Mystery from His Past

Ch 1

He went to the fridge to get a drink. While he drank his soda he sat in silence. They watched as he put his head back and sighed. They heard as April entered and looked at her.

"Hey April how ya been? Where'd you get that nice plant?"

She sighed and smiled.

"Oh Casey got this Lotus Blossom for our month anniversary. Isn't it a beautiful plant?"

Leo sniffed the air and realized how familiar the scent was and entered his room slamming the door behind him. Raph realized and sighed.

"Oh man April, why did you have to say that name especially when he's around? Didn't we ever tell you what happened that afternoon when we went after Chrome Dome and his morons by the museum?"

She shook her head.

"No not that I recall anyway. What happened that afternoon and where did Lotus go? After you 4 came back I don't recall seeing her with you."

Don began.

"This was about 5 years ago when it happened. One afternoon we got a call to watch over the museum because someone was planning on stealing the urn that held a great Japanese Emperor's Spirit who has been searching for his wife for centuries. Leo wasn't with us when we received that call though. He was somewhere with Lotus and I called him on his turtle com to meet us by the museum. A short while after we made the call he showed up with Lotus and wanted to know what was going on. Naturally we filled him in. So we all entered and watched over the urn waiting for those bozos to show up. Shortly after Lotus spotted them and said...

"Hurry up Leonardo go help your brothers stop them from taking that urn. I'll hold off the foot just be careful!"

He nodded his head and we all moved in on them to prevent them from taking the urn back to the technodrome. We were too late and Chrome dome was already chanting to make his spirit rise from the urn. I honestly don't want to continue."

Raph picked up from where he left off and sighed.

"Neither do I but we have to fill her in. Ok we saw the smoke coming from inside the urn and tried to close it back up but got our shells slammed into the poles, all except Leo of course, he ducked the attack and watched as the spirit rose facing Shredder. Then Lotus barged in and his eyes turned toward her and away from Shredder. None of us knew what that was all about till her spirit rose from her body and entered the urn. Oh man I'll never forget his face when she collapsed to the floor and felt cold. April he literally broke down over her motionless body! Then we came home and he remained silent after slamming his door in my face. I could hear him crying into his pillow, it was horrible!!"

At that Leo emerged from his room and stared.

"I'm trying to meditate to clear my mind. That plant brought back memories and I just can't seem to forget her now. I just wish we could explain why it happened to such a wonderful person like Lotus. Never judgmental, always there when she was needed, an ally like no other. My everything and now she's gone and it's my entire fault!!"

Don stared and held him as he cried.

"Leo pull yourself together; please don't fall apart again. We need your leadership. Please calm down and just listen to me."

He entered the bathroom and washed his face. Then he tied his headband back around his face and sat down by his brothers on the couch.

"Ok I'm listening. What do you want to tell me?"

He took a deep breath and sighed.

"Leo in 2 weeks we turn 18. We might have the power to bring her back, but there will be risks bro. She might not be the same it's been so many years. She might just try to kill all 4 of us."

Leo looked up and sighed.

"Can you let me think about this while I go on my nightly training run? We'll talk when I come back. I really need to clear my mind."

They watched as he headed toward the exit and into the shadows. While on his training run he comes across Lotus's old apartment and sighed. He stared at her door he hears her voice in his head.

'For you Leonardo I'd give up crime just to be with you. Joined together we'd be unbeatable and feared!'

At that he buried his head in his hands and cried as he sat on her stoop. In a disguise he went to the museum and stared at the urn. He heard a voice and looked up and seen her face once again smiling at him. He felt a similar hand an d turned to see her standing there by his side. He shook his head and said.

'Stop haunting me! Just leave the shell alone! I failed to save you! Get out of my mind you're gone! Just go!'

He heard the intercom.

"Attention visitors please vacate the building. The museum is now closed; have a nice day and we'll see you tomorrow goodnight to you all!"
He exits and headed back to the lair and sat on the couch. Michelangelo stared and asked.

"Bro are you ok? You seem like you just seen a ghost and your trench coat smells like umm never mind."

He looked up and said.

"On my training run I passed the Lotus Blossom stand."

Puzzled Mike stared.

"Leo the stand closed after her sudden disappearance! Don't you remember anything? Where have you been it's way past 2 hours! Don and Raph went looking for you and you left your shell cell here again! We know the pain you're feeling bro; but these stupid mistakes you've been making will be the death of you! Stop blaming yourself there was nothing you could've done to save her! Leo please stop doing this you're scaring all of us!"

He stared at his brother.

"Mike I did see her ghost. The weird thing though, I felt her hand on my shoulder and she was standing right there. Then before I knew it she was gone! Maybe her spirit is trying to escape. I just don't know anymore I'm so confused now. Let me go look for Raph and Don. Stay here and keep your shell cell near you. You're right I need to move on and accept she's gone. Be right back bro."

He grabbed his shell cell and exits once again. He seen his brothers and jumped down behind them. Raph turned and almost attacked and then yelled at him.

"Where the shell have you been? It's way past 2 hours Leo!"

He yelled and glared.

"Don't go yelling at me, I'm older than you! I went to the museum after I passed by her apartment. While I was there I seen her ghost! She's haunting me and just won't leave me the shell alone! It's like she's reaching out to me for help!"

While they head back Raphael said.

"Well then we try to help her with the risks. Maybe she's trying to escape and knows you'd do anything if you were able. We just have to be careful."

He smiled and nodded his head.

"Definitely and we can't get caught either."

Don laughed.

"Piece of cake we're ninja bro. Warriors of the shadows."

Raph laughed and shook his head.

"Umm don't you mean Shadow warriors? Boy Don learn how to talk straight!"

The 3 brothers played among the shadows. They stopped short when the air had a fragrance of Lotus Blossoms! Leo looked down and seen no stand with flowers and scratched his head in bewilderment.

"Where the shell is that smell coming from? We're nowhere near a flower stand that sells Lotus Blossoms. Ok I'm officially freaked out now; let's high tail our shells back to the lair before it's get weirder than it already is!"

They nodded there heads in agreement and followed him back to the lair where Mike sat and waited by the shell cell. He heard them enter and sighed with relief.

"Man bros I'm officially bushed! Goodnight everyone see you in the morning!"

Shortly after Mike turned in Don and Raph followed asking.

"Yo bro aren't you going to sleep tonight? You really seem tired?"

He smiled and nodded.

"Yes right after I check on our father. Go on you two and sleep tight see you in the morning goodnight."

They both said.

"Goodnight bro sleep tight."

He watched as they entered their rooms and went to check on their father who was holding his chest.

"Sensei are you ok? What's wrong with your chest?"

He put his hand on his son's shoulder and said.

"I'm fine Leonardo. It's only old age nothing to worry about. I'll see you all in the morning. Goodnight my son! Sleep tight!"