A.N: Wow thanks for all the great reviews, you guys all rock! A clumsy Leo is a cute one hehe; I was going 'aw' when I was writing it lolness. Anywayz, here's chapter three.
Disclaimer: Check out chapter one, sadly no change, but you all know that.
Black Balloon
Chapter Two
Splinter bit back his sigh of exasperation and tried to fix a mask of calm patience on his old face. A flicker of frustration flashed on his eldest's features as he fell to the floor with a thump and his brothers' laughs began echoing in his ears. But then next second, he was looking up at his father expectantly, waiting for him to tell him what he had done wrong. The rat wondered if he'd imagined that brief disappointment.
"Try again Leonardo, and for the countless time, keep your toes in the same place as if they're nailed to the floor," He stressed for yet another time.
He was aware of Raphael and Michelangelo sniggering from where he had assigned them on kata duty. Even Donatello was finding it funny watching his brother fall hard on his butt time and time again. They hurriedly resumed racking their young brains for the next movement in the sequence when their Sensei gave them a raised eyebrow.
"Yes Master," Leonardo replied compliantly, climbing to his feet.
He tried to ignore his brothers' amusement but inside he was screaming at them to stop laughing. He was trying! He really, really was trying! He was doing exactly what the old rat was saying, but for some infuriating reason his feet would not listen to him and ravelled together, sending him backwards onto the mats. It was only a stepping thrust kick! His little brothers had had no problem.
He grudgingly attempted it again, and again and again and again. After Leonardo had tumbled for what must've been the twentieth time, Splinter finally let out the moan of vexation he had been keeping determinedly under wraps and declared the lesson over. Donatello and Raphael stopped argueing about the kata and Michelangelo let out a whoop of glee, it was his turn to go hunting for supplies with their father today.
"Can we go, can we go, can we gooooo? Pleeease!" Mike begged immediately, jogging over to his master and tugging gleefully at his kimono. Splinter smiled at his enthusiasm.
"Yes Michelangelo, we shall go. Find your coat," He said, giving him a little push towards the door. Mike ran without having to be told twice.
"Mastah, tell Donny it's a whaddya call it? One o' them," Raph demonstrated a sloppy but powerful punch, pummelling thin air.
"A dragon punch Raphael," Splinter answered with a raised eyebrow at his son's eager strength.
"A dwagopunch, afta the snap kick," Raph said, glaring at his smart brother.
"Nuh-uh! It's a roundhouse!" Donny argued, folding his little arms and pouting.
"Forget it for now my sons, we shall recap it tomorrow," Splinter gave a small smile, pushing them towards the exit. He didn't have the heart to tell Raphael he was wrong.
Just as they were going through the door, Splinter turned and remembered his eldest. Leonardo was still sprawled on the floor on his hard shell, leaning on his elbows, not moving a muscle. He was staring dead ahead, his expression blank and emotionless.
"Leonardo," Splinter called sharply. Leo jumped and turned his head to face his Sensei. Don and Raph trotted into the main lair, still disagreeing about the kata.
"Yes Sensei?" Leo asked, sitting up properly, his face still pretty much impassive.
"Come along, we shall practice again tomorrow," Splinter ordered, resting his paw on the door, ready to lock.
Leo nodded and stood up. He walked quickly out of the place before his Sensei could tell he was angry with himself. Despite how hard Splinter had tried to hide it, Leonardo knew he was disappointed in him. How could he not be? He was honestly doing his best, but the moves didn't seem to come. Something always went wrong.
It was so much worse when his brothers were sliding along. They weren't exactly brilliant, but they were much better than he was. They were slowly learning the way of the ninja, whilst he was left in their dust. It wasn't supposed to be like this! He should at least be just as good as them!
He was the big brother, he had to be.
"Maybe we should all go on this trip together, how does that sound?" Splinter asked his son, entertaining hopes an hour out with his brothers doing something they all loved would perk him up. Leo looked back at his warm face, knowing it was an act. He was only five, but he had already learnt how to annotate his Sensei's face.
"No thank you Sensei, I feel…I feel a bit poorly, d'you…I mean, please may I stay here?" He questioned politely, watching the rat lock the door and tuck the key into his kimono.
Splinter couldn't resist those eyes this time. Besides Leonardo was responsible and sensible, just clumsy. If he set certain rules into place, maybe leaving him on his own for an hour, two at the most, wouldn't be such a bad idea. He knew Leonardo would never disobey him.
"You may," He smiled, sighing a little. "But you must not leave here, or go into the kitchen or my quarters. No matter what happens, you must not do these, do you understand?" He raised an eye, his face stern.
"Yes Sensei, I promise," Leo gave a small smile.
Fifteen minutes later, he was completely alone. As soon as the front door shut, he winced and cradled his right wrist. He'd landed funny and twisted it awkwardly when that last kick went wrong. He thought he'd heard a crack to go with it, but couldn't be too sure. It looked a little bent too but he was positive he was fine. It didn't hurt that much either; he'd probably just bruised it a little.
He rotated the joint and grimaced when he heard a crunch and a pain shot through it. Ok, maybe it was a just a bad bruise, and his wrist was just tired and protesting a little. Still, nothing to worry about. He was all alone now for a good hour or two, plenty of time.
Don and Raph had taken up on Splinter's offer in seconds. They loved going out with their father, just like any little child. They were a bit concerned, even Raph, when Splinter told them Leonardo would not be joining them. But then the thrill of their upcoming adventure soon overtook them and they soon forgot all about their brother's dismissal of their outing.
Leo looked around. Hm, kitchen, dojo and Splinter's rooms where all off limits. The bathroom was too small and the room he shared with Donny was full of junk and toys and stuff. It would have to be the main room. He had no chance of moving the little table with the portable TV and radio perched on top so he'd have to try and move the tatty old couch.
Pushing it with his hands soon turned out to be a bad mistake. He gasped as his wrist creaked and pained and he snatched it away, rubbing at the sore point. Grunting, he shoved and heaved with his shoulder. It was terribly hard work, and it moved devastatingly slowly but soon he had the sofa on the other side of the room, leaving a wide-open space for him to practice.
He rested against it, his shell to the worn furniture, and he rested on the floor for a few minutes, panting and getting his breath back. His wrist was sore. Wow, he'd really bruised it. Ignoring the nuisance for now, he got up, his breathing rate returning to normal after dragging the furnishings.
He practiced for two hours solid, taking stumble after tumble after trip after slip. His wrist burned fiercely with every movement. He was only five, he didn't know anything medical. And he wasn't Mikey; he didn't sob his eyes out every time he grazed himself. And he didn't let any of the countless falls bother him. He nearly bit his lip, ignored his watering eyes and pained wrist, and tried, tried again.
He was so tired after the two hours, his baby body completely unused to such workouts. But he hadn't managed to get anything he'd tried correct. Once he'd mastered one problem, another arose. Once he'd kept his feet in the same place for that kick, he'd lose his balance. And instinct had made him fling his arms out to break his fall and jolted his wrist.
Shaking in anger and fatigue, the little boy collapsed on the sofa, tears of fury forming in his unnaturally sapphire eyes. Why couldn't he get it right? Why? He bit his lip hard, distracting himself from the emotional wound in his heart, and his sore wrist. He'd have to dwell a little on it later; Master Splinter and his brothers would be back soon.
So with lactic acid smouldering inside his calves and weariness gnawing at his little brain, he began to heave the settee back into its regular position. His shoulder was still a little raw from where he'd shoved it earlier. It obviously took a little longer this time, and once he figured it was the most in its usual place as it was going to get, he managed to drag his feet all the way to his bed, and fell onto the cushiony mattress.
He didn't know how long he slept, cramp biting his muscles and his wrist aching through his dreams.
-Dream Sequence-
"Hey Mike, pass me the stars!" Raph called cheerily, back flipping with one hand across the dark rooftops.
Leo watched from the skylight, drowning in bright moonlight as his brothers danced in the shadows. He ached, but it wasn't physical, it was inside him, somewhere he couldn't pinpoint. The pain flared as he vaguely saw a figure toss glimmering shuriken through the night, piercing the air with a sharp whistle. Raph caught them all.
Donny laughed, leaping around Mikey, teasing him, as quick as a flash of lightning. Their laughter echoed through the silent night, avoiding the shimmer of the stars and the moon goddess. Leo didn't think they'd noticed him in their games; he just simply sat on the window, ignored like the light.
"Where's Leo?" Donny asked and Leo sat up listening. He was right there!
"Ah he's at home cleaning up like the big girl he is!" Raph drawled lazily.
The shuriken he held were whizzing around and buzzing, silver steel insects in the dark. No sooner had one glided from his fingers, he caught it in a blur. Leo frowned, trying to overlook the fact his mysterious pain had intensified. His brothers either merely did not see him from their cloaking shadows or he simply was not there, viewing from somewhere spiritual.
At home, cleaning? Like a big girl? Dismissing the fact his brother had just made a possibly sexist comment; Leo wondered why he was supposedly at home whilst his brothers were running around topside. They'd never even been up to the surface before! But then he narrowed his eyes, his brothers looked old, possibly in their late teens, he wasn't too sure.
Looking down at his own body, he let out a gasp. He still had his tiny hands and feet, and little plastron, and bent wrist. What was going on? Wait, he knew. He almost grimaced at the pain. His brothers had grown into the great ninjas Master Splinter had always dreamed of, whilst Leo was left in their dust, useless and forgotten.
"Leo's such a rubbish ninja!" Mike said passionately, whirling around so fast, Leo barely caught glimpses of his emerald eyes. The little boy felt his own eyes watering.
"It's not his fault he's just…inept," Don shrugged and Leo felt a tiny bit better that his brother was defending him a little.
"Inept, pft! He's useless, that's what he is. I don't get why Master Splinter has spent thirteen years trying to teach him, it's only proven one thing," Raph grunted, going even faster with the shuriken. So far, not one had come with an inch of his dark green skin.
"Which is…?" Mike prompted, still trying to catch his brainy brother to no avail.
Leo found himself leaning forwards in fearful anticipation. Raph may be blunt, but he was honest, a little insensitive at times, but honest. Leo dismissed his trembling, and even the pain nibbling deep inside of him seemed to stop in timid expectancy.
"I'm more Britney Spears than he is ninja,"
That didn't hurt as much as he expected. The pain was barely noticeable. Then all three of his brothers, even caring Donatello, erupted into fits of laughter, at his expense. The pain became shell of a lot more than noticeable.
-End Dream Sequence-
"Leo! Leo, wake up!"
Leonardo sat up with a jerk, heart pounding. He blinked a couple of times, focussing, until his little brother Mikey appeared, grinning stupidly and bouncing in excitement. His five-year-old brother Mikey. He almost smiled, but then remembered the dream. That pain he thought he'd imagined gave a little twinge, reminding him of its presence.
"What is it Mikey?" Leo asked, sitting up and realising he had dropped off on top of his bed sheets, he must have been tired.
"Come 'nd look whut we finded!" Mike chirruped gaily.
He seized Leo's wrist and tugged hard. Unfortunately it was the wrong wrist. Bursts of pain screamed through his joints and he cried out, snatching his hand out of his brother's grasp. He nursed it, head hung low and shamefaced. Mike frowned.
"Dude? 'Sup?" He wondered curiously
"I just bruised it, that's all," Leo shrugged, looking up. His face bore a smile, and it didn't look anywhere near as forced as it was.
"Ok!" Mike's face lit up pleasantly once again and he took Leo's other hand.
Leo obediently followed, letting his baby brother pull him through the main room and into the kitchen where their father was unloading a tatty old rucksack onto the equally scruffy table. Raphael and Donatello were stood up on their very tiptoes, eager to peer inside the bag, although they already knew what was in there, they just couldn't wait to get it out.
"Come 'n' look Leo," Raph waved him over yet Leo was wary, just in case he'd call him a girl.
Leo unquestioningly made his way to the table, his eyes just peering over the top. He didn't perch on his tiptoes, or jump up and down to try and see better, like his brothers. He simply waited until Master Splinter had finished pulling out the usual supplies, like old clothes for winter, chipped pieces of china dinner sets and so on, then reached inside the brown material for their final item. Don, Mike and Raph were all grinning like Cheshire cats.
Leo didn't know what to expect, but he knew he hadn't expected what Splinter actually withdrew from that horrible old pack. It was just a plain old board game. He faked another ecstatic grin. He just wasn't attached to board games like his brothers. He didn't mind playing them when he was bored, or when his brothers needed an extra player, but he just found them a little tedious.
"It's Snakies and Ladderers Leo!" Mikey explained needlessly, looking up at his older brother, wanting to see him just as pleased.
"Y'mean Snakes and Ladders Mikey," Don corrected proudly.
"Shurrup know-it-all," Raph snapped, glaring at Donny.
"Raphael, that is no way to speak to your brother," Master Splinter raised an eyebrow at his moody child.
"Sorry Donny," Raph muttered, ashamed. The rat nodded in approval.
"I think we shall put the game away until after dinner children, and play it before bed," He suggested to a chorus of 'aawws'.
But they allowed him to stow the game away on the highest shelf above the run down ancient stove then trotted off to do their own thing once more. Donny ran off to have a fiddle with the little multiplication jigsaw puzzle Splinter had made him for their birthday two months ago and Raph and Mikey went to go bash each other's Action Men up once more. That was currently their favourite game.
"Did you find lots of stuff Sensei?" Leo asked politely as his father began putting away the new pottery.
"Yes Leonardo, our trip was extremely beneficial, as you can see," The ninja master smiled at his son's politeness. "Are you feeling better?"
"I…" Leo faltered. Was he? He didn't really feel better. "Yes Master," He lied coolly, subconsciously hiding his wrist behind his smooth, oval shell.
"Very good, perhaps all you needed was a nap," Splinter said, sliding the last dishes into their places.
"Yes Sensei. Do you need any help?" He wondered, his round face appearing innocent.
"No, thank you Leonardo. Go and join your brothers in their play and I shall begin dinner," Master Splinter waved his paw, indicating their little chat was over. Leo didn't need telling twice.
Deciding he needed the bathroom, he plodded in there and fumbled with the lock until it was secure. Then when he tried to do his business, he understood his right wrist wouldn't let him. It was just too painful. He had no choice. He had to use his not so good left wrist.
Master Splinter had said most great ninjas were ambidextrous; they could use both their left and right hands equally well. But he wasn't ambidextrous, he was even worse with his left hand than his right. But it was better than letting Master Splinter see he was injured and worrying him.
Once he was finished and the bathroom was clean after his left-handed accident, he went to see what his brothers were doing. Raphael and Mikey were in fits of laughter in their room, pretending Raph's Action Man (Sergeant Kick-Your-Butt) was pummelling Mikey's Action Man (Cap'n Arrgh-Maties) to a pulp in a sea of blue Lego.
It actually seemed quite fun to little Leo, and if his brothers were getting on so well, it had to be good. He knelt in the doorway watching excitedly for a while, and then he looked around for something to join in the battle with. There was a white and grey old pony no one ever played with in the corner, but that was all. It wasn't as good as another Action Man say, but it could be a tame horse gone wild or something.
"Hey guys, can I play?" He asked eagerly, shuffling towards them on his knees, getting friction burns on the threadbare rugs.
"Uh…sowwy Leo, there's kinda only two dolls," Mikey said apologetically, ceasing making his naked Cap'n Arrgh-Maties clock the one-armed Sergeant Kick-Your-Butt around his plastic face.
"They ain't dolls! They're Action Men!" Raph corrected huffily, scowling at his brothers.
"I could use the pony," Leo suggested, pointing towards the poor toy tossed in the corner.
"No way Leo, that's a girl's toy! Besides, ah don't want chu t'play," Raph crossed his arms rebelliously and pouting, giving Leo a good glare.
"Oh, ok then," Leo said dejectedly, climbing to his feet.
Mike watched him go with sorry eyes, feeling a little guilty. But that all vanished when Raph manipulated his figure into diving on Mike's and wrestling him. Their squeals of laughter soon echoed in Leo's ears once more, reminding him horribly of that stupid dream. He tried once more to pay no heed to that churning pain in that unknown place.
Coming into his and Donny's room, he watched him interestedly, wondering how on earth he was putting the pieces together. All the numbers were just that to him, numbers. But they obviously meant something to Donny, 'cause he picked one up, considered them thoughtfully for a few seconds then smiled widely and slotted it into place. Leo cocked his head, again taking to his knees and observing.
"Can I help?" He eventually asked, a little shyly in fear of being rejected once more. Donny looked up from five times two.
"Well Leo, I'd let you, but you don't really know your times tables yet, and you're well…too clumsy. I don't want you messing it all up," Don replied ruefully. Leo kept his face passive as the pain screamed.
"Oh, that's alright," He smiled falsely, getting up and leaving once more.
The rest of the time upto dinner was spent alone, reading that story of the ugly duckling over and over. That peculiar pain neither vanished nor changed in force. His wrist only got worse, despite trying his best to use it. When dinner came, when Snakes and Ladders came, when getting ready for bed came, he did it all with left wrist.
To Be Continued
A.N: All done, hope you likied, I enjoyed typing it as usual lol. There will also hopefully an update to Writing On The Wall tomorrow. See you soon! Much love!