A young mutant turtle full of youth, yet with lingering emotions that no child should have, made his way down the hall of the sewers. He traveled this path many times. The memories both good and burn bright as the sun. His emotions dropped with step he took, each turn he made.
He felt guilty for what happen, though he knew, deep down that none of it was his fault. Soon he stopped. He heard faint sounds of someone crying. But who? Curious and concerned, the youngling followed the trail. As did however, he got closer to his destination, he was headed to. Could it be one of his brothers?
Once he found the origin of the sobbing, his eyes widen when he saw another mutant turtle curled up in sobbing. The sadden emotions grew. He knew this other turtle. He knew him all too well, yet was now a stranger.
Why is Donnie crying? He wondered. Why is Master Splinter or the others with him?
He hesitated to move forward, unsure of whether his little brother would want or even if he still remembers him. It's so long since he had contact with anyone that he had care about. Donnie looked to be a year or two then he was. But still... Still he got to try, for all he done, for his little brother. He walked until he was in front of the sniffling turtle.
"Hey," A voice called out.
Donatello ceased and looked up with red, moist eyes. There, he saw a mutant turtle like him, only a bit younger and with a blue bandana on his head. This stranger was alike, yet different too. Same and different from him or any of his brothers. The stranger stared at him with blue, serious eyes. "Huh?"
"Are you okay?" The presences of this kid seem familiar, but the turtle with purple mask couldn't quite place it.
"Yeah;" He uttered as he whipped away the tears. "W-who are you?"
"Wha-Never mind that right now? Why were you crying?"
"Oh? Well," Donnie gave a sadden expression at the memory. "my brother was chewing me out for ruining our training course." The stranger gave him a baffle look. "You see? We had this obstacle coarse that we had to complete and I couldn't get through it." He sigh. "It's not my fault that I can't be big and strong as he is."
"Well, are there other things your good at?"
"Nope... Wait? I 'am good at detecting when pillars are about to land."
"Land?"
He nodded. "Yeah, there's a pattern to when the pillars from the training course would land. If you go at just the right time, you get through it."
"Have you tired saying anything to him-you're brother I mean?"
"No. He wouldn't listen to me. He never dose. He's too stubborn. I just do whatever he says." The purple mask turtle answered as he curled up and his face sunken a tad.
"Why haven't you stand up to him?"
"Because he's the leader. He's the oldest." He wasn't sure felt so opened with this kid, but it seem to be right.
"So? You're just going to let him push you around while he puts you're mission in jeopardy?"
"Well, no-"
"Then don't let him!" The blue clade turtle command with the most certainty and non-aggressive manner that he had ever heard from anyone. At that moment, Donatello looked with widen eyes and baffle expression. "Listen, you're stronger than this. Stronger than Raph, you just have to put that smarts to use and not let him push you around all the time." The taller mutant couldn't believe it. This stranger who was not younger much than he, was giving advice like Master Splinter dose. Parsing him, though he had never seen him work.
As soon as he snapped out of it, he smiled and said "You're right." In return the stranger gave a smile grin of his own. Donnie gotten up with new found pride. "Thanks for the motivation. Now, I feel like facing my brother again."
"No problem. Just don't forget what I told you?"
"I won't..." The lad took a minute, thinking of what to say next. "Well, see 'a."
As the younger turtle watched his younger brother head-off, he couldn't help, but to feel, yet sadden at the same time. He missed his family very much. He wished he could stay with them forever, however that was just wishful thinking, a dream that couldn't come true, not for a long while anyways.
"Oh yeah!"
"What?"
"I forgot to ask, what's your name?"
"It's Leo, Leonardo?" He uttered with a beam.
"Right. Thanks Leo!" The younger turtle said as he dashed off.
"Don't mentioned it?" At least felt glad that he was able to help him through this rough time, though not actually being there.
Once his brother was out of sight, Leo decided to head down the same path. He didn't care about the memories that kept popping up like fireworks, nor the feelings that came with, he was going to see this through to the end. He slipped into the layer and found Donnie with Raph and their youngest brother Mikey.
All of them stood in front of moving pillars he could see their Master sitting lotus style at the other end.
"Alright, guys let's go?" Command the red bandana.
"Hold it Raph?"
"What?"
"I noticed that there's a pattern to where the pillars would land, if you move in just the right-?"
"Shut it Donnie, we doing this the same way we've been doing this." At brother's word's, Leonardo couldn't help, but feel heated. He walked up to the red clad turtle and grabbed his wrist.
"Hold it Raph?" However it gone right through, like he didn't try. The blue bandana wearer stared at his see-through hand before closing it. Of course it wouldn't work. How could he forget he's a ghost now? It didn't work the last time he tried to make contact with his other family members, so why now? If frustrated him. He couldn't help out his family, not now. He still figure how his spirit form work.
The ghost looked over to Donatello. He didn't pay no mind to him. It was as if he didn't see him, he only kept looking at Raphael. Great; the one time he could talk to his other brother without him being scared and it turned out to be a fluke.
"Hold it Raph!" The purple clad turtle spoke.
"Yeah; what?"
"I..." A brief pause before the lad spoke again. "I think you should reconsider?"
"What?"
"Listen? We been doing the same plan over and over again. Don't you think we've would made progress by now?"
"Agh, I know we could make this time."
"Yeah right." Leo heard Donatello muttered and it seems that Raphael heard as well.
The red wearing cloth turtle uttered "If you want back out now, than go right ahead? But I 'am going. Are you coming Mikey?"
"Sure am, dude." The youngest turtle replied before talking to Donnie in cocky tone. "We're so going to win." Man why did Raph have to be so stubborn?
As Mikey and Raphael moved across the course Leo peered back at his purple clad brother. Sorry Donnie. He thought too himself in a bitter tone.
"AHHH!"
The blue mask kid turned to Raph on the floor, waiting for the inevitability of the pillar to come for him. "Raph!" Just as he was about to jump in to save his brother's shell, Donnie zipped passed him and saved the red clad reptile.
"Thanks, I ow you one."
"Don't mentioned it, Raph. Now, let's get Mikey get out of here?"
The spirit watched as the duo and grabbed the youngest and weave their way through the hall, dogging the pillar as they come with red and orange clad turtles doing as Donatello commanded. Leonardo's eyes widen as couldn't believe what he saw. His younger brother made through leading the other and Raphael himself was following orders. Back when he was still alive, Raph always fought with him. It was a miracle that they ever agreed on something. He followed them.
As Donnie and the others gotten to the finished line, Master Splinter gotten up and welcome them. "Well done, my Donatello you should feel proud at you accomplishments?"
"Thanks Master." The purple clad turtle said in bashful manner.
"Hey?" Raphael called out in a soft tone. The second oldest reptile rubbed the back of his head with his hand. "Listen, I 'am sorry bro for... not listing earlier."
"Oh, it's fine, Raph. I 'am just glad you finally listen."
"Ah man that was great smarts you pulled back there, bro!" Mikey cut in. "Where did you learn to do that?"
"Yes, that was very intelligent. Where did you learned that?" Master Splinter uttered in a curious voice.
"Well..." Donnie paused to break gaze a bit before turning back and relying. "I did I have a little help."
"Oh?"
"It was from another turtle." At that both Raph and Splinter gotten wide-eye. This too, surprised the ghost as kept glancing. Mikey on the other just staring with a bemused expression. "I believe he said his name was... Leonardo."
"It can't be?" questioned Raphael sounding disbelief.
"Huh? What?"
"It can't be what?"
"Hm, Donatello?" Master splinter asked.
"Yes."
"Did you happen to know more about this friend of yours?"
"No Sensei, I didn't. I was so happy that I've finally have some believing in me that I forgot to ask." It seems like Donnie really did forgot about him? Not that he didn't except this. After all the third youngest turtle was there when Leo died. There so much blood and screaming. Leonardo only had scattered memories of what happen that day, but what he did remember still haunts him. He had to go away, to allow brother to heal. It was hard, however it needed to be done. He couldn't watching his own little brother be scared of him anymore. The oldest reptile just wished that Donatello retained a bit of memory about him. "What's the matter Sensei did something wrong?"
"Yeah, Is Donnie in trouble?" Mikey added in.
"No." Master Splinter said with a smile. "When you young turtles are old enough, i'll explain everything. But right now I believe we have a guardian spirit watching over us."
"A guardian spirit?"
"Yes, a spirit, who sent to protect you."
"So Leo was sent to protect me?"
"Yes."
"But Sensei-?" Blurted Raphael, but the wise Sensei stopped him.
"Enough Raphael! We'll discuss it later, but now let's take comfort in the fact that Donatello is feeling better about himself and we have Leonardo to thank?"
"Right."
Thanks Sensei. Leo uttered, though gotten no response. Despite cursed to wonder in limbo, the Spirit was glade to get some comfort. However, that wouldn't be enough to have him moved on. He'll wait and keep a protective eye on his family. After all it was he who talked his purple clad brother into going with him on the day that he died. So? This seemed as fitting punishment as any.