Hey everybody. Glad to see me alive huh? Well a lot of you are probably familiar with my story 'My Own' so for those readers, one chapter remains and for those reading, 'Where's Leo?' there's only two chapters left. Then I can get started on finishing the other three stories I have in progress.

Well, let me explain this one-shot. If you've seen the CGI TMNT movie, then you know that Splinter sent Leonardo away for 'training' in Central America. We've all brainstormed, scribbled out tidbits of thought, reached other realizations, been left in the dark and have compiled many reasons for why Splinter did this. I have, so far, been completely clueless. I couldn't figure it out. One common answer is:

He was training to be a better leader. (He could have trained anywhere! It didn't have to be Central America!)

This is where I debated with the issue, why would Splinter spend 15-16 years teaching Leo and then suddenly make him travel two-thousand miles away and call it training?

So I'm thinking that maybe the best answer is the simplest answer. What is it? Read to find out! ^-^

I don't own TMNT.

The Simplest Answer

Splinter looked over his students with pride as they all moved through an advanced kata.

"Ah," he thought with a sigh, "Such precision and Raphael is showing the drive for perfection lately. Donatello will need to focus on reacting more rapidly and Michelangelo must-"

"Michelangelo!" Splinter shouted as his youngest turned in a circle, his nunchucks hitting the nearby tall weapon rack.

Everyone froze as the weapon rack leaned forward the bottom shelf falling out the swords and blades aimed towards the youngest turtle.

"AH!" he shouted and covered his head before something hit him.

When nothing sharp stabbed him he reopened his eyes and found himself a few feet from the tumbled weapon rack and his oldest brother holding him. Mikey took a few deep breaths before sagging against the elder turtle where they both sat on the floor.

"Thanks Leo," he said between his deep breaths as the rest of their family surrounded them."

"You ok Mikey?" Raph asked as he knelt down beside his brothers, resting a dark green hand on his baby brother's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm ok," the youngest said with a smile.

"Michelangelo," Splinter said softly but sternly, "You must be aware of your surroundings at all times and be prepared to avoid and confront danger."

"Yes sensei," Mikey said, bowing his head since he was still on the floor and still in Leo's hold.

"Leo you're injured!" Don shouted out.

"Huh?" Leo said and glanced down at his arm where a thin cut grew slightly crimson.

"Hmm, didn't even feel it," Leo thought and then climbed to his feet, helping Mikey up as well.

"Here let me take care of that," Don said, reaching out towards the wound.

Leo's hand caught his in the air, "That's all right Don, it's just a scratch, I'll take of it myself. I'm finished with my meditation anyways, good luck with your alls training."

When the eldest left the room Mikey turned to the others, "Master Splinter are you going to send us away for training too when we're ready?"

"Michelangelo, you, Donatello and Raphael will be finishing your training here in New York, just as Leonardo did."

"What?" Donatello asked, "What are you talking about? Leo was away training for two years."

Splinter smiled slowly, "Your brother was under a lot of stress my students, the years of leadership would be difficult on anyone and having yourself defined by your family other than your own thoughts and feelings can cause you to become lost."

"Master Splinter?" Raph asked, "What are you saying?"

"Never mind my students, let us continue to practice."

"But Master Splinter you said Leo finished his training here, why did you send him to Central America if he was already done?"

Master Splinter spoke, staring at the closed door, "I feel he would be angry with me if I told him the true reason I sent him away."

"Leo? Angry at you?" Raph said while glancing at the closed doorway as well, "Never gonna happen Master Splinter."

"So what was the reason!" Mikey shouted.

"Yeah, I've been puzzling over it myself," Don said, swinging his bo staff in front of mindlessly, "If he was done with his training why tell him to travel 2,000 miles away from home?"

"My sons, it is a very simple thing," Splinter explained, turning around and scooping up a small sword from the fallen weapon rack, "I could see the stress within Leonardo, I'm sorry if this disappoints you my sons, but your brother-"

The three turtles held their breath, finally they would know the answer that had alluded them all for so long.

"Simply needed a vacation."

There was a minute of silence, dropped jaws and wide eyes.

"Va-vacation?" Don muttered through his shocked state.

"Yes," Splinter answered short and simply, "15 years of leading had worn your brother out, I excepted him to remain away for the year I had recommended but apparently he was more tired than I previously believed."

"Does Leo know this?" Raph asked as he tied to get his jaw working right again.

"Raphael," Splinter said, turning around to met his red masked son's gaze, "No, he does not. He still believes it was training. If I had told him it was a vacation, he would've never gone and Leonardo is not one to rest without probable cause or extreme, as you all have learned."

The door to the dojo reopened and the eldest walked back in, staring back at his brothers when they realized they were all staring at him.

"Is something wrong?" Leo asked with a raised eye ridge.

"Of course not Leonardo," Splinter said, "Now please, would you clean this up while we finish our training session for tonight?"

"Of course master," Leo said and bent down to grab the weapon rack and stand it up once again, replacing the bottom shelf that had fallen out.

He turned back and reached for the weapons scattered on the ground but glanced over at the sound of wood and steel clashing together. He smiled as he watched hi younger brothers practice. They'd all be amazing ninja someday. The two years he spent away in Central America was nice, he could be himself for once, have a life not defined by his younger brothers, but now, watching them, well, he wouldn't trade them for anything. When Raph glanced over at met his eye Leo smiled a bit wider, oh what the future held for his immediate younger brother. He turned his attention to gathering up the weapons and replacing them on the shelf.

When only a few remained he reached for a quarterstaff only for another hand to appear and scoop it up. Leo glanced up.

Donatello.

After glancing around he found Raphael and Michelangelo had gathered the rest of the weapons. The three younger turtles put up the weapons and turned to stare at their leader as he stood up.

Mikey broke the uncomfortable silence that followed, "Dudes who's up for pizza!"

"Me!" they all shouted.

And with that the pizza loving teenage mutant ninja turtles took to the rooftops in the world above.

Really, what if that was it? What if it was a vacation and Splinter knew he couldn't tell Leo that or he wouldn't have gone?

Just one of many random thoughts in my mind.

Well, I'd like to know, anyone else have their own answer? Truthfully, I'm going to stick with my vacation theory, Leo would train on a vacation, excessively because it's a vacation.

~Moonsetta