Chapter 6: Truth Hurts

Splinter's P.O.V.

"Mikey, shut up for two seconds! You'll wake Splinter!"

"No, Donnie! You have to listen to me! Why won't anyone listen to me?!"

"What is going on out here!?"

I step into the front of our home as Donatello and Michelangelo whip towards me.

Donatello gulps, "N-n-nothing, Sensei." He's sweating. I can swell it.

"What happened to you, my son?" I say, looking at my battered boy. Michelangelo opens his mouth, ready to scream when Donatello jumps in.

"He got hit by a bus! He- he wasn't looking where he was going! Stupid Mikey!"

Michelangelo bursts, "Why can't I talk?! Is there something wrong with talking!?"

"Donatello," I say. He looks me in the eye, "Are you lying?"

My son's eyes bulge. "Uh…um…I- "

"I LOST HIM! I LOST MY LEO!"

Raph burst in, bleeding. Behind him comes his old pet also bleeding, holding his chest. He's sobbing, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" while Raphael is howling, "MY LEO! MY HEART! HE'S GONE!"

"Raph, where's Leo?" Donatello cries.

Raphael and his pet collapse, sobbing, "MY LEO! SHREDDER HAS HIM! SHREDDER HAS HIM!"

"WHAT!?" I shriek, horror filling me.

The boys look at me while Michelangelo screams, "That's what I've been trying to tell you! But does anyone listen to Mikey?! NO!"

Raphael talks through sobs, "We should have told you, Sensei! Mikey and Leo were kidnapped! We didn't know about Shredder! Now Leo's…Leo's…"

"Mind controlled."

We turn as my daughter strives in, eyes saddened, a frown plastered on her face.

Miwa? My youngest sons expose their weapons.

"Karai?" Raphael whispers, "How…what...?"

She folds her arms, "Leonardo brought me here once. I'm not getting into details. To complex."

Raphael climbs to his feet, "Leo!? Is he okay?"

"He's alive which is the best state he can be in."

My heart jumps as I speak, "Miwa-er-Karai," I say stepping forward," What is Saki planning to do with my son?" Michelangelo and Donatello lower their weapons.

My daughter eyes me warily. "He thought Slash would kill Mikey and Donnie. He knew Raph would be angry and too busy fighting Slash to worry about Leo." Karai shakes her head, "I don't know the details, okay. All I know is that Father wants Leo under his control so he can use him on Yoshi. He knows you won't fight your son. So after Leo kills you, he'll have Leo kill himself."

Raphael chokes," NO!" He can't!"

"We have to save him, "Donatello states the obvious.

"I'll help you. "Karai says.

"Why would you help us, Foot, "Slash growls, clearly stating his allegiance.

Karai looks at me as if looking for approval. I nod. She sighs. I hear Raphael growl at her words, "I thought I'd love Leo if he was a bad boy. But I don't. I can't. I love the good boy better. And I want him back."


Leo's P.O.V.

"What did you do, Stockman!? What did that boy offer that made you betray me!"

"Master Shredder, please! He didn't do anything! I didn't do anything! I did everything as planned!"

That's what I hear first as I wake up from the control. I remember what I did. I remember…I remember…

I watch Stockman fall, a big black eye gleaming. Shredder stands over him, Rhazar and Fishface feet away.

"Stop…" I say, voice weak and scratchy. I stand, "Stop it. Leave…leave him alone."

Shredder lunges at me, slapping me, "If you wanted to protect somebody, you should have done what I said and killed your brother!"

I fall and Shredder marches back to Stockman, who is running back to his computer.

Kill my brother.

Kill Raph.

I look at my shaky, bloody hands.

Kill Raphie.

I want to burn my hands. I want to stick them in cold ice. Maybe get them electrocuted. Maybe sever them from my body…

As I listen to Stockman ramble and Shredder yell, I let the pain in the back of my neck torture me and I sob.

I cry till all I can do is lay there and moan.

I know Shredder was telling me to kill him, forcing me to.

But that's not why I'm crying.

I'm crying because…well…

Something inside me wanted to kill my own brother.