Lonely Without You

Ch 4

Rapunzel watched as Fiona and the others were together plotting to stop her and Charming but cackled.

She knew that her husband had moved into the castle and had taken over Artie's throne.

He'd messed up the kingdom.

Shrek was feeling down still as Fiona went to get eggs.

"Hey man you look freaked.

Anything the matter?" Artie said.

"Yes there is.

I've been thinking that she and a friend are more than that " he replied to him.

Artie sighed.

He knew what Rapunzel was up was seriously hurting people he cared about.

"You shouldn't be worried.

I can tell she still loves you.

She's just arfraid of telling you.

It's a little hard to explain." He answered.

"I hope that when she does tell him, he'll be okay.

He's been sad ever since he found that letter that bald wreych Rapunzel left.

But also he's still recovering from escaping from Charming.

It must've hurt being in his clutches." he thought as he watched his friend sleep once more.

Rapunzel watched Snow with Fiona and was angry.

"I may have found a way to weaken her through her heart."

Soon she will feel what it's like to lose something you care about." she thought as she leapt from a tree.

Suddenly she was knocked off target by a shuriken.

Fiona saw two people appear.

They were two friends they hadn't seen in a long time.

"I don't think so Bald Traitor!" the long chestnut haired girl said as she prepared to fight.

Her dark brown eyes were full of anger as another girl was with Fiona and Snow.

She had short black hair with a vibrant red fringe.

She wore black and red glasses and a Sand Village head band and gloves but carried a symbol cane in her left hand.

The other girl was wearing a Leaf Village head band and gloves, a green vest with a punk t- shirt and jeans.

"Leah you rock!" Artie said as Rapunzel growled but smiled as she left.

"I'll be back later when you can't prtect them.

Then I'll make my move." she told herself leaving for now.

"Thanks guys.

I can't... believe you're here!

How did you get here?" Snow asked them as they sat on the ground.

"We were in college and in our dorm room and classes, Carley kept having these feelings and visions of you guys in trouble.

So we used magic to get here." Leah explained to them.

"Wow so you blew off college just to help us?

You... must really love us to do that." Cinderella said.

"Duh!

Of course we do.

Besides you guys are like a third family to me but... more so to Carley." she replied.

"Aww that's nice!" Lillian told her.

Leah saw her friend with Shrek.

She knew how she felt about him and cared for him.

"He's been through a lot these last few days, hasn't he?" Carley said softly placing a hand on his chest gently.

"Yes.

He was in Charming's clutches a few days ago but somehow he escaped.

But I don't know how." fIONA ANSWERED.

"Maybe he used the power of love to escape." Leah told her.

"Wait Leah.

What do you mean?" Artie asked her.

"He couldn't let Rapunzel or Charming hurt those he cared about so he summoned all the love and inner strength within him to do it, even though he was hurting physically.

I know it." she explained.

But then they saw somebody appear.

It was an ogre.

He had long brown hair, black eyes, slender and wore ninja clothes.

Shrek gasped as his eyes opened.

"Hey buddy long time, no see, huh?" he said smiling.

"Silvrestri?

It's been so long.

Where have you been?

I... thought you left." he whispered with tears in his eyes.

"It's okay.

I know how you feel.

I felt lonely when we moved from the forest." he replied.

"Who is he?" Leah whispered.

"I don't know but he seems cool." Carley replied.

"Yeah honey who is he and how do you know him?" Fiona asked her husband curious.

"Okay I'll bite!

His name is Silvrestri and he's my... brother." he said softly.

The others gasped in shock but Fiona was more surprised.

"How come you never told us about him?" Artie asked his friend.

"Because I thought I'd lost him.

He was kicked out at seven the year I was born.

I didn't know either ubtil Snowgre told me.

I was shocked too." he replied...

He'd only been wandering the forest for a few days after being sent away a few days ago.

He then came to a village and was excited until some human kids threw stones at him.

"Hey What was that for?" Shrek asked them rubbing where the stones hit.

"It's because you're a freak!

Go back to where ever you came from before we tell our parents there's a monster in the village.

You should just leave us alone.

You're nothing but a freak!" they said as the tears fell from the young ogre's eyes.

That was when he saw... Silvrestri.

"Hey leave my brother alone!

You'd better make sure my parents don't hear what you're doing to him.

Because if they do, they'll get mad and you don't wanna see them when they're mad!" he roared as he threw stones back at them.

"L-Let's get out of here!" the kids yelled.

Silvrestri chuckled at that.

"Wow that was awesome!

Did you really mean what you said about me being your... brother?" Shrek asked him.

"Yes Shrek I am.

I'm Silvrestri.

I was born a long time ago.

Mom and Dad made me leave the day you were born.

I want to protect you from those guys, those mean humans who don't see we have souls and hearts like them.

" he answered him.

"Maybe when we're all grown up, things will be better.

Then we could live without being feared or hated or having the risk of the house burnt down." Shrek told him as they hugged.

But then they heard hunters.

"We have to go, okay brother?

I don't wanna end up as a trophy." he told him.

"Yeah I agree.

Maybe we should split up.

One day we will meet again, when we're older." Silvrestri told him as he left...

The others were amazed at that.

"Wow so you haven't seen your brother in twenty years?

I feel so sorry for you." Carley said.

"Hey amigo it's okay.

We're together now and I hope it stays that way." he replied hugging her.

Silvrestri smiled broadly at that.

Like his brother, he had a heart of gold too along with being geroic sometimes.

"These friends of yours seem nice and caring.

Like my ninja friends back in the Leaf Village." he said softly.

"Some of them are my wife's friends and some of them are mine." Shrek told him.

"Hey welcome to the family.

You wanna help us kick butt?" Leah asked him.

"You mean that blond haired loser Charming and Rapunzel?

Yeah I'm in!

Those jerks have no reason to ruin Shrek's life or hurt those he cares about whether they're like us or mortals.

We're all the same you know." Silvrestri replied.

"I so agree.

I'm Leah and my shy friend who's with your brother is Carley.

She's his best human friend.

The others are Snow, Cinderella, Lillian, Doris, Sleeping Beauty and your brother's wife Fiona." Leah told him.

Silvreestri's eyes shone at that.

"It's nice to meet you all.

I never... knew he had a family that cares for him like you guys do.

In the Leaf Village, I have a family like that too made up of friends and people who care about me and are precious to me.

I would do anything to protect them, even lay down my life for them." he told them.

Charming was nervous at this but had an idea.

"So Shrek has a brother eh?

I may have found another way to get at him as well as Fiona." he thought as Rapunzel left as night fell.

Shrek saw Silvrestri was quiet and shy around the others as Leah and Doris went to get wood for the fire.

"Hey you okay brother?

You haven't said a word since eariler.

Let me guess, you're shy around them, aren't you?" he said to him.

"Y-Yeah I am.

I've never been with others for a while, not even my own family.

Snowgre is at the Leaf Village but he barely talks to me.

It's... like my own family don't love me and I thought they did." he replied sadly.

Shrek saw tears fall from Silvrestri's eyes.

Suddenly there was thunder in the sky and saw his brother shiver in fear.

"Hey it'll be okay." he reassured him.

" He must be afraid of thunder.

Poor guy.

I wish there was something I could do." he thought as he saw a barn.

"It's okay brother I've got an idea!

Come on guys follow me." he told them leading the way.

Leah smiled as they entered the barn.

"Nice idea Shrek.

But won't the people who own the barn be mad?" she said to him.

"Nah.

Besides I wouldn't want you guys to get hurt by thunder." he replied.

"Silvrestri you okay?" Fiona asked her brother in law.

"Y-Yeah I guess so.

I'm not a fan of thunder.

Not since my ear got burnt by a flash of thunder when I was ten." he replied as Shrek looked at his brother's right ear.

There was a massive burn on it.

"That must've hurt!" HE SAID.

Fiona and the others were talking along with Leah but Silverestri noticed Carley was sitting on the hay floor with her head in her hands.

He knew about her sight problems but didn't mind.

"Umm... hey I'm Silverestri.

My brother's always talking about you and your friend Leah.

I noticed you're both Shinobi from two opposite villages.

What level are you?

I'm still a Genin but I'm getting better.

I would've went for the Chunnin exams but..." he said.

"But why didn't you?

It was because you're an ogre, isn't it?" she said softly.

He was able to hear her but Shrek had told him about when she spoke like that.

"Yes.

They decided I should leave the Leaf Village in exile and I didn't do nothing wrong.

It's because they think I'm just too different to be a ninja.

But now I don't have a home, a family or a life.

I'm a loser like the other Genins call me." he explained with tears in his eyes.

"I know how you feel.

I am at Jonin level but they wouldn't let me because of my condition but I refused to be a Jonin.

But Leah is one and I'm so happy for her, that I never told her about not being a Jonin because it would stop her and I don't wanna stop her from following her dream of being a ninja just because of me.

We have something in common Silvrestri.

We're both treated like losers and I hate it!" she replied through tears.

She was unaware Leah had heard that as well as Shrek.

"I can't believe they did that to her just because she's visually impaired.

Didn't Gaara try to help?

But maybe he couldn't.

I know how much you're hurting inside because of the way others treat you.

But I know there's more to you than just a disabled kid.

One day they'll realise it too.

At least you have Shrek and me." Leah thought as she saw her friend lie on the floor with her head band covering her eyes so nobody could see the sadness.

"Hey it'll be okay.

I don't think you're a loser just because you're not a Jonin." a voice said as she looked up... into Leah's eyes.

"Y-You don't?" the other girl replied.

"No I don't think you're a loser because of that.

You're still hurting from the way people treat you but we care.

We love you for who you are.

Right guys?" Leah answered.

"She's right.

Your heart and eyes can see beyond appearances which means you make friends regardless of what they look like outside." Fiona replied.

A smile crossed Carley's face hearing that.

"T-Thanks guys.

You all rock too." she answered as they shared a group hug.

But they noticed Snow wasn't there but saw Charming run off with her...

"Don't worry we'll get her back.

Believe it!" Leah reassured Fiona...