We don't hafta cut like all ties. That way, we can like, know you're okay."
What if they get hurt?
I took it from Don's hands, very aware of Raph's stare. "And they work?"
What if they fall apart and I don't know because they won't tell me?
"Yep!"
What if something happens to the city?
"I can't use it everyday. I'd run out of battery life."
"Aww," he looked crushed.
"But we can still write." Raph's voice almost made me jump out of my skin; I hadn't heard him speak since the beginning of the week.
"Yeah boy!"
...What if I don't want to come back?
